Title: Save Me
Author: Elisabeth
Email: dragonydreams@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.dragonydreams.com
Rating: PG
Pairing: Willow/Giles
Summary: How can Giles resist when Willow calls out to him for help?
Timeline: Present time is just after "Smashed", with flashbacks to "I Only Have Eyes for You", "Homecoming", and "Something Blue".
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Joss et al. The lyrics to the song 'Bring Me to Life' are by Evanescence.
Distribution: My site/LJ, Hairy Eyeball, the usual lists, anyone with previous permission. Anyone else - just ask.
Feedback: Yes please! It makes me happy and keeps me writing.
Thanks: to snogged (who answered my request for a prompt with "save me"), hobgoblin & Angel's Kuupio for the emergency beta.Author's Note: Written in honor of Hairy Eyeball's 2-year Anniversary today.
See Awards this story has won.
Save Me
Giles stood in the high school library, re-organizing the card catalog. Somehow he knew that he was dreaming and wondered which one it would be tonight. Would Willow walk through his wall again as a ghost? Would he imagine Jenny's ghost prowling the hallways? Would he be taken by Angelus?
He heard the haunting chords and lyrics of music coming from somewhere nearby.
How can you see into my eyes like open doors
Leading you down into my core
Where I've become so numbSetting the cards aside, Giles followed the music out of the library and through the corridors.
"Giles!" That sounded like Willow calling.
"Willow! Where are you?"
Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back homeHe rounded a corner and saw that Willow was being sucked into the landing, desperately trying to hold onto the railing.
She saw him and yelled, "Help! Help! Help! Help!"
He grabbed her arms and started to pull. She screamed again as the pit continued to try to suck her in. Giles let out a grunt and managed to lift her out. When she was free of the pit she suddenly snapped into his arms, and they both went rolling down the stairs.
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've becomeGiles savored the feeling of Willow lying on top of him. Her small, warm body felt so right against his.
"Thank you," Willow said, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you for hearing me and coming to my rescue. I knew you'd be the one to save me."
The scene shifted and Giles found himself in a tuxedo, at the Homecoming dance. Willow and Xander were standing off to the side, looking rather depressed for such an occasion.
Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to lifeThere was that music again. Giles looked to the stage, surprised to find it empty. He'd thought that Oz's band was playing tonight. He turned back to Willow and Xander, and found her alone. In fact, they appeared to be the only two people in the room.
"Would you care to dance?" Giles asked her, extending a hand in invitation.
Willow looked around, seemingly surprised to find them alone. She smiled. "I'd love to."
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the darkShe took his hand and allowed him to pull her close. Giles placed one of her hands on his shoulder and took the other in his hand. Having none of that, Willow closed the distance between them, slid both arms around his neck, and rested her head on his shoulder. Giles gave in and wrapped his arms around her back.
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become"Do you know what's happening?" Willow asked him, pulling back to meet his eyes.
"I-I'd like to think that I do," Giles replied, uncertainly.
"Things are getting out of control, Giles," Willow told him. "I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hold it together."
Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead"A-are you sure?" Giles asked. Could Willow be admitting to having feelings for him?
"I need you to save me, Giles."
Giles was about to reply, when he found himself standing outside of Willow and Buffy's dormitory room. He was confused about why he was there, so he knocked.
"Come in," Willow called out.
Turning the doorknob he entered the room. Willow was sitting curled up on her bed, listing to the radio.
All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything"Giles, what are you doing here?"
It wasn't until he opened his mouth to speak that Giles knew the answer. "I'm... a bit concerned about you, actually."
"Did Buffy tell you about the beer, 'cause..."
"Uh, Buffy didn't tell me anything," he told her, now even more concerned.
Looking nervous, Willow replied, "Oh, well... forget the beer part, then."
"Happily. I came because we had an appointment the other day."
"Oh. Right, right. The truth spell," she said.
"Yes, um. Willow. I know that you're going through a very difficult time. But, shirking your responsibilities..."
"But... I didn't ... shirk. I... Did the research, and I picked up the motherwort, I just forgot the doing the spell part."
Giles was surprised. "Well, that isn't like you at all."
"I know. I-I've been off. I-I even tried to do a spell last night. To have my will done? I was hoping it would make me feel better. But it just went ka-blooey," Willow admitted.
"A spell? I don't think it's wise for you to be doing that alone right now. Your energy's too unfocused."
"Well, that's not true. I said I was off, not incompetent."
"I only meant that you're grieving, and it might be wise if you took a break from doing spells without supervision," Giles kindly told her.
