__Home We Go__
By Beadtific



"So, don’t'cha think they should be done by now?" Dawn asked anxiously. She and Xander were in the nurse's observation room, watching Veronica, Giles, Buffy and Willow on a tiny monitor. "They all look so… still." Her voice wobbled a little, and Xander put his arm around her.

"They'll be back soon, Dawnie, and then you can squeal all you like in Giles' ear, and tell him he's stupid for not noticing he was in love with Buffy sooner." Xander put a brotherly arm around her shoulder and gave her a little squeeze.

"And the whole boffing his brains out thing," she said sternly, wiping a tear from her eye, "'cause that was really stupid.”

"Well, as Willow said once, 'Love makes you do the wacky', and they weren't exactly *planning* on putting Giles in a coma.'"

"Yeah," she replied with a shaky sigh. "Puts a whole new spin on the safe sex thing, doesn't it?" She gave him an eloquent look, and as if on cue, they both got a case of the nervous giggles.

"Honey, did you bring the magic condom? The one that prevents us from boinking our brains out?" Dawn said in a whiny Buffy imitation, marred by her snickers. "Wouldn't want to scorch your cerebellum!" She added a few kissy noises.

Xander flapped a beseeching hand at her, doubled over in his chair. "Stop, stop, too many pictures in my brain… not good… very bad, very bad Xander. And worse Dawn. Oh god, that's disturbing."

Movement on the monitor caught Dawn's eye, and her giggles dried right up, "Xan, I think something's happening." Angela was darting from Giles' bed to the two gurneys holding Willow and Buffy.

"Their blood pressure is up, Veronica," she said. "Are you sensing anything?"

"No," Veronica said slowly. The High Priestess was sitting cross-legged on a large, square pillow on the floor, meditating and providing an anchor for Willow. "There was a surge of power a moment ago, and then my sense of Willow got very… muted. I think she's expended too much energy – too much to activate the alert spell I sent with her."

Listening to the exchange over the monitor, Dawn clutched Xander's hand. "Told you," she whispered. Xander just squeezed her hand. "Why didn't she notice sooner?"

"I think you should go in there and get them," Angela's voice sounded strained.

"I do, too." Veronica shifted slightly, whispering the words of the spell under her breath.

"May the Goddess give you strength, my lady," Angela murmured.

"That goes double for me," Dawn whispered.

"Me, too, Dawnie," Xander replied, pulling the shaking girl into his chest. He kissed her temple. "Me, too."

* * * * *

Veronica wished in vain for a raincoat. Giles' interior landscape was in the midst of a horrible thunderstorm. It was night and she could barely see a foot in front of her face. Whispering a few words, she conjured up a small, warm witch light. "Willow? Rupert? Buffy? Where are you?" "I'm here, Veronica." Willow dripped into view, her arms wrapped around her slender frame, and her face exhausted and downcast.

"Where are Rupert and Buffy? Did the Bonding go well?"

"Yeah, gorgeous, perfect. But now Giles is blaming himself that we can't get out, and no matter what I say, he's… just being stubborn."

"I *won't* leave you like this, Rupert Giles, I *won't* Buffy's voice could be heard above the din of the rainstorm. Giles must have said something because her reply was "*Of course* we have a choice, you stupid, stubborn man!"

"Oh dear," Veronica breathed.

"Yeah. Major guilt trip."

"The Bond didn't help alleviate his guilt? Buffy obviously forgives him."

"Well, he's gone back to not forgiving himself. This is all of his own making." Willow shivered as she gestured to the storm. "I'm glad you're here; maybe you can talk some sense into him. A little of that famous snark of yours might be helpful right now, 'cause sweet-talking and us yelling at him is so not working."

The older woman nodded decisively, "Right. Lead the way, please."

