Re: FIC: Deeper-Post Season Six Fic(1/1)

[charlene25@xxxxxxxxxxx]

I LOVED it+ACs-ACEAIQAhACE- WOW+ACs-ACEAIQAh- That was just...wow+ACs-ACE- I'm speechless+ACs-ACE-

Mo


----- Original Message -----
From: +ACs-ACI-Mad Hamlet+ACs-ACI- +ACs-ADw-Mad-Hamlet+ACs-AEA-usa.net+ACs-AD4-
To: +ACs-ADw-buffyandwillowslash+ACs-AEA-yahoogroups.com+ACs-AD4AOw-
+ACs-ADw-buffyloveswillow+ACs-AEA-yahoogroups.com+ACs-AD4AOw- +ACs-ADw-buffywantswillow+ACs-AEA-yahoogroups.com+ACs-AD4-
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2002 12:55 PM
Subject: FIC: Deeper-Post Season Six Fic(1/1)


+ACs-AD4- Disclaimer: All this belongs to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy
+ACs-AD4- Inc.(Reluctantly)
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Drain Brameged Inc. Proudly Presents
+ACs-AD4- A Mad-Hamlet Production
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Deeper
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The August moon hung fat and yellow on the horizon+ACs-ADs- so close to the edge
of
+ACs-AD4- the earth it appeared bloated to three times its normal size. When tired
winds
+ACs-AD4- blew clouds before it the shadows cast upon the ground were tinged with a
deep
+ACs-AD4- infected hue, while the edges of the clouds themselves glowed from the
sickly
+ACs-AD4- light behind them. The air near the ground was motionless+ACs-ADs- there wasn't
enough
+ACs-AD4- power anywhere in the wind to disturb the smallest leaf. It hung, humid
and
+ACs-AD4- wet, around everything like a heavy blanket.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Ugly night,' the young woman thought to herself. 'Very ugly night.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer shrugged out of her jacket, tugging the front of her tank top
away
+ACs-AD4- from sweat soaked skin. Warm air rushed into the space provided bringing
no
+ACs-AD4- relief. Grunting slightly in disappointment the young woman flung open
the
+ACs-AD4- gates to the Southside Cemetery. The rusty hinges protested loudly but did
not
+ACs-AD4- slow her down.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She looked around carefully, looking for a target. 'I really should have
+ACs-AD4- swept this place more often,' The Slayer thought to herself reluctantly.
'But
+ACs-AD4- ...she's buried here and that means-' With a shake of her head the thought
was
+ACs-AD4- caught and killed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer paused and leaned up against a mausoleum,
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She won't like it that I'm here.' She paused and a small smile flashed
+ACs-AD4- across her face briefly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Either of them might not like it.' The young woman thought to herself.
Then
+ACs-AD4- she squared her shoulder, 'That's just too bad,' she decided. 'The local
vamp
+ACs-AD4- population somehow figured out I was avoiding this place and now all the
other
+ACs-AD4- locals are empty. Only place to left to look is here and if she doesn't
+ACs-AD4- like....' The blond shrugged.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Resuming her pace she moved through and between the graves with practiced
+ACs-AD4- ease, senses primed, ears cocked, muscles ready but relaxed, a long,
sharpened
+ACs-AD4- stake in hand. She went in a circular pattern, going around the edge of
the
+ACs-AD4- cemetery first and then moving inward. No crypt went unopened, no grave
+ACs-AD4- unchecked for fresh dirt. Her hunting bore some success, a few vampires in
the
+ACs-AD4- wrong place at the wrong time+ACs-ADs- these were effectively and quickly
dispatched.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She took as much time as she could to avoid the center of the cemetery,
+ACs-AD4- prolonging investigations that she already knew wouldn't reveal anything
but
+ACs-AD4- she went about them anyway.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Good practice,' she rationalized to herself. 'Gotta keep up the
practice.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Eventually there was only one place left to go. The one place she didn't
want
+ACs-AD4- to.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Could call it a night,' she thought. 'Not like there's going to be
anything
+ACs-AD4- there. I know that.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Her sense of professionalism wouldn't let her though.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'And you might be needed,' a tiny part of her mind spoke up.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Let's get this over with then,+ACs-ACI- Buffy Summers said aloud and started
jogging
+ACs-AD4- to the center of cemetery+ACs-ADs- the place where Tara Maclay was buried.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Kneeling in the soft earth she picked up the young oak sapling, still in
its
+ACs-AD4- pot. Picking up a trowel she dug a small hole in front of the grave and
then
+ACs-AD4- carefully lifted the sapling out if it's pot, being sure to keep the
rootball
+ACs-AD4- intact, and set it in the earth. Filling in the extra space with loose
earth
+ACs-AD4- she took a bottle out of her backpack and poured the contents onto the
newly
+ACs-AD4- planted tree.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- With her fingertips she caressed the tiny saplings main branch, the one,
with
+ACs-AD4- luck, that would someday grow into a might trunk bringing this particular
spot
+ACs-AD4- cool shade and comfort when it was hot, and protection from the elements
when
+ACs-AD4- it rained.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She took one leaf, and being careful not to break it, moved its branch
gently
+ACs-AD4- so the wide, bright green leaf, brushed against her face. +ACs-ACI-Make me clean,+ACs-ACI-
she
+ACs-AD4- breathed. +ACs-ACI-Take from me and leave me clean.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- No wind blew to jostle the leaves in the slightest. She let the leaf go
and
+ACs-AD4- sat back on her haunches.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She heard the grass rustling behind her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-How was Britain, Willow?+ACs-ACI- A familiar voice asked from behind her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redhead let out her breath slowly, 'This is gonna be fun,' she thought
to
+ACs-AD4- herself sarcastically.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Fine,+ACs-ACI- the redhead replied absently. +ACs-ACI-I could have told you about it if
+ACs-AD4- you'd met me at the airport like everybody else.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer shrugged, though with the hacker's back to her it was a useless
+ACs-AD4- gesture. +ACs-ACI-Had a shift at the DMP, couldn't get out of it.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow gently ran her fingertips over the edges of the largest leaf on the
+ACs-AD4- sapling. +ACs-ACI-Gotta keep the national fat consumption rate up, that it Buffy?
