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Part 3
Giles wearily dropped the textbook onto his table and dropped back into the armchair with a sigh. He and Willow had been working on this Tara problem for two whole days straight without a let up. And he had seen how it had taken its toll on the young witch. He looked across at her now, nose buried in some spell book, researching as if for dear life itself. There was a fervency to her work that was on the edge of hysteria. All she kept telling him was that Tara wasn't evil, that she didn't want to hurt anyone, that she was confused and bewildered. It all sounded perfectly reasonable, but Giles was afraid that Willow's personal involvement with the girl was clouding her judgement. Powerful covens were….he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes…..well, they were powerful covens. And whether Willow realised it or not, once an initiate was chosen, it was incredibly difficult to wrest her away from their considerable clutches.
He wondered if perhaps he had done the right thing in inviting Willow to work on this. She was still so young, and practically a novice at the craft. Her involvement in spells had to be controlled. Emotional control was a must for any witch. Something that Willow had no tangible sense of when it came to Tara. Still, he mused, at least he wasn't going to be facing the coven alone. The Slayer would be present….and he was hoping against hope that he could appeal to Tara' s better nature. Though appealing to her better nurture might be more appropriate. In the end, what hung in the balance was precisely that. Nature or nurture….the eternal battle of good and evil.
"Giles….I can't find anything in here about the Slayer spell." Willow's forlorn voice drifted across to him, breaking him out of his reverie. His gaze wandered across to where she sat cross-legged on the couch.
"I know." He stated simply. "It's difficult to pinpoint exactly from where a coven like this gets all their information."
"But….what are we going to do if we can't find something?" her brow furrowed in confusion, "I mean, we have to help Tara. We have to."
"Well, naturally Buffy and I will be present at the ceremony." He shrugged. "I can only suspect that a resolution may end in violence."
Willow shuddered. "But Tara hates fighting. Besides, she's not going to turn demon on us. She wouldn't."
"Willow, with all due respect," he replaced his glasses and leant forward, "You don't really know how Tara is going to react once she's in the midst of creating magick. The consequences could be dire."
Willow thought of all the times she and Tara had done spells together. She'd seen Tara in the midst of magick alright; her skin flushed, eyes bright and clear, mouth slightly parted…..she moistened her lips with her tongue as the memories flooded up and down her body like marching feet. Joining with Tara in magick had enlightened them both…led them to each other. And the spells were always so beautiful, just like her Tara. How could that be 'dire'?
"But if someone's not bad….then how can she….I mean, this just isn't like her Giles!" she pouted.
"Willow, you must understand that Tara is under the influence of something that shaped her whole education into the craft. The chosen witch for this spell is someone that has been around Wicca for years and years. It will have become a succour to her in lonely times." His eyes held a previous knowledge, a faint memory of years past, "With Tara hardly being the social animal that she is, it would seem that her only link to community lies in the coven that moulded her. Those ties are hard to break, believe me, when the world around you wants to reject you, the only way to turn is back to something that never did."
"So you're saying that these witches raised her to do this spell?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
"But no-one's rejecting her now Giles," Willow pleaded, "I mean, she's got us."
"She's got us because it was pre-ordained that way." He explained, "She was always meant to meet Buffy, to get close to the Slayer."
"I meant, she's got me." Willow added sadly. "Or did have…."
"Precisely." He agreed. "And in her mind, it would seem that the choice you made was to remain faithful to Buffy. So to speak." He added. "In her present state of mind, what other option does she have?"
"Which is all the more reason why I should go with you and Buffy." Willow said quickly, "If anyone can talk her out of this, I can."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Giles tried to be as tactful as he possibly could, although knowing Willow as he did, there was little chance of changing her mind once she was determined to do something. "You're far too close to all of this to become further involved in something that could seriously damage your powers."
"No," Willow said, brushing the hair out of her eyes, "Don't you get it? I'm just not close enough."
Twilight crept its way around the campus like a secretive cat, padding on soft feet around buildings and trees, covering them in its shaded, misty scent. As darkness followed blindly, Buffy moved stealthily behind the shrubbery that separated Tara's hall from the main campus. She had been standing there for over an hour, waiting for the shy blonde to exit. So far, Buffy had seen three freshmen and what she suspected to be a vampire, but, she told herself, she just didn't have time for that now. The only thing that was important was that Tara didn't do this….she stopped, confused….this spell, or whatever it was, actually scared her. Somewhere, deep down, she knew that Tara's powers had hardly been shown so far. Buffy knew that Tara, however shy she might be, however sweet and caring Willow might see her, was, in truth, a formidable force to be reckoned with. Shifting her position slightly, Buffy released her grip on the crossbow in her hands, and flexed her muscles. She had been poised in 'fight' mode for too long, and was beginning to stiffen up. A tinge of cramp was beginning to wrestle with her calf, threatening to slow her up if she needed to move quickly.
A frown forced its way onto her brow without her even knowing. She couldn't understand Tara really. The girl had been so willing to involve herself with the Scooby Gang; even more determined to involve herself with Willow. And Buffy had seen the honesty on her face when she'd helped with the Faith thing. Tara had taken part in their meetings, their get-togethers, hell; she'd put herself out for them. Could it all have been a lie?
Buffy shook her head. It just seemed wrong. Her Slayer sense hadn't tingled once when Tara had been around. She'd never seen her as a threat. And yet, here she was, the pivotal figure in a spell to rob Buffy of her strength….of her identity. Was Tara really that underhand? To worm her way into their lives and then destroy everything?
A door shutting alerted her towards the steps, where, sure enough, Tara was exiting the building. Buffy watched as Tara shuffled her way down on to the main path. Watching the girl walk awkwardly away, as if all eyes were on her even though she was alone, Buffy was again troubled by that nagging doubt. Either Tara was a really good actress, or something else was forcing her into this. Whichever way, time was running out for both of them.
Buffy grabbed a tight hold of her crossbow and set off after Tara, down the campus path that led away from town, towards the woods. The darkness slipped easily down after them, reaching for the two girls with its fingers of pitch and cold. It seemed all at once that sound drifted away, and night fell with a chilling silence behind them.
About a quarter of a mile outside of Sunnydale the terrain fled into woodland. A steep hill dropped away from the long straight road running to the horizon, and rolled downwards to a copse of trees and long grass. It was the side of town where people didn't go. Not even teenage lovers would hide themselves in this particular part of the world.
To the unknowing eye, it looked pretty in daylight, and dreamy in moonlight. To the unknowing eye, that is. Sunnydale residents never failed to remind themselves of the incidents that had happened in this particular part of the woods. It was only recently that a young boy had been found, brutally mutilated. The year before that, a missing husband had been dumped here. Going back through the months, a series of murders had advertised their brutality in this place. So it became 'haunted' or, at least 'dangerous'. If you lived in Sunnydale, you just didn't go down to the woods at night. Or during the day. Or at any other time.
