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Rachael Leigh Cook was dying. They all knew it. But for all their combined wisdom and power, there was nothing they could do for her. She lay in the back seat of Giles car, wrapped in blankets and totally unresponsive. She had been their most powerful magical ally. Now she was just a battered young woman, helpless and unconscious.
"There has to be something we can do for her." Sarah protested as she sat by the weakening girl.
"Normally yes." Giles sighed. "But we're dealing with magic here and it's far outside anything we know. I can't begin to image what she must have suffered. No human could resist a direct assault from chaos but.. her power.. her will power must have been phenomenal."
"But we have magic." Piper pointed out.
"Yes. But we're not magical creatures like Rachael essentially is. Even Angel was born human."
"So we just leave her."
"Maybe she just needs rest." Phoebe suggested. "Like a recharge."
"No." Salam shook his head solemnly from his rooftop seat. "Remember how I said I can sense magic? Well I can hardly detect hers. And it's getting weaker. I think magic is the only thing keeping her alive and when that's gone..."
"I'm not going to let her die!" Sarah shouted. "It's my fault she's here. We have to do something."
"We'll look in the Book." Piper suggested. "We might find something."
"In the meantime we have other things to worry about." the watcher turned to walk away from the car but Sarah leapt after him, grabbing him by the shoulder.
"How can you say that? You're just going to let her die? Don't you care..."
"Sarah." came a soft voice from behind her, matched with a hand on her shoulder. "He's right."
Alyson sighed as she looked at her friend. "We can't focus only on Rachael. Some of us have to work on other things."
"Like?"
"Look, we already have three witches inside that sphere. Now they can either be our enemies or our allies."
"Alyson, we have no way to contact them."
"Maybe not. But I have an idea. I've been talking with Xander. He explained exactly what happened to Katie in.. uncomfortable detail. But I think we can get through to her."
"How?" Sarah folded her arms.
"Katie was overcome with repressed desire. Yeatril unleashed it, which let Catherina take control."
"So? What's the plan?"
"If we can suppress that desire again then Katie might be able to get back into control."
"And how do we do that?"
"With a de-lusting spell."
"Did I hear what I think I did?" came a call from Willow as she approached. "Last time I tried one of those things went bad. Cordelia nearly died."
"I think that was an incidental plot line, not a direct result." Alyson pointed out to her double.
"And maybe last time it was for personal gain." Phoebe suggested.
"So?" Alyson and Willow asked in unison.
"Well, those spells always backfire."
"Not in this universe."
"Oh.." Phoebe considered for a second. "Piper can we move here?"
******
Willow, the Halliwell’s and Giles were book and net people. Alyson and Xander were spell people. Buffy and Angel were the keep guard people. Sarah felt like excess baggage. Sarah sat on the sickbay chair, trying not to look back at Rachael every ten seconds but failing. When they had first arrived in Sunnydale, Rachael had been the most with it. she had remained calm in the face of disaster and strong in the face of the enemy. Now she was dying and Sarah was helpless to do anything but watch.
They had all split up into their groups and of all of those groups, Sarah felt the most worthless. She hoped that the workers in the library would find something to save Rachael. Willow had the net, Giles had the library and the San Francisco witches had the Book of Shadows. If there wasn't something to be found there then they would lose the young woman, and their most powerful magical ally.
Alyson had gone on a mission to cast an anti lust spell on Katie, hoping it would bring her back to awareness. Xander, feeling responsible and having knowledge of what happened to Katie, went with her to the Wiccan supply shop.
Buffy and Angel hung around the cemetery just in case anything nasty happened to pop up. But Sarah could only wait. And hope.
******
"You're sure you know what you're doing here?" Xander asked as Alyson dropped various herbs into the bowl.
"Yes. I'm a witch remember. And a more experienced one than Willow too."
"Yeah. I noticed with all that healing stuff. So why don't you teach that to people?"
"Firstly, I'm a celebrity. I have to keep it secret as much as possible if I ever want a semi normal life. And secondly, in my world, magic is a destiny thing. You can't just pick it up from a book."