"So I get punished 'cause I'm in pain?" Willow indignantly replied.Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul
Don't let me die here
There must be something more
Bring me to life
"It's not punishment. I'm only saying this because I..." Giles was grateful that Willow cut him off before he admitted that he loved her.
"Oh, you care. Yeah. Everybody cares. Nobody wants to be inconvenienced. You all want me to take the time and go through the pain, as long as you don't have to hear about it anymore."
"No, that's not fair."
"Isn't it? 'Cause I'm doing the best I can and it doesn't seem to be enough for you guys."
"And I see how you could feel that way, I do..."
"No, you don't. You say that you do, but you don't see anything. I'm losing myself and I need you to see it. Save me, Giles."(Wake me up) Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've becomeGiles woke with a start, feeling slightly disoriented. At first he thought that he might still be dreaming, but no, he was in his bedroom in England.
Something was wrong. He could feel it down to his soul. That was no ordinary dream. It wasn't simply him longing for his life in Sunnydale. It wasn't his usual longing to be with Willow dreams either. She was in trouble.
He glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly five o'clock in the morning. He knew that he'd never be able to get back to sleep, so he dragged himself out of bed to make a cup of tea.
He debated calling Sunnydale to see what was wrong with Willow, but if IT hadn't happened yet, he didn't want to alarm anyone. Then again, perhaps he should. It was only 9pm in California, after all.
Before he could talk himself out of it, Giles dialed the number to the Summers home...only to reach the machine. He left a vague message, simply saying that he was checking in.
He knew that he was probably overreacting, but Giles wasn't going to let doubts stop him this time. He called British Airways and booked the first available flight to California. The price was exorbitant with this little notice, but he wasn't going to worry about that. He needed to see that Willow was all right with his own eyes.
~~*~~
The flights were unbearably long. It felt like he'd been traveling for a week, not a mere day. He rented a car at Sunnydale Airport and tried not to speed across town. The tires squealed a bit as he stopped a little hard in front of the Summers home.
Leaving his bags in the car, for now, he practically ran for the door, pressing the buzzer a little longer than necessary.
Giles was surprised to find Xander opening the door to him, probably as surprised as Xander was to find him ringing the bell.
"Giles? What are you doing here?" Xander asked. "Did we know you were coming? Did Buffy forget to tell me something?"
"No, I wasn't expected," Giles said. "May I come in?"
"I don't know. Can you?" Xander said, standing back from the doorway.
"Good lad," Giles said, crossing over the threshold.
Xander let out a sigh of relief. "So what brings you back to this hell hole? And I'm not gonna buy that you were just in the neighborhood."
"This is going to sound odd, but how is Willow?" Giles asked.
Xander's face fell. "Not so good. She took the break-up pretty hard. Got into some bad magick. Did Buffy call you about the accident?"
"Accident? Lord, no. Is everyone alright?" Giles asked, afraid that he was too late.
"She didn't call you? No, you wouldn't have been able to get here that fast. Then how did you know...?"
"What happened?" Giles asked, cutting Xander off.
"From what I've heard, Willow took Dawn with her to see this magick dealer. Something attacked them while Willow was high with the mojo. Something she had unknowingly conjured. She crashed a stolen car into a wall. Buffy and Spike were out looking for them anyway and took Dawn to the hospital."
"And Willow?" Giles pressed.
Xander gestured to the stairs with his head. "Been curled up in her bed since she got home."
"May I?" Giles asked, already moving towards the stairs.
"Give it your best shot. She won't talk to me. Not that I really want to that much right now. She could have killed Dawn, Giles."
"I know. I think that I can help her. If she'll let me."
Xander nodded in understanding and Giles headed upstairs. He paused outside Willow's bedroom before knocking.
"Come in," she weakly called out.
Giles stepped into the dark room and Willow slowly rolled over in the bed to turn on a lamp.
"Giles, what are you doing here?"
"I was worried about you," he told her.
"You were worried... How did you know? Did Tara call you?" Willow asked, sounding resentful and hopeful at the same time.
Giles shook his head, carefully sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, Willow, but Tara didn't call me. Was she concerned about the magick? Xander mentioned something about a break-up..."
Willow hiccupped as she began to cry. "S-she left me. The same night you left. She had asked me not to use magick for a week and I couldn't do it. She said I was being reckless. Maybe I was. I've lost everything, Giles," Willow said.
"Shh," Giles said soothingly. He stroked Willow's sweat-dampened hair as she cried into her pillow. "You haven't lost everything. Not yet."
"I have. Tara's gone. Dawn's never going to trust me again. Probably Buffy too."