A lone figure crossed the road, and almost stumbled when she reached the other side. She looked, first one way, then another, finally taking a painfully slow pathway down the slope, heading for the trees. Her shoulders were hunched, her breathing harsh and ragged, as if she had been running. But Tara hadn't been running. She had, in fact, been taking as long as she possibly could to reach the designated spot. And the lack of breath was due to the fact that her lungs were being squeezed tight by fear.
As she drew in a long breath, and slipped on some wet grass, she was once again aware of a shadow behind her. Turning swiftly, she stumbled, fell, and found herself lying on the grassy bank. Someone was there. She was sure of it. All the way from campus she had 'felt' someone behind her. Craning her neck round to see hadn't done any good. Whoever it was, they were pretty good at just blending into the night.
Tara sat up, brushing at her skirt, which was becoming damp with the night dew. She only succeeded in spreading the wetness into a patch that cried miserably across the bottom of her long, tasselled skirt. She shook her head, this was not good. In fact, nothing was good anymore. She hadn't seen Willow in two whole days and felt like a part of her had been ripped away. Even their cat had been pining for her.
Standing up, Tara began her way down the slope again. Trying to do this in the dark was a fatal mistake for someone with no motor skills to speak of. She picked her way through tufts of grass and thought mournfully back to the look on Willow's face when she'd told her about the spell. In the end, she told herself, Willow had made her choice. In the end, she'd always known that the way they felt about one another wasn't going to be enough. Correction, she chastised herself, the way Willow felt about her wasn't going to be enough .No surprise there then. All through her life Tara had placed her heart in people's hands, only to have it thrust back at her, slightly dusty and unused. Why had she thought Willow would be any different? Because she was a witch? Or because, one night, one dark night, Willow had handed her a candle and told her that she loved her?
Shivering at the memory, Tara's mind was bombarded with images she had tried so hard to forget. Willow's face when Miss Kitty Fantastico had leapt on them one night in bed. The way Willow touched her as they were going to sleep. The things that Willow had told her about her life and her feelings for everyone in it. Those three little words that made Tara feel like she could capture the moon in her hands. Snippets of their time together blasted away at her until she could bear it no longer. Dropping to the ground, she buried her face in her hands and cried, letting the tears fall down onto her fingers and splash at her palms. Willow had once told her that crying was good 'for getting things out'. How right she was. Was, Tara reminded herself. Along with everything else, that was a part of the past now.
"Hey." A voice startled her. A hand lay on her shoulder, cold yet very firm. As two tear-blurred eyes gazed up they met a pair of dark pools in a pale face. A male figure bent over Tara, trying to paste an expression of concern across its already salivating mouth. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Tara moved away from the grasp, hoping that the disgust she felt didn't show on her face. "I-I'll be f-fine." She said, inching across the grass.
"You sure? You know you shouldn't be out here alone…..you are alone aren't you?" the silky smooth tone shot signals of terror into her head. Another thing she'd learnt from Willow. How to spot a vampire.
"P-please don't hurt me." Tara gasped, trying to get away but finding it impossible to move her shaking legs.
The figure took a step closer, an insidious smile curving its lips. "Hurt you?" he said, reaching for her again. "Now why would I hurt you? I just want to play a little, maybe eat out, have fun…" He grinned widely at her, his face now bulging with fangs and greed. His yellow eyes burned into her in the moonlight.
Tara tried to scramble away, but he was too fast for her. Putting his arms on her shoulders, he pinned her down onto the moist grass, pushing himself on top of her. As he leant closer, Tara could almost smell the death in his body, pervading her senses like a shroud. She struggled, but he was too strong and his vice-like grip felt like it was cutting into her flesh.
As he bent towards her neck, his mouth open, she saw him falter and stop, glancing upwards, behind her. His face fell instantly and his grip released slightly on Tara. He stood up, straightening into a tall figure that towered over the girl who was poised on the bank of grass, a crossbow in her hands.
"Slayer."
As he spoke the word, growling it out of his mouth like a profanity, Tara twisted round to see Buffy, paled against the night sky, her eyes fixed like gimlets on the vampire that was now squeezing tightly at her arm again. Tara gazed at Buffy, wondering how on earth she'd known…..why had she….. Her mouth fell open as she realized that the one person she hadn't wanted to see was the one person who could save her. "Leave her alone." Buffy said, her voice soft yet resounding strongly in the still silence all around them.
"Or?" the vampire sneered, pulling Tara closer to him, dragging her to her feet and exposing the pulsing frightened vein running the length of her neck. She heard herself give a terrified moan as one hand held her against him, the other trailing a finger down her throat. "I could break her neck in an instant." He told Buffy, almost laughing.
Buffy took a step closer and raised the crossbow. "Or I could just kill you." She told him. "Now let go of her."
The vampire chuckled, the rumbling sounding thunderous to Tara's petrified ears. She felt herself trembling against him, almost in some kind of macabre rhythm with his laughter. He pulled her closer again, as though wanting her to melt into him. She felt dead already. Her eyes pleaded towards Buffy, but the Slayer didn't once take her gaze away from the vampire. Something about her eyes scared Tara almost as much as the vampire did. Buffy's eyes seemed so cold, so detached, like killing the vampire was something she wanted to just get out of the way. It came to Tara in an instant. Buffy knew! Everything. She knew all about the spell, and why Tara was here alone at night. A shiver zigzagged its way up and down her spine. She now knew why Buffy was here. To make sure that the spell never reached completion.
Giles reached the edge of the road and squinted into the darkness below. He was sure that this was the spot where Buffy had intended to meet him. She had called him and told him that Tara was on the move. Following her would be easy…following Buffy never was. He sighed, trying to force his eyes to become accustomed to the darkness, and to regain his breath. Panting heavily, he chastised himself once again for putting off the exercise regime he had promised would keep him fit and trim. Not having a car anymore was a bloody good reason for it, he added. When all this was over he would take care of it. A wry smile worked its way around the corners of his mouth. How many times had he heard that before?
A slight sound caught his ear. Walking to the edge of what seemed to be a steep incline, he peered downwards. As the clouds drifted themselves off the moon, he dimly saw three figures halfway down the slope. Three? He shook his head; looked again. Definitely three. Had Buffy already encountered another of the coven? Was she being prey to the spell right now?
Bending low to the ground, he tentatively put out his foot, feeling for the top of the slope. He found that, by turning onto his side, he could make his way downwards quite easily. He looped the bag of witches' tools over his shoulder to keep it secure as he made his way, quite stealthily he thought, down the hill. Until he slipped on the wet grass and, breathing heavily, pushed himself as low as possible so as not to be seen.
"What are you doing?" a voice hissed in his ear, startling him so much that he pushed himself onto his back in an attempt to get even closer to the ground. After a couple of seconds, during which his heart threatened to make an appearance through his chest, he realised that he recognised the voice.
