(LA N)Cleveland ((Actually 'on the road' cont.))

[Charlotte]

((Hope it's ok to do this; I just wanted to get on with 'On the Road but it's not letting us reply so this is literally starting where it stopped-hope that's ok.))

"She's awake." Willow suddenly said, looking up from her computer screen. I didn't need to ask what she meant and I ran to Maya who was indeed awake, also shaking. She looked pale, unsurprising given she was ill, and worried.
"Have you found anything?" Was the first thing she said and it felt awful to shake my head.
"Isn't there some kind of spell you can do to help the search along?" I asked, realising that there were two seriously powerful witches in the room.

[Maya]

"I can speed research." I said, regaining control of my body to stop the shivering- goddess i hated showing weakness. I held out my hand towards a large book on a table across the room. It zipped through the air towards me, but dropped a foot short. I frowned, "Must still be ahlf asleep." I chuckled. Charlotte passed me the book with a frown. I laid my hand on the book's cover, and began skimming through it contents. I stopped, screwing up my eyes and putting a hand to my head, "Crap." I cursed.
"Mai?" Faith asked.
"Its all jumbled," I said, shaking my head, "I cant see it clearly."
"Maybe we should keep on the research." Willow said.
"No." I snapped, i wanna be some use- i feel loads better after that rest." I told her truthfully. loads better, i thought to myself with a smile. I stood up, showing them i didn't need the helping hands they all offered, "I'm ok." I promised, "Guess i'll just have to read the oldfashioned way."
Faith bit her lip in worry, but nodded,
"Ok."

[Charlotte]

I could tell Faith didn't like what was happening either. Mai's old excuse of tiredness was not going to work anymore, something was weakening her physically and now it seemed magically. Something had to be done but besides more researching I had no idea. So we continued with the books and computers trying desperately not to drop off to sleep.
"How 'bout this?" one of the new slayers said suddenly, jerking my head up from an open book. "It's a potion of some kind-a muscle relaxer that weakens slayers. It says a slayer may feel they are suffering some sort of flu."
I looked at Giles who looked uncomfortable. I had a feeling I knew why.
"Uh..that's probably not it." he said cleaning his glasses.
"Why not?" the slayer asked deflated.
"It is a recipe the council uses...used to complete the cruciamentum." he said and Willow and Faith looked at him strangely, again I thought I knew why.
"The crucia-what?" the girl asked but it wasn't the time for explanations.
"Never mind, that's not it but well tried. keep looking everyone." Giles said and with a groan everyone lowered their heads again.

[Maya]

((Cruciamentum is injected, its not a potion, Charlie. Doesnt matter tho))
I flicked through book after book, thoroughly annoyed that i couldn't just magically skim them. After the brief interlude and Giles' explanation, i couldn't help but be glad that the old council wasn't running things when i became a slayer. I had heard about Cruciamentum, and knew for certain i wouldn't like to experience it. Goddess i was tired again.
"Hey, who wants coffee?" I asked, making to stand.
"I'll get it." Willow said quickly, "You sit."
I groaned, sat down, and went back to the books.
Hours later we were still all there, though some of the SITs looked ready to drop.
"Maybe these guys should turn in." I suggested, "They've been here hours."
"Its a good point guys."Faith agreed, go to bed- most of you got school tomorrow." The girls groaned, but tiredness won, and they headed out, only Kennedy staying with Willow.
"Look, guys... we're all tired, its the middle of the night, and i'm ok. lets call it a night?"
"We aren't getting anywhere when we're this tired." Everyone agreed, and we all headed off, Charlotte and I being slotted into a spare room.

For the next week, we spent most of our time researching. The girls went to school, Faith and Kennedy did most of the patrolling, Giles left to find another slayer who had been identified, and Willow contacted magickal sources, but i was forbidden to patrol, and Charlotte insisted on staying back with me. After yet another night of research, i was sitting there, bored stiff, and my eyelids kept drooping. Eventually i dropped off right there at the table.

I was on the cliff again- i smiled, this place always made me feel good, ever since the first time Joshua had bought me here... speaking of... i turned round, and he smiled,
"Hey." He said.
"Hey." I replied, and stepped forwards, kissing him.
"How're you doing?" He asked.
"Ok i guess, I'm tired... and..."
"What?"
"Well... sometimes... sometimes it hurts bad, Josh."
"Oh Maya." He said, stroking my cheek, "Of course it does."
"What?"
"Of course it hurts- you're dying."He said, still smiling.
"Josh..."
His other hand was on the other side of my face, and then they slid down, to my neck.
"Josh?" I asked, finding myself unable to run. He began to squeeze. "Josh!" I gasped, scratching at his hands, "joshua!" I choked. Joshua was killing me.