"Oh. Look. I know what you went through. I can understand it better than anyone Alyson."
"I know Xander. But let's keep focus here. I have a spell to cast."
"Sure. How are you going?"
"Well. I have everything I need, including a lock of Katie's hair. It might not be the blood magic I'm used to but it should work in this universe."
"Yeah. Why not?"
Alyson closed her eyes and held the glass bowl. "Rexum amorus seratis machina."
There was a small flash and the crushed powder of the bowl began to glow.
"Feraxi nimpalus terano ixos. Nons Anti amoratum!" Alyson opened her eyes. The bowl in her hands was glowing a bright pink but nothing more. "I don't get it." she whispered. "This should have worked."
"Well. Spells around here do have a tendency to go wrong."
"I did everything right. How could it go wrong. YEOW!"
The bowl shattered and fell to the floor, sprinkling the precious pink dust with it.
"Alyson? Are you okay?" Xander brushed some glass from his sweater.
"Yeah." she lifted her hand. I just don't know what went wrong."
"Well. Hey.. You're bleeding."
Alyson looked down at a cut on her palm. "It's just blood." she shrugged. "You get used to it."
"Look.. here." Xander fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. Her took her palm and began to bind it.
"It's clean I promise. My mom just puts them in my pockets... What?" He realized that Alyson was staring down at her cut hand.
"Xander. You're bleeding too."
"Where? Oh." he noticed a slim cut on his finger, little more than a drop of blood seeping from it. "I'll live... what?"
Alyson felt a shiver run through her and she was forced to put her hand on the counter.
"Oh no. No way."
"What's wrong?"
"I know why the spell didn't work."
"Why. Because... my magic is different from Willows. I tried to cast a spell of hers and it failed."
"That's okay right? We can try another spell."
"Xander. Don't you get it?" she grabbed his shoulder tightly. "What type of magic do I use?"
"Blood magic..."
"What did we just do?"
Xander thought for a second then looked down. His eyes moved from the dust on the floor, the cut on his finger and the bandage on Alyson's palm. "So.. you're saying that..."
Alyson lurched forward and kissed him on the lips. For a second he was shocked but then responded to her touch, wrapping his hands around her waist.
"Okay.." he said between kisses. "So.. we're being .. affected... by the lust spell... how long?"
"I.. have no.. idea?" Alyson puffed a reply as she nuzzled his neck.
"Oh." Xander managed to say before her lips latched onto his and then slowly descended to the shop floor.
******
Sarah looked up as Giles entered the room. She was about to ask him what they had found but she knew by the look on his face that there had been no solution.
"But.. you had the Book of Shadows..."
"Which only applies to this world. Rachael has magic from a whole different realm. I can't think of anything we could do to save her."
"But there has to be. This is Buffy damn it. Good characters don't just die!"
"I'm afraid they do." Giles swallowed.
Sarah realized he was thinking of Jenny Calendar, the teacher that Angelus had murdered. The woman that Giles had loved. For Sarah she had been nothing more than a character, often a plot device and her death meant nothing. But here, to Giles, her death was a tragedy, a heart wrenching loss.
"Giles.. I'm sorry. I. I know you tried. I know you want to save her just as much as I do."
"She's a wonderful young woman Sarah. Smart, strong and willful. But her magic is from your world and I fear that only magic from your world could save her. And there's no way back that we've found."
"I just wish we could help her." Sarah whispered, looking at Rachael, wrapped in blankets, barely breathing.
"Right now there's nothing you can do."
"Well I wish we could anyway!" Sarah yelled in frustration. "I wish there was a way back home, I wish there was someone who could help and I wish they were right here right now!"
She stamped her foot against the ground and as she did the lights flickered and went out in a white flash.
"Giles?" Sarah whispered. "What just happened?"
As she finished the light returned, though now it was supplied from behind her. Sarah turned to see a muscular man dressed in an open vest and baggy pants. He was bald yet sported a large drooping mustache. It was his open palm that supplied the light of the room.