Willow lowered herself down beside Giles. "Hi." She said, as if her greeting would assuage what looked to be rage on Giles' face, which was rapidly working and twitching its way through several expressions all at once.
"Willow! What on earth are you doing here?" he hissed at her.
"Well, I know you told me to stay at yours….and I normally do what you say….I mean, it's not as if I'm rebellion girl or anything….but I found this book and wanted to tell you…." She broke off as she saw his face harden and fix her with his 'just spit it out' look. She held up a hand, "Okay…okay. I couldn't stay away. I have to be here. It's Tara, Giles. I have to be here."
Her tone was strangely calm, yet sorrowful and pleading all at the same time. Even if he had wanted to, one look at her eyes, glittering like gems in the moonlight, would have rendered him unable to express the anger he was sure explained the harshness in his stomach. For the first time he saw the young woman in front of him, no longer a girl. A feeling of something akin to sadness and elation flooded through him. Willow was growing up.
"Well, if you're going to stay…." He began, then realised that it was useless trying to tell her anything at this point. "Just….watch out for yourself, Buffy may not be able to."
Willow nodded grimly, as they both looked down the hillside where the three figures stood like statues. They could hear snatches of words but the night air carried them away, rushing them down to the copse where waiting trees swallowed them up. Peering downwards, they caught a sight of the Slayer, legs apart, balancing her slight form equally on both feet. Her arms were held up, aiming a crossbow at the figure in front of her. The arrow tip was barely inches away from the other figure's heaving chest, rising and falling swiftly as it was engaged with fear and dread. A lock of blonde hair fell forward as the crossbow was pointed at the heart, and floated gently out in the breeze that licked at it.
Willow couldn't help herself. Just looking for a second was bad enough. She leapt to her feet, tripping down the hillside, almost tumbling downwards with a single cry.
"Buffy no!"
In a blur of movement, the next few minutes were frantic. Giles only remembered afterwards that it all took place in absolute silence. The only sounds he could recall were the dull thud of fists and feet, and the sickening crunch of wood piercing dead flesh.
Buffy turned to see Willow running towards her, sobbing, shouting, crying all at the same time. In the seconds it took for her to take her gaze away from the vampire, she realised too late that she had lost her advantage. Whirling her head round, she saw him sinking his fangs into Tara's neck.
As the teeth broke the top layer of skin, she kicked out, pushing him away from the blonde girl who had practically fainted away in his arms. His guttural exclamation was cut almost completely short as her foot met with his neck, knocking the sound out of him with an exhalation that spat across to her. She followed swiftly with a fist to the head, hardly noticing that Tara had fallen heavily to the ground, landing awkwardly on her arm.
The vampire had been able to overpower Tara easily, but he was no match for Buffy. In a matter of minutes, she had pummelled him to the floor and was astride him, a stake in her hand. As she looked down at him, defeat dulling his eyes, she pushed her hair deliberately back over her shoulder in an assumed nonchalance that she really did not feel.
"Guess I'll just have to kill you then." she said, before plunging the stake deep inside him, looking away as grains of dust exploded beneath her, scattering across the grass, some blowing aimlessly away to settle further down the slope.
Buffy stood up, brushing down her clothes, replacing the stake next to her skin where it nestled comfortably in her sleeve. She picked up the crossbow from where it had fallen when she lunged at the vampire, and turned. Tara was lying on her back, her arm at an uneasy angle. Buffy could see from where she stood that it was broken; the girl's eyes were looking up at her in fear and shock. Probably from the pain, Buffy told herself, moving closer. She knelt down and noticed for the first time how Tara seemed to huddle even more into herself when she was afraid. She seemed so weak and helpless right now. Don't. Buffy warned herself. She's a witch. A very powerful witch. A witch who wants to hurt you. But at the back of her mind, was the fact that this was still Tara.
"Are you okay?" she leant towards the blonde, who shrank back slightly and whimpered.
"Uh…." Tara struggled to sit up, gasping at the nauseating pain that shot through her as she moved her arm. "I think I'll live…." She turned a weak smile on Buffy. "Hey… thanks for that." A hand crept towards her neck, where two spots of blood glowed against the porcelain whiteness.
Buffy lifted the crossbow and pushed Tara roughly back against the ground. Wincing, Tara realised that Buffy's gaze, previously fixed grimly on the vampire, was now staring at her like she didn't exist as a person, only as an enemy. And the crossbow was unmistakably pointed at her heart, which was pounding out an irrational beat inside her head and body.
"Don't thank me." Buffy's voice reached her ears, throbbing with the sound of her own pulse. "Let's see….how can we make it evens…." She pretended to think for a minute, then cocked her head to one side and nodded, "I know, how about you don't suck the power out of me and kill me?" her finger hovered over the trigger on the crossbow.
A figure threw itself across Tara's trembling body, inert and defenceless under the stare of the Slayer. Willow put her arms around Tara and shielded her for a second as she stroked her cheek and whispered thankful words of comfort. She let out a breath as she touched Tara's neck and found blood reddening the tips of her fingers. A tear trailed down her cheek and she hung her head. Her red hair seemed to shine in the darkness like a beacon of hope for Tara. Falteringly, she put her hand into Willow's and held on tight, feeling the familiar power surge; this time stronger, more intense than before. Willow's eyes lifted to meet hers, and she knew in that second, in that moment, that Willow loved her. Had never stopped loving her. Would always love her. And it made her feel more powerful than she had ever felt in her whole miserable lonely life. She realised that she hadn't started living before she'd met Willow. Hadn't ever had the chance to live. Hadn't ever been offered that chance. And here was Willow, offering that chance to her, like the eternal olive branch, to set things right again.
"Willow! What are you doing?" Buffy's voice was sharp, unrelenting.
Willow's face changed as she turned to look at the Slayer, who was now pointing the crossbow at her best friend. Almost ignoring the lethal weapon so close to her, Willow's expression faded and her face became blank.
"Put it down Buffy." She said, her fingers still entwined with Tara's.
"Move away from her Will." Buffy answered.
"Put the crossbow down Buffy." Willow repeated, her eyes making contact with Buffy's for the first time.
"When you move away from her, I'll put it down." Buffy held her friend's gaze, never more than a flicker of emotion passed between them.
"I'm not leaving her Buffy." Willow spoke deliberately, allowing each word, each syllable to sink in and disappear.
"You know what she can do. You know what she will do. I don't want to force you into making a choice." Buffy said, her voice beginning to sound strained and thick. Was it just Tara's imagination or did the crossbow waver slightly, as though Buffy was shaking?
"You won't." Willow told her friend, "I've already made my choice. It was made for me."
"You're choosing her." Buffy felt the lump in her throat begin to throb and her eyes beginning to sting.