Glad
+ACs-AD4- to see you're committed to your goals.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-That's not fair, Will,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer replied.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Not fair?+ACs-ACI- Willow stood up and looked at her 'best friend' for the first
+ACs-AD4- time in two months. +ACs-ACI-Not fair?+ACs-ACI- she repeated. +ACs-ACI-I'll tell you what's 'not
+ACs-AD4- fair', Buffy. Not fair is being bundled off to England and not even being
able
+ACs-AD4- to attend the funeral of the person you love more than anything. Not fair
is
+ACs-AD4- living with the guilt of trying to kill your family. Though you might know
+ACs-AD4- something about that.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer blanched, her face going pale.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-How long did it take us to forgive you for nearly leaving us to the
+ACs-AD4- jack-ah-whatist deamon?+ACs-ACI- Willow continued. +ACs-ACI-Forty five seconds? Hell, did
we
+ACs-AD4- even have to forgive you?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redheads opening assault caught The Slayer flat-footed.
+ACs-ACI-Willow...I...+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Dawn forgave me, you know that?+ACs-ACI- Willow interrupted. She turned her
+ACs-AD4- attention back to the sapling, but kept talking to The Slayer. +ACs-ACI-I couldn't
+ACs-AD4- look at anybody in the car ride back from the airport. Xander was driving,
I
+ACs-AD4- was in the backseat, Dawnie riding shotgun.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow reached again into her backpack and pulled out another bottle with
a
+ACs-AD4- spray-top. She triggered it a few times covering the leaves with a fine
+ACs-AD4- moisture film. +ACs-ACI-Halfway home, nobody had said anything up until then,
Dawnie
+ACs-AD4- turned around in her seat, snapped her fingers in front of me until I
looked
+ACs-AD4- at her.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redhead gently nudged the topmost leaves aside and triggered the
bottle
+ACs-AD4- again so the leaves underneath got an equal share. +ACs-ACI-She said, 'I'm glad
you
+ACs-AD4- didn't turn me back into a ball o' light.' I was horrified naturally but
+ACs-AD4- before I could do anything she winked at me, smiled and said, 'Glad you're
+ACs-AD4- back, Willow. I missed you.' Then she turned back around. When we got to
your
+ACs-AD4- place she took my luggage for me, made me dinner.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer opened and closed her mouth a few times. +ACs-ACI-I'm...uh...+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- She started to say but pride reared its head before the 'sorry' could
escape.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I...saw you pouring something on the tree,+ACs-ACI- she said pointing at the
sapling.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What was it? A potion?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Vitamin B11,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-Prevents root shock.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said weakly. She blinked a few times. +ACs-ACI-And...the uh...squirt
+ACs-AD4- bottle?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-This?+ACs-ACI- Willow held up the bottle. +ACs-ACI-Natural pesticide+ACs-ADs- ecologically
friendly.
+ACs-AD4- So, not only am I not using magic, Buffy, but I'm also contributing to the
+ACs-AD4- saving of the planet.+ACs-ACI- she dropped the bottle back into her backpack. +ACs-ACI-On
+ACs-AD4- Mondays and Wednesdays I carry the blue tub with glass bottles to the
roadside
+ACs-AD4- to be recycled.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Okay, hold it,' The Slayer thought to herself. 'I'm not the bad guy here.
+ACs-AD4- Er...there is no bad guy here but I wasn't the bad guy earlier...neither
was
+ACs-AD4- she...just hurting...but she killed...so?'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The words slipped out of her mouth before she had time to consider them.
+ACs-ACI-Not
+ACs-AD4- fair would also apply to Warren.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redhead winced and was silent for a second before replying, +ACs-ACI-Not fair
+ACs-AD4- that he was born, or not fair that I killed him?+ACs-ACI- She didn't sound upset,
just
+ACs-AD4- mildly interested in The Slayer's honest opinion.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy's eyes widened. 'God,' she thought to herself. 'Doesn't she even
have
+ACs-AD4- any remorse?'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow calmly put the empty bottle that had held the vitamins, and the
squirt
+ACs-AD4- bottle back into her backpack, zipped it up and slung one strap over her
+ACs-AD4- shoulder. +ACs-ACI-I'm sleepy,+ACs-ACI- she said to no one in particular. +ACs-ACI-Jet lag bites.
+ACs-AD4- Think I'll call it a night, Buffy.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She bent over and gently kissed the top of the gravestone, then turned and
+ACs-AD4- walked away into the gloom of the night before The Slayer could get out
+ACs-AD4- another word.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy's mouth hung open, she tried to speak, tried to cry out but
couldn't.
+ACs-AD4- Not until long after the redhead had vanished was she able to whisper, +ACs-ACI-I
+ACs-AD4- missed you too, Willow.+ACs-ACI- But only the cool wind that had sprung up, heard
her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- For the second night in a row The Slayer was reluctant to go to the
Southside
+ACs-AD4- Cemetery. The day had not gone smoothly. Xander had shown up after lunch
with
+ACs-AD4- a few movies, 'Summer hits that Willow missed while in merry old would you
+ACs-AD4- like another serving of fish and chips? England' He had explained.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Xander and Dawn had spent most of the day up in Willow's room. Buffy had
+ACs-AD4- stood outside the door, listening. A few times she had raised her hand to
+ACs-AD4- knock but never had actually done so. As Xander had been leaving he had
given
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer a puzzled look but said nothing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She sat on a headstone, toeing the earth with the tip of one of her boots.
+ACs-AD4- 'Cordelia would have a fit if she saw what I was doing,' she thought to
+ACs-AD4- herself. She gave the tip of her boot and extra hard grind into the soft
+ACs-AD4- earth.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Don't have to go to that part of the cemetery,' she thought, echoing her
+ACs-AD4- arguments from the night before. 'The chances of something ugly moving in
from
+ACs-AD4- last night are slim to none.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She scraped a small divot of earth off her boot on the corner of the
grave.
+ACs-AD4- 'Hell with it,' she thought with a shrug. 'Might as well be sure.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Her step was brisk as she headed for the center of the cemetery and her
mind
+ACs-AD4- treacherously thought, 'We're not going there to really look for vampires
+ACs-AD4- anyway.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4- Her fingers trembled only slightly as she moved the tip of her index
finger
+ACs-AD4- through the loose earth, carefully and precisely in a set pattern, one
from
+ACs-AD4- memory that she would never forget and held precious above many others.