Willow led the high priestess to the edge of Giles' mindscape garden. He was standing at the edge of the cliff, gloomily looking at his shoes, rain dripping off his nose. Buffy was holding him by the shoulders, looking like she was about ready to shake some sense into him, or throw him off the cliff – which wasn't quite clear. Veronica couldn't quite make out Buffy's face in the rain and darkness, but she could see the relieved slump of the slayer's shoulders as she turned her head to greet them.

"Veronica, am I ever glad to see you. Giles – "

"I can see what Rupert is doing, thank you, Miss Summers. If he's going to be such an utter prat, perhaps you should throw him off the cliff and let him kill us all quickly. I'm sure that, given his state of mind, the fall will quite finish him off."

"What the hell - " Buffy spluttered, and Giles raised his head to glare at Veronica and Willow, who now stood next to the unhappy couple.

"She's winding you up again, dearest. Veronica, thank you for coming. Could you please get Buffy and Willow out of here? I'm not sure how long I can hold off the storm."

"I'm not winding her up, I'm pointing out to you that your childish behavior is endangering the entire group, and will continue to do so should you choose not to curb your wildly careening guilt. Willow just took the trouble to do a very powerful spell to help you; the least you could do is be properly grateful. You certainly can hold off the storm, you idiot. You're *causing* the storm."

"I'm aware of that, and I'm concerned how my mental state will affect the spell, so could you please take them out of here before it gets worse? I-I'm afraid some of my nightmares will come back."

Veronica turned to Buffy, "Miss Summers, could you explain to me what your pig headed fiancé is talking about?"

"I am standing right here," Giles muttered.

"Yes, and you're going to concentrate on stopping this infernal downpour, you twit. Cheer up, damn it; you'll be out of here, soon. Happy thoughts, now."

"Yes, Tinkerbell. So sorry my distress is inconveniencing you." He turned away.

"That's the spirit," Veronica said to Giles' indignant back. "Well, Miss Summers?"

"He thinks we should go out in shifts… and Willow keeps explaining to him that since she's nearly tapped out and you're bearing the brunt of the spell, you guys are going to be too tired to come back and get him right away. He's willing to wait, but my gut and Willow's say that it's not a good idea for him to stay in the coma much longer."

"I agree. He's going to have several days of getting his strength back as it is."

"Bugger that. I'll be fine."

Veronica made a small sound of irritation. "There's no need to use that sort of language, Rupert."

"I rather thought it was a nice foil for your prissy little snit.”

Buffy tuned out as the conversation raged around her. *I'm not leaving him here. That wasn't the deal.* She thought back over her conversation with Robson – the powers had rigged it so she had to go in and get Giles as sort of a declaration of intent – a quest. That must mean that she was the one who had to get him out. Suddenly, the light dawned.

"I've got it." Veronica and Giles continued to shout at one another over the rolling thunder, and Willow was trying to get a word in edgewise. Buffy marched up to the little group and yelled at the top of her voice. *I've got it*"

"Good heavens, child, you needn't shout."

Buffy gave the High Priestess a look that would have melted steel. "Oh, sorry if I'm in a little bit of a hurry to get my *fiancé* out of his *coma* and resume my normal life."

"Okay, that's it," snapped Willow. "Shut up, all of you." Veronica opened her mouth to protest, and thunder rolled overhead. Willow held up a silencing hand. "Yeah, you too, Veronica, even though I asked you to go all snarky on Giles. It's not working, and I'm getting the urge to bash your heads together." She took a deep breath and rounded on Buffy. "What do you have, Buff?"

"I know how to get Giles out of here – so you don't have to worry about him in the spell – Veronica just needs to concentrate on getting me and you out – and herself. I think I'm supposed to get Giles out."

Everyone just stared at Buffy for a moment like she wasn't quite bright. "No, really. I think that *I'm* supposed to be the one that gets Giles out." She turned to him, "I mean, why I else would I have to come, but to re-initiate the Bond, and let that help get us out."

Suddenly the rain stopped, and the sky began to lighten. "Oh thank goodness," Veronica groused. Giles ignored her, focusing on Buffy. Then, he smiled sadly and shook his head.

