Please send me feedback. This is my first fanfic so it is much =
appreciated!
"Dreams?" part 1
by Neva=20
My Version of BtVS: This is an alternate universe. Willow is the one who =
got Angel out of Hell; however, he is the only one who knows this is =
Angel. Amy knows too but she is still a member of the rodent family in =
my story. He and Buffy never had a relationship after this -- mostly =
due to lack of interest on his part after being sent to Hell for a =
couple of centuries. Oz and Willow never reconciled after the "Lover's =
Walk" incident, and he left on tour with the Dingoes after the mayor was =
defeated. Buffy is dating regularly but Willow hasn't been seeing =
anyone. Xander is dating Anya.=20
This story is heavy on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer aspects.
My Version of Highlander: This takes place after the show finale and at =
approximately a couple months after the last episode of H: the Raven. I =
missed many Highlander episodes so I am kind of winging it on all =
details from the show.
=20
Disclaimer: None of these characters (except one minor character) belong =
to me. They belong to other people; I'm just borrowing them for a =
little while (maybe a long while -- I am a slow writer). All rights and =
properties of Highlander are owned by Rysher entertainment, and all =
rights and properties of Buffy the Vampire Slayer owned by Joss Whedon, =
Warner Bros. and Mutant Enemy, etc. (Okay the legal stuff is out of the =
way.)
=20
** Note to Readers: Thoughts are indicated with < and > markings. **
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=20
January 2000_
=20
<It's a good thing the LAPD computer system is ridiculously easy to hack =
into. > The redheaded witch was finding it increasingly difficult to =
keep her eyes open. Which, given that it was three in the afternoon and =
she normally could function on a few hours sleep, was not good. =
Cordelia was beginning to look worried. Her houseguest, who had had the =
tact to say nothing about Cordelia's new living accommodations, looked =
like she was about ready to pass out.
=20
Not that the poor lighting in the detective agency was helping, but the =
witch looked unhealthily pale. She also had purple circles under her =
usually bright eyes. Cordelia wished that Angel would return early from =
the case he working on. She hadn't seen him in five days. Willow had =
just said she was having bad dreams and refused to say more, brushing =
them off as unimportant. The young women's friendship was too new and =
tentative for her to press the issue comfortably. But Cordy had learned =
not long after coming to work for Angel that the witch and the vampire =
were close friends. They were constantly e-mailing each other. He =
could get her to confess whatever was bothering her.
=20
<Maybe I should just call it quits for now. > The couch was looking far =
too good. <Sleeping won't help though; I just wake up more tired. > =
For the two weeks, beginning around finals, Willow had been having very =
strange dreams that jumped from time period to time period at random. =
Last night had been the Bronze Age. All of them were about a strange =
woman she had never seen before. The woman was tall and regal; she =
seemed to radiate power. The dreams were vivid, like she had stepped =
inside a color TV. Every thing was three-dimensional. Willow was just =
an audience; she could only observe, even when she wanted to help the =
woman in the dreams. It didn't seem to matter what happened in the =
dream; even if she was just watching the woman sit there it exhausted =
Willow.
Suddenly she realized she had drifted off right in front of the =
computer. <Oops! > Cordelia had gone from looking worried to outright =
alarmed.
=20
"Are you sure you're ok?" Cordy's voice sounded genuinely worried.
=20
"I'm fine; I just need to get something to eat," she smiled weakly and =
shut down the computer," I got everything you needed anyway." =20
=20
Cordy had called two days ago to nervously ask Willow if she could came =
bail her out since Angel had abruptly left town to pursue a nasty child =
porn case. This left Cordy to deal with a regular client who needed =
someone discreetly checked out. Her computer skills didn't cut it so =
she had bitten her lip, pretended to be nonchalant, and called =
"net-girl".
=20
They turned off the lights and left; Cordelia looked decidedly =
unconvinced.