+ACs-AD4- 'There,' she thought to herself. 'Your true name, love. Now for my own.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Now,' she thought to herself. 'To make it real.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She reached into her backpack and pulled out two bags. One was filled with
+ACs-AD4- green sand and the other with red.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's your color, honey,+ACs-ACI- she said aloud, holding up the green sand. +ACs-ACI-I
+ACs-AD4- remember.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Carefully she poured the sand into her cupped hand and then gently she let
it
+ACs-AD4- trickle from between her fingers. Soon the runes spelling out her love's
true
+ACs-AD4- name were filled with green.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-My turn,+ACs-ACI- she said simply, putting the bag of green sand back into her
+ACs-AD4- pack.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Again she dipped her fingers in the cold earth and carved runes into it,
+ACs-AD4- following the arc of the circle she had drawn before she wrote herself on
the
+ACs-AD4- ground.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Again she poured a handful of sand, this time red, into her hands. She
filled
+ACs-AD4- the runes with sand until finally her own true name was written on the
earth
+ACs-AD4- in red.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Now for the last part,+ACs-ACI- She whispered. She carefully tied off the bag of
red
+ACs-AD4- sand and put it back in her pack, making sure it was snug against the bag
of
+ACs-AD4- green sand. Then she pulled out a jar that sloshed noisily.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Holding the jar of sacred oils she carefully poured them into the furrow
in
+ACs-AD4- the earth. The liquid, glowing white under the moon, pooled and spread out
+ACs-AD4- filling in every curve of the circle drawn out by her fingers a short time
+ACs-AD4- before. Soon the oils surrounded her, their white light glowing around her
in
+ACs-AD4- the circle its light glistening off the colored sands that made the runic
+ACs-AD4- diagrams marking out her and her lost one's names.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She set the jar aside, her dirty fingers leaving smudges on the clean
+ACs-AD4- ceramic.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Didn't you learn anything this summer, Willow?+ACs-ACI- the voice came from
beside
+ACs-AD4- her. Buffy Summers walked out of the treeline that separated the center of
the
+ACs-AD4- cemetery from the rest. +ACs-ACI-I mean, God,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer crouched on the balls of
her
+ACs-AD4- feet, the tips of her toes only centimeters from the edge of the glowing
+ACs-AD4- circle. +ACs-ACI-Not back for more than forty-eight hours and you're already back
into
+ACs-AD4- the magic.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The hacker chuckled quietly but said nothing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What about your promise, huh, Willow? Doesn't that mean anything to you?
You
+ACs-AD4- come home, we welcome you back-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-'We',+ACs-ACI- the redhead snorted. +ACs-ACI-What's this 'We' bit, paleface?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy cocked her head to the side, confused. +ACs-ACI-Huh?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow shook her head slightly, +ACs-ACI-Nothing, Buffy. Old joke. I just find it
+ACs-AD4- funny you said 'We' considering you've been avoiding me since I got here.
Real
+ACs-AD4- welcoming.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I...+ACs-ACI- Buffy gaped a bit+ACs-ADs- for the second time caught off guard.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-How long have you hated me Buffy?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The bottom dropped out of The Slayer's stomach and her feet went cold.
+ACs-ACI-I-I
+ACs-AD4- don't hate you, Will,+ACs-ACI- she said. +ACs-ACI-I don't know if I trust you but-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Same thing,+ACs-ACI- the redhead said with a shrug.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No it's not,+ACs-ACI- Buffy protested standing up. +ACs-ACI-I...I...+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You-You,+ACs-ACI- Willow openly mocked her. +ACs-ACI-Tara's stutter was kinda cute. Yours
is
+ACs-AD4- just annoying. So tell me Buffy, what's not to trust? Got hooked on the
magic,
+ACs-AD4- stopped that, fought it, was doing pretty good too.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Then you went back+ACs-ACEAIg- The Slayer snapped.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Tara was murdered+ACs-ACEAIg- Willow countered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-So you killed him then,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said, crossing her arms. The queasies were
+ACs-AD4- gone, this was ground she had been looking for, the big beat down.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yes I did,+ACs-ACI- Willow replied. She didn't flinch, she didn't look away and
her
+ACs-AD4- voice was steady and calm. +ACs-ACI-I killed Warren but not just killed, I
tortured
+ACs-AD4- him, first stalking him like a beast, an animal. Then I captured him, than
I
+ACs-AD4- pushed a bullet into his chest slowly, finally I flayed him and burned
him. I
+ACs-AD4- didn't just kill him, Buffy,+ACs-ACI- Willow's eyes met the Slayer's stare. +ACs-ACI-I
killed
+ACs-AD4- him a lot.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-God,+ACs-ACI- Buffy whispered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh,+ACs-ACI- Willow shrugged. +ACs-ACI-Him.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The stars beamed down on the two of them, the clouds from the evening
before
+ACs-AD4- long swept away by the night winds. The moon was below the horizon so
black
+ACs-AD4- ruled the sky save for the impotent pinpricks that marked other places
where
+ACs-AD4- evil might hold sway in the dark. The two women stared at each other in
+ACs-AD4- silence, one inside a circle marked by runic patterns and glowing oils,
the
+ACs-AD4- other on the outside on soft earth that sighed quietly as she shifted her
+ACs-AD4- weight.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-So, Buffy,+ACs-ACI- The hacker said, crossing her own arms and cocking her hips
to
+ACs-AD4- her right, mimicking The Slayer's stance. +ACs-ACI-This is where you tell me about
how
+ACs-AD4- it wasn't my place kill Warren+ACs-ADs- that we don't kill humans. You're probably
+ACs-AD4- dying to say it, some speech you've had planned for weeks and all it
really
+ACs-AD4- boils down to is the tired, old 'Two wrongs don't make a right'.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer said nothing+ACs-ADs- content to glare at the redhead.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Well you can,+ACs-ACI- Willow kept talking. +ACs-ACI-I'll listen this time but before you
do
+ACs-AD4- can I ask a question?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Again Buffy didn't respond and they stood in silence for a time+ACs-ADs- finally
