Where Darkness Leads

Chapter 16

"So you say you felt something last night?" Giles asked Amy in his office.

"Yes," she said. "It was pretty strong."

"And all you know is you sensed some sort of dread."

"It was something very dangerous. Extremely powerful. I had never felt anything like it before."

Buffy walked in as Giles and Amy were walking out of the office.

"Giles, we seriously need to talk."

"Thank you, Amy," she said to her, walking away.

"What's up?"

"Amy felt a bad premonition last night."

"Like something is coming?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Well, I think it might've already started," she said. "Angel saw Angelus last night."

"He what?" Giles exclaimed.

"Angel met with himself in person," she said. "And it all happened in the Master's lair."

"The Master's lair?" he replied. "That place has been deserted ever since you destroyed him."

"I know."

She slammed her school on the table and said, "I can't stand the fact that we don't know who or what this thing is, and we don't know how to stop it."

"I know, Buffy. It has been very hard on all of us."

Giles began thinking about how he saw Ethan in the library. An illusion. Everything has been illusions, he thought.

"Giles?" Buffy asked, seeing him stare away. "What is going on?"

"What?" Giles said, turning back. "Oh, nothing."

Xander jumped inside and said, "You guys gotta check out the pool."

"What's wrong?"

"The whole pool looks like an ice skating rink."

"It's been frozen over?" Giles inquired.

"Yes."

Buffy and Giles gave each other knowing looks.

"I'll go check this out."

Michael walked down the hallway until he was startled to see the same man with the cold eyes standing right in front of him.

"Miss me?"

He guided Michael by the arm into the next classroom door and took him inside. Inside of the room, the shades have been drawn with no sunlight coming through.

"Buffy was attacked last night."

"Was she really?" he said, leaning against a desk.

"Are you responsible?"

"Ah, could be."

"You know I am sick and tired of playing your games," he said, growing angry. "So why don't you tell me what you want now?"

Buffy and Xander opened the door to the pool area and saw a white sheet of ice covering the whole length.

"So do we have our evil neighborhood warlock to thank for this?" Xander questioned. "They were just about to have gym class when everyone quickly left."

Buffy tapped on the corner of the pool and started to walk on it."

"Buffy, I wouldn't do that."

"You are going to steal the book for me."

"You're insane," Michael said. "The book's dangerous."

"Precisely."

Michael looked at him, realizing what was on his mind.

"You're working with the warlock?" he said. "You don't want the book for yourself because you want it for him."

Buffy was slowly walking towards the middle of the pool when the ice cracked and broke beneath her feet. She plunged into the ice cold water reaching her way to the surface. As she did the ice reformed above her sealing her underwater. She started to hit the surface.

"You can just forget it!" Michael exclaimed. "I'm leaving."

When Michael couldn't turn the knob he turned and saw Angelus sitting in the desk chair with his legs propped up on the table.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked. "Awwwww."

Buffy swam and pounded some more on the ice at the side of the pool. Xander came over to Buffy, pounding from above, seeing her trying to hold her breath.

"I am not doing anything for you," Michael said. "None of them deserves what I've done to them. What does Buffy really mean to you?"

"What does she mean to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can save her, and all you have to do is steal the grimoire from them."

"You've done something to her, haven't you?"

"It all depends on you, Michael," he said. "So what's it gonna be?"

Xander had grabbed a fire ax from the wall, violently starting to hit the ice, making small dents in the ice.

Angelus looked at him, awaiting Michael's answer.

"Alright!" Michael replied. "I'll do it. Just give me enough time."

"Alright!" Angelus said. "That's all I'm asking."

At that moment Buffy broke a small chunk of ice as Xander hit with the ax until Buffy jumped up letting out a long breath. Xander quickly pulled her out seeing seeing her pale face and blonde hair soaked.

"You okay?" Xander said, moving her towards the bleachers.

"Yeah," she said, coughing with exasperated breath.

Buffy raised her head, confused to see that the pool was all water again.