Worth The Price?

Summary: Follows the end of the third movie. Deena gets her hands on the book
Warning(s): Spanking; spoilers for the whole trilogy; references to violence and character death; AU
Authors: Badgirlcarly and Cat2000

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"I don't think you should have that," Josh said, not for the first time. "Like, I really don't think you should have that."

Deena tucked the widow's book under her arm and slid past him down the hall. "Don't worry about it."

She heard Josh huff out a sigh as she shut herself inside her bedroom. She made sure the door was locked, and then sat down on her bed, opening the book in her lap.

Sarah had gone dormant since initially connecting with Deena and showing her the truth. Showing her what had really happened. She'd never gone away; wasn't even sure her soul could move on now. Her body had been put back together, but even though she was freed from the curse the Goode family had made her legacy to be...she hadn't left Deena.

Now, though, Sarah stirred. She knew what Deena held and it frightened her. No good could come from using the book. "You need to burn it." She stated the words with finality. "That book has been responsible for all of the suffering our home has gone through. Do you want to bring a curse down on us again?"

Deena had felt her there, all along. By now, Sarah's presence was comforting, like her father's hands holding hers as she was a child learning to walk.

"Of course not," Deena said. "I'm not going to summon anything, or extend my hand to the devil. But I think there could be some information in here that could help us. That could help you."

"You can't run the risk, Deena," Sarah said. "Burn the book. No good will come of using it. Too many lives have been destroyed."

Deena bit her lip. It was tempting to give in and just burn the book and close this chapter forever. But Sarah… Sarah deserved a second chance. Her life had been stolen from her, and if Deena could do something to help her…? It was worth the risk.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that yet," Deena said. She grabbed her Discman, put on her headphones, and turned the music up high. And she began to read.

The feeling that something bad was going to happen was strong. Sarah might not be an actual witch, but she knew that this was dangerous. She knew that people could get hurt.

But what could she do? She had no true body of her own. Couldn't physically stop Deena. She could try talking more, but the music ensured that Deena could tune her out.

She needed a body. She needed to touch. She needed to stop this and she needed a form to do so.

It was hours later when Deena found what she was looking for. She read the page over and over again, and she felt a flutter in her chest, a tight feeling between excitement and fear. She kept her headphones on and her music turned up loud as she slowly followed the instructions written on the yellowed pages. It seemed so simple. Surely a spell so powerful should be more difficult?

It was dark when she found herself in the woods, her freshly sliced palm bleeding onto Sarah Fier's grave. She felt the air around her crackle like lightning was about to strike, and she thought she saw a figure standing before her the moment before everything went black.

Sarah didn't know what happened. One moment, she'd been inside Deena's mind, helpless to do anything but watch and speak out, trying to get the other young woman to listen to her. The next....

She was solid. Had form. A body. Arms. Legs. And she was standing over an unconscious Deena.

Quickly dropping to her knees next to the woman, Sarah put a hand on her arm. "Deena. Deena. Wake up." Her voice was filled with fear.

Deena woke like surfacing from a deep, dark lake. She felt weight and darkness all around her, and she slowly clawed her way back to the light.

She opened her eyes to find Sarah looking down at her.

"It worked," she rasped.

Sarah reached out and touched a hand to Deena's face. Her own was grave. What Deena had done...she was grateful, but this had been dangerous. So dangerous. "Are you hurt anywhere?" She moved her hand to Deena's head, checking for any bumps. For any blood.

Deena sat up slowly. Her head felt clear. She took air into her lungs and felt her ribs move. There was no pain. "No, I'm fine. How are you?" She grasped Sarah's hands lightly. "You feel… alive! Are you okay?"

"I...feel okay," Sarah said slowly. "I feel like...my body's...." She shook her head and spoke in a low, wondrous tone. "I feel heavy. Like I'm weighed down." She gently gripped Deena's hands in return.

Deena grinned. She squeezed Sarah's hands. "You deserve a second chance. You and Hannah! Josh found out where she's buried, and now that I know this spell…"

"You can't do this again, Deena," Sarah said firmly. "We've seen from the Goode family that nothing good comes from this book without cost. There will be a price to pay. You shouldn't have done this."

Deena lowered her eyes. "I just wanted to help you."

"I warned you not to," Sarah said quietly. "We have both seen the dangers firsthand."

Deena looked at her. "I'm not sorry I did it. I know it was dangerous, but it's worth risking yourself to save someone else. You taught me that."

"You already saved me," Sarah said quietly. "You cleared my name. You found the true villain. And you stopped him from being able to hurt anyone else."

Deena felt tears come to her eyes, and she turned her face away. "I'm not sorry. I couldn't have done this without you. And Sam… Sam would be gone. The Goodes were evil. I know that. But I'm not like them. I don't want power or prosperity or anything, I just… I just wanted to help you. I won't let it go too far. I can just… I can use the book a little, in small ways, to help you and Hannah, and—and when it's over, I'll do what you said. I'll burn it. "

"I can't let you do that," Sarah said quietly. "The book needs to be burned. Now, not later. I know you're trying to do the right thing, but it's too dangerous to use. And if you won't see the danger on your own, I'll have to make you."