=20
Night and the next morning_
=20
She was in a forest this time. It was daylight but heavy tree growth =
and drizzling rain cut the light down to a soft glow. The air was fresh =
and sweet smelling. Willow saw and moved towards the cottage she saw =
off to one side, drifting through obstacles like a ghost. <Maybe I'm a =
ghost here. Wherever here is. > The woman was not in the cottage =
although there was food on the table and a small fire on the grate. =
There were also books, in many languages, which struck Willow as odd, =
given the setting. Everything looked kind of medieval. There were pieces =
of parchment, partially covered in strange and foreign writing, =
scattered beside the food on the table. =20
=20
< I have to find her. >
=20
She felt the woman come closer and left the cottage to find her. The =
woman wasn't far. Looking at her confirmed the young witch's thoughts =
of the medieval. She was wearing a long shirt and a lace-up vest; her =
hair was permitted to fall loosely down to her shoulders. It was longer =
than in the last dream. The woman was watching a dark-haired young boy =
play in the woods, pretending to be a warrior.
Willow felt herself begin to fade away. The dream was ending. As the =
forest blurred out of sight she felt the woman think a single word, a =
name <Duncan>.
=20
Willow opened her eyes to sunlight. <Morning already? These dreams seem =
so short. > Cordelia was still asleep so Willow wriggled out her =
sleeping bag as quietly as she could. In the bathroom she splashed cold =
water on her face, but it failed to help. She looked at her face and =
cringed. Her eyes looked bruised and she was vampire pale. Willow =
wished she could taken a shower and ease muscles stiff from not moving =
through the entire night, but she didn't want to wake Cordy. <I kept =
her up most of the night talking. > Cordy had been missing talking to =
another girl and Willow had been trying to avoid closing her eyes.
She grabbed a pen and scribbled a quick note:
=20
Cordy,
Went to the agency to use the computer. Promised to e-mail Giles =
today.
Willow
=20
<Getting Giles to learn how to use the email on my computer was an =
interesting experience. > Willow thought with an amused grin. =
Fortunately she had done it before finals. The last couple of weeks she =
had lacked the energy she needed to badger the former librarian into it.
=20
An hour later_
=20
Willow didn't realize that her eyes had closed until her arm had brushed =
the desk as she began to fall out her chair. That jerked her eyes back =
open, but the tired feeling was overwhelming. She gave in <I haven't =
even written the e-mail yet. I guess I'll just have to do it later. > =
She turned off the computer and stumbled to the couch. As she curled up =
she thought plaintively <Goddess, please don't let me dream. > She =
closed her eyes and gave into sleep.
=20
If anything this dream was more vivid than the others were. The woman's =
hair had been cut and she was wearing jeans. She looked to be as tired =
as Willow. They were in an alley this time and the woman was drawing a =
sword. <Wait a minute! A sword! A sword, jeans and very modern looking =
alley --- it just doesn't make sense! Oh, Goddess, where did that guy =
come from?!> Her study of the changes in the woman had kept her from =
noticing the other person in the alley. It was a young man with an =
arrogant face, cocky, and he too was holding a drawn sword. He seemed =
to be challenging the woman.
=20
They began to fight. Watching so many of Buffy's practice sessions in =
the library helped Willow follow the fight. At first the man seemed to =
be winning; the woman was tired and it showed in her slow reactions. =
<Please don't get hurt --- I don't want you to get hurt. > Then suddenly =
the outcome turned as the woman wove her sword in a complex pattern that =
revealed years of practice and experience with the weapon. The man =
couldn't follow the move. And then she cut off his head. Willow didn't =
have much time to feel shock at what she was seeing. Faster than she =
could think she felt herself being pulled inside the woman's mind. Then =
all hell broke loose inside Willow's mind.=20
=20
Angel stood watching the sleeping hacker. He had come in from his =
apartment to find the lights on inside the office. Angel could think =
of no reason for her to be there, but he was glad to see her, although =
she looked pale and ill. <What have you been doing to yourself little =
one? >
=20
Suddenly Willow began to toss violently, eyes shooting open to stare =
blankly at the ceiling. She fell from the couch to the floor and =
flailed around hitting her arms and legs against both Angel and the =
couch. He fell to his knees and grabbed a hold of her and tried to hold =
her still. She didn't wake when he shook her.
