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Title: Shock Me Sane
Author: Sara - buffyased20@yahoo.comDisclaimer: I own nothing of BtVS or Angel. Don't sue!
Spoilers?: Normal Again (set before Sleep Tight in the Angelverse)
Summary: A different spin on 'Normal Again'..B/A of course. Xander & Spike are still hunting the demon, but Willow notices Buffy falling deeper into believing she is really mentally ill. Willow calls Angel for advice.
Feedback?: Yes please..!
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"Willow?" Angel asked, panic bubbling inside him. "What is it? Is it Buffy?"
"It is...she's...something's wrong with her." Willow began, twisting the phone cord nervously around her finger. There was a silence on the other end.
"What do you mean? Is it serious?" she heard him question on the other end. Willow poked her head out from the kitchen doorway, glancing around the room before answering.
"I don't know...some demon poisoned her..."
"Is it fatal?" he asked quickly.
"No-no! I don't think so. But she started having these flashes." Willow told him, walking to the window and searching outside for any sign of Xander and Spike.
"Flashes? Like visions?" Angel asked, still unsure of what Willow was trying to tell him.
"More like hallucinations. She keeps seeing herself in a mental institution. Her parents are there...together, with a doctor, telling her that everything she knows...us, vampires, Sunnydale, is in her head." Willow explained, worried. "I think she's starting to believe it."
"What kind of demon was it?" Angel demanded, then listened to Willow describe it.
"Xander and...uh Xander is searching for it now," Willow told him, deciding it would probably be best to omit Spike.
"Okay..Willow, make sure Buffy drinks the antidote...if she doesn't, she'll be so far gone that she may bring bodily harm to you, or anyone there. She may even...become catatonic. The demon's poison is convincing her she's crazy...and it will become reality." Angel said firmly, "Do you understand?"
Willow nodded, "I understand...but Angel..what is we can't get the antidote...what if..."
She stopped suddenly as Buffy walked slowly into the kitchen.
"Buffy! How are you feeling?" Willow asked, bringing the phone down to her side, as if she were caught committing a crime.
"Great...never better." Buffy replied quietly. Willow turned her back to Buffy, lifting the receiver to her ear. "Listen...uh...I gotta go..."
Angel yelled her name when he heard a large clang as the phone dropped to the phone. Seconds later, dialtone filled his end.
"Dammit!" Angel yelled, throwing the cordless across the room.
Wesley hurried into the room, unshaven and disheveled. "What? What happened?" he asked, looking over at the broken phone, laying on the floor.
"There's something wrong with Buffy..."
"Is she...?" Wesley was almost afraid to ask.
"No..no. Some demon attacked her, poisoned her to believe nothing was real, they she was really in a mental institute."
"They need our help?" Wesley asked, walking over to his stack of books.
"They will now. Xander was searching for an antidote, but I think the poison took control. Buffy's believing that Sunnydale isn't real...which means none of her friends are real. I think she's already hurt Willow."
"Oh dear," Wesley muttered, searching through the mounting pile of demon and spell books. "Angel, I don't know what we could do to help..it's a two hour drive to Sunnydale. We'll never make it on time."
Angel joined Wesley at the large wooden table and pulled out a spell book. "I need you to get me into Buffy's subconcious."
Wesley took the book Angel shoved at him. "Angel, it's dangerous...I've only tried that once..." he stuttered. Angel hurried to Cordelia's desk, leaning down and opening a deep drawer full of candles.
"You're going to try again. If I can get into her mind...somehow see what she is seeing, maybe I can convince her that nothing she is hallucinating is real."
Wesley shook his head slowly. "Angel, if reality itself can't convince her...if Willow, or even Dawn can't get to her...no one can."
"Just DO IT." Angel yelled.
Studying Angel's desperate face for a moment, Wesley considered refusing, and then he saw Angel's shaking hands. He looked back up into his eyes and nodded.
tbc...
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