+ACs-AD4- Buffy nodded once.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow pursed her lips slightly+ACs-ADs- almost smiling. +ACs-ACI-How long are you going
to
+ACs-AD4- hide behind Faith?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy's eyes widened just a fraction. The surge of adrenaline dropped on
her
+ACs-AD4- system and the knuckles on her fist turned white.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-How-+ACs-ACI- Buffy gaped. +ACs-ACI-How...how dare you+ACs-ACEAIg- she hissed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Dare?+ACs-ACI- Willow asked, eyebrows raised. +ACs-ACI-You're a hypocrite Buffy, there's
+ACs-AD4- nothing daring about it. That question should be asked of you, how dare
you
+ACs-AD4- try and judge me+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's not the same,+ACs-ACI- Buffy challenged.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Not the same?+ACs-ACI- Willow replied with a snicker. +ACs-ACI-It couldn't get more
+ACs-AD4- identical if it tried.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I was trying to save Angel's life,+ACs-ACI- Buffy protested.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yes, and you failed+ACs-ADs- Faith got away,+ACs-ACI- the redhead replied evenly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy's legs ached the muscles were so tight. Her stomach rocked in
protest,
+ACs-AD4- she could feel the acid splashing on her insides but she took the pain and
+ACs-AD4- used it. 'Will not cry,' she thought. 'Has to be done this way, no
choice.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You failed,+ACs-ACI- Willow continued. +ACs-ACI-And Angel died. How I remember his
funeral,
+ACs-AD4- it was a terrible day. But wait a second,+ACs-ACI- the redhead snapped her
fingers.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-That didn't happen now did it? Golly, why not?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Hmmm,+ACs-ACI- the hacker murmured, tapping her chin dramatically.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh yes, how could I have forgotten,+ACs-ACI- Willow suddenly exclaimed, smacking
+ACs-AD4- herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand. +ACs-ACI-Silly me. It didn't
happen
+ACs-AD4- because you let him use you as a lunchable.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I was saving his life,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said rubbing the spot where Angel had bit
her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Uh-huh,+ACs-ACI- Willow snorted. +ACs-ACI-And I bet you say that every time you savor the
+ACs-AD4- memory of shoving that nine inch blade into Faith's stomach. I bet you use
+ACs-AD4- that as a condolence so you don't feel guilty from enjoying your jaunts
down
+ACs-AD4- memory lane.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-God Damn you+ACs-ACEAIg- Buffy screamed and her teeth snapped shut nearly cutting
off
+ACs-AD4- the tip of her tongue+ACs-ADs- cutting off successfully the rest of her sentence
so
+ACs-AD4- only in her mind was it finished, 'and God damn me too.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow's face instantly relaxed, her shoulders slumped a little and she
+ACs-AD4- smiled a slow, lazy smile.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-But Faith didn't get killed by you,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-So not only were you
+ACs-AD4- willing to kill for your loved one, you were willing to risk dyin+ACs-ACI-
Willow's
+ACs-AD4- voice cut off. She took a step back realizing her mistake.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy didn't miss it. 'Gotcha+ACs-ACE-' she thought and the exultation was enough
so
+ACs-AD4- she didn't acknowledge the pang of guilt as she went for the jugular. +ACs-ACI-You
+ACs-AD4- weren't,+ACs-ACI- she said pointing at Willow. +ACs-ACI-You killed for Tara, there was no
need
+ACs-AD4- for it though, it wouldn't have brought Tara back, it wouldn't have helped
you
+ACs-AD4- in any way. There was nothing to save.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Says you,+ACs-ACI- Willow said sullenly but Buffy kept the momentum.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Says me,+ACs-ACI- she replied. +ACs-ACI-And says you, but that's not why I don't think I
can
+ACs-AD4- trust you Will. It's because what you tried to do afterwards.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow tore her gaze away from the Slayers and looked anywhere else.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-That...that part you're right.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You can't separate it, Will+ACs-ACEAIg- Buffy thundered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Like hell I can't+ACs-ACEAIg- Willow shouted back. +ACs-ACI-Fine, I'll repeat myself. I
killed
+ACs-AD4- Warren and you know what, Buffy? I don't mind. All those TV shows were
wrong.
+ACs-AD4- I haven+ACs-IBk-t changed, I haven+ACs-IBk-t gone over a line that I can never come back
+ACs-AD4- from. It might sound horrifying to your sensibilities, Buffy, but not only
did
+ACs-AD4- I kill Warren, I can also live with having done it+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow was breathing deeply, her chest rising and falling rapidly. +ACs-ACI-What
+ACs-AD4- happened afterwards-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-When you tried to kill everyone else you mean,+ACs-ACI- Buffy snapped. Her arms
+ACs-AD4- folded across her chest again, holding herself very tightly, not letting
+ACs-AD4- herself shudder.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow flinched visibly this time, losing her balance slightly and having
to
+ACs-AD4- take a step back so as not to fall over. +ACs-ACI-And you say you don't hate me,+ACs-ACI-
she
+ACs-AD4- murmured. +ACs-ACI-It's funny, but most people would call you not even giving me a
+ACs-AD4- chance, hatred.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I do ...regret...that,+ACs-ACI- Willow continued. +ACs-ACI-I spent the entire summer in
+ACs-AD4- constant terror, worrying about your reactions. I...I must have been
+ACs-AD4- terrible.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy nodded slowly, +ACs-ACI-Yes.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Xander I wasn't too concerned about,+ACs-ACI- Willow went on. +ACs-ACI-He was there when
I
+ACs-AD4- left, he waved. I could see him from the airplane until we took off. He
just
+ACs-AD4- kept waving....+ACs-ACI- her voice drifted off. She began pacing back and forth in
the
+ACs-AD4- confines of the circle.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- After a few seconds, +ACs-ACI-Dawnie I was really worried about. The things I did,
+ACs-AD4- what I said....+ACs-ACI- The redhead hugged herself tightly and shuddered. +ACs-ACI-She
didn't
+ACs-AD4- see me off, and when I came back yesterday and saw her at the airport I
almost
+ACs-AD4- turned around and got back on the plane. Is that what you wanted to hear,
+ACs-AD4- Buffy? About how guilty I felt and still feel?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy said nothing. In her head she wanted to scream out, 'I don't care.
