(no subject)

Title: That I Might, With Thee, Fade Away
Rating: G
Setting: post S5
Summary/Prompt: Written for the 2013 Halloween Challenge over at SB Fag Ends. Lacrimosa's The Way of the Shadow: funeral shroud
Note: Remix of Funeral by A Gentleman of Leisure
Note: the lines Spike speaks are from Keats' “Ode to a Nightingale”

Spike wasn't at the funeral proper. The boy, taking the time to find him alone, had told Spike he wasn't invited. We'll do a spell, to keep the grave safe, if we have to. Cheeky git. Spike had wanted to rip the boy's throat out, chip or no chip, but had settled for giving his head, his own head, a quick shake. He'd been afraid a larger move would have had him lunging at the boy and Buffy wouldn't have wanted that.

He followed them to the grave site. It wasn't easy, getting about during the day, but the clouds had rolled in. A bit of luck, that, for him at least. He'd never have found the grave on his own – the witch had hidden it too well – although perhaps Tara would have taken pity on him and shown him where it was. Spike wasn't about to depend on anyone's pity.

Giles said some words. Xander and Willow stood on either side of Dawn. Tara and Anya were there too, although standing a bit back. He was the only one who'd been uninvited. Watchers and witches and mean-hearted little boys and ex-demons, they were all good enough to stand by Buffy's grave, but not Spike. That was okay. He'd get his chance. He'd rather have her to himself anyway. Maybe the little bit would be alright, as company, or possibly Tara, but no one else.

They all cried. Spike didn't. What he felt was too big for tears. A shroud of rain came through and drove them all away. It was getting close to sunset by then anyway. They wouldn't have stayed, not after dark, not without her to protect them. The rain was so heavy it obscured the grave, making it seem, almost, as if it weren't there. Not quite though. Buffy's death was something he'd never forget. The rain was heavy enough that nobody could have seen the tears, if anyone had been there, but still Spike didn't cry.

He stayed there through the night. The dawn was only a few minutes away before he left her side. The rain had stopped hours earlier, but he was soaked to the skin. He didn't notice. He traced his fingers over the tombstone and spoke for the first time since he'd stepped into the grove. “That I might drink, and leave the world unseen, And with thee fade away.” He bowed his head as if in prayer and then spoke again, the words of his final vow. “I'll make sure the little bit is safe. I'll keep my vow.” It was the only thing he could still give her.

Fic: The Five Sisters Zoo

Title: The Five Sisters Zoo
Rating: G
Setting: S8
Summary/Prompt: Written for the 2013 Halloween Challenge over at SB Fag Ends. Lacrimosa's The Way of the Shadow: toad legs (Enslave Soul)
Note: The Five Sisters Zoo had a fire, last April I think, that burned down the reptile house. I don't know if it ever had an adder or not.
Note: Sequel to The Blood is the Life

Buffy stared across the road to where the trees lined the fence. She could see that in the summer the leaves might obscure the fence a bit and give the zoo a more natural feel, but in the middle of winter the leafless branches provided absolutely no cover. “It's dark,” she said.

After she'd stood there without moving for five minutes, Xander had gotten out of the car to stand, shivering, next to her. “Of course it's dark. It's, oh, about 3 A. M. It's also freezing. Could we get this done with so we can get back to our drafty and much warmer than I'd ever realized castle?”

“We're around the back.”

"That's because we're breaking in,” Xander replied. “Well, you'll be breaking in and I'll be jumping back into the nice and toasty car as soon as you start with the breaking in. Most people, when they're breaking into a zoo – or into much of anything really – don't go through the front entrance.”

"It's bigger than I thought.”

"Buffy, you've got the map. You've had the whole drive up here to study it.” Xander pulled his hands out from under his arms to grab the map and spread it out. “See. Five Sisters Zoo. All that space. You knew it was big, but the Reptile Building is clearly marked. All you have to do is go in, get an adder, and get out.”

"I don't know where I'm going in.”

Xander glared at her.

"Well, I don't. What if I go in through this big bear area?”

"Buffy, it's delightful, got a waterfall and everything.”

Buffy glared back.

“Buf, you've fought a bear before and besides, it's winter. Don't bears hibernate? They'll probably all be asleep.”

“It's the probably that's bugging me.”

“No it isn't,” Xander said.

“What?”

“It isn't that it's dark, or that we're behind the zoo, or the bears. What's really bugging you?”

“Willow should be here,” Buffy said with a shrug. “If she were here she could just get the venom and we could leave the snake.”

“Willow is busy chopping up toad legs for this Spike restoring spell You know how Willow feels about toads. I mean, they aren't frogs, exactly, but they look a lot alike so she's got to be big with the wigging right about now. Almost as big with the wigging as you are. What's really wrong? Come on, spill.”