"Dearest, try as I might, I don't feel like we have the same kind of connection we did. The Bond has been re-initiated, but not activated. I'm sure there's something there, but I cannot feel it."

Buffy nodded in agreement. ""We need to do a dedication thingy."

"It's a sacred ritual of dedication, Miss Summers, not a *thingy*," Veronica sounded like she'd swallowed a bag of lemons.

"*Ronnie*, as much as I need you to get out of here, it's time to cut the snooty crap," Buffy said in exasperation. "You're worried, and you're nervous. We all are. Get over it."

"Fine, but please don't call me Ronnie, I really do loathe it." Veronica unbent enough to sound slightly pleading. She cleared her throat.

"Stop snarking at me and Giles, and stop calling me Miss Summers and you have a deal. Now, can we get back to the dedication thingy?"

Giles hid an amused snicker behind is hand. Willow did not, and Veronica finally rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat.

"Very well, Buffy. I do apologize. It's rather hard to stop once I get started."

"No big. Robson mentioned a small blood bond as one possibility, but that's out since we aren't actually in our real bodies…"

"Uh… maybe not," Willow interjected, "I mean, you re-initiated the Bond not in your real bodies… actually not in Buffy's real body but in… okay, I'm confusing myself now…" Willow ground to a halt. Obviously deep in thought, she stared at the rain-soaked ground. "Everything's connected."

Giles felt the tickle of a memory – sitting with the young witch in a meadow not far from here, and, as he remembered, the sky melted from overcast twilight to slanting rays of late afternoon. She'd coaxed a flower from South America to bloom in an English meadow. "Willow?"

Willow raised her head and began talking excitedly, "Everything's connected, right Veronica? I mean, we re-initiated inside Giles' mind and the magic worked – heck, I cast inside here – which I'm sure if I work out the physics would take me weeks, but I did it… because we knew that what happened in *here* would still hold true out *there.* Like if Giles decided to die, he would die, and he could take us all with him – right, like your friend?"

"Yes, I see where you're going, but *blood*?"

"Willow reached in her pocket and tossed a pinch of glittering sand in the air. "Sacred sand?"

"Not the same thing."

"Can we just try it?" Buffy asked. "If the Bond doesn't snap into place, what's the harm?"

The two witches looked at one another a long, long time, obviously each trying to think through the possible problems. Veronica nodded slightly, acceding to the younger witch’s silent request.

"I think I've got enough for this," Willow muttered, holding her hand out. Her brow furrowed as she murmured a few words to herself, and a second later, a sacred knife, and athmae, appeared in her hand.

"O-kay," she panted a little, "Not bad."

"And kind scary looking."

"Yeah, yeah from the girl who fights demons. Do you want to, um, sit down, in case of uh, big strong stuff happening?

Buffy and Giles looked one another, both solemn – the enormity of it hitting them at the same time. They would be Bonded again. The slow, happy smile on Buffy's face was mirrored by Giles' a second later.

"I'm not getting mystically married sitting down, or lying down. No with the down, " she said firmly, "If you sweep me off my feet, so be it."

"That was certainly the right way to put it." He moved closer to her, took her hand, and never breaking eye contact, said, "Willow?"

"Ready. Veronica? I know we don't *have* to, but I thought something a little invocation-y? Special occasion and all?

"That is a good, sweet, thought, Willow. Just an invocation – you don't need to put any power behind it – the blood will do that. Please, go ahead."

"You don't –

"Your athmae, your invocation."

"Right." Willow drew herself up to her full height. "Please extend your hands."

Buffy and Giles each extended their free hand toward Willow, palm up.

"And don't mind me while I slice your palms open."

"Willow," Buffy said amused reproof, flapping her hand in a 'hurry up' gesture. She didn't look away. Giles had released her hand and was stroking her hair and cheek, smiling down into her eyes. She wasn't about to miss any of that. Inching forward, she wrapped her arm around his waist.