Giles reached them, panting and cursing under his breath. When he caught full gaze of the scenario, he stopped dead. He saw Willow, shielding the blonde witch, and Buffy, standing over them both with a loaded crossbow in her hand. The air between the two friends was electric; he could almost sense the tension. He held out a hand. "Now come on girls…." He began, quite feebly, "There's no need for this to "
"Stay out of this Giles." Willow's voice was strong and clear, holding an authority he had not heard before. "This isn't your deal. This is between me," her voice dropped, "and Buffy." She glanced down at Tara, who looked back up at her with deep, endlessly swimming eyes. She blinked up at Willow, just once, her mouth slightly parted, her breath barely enough to pump her blood full of oxygen, the pain blurring her vision slightly around the edges.
Let her do it
No…she began to close her eyes. Not now. Not here.
Let her do it, get it over with. We need you more than she does
"Willow…" she began, but Willow put her fingers over Tara's lips, feeling the soft flesh yielding beneath her touch. The redhead's mouth curved at the edges, and her eyes softened, melting into Tara's for a second before she turned to look back at Buffy.
"Will. I'm going to say this one more time, and then - "
"Then what Buffy? You'll kill her. Or me? Or…." She swept her hand over to where Giles was staring in horror, crouching on the bank, one hand behind him, unable to move at all. "Or him? Where's it going to end Buffy? You just going to do some Slaying to solve the problem?" her tone was accusing and ugly. It cut right to the heart of Buffy's love for Willow. Like a heated blade, it sliced right through. "Where do you draw the line Buffy? Just when is it enough?"
"Where do I draw the line?" Buffy breathed in a ragged, uneven breath, swallowing greedily at the night air that just didn't seem enough to stop the dizziness that was pounding around her peripheral vision. "Where do you draw the line Will? You're my best friend. And you're choosing her over me? Will, she's trying to kill me!"
Let her. Give us the Slayer
"I love her Buffy." Willow's simple reply lifted on the air, wrapped itself around Buffy's mind, and squeezed. "I need her."
"I love you Will. I need you. And you're choosing her over everything we have?" Buffy's voice faltered as the crossbow dipped and swayed in her grip. She staggered slightly, taking a couple of steps backwards, then forwards to right herself. Sniffing back the tears, Buffy pressed her lips together tightly, regaining her balance, and aimed the crossbow at Tara again.
Won't do it. She won't hurt you. But you can destroy her. Join us
Willow got to her feet and turned to face Buffy, the tip of the arrow pressing into her coat. Looking down at it, she placed her hand over the shaft and pushed it easily to one side. Buffy was unable to move, letting Willow dictate the actions, letting her control the Slayer.
"I'm not choosing either of you." Willow said softly, her hair moving gently in the night breeze. "I'm choosing me."
"What?" Buffy's tear-swollen eyes swivelled up to meet her friend's steady gaze.
"I found something in one of Giles' books. The scroll that foretold Tara's destiny had a second part."
Giles was now on his feet, moving tentatively towards them. "A s- second….part?"
"No-one was supposed to know about it. It was hidden for over a thousand years." Willow's voice was strong and clear as she felt interest rise in the two in front of her. "The thirteenth witch completes the spell alright." She frowned as Buffy lifted the crossbow again, "But what it doesn't mention in the first scroll is that she has a choice."
"A what?" Giles' voice was incredulous.
"A choice." Willow repeated, "She makes the bond and breaks the bond. Dissolves the coven. No more Slayer spell." Her gaze turned on Buffy, "No killing. When I read it, I knew I had to be here to stop you…." Her eyes flicked down towards the crossbow, "I had to make a choice for me. For what I want. For the good of me."
A silence descended over the three standing figures as they dissected each word over and over again. Giles knew he should feel uncomfortable but for the life of him couldn't think why. He watched as Buffy and Willow stood inches apart, when it could have been lifetimes, then slowly placed their arms around the other and hugged tightly. He pushed his glasses back up onto the top of his nose and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Well," he said, "I'd better get the tools…ah….yes, right." Turning, he clambered off up towards the summit of the hill.
As they parted, Buffy grabbed Willow's arm. "Will…." She glanced down at Tara, who was sitting up, cradling her injured arm with her good hand. She was looking around as though she was lost, her eyes periodically squeezing shut with pain, wincing and shivering. "Will, if you hadn't got here…." She sighed, "I don't know if I could have…."
"I know you wouldn't have." Willow flashed her a quick smile. "You might be the Slayer Buffy, but you're not getting your hands on my girlfriend."
They both turned to look at Tara, only to see an empty space. Further down the field, a shadowy image was moving deeper down towards the copse, staggering as if she was drunk. Tara was heading for the thickest part of the trees, where the blackness was the most enveloping, dark night they had seen. Then, way ahead of the injured girl, a sparkle of light shone clear, glowing up towards the night sky. It beaded its way out through the treetops and flashed in a pillar towards the stars. A guiding light; Tara headed herself towards it, hoping she could stay conscious long enough to reach it and fulfil her role. Because now, that was the only thing she had left.
Come to us the voice insisted.
Yes, she agreed, I want to join you.
Join with us. Make us whole again
I'm here, she whispered in her mind, the voice building to host a cacophony of tones, all urging her on, pushing her forward, pulling her in. Trying desperately to ignore the pain in her arm and shoulder that was creeping its way towards her heart and head, Tara stumbled on blindly, keeping the light directly ahead of her.
Back up the hillside, Willow and Buffy stared at each other in alarm, their eyes taking in the information that their astonished brains were too numbed to process. Giles dropped down beside them, not seeing their faces for a second. He caught a sight of the light and blinked at it, screwing his eyes up at the mere incandescence of it against the dark backdrop of the sky.
"What on earth is that?" he muttered, before he had known the words were out of his mouth. With a chill, he assessed the situation at once. Tara was gone.
Buffy and Willow looked down the hill, towards the spot where Tara could only be seen as a faint dot now, outlined in shadow by the rays of light that were reaching out, down, across and around her.
"Witches." They both said.
End of Part 3
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Part 4
Reaching the bottom of the hill had been precarious enough, but once Tara got to the outlying trees she felt the nausea rise up inside her, shining almost as brightly as the light she was heading towards. Stumbling into the outer ring of tall trees, she narrowed her eyes against the whiteness greeting her. It looked so incongruous against the blackened sky. With her good arm, she shielded her eyes all to no effect. Her body seemed transparent against the pure energy flowing towards her; it was almost as though she could see her bone through her skin, like an x-ray or something. A flush of fear swept her body, but she kept going. The only way was forward. She knew she was crying; felt the tears sting against her cheeks, but, wincing in pain as the branches flicked against her shattered arm, she pushed herself into the light.
