"You know, there is nothing you can do to help your friend," Asa
     informed me teasingly as he started toward the door. "Perhaps
     you should be more concerned about your situation?"

     My thoughts once again betrayed me. I'll find a way to help her,
     you bastard...

     Asa chuckled and shook his head with amusement. "You really
     have no idea what you are dealing with, do you?" With a slight
     bow, he again left me alone with my torment.

     Willow, why did you have to come? It's all my fault that you're in
     this mess...I didn't know how Willow had managed to find me, but
     since Buffy wasn't present I was fairly sure that the she hadn't told
     anyone that she was coming. I couldn't count on any outside help,
     so it was going to be up to me to fix the situation. Of course, I
     wasn't going to do Willow any good as long as I was chained up...

     Picking the lock hadn't proven to be feasible, and it seemed
     unlikely that I was going to be able to break the post. Although I
     hadn't completely ruled out attempting to burn my way out, I wasn't
     sure how workable that option would be; I still didn't have any way
     to light the fire. That left only one other option that I could think of.
     It wasn't a pretty option--as last resorts rarely are--but it seemed to
     me to be the only way I was going to be able to rescue my best
     friend. I was going to have to make my hand fit through the cuff.
     Despite the large quantity of silverware that I had been given,
     however, there was a distinct lack of sharp knives. I guess Dalton
     was even more into self-preservation than he was into etiquette.
     Still, there had to be a way to do it...I studied the cuff and my hand
     as a plan began to formulate in my mind.

     The main problem was my thumb. No matter how I contorted my
     hand, the bone at the base of the thumb stuck out just a little too
     much. Not by a considerable amount, but enough to be an
     obstacle. So the trick was going to be to make that bone...less of
     an obstruction. It was best not to think about what I was about to
     do, otherwise I would quite likely not be able to actually do it. I
     quickly scanned the room for an object that could help in my
     mission. The candlestick holder appeared to be the best choice.
     Grasping it firmly, I took a deep breath and bit my lip to keep
     myself from crying out. I swung the blunt iron stick and bashed the
     bone as hard and fast as I could. My attempt to stifle my scream
     turned out to be a futile one. I'm not sure if anyone in the entire
     house could possibly have missed the involuntary cry. I didn't
     have time to waste...odds were pretty good that someone would
     be coming to check up on me momentarily. Besides, if I didn't get
     my hand through the cuff before it got a chance to swell up, the
     pain would all be for nothing.

     Unfortunately, my plan wasn't working; I still couldn't fit my hand
     through the small opening. Desperate, I smashed my hand
     again...and again until I was barely even conscious of what I was
     doing...

     And then suddenly, remarkably I was free. My hand was
     completely numb, but I could tell by looking at the already swelling
     misshapen mass that when feeling returned, it was going to be a
     bitch...but again, I didn't have time to dwell on that. The important
     thing was finding Willow and getting her to safety.

     Taking the candlestick as a makeshift weapon, and the bent fork
     in case I found the need to try to pick another lock--even though I
     had yet to be successful at that--I quickly moved to the doorway
     and peered out to make sure the coast was clear. There didn't
     seem to be anyone, so I made my move. I stole down the hallway
     in the direction that Willow had gone. I soon reached a staircase
     and made my way down, carefully keeping watch for any
     movement. Not seeing anyone I rushed the rest of the way down
     to the main floor. Now which way?

     I really had only two choices. One was through the front door. I
     could try to make a break for it and go get Buffy...but then, I didn't
     really know where Buffy was, or even exactly where I was. I would
     risk taking too much time and losing Willow for good. So, that
     really wasn't a viable option. Instead, I chose to go down the
     hallway into the rest of the house.

     It was strange, but I didn't encounter anyone in my trek down the
     hall. I kept expecting that one of the doors would suddenly swing
     open and I'd run into one of Dalton's thugs, or at the very least
     Asa, but there was no sign of any of them. In a way, it kind of
     made me nervous that they weren't around. That possibly meant
     that they were already holding the wedding ceremony
     somewhere...except that Asa had said something about getting me
     dressed for it, so I guess I was supposed to be in attendance.
     Perhaps they figured that as the best friend of the bride I should
     be there, who knows?