Buffy folded her arms, leaned back against the car, and tilted her head as she looked over toward Xander. “What if it doesn't work?”

With a relieved smile Xander handed the map back to Buffy. “Come on, Buf. When has Willow ever let you down?” After a pause he rushed on, “Okay, bad example, but she's big with the witchy mojo nowadays. She knows what she's doing, and she's run it past the Devonshire coven. They are super careful with the magic. It'll work. You'll get Spike back, although what you want with him … ”

Buffy grinned and punched at Xander's arm.

"And can I say ow?”

"Sorry.” Buffy took another look at the map and picked up the box for the adder. “What if the snake freezes on the way back to the car?”

"Buffy.”

“Yeah, okay.” Buffy set off for the fence.

Fic: White Billowing Smoke

Title: White Billowing Smoke
Rating: G
Setting: S8
Summary/Prompt: Written for the 2013 Halloween Challenge over at SB Fag Ends. Lacrimosa's The Way of the Shadow: snake venom (Blood Sacrifice)
Note: I'm not sure snakes use up their venom when they bite. It seems like something I learned once but perhaps, like the Golux, I'm just good at making believable things up.
Note: And I'm using ingredients from the other teams' spells just to be evil. So there.
Note: Apparently I've also stolen the whole “Willow's magic messes up” meme from another team. Sorry, but in the previous story I had Buffy worrying about it and so I felt I had to follow through. Tell you what. You may glare at me for as long as you like and I won't even try to fight back.
Note: Sequel to The Blood is the Life and The Five Sisters Zoo

Willow's spell, as enhanced by the Devonshire coven, was taking forever. Buffy supposed that was good – maybe that meant it was safer – but she was bored. She looked down at her arm. At least the swelling was going down. Stupid adder. She'd dropped it after it had bitten her and taken the other instead, which had turned out to be a good idea. Who knew that snakes used up their venom when they bit?

Finally Willow was bringing out the dragon's blood, which was really a nice smelling incense and not blood at all. When she added the dragon's blood, white smoke billowed up, but Willow didn't look upset so maybe she expected that to happen. Willow picked up the smoking potion. She'd told them she had to circle Spike six times. The smoke kept billowing out. Xander started choking a minute or two before Buffy did. She tried waving her hand to move some of the smoke away. Didn't work. Buffy didn't worry too much – Willow had seemed unconcerned after all – until she heard Willow's voice. “Um, Buffy?”

Fic: Masks

Title: Masks
Fandom: BtVS
Rating: Teen
Characters: Rupert Giles, Ethan Rayne
Concrit: Please, in comments
Summary: Ripper had emerged but only momentarily. The dark core was still there but masked by the amiable and bland librarian: raw brutality below a facade of conformity, the exact opposite of Halloween.Disclaimer: They aren't mine, not yet, but they will be ... once I've taken over the world. Bwah-ha-ha!
Note: Written for the prompt of Halloween at Giles Shorts.

Patience might be its own reward but Ethan's was to see Rupert – finally! – walking down the street, absentmindedly toying with the card, the one that Ethan had written. “See you soon … “ a challenge but also a promise. Well, it could be a promise if ever Ripper were willing to take it that way.

Rupert stopped to squat down before a jack-o-lantern and rubbed his thumb over the red paint that dripped down from the carved fangs. He didn't actually believe that was blood, did he? But no, he rose again and continued on his way, past the porch lights that had been turned off hours ago, past the decorations for a holiday that was already over, past the yards where monsters had roamed only hours before.

For a holiday that celebrated darkness, Halloween's facade of evil was a lot like a costume. Children might mimic monsters but the little hellions did little more than collect treats, unless they had help of course. It really was too bad that his spell had been broken so quickly. There didn't seem to be any real damage at all. Chaos wasn't about creating damage for its own sake of course, but it would have been nice to think that his work had left some lasting mark. Chaos, by it's very nature, stirred things up, caused change.

It hadn't changed Rupert, that was sure. Ripper had emerged but only momentarily. The dark core was still there but masked by the amiable and bland librarian: raw brutality below a facade of conformity, the exact opposite of Halloween. Rupert might have fooled the kiddies into thinking he was safe but Ethan knew better.

Ripper would show his true colors sooner or later. Ethan just needed to be patient, and how could he not be in a town that offered so many opportunities for amusement. With a quick look down the street to make sure Rupert was gone, Ethan prepared a spell. It took almost no time, just a bit of chalk, incense, fire, and a few words of power. Ethan breathed, from his hiding place across the street, toward the jack-o-lantern, the one that had drawn Rupert's attention. Shadows started to flicker behind its false visage. Something dark crawled out through carved fangs.