Come
+ACs-AD4- home, be home, please, please, please let's go home.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You want to know what I really feel guilty about, Buffy? It'll surprise
+ACs-AD4- you,+ACs-ACI- Willow began grinning widely.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'That's not a good sign,' Buffy decided.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I feel bad about hurting you Buffy, I feel bad about hurting you, and
Dawn
+ACs-AD4- and Anya and Xander, I felt bad about hurting Giles but he told me to stop
it
+ACs-AD4- in late July. Said it was getting on his nerves.+ACs-ACI- Willow giggled into her
+ACs-AD4- hands. +ACs-ACI-Sorry, where was I? Oh yes. Destroying the world, that ...that's a
+ACs-AD4- toughie. I remember being able to feel the collective pain
of...everything.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy still didn't say anything.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's kinda strange,+ACs-ACI- the redhead pressed on. +ACs-ACI-Our dogs get hurt and we
kill
+ACs-AD4- them, call it mercy. You have no idea what it felt like Buffy. All that
pain.
+ACs-AD4- A part of me,+ACs-ACI- she shrugged again. +ACs-ACI-Still thinks it wasn't that bad an
idea.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow sighed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-But that's not my decision to make,+ACs-ACI- she said.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Warren was?+ACs-ACI- Buffy asked.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh shut up about Warren already,+ACs-ACI- Willow said rolling her eyes.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You haven+ACs-IBk-t learned a thing from any of this,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said shaking her
head
+ACs-AD4- slowly. +ACs-ACI-It's amazing but you really haven+ACs-IBk-t. You stand there expecting me
+ACs-AD4- to believe you felt guilty for this and that, but that you're all better
+ACs-AD4- having spent the summer in jolly old England and yet here you are inside a
+ACs-AD4- magic circle and telling me to shut up about the person you murdered+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy walked around the outside of the circle. Her steps were slow and
sure,
+ACs-AD4- each one placed carefully before the next. Hands hanging loose at her
sides,
+ACs-AD4- relaxed and steady. 'Don't collapse,' she commanded herself. 'Be strong,
be
+ACs-AD4- resolute, be...No...no no crying+ACs-ACE- Be...merciless, God I'm sorry Will+ACs-ACE-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She never took her eyes off the redhead who turned around to follow The
+ACs-AD4- Slayer's progress, her own face an expressionless mask, save for the
slight
+ACs-AD4- shine in her eyes that Buffy would not allow herself to see. +ACs-ACI-And you say
+ACs-AD4- you're all sorry.+ACs-ACI- Buffy said, ignoring the clenching of her stomach and
guts.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I am sorry,+ACs-ACI- Willow moaned softly. +ACs-ACI-But what I'm really sorry for, what I
+ACs-AD4- really feel guilty about....+ACs-ACI- her voice faded into silence, she stared at
the
+ACs-AD4- ground.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What?+ACs-ACI- Buffy asked leaning forward.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow sniffed and shook her head.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I see,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said, turning away, putting her back to the redhead.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It was my fault,+ACs-ACI- Willow whispered. The starlight reflected her losing
+ACs-AD4- struggle to stay impassive, the tears dripped over her cheeks slowly,
gaining
+ACs-AD4- momentum.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Exactly,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said whipping around to face the redhead again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow sniffed again, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, looked up
and
+ACs-AD4- stared The Slayer straight in the eyes, +ACs-ACI-You stupid bitch,+ACs-ACI- Willow
seethed.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You have no idea what you're talking about.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy gaped. 'I wasn't even sure if she knew how to say that word,' her
mind
+ACs-AD4- uselessly informed her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It was my fault Tara died,+ACs-ACI- Willow said, her grin was back, full force+ACs-ADs-
+ACs-AD4- white, wide and with many teeth. +ACs-ACI-My fault alone and you wanna know why?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Before Buffy could say anything Willow continued, +ACs-ACI-I'm glad you asked that
+ACs-AD4- question, Buffy,+ACs-ACI- she said pointing at the Slayer.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I'll tell you. It's my fault Tara was murdered because I told her not to
+ACs-AD4- worry about Warren and his buddies.+ACs-ACI- Willow began to slowly rock back and
+ACs-AD4- forth on the balls of her feet as she continued speaking. +ACs-ACI-I called them
'The
+ACs-AD4- Empire of the Nerds'. I- I really wasn't concerned about them. I thought
they
+ACs-AD4- were harmless and stupid and clumsy, kinda funny actually.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow stopped talking+ACs-ADs- she took several deep, slow breaths, her face
tense
+ACs-AD4- and drawn. When she resumed her voice was small, tiny and far away. +ACs-ACI-And I
+ACs-AD4- kept right on thinking this up until the second Xander told me Warren had
been
+ACs-AD4- the one who had come in with a gun and tried to kill you.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Willow,' The Slayer's legs began to tremble. 'No, she thought. 'No. No,
no,
+ACs-AD4- no...God, no. Not your fault, mine, my fault...could have stopped them but
+ACs-AD4- didn't...could have...should have. My fault.' Her fingers itched, 'Oh God,
why
+ACs-AD4- can't I step over the line and hug my best friend?' she cried inside. 'Why
+ACs-AD4- can't I let it go?' Buffy clenched her fists, feeling her nails bite into
the
+ACs-AD4- palm of her hands.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I didn't get concerned when they made a freeze gun, something the
Military
+ACs-AD4- with a bijillion dollar budget can't do,+ACs-ACI- Willow said calmly. She wasn't
+ACs-AD4- looking at Buffy anymore +ACs-ACI- Or nearly tricked you into letting them kill
you
+ACs-AD4- with the invisibility gun. Nope, still not even the teeniest worried,+ACs-ACI-
Willow
+ACs-AD4- hiccuped slightly, shaking her head. +ACs-ACI-Wasn't worried after your trip to
lala
+ACs-AD4- land, or hearing about how Katrina was found dead.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redhead, still rambling, slumped froward, onto her knees, leaning
heavily
+ACs-AD4- against Tara's headstone. +ACs-ACI-Not a care in the world. I thought they were
funny
+ACs-AD4- really so I didn't pay them any attention and in doing so I basically shot
+ACs-AD4- Tara myself.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said, vocal control returning at last. +ACs-ACI-No, no, no Will,
that's
+ACs-AD4- not right.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh now you're my friend,+ACs-ACI- Willow laughed. +ACs-ACI-All sympathetic? Well it makes
no
+ACs-AD4- difference to me, Buffy. Love me, hate me...feel free. Options are...+ACs-ACI- she
+ACs-AD4- paused, her eyes glazing over again. +ACs-ACI-Very optional right now. You can
hate me
+ACs-AD4- to your hearts content, Buffy. Won't matter, your hating me is nothing
+ACs-AD4- compared to my hating me.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-And the circle?+ACs-ACI- Buffy asked quietly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow snapped back into focus. +ACs-ACI-It's not magic, Buffy. It's simply will+ACs-ADs-
+ACs-AD4- it's keeping a promise. I promised Tara I'd always find her and now I'm
going
+ACs-AD4- to do that.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-That's not magic?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said gently, trying her best not to sound
+ACs-AD4- challenging.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- Willow shook her head. +ACs-ACI-Totally natural you just have to know how.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-And when you do find her, what then? Bring her back?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow, still slumped against Tara grave, glared at Buffy from inside the
+ACs-AD4- circle. +ACs-ACI-No. Only make that mistake once. Can't have two people ripped out
of
+ACs-AD4- heaven by my hand. If all goes well I won't find her.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It wasn't-+ACs-ACI- Buffy whispered but Willow, not hearing, overrode her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-If she's moved on then I won't find her, she'll be home, safe...loved.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- Willow said listlessly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- '-a mistake.' Buffy finished in her head.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Like I was,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said instead.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yeah, like you were.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Willow I,+ACs-ACI- Buffy tried to begin, tried to start saying something that
would
+ACs-AD4- let her push past her own hostilities, her own accusations and anger at
the
+ACs-AD4- redhead. 'I want to be friends+ACs-ACE-' she thought helplessly. 'Why can't we
just be
+ACs-AD4- friends? Why am I even angry? What do I want from her? When did I lose the
+ACs-AD4- ability to simply be with her?'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Go away, Buffy,+ACs-ACI- Willow said, pressing her cheek against the cold
concrete.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I have stuff I gotta do.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy shook her head, 'strong voice, no stuttering,' she reminded herself.
