fandomhigh | Library (3/16)

Bel echoed Parker's sigh of relief at her words. "Thanks," he said. "Phoebe knows, too. She's the first one I told, and she doesn't know I've told Angel or you. She did promise to tell Piper, though. Anybody can mix the potion if they know the ingredients, but it'll take a witch to say the spell to activate it."

Parker made a mental note to check in with Piper. Because Phoebe's blind spot about Bel might be rooted in love but could be deadly if she thought she was protecting him. "Got it. Your blood. Potion. Witch with spell. Does it have to be a particularly strong witch? Or would anyone reasonably competent do?"

Bel shrugged. "It may be that only the Charmed Ones can say it, I don't know. Other witches have made vanquishing potions before for other demons, but this spell may only work for Phoebe, Piper, or Paige. It's not necessarily competency, but lineage and link to the Book of Shadows."

Which severely limited its effectiveness. "But better than nothing," Parker thought aloud. She bit her lip. "All your resolutions and good intentions aside, is there a way for you to be undermined by magic? The way Angel's curse works? Is there a way your Source could make you stop wanting to be good, aside from bribery, bludgeoning, or blackmail?"

"I'm half-human, and I'm trying to make that half stronger," Bel said slowly, "but the demon is still there. Yeah, a spell or something that makes it hard to control my temper could make me lose control. Or the Source could. Which is why I wanted someone to know what to do...just in case."

"Reassuring." Parker shook her head. "No way to separate out the demon, I assume, since it's part of you." She sighed, eyeing him. "Here's a question I've been putting off forever, but which has to be asked now. If Angelus came back, would you help me try to stop him? Or would you be on his side?"

Bel had been dreading this question. "He knows how to push my buttons," he admitted. "He knows just how to get the demon in me riled up. He wasn't just my friend, he owned me. But I won't let him hurt Phoebe or anybody else if I can help it. Part of me doesn't want to fight him, but I will."

"I'm holding you to that." Parker muttered under her breath. "'Owned.' God. Talk about obscenities." She looked at him, then on impulse, asked something that she wasn't sure was wise. "Is there any way to get you free of the Source? Because as long as you're here, as long as its got a grip on you, we're still in danger. I know you're trying, but I like my certainties."

"The Source has hold over all demons where I come from," Bel said. "So he'll always have some power over me. But the human side of me can fight it." He met Parker's gaze levelly. "I can be strong enough, I know I can. Phoebe's my anchor and Angel's helping me, too.

Phoebe and I were talking about something to take me off the Source's radar, though," he went on. "If she pretends to vanquish me, then the Source will think I'm dead. It's just going to take witnesses to bring word back to the Source and it has to look real."

Those anchors were only mortal, though. And if they were removed.... Nibbling at her lower lip, Parker's eyes narrowed as she considered Phoebe's plan. "Risky. But possibly worth it. He can't sense you? He'd believe it, if this ruse was good enough? And witnesses. That would be the dangerous part. Having someone else here from the Underworld, if even only for a little while..."

"Yeah, that's the dangerous part," Bel agreed. "As for sensing me, if other demons are looking for me, they can't sense me unless I'm trying to sense them, if that makes sense. The Source has seers and oracles and I don't know if I can hide from them if they're actively looking for me, but if they think I'm dead, hopefully they won't be. And if they think the Charmed Ones destroyed me, it's going to keep your average demon away from the school unless they're suicidal."

"Definite possibilities, then." Parker's shoulders eased, and she gave him a genuine, if wintry smile. "And maybe we can do something about those seers and oracles later, if you go through with this plan, and it's successful. There's more than one kind of magic, after all." She cocked her head. "You'll let me know if I can help." It wasn't a command, but it wasn't a request, either.

Bel nodded solemnly. "I will," he said. "And thanks...for, you know, not killing me and giving me a chance."

She sighed. "Angelus killed Kitty, and nearly killed two other people. I don't want to know who else he might have killed that we don't even know about. You, as far as I know, haven't killed anyone. Just been a pain in the ass. So. Much as it pains me, I have to attempt to be fair." Parker looked away, then said quietly, "Do you know what he did with Kitty's body? He doesn't remember."

"Maybe you should ask Piper to show you my entry in the Book of Shadows some day," Bel said quietly.

"I don't know what he did with Kitty," he added, shaking his head. "I don't think he trusted me enough to tell me because Kitty was friends with Phoebe."

Parker was quiet for a minute, then said, "Maybe, for you, it's just as well. I don't know if people would be able to handle it if it turned out you knew something more about her death." She sighed, then looked at him.

"I'll ask Piper about that entry. I'll try not to let it change my judgement of you, now. Your attacks on Veronica-- I don't forget those either. Those were really crappy, crappy stunts, Bel. Especially after the first one, knowing how she'd react." She shook her head. "I know other people with power, who have tempers, and haven't always been wise. Hell, I'm one of them. So don't take it too personally, that I'm always going to be watching." Her smile went twisted. "I'm one of the ones that would have to clean up the mess, after all."

Bel managed a half-smile. "It's good to have people watching. Keeps me from doing something stupid," he said.

Parker rolled her eyes. "Please don't make me comment on that. Between you, Angel, and Logan, the quota for male stupidity was already filled this month. I'll settle for not deliberately vicious." She pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Right. Anything else I should know?"

"I think that's about it," Bel said. Being lumped in with Angel was one thing. With Logan? That was insulting.

"Good." She pushed open the door to SC, and waved him out. "Again. I'm glad you were up-front about this. And I won't pass it along."

Although, there was probably a list she should start making now....

"Thanks," Bel said, as he headed out the door. "I appreciate it. Just not the kind of thing you want getting out to everyone."

"Understood." And anyone she told, would be told for very, very good reasons.

Library (3/16)

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC

Re: Fifth Period [3/16] - now NFB in SC