In the real world, my body began to wretch.

((hehe, liking the symbolism?))

[Charlotte]

I stared at Maya with horror as she shook and twisted, thrashing around.
"Maya, Mai" Several voices called and Willow was trying telepathically too but she there was no answer to either form. I didn't know what to do, there was something going on, something I didn't understand but then suddenly her eyes snapped open.

[Maya]

I gulped air, and looked dazedly around at the shocked faces of my friends.
"Maya?" Willow asked, both telepathically and out loud. "Can you hear me? Are you ok?"
"Yeah." I managed, "I'm... i'm fine. Bad dream."
"Was it... was it about Josh?" Charlotte asked.
"What?" I exclaimed, how did she know?
"I just... i know you're still upset about him, and..."
"Oh!" I said, calming, "Oh, well, no... no, just yknow, general demon dream." I forced a smile. "I'm really ok."
"You looked pretty bad there for a bit, Mai." Faith said, "I think maybe you should get some proper rest."
"But i'm fine!" I insisted.
"She's right, Maya, you're not well, and you've still been going none stop- please?"
I sighed,
"Fine." I snapped, "But you'd better wake me if you find anything." I slammed my book closed, and left the room, forcing myself to stand straight despite my legs feeling like spaghetti, my head pounding, and my throat still hurting as if the dream had been real. Just as i reached the stairs, I heard one of the SIT's saying,
"Do you think she's really ok?"
"No." Willow replied tiredly, "I can feel her aura- its weakening still. I dont understand it! We've been through everything i can think of!"
"How can something be draining her like this without us being able to find any link or sign or reason?" Faith snapped angrily.
"I dont know." Charlotte said, "But we just have to keep looking. If we dont find a way to stop it..." There was an ominous silence, then a loud thwack that sounded alot like a book being slammed on the table.
"We have to help her." Said a voice i didn't quite recognise. "God, Red, we have to..." I slowly realised it was FAith, only her voice was quiet, and cracked- sorrowful. "If she... I can't... Will... i can't let her..." I ran up the stairs before she could say the next word.

When Faith returned to her room nearly an hour later, i was sitting on the end of her bed. Just before she switched on the light, i said,
"Am i gonna die?"

[Charlotte]

I couldn't believe we were talking about this. Maya dying...I thought we'd been as close to that as we were gonna get when the vamps attacked. I wondered whether to call back to L.A. and share this with them but i needed to hear what was being said and I couldn't share that information without asking Maya. It was awful talking about it behind Maya's back. We tried to assure ourselve we were doing everything possible but the awful fact remained that whatever this thing was-it was gradually killing Maya and she didn't even know. So when we headed upstairs a while later I went to talk to her, to tell her-somehow g-d only knows how you tell someone they're dying-but she wasn't in our room. I heard voices down the corridor and wandered towards them. I heard Maya and what she said hit me like a bucket of ice.
"Am i going to die?" It was so hard, so brutally put, just there, said as if it had no consequences. The hardest part though...the hardest part of hearing that was knowing it wasn't directed at me, that Maya hadn't chosen to ask me that question. There was silence for a moment then Faith answered Maya firmly.
"No. Mai we're going to work it out. We will."
"But what if we can't Faith? We don't have a clue what's happening."
"Shh Mai, we've got through worse before." I tip toed away; I didn't want to hear more, I didn't want to listen to false hopes because I knew that we were far from finding a solution and I knew that soon it could be too late.
I climbed into bed but couldn't sleep. Pictures kept playing in front of my eyes, pictures of people dying. My mum being dusted, the council's explosion, Joshua in Maya's arms, people I'd tried to save but couldn't, and there was Maya, i could see her too-deathly pale. I tried to get rid of the images; tried to expell them but I couldn't so when Maya came in again i was still awake.
"Charlie?" she said softly but I rolled over awway from her, still hurting. I didn't understand why she couldn't have come to me. I had taken every step of this journey with her, I trusted her more than anyone, felt closer to her than anyone yet now I felt...betrayed? Like she didn't trust me.
As i lay there I listend to her breathing and knew that she wasn't asleep either, no surprise there.