=20
The vampire felt more fear than he'd felt when he had remembered that he =
nearly killed Willow when he was Angelus. Suddenly Willow stiffened in =
his arms and began to scream, and Angel felt himself being thrown across =
the room to crash into the wall. Blue lightening flashed around her =
body on the floor; lightening lashed out exploding the light bulbs and =
cracking windows.
=20
Then as fast as it started it ended. Angel stayed shocked and frozen =
for a few moments. A soft moan from Willow, curled in a ball in the =
middle of the room, made him scramble over to her. He gently turned her =
over and picked her up. She opened her eyes and looked at him, "Angel?" =
Then she moaned again, her eyes rolling up into her head. Willow passed =
out.=20
=20
The door opened behind Angel and Cordelia and Doyle walked in, bickering =
as usual. They took one look at the darkened room, covered in bits of =
broken glass and scorch marks and fell silent. Then they moved into the =
room quickly with the glass crunching under their feet.
=20
"What happened!" Cordelia exclaimed.
=20
"Did someone break in?"
=20
"What's wrong with Willow? Oh god, I should have made her tell me what =
was bothering her."=20
=20
"When I came in she was sleeping. . ."
=20
"She must have had another dream!" Cordelia realized.
=20
"Then everything went crazy . . . Willow has been having unusual =
dreams?!" Angel said with some alarm. Unusual dreams were not good =
things for a witch who lived on the Hellmouth.
=20
"Yeah, but all I could get her to tell me was that she was having bad =
dreams. She wouldn't tell me what they were about. They make her =
really tired though, all wobbly and pale."
=20
"Do you think she's spoken to Giles about them?"
=20
"No I don't think so. He's been out of town for a couple of weeks. =
>From what she did say this hasn't been happening long."=20
=20
"Um, not to butt in, but shouldn't we be laying her down or calling an =
ambulance?" interjected Doyle as he reached out to check her pulse, =
"Though her pulse seems strong enough."
=20
"My apartment is best," said Angel, turning to the elevator. "The =
lightening storm makes me think that some sort of magic was involved. =
Giles will be more help."
=20
Cordelia followed Doyle and Angel to the elevator then stopped with a =
confused look on her face, "Lighting storm?"
=20
Angel's Apartment_
=20
It took only a few minutes to get Willow settled; she had already shed =
her shoes and earrings. Angel picked up the phone and dialed from =
memory. After a few rings it was picked up.
=20
"Giles . . ."
=20
"No it's Buffy. Is that you Angel? How are y. . ."
=20
Angel cut her off, "I need to talk to Giles. Now."
"Fine. Whatever." The slayer voice went from friendly to cool in a =
split second. She still didn't accept that Angel didn't want to be =
close anymore. Even if she did have lots of guys wanting to date her. =
Which is why he and Willow had kept their ever-stronger friendship a =
secret. Willow hadn't wanted to upset Buffy or Xander. He didn't =
blame her. Those two could be very vocal in their disapproval, and =
Willow was still highly sensitive to what others wanted of her.=20
=20
"Angel?" The watcher sounded confused.
=20
"Giles, has Willow asked you anything about dreams lately?"
=20
"Dreams? No, what's wrong? Is Willow there; I got her note saying she =
was going to LA overnight, but she didn't email me this morning like she =
said she would. Is she all right?"
=20
"She's unconscious . . ."
=20
"What!" Angel could hear Buffy in the background asking what was wrong.
=20
"I walked into the agency and found her asleep. Then she started =
thrashing and there was a short but powerful indoor lightening storm =
centered on her. She was conscious for a moment then she blacked out."