And then…
It was like bursting into the centre of a bubble. It enclosed her. In her dizzied state of mind, Tara felt as though the energy had simply swallowed her up. The light was now no longer in front, but all around her. Everywhere, piercing every nerve, every fibre of her shaking body. For a moment, she simply stood and looked around, feeling this new source flood into, around and out of her. The power… she gasped to herself. She'd felt some pretty strong magick before, but this was… a glaze fell across her eyes… this was incredible.
"Here she is."
The voice was no longer in her head, but speaking as one, all around her. Startled, she squinted towards the centre of what seemed to be a circle within the trees. Figures that had been previously unseen were emerging from the light, making their way towards her. A circle, she realised, was forming, with her at the centre. In a flash, Tara could read all of their minds, hear their thoughts, savour their energy. She felt her spirit gulp greedily at it, wanting it all, needing it to fill her up. As she looked around, she saw familiar faces…all the coven had reconvened for this occasion.
"At last. Tara."
It seemed that they all spoke; yet none spoke. Their faces remained impassive, shrouded by dark hoods that peaked above flowing purple gowns. Tara remembered the purple. And the faces.
"Fulfil your destiny, child." A hand slowly raised and pointed her towards a pentacle on the ground, indicating the power centre of the circle of witches. Inside the pentacle lay a wand and an athame. The blade of the knife glittered seductively in the searing light, whilst the wand flashed with bright decorative colours.
"I don't….." Tara began, trying to meet the eyes of one of the witches (was that Mrs Lake?).
"You do." The voice….or voices….she couldn't tell which, sprang into her mind in an instant. "You need no speech here, child. Thoughts are powerful enough. Your mind is an open gateway to the magick within. Trust it. It becomes you."
Tara felt her legs guide her towards the pentacle. A shooting pain from her shoulder stopped her, and she stumbled, gasping out the hurt that raced down to her fingertips. The pain on her face was mirrored by those of the witches around her. They moved as one, each waving their left hand in a clockwise motion. As quickly as the pain had begun, it ceased. Well, not ceased exactly, but disappeared. Tara looked down at the previously awkwardly held limb, and found that she could move her fingers. She could move her arm. It didn't hurt!
"How did you…?" she began.
"This is only a small example of how the power of the Slayer can change us. You need not ever feel hurt again. You need not ever take time to heal. Life's energy will run strong inside you. It will fill you with untold means of harnessing the earth's powers. Drink it…feel it…can you feel it calling you Tara?"
She moved to the pentacle and knelt before it, noticing the other tools of the craft; her censer, joss sticks and gold cords of initiation. Looking around at the faces watching her she nodded, bobbing her blonde head forward just once. "Yes," her voice was surprisingly strong, "Yes, I feel it."
It lifted her up, made her know her power. She had never felt so needed before….never experienced the wanting of so much. No one in her life had ever invited her in like this. And it was all just waiting for her, so easy, so perfect. In a second, Tara understood that this was a part of her, just as she was an intrinsic part of the magick all around her. This was the missing part of her, not college, or feeble spells, or…
Reaching out for the athame and wand, her hands suddenly stopped. Jerked back. Fell in her lap.
Something missing…that she had found. Oh…she knew the answer to this one. Making a connection that was more important than anything else? Finding the one thing she had been waiting for her whole life. A flood of emotion swept her body and heart as she realized that magick wasn't the answer. Willow was.
"West, to the waters." A voice intoned behind her. Now, only a single voice.
Tara stood up. The magick was strong here, she knew that. But she also knew that, however seductive the power might be (and it was constantly tugging at her, longing her into taking its hand), the only need she had in her life was Willow. Being with her was the only thing that made Tara truly powerful. She understood now. She knew that this spell wasn't hers all along. The coven had known all along. Expected it all along. Her part in this spell wasn't as the chosen one…she was just the path along which the chosen one would travel. And they had known…she cast her gaze around the circle, this time with distaste, they had needed her to bring the chosen one into their realm, into their sights, into their wickedness.
"East, to the winds." Another voice fled to her terrified mind. If she wasn't the one to complete the spell…..then who was?
"South, to the sun." The third voice triggered another in her mind. Her own self this time. Clear, distinct, thinking not of herself but of someone else. Someone close.
Willow.
The only other witch with as much desire for magick as herself. Willow, who was bound to Tara by emotional bonds, surely the strongest. The same Willow, Tara realised with a chill, who was nearby and vulnerable right now. Her heart clenched with love and anger. She wouldn't let this happen.
"North, to the moon."
Tara turned about, her eyes swimming with the light. "Y-you can't do this." She said.
A laugh filled her ears, rocking her back and forth until she finally clamped her hands on either side of her head.
"And you will stop us?" the tone was mocking, a tone she recognized well. "You were only the channel, child. Only the one to lead us to the thirteenth witch. She has been waiting for you, as you were waiting for her. You were our means, she is the method."
"I w-won't let you hurt her."
"She won't let you stop us. You've tasted the power…do you think she can resist?"
Tara clenched her hands down by her sides, squeezing them so tight that she could feel her short nails digging into her palms. She had to act. Now.
As she moved towards the outer circle of the witches, she felt a tugging at her legs. Looking down, it was as though the earth was dragging her feet to its surface, pulling her strength with it. Lifting her foot was practically impossible. She panted with the exertion, and finally succeeded in moving one step nearer. Pushing herself on, she managed another couple of steps before the voice pounded in her head again. No longer a whisper, but an echo that resounded in her mind, shrieking with intent.
Do not question what you do not understand. Do not stop what you cannot begin. Do not face us.
But she had to. With all her will, Tara fought against it, she had to do this. In all her life, nothing had depended on her as much as this. All those feelings of belonging, of being a part of something returned, only now, she was a part of Willow's life. She belonged to Willow. Not to some coven who wanted to use her. If anything mattered, that did. But with every step, every effort, the sound increased, until it was a booming thunder in every fibre of her body, crushing her, throwing her to the ground.
As she fell and put her hands to her ears, Tara saw blood on her fingertips before she passed out, lying just a few inches away from the pentacle.
Willow, Buffy and Giles reached the circle of witches in time to see Tara fall to the ground. Buffy instinctively placed a hand on Willow's upper arm, feeling the redhead's muscles tense as her mouth opened as wide as her eyes. Giles let out a sigh beside her and rummaged in his bag, muttering to himself all the while.
"Giles…..explanations would be good right now." Buffy said through gritted teeth.
The Watcher stood upright, a spell book in his hands. Flicking through the pages, he nervously looked back and forth from the inert figure of Tara, to Willow and Buffy. "It seems that Tara has been possessed…perhaps by the joining of the witches." He said quickly.
"Perhaps?" Buffy echoed, her fingers grasping and re-grasping the handle of the crossbow she carried. "Can you be more vague?"
"Buffy, we don't know what we're dealing with here." He tutted at her. "This could be the beginning of the ritual for all we know."