[Maya]

"No. Mai we're going to work it out. We will."
"But what if we can't Faith? We don't have a clue what's happening."
"Shh Mai, we've got through worse before." Faith said, switching on a small bedside light instead of the main one and coming to sit beside me. I shook my head, starring vacantly at the floor.
"But before its always been demons, or badguys of some sort- theres been something to fight. This time... we dont even know for sure its mystical... what if i'm just ill? what if i'm just dying and it cant be stopped?"
"No." Faith said, "No- you know as well as i do that this is no regular illness! Something is doing this to you, and we will find it! We'll find it, and i'll kick its ass to kingdom come!"
A silent tear trickled down my cheek. Faith shook her head, "Mai- you're strong." She said, nudging me, "You just gotta fight it from the inside... the dream- the others might not have got it, but i'm a slayer too, Mai- and i saw it in your eyes... what was the dream about?"
"It was just a nightmare." I said too quickly.
"Maya... it could be important- if you're being warned about something..."
"No!" I snapped, "It was just a freak out dream." it cant have meant anything I thought to myself its cant- he would never hurt me
Faith sighed,
"We will beat this thing, Maya, i promise you."
"Yeah." I said hollowly. Faith wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight, and i felt my emotional walls crumbling. I hugged back, and sobbed. Goddess i hate being weak, i thought. "Im so scared." I whispered.
"Shh." She said. "Shh."

When i went back to the room Charlotte and i shared, she rolled over far too quickly for it to hve been unconscious sleep movement- had i done something to annoy her? I wasn't in the mood to argue it out- i was just too tired. I changed, and lay down, but i knew sleep wouldn't come for hours.

[Charlotte]

I got up early the next morning and left the room quickly, I wasn't in the moos to talk to Maya just yet. Instead I left the house for the first time in a week and ran...I don't know how far...as far as I could, the steady beat of my feet on the pavement soothing me. When I couldn't go any further I sat on a swingset in a tiny park,listening to my breathing returning to normal. There was no one else around at that hour and the silence around me made me hyper-aware of myself and my thoughts were uninterrupted-which was a shame because I really didn't like them.
There was the repeating question; is Maya going to die? I didn't want to believe it, i couldn't bear ti believe it but it seemed sometimes like everyone I cared about died too early. Maybe I had put her in danger somehow?...No...the logical part of my brain told me there was nothing I could possibly have done to cause this.
'She's had to fight for you before now.' a nagging voice said in my head and it was right.
'That's what she does though. She told me; friends do that for each other...besides she's a slayer, a fight's nothing.'
'this isn't nothing though is it' I thought against my will. 'She could die.'
'SO I have to fix it.' I returned firmly.
'How?' was the next question and one i was so sick of asking myself. I stood up and began to jog slowly back; the sun was fully up pnow and I realised how good it felt to be outside again. I decided to start going on patrols again. 'Maya obviously doesn't need me around...she had Faith.' I thought bitterly. 'And maybe there is a demon around and we can find it...or at least one who knows about it.'
When I got back there was already a bustle of activity going on. The SIts were training with Faith, Giles was sipping his breakfast cup of tea and I could hear Willow and Maya's voices coming from the sitting room in a low murmur. I headed to the research room and opened up what felt like the thousandth book of the week. I stared at the pages but for once I wasn't really taking in what they said. I could stillhear Willow and Maya...laughing? Don't get me wrong I didn't want them to be unhappy but there was so much to do and Maya was so shaken up last night...after the dream. I didn't understand how she could be giggling away barely ten hours later. I tried to get back my train of thoughts; Maya had first been ill on the trip from L.A. We'd left just after the funeral...we'd ccome for Maya to talk to Willow and FAith about Avalon, and about Joshua. What else had jappened just beforehand? The time change...Joshua saving Maya...maybe it hadn't worked fully...maybe some score still needed to be settled and this was it?
"No." I shouted in frustratio, pushing away the book. "Damn it why is this happening? Why can't we fix it?"

[Maya]

I sat with Willow, joking about pointless things. I laughed, i grinned i giggled. I through up a smoke screen to hide my fear and pain as i had learnt to do a long time before i even met Faith. I squashed all the hurt inside me, everything i was so broken up over last night, all of it, right down as far as it would go. I wiped it from my eyes, my voice and my movement- I was annoyed that i'd let my walls fall the night before, and now i was determined not to show my pathetic weakness- i was a slayer, and a witch, and i was not being taken down so easily. So when Willow asked me again and again if i was ok, my reply was,
"Of course! I'm fine, really- i feel so much better."- which was, of course, a lie. I wondered what i had done to upset Charlotte. SHe had left so early that morning, and didn't come to speak to me when she returned. I knew she was angry, and i didn't know why.
"Maya." Willow said, getting serious, "Is there... is there something you should tell me?"
"Huh?" I asked, truely baffled.
"I know you're not telling me everything."
"Sure i am." I bluffed- i would not tell her about the dream- it meant nothing. "I'm sorry i've been so... off... this week." I said before she could continue, "I've just been ill, y'know, so i'm sorry. You guys have been so great- i really think i'm, getting better."
And suddenly, that was true. I had convinced myself that i would not die. I quashed my fears so completely that i actually believed my hopes. "I'm gonna go talk to CHarlie." I said.
In the research room, she was pouring through yet anotherbook.
"Hey." I said.
"Oh. Hi." She replied.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"Fine." She said. "How are you feeling?"
"Good." I replied cheerily. She looked at me sharply. "What?" I asked, "What's up?"

