Flesh Into Gear

Title: Flesh Into Gear
Author: claudia6913
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Aus/S/W
Summary: Drusilas bas been killed by none other then Willow. What will Angelus and Spike do when they find out?
Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own none of the characters; they belong to Joss and Co. I’m just borrowing them for my sick and twisted pleasure. The title was taken from the song ‘Flesh Into Gear’ by CKY (Camp Kill Yourself), along with the lyrics.
Distribution: If I posted it to your list…well then I guess you can have it. Otherwise, just drop me a line…I’m sure to say yes.
Feedback: But of course. I tend to really, really like the stuff. It’s almost an obsession. Claudia_6913@hotmail.com

A/N: Thanks to Gabrielle for yet another wonderful challenge and for all of the input for this fic. You are the best! The title was taken from the song ‘Flesh Into Gear’ by CKY (Camp Kill Yourself), along with the lyrics.

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Chapter 8

Calling the school library, Willow made sure Giles was not there. She had gone online earlier to search for time-travel spells, but only came up with names of books and a few key ingredients needed in most time spells. However, there was nothing she could actually use. Willow needed the entire spell, not just bits and pieces; she knew that much about magick at least. One of the books listed online, she remembered seeing in Giles’ restricted collection. It was hidden in a locked cabinet in his office at the school.

After making sure Giles was not staying late at the library, Willow grabbed the note to Xander, her bag, and some money, then left her house, locking up behind her. Even though it was still light out, Willow listened for anyone who might be following her. She had read in another of Giles’ off-limits books that vampires have been known to hire humans to carry out certain duties that could only be done during the day. Therefore, she stayed cautious and alert.

Willow hoped that she had allowed herself enough time to find the spell, get the ingredients, and get home before nightfall. Mentally, she went over everything she had read about time-altering spells. Some of them could make it seem as if you had never left once the spell was ended, while in others, time continued to pass even though you were in another time. She hoped the spell Giles had would be the former sort of spell. Willow didn’t want to end the spell, come back somewhere other ther her house, and be caught out after dark by Spike and Angelus.

Pulling the note for Xander out of her pocket, Willow walked to his basement door. She had to choke back a sob as she remembered Xander’s harsh words. Looking around the yard, pleasant memories came back to her of camping outside during the hot summer nights, and days spent playing hide-n-seek. The nostalgia hung thick and palpable in the air. Clutching the note to her, Willow walked slowly to the door, and then slipped the envelope in-between the door and the jamb.

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flesh into gear
myself appears dissected and pretentious
a simple sound a heavy side

The hallways of the school were empty and quiet, the squeaking of her sneakers the only sound. Willow wasn’t sure, but she thought it was Friday. She had planned to spend time with Oz, but that could wait until after the spell. This was something that she had to do, and it couldn’t wait. Willow knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep until this was done. Her conscience would hound her until it was completed.

This breaking and entering was not Willow’s forte by a long shot. Every small noise made her jump in fright, afraid of being caught. It was different when the entire Scooby gang was there. Eventually, though, she made it to the library. It seemed empty and cold without the chatter of the rest of them, or even the soft snores of the tired researchers.

Making her way through the library, Willow opened the door to Giles’ office, walked in, and closed the door behind her. The last time she had been in here without Giles’ knowledge was when she and Buffy wanted to look up Angel’s history as Angelus. She remembered reading the horrors and it made Willow’s situation all the more real and frightening.

Putting those thoughts away for the moment, Willow pulled out the piece of paper she had listed the books on. She looked through Giles’ restricted collection. Willow was amazed to find the lock on the cabinet was open. She was also pleased, picking locks not being one of her specialties. This would save her some valuable time. Also, she realized that she hadn’t thought about how she would get into the cabinet if it were locked.