     Since I wasn't getting anywhere with my search, I decided to see
     what was behind one of the doors. I leaned up against one near
     the end of the hallway and pressed my ear to the door, checking
     to see if there was any movement within. Not hearing anything, I
     carefully turned the knob and pushed it open just far enough to
     slip inside. Closing the door behind me, I turned to examine the
     contents of the room.

     I was in what appeared to be a servant's quarters. It was like a
     separate little apartment, really. Along one side of the room was a
     little kitchenette, and off the far side of the room was an open door
     leading into a bedroom. The room wasn't nearly as ornate as the
     one upstairs, but it was still definitely more elegant than what you
     would find in an average household.

     I made my way into the bedroom and began rummaging through
     the servant's drawers looking for anything that could be of use. I
     didn't really have anything specific in mind, but figured it wouldn't
     hurt to look around. The first couple of compartments held only
     towels and sheets. I was getting nowhere fast, but decided to
     keep looking around. There were three doors leading from the
     room--the one leading back into the main room of the suite, one
     that was slightly ajar and seemed to lead into a second hallway,
     and a third that appeared to be a closet. Maybe there would be
     something in the closet...like some clothes. I set down the
     candlestick and opened the door. To my disappointment there
     was only women's clothing...just my luck. I turned and for the first
     time noticed that there was a white gown laid out on the bed. The
     wedding gown.

     I started to move in for a closer look, but I suddenly became aware
     of the sound of the outer door opening and a couple of voices
     chatting. I was about to be caught. There wasn't time to make a
     break for the hallway. I would be seen for sure. My only hope was
     to duck into the closet and pray that whoever was coming wouldn't
     need to look in there for anything...and that they didn't have Asa's
     ability to read thoughts. Fortunately, I could tell that the
     approaching people were both female. At least I hadn't chosen
     Kaelan's room. I stepped into the wardrobe and started to pull the
     door shut. I wasn't able to get it completely shut before the women
     entered the room, so I had to just bite the bullet and leave it open
     a crack. As the women entered, I realized that I had left the
     candlestick sitting on the floor next to the closet. I silently prayed
     that they wouldn't notice--if they did, my goose was pretty well
     cooked.

     "So, this is the gown...not exactly gorgeous," I heard one of them
     comment, as she picked up the white satin garment. "Is it ready?"

     "Not quite. I need to let out the hem just a little bit, and the sides
     need to be taken in a couple inches. I wish the brides would
     always be the same size...or that Dalton would just complete the
     deal. Poor thing."

     "Where shall I put the wedding book?"

     "Just leave it here on the bed. I'll take it with me when I go to set
     up the chapel for the ceremony. It has to be there for the signing."

     "Why do we always have to have a wedding? I mean it's not like
     they haven't exchanged vows six times already."

     "I asked the same thing...Asa told me that for the binding to work
     the souls needed to be bound first in the presence of God, and
     then by...Him. The binding of God is broken when 'death does
     them part' so they have to start over again."

     "Makes sense, I suppose...Besides, this should be quite the
     wedding." What is it with women and weddings? They're all the
     same anyway...

     "Well, I'd better get working on the dress. Dalton wants the
     ceremony to be this afternoon. He's out gathering...for the other
     ritual, and wants everything to be ready to go upon his return."

     "Is there anything I can do for you?"

     "Not really...maybe just hang around for a bit and keep me
     company. Then we'll go over and set up the chapel together." No,
     don't hang around here...please don't--I've got to get out of here!

     I bit my lip as the first pang of feeling started to come back to my
     hand. Now was not a good time to deal with that. I forced the pain
     into the back of my mind and tried to keep focused on the scene
     before me.

     "Great. How about I fix us some tea?" Yes, go fix your tea, leave
     me alone for just a minute...

     "Perfect!"