"What just happened," he answered, "was that you just used up all three wishes at once."
The light stayed in the air as he folded his arms.
"And I thought I was out of this business."
******
Somewhere along the line their tops and shirts had gone. Now their pants were following. Not breaking their grasp save for a few quick fumbles at the waist, Alyson and Xander shimmied and rolled, their garments slowly shedding. Once they were gone, Alyson wrapped her legs tightly about Xander, kissing his neck again.
"You know... as far as curses go.. this one's kind of fun."
'Yeah." Alyson gasped as she ran her lips over his shoulder.
His hands ran over her back, stroking the soft skin and reaching around to her bra strap which came apart almost like magic. The garment fell away, Alyson's bare breasts pressing tight to Xander's chest.
"Um. Alyson?" Xander asked as they rolled once again. "Do you have.. protection?"
"Mhmm." She nodded as she kissed him. "Two whole layers."
She moved her legs down, tying Xander up and pressing their hips together. He immediately felt the warmth and wetness of her crotch and he had no doubt that she could feel his, even through the fabric of their underwear. Alyson squeezed her legs, rubbing their bodies together. Xander understood, sliding his hands down her waist, clutching her hips and pressing her in and out. He felt her fingers running over his back, tracing patterns on his skin. They kissed as they moved, their breath warm and damp against each others lips.
Though there was no penetration, there was no doubt that they were as close as they could be, drawn together by the magical passions of the spell. They began to pulse faster, entwined, feeding of the passion and sensation of each other.
They rolled again, Alyson above him, still holding herself tight. Her breasts bounced as they swayed in unison, each pump drawing them closer and closer. She lowered herself down onto him, holding tight as her motions became increasingly frantic, breath quickening in time with each pulse. Their moans of ecstasy merged into a single voice as they pushed against each other in time.
Xander felt her jerk suddenly, her arms grabbing him even more tightly and at the same time a rush of release flowed through him. It was if, in the instant of simultaneous orgasm, they had both shared a magical link, bound together in the heat of passion. And even after the fire of intensity had faded, leaving them both spent and fulfilled, they remained in each others arms, warm on the cool floor of the shop.
******
"So you're a genie?" Sarah asked the newcomer.
"Yes.. that is I was. I mean still am.. Well it's rather new to me quite honestly. I've only been free a few hours and I get whisked here."
"How did you get free?" Giles asked.
"Er.. I was wished free. How else?"
"I see. Well, as a free genie, there's no reason why you should be here. But of course things are hardly normal right now."
"I assume you refer to the magical convergence that is occurring."
"Yes. Rather unpleasant ones. A high chaos demon is attempting to destroy reality."
"I believe that would constitute unpleasant. As a magical creature I could detect the existence but not the reason of the fluctuations. Without them I would still be a prisoner in that lamp."
"I thought you said you were wished free?" Giles noted.
"I was. It's rather a long story. Look, I'm just getting into the whole freedom thing. The last thing I need is a demon to bring it crashing down again. What can I do?"
"Well.." Giles began.
"Our friend Rachael is dying." Sarah cut in.
"Your friend..." the genie turned to Rachael, wrapped in the blanket. "She.. she is a creature of magic?"
"A changeling." Giles nodded. "The present Guardian of Balance."
Some of the color seemed to drain from the genies face.
"The Earth Spirit? She is the Guardian and this demon did this to her?"
"Yes." Giles replied grimly.
"I.. I will do what I can to save her. But you must leave me."
"I understand." Giles nodded.
"Sarah took a step towards the door then turned. "If you hurt her.."
"It is not in my power to kill or inflict pain. Though I fear she may die shortly without intervention."
Sarah nodded and left the room, followed by Giles. The genie turned to Rachael, leaning down beside her.
"Guardian." he whispered. "I know you are a creature of great magic and spirit. I am Jauden, and I swear I will do all I can to save you."