Grab a f a few of the books, she read the titles off to herself. Many of the books were old Watcher’s diaries, some dating back to the early sixteen hundreds. Giles, she noticed, had some very rare books as well; a few first editions of well-known and widely read novels, as well as a few books written, in what looked to be demon languages. Finally, she came to the spell books. Willow found that Giles actually owned two of the books on her list. Carefully, Willow took them out of the cabinet, laid them on his desk, and settled down to read. She brought out a pad of paper and a pencil to make any notes she might need.

The first book Willow looked at was old, though to Giles’ credit, it was in excellent condition. The book was titled Witchcraft for study and use. It looked to be written in an Old English style, which made it hard to read, but Willow would not be dissuaded. She pored over it carefully, and found the spell. It was indeed a spell to go back in time, but it said that when you went, it was only as an invisible observer, able to affect nothing. That, unfortunately, would do her no good. Willow needed to tell Xander, Oz, and Giles about Angelus and Spike. She needed them to know so they could prevent Cordelia’s death. That was the whole point of doing the time- travel spell.

The second book, Ad Peregrinatoris, was much older then the other and written in Latin. Willow knew a bit of Latin, reading the title as ‘Time Travels’, but not enough to read the entire book without some help. She would have to finish it at home.

Flipping through the book carefully, Willow saw that Giles had made a few translations on loose-leaf paper, including a spell for time travel. He hadn’t translated word-for-word so much as he had written a brief overview. She read his notes quickly. Giles hadn’t gone into much detail, but it looked like this would be the spell she would use. It, thankfully, didn’t contain an invisibility restriction like the last one.

Willow skimmed through, looking for the spell and its ingredients. She wanted to stop by the magick shop before she went home. After about fifteen minutes, she found what looked like the ingredients for the spell. The few she had listed from online were also listed in the spell along with a clear quartz crystal, hellebore, and some sage.

With the ingredients list tucked away in her pocket, Willow carefully put back the books she had removed and placed the book she needed into her bag. She looked over the room, making sure it was just as she found it. After she finished with the spell, she promised herself that she would bring the book back.

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The woman at the magic shop had been helpful, but Willow got the impression that the owner knew what she was up to. Unfortunately, some of the herbs needed for the spell were extinct and the owner had helped her select suitable replacements, all the while explaining the various uses and magickal properties of everything she bought.

As Willow sat down at her computer, night fell outside. She had, thankfully, made it home before dark. The translation was slow and tedious, only because of how seemingly complex the book made the spell seem. Frequently the author reminded the reader of just how dangerous a spell like this c be. be. While Willow had her doubts about doing the spell, she pressed on, remembering the porcelain-like appearance of Cordelia’s face as it had stared blankly at nothing. That thought along reinforced her resolve to do doing this spell and pressed her to move forward with it.

Hours had flown by while Willow diligently worked on the translation. She did indeed have all the proper ingredients needed. Finally, when it was all copied out, Willow sat back and sighed. Her eyes hurt from the constant reading, her back hurt from sitting hunched over the book…it all hurt; heart, body, and soul alike. But, she hoped to remedy that by going back and warning the others before it was too late.

The spell had called for a precise time and date based on star alignment and the old lunar calendar. Those calculations alone had taken most of the night, but she had made them. Everything she needed was all gathered and waiting for her. The chant she would memorize while she took a bath to cleanse not only her body, but her mind and her intentions as well.

Gathering rob robe, oils, and paper with the chant written on it, Willow went into the bathroom and prepared her bath. The patchoulli oil was a different scent for her and it took her a minute to get used to the smell. However, not only the book, but the magick shopkeeper recommended it as well. Willow wanted to get this right, needed to get it right. Cordelia’s life depended on it as did Willow’s sanity.

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could win the whole world over
you live in fear of being someone that you didn't want to
i realize your insecurity will get the best of you

“What do you suppose the chit is up to in there?” Spike asked Angelus. They had hoped to catch Willow outside the safety of her house and talk to her, find out how she was holding up. Angelus said he needed to know her state of mind so he could judge their next move, but Willow was not playing by the rules.