+ACs-AD4- 'Besides Willow finds that annoying.' Her badly taxed willpower barely
kept
+ACs-AD4- her from breaking into hysterical laughter.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Can't Will,+ACs-ACI- she said with a sigh. +ACs-ACI-You say it's not magic, my buzz-on
says
+ACs-AD4- it is. Gotta stay, gotta make-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-GO AWAY+ACs-ACEAIQAi- The redhead suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs,
embracing
+ACs-AD4- the gravestone in a deathgrip. +ACs-ACI-GO AWAY, GO AWAY, GO AWAY, GO AWAY,+ACs-ACI- she
+ACs-AD4- screamed over and over and over, eyes squeezed shut, mouth wide open as
her
+ACs-AD4- voice weakened and died leaving her jaws wide open in a silent scream,
+ACs-AD4- mouthing the words, 'Go away' continuously.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Too much+ACs-ACE-' Buffy's mind screamed+ACs-ADs- her flight or fight impulse kicked into
+ACs-AD4- overdrive, 'Too much+ACs-ACE-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy Summers, The Slayer, chosen one, turned and ran from a threat that
had
+ACs-AD4- nothing to do with the supernatural, and everything to do with something
she
+ACs-AD4- did not understand.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow sat on the earth above her lover's grave, hugging the headstone
till
+ACs-AD4- her arms ached and the cool cement chilled her skin, even in the warm
night
+ACs-AD4- air. She clung on tighter, ignoring the cold, ignoring the constant
thrumming
+ACs-AD4- in her muscles as they protested. +ACs-ACI-Let me pass,+ACs-ACI- she whimpered, eyes still
+ACs-AD4- tightly shut. +ACs-ACI-Let me pass, let me pass, let me pass, oh God damn you all,
let
+ACs-AD4- me pass+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And she did.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- All the air in her lungs exhaled in one telling, easy sigh. Her limbs
+ACs-AD4- relaxed, her muscles loosened and she slumped sideways against Tara's
grave.
+ACs-AD4- Gravity pulled steadily and her cheek, still pressed up against the stone,
+ACs-AD4- began to slide across the smooth surface. She hit the ground face down
with a
+ACs-AD4- solid thud and didn't move. A slight rattling escaped her throat as the
last
+ACs-AD4- of the air inside fled her body.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow Rosenberg stood in the middle of a great white nothing. There was
no
+ACs-AD4- horizon anywhere leaving her without any sense of distance. She glanced
down
+ACs-AD4- at her ankle and the long glowing strand of crimson light that disappeared
+ACs-AD4- into the distance.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She bent down and gently ran her fingers against the cord linking her with
+ACs-AD4- her body. Except for a slight buzz as her fingers passed over it there was
no
+ACs-AD4- reaction. 'I'm almost tempted to break it,' she thought to herself.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Her fingers involuntarily curled around the glowing fiber and her forearms
+ACs-AD4- tensed waiting for the final command to jerk, rend, and twist it.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'It would end the pain,' the redhead thought to herself. 'No more having
to
+ACs-AD4- worry about the people I hurt. I could be with Tara....'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She closed her eyes slowly and steeled herself. 'Buffy wouldn't really
+ACs-AD4- care.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Yes she would,' the thought came unbidden. 'She'd care and it would hurt
her
+ACs-AD4- terribly.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What difference would it make?+ACs-ACI- Willow said out loud, her words consumed
by
+ACs-AD4- the white. +ACs-ACI-I already have hurt her terribly.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Accidentally, yes,' she thought. 'In anger, in haste and in pain, yes.
Never
+ACs-AD4- in planning.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I...I have to make sure Tara moved on okay,+ACs-ACI- the redhead said aloud,
letting
+ACs-AD4- the crimson line settle gently back on nothing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Yes, you do,' her mind replied, almost in a different voice.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The hacker stood back up, squared her shoulders and took a step forward.