He rolled her over, pulling away the black blanket. No sooner had it lost contact with her body, did it fall away into nothingness. Jauden looked over the unconscious girl. She was a beautiful young woman, not as well developed as his previous lover, but still attractive. Her face, though troubled and inert, was still attractive, almost peaceful if not for her state of danger.
For the centuries that he had lived, Jauden had never met another magical being. He was not about to let one die now.
He placed his hand to her cheek, feeling the soft touch of her skin, cold, almost lifeless. He watched as her chest rose and fell with each shallow breath, getting weaker every second. She needed a breath of magic.
Shifting her tangled hair away from her face, the genie bent over and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt a connection, a link forged between their bodies. He had spent plenty of time kissing Christina, the woman who had freed him from the bottle, but she was a mere mortal. This time there was a connection he had not felt before. Even as he breathed life into the slumbering girl he could feel some of her own magic flowing back into his own body. Only when the full capacity of his lungs was exhausted did he break away, feeling the exhalation of air on his own cheek. It seemed that he was only beginning to discover the sensual potential of a human form.
"Guardian?" he whispered into her ear but there was no response.
Her breath had returned but she was still far from safe. He took her slender wrist, checking the weak pulse within. It was steady but faint, so faint that a mortal might not have been able to detect it. Jauden slid his hand over her chest, cupping her right breast. There he could feel her heart struggling to beat within.
He closed his eyes, concentrating on the pulse, making it the center of his attention. He felt his own strong pulse, pumping blood through his human body. He was fortunate that the human form he had been granted had been a healthy one. It would have been unpleasant to be a five hundred year old man. He concentrated further, manipulating his own body, timing his own pulse with hers until they beat in unison. Then he pressed his hand down firmly.
A surge of magical energy coursed through his veins, flowing through his palm and into the heart of the dying girl. He felt his life force flowing to hers, filling her body with the strength that had been battered from her before. When that surge came to a stop, Jauden felt weak, a sensation he had never experienced in his life. Yet it was not a weakness that was painful, rather one of reward, a peace. As he watched, Rachael opened her eyes. She looked at him curiously, as if deciding whether on not she was in a dream.
"You're a genie." she smiled softly.
He nodded.
"You saved my life."
He nodded once more.
Rachael reached up and pulled a shadow from the wall, spinning it about her until it became a satin night-dress.
"I'm tired." Rachael whispered. "I should sleep."
She slid over on the mattress, motioning for the genie to lie beside her. Feeling drained, Jauden did so, feeling her slender arms wrap around him, a fellow creature of magic with a mutual respect of what they had just shared. Jauden the genie and Rachael the Guardian of Balance slept. For now, chaos had let them go.
******
"So," Xander whispered into the ear of the young witch he hugged. "When do you think the spell will wear off?"
"Probably about ten minutes ago." Alyson smiled.
"What?" Xander almost recoiled in shock but her hands held him tight.
"It shouldn't have lasted for too long. It's most certainly over now."
"Then why are we still here?"
"You tell me?"
"Because we have something in common?"
"Apart from the state out our underwear?"
"Ick. No. I mean the control thing. We have a similar past."
"I guess we do. We should probably get to work, I think I can make this spell work."
"Um. yeah.." Xander released his arms and sat up against the counter. "Should.. we tell anyone about this?"
"Probably not. But if T.V rules apply it'll be revealed eventually."
"Oh. Great."
"Xander." she smiled as she stood up, reaching for her top. "I know how weird all this is. I mean, you and I are seriously from different worlds. But I really would prefer it if we weren't bogged down with sexual angst. This isn't Dawson’s Creek."
"Dawson’s what?"
"Never mind. And by the way, I forgive you."
"Forgive me?" Xander asked, as he slipped on his shirt. "For what?"
Alyson smiled and looked back over her shoulder. "For calling Willow's name."
"I.. Oh.. did I .. Gee that was.."
"Perfectly understandably. I'll take it as a compliment."
"I guess that's one of the hazards of coming into this world."
"It could be worse." Alyson shrugged "I could have ended up in American Pie."