“I don’t know,” Angelus said, distractedly. He was trying to listen for Willow, but he had heard nothing after the water shut off.

The two vampires had stopped by the library first, after dark, expecting to find all of the little White Hats in a meeting about them. They’d wanted to make a cameo appearance, but those plans had been thwarted by the fact that the library was empty. They had expected outrage, death threats, and tears over the death of the self-centered cheerleader. Angelus and Spike were disappointed at the deserted library, so they decided to come by and see what their hacker was up to.

“Think we should knock, all right and proper-like, and let her know we’re here?” Spike asked. He wasn’t sure what they were doing here. Spike didn’t know if Angelus had expected their girl to actually be outside after dark, and if he had, then Angelus definitely had a lot to learn about the chit.

“No, let’s wait and see what Willow is up to.”

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The bath had helped Willow relax and wake up a bit. She felt more aware and confident. Once in her room, Willow removed her robe, gathered the ingredients, and in in a clear space on the floor. The spell had called for the caster to be skyclad, or nude, for added potency. She had read that for some spells, clothes could be a hindrance and however embarrassing this was to her, she wanted nothing to go wrong. This spell had to work, so skyclad she would

Willow set out the candles first, putting one at each point on the compass. The black candle, which sat at the southern point behind her, was for protection during the spell. The white one, which sat at the eastern corner, was for purity of intent. The purple candle was for the projection of her body through the astral plane; it sat in the west, and in front of her sat the blue candle. Its focus was for time and concentration.

After the candles were in place, Willow took the cap off the salt and walked a nine-foot circle, making sure that before she cd itd it, both sher and any other items she needed were inside. Once the sacred circle was closed, nothing and noone could pass the perimeter.

As soon as Willow closed the circle, she felt the air within grow immediately heavy, making it hard to breathe. Tentatively, she reached out to the edge of the circle and was amazed to meet resistance. She thought it comparable to the invisible barrier that kept her safe in her house and prevented vampires from entering uninvited.

Pleased with the results of the circle, her confidence secure, Willow began the spell. She lit the candles, starting with the blue one at north and made her way clockwise. With each candle she lit, the heavier the air within the circle became. Willow tried not to think about how constricting it felt; afraid she might panic and not finish the spell. So, she concentrated on the next step.

Willow pulled the stone bowl closer to her and added the Sage, Hellebore, Lavender, and a few drops of patchoulli. Then, she took the inch-long, clear quartz crystal she had attached to a leather string, and held it over the bowl. Then she grabbed the paper with her time calculationsttentten on it in the other hand and lit it from one of the candles, placing the burning paper into the bowl with the herbs. Those too caught fire and she began to chant.

“With pure intent,
Time I wish to navigate,
Back, before, time gone by,
Move me now,
I have laid the time.”

The world around Willow began to close in on her, slowly at first before picking up speed. All she saw was fleeting darkness as images blurred past her, too fast to see. The chanting continued and the crystal began to glow a faint white at first before blinding her. Still she chanted.

Everything came abruptly to a complete halt, knocking Willow backwards and breaking the circle. She lay dazed on the floor of her bedroom.

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Spike and Angelus stood outside Willow’s house, listening and watching. She was doing a spell, and that infuriated them. It could be anything, including the restoration of Angel’s soul, and that didn’t sit well with them. They had to shield their eyes when a blinding white light shot out of the windows, then the room went dark.

“Bloody hell,” Spike said.

“She’ll pay for that,” Angelus said. He had just the present for her, too. She was all picked out and waiting for him to present her to Willow.

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W
Willow wasn’t sure if the spell had worked. Looking around her room, it all looked the same. Unable to stand just yet, Willow crawled to her computer at her desk and checked the date.

She’d done it. Willow had gone back a little over a day. It was nine-thirty pm, and she had time yet, plenty of time before Cordelia’s death. Steadying herself with her chair, Willow stood up and went about getting dressed so she could go inform the guys about Angelus and Spike.