Solace

Title: Solace

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: S/W

Summary: We find comfort in the strangest of places.

Reviews: I need reviews like I need air. They help to inspire me! So please leave your comments, good, bad, or indifferent.

Random Quote: “No one who, like me, conjures up the most evil of those half-tamed demons that inhabit the human beast, and seeks to wrestle with them, can expect to come through the struggle unscathed.” ~ Sigmund Freud

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, its characters, or its settings and do not make any money from writing this story. I’m just playing with them a little bit.

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“I see that sleep is out of the question young ones.”

“Madeline I have never asked you for anything before but this is important.”

A soft smile reached Madeline’s lips as Spike spoke. She never turned from the fire but waited for Spike to finish. Her small hands were folded gently on her lap. Willow watched her for signs of life but saw none. She was not breathing, not moving, had she not known better she would have assumed she was a statue or dead.

“How do I get my soul back?” Willow gasped when she heard the words leave Spike’s lips. His pointed look was aimed at Madeline, his eyes silently begging her for an answer.

“Well I must say William you have managed to surprise me. I knew you would ask this of me but you were not supposed to ask for it just yet.”

“Does that mean you won’t help me?”

“Of course not! Little witch please bring me that book.” Madeline pointed to a large tome that sat on a display pole against the far back wall hidden in shadow.

Willow quietly stood and walked over to the book. She hoisted it into her arms, struggling slightly with the size and weight. Willow sat it gently on Madeline’s lap and took her place next to Spike on the couch.

Madeline waved her hand over the large book. The cover creaked and the pages flipped. The room filled with the sounds of old pages turning, their movement fast and deliberate. They as quickly as they started they stopped. Madeline ran her fingers over the pages that lay open in front of her. Images of the words sprang to life and filled the air around her. The images flew at her face and entered her body through her glowing white eyes.

“There is a place of darkness, William, that a demon lives. He will grant you one perfect wish if you are able to pass his tests. Three tests for one perfect wish. You must pass through the jungles of Africa then on to the sandy shore. It is there that his caves lay. If this is what you truly wish William I will take you there.”

“I’m going to!” Willow shouted as if they were arguing the point. Spike cocked an eyebrow at her and nodded.

“Of course child but you can not help him in his journey. This is his battle to win. You can serve to keep me company.” Madeline smiled at Willow and handed her the book.

Willow placed the book back on display. She watched Madeline stand slowly and head towards the table. At some point the table had been cleaned off. Willow followed Madeline closely and sat in the chair she had sat in for supper.

Madeline resumed her place at the head of the table and waved her hand. The table filled with breakfast foods and drinks. A chalice appeared in front of the seat Spike had been sitting. He cocked his eyebrow but took a seat.

“Madeline…”

“All good journeys start with a good meal William. You will need your strength. The trails are not easy so eat.”

They ate in silence until the merry little jingle from the cell phone Giles had given Willow echoed off the cave walls. Willow jumped and dug around in her pant pockets for the phone. She finally pulled it out and pressed her finger to her lips.

“Hey Xander!” Willow chirped and watched as Spike shuddered. She rolled her eyes at him and went back to the phone call. “Spike’s gone? No he isn’t he drove me out here. No he’s sitting across from me right now.” Spike’s eyes were wide in fear and astonishment. “Really Xander would any of you let me go if you knew he was driving?”

Willow held the phone out and pressed the speaker button. She lightly set it in the center of the table and sat back in her seat. She picked up her fork and continued to eat while Xander babbled on.

“…evil blood sucking undead guy Wills? I mean I could have driven you to see these friends of yours that you have never mentioned or talked to before. What about Tara huh? She’s worried sick. When we found out Spike was gone and you were gone of course we assumed that he took you and not in the hey I’ll give you a ride out of the goodness of my unbeating dead heart kind of way.”

“Oi! Whelp I can hear you.”

“Don’t care. Wills what is wrong with you? Do you have any idea what kind of bad decisions you have made?”

“Calm yourself child.”

“Who the hell is that?”

“If you would take a moment to calm yourself I will tell you. My name is Madeline and I am the friend that Willow and William have come to see.”

“Whatever, look Willow...”

“Oi! Show some respect Whelp!”

“Shut up Spike.”

“Ey! That’s enough out of you Willow hang up the phone!”

Willow nodded and reached for the phone. Before she could turn it off a deep growl came out of the other end and Xander spoke, “What all big bad now that you are a state away?”

“Willow shut the phone!”

“Come on home little whipping boy.” The color drained out of Willow’s face and the phone slipped from her hand and shattered against the cold hard stone floor of the cave. She looked up at Spike whose eyes were trained on his plate and then to Madeline whose unseeing eyes held a glint of sadness in them.

“Told you to hang up the phone,” was Spike’s only response. His eyes remained trained on his plate.

Willow’s eyes darted back and forth from Spike to Madeline. Her heart was racing. Of all the people in the world that could have done those things to Spike, Xander was the lowest on her list. She felt like she could not breathe, her chest hurting. The vision at the corner of her eyes started to go black and her head swam. She felt cool steal bands wrap around her. In the distance she could hear Spike calling her name, but he just sounded so far away. The last thing she saw before her world went black was alabaster skin and strong arms around her waist.