******
The one thing that was worse than finding nothing in the Book of Shadows, was finding something worse. Piper read and reread the page three times, each time hoping it would be different but knowing that it wouldn't.
"Er.. Giles." she called out across the library, prompting the Englishman to raise his head. "How many demons you do have in these parts?"
"Given the activity of the Hellmouth, it's impossible to say. Why?"
"There's a spell here. The Rites of Bajat. It binds all demons in the area to the thrall of the master. Requires one of the charmed ones to cast with two others."
"That could be potentially disastrous." Giles stated grimly.
"But how can they cast it?" Phoebe pointed out. "If the spell is here then we're fine."
"That's the problem." her sister replied. "All we have is the description. The spell itself is on the other side of the page that was torn out."
"Do you think the big bad demon will try and cast it?" Willow asked from her computer.
"I'd be rather amazed if her didn't." said Giles.
******
"This time it should work. No spell books, just good old blood magic." Alyson squeezed her cut wrist, dripping blood into the bowl.
"You know, you're probably loosing too much blood." Xander pointed out to the witch."
"Fuck it. You can give me hot chocolate and cookies later."
"Did you just swear?"
"Yeah. We just had sex too. You're confusing me with Willow. Common mistake."
"I suppose so."
The powder in the bowl began to glow pink, Alyson's red blood mixing in.
"What's supposed to happen now?"
There was a flash of light and a puff of smoke. This time the contents didn't break. Nothing further occurred.
"Did it work?" Xander asked after a moment of silence.
"Impossible to tell. If it did then Katie should be free.. but.."
"But what?"
"But she'll still have to fight back control of her body from Catherina."
******
The bonds of the chair were broken. Gasping she staggered forward, weak from the barrage of sex she had suffered. But now she was out of the chair. She was ready to break out, to regain control of her own mind. She didn't care that Catherina was her ancestor. The spirit had gone too far by taking control of her body. It was Katie's body and Katie's soul. One way or another, she was going to take that back. She pushed through the door, out into the corridor. A dark tunnel leading to the mansion above. And some where up above, there was an exit.
******
Buried deep within Sunnydale cemetery, encased in a mass of chaos, three witches joined hands, forming a triangle. Each was naked, layered in sweat from hours of sexual exertion. Each was trapped within their own mind, dominated by the will of the chaos demon. Each spoke the words of the spell. Sabrina's long blonde hair clung to her shoulders, matted with sweat. Prue stared forward, eyes vacant of emotion. And Catherina, within the body of Katie Holmes, watched the other two with a thin smile. Of all three, she was the only one who possessed a measure of self control. though her devotion was totally to the wishes of her master. She was so consumed in the spell that she failed to notice the liberation of a weary soul deep within her. Instead she lead the others in the chant, the magic of the spell swirling about them, lighting running over their skin as the force began to build to it's conclusion.
******
"They're in there." Buffy sat on the tombstone, staring at the barrier. "And there's not a thing we can do."
"The others will find something, they always do."
"I know Angel. But we're always the front people, the hired muscle. For once I wish I could solve a mystery without the help of Giles or Willow."
"You're a Slayer Buffy." he said softly. "You do what you were destined to and you do it well."
"I guess... Angel?"
The vampire had stood, looking at the barrier alertly. As Buffy looked she could se a burst of light growing within.
"What is that?"
"They're casting magic."
"The witches? What kind?"
"I don't..."
Angel had no time to finish the sentence before a pillar of red light engulfed him. Buffy was forced back, watching as Angel seemed to scream in silence, consumed by the red fire. Then suddenly, as quickly as it had appeared, the fire was gone. Angel collapsed to his knees, silent but apparently unharmed.
"Angel!" she ran to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What was that? Are you okay?"
"Yes." he replied quietly. "I'm fine but..."
He rose to his feet, looking at her and touching his hand against her cheek. "I.." he began but was unable to continue.
Buffy watched in silent amazement as a single tear rolled own the side of his face. A clear, watery tear. "Buffy," he whispered as her hand touched his. "I'm human."
THE END??
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