Her
+ACs-AD4- foot sank slightly in the white but didn't fall through. She took another,
and
+ACs-AD4- then a third. Quickly reaching a brisk pace she stalked across the
+ACs-AD4- featureless, pale, void leaving the place where she had first arrived
behind
+ACs-AD4- her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And after she had vanished into the nothing, with only the trailing,
endless,
+ACs-AD4- fiery red thread left to mark her passage did a circle of white slowly
darken,
+ACs-AD4- take less vague form and pool into something black and viscous.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Oozing down nothing at all the fluid slid until it rested at the same
level
+ACs-AD4- as the cord. The slight glow of all the white reflected off the black,
+ACs-AD4- glistening and wet.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Hundreds of tiny black tendrils burst from the main body, lashing about
+ACs-AD4- wildly and four main ones, ending in wicked barbs scrabbled madly across
the
+ACs-AD4- white toward the cord.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And from the main body a jaw grew downward revealing an infinity of needle
+ACs-AD4- teeth, and hissed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid+ACs-ACEAIg- A blonde wept as she ran blindly
+ACs-AD4- through the dark. All detail of the graves and trees she swept past
blurred by
+ACs-AD4- tears.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Don't run,' an ignored voice in her head called. 'Go back+ACs-ACE-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid+ACs-ACEAIg- she kept crying and kept running.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It was in a small clearing in the middle of the woods that The Slayer's
+ACs-AD4- headlong flight was interrupted. A female vampire had heard her crashing
+ACs-AD4- through the trees and moved to intercept. It stepped out from behind a
tree
+ACs-AD4- with a snarl.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Without even slowing down The Slayer clenched her fists, turned and
+ACs-AD4- channeling all the anger, grief and remorse into a tight ball in her belly
+ACs-AD4- hammered the vampire in the face with a monstrous, two-handed uppercut.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The thing was lifted clear of her feet and set flying in a high arc
through
+ACs-AD4- the air that abruptly ended when she was impaled from behind by a branch
that
+ACs-AD4- extended off the trunk of a tree+ACs-ADs- a branch that was fifteen feet above the
+ACs-AD4- ground.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The female vampire stared in horror at the jutting edge of wood, coated
with
+ACs-AD4- gore that emerged from the front of her chest. She grasped at the wooden
+ACs-AD4- spear, her fingers slipping over the stolen blood coating it, flung back
her
+ACs-AD4- head and screamed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It was the scream that brought The Slayer up short, 'Willow+ACs-ACE-' her
distracted
+ACs-AD4- mind shouted in her head. She halted in mid-step and spun in the
direction
+ACs-AD4- the scream had come from. 'No,' she thought. 'The...the vampire.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer blinked and watched in horrified fascination as the impaled
+ACs-AD4- deamon's scream ended, and died along with her. Her arms fell slack, her
head
+ACs-AD4- dipped forward, her forehead almost brushing the branch that had killed
her
+ACs-AD4- Then slowly she began to dissolve to ash+ACs-ADs- her skin and muscle flaked off
in
+ACs-AD4- seeming slow motion followed by a rapidly blackening skeleton. At that
second
+ACs-AD4- the branch cracked and the half-skeleton slid off the tip to come
rattling,
+ACs-AD4- flailing and cracking down to the ground where it landed with a clatter
and
+ACs-AD4- then hiss as it finally disintegrated completely.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The acids in The Slayer's stomach would not be denied this time. Shock,
pain,
+ACs-AD4- emotional upheaval all warred against her. She bent over, mouth open and
+ACs-AD4- threw up onto the earth. Falling forward she caught herself with her hands
and
+ACs-AD4- continued heaving out the contents of her stomach on all fours. When that
was
+ACs-AD4- emptied she didn't move while her stomach rumbled, feeling the acid
burning
+ACs-AD4- her throat and mouth. Her tears slid down her face as she did so, dripping
off
+ACs-AD4- her face to be swallowed by the mess on the forest floor.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Finally, some semblance of control returned and the blonde staggered to
her
+ACs-AD4- feet and leaned back against another tree+ACs-ADs- with the back of one hand she
wiped
+ACs-AD4- her mouth. 'God,' she thought, 'God, God, God....' She absently cleaned
her
+ACs-AD4- hand on the leg of her jeans.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I'm sorry, Willow,+ACs-ACI- she whimpered quietly, sliding down the trunk until
she
+ACs-AD4- sat on the ground. +ACs-ACI-I'm so sorry.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She sat for a time.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Why couldn't I say what I wanted too?+ACs-ACI- she asked herself. +ACs-ACI-Why couldn't I
+ACs-AD4- just let it go?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- There was no answer.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-She's my best friend,+ACs-ACI- the blonde whispered to herself. +ACs-ACI-My best friend.
+ACs-AD4- Best friend and I'm not even sure what that means anymore.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She beat her fists against the earth in frustration. +ACs-ACI-Dawn forgave her,
and
+ACs-AD4- she did more to Dawn then she ever did to me.+ACs-ACI- The Slayer spoke her
thoughts
+ACs-AD4- aloud. +ACs-ACI-So how come she can do what I can't? What's wrong with me?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Nothing,' her mind replied.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-So why can't I forgive her?+ACs-ACI- she asked aloud.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Are we forgiving ourselves?' She thought.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-For what?+ACs-ACI- she asked aloud.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'For letting Willow's innocence die.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer covered her face with both hands, and moaned quietly. +ACs-ACI-It's
true,+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- she whimpered. +ACs-ACI-I could have done something, could have...been more.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Everybody can,' her mind said. 'But they usually aren't. It happens, we
need
+ACs-AD4- to forgive ourselves.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She shook her head, tears squeezed between her fingers.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Besides, it's not like you're alone in the blame game,' she thought.
'It's
+ACs-AD4- not like any of your friends really spent a whole lotta of time trying to
+ACs-AD4- figure out your problems.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-That's no excuse,+ACs-ACI- she said aloud. +ACs-ACI-I shouldn't think this way about
them,
+ACs-AD4- about her.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Oh, so we're defending Willow now?' She mentally snorted. 'Funny, a
short
+ACs-AD4- while ago we wanted to crucify her.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I didn't want to,+ACs-ACI- the blonde protested. +ACs-ACI-I just ...I just....'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Yes?' her mind politely inquired.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She sighed and let her head fall back on the trunk with a slight thump.
She
+ACs-AD4- stared up at the patches of stars that could be made out through the
branches.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I missed her,+ACs-ACI- she said. +ACs-ACI-I missed her so much.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'So we tell her that,' her mind insisted.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's not that simple,+ACs-ACI- she protested. The tears had stopped and she wiped
+ACs-AD4- her face of the rest, she didn't take her eyes off the stars.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Uh, yeah, actually it is.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-She doesn't understand what she's done,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer whispered to the
skies.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She understands exactly what she's done+ACs-ACE-' the shout in her mind was so
+ACs-AD4- fierce the blonde visibly winced. 'And it's tearing her up and she comes
back
+ACs-AD4- here anyway hoping against hope it can be alright and what do we do?