"They will forgive you, with time," Giles assured her. "Have you forgotten me? I'm still here. I flew across the bloody ocean to be here with you, for you."
"Did you really?" Willow asked, blinking up at him.
"I would do anything for you, Willow. Don't you know that?"
"I... I guess that I did. You tried to warn me, didn't you? You tried to teach me about control and respect and I didn't listen."
"The magicks have a way of taking over without you realizing it, I know. I wish that you'd been able to see just how well I've learned this lesson, but you've always been a stubborn one. I'd like to help you now, if you'll let me."
"How did you know that I needed you?" Willow asked, sliding closer, leaning into his caress.
"I heard your call," Giles told her, moving his touch to include her arms and back, as well as her hair.
"My call?"
"You've been calling out to me in my dreams for a week now," Giles told her.
"Really? You didn't get a phone call from anyone here?" Willow asked.
"Just a psychic one, from you," Giles confirmed.
"I think I was dreaming of you. Of us. Did I really call to you through my dreams?"
"I believe so. Deep down, some part of you must have recognized that you were losing control. It knew that I could help you. Will you listen to that part of you now?" Giles entreated.
"It's so hard, Giles," Willow moaned. "Every inch of my being is crying out to cast, to conjure. If I'd had the energy when you came in, I would have lit the lamp with magick."
"I know. I could sense the magick trying to come out. You must learn to do things the mundane way again."
"Is it always going to be like this?" Willow asked, sounding like a small child.
"For a while. The siren's call lessens with time. As with any addiction, it will be hard going at first. But I'll be here for you every step of the way."
"Promise?" Willow asked.
"I promise," Giles said. "Now try to get some sleep. I'll be just downstairs on the sofa."
Giles stood to leave, but Willow reached out to pull him back down to the bed. "No, wait. Please, don't go. Don't go so far away. Stay here, please."
Giles looked around the room. There was a chair in the corner, but after being on airplanes all day, he couldn't sleep on that.
"Willow, I'm afraid that I'm an old man. I can't stay in that chair, as much as I don't want to have to leave you alone, I fear that I must," he apologized.
"Then stay here. We can share. I just... I don't want to be alone. It'll be easier... with you here," Willow said.
Giles took a shaky breath. It was dangerous for him to share a bed with Willow, but he could hardly refuse her at a time like this.
"All right. I just need to get my bag out of the car. I'll return in a moment, I promise."
"Okay," Willow quietly relented, releasing his hand. "Hurry back."
"I'll be back before you know it."
Giles closed the door behind him as he made his way back down the stairs.
"How is she?" Xander asked, when he saw Giles reach the bottom of the stairs.
"Scared. Exhausted. Mostly scared," Giles admitted. "She's agreed to let me help her though."
"Good, that's good," Xander said. "I brought out the guest sheets. Figured you hadn't booked a place to stay."
"Thank you. But, um, I won't be needing them," Giles nervously said. "Willow has insisted that I stay with her." Before Xander could object, he rushed to add, "She doesn't want to be alone. You have no reason to worry about her virtue. She is safe with me."
"I know that. Eww. If anyone was going to share a room with Willow... I know she'll be safe with you."
Giles ignored the knife in his gut that comment had made. He almost wished that they would see him as some kind of threat to Willow's virtue and not some sexless old person, although, for now, it was working in his favor.
"I only came down to retrieve my luggage from the car," Giles said.
"Oh, right. Forgot you didn't bring that in yet. Need any help?"
"No, I'll be fine. I didn't bring much."
Xander watched Giles from the open doorway, keeping an eye out for any vampires. A few minutes later Giles was bidding him goodnight and returning to Willow.
He didn't knock this time when he entered Willow's room.
"It's just me," he said as he closed the door. Willow had turned off the light again, but he knew she wasn't asleep.
"You came back," she said dreamily.
"I said that I would," Giles reminded her. "I'm just going to change and brush my teeth and I'll be ready to join you."
"Okay."
Giles carried his suitcase into the bathroom with him in order to easily find his toiletries and pajamas. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair and changed before reluctantly returning to the bedroom.
He didn't know why he was so nervous about climbing into the bed. No, he did know. Most of his dreams involved him sharing a bed with Willow, only under very different circumstances.
"Don't just stand there, lie down," Willow said.
"Right, of course," Giles muttered. He pulled back the rumpled covers and lay down stiffly. "Is this alright? Do you have enough room?"
"I'm good. Better now that you're here," Willow said sleepily. "Thank you for coming."
"I will always be here for you, Willow. Always."
The End
Copyright© February 2007