=20
"It's just noon now. Buffy and I will begin researching dreams, and you =
drive her back to Sunnydale as soon as it gets dark. Call if she wakes =
up or says anything"
=20
"I will," Angel hung up the phone. He turned to Cordelia, " You =
and Doyle need to go get Willow's things and get the car ready. I'll =
stay here and keep an eye on her." They left to get ready.
=20
She didn't wake once during the long afternoon.
=20
Sunnydale, Midnight_
=20
Angel brushed by Buffy to place the now awake, but groggy, young witch =
on the sofa. She had insisted that she was perfectly capable of =
walking but the vampire had completely ignored her protests. He sat =
next to her and pulled her back until she was leaning against him. =
Buffy began to look very confused, and rather upset. Willow and Angel =
looked very comfortable with each other.
=20
"Willow, you must tell us about these dreams; they are endangering you, =
" Giles stated firmly.
=20
Willow sighed and said, "All right. It began about the middle of =
finals. They, the dreams, are very vivid and three dimensional." She =
described the dreams and the woman in the dreams as thoroughly as she =
could. Willow could remember all the dreams very clearly. "The last =
one, this morning, was the same as all the others until the end."
=20
"What changed?" Angel asked.
=20
"After she decapitated the man, I - I felt myself being pulled inside =
her=20
mind. For a moment I was completely linked with her. I felt everything =
she felt. She was aware of me!" Willow was pale, and she turned wide, =
frightened eyes to her friends. Angel placed a comforting hand on hers. =
"She's a real person, Giles! This is so not good" Willow seemed to wilt =
with exhaustion, her eyes drooping. =20
=20
"What was the lightening?"
=20
"I saw blue light, but it was like I was seeing several peoples' lives =
all pressed together on fast-forward. I think it was what she was =
seeing," Willow's voice was very soft and by the end of her sentence she =
was asleep.
=20
"Giles, is there somewhere she could sleep?"
=20
"Yes, just put her in the guest room," Giles pointed.
=20
Angel scooped up Willow again and quickly tucked her into bed. He =
watched her for a moment, and he reached out to touch her face. <She =
looks so worn out. > Angel turned and returned to the living room. He =
returned to find Buffy and Xander glaring at him.
=20
"When did you two get so chummy?" Xander barked.
=20
"We've been friends since I got back from Hell." He realized now that =
sitting with Willow had been a mistake. The fact that they were close =
friends had been pretty evident. Her friends wanted some answers --- =
Now. "We talk computers, history, and magic a lot" =20
=20
"So you can spend time with my best friend but not with me," Buffy =
sounded decidedly irate.
=20
Angel figured that telling that he had nothing to talk to her about, =
that the thrill of forbidden love was over, would be a decidedly bad =
idea. Suicidal even. He wanted to laugh at the amount that Buffy =
didn't know about Willow, especially Willow's magic. He knew from his =
observations of the last year and Willow's e-mails that their =
relationship mostly consisted of Willow doing things for Buffy. This =
was especially true lately. Angel was saved from making an angry reply =
by Giles, who was standing to one side getting annoyed at his charge's =
apparent lack of regard for their friend's health.
=20
"We have other things to think about right now. Willow needs our help," =
Giles snapped. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Angel, I need =
you and Xander to go get some magical supplies. Some of them will be at =
Willow and Buffy's room at the dorms. The rest you should be able to =
find at the Wiccan store Willow frequents," he quickly wrote a list as =
he spoke, referring to a text he had grabbed and opened while Willow =
spoke. "I don't think these are actual dreams. I think she is actually =
linked to someone; I don't know how. Willow needs rest so we will do a =
spell to block the link. That will give us time to find out what's =
going on. While I prepare the spell Buffy will go do a quick patrol."
=20
Everyone moved to obey. Giles firm voice followed them out the door, =
"Try to be back in no more than two hours."
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to be continued . . .