Confirm
+ACs-AD4- her every worst fear. Nice job that one.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The blonde winced again, +ACs-ACI-I...it...+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'You wanted remorse? Pain? Fear? Wasn't that enough for us? We should
+ACs-AD4- certainly think so. It was so much we couldn't stand it, we ran+ACs-ACE- Or do you
+ACs-AD4- forget tearing your way across half of Sunnydale in a blind panic?' The
+ACs-AD4- derisive sneer was almost audible.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Great, I'm using sarcasm on myself,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer sighed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Whatever works,' her mind replied.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Signing the blonde pulled her legs up, wrapped her arms around them and
+ACs-AD4- hugged them close to her chest. She rested her chin on knees. +ACs-ACI-So now
what?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- she asked aloud.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'We're her best friend, yes?' her mind asked.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Uh-huh,+ACs-ACI- she nodded.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Then we be that.' Her mind snapped back. 'Not a teacher, not an adult,
not
+ACs-AD4- some guiding figure that can be disappointed when someone we love does
+ACs-AD4- something bad, or pleased when they do something good, we simply be there.
+ACs-AD4- Always. That's the difference between a parent and a friend.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I'd- I'd forgotten that part,+ACs-ACI- she whispered, her words slightly muffled
+ACs-AD4- behind her legs.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Well, good thing one of us remembered.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yes,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer nodded.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'We go?' The voice speaking in her mind, her own humanity, almost sounded
+ACs-AD4- eager.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-We go,+ACs-ACI- she said standing up. +ACs-ACI-We go to Willow, give her a big hug, tell
her
+ACs-AD4- how much we missed her and then just be with her.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'About God-damned time,' her mind grouched.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy Summers smiled, it was a small smile, not a beaming wide happy grin,
+ACs-AD4- nor a sad winsome regretful wishing smile. It was a simple, hoping one.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And then she set about jogging back the way she had come to find her best
+ACs-AD4- friend.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow Rosenberg screamed as the black tendril slashed across her back.
+ACs-AD4- Diving forward she shrugged off the thing's touch and got to her feet
slowly,
+ACs-AD4- keeping herself between It and the cord.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It didn't move, remaining where it was though all the tendrils about it
spun
+ACs-AD4- and slashed through the white so quickly they blurred. Again the jaw
opened
+ACs-AD4- slowly and It hissed at the redhead.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Stop saying that+ACs-ACEAIg- She screamed at It. +ACs-ACI-You're lying+ACs-ACE- You're always
lying+ACs-ACE-
+ACs-AD4- She did love me, no, she does love me+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It hissed again, a high pitched squeal.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow's face flushed, +ACs-ACI-Stop laughing at me+ACs-ACEAIg- she snarled through clenched
+ACs-AD4- teeth. +ACs-ACI-You stop laughing at me and you shut your lying mouth+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- A tendril, ending in a cruel, hooked claw, screamed through the air toward
+ACs-AD4- Willow's eyes.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Willow+ACs-ACEAIg- Buffy called loudly as she neared Tara's grave. +ACs-ACI-Willow, I'm
sorry.
+ACs-AD4- Can we-+ACs-ACI- her voice cut off as she neared the gravestone.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-WILLOW+ACs-ACEAIg- the young woman shrieked as she spotted the body of the redhead
+ACs-AD4- lying languidly in the center of the circle. She broke into a full speed
dash
+ACs-AD4- intent on scooping up her friend and making sure she was okay.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Instead she ricocheted off the barrier marked by the edges of the circle.
The
+ACs-AD4- impact was so great that she fell backwards onto her back and rolled a few
+ACs-AD4- feet. +ACs-ACI-What the hell?+ACs-ACI- she wondered aloud, rubbing at her nose.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Scrambling back to her feet The Slayer approached the circle carefully.
She
+ACs-AD4- reached forward and tried to reach over the line the glowing oils marked,
+ACs-AD4- instead of air she met a solid wall. +ACs-ACI-Damnit Will+ACs-ACE- You said you weren+ACs-IBk-t
+ACs-AD4- doing magic+ACs-ACEAIg- she cried out in frustration.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She said she wasn't using magic but what else is this thing?' She thought
to
+ACs-AD4- herself. 'And it's now in my way, well, we can fix that.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She hammered on the barrier a few times, testing it's strength.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Ow,+ACs-ACI- she murmured shaking her bruised fists. Slowly she moved around the
+ACs-AD4- circle to the place where the hacker's head was lying. +ACs-ACI-Willow?+ACs-ACI- she said
+ACs-AD4- softly. +ACs-ACI-Can you hear me?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- There was no response. The Slayer rapped gently on the barrier as one
might
+ACs-AD4- knock on a door. +ACs-ACI-Willow?+ACs-ACI- she asked again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- At that second the glowing oils flickered and dimmed then brightened
again.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What the heck?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said aloud. She blinked a few times and shook her
head
+ACs-AD4- quickly. +ACs-ACI-Did that even really happen?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The glow died again and dimmed steadily before slowly brightening once
more.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Now that I definitely saw,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said. A slight chill settled into her
now
+ACs-AD4- empty stomach. The beginning needles of fear and the sense of something
being
+ACs-AD4- wrong. +ACs-ACI-What was it Willow said about this? It's not magic it's will but
that
+ACs-AD4- means if the barrier is made by her will and it's....+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'So tired,' Willow thought sluggishly. 'I'm so, so tired.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She ducked another swipe from Its tendrils+ACs-ADs- the ebon thread whipping over
her
+ACs-AD4- head. 'Just want to sleep,' she thought. 'Sleep would be so nice.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Sleep,' It whispered in her head.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow's eyes opened wide. 'No, no I'm not tired+ACs-ACE-' she realized. 'It's
+ACs-AD4- lying.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Sleep,' It whispered again. She could feel It crawling across her mind,
+ACs-AD4- sweaty, sticky, deep and thick. She shuddered in revulsion at the
sensation.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Sleep,' It whispered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- The redhead said out loud. +ACs-ACI-I'm not tired, you're lying again.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She flung her hands outward. +ACs-ACI-This is the truth,+ACs-ACI- she shouted and a
blazing
+ACs-AD4- wall of red light sprung up into existence between her and It,
intercepting
+ACs-AD4- It's next blow. It screamed in agony as Its tendrils smashed into the
wall.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I can't touch you,+ACs-ACI- Willow sneered. +ACs-ACI-But you can't touch this.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'You think,' It whispered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- For the third time the circle dimmed, The Slayer waited for it to brighten
+