•••

Spike watched with sorrow as the sun fell away, leaving him abandoned once again in the darkness that was his home. He noted that Xander was shivering, although the vampire wasn't sure if the action was rooted in newfound frigidity or fear. They had been following Doyle on this tedious path for many hours; Spike had long since given up marking the time because the stuff didn't seem to flow the same way wherever it was they were. With the encroaching night, however, Spike found himself sending up prayers to whatever deities acknowledged him, wanting any strength they had to spare. He was worried that he and Xander weren't going to be able to do this. Doyle mentioned that there was a place he wasn't welcome; if the seer wasn't allowed there, how could Spike ever make it through?

Finally the vampire worked up enough moxy to voice his concerns. "Er, Doyle?" He began tentatively. "Could we stop for a minute?"

Doyle drew their progression to a halt, letting Xander take a much-needed rest. "Something bothering you?" The Irishman asked Spike.

"Yeah. From the way you described it, we're going to be walking through hell--literally. Are you sure we can do this? I mean...do you have any idea about who's managed to go into this place and make it back out again? Sure, Buffy and Angel survived it, endured the torture an' all that, but me?"

"And me here," Xander piped up. "Er, 'doughnut boy' isn't exactly sure he's up for a journey through something that broke Deadboy."

"Could you give us a clue here?" Spike continued. "This doesn’t seem like a good idea to me."

Doyle studied the two men briefly. "Let me see if I've gotten this right," He murmured. "You two are chicken." Xander and Spike blanched but nodded. "Right. I can see why; this place isn't exactly all sunny happiness and fluffy kittens, eh?" The ghost settled down on the ground next to Xander, wriggling until he'd displaced a particularly nasty branch.

"Why don't I tell you why I'm here? Maybe that'll help," Doyle offered. Spike slid down to the ground, propping himself against a tree. "Just before I found you, I was kinda floating around this place, having myself a nice chat with another dead guy. Then this girl called out to me, asking me to come over and join her. She was... all light and pretty, more than pretty," Doyle continued, eyes glazing as he remembered the sight. "She had these eyes, and that voice! Anyway, she knew who I was, knew that I'd been working with Angel when I'd died. Tara, her name was, and she came to me asking for help."

"'I was in the Summerlands when I heard that Xander and Spike were lost in these woods, being threatened by the wolf. I'm worried that they won't make it out unharmed. They were both there for me when I was alive, always watching out even when Willow and I were arguing. Could you please help them, guide them safely? All of us in the Summerlands would love it if you would,' Tara said, gentle voice the sweetest caress on my wounded ears.

I was a bit shocked by the request, because I didn't know her at all. But she was so sweet, perfect and all, so I couldn't resist. 'Er, Tara? It's great that you're watching out for these friends of yours--it certainly sounds like they need some help--but why did you wait so long? They've been down there a while.'" Doyle paused in his retelling as a howling wind rattled the trees.

"What did she say?" Xander asked softly. He was more than a little amazed that Tara was watching out for Spike and him.

"She told me why she wasn't so quick getting to me," Doyle replied. "She was hanging out in the Summerlands with her mom when this other lady sent a chick named Kendra to tell her what was what down here. That got her riled and she came to find me right quick. Tara also told me how Xander here stood up to Willow, and how Spike was Angel's childe and was working with the Slayer." Doyle waited while Xander and Spike digested what he'd said. "Of course, I'm not one to deny a beautiful woman anything she wants, especially when she's also so damned nice."

Xander frowned at the ground while Spike stared up at the tree-filtered night sky. "Tara's up there?" Spike whispered, his unblinking gaze trying to discern the Summerlands amidst all the leaves.

Doyle grinned. "Sorta. The Summerlands aren't exactly up there, like you'd say heaven was; it's a different dimension. Where we are now is actually more like Tartarus. Specific religion's not really an issue here, but the usual names give it some familiarity."

Spike watched as Xander's grimace slowly shifted into a wistful smile. "Do we get to see Tara--after we make it through this place?" He asked Doyle hopefully. "I miss her."

Doyle nodded quickly. "That's the plan; she's going to get you through the Summerlands."

Xander and Spike shared a brief glance before standing up. They seemed to Doyle to be filled with new energy, their brief flirtation with cowardice over. "Let's get at it, then," Xander said firmly. "I'm still not looking forward to this whole 'scenic tour of the underworld' thing, but if Tara's on our sides..."

"Then we can handle it," Spike finished for the boy. He wasn't exactly sure why Tara would want to help him; Xander he could see, but himself? Perhaps she saw them as a package deal, and her desire to aid Xander overcame any disgust she felt at also assisting Spike.

Doyle wasted no time in getting them back on the path and soon they were plunging through the thick, black forest, heading for some unknown destination.