[Charlotte]

"Nothing." I said and she looked at me piercingly. We both knew the other was hiding something but neither of us would back down.
"That nothing mean something bad?" Maya asked me. I shook my head.
"I have to go." I said and brushed past her out the door.
[Charlie] I heard Maya call in my head. [What's wrong?] i tried hard to imagine a stone wall around my mind, a barrier so she couldn't get through to me, couldn't tell what I was thinking. Her voice stopped. I headed to the garden where the SITs were still training and watched them, not sure whether I was jealous or not. I felt Maya come up behind me but before she reached me I was standing up and walking into the house.
"Charlie." Maya called again but I ignored her. "Charlie please, what's wrong?" I didn't answer-I knew I was being childish, stupid even to let jealousy get in the way of things but i was so used to being discarded by people that I couldn't bear to try and stop it, to hear all the denials and reasons and believe them then for it to happen anyway. "Charlie." Maya grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me round to face her. "Why are you avoiding me?"
"I'm not." I said and made to turn away from her but she didn't let me. Her grip tightened and her eyes dilated as she doubled over.

[Maya]

The pain shot through my body so fast that i couldn't supress it. I doubled over, crying out as i felt my knees go weak. I stumbled to stay on my feet, and vaguely heard Charlie calling my name and trying to hold me up, but i toppled, and everything went black.

I didnt know how long i'd been out when I regained consciousness. At first i kept my eyes closed, letting sounds come into fcus before i even tried my eyes. Whispered oices nearby keep my eyes closed- Faith Willow and Charlie.
"Ten hours." Faith was saying, "I've seen that girl do 72 hours straight without waining... she'd barely been up an hour!"
"I know." Willow said. "This is bad, Faith... but i cant get a read on what's doing it! Not to mention that this morning she was... i dunno, it was like she was in denial or something, she acted like nothing was wrong."
"With me too." Charlotte added. I heard Faith sigh,
"I think thats cos... well, last night, she sorta freaked. Shes terrrified, guys."
"So why is she shutting us out?" Charlie snapped.
"Because shes even more scared of showing it. I... Maya is a bit like..."
"You?" Willow cut her off. "She doesnt like to show any weakness... only this time, it's making thins worse cos we cant see whats happening, or how quickly."
There was a pause.
"I wish we knew what she dreamt about." Faith said "I know it meant something.... Willow, couldn't you...?"
"I could try, but she wont be happy, and she will know."
I heard footsteps, and sensed someone standing right by me.
"What if she doesnt wake up?" I heard Charlotte say fearfully.
"You dont have much faith in me, huh?" I said wryly, opening my eyes tentatively.

[Maya]

"You're awake!" She cried. I forced a smile,
"Uh-huh."
"How do you feel?" Faith asked.
"Erm... ok..." I began, but recieved three very withering looks. "Ok, i feel like i just got hit with a tonne of shit." I conceded. "Everything aches."
"Can you sit up?" Willow asked.
"Sit up? Of course i can s... ow." I just about managed to drag myself into a sitting position, but goddess did it hurt. Willow shook her head like a critical doctor.
"Float this." She said, handing me a pencil. I stared at it. "Take your time." She said, "Any time you want."
"I'm trying." I said through gritting teeth. "I'm trying an' i cant..." I let out a frustrated breath, "I cant..."
"Whoa!" Willow said as i scrunched up my eyes in pain, "Stop, hey, you still with us?"
"Yeah." I murmured, "Im here... it just hurts."
"Cant you give her something more for the pain?" Charlotte asked Willow, but the wicca shook her head,
"I've given her a boat load already- any more would be dangerous."
"Do we have any idea what this is?" I asked quietly. Faith glanced at the others, and shook her head slowly,
"Mai... i'm sorry, we've been searching, but..."
"I know." I said, "You guys have been great."
"Maya..." Willow said tentatively, "The only clue we have is... that dream..."
I turned my head away.
"Maya please!" FAith snapped, "Tell us!"
"I cant." I whispered.
"Why not?"
"Because i cant believe..." I was shaking my head, "He wouldn't..."
"He?" Charlotte asked.
"He wouldn't hurt me!" I cried, somewhere between a yell and a sob.
"Who?" Willow asked, frowning.
"Joshua." Faith said.

((figured we need to get this moving a little!))

[Maya]

((please no one, specifically Ate and Charlie, get pissed off with me for writing this- Josh is right that it needs to get going- we can always change details later if you are unhappy!))
"Joshua?" Willow gasped, looking at Faith, whose face was stern, and furious.
"He's the one doin' this?" FAith asked, looking at me. "That little- i'll kill him!"
"No!" I cried, "No! It can be him! He wouldn't hurt me... not on purpose!"
"But in the dream he was?" Charlotte asked. I nodded stiffly.
"I dont get it." Willow said, shaking her head, "Faith, we've met him, and even then..."
"He was bloody in love with her, i know." Faith said tiredly. I frowned,
"He... what?"
"Oh come on, Mai, it was obvious."
I blushed a little, and FAith chuckled. "So if he's it, then... why?"
"Because he doesn't know he's doing it." Said a voice from the doorway.
"Ate!" I cried- i hadn't heard her usually dramatic entrance. SHe smiled softly, coming to my side,
"How are you doing?" She asked, laying a hand on my stomach.
"Not good." Faith snapped, "Who are you?"
"I'm am the goddess Ate- a friend."
"You know what's happening?" Charlotte asked. Ate nodded,
"Yes. You remember that enjoining spell?" She asked me. I frowned, then slowly nodded,
"The demon bunny?" She nodded back.
"After you were split, part of each involved was left behind in the host."
"Joshua..."
"Yes. Ever since then, little by little, your... life force- powers, energy, strength, has been draining into him."
"The slayer strength." I gasped, "But, no... why would only i be affected?"
"You're not." SHe corrected me, "Back in LA Doc and Rogue are feeling the affects too, just not as pronounced, because the slayer spirit was such a large component of the enjoining, and Rogue is a vampire too."
"Why only now?" I asked quietly.
"Because the drain accelerated incredibly when Joshua became Avalon's saber soul- the strength was draining into her instead then... i dont know exactly why is sped it up so much."
"How do we stop it?" Faith asked.
"There are too ways." Ate told her, "One- we kill him."
"I'm on it." FAith said heading for the door, while i forced myself to stand, crying,
"NO!" Charlotte caught me as my legs gave way, and sat me on the edge of the bed. Ate was shaking her head,
"It is not that simple. Just killing him will stop the drain, but it will take a very long time for that which was taken to return... and in the case of the slayer power, i dont know if it would..."
"So whats the other way?" Willow asked desperately.
"The other way... is that we separate Joshua and Avalon. We take Joshua out of the sword... i dont know precisely what would happen to him, but in any case, he will lose all his powers, and the drain will cease, all that was taken returning to whom it belongs."
"What do you mean... what...you dont know what would happen to him?" My concentration was failing- it was becoming harder even just to string words together.
"He might die for good, he might be reborn... he may be just like he was before he died the first time- i dont know."
"We cant risk that!" I gasped- i knew the stakes, i knew that several lives for one made sense, but sense wasn't my priority by then, "We can't..." I tried to stand again. "We... Can't... Joshua...." I whimpered, as my eyes rolled back and i collapsed.
(third person now)
Faith knelt by Maya's side, pressing her fingers to her throat,
"Pulse is weak." SHe said, looking up at the others.
"Do it." Charlotte said.
Ate held out her hands, and a bright white light surrounded the group. Moments later the five women were in Maya's apartment back in LA. Faith scooped the other slayer up into her arms and place her on the bed at the side of the room. Ate close her eyes, and a message was sent right around Los Angeles:
[Doc, Rogue, Joshua- and all those who know themselves as the slayerettes, come to Maya's apartment NOW if you want her to live.]

((there- happy now?))

[Aredhel]

I was halfway to Maya's by the time I started to use my brain and simply teleported. Funny thing about a crisis; it tends to make one forget that one can use magic. But one thing was certain, I wanted her to live, and that meant I had to get my ass over to the apartment in record time. And get my ass over to the apartment in record time I did.

"Maya!" I gasped, seeing her lying on the bed, looking asleep or unconscious. "What happened to her?!"