Buffy stepped closer to Willow and placed her arm around the slim girl's shoulders. She felt Willow move closer to her, putting herself nearer to her warmth and sympathy. "Here's hoping that Tara makes the right choice." Buffy whispered. Willow didn't move, but was watching intently. Her facial expressions indicated that some kind of processing was going on in her mind. Some kind of processing that took precisely thirty seconds.
Wresting herself out of Buffy's grip, Willow took a step forward. "I have to be in there." She said suddenly.
"Right Will, you and twelve pretty powerful witches." Buffy couldn't believe that her friend was serious. She tried to look at Willow's face, and saw that the green orbs were fixed on the light, almost as if she was mesmerised by it.
"I have to be there." Willow repeated again.
"I really don't think that's a wise…." Giles began, but was rendered speechless by the sight of Willow striding purposefully towards the centre of the circle where Tara's body lay. "...bloody hell." He added, casting a frown towards Buffy.
"What?" Buffy held up her hands. Seeing the look on his face, she shrugged. "Okay, I get it, my friend in desperate danger. Me Slayer. I get friend out of desperate danger."
"Don't stay in there longer than you have to." Giles warned her as she stomped into the circle, following Willow. He turned back to the spell book, running his finger down one of the pages until it stopped over some ancient writing. "Finally," he said to himself, pushing his glasses back up on his nose. He was about to reach into his bag for the crystal Willow had used in spells before, when a dull pain spread across the back of his head, and everything went black.
Kneeling down beside Tara, Willow's hands shook as she touched the girl's head, feeling the blonde hair now brittle and…dead? No. She told herself. Not dead. Not gone. Still living. Still here. She ran her hands swiftly over Tara's body, but couldn't find a pulse. Her movements became more frenetic as she lifted the girl's head onto her lap. Stroking Tara's hair away from her face, Willow's heart sank as she saw a thin trail of blood coming from the witch's ear. A trail of blood that withered itself onto her cheek.
"No…." she whispered, feeling the pain like a stone in her stomach. "Tara, please wake up…"
Don't need her now Willow the voice was suddenly in her head.
She looked around, her mind whirling to find the speaker. And then, she was suddenly aware of them, all around her. Looking at her. Their left hands raised in some kind of freakish salute.
"What have you done to her?" she screamed at them, anger lighting the flames in her eyes.
She brought you to us. We no longer need her
"But…all that stuff about her being the chosen one…" Willow didn't even know which one she was speaking to. All of them maybe? None of them?
She lit the path to the chosen one. To you
Willow recoiled in fear. She scrambled backwards, letting Tara's head fall to the ground, and pushed herself into the centre of the pentacle. Her flailing hands hit the athame, its sharp blade cutting into her palm, drawing her own blood. She winced and held her hand, but not before a single drop of blood fell onto the white pattern on the ground. A wispy line of smoke grew from the contact.
"Will!" a familiar voice reached her. She turned to see Buffy standing outside the pentacle, her body tensed and fearful. As her eyes met the Slayer's she realised that she was looking at Buffy through a wall of fire. All around her. She was trapped.
"Buffy, go away." She said, her voice trembling.
"Will, I'm not leaving you!"
"No Buffy, please….go away. It's me." She forced the words out like a true confession.
"What? What's you?" Buffy took a step closer, but the flames leapt up, licking at her with searing heat.
"I'm the one…the one to do the spell." As Willow acknowledged it, she felt a surge of power through her body. She'd felt this before in witchcraft with Tara, but never this strong, never this pure. It seemed as though all her previous forays into the occult had led her to this moment. And it seemed right that she should be here, it seemed perfect that she should be the one. Struggling with the knowledge teasing at her mind, she tried to focus on her best friend. "Buffy please go away. I don't want to hurt you."
"Hurt me? Will, I know you wouldn't do that." Buffy almost laughed. She inched closer to the flames, looking at the image of her friend distorted and miraged through the heat.
"Go. Go now!" Willow shouted.
As her voice penetrated the flames, a surge of white hot energy leapt forward and hit Buffy square in the chest, lifting her up and out of the ring of light. She was pushed into the air, limbs flailing wildly, controlled by a power she no longer possessed. A physical force that she couldn't fight. As she fell, Buffy's head hit against a large boulder and darkened everything to a pinpoint of light. She closed her eyes, letting the blackness overwhelm her, reaching out a useless hand towards the flames that enclosed her friend. "Will…." She whispered, though she knew that no one could hear her.
Tara sat up, frowning at the aching in her head. It was so quiet. Had she missed something? She blinked several times to clear her eyes, then looked around. She was sitting in the middle of a glade in the woods. Just like the ritual…..only, she looked again, this glade was filled with summer flowers; their colours brightening the verdant green that formed a springy, cushioned seat beneath her.
Her frown deepened. This wasn't the same place where she'd been just moments before. Couldn't be. This was happy and bright and welcoming. Her hands gently patted the grass that tickled at her palms. A fresh breeze softly caressed her hair, and there was the faint sound of birdsong from the trees. It was beautiful here. A slow smile spread over her lips, she could stay here forever.
"Tara." A voice called to her from the edge of the glade. Turning towards it, she saw a familiar figure walk towards her. Surprise raised her to her feet, pasting an expression of pure joy on her face.
As the figure drew nearer, Tara ran towards it, throwing her arms around the warm body, carrying that scent that she knew so well.
"Mom!" she cried out, as two arms wrapped around her and held her close. Just like she always used to. A hand smoothed her hair down and Tara felt a mixture of grief and happiness swell inside her. Leaning back, she looked at the face in front of her. It hadn't changed a bit. In fact, she'd never seen her mother looking so well. In the final years of her illness, she'd gotten so thin and emaciated, Tara had almost forgotten how beautiful her mother was.
"You shouldn't be here." Her mother placed her hands on Tara's cheeks and smiled at her.
"What? With you?" Tara's face crinkled into confusion. "Mom…I…"
"It's not your time." Her mother's voice was as calming as a sea breeze, enveloping her in peace and comfort. "They sent me to tell you."
"To tell me?" Tara echoed, breaking free of her mother's grasp and looking around the silent, still glade. Her gaze returned to the woman in front of her. "Mom, what's going on?"
Her mother trailed her hand down Tara's arm and grasped hold of the hand there with her own. The gesture struck Tara as familiar, though she couldn't remember why. Looking at her mother, her soft hair and loving smile, Tara couldn't remember anything apart from the love she had missed for so long.
"You don't know where you are, do you Tara?" her mother asked. When the girl shook her head, she squeezed the hand in hers and glanced upwards. "This is the place you go to after everything's done." She said gently. "After all is finished, this is where you end up."
Realisation hit Tara and shocked her into truth. Of course…she'd contacted her mother here before hadn't she? Only, that time she'd lost the connection. Being in the midst of powerful magick had enabled her to make that connection again, and hold it this time. The magick was so pure that she was in the nether realm with her mother. Talking to her. Being out of body had opened that portal.