     Relief flowed through me as I watched the women collect up the
     dress and move into the outer room. It was a risk, but I decided to
     make a break for the hall while their attention was elsewhere. I
     inched open the closet's door and cautiously stepped out. Pausing
     only to grab the wedding book that the women had left on the bed,
     I made my way toward the hallway. It was a small gesture, but I
     figured that anything I could do to screw up the wedding was
     worth doing. As I stealthily moved across the room, I again caught
     part of the two women's prattle. This time, however, their words
     struck fear into my heart.

     "...see that poor girl? That Kaelan is such a brute."

     "Oh, I know. Such a pretty little thing, too. All that pretty red
     hair...I'd kill for long hair like that."

     "Asa will clean her up for the ceremony, I suppose. It wouldn't be
     right to have her there looking like that..."

     Kaelan had hurt Willow! I'd kill him! Their conversation continued,
     but I was no longer listening. Willow had been hurt, and it was all
     my fault. I had to find her. I slipped out into the hallway and gazed
     each direction trying to determine which way would be better. One
     way led into what was obviously the main kitchen. I saw no
     practicality for going there, so I chose to go the other way.

     The passage went past several closed doors. Not wanting to push
     my luck, I decided to ignore them in favor of seeing where the
     hallway led. At the end of the hall I reached a spiraling staircase
     leading down into darkness. I didn't see the point in going down, I
     doubted that Dalton's bride would be kept in the cellar. I was
     about to turn around to go back the other way when I heard voices
     approaching from the direction of the kitchen. I tried to open the
     nearest door, but it was locked. Which meant going downstairs
     after all.

     I cringed as the steps made creaking sounds beneath my feet.
     Covertness was obviously not one of my virtues. I decided to take
     the stairs two at a time to hopefully reduce the risk of making a lot
     of noise. The stairs seemed almost endless, though it may have
     just been the effect of my heightened sense of paranoia and the
     painful throbbing that was really beginning to establish itself in my
     hand.

     The farther I descended, the colder it seemed to become. By the
     time I reached the bottom I was sure I was going to either freeze or
     pass out from the pain that was now evolving from a throb to a full
     fledged convulsion, but my resolve to find Willow was strong
     enough to keep me moving.

     The cellar was dark, almost to the point of total obscurity, but I
     could hear movement from deep within, and I could see that there
     was what seemed to be a long tunnel, lined with dungeon cells. I
     tried not to think of Willow being locked in one of those cells. It
     would be so agonizing being trapped alone in such a dark and
     dismal place. Of course, why would they possibly keep Dalton's
     bride locked in this dingy crypt and me upstairs in a posh bedroom
     suite? There was no way she was being kept...

     What did I know? Obviously, I didn't think like Dalton and his
     goons. As I made my way down the long passage I heard a
     scratching sound...like perhaps someone clawing at one of the
     doors. At first, it spooked me--I hadn't expected anyone to actually
     be in the cells. When the sound repeated, however, I decided to
     take a chance.

     "Will!" I whispered, trying to arouse her attention as I crept down
     the corridor. When she didn't reply I tried again, a little bit louder. I
     didn't want to get too loud or I would likely attract our captor's
     attention. That, and I wasn't sure who was making the noise.

     After a third attempt, I was rewarded by her soft response.
     "Xander?"

     "I'm here, Will. Keep whispering so I can find you..."

     "Right here," she returned a moment later, reaching her hand
     through the small opening in the door. I tucked the book and fork
     under my arm and reached out to grasp her hand.

     "I'll get you out," I vowed, trying to peer into the cell to look at her. I
     just wanted to see that she really was all right, but the opening
     was too small to really be able to look through while her hand was
     in the way--it was really meant only for placing food in the cell or
     something to that effect. I didn't want to let go of her hand, but
     there was no way around it...not if I was going to work on getting
     the door open. Great...another lock...I released Willow's hand and
     started feeling around for the keyhole. After a moment of
     searching I found it and began poking the fork prong into the
     mechanism. The book slid to the floor as I tried to get a better
     angle to work at the lock.

