Remember Me

Chapter Thirty

"We've been over this already Buffy, let it go," Angel said, his voice deepening to a warning. He had that look on his face that told Buffy it was a closed discussion.

Except that it wasn't.

"No, it's not the only way. I know you guys don't like it, but there really isn't any other alternative."

"There has to be. I refuse to let you back there Buffy!" Angel shouted at her.

Spike was shaking his head. "We'll come up with another way, Buffy."

Buffy bolted up from her chair. "There IS no other way. This is the only way. Nothing is going to happen to me this time around."

"You said yourself that Quentin is capable of anything, so you want to put yourself back in there and risk your memories, your safety all over again? What if he gets wind that you're not the same Buffy? What happens if he suspects anything? He'll hurt you or erase your memories again—" Angel broke off, walking away from the group.

"I won't let him touch her," Lindsey piped up quietly.

"Oh that's comforting!" Spike yelled sarcastically.

"Stop!" Buffy yelled, holding up her arms. She looked over at Giles who had been studying them in quiet contemplation. "What do you think Giles? You, aside from me and Lindsey, know the inside of the Council and Quentin Travers. What do you think?"

Giles sighed and straightened his gait as he peered over at Angel and Spike, who were so upset they were heaving needless air through their dead lungs. "I think Buffy is right. There is no way to effectively storm the Council all, how did you put it Buffy? Double O 7? The only way in is through Buffy and Lindsey returning as if nothing has happened. They're back from their excursion, they wait a couple days to put their pieces in place and that's when we attack."

"I know when certain members of the Council stay at headquarters and when they return to their own homes. Buffy and I can lay low for a while, find out when the key time would be for you three to infiltrate. That way I can get access to security cameras and find a way to dismantle them without Quentin or any of the other members knowing about it," Lindsey explained.

Spike was shaking his head and puffing furiously on his cigarette while Angel stood there, arms crossed and expressionless. He was angry and worried. Buffy knew him well enough to read the signs. This is what sparked her next idea.

"I have an idea that might help the whole process," she turned to Lindsey and sat down across from him. "You and I. We need to be a formidable force. If Quentin were to suspect anything, we'd have to make sure our bases were covered. Especially if, say he corners us alone to pump us for information on our Slayer/Watcher excursion."

"Okay," Lindsay said slowly. "What do you propose?"

"We have something in common, you and I. Magic. You told me in the past that Slayers and Watchers have a bond, and let's face it, I wasn't exactly willing to forge any bonds."

"Right," Lindsey nodded.

"Well, now is the time I think. We need to be able to connect while we're there; we need to have each others back. We need to be able to sense each others moves, close to the point of reading each others minds. Our magic needs to connect us; we need to work in unison."

"Buffy, I don't know how exactly to do that," Lindsey started regretfully. "It's why I wanted us to meet with Giles in the first place."

"I know someone else who does. Even though he doesn't like it and is actually emphatically against it even though deep down he knows there's no other way." Buffy turned to see Angel who was already shaking his head and walking away.

"Buffy," Angel started. "How can you ask this of me?"

"Because you love me. And I love you. I know how much you hate this idea Angel, but you also know there is no other way," Buffy explained, almost pleadingly as she moved across the room to him. He kept his arms crossed rigidly in front of him as he gazed down at her, his expression hard.

"Angel please. Let's put an end to this once and for all," she pleaded quietly with him, placing her hand on his arm.

"I'm scared," he admitted hoarsely. "I can't lose you again."

"You won't Angel. Trust me. Trust Lindsey."

He looked down at her, caressed the side of her face. "Okay."

"Uh, do I get a bloody say in all this?" Spike asked, raising his hand.

Buffy couldn't help the nervous laugh that escaped. She broke free from Angel and threw herself in Spike's arms. "It'll be all right Big Bad."

Buffy and Lindsey sat across from each other, legs crossed and knees touching. Eyes closed, they held their hands out in front of them and touched, palm to palm. Angel was guiding them through a meditation that allowed their aura's to blend and merge; simply put, they were taking in each other's essence to be able to communicate and be in tune rhythmically in body, mind and spirit. The effects of it would eventually wear off, as all Slayers and Watchers need to recharge their connection, but it would suffice for the time they'd be together at the Council.

Spike sat across the room, glaring daggers at Lindsey. He didn't like this one bit, not at all. He hated the whole magic idea, hated it, but knew it was the only way. He also knew why Buffy had asked Angel to be the one to guide her and Lindsey through this little bonding. It was the same reason she asked that Spike be present for it. So that they'd see for themselves that it would be all right. To put their minds at ease and make them feel as if they had some control over a situation they felt they had absolutely no control over.

The only thing any of them knew for certain was that Quentin had to be stopped. And once caught, he would be handed over to the authorities for kidnapping Buffy. Before that however, he would be stripped of all his powers courtesy of Giles. Giles, who at that moment was reading up on his task and honing his skill to be able to stop Quentin from throwing any magical dagger his way. As for the rest of the Council. . . well, cleaning house was in order and Giles felt he was up to the task once Quentin was taken down. It was all a matter of taking him down now. Something, they all feared, would cause more tragedy than triumph before the man was finally stopped.

"Breathe in the essence of the other, feel each other. . . " Angel was saying.

Spike listened as Buffy and Lindsey's hearts began to beat in tune with one another. He darted a glance to Angel who nodded. It was working. Their hands went from being straight against each others to entwining. Their breath was in tune so when Buffy breathed in Lindsey exhaled and so forth. Their eyes opened and they released their hands at the same time and brought them to their knees in the same deliberate manner.

"It's done," Angel intoned.

Bounding up from her place on the floor, Buffy flew into Angel's arms.
"Thank you!" And she dotted his face with kisses before moving to Spike to pepper him with kisses as well. Lindsey was in the process of thanking Angel at the same time when both vampires tensed.

"Quentin," they said at the same time. And, as if on cue, Giles came hurtling down the stairs, landing in a heap at the bottom.

"It's time," Buffy whispered spinning around moving in front of Angel and Spike to protect them at the same time Spike and Angel moved forward to protect her. Lindsey reached for her elbow, trying to shove her behind him. Buffy shook him off and focused on Quentin slowly making his way down the stairs. Her stomach turned as the monster smiled at them, a wide, beaming grandiose smile.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A party. And I wasn't invited."

A/N I know such a short chapter! Sorry! I have to get myself ready for the big showdown and wanted to give you guys something. Thanks so much for the reviews, you guys are the best!