"Oh my god…" She whispered, "Am I…uh…I mean, am I dead?"
A musical laugh came from her mother, who looked at her with what seemed to be a benevolent sense of fun. "No Tara, you're not dead. Not yet anyway." She laughed again at the expression that came over her daughter's face. "You've got too much to do to be here."
"The coven…they're trying to…" Tara began, then stopped, horrified at what she could now remember in startling Technicolor. "Willow! Oh mom…Willow!"
"And only you can help her." Her mother's voice was serious now, her tone quiet. "She needs you more than you'll ever know my darling." Her hand trailed down Tara's cheek. "My special girl. You're the one to save her. Only you can."
"But mom, how? I mean, those witches…they told me that I wasn't…uh…I'm not s-sure I can…"
"You can." The voice quietened her fears, Tara felt them leaving her instantly. "Tara, whatever they said, it's wrong. You are the chosen one, chosen to fulfil the prophecy and give balance back to what you know. Without you, Willow may make the wrong decision. The coven are very persuasive when they want to be," a flicker of memory crossed her face, "Believe me, I know. And I never would have let you….." she stopped, shaking her head, "Anyway, that's all past. And remember what I said about the past being a part of your future?"
Tara nodded dumbly. Her mother carried on, "Whatever happens, Willow is a part of your future now. Don't let her become a part of your past. Protect her from herself. And from them."
Throwing herself into her mother's arms, Tara breathed in the love and respect that she found there. The only person in the world who had ever made her feel like she really should. The only one…..until now, that is. Tara understood now the bond between her and Willow; how their love was based on something other than witchcraft and passion. It was an underlying mutual respect for the other that bound them together. Something she thought she would never find again after her mother died.
"I'm s-scared mom." She whispered.
Her mother held her back, hands placed on Tara's shoulders. "I know darling. But that is, in the end, what makes you so strong." She leant forward and placed a kiss on Tara's forehead, her lips cooling any fear that was racing through her daughter's mind. "Ready?"
Willow closed her eyes, feeling the energy surge up and down, around her, in her. She lifted her head back and let the light lift her up, holding out her arms so that she formed a perfect figure of supplication. It seemed that nothing else mattered now. Without Tara, she didn't want to live in the here and now. What she was experiencing had to be the next step. She was ready. All her life, she'd had to learn and read and study. And now, here was the power of all the earth, being offered to her without any recompense. Breathing in the light, she heard the faint chants of the coven around her, summoning forth the Gods and Goddesses who would make her whole. It wasn't wrong, she thought, it wasn't evil. It was the next step. Onwards.
Willow
Her eyes flicked open as she searched the flames around her for identification. That voice…not the one that had commanded her, but a whisper of love. She knew that voice. Whirling round, she saw the body of Tara lying exactly where she had left it. Not moving, not talking. Just lying there. She pressed her lips together into a hard little line. Wishful thinking Will, she told herself. Just wishful thinking. She's gone, accept it.
Willow, can you hear me?
This time there was no mistaking that soft, breathy tone. It was Tara. Willow's mouth dropped. Scanning the circle of witches, she was pretty sure that none of them had heard it too. Just her.
Stop them Willow a pleading note to the voice tugged at her heart, chipping away at the hard husk that had been forming there.
"Tara?" she said aloud, to the air around her.
It's me. I'll help. Just like our spells together. It's more powerful with two
"What….what do I do?"
When the gateway opens and the Gods and Goddesses appear, recite the last line of the spell three times
"Okay…." Willow frowned, "Uh…where's the gateway?"
You're in it
Before Willow could tell Tara that she didn't really want to be sitting in the middle of the gateway to hell, a rumbling sound shook the earth beneath her. She scrambled backwards, but stopped just a few inches short of the flames that were now burning blue. No heat came from them, but shadows were moving in and out of them, horned mists that took corporeal form then faded back into the fire. Willow shuddered, looking beyond the flames to where the circle of witches was moving inward, their steps in time with the words that came from attuned minds and mouths.
"Cernunnos, we call you, horned god of witches." A huge shadow leapt up from the fire and spread its vast shadow high above Willow's head. She stared in abject fear as its mouth yawned into a dark nothingness.
Hold on Willow, I'm here for you
"Anubis, jackal hunter, we call you."
A huge snarling beast leapt up from the flames and took hold of the sky, poised on all fours, ready to pounce. Its hackles stood up on end as it gazed around at its new world with red-rimmed eyes that hollowed an emptiness in its head.
Willow could only watch as the other Gods and Goddesses were called. One by one, they took their place above the coven's circle, closing slowly around the fire. She could see their faces now, set in a hard unforgiving gaze. Frightened beyond belief, Willow shut her eyes and concentrated on a picture of Tara in her mind. Tara's smiling face, full of love. Tara's full lips reciting magick words. Her hands on Willow, her soft hair. Usually it was comforting, but the redhead found that, despite holding the image of her loved one clear in her mind, the powerful magick around her was still sucking at her strength, embellishing it with fear and consuming portents.
Soon, the witches were only just outside the pentacle. They raised their faces to look at the swirling figures in the sky, swimming into one another, separating, then joining again. Willow looked up too, and found that she couldn't take her eyes off the shapes that hovered above her head.
"As the Slayer is, make us so." The coven intoned. "Key to lock, the gate will open. Beast to beast, the power of the Slayer. Make it so. Make us whole."
Willow was aware of the spell forming in her head. She knew the words instinctively, and found that she wanted to complete it. She needed to be a part of this; needed to possess the power of the Slayer so entirely so that it would make her whole again…
Remember Willow, remember I love you
Tara's soft voice in her head was all she could hear now. Filling her mind, reaching down deep inside her to fill her heart too. She could hear her…she could feel her…
Now Willow, now is the time. Past, present and future…
"…in all we are one." Willow continued aloud, "A circle of time, that must be complete."
The witches murmured and raised their hands to the sky where the dark shapes of the Gods and Goddesses swirled downwards, towards the gateway where Willow sat, shivering slightly despite the flames around her.
"A circle of time that must be complete." She repeated. Some of the witches gasped and held their hands to their heads as a low rumbling filled the air. The Gods and Goddesses, alerted to the figure in the gateway, began a slow descent towards her. "A circle of time that must be complete!" Willow cried, closing her eyes and shielding her head with her hands as the shadows screamed towards her, diving down to the pentacle, surrounded with flames that now shone ebony.
She felt a wind rise around her, whipping her hair against her face. It took shape, and whistled in and out of the circle of witches, the rumbling sound lifting to a wail. It sounded like all the noise in the world was centred on that one spot, and Willow felt herself buffeted by the wind that flung itself against her. Daring to open her eyes a crack, she saw each and every witch sucked up into the wind, disappearing with a cry of pain and disappointment into whatever nether world the pentacle held.