Deena looked at her. "Make me? Are you gonna get in my head again?"

"No," Sarah replied. "I'm going to spank you."

Deena blinked. Even given recent events, a reincarnated seventeenth century witch (falsely accused) threatening to spank her was the weirdest thing to ever happen to her. "What? No, that's not—"

"You put yourself in danger. Unnecessary danger. After I warned you not to." Sarah sat down on the ground and reached a hand out, closing her fingers around Deena's wrist.

Deena opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't summon an excuse. "Sarah, I…"

She closed her mouth and tried not to squirm under Sarah's serious gaze.

"You've seen my past. You've seen the danger firsthand. The danger that book has caused. No good can come from using it." Sarah used her grip on Deena's wrist to tug her across her lap.

Deena squirmed. "Wait, Sarah, no, I just wanted to help—!"

"And what if you'd brought a curse back down on us? Or the price was your own life? That isn't acceptable." Sarah pulled Deena tight against her stomach and proceeded to tug her pants down.

Deena's heart beat wildly. Was this really happening? She tried to think of something to say, but she didn't regret using the book. So she said that. She knew it wasn't going to help her now, but it was true.

"I'm not sorry! It was worth the risk."

"But it wasn't," Sarah replied. "You could have hurt yourself. You risked your own life. I understand why, but understanding your reasoning doesn't mean I condone it." She tugged Deena's underwear down too; took a firmer hold on the other's waist.

Deena felt cool air nip at her exposed backside. Sarah's grip on her waist felt almost comforting, even with what was about to happen.

Lifting her hand, Sarah brought it down in a firm smack that she then repeated, quickly settling into a pattern of swats from the crest down to mid-thigh.

Deena exhaled harshly. She hadn't expected, when Sarah had told her she was going to spank her, that a spanking would hurt too badly, but each smack stung and burned so much she couldn't help but wriggle and whine. It wasn't brave or dignified, but Sarah had lived in her head for weeks; it's not like she hadn't seen the weaker and less dignified parts of her already.

"I know you did this because you wanted to do right by me, but I can't just stand by and watch you put yourself in danger, Deena." As she spoke, Sarah completed a second circuit of smacks, using the swats as an emphasis for what she was saying. She began a third circuit of swats, going a fraction harder and faster.

Deena whimpered. It hurt! It only hurt more and more; instead of acclimating, she felt like she could take less and less the longer it went on. Her backside and upper thighs burned painfully, with each new slap bringing a harsh, fresh sting.

"Sarah, please! This isn't—you can't—"

"You saw how dangerous the book was when you shared in my life and memories," Sarah said. "I won't allow you to risk yourself. Not for any reason."

Deena felt tears sting her eyes. She gripped desperately at Sarah's skirts. "But I could fix everything!"

"Like Solomon wanted to," Sarah replied. "And you saw what his actions wrought. What his actions cost all of us."

The first tears rolled down Deena's cheeks. "You think I'm like Solomon?"

That hurt even more than the spanking.

"I think your motivations are similar," Sarah replied. "Solomon decided that one soul wasn't too high a price to pay for his own comfort and security. What if, by bringing me back, you consign someone else to death? To Satan's power?"

Deena sobbed. "That's not fair! I didn't—I couldn't—"

"You knew it was dangerous," Sarah scolded. "Shadyside has suffered more than enough due to the actions of Solomon Goode. Don't take actions that could add to that suffering."

"I won't! Sarah, I'm sorry, I won't…"

"I want you to promise me you'll burn the book," Sarah said. "Or that you'll let me burn the book. We can't change that you brought me back, but we can ensure no one else has to suffer from its existence."

"I promise! Sarah, I promise, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…!"

It felt like all the strength left her body, and Deena just collapsed over Sarah's lap and cried.

Sarah finished spanking and then replaced Deena's clothing before moving the other woman into her arms, hugging her.

Deena hugged back desperately, burying her face in the joint of Sarah's neck and shoulder. Her backside hurt so much, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

Holding Deena close, Sarah murmured, "We can't let anything ruin the peace that's finally come here."

"I know," Deena breathed. "I know you're right."

Sarah nodded. "We will burn the book and then no one else needs to suffer."

Deena sniffled. "Together?"

"Together," Sarah agreed. "Which is how we will face things from now on."

Later, watching the book burn to ash, Deena held tight to Sarah's hand.

"This is the best course of action," Sarah said quietly, holding tight to Deena's hand. "So that no one else can put their hands on the book and risk bringing down more evil."

Deena nodded. She watched the flames dance, and prayed for peace—for herself, for her family, for Sam, and for Sarah.

The End