"I'm going to put a shallow cut across each palm, then join your palms together so that the blood mingles. I'm going to say each line of an invocation, and you repeat after me – and don't mind me 'cause I'm kinda making it up on the spot – but I thought it might be a nice way to add a little extra special ceremony, 'cause if it works –"

"Willow." Giles' voice was soft but commanding. "Thank you. But my arm is getting tired?"

"Right." She quickly drew her knife down their palms, trying to make it sting as little as possible. She wiped her knife and stuck it in her waistband. Cupping their palms in her hands, she teased the shallow cuts with her thumbs until the blood flowed freely.

* * * * *

Angela was making a routine check on her patients when she noticed the drops of blood on Giles' sheet. She turned his wrist over, and discovered a long, shallow cut sliced across his palm. She made a quick physical check – this was the only wound. Whirling, she discovered the same thing on one of Buffy's hands.

She considered for about two heartbeats, then hauled Buffy's gurney closer to Giles' bed. She pressed their bleeding palms together. It was the only explanation she could think of, and she prayed to the Goddess she was right.

"Bloody lucky you've got a nurse who's a witch," she muttered to her patients.

The door leading to the nurses' station swung open, and the pale of Dawn and Xander confronted her.

"What are you doing to my them? " Dawn ground out between her teeth. She looked terrified.

"I think I'm helping them form a blood bond. The cuts just appeared on their hands a moment ago, and it was the only reason I could think of that that might happen. They must be performing a small dedication ritual right now."

"Why can't they come home and do that?"

"I don't know, dear. I'm just trying to help. Xander, go next door and get me a bit of gauze or tap, will you?"

Dawn's lower lip wobbled. "Do you think it'll be much longer?"

Angela smiled sadly, "I hope not, dear."

"Come on Dawnie, let's go look for supplies."

"I want to stay."

"You're welcome to, dear. There's nothing that's wrong with them… not at all… just a little blood, that, ah, appeared out of nowhere."

"They've been in there a long time."

"I know," Angela said, as reassuringly as she could.

* * * * *

The late afternoon sun shone red-gold on Willow's hair as she clasped her friends' hands together, and held them cupped in her own.

"Blood to blood – oh, river of life," she paused to let Buffy and Giles repeat the phrase, then continued, the words of the invocation welling up in her like the tears of happiness that filled her eyes.

"Join these two – both warriors of light Twine through their veins, and surging there - Do join their lives, their strength to share. My Lord and Lady, this offering be their Bond to make, so mote it be."

The waning light surged around them, nearly blinding, and when it passed, Willow had fallen to the ground. Veronica immediately bent to help her up.

"Um, I'm thinking that worked, maybe,” she said shakily, wiping a drop of blood from her nose.

"I think so too, you silly girl. You weren't supposed to expend any more magic; the ritual didn't need it, and you obviously couldn't afford to force it"

"Well, it just sorta happened," she said in shaky defense of herself. "I, um, got a little too into things?" she straightened her clothing and looking up, noticed everyone staring.

"Willow, your hair – "

"What?" Her hands went up immediately to smooth it.

"It's gone all streaky."

"It *what?*

"I told you you couldn't afford to expend anymore magic. That's the badge of over-channeling white magic, right there."

Veronica lifted a lock - white from roots to tip - and waved it under Willow's nose.

Yeah," She drawled in weary recognition, looking up at Veronica's own white streak. "Great. I'm gonna look like a Creamcicle. Um, no offense. Listen, I'm feeling kind of on the bed-spin side of buzzed right now. Can we go home? I'm sorry; are you guys okay?"

"Couldn't be better, Willow, thank you," Giles replied, from where he and Buffy stood in one another's arms. Buffy nodded happily.

"We're ready when you are."

"Right then," Veronica said briskly, moving to stand between Buffy and Willow. Taking both girls’ hands, she looked sharply at the Slayer. "You know what to do? Because I don't."

"Yeah, I do. Got a firm grip on his Bond."

"And I on hers."

"Good. Home we go."

* * *