As the last witch was taken, screaming, into the gateway, Willow saw a pillar of light shoot upwards into the night sky, reaching for the mortal world with a piercing hand, stretching out in vain for one last grasp at everything real before it was sucked with a whoosh into the centre of the pentacle.
And then…
Standing around Tara's hospital bed, Buffy, Willow and Giles were strangely quiet. It had been three days since the coven had disappeared and still Tara had not come to. After the Gods and Goddesses had been sent back to their own world, taking the witches with them, Willow had fainted. She had come round in an ambulance, being told by a rather curt medic that she and her friends were going to be just fine. That had hardly placated her at all, seeing as she wasn't worried about her friends. They were always okay. It was her girlfriend she really cared about. And Tara had been found unconscious. She still was.
The three of them had gathered here each day, merely to be together. Buffy and Giles had had to drag the story out of Willow, being laid out by an over enthusiastic member of the coven. They had come to and had found Willow in a dead faint. She had told them about the spell in a hushed tone, making sure that she told them that it was Tara who had saved them all. She had been the one to contact Willow. She had been the one to help them, in the end.
Giles had given them a long speech about making up for the sins of the fathers or something like that. Buffy had summed it up more completely for Willow by commenting that Tara had 'come through when she needed to'. Willow had squeezed her friend's hand gratefully, trying to smile through eyes red from crying.
Today was the third day that Tara had been unconscious. Looking down at her now, Willow was constantly amazed at how beautiful the girl was. Even now, paled by hurt, her arm in plaster, Willow found herself wanting to touch the ash blonde hair spread across the pillow. She was only vaguely aware of the others in the room with her.
"Will, Giles and I are going." Buffy stepped up behind her and placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder.
Startled, Willow turned, her green eyes focusing on the blonde Slayer. She tried to smile at Buffy, but found that the expression barely reached her lips, never mind her eyes. "Oh…okay then. I'll…uh…see you later I guess." She murmured.
"Willow…" Giles exchanged a concerned look with Buffy, "Don't you think that you need some sleep? I'm sure the hospital will contact you if…." He looked down at Tara's inert form.
"Uh…no, you guys go." Willow waved a weary hand at them. "I need to uh….." her voice filled with tears and she shook her head. "She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. I just didn't get there in time….." she hung her head and sobbed.
Buffy slid her arm around Willow's shoulder. "Hey, Will, you saved us remember? I wasn't exactly Slayer of the month now was I? And Giles was…" she looked to him for help, raising her eyebrows.
"Oh, yes, absolutely useless." He chipped in quite cheerily. "Complete and utter waste of time, that's me!" Running a hand over his face, he reached across and touched Willow's arm gently as she let out a 'humph' of laughter at his outburst. "Willow, what you did was extremely brave. You not only saved Buffy, but probably the mortal world as well."
"Definitely Slayer potential." Buffy added, hugging Willow.
The redhead gave herself to the embrace and sniffed loudly against Buffy's shoulder. Giles stood back and folded his arms. He thought that he would have been used to such public displays of emotion by now, but being tactile was never his strong point. He tapped his foot nervously against the floor.
Willow and Buffy stood back from each other, the redhead's eyes misty with tears. "Thanks you guys." She said to her best friend and Giles. "I know what I did….and I do feel good about it…but…" her gaze returned to Tara again. "I just want her to be well again."
"I know." Buffy answered simply. "See you later?" It was more of a plea than a question. Willow nodded and squeezed her arm, watching as they left her alone with Tara.
She sat down next to the bed, taking the blonde's hand in her own, smoothing the back of it with her palm. Sometimes, over the last three days, it had felt like she could still hear Tara's voice in her head, soothing her, telling her that she loved her. Willow had never felt like this about anyone before. It was more than a physical need, much more than a friendship. If soulmates did exist, then Willow felt as though she had found hers.
Sighing, Willow laid her head down on the crisp sheets that were pulled tightly over Tara's body. She closed her eyes and saw a picture of Tara's face in her head, smiling. A faint smile crossed the redhead's lips in reply. Her Tara. She understood now, about belonging. For she was as sure as anything that she belonged to Tara, and Tara to her. She wanted to tell her that. Wanted to tell her so much more… Another sigh escaped her lips, would she ever get the chance?
I love you Tara, she said inside her head. I need you. Don't leave me.
"I'm right here." A voice said. Willow half-grinned to herself, those damn voices again.
"Willow? Did you hear me?" the voice came again, stronger this time.
Willow's head shot up from the bed to see Tara's eyes open and clear, gazing up at her with a bemused expression on her face.
"Tara! You're…I mean…"
"Yeah. I am."
Willow threw herself on the other witch, laughing and crying all at the same time. She felt Tara's hand in her hair, gently caressing her, pulling her towards the warmth that was slowly returning to the waking body.
"Oh god Tara…I thought…" She sobbed, sitting up and taking in the face, the smile of the one she loved beyond everything else.
"I know." Tara answered. "I heard you, whispering inside my head." She trailed her hand down Willow's cheek, "Don't ever stop. Please. Yours is the only voice I want in there."
"Oh, I won't." Willow said, as Tara drew her close for a tender kiss. As their lips touched, Willow realised that the only power she would ever need was the woman in front of her. She drew back and smiled sheepishly at Tara. "I hope that ritual won't put you off doing spells with me." She added.
"Are you kidding?" Tara grinned, moving her arm around and tapping her nails against the hard plaster almost absent-mindedly, "Refuse to do witchcraft with the woman who sent Gods and Goddesses back into hell?" Her face softened when she observed Willow's troubled expression, "Hey, I could never refuse you anything." She said, putting her hand over Willow's. "What you did was amazing….I've never had that kind of connection with anyone before."
"Me either." Willow agreed. She looked down at their intertwined hands and smiled, a little curious smile. "You know," she remarked, "I kinda like having you in my head."
Tara grinned and flushed bright red, "Uh….me too."
"When I thought you were….." Willow began, then stopped, feeling foolish as the emotion rose to her throat. She lifted her eyes to meet Tara's, accepting the electric contact of blue, "I don't know what I'd do without you Tara." She said. "And I never realised that until I saw you….."
"You'll never be without me." Tara said softly, her gaze warming Willow like a caress, "I'll always be a part of you, you know that. There's you, me and Miss Kitty. We're always going to be together."
"That reminds me," Willow giggled, "Miss Kitty says hi."
"Has she missed me?"
"Not as much as I have." Willow leant in for another kiss. "And both of us can't wait until we can get you alone for some TLC. Coz you look kinda like you need it."
Tara leant back in the bed and grinned, flushing again. "That sounds just great." She said. "It sounds….." she closed her eyes, enjoying the silence, "…just wonderful."
THE END
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