[Late Tuesday Night, the Maru, locked to Belthazor and Beka]

[demonbelthazor]

It had been a long, weird day. And the last thing on Belthazor's "to do" list was talking to Beka about what had happened Sunday night. He stopped in his room to check on Phoebe, making sure she was still safe and asleep, then headed out to Beka's ship, where they could have safe, private conversation. He was pretty sure he didn't want to hear what she had to tell him, but he needed to know.

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[demonbelthazor]

"Who else was there?" he asked after a moment. "I keep seeing Tara. And Piper and Phoebe. But I know Phoebe wasn't there."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Just Tara. You were strangling her and she was crying that she was a dirty witch and even calling you Cole and repeating Phoebe's name over and over barely made a dent. Hence? Rock."

[demonbelthazor]

"Was she saying 'I'll be good'?" Belthazor asked quietly.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka nodded unhappily, and inhaled a drag off her dying cigarette. "Yeah."

[demonbelthazor]

"Fuck." Belthazor leaned back against the wall and slid down it, sitting on the floor. "Beka, I keep dreaming...that I kill her."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

If it was anyone else, except Angelus, she'd have hugged him. It wasn't anyone else. It was Bel. She went and sat beside him, not quite touching him, but shoulder to shoulder. "Phoebe?" she asked, voice soft, not judgmental.

[demonbelthazor]

"Tara first," he confessed quietly, unable to look at Beka. "Then Piper. Then...Phoebe."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"They're just dreams," she said, voice hushed but still fierce with protectiveness.

[demonbelthazor]

"Yeah, just dreams," he said unhappily, "except that in the dreams Tara's saying the same things before I break her neck as she was when I was apparently strangling her in the park."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"That wasn't you." There's no lack of certainty in her tone. No more hurt. All that's left is her best friend. Protecting him. "How long?" she asked. "When did you have the first dream? Maybe it's fallout."

[demonbelthazor]

"The first was in the clinic, I think," he said tonelessly. "I keep hearing a voice telling me what I'm going to do, and I do it. I break Tara's neck. I kill Piper and rip out her heart. Then Phoebe sees me, and she runs. I chase her and...and I kill her, too. And I like it." He looked over at Beka. "I liked it a lot."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"It's in you. It's part of who you are," she said, offering no judgment and steadily meeting his gaze. "But so is your human soul. And your love for Phoebe. You're not going to kill them. You wouldn't be telling me if you were."

[demonbelthazor]

"Phoebe told me she found a spell...a spell that would vanquish me," Belthazor said slowly. "She said she was going to get rid of it, but...you should get a copy of it. Give it to Piper. She'll be able to use it. Maybe Tara. Not Paige."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Gods, Bel. All right. I'll see if I can get a copy," she promised. "Maybe Illyana can use it? That would be safest... But WTF-love, I won't need it."

[demonbelthazor]

"I don't think Illyana can use it," Belthazor said, contemplating the idea. "The Charmed One's Book of Shadows is good magic, and Illyana is...tainted. Piper can definitely use it. Tara, maybe. And you will need it. You might be able to fuck me up pretty badly, Beka, but you'll need magic to finish me off. Trust me."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"OK," she said unhappily. "I'd prefer it was one of my girls. Tara, then. Piper if I have to. But finishing you off is a last resort, Bel. I...can do it, but I don't want to. Gods, I'd miss you." She studied him carefully. "Some reason you think I'm going to need to?"

[demonbelthazor]

Bel looked around, found the pack of cigarettes, and pulled one out. He lit it and took several long drags, silently studying the wisps of smoke. Finally, he said calmly, "Because I'd rather die by your hand than Raynor's."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

They'd talked about it. She'd promised him. But that was before... Still. He needed her for this. No one else could do this for him. Or at least...no one else would. "I made you a promise. I'll make it again. In blood or whatever makes it real." She picked up the cigarettes and took one for herself, held it for him to light so he'd have to look at her. "Tell me what I need to know."

[demonbelthazor]

"What do you mean?" he said evasively, holding out a fireball to light her cigarette. "Stab, shoot, punch, kick, spell. That oughta do it."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

She lit her cigarette off his flame, seeking eye contact despite his obvious discomfort. "Bel, this is me. Beka. You don't even want to lie to me. What's going on?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Raynor wants me to kill more witches," he said. "I've been slacking, he says. I have to identify witches at the school and kill them."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Just one more fucking reason to hate the weapons ban. My gauss pistol? Raynor? De-atomization. End of problem," she growled. "Can't you tell him there aren't any? How would he know if he's not here?"

[demonbelthazor]

"He knows," Bel said simply. "He knows there are witches here."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Fuck," she said eloquently. "So now what?"

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor looked down at the floor. "If I don't report any witches and kill them, either Raynor will kill me, then send someone else to kill them, or he'll come here and make me kill them myself."