     "Xander?"

     "What?"

     "How did you get out?"

     "You don't want to know."

     "Oh."

     I kept poking, getting more and more frustrated. There had to be
     something...there had to be a key somewhere. "Who brought you
     down here?"

     "The big guy." Kaelan.

     "Any idea which way he went?" I asked trying to sound casual.

     After a long pause Willow finally responded. "You won't be able to
     fight him."

     "I have no intention of fighting him. I'm a little..." I was about to
     admit that I was a bit incapacitated, but decided that would only
     freak her out. Better to just leave that alone for now. "I only want
     to see if I can find the key."

     "Want me to try for a bit?" she offered, as she reached through the
     opening again. She wasn't going to tell me where Kaelan had
     gone. She didn't trust me not to do something stupid. I suppose
     my track record wasn't exactly sparkling in that department.
     Reluctantly I handed her the fork and sat down on the floor with
     my back against the wall, feeling totally helpless...and utterly
     useless.

     Without the menial task of picking the lock, I found myself unable
     to think of anything but the agony my hand--heck, my whole
     arm--was in. I needed something to keep my mind off the
     pain...and the cold...so cold...I became faintly aware that my teeth
     were chattering and that I was shivering uncontrollably. I had to
     warm up...

     The next several minutes I felt like I was kind of fading in and out
     of reality. I was unable to keep my mind focused on anything other
     than the cold and the pain. I wasn't even aware that Willow had
     somehow managed to get the cell door open until she was there
     standing over me, slapping my face. I could see her lips moving
     and the panicked look in her eyes, but I couldn't hear her...it was
     as if she were a thousand miles away. Perhaps on a tundra.
     Beckoning me into the...focus, Xander! But I couldn't. My thoughts
     were all over the place...everywhere but where I wanted them to
     be.

     Pain ripped through me as Willow hauled me to my feet, and for a
     moment my vision clouded over and I fought to keep my balance.
     When my head started to clear I became aware what Willow was
     holding me up, trying to lean me against the wall. She was so
     much stronger than I ever would have imagined her to be. And so
     pretty. When had she gotten so pretty...she looked incredible in
     that...what was she wearing a sack? No...just a sweater...a big
     fuzzy sweater...it was so woolly and cuddly and...and Willow was
     taking it off. Why was she...undressing? I was transfixed as she
     tugged the monstrous sweater up, exposing her smooth pale white
     skin, and her lace...Willow, what are you...? As she pulled the
     sweater up over her head with one hand, her other hand jerked a
     second blouse down, covering her exposed flesh and
     undergarment. And then she was talking to me again. I wished I
     could hear her...wished she wasn't fading...

     She grabbed my hand and started to raise my arm. The next thing
     I knew, we were both on the floor and I was on top of her. She
     was struggling to get out from beneath me, her eyes wide with
     fear and tears streaking down her cheeks. I wanted to apologize,
     but my tongue was thick in my mouth and I couldn't control it well
     enough to form the words. After a moment I became conscious of
     the idea that I should move. It took a lot of effort to remain focused
     on the task of moving--my thoughts were already trying to wander.
     I rolled over, allowing Willow to get up. She was up on her feet
     and standing over me so fast that it made me feel dizzy.

     "Come on, Xander, you've got to get up," Willow's distraught voice
     entered my consciousness. "Come on, you've got to help me. I
     can't do this on my own..." I wanted to help her. I really did. I
     forced myself to concentrate on the task at hand. It took all my
     strength just to sit up. As soon as I did that, Willow started
     smothering me...everything went dark and it felt like the walls were
     closing in on me...And then abruptly, it became light again. She
     had pulled the sweater on over my head. She was trying to warm
     me up...that was so thoughtful of her. She reached through and
     grasped my left hand and guided it out the arm hole. I wanted to
     thank her, but I still couldn't form the words...and then, as she
     reached my right hand, my body was racked with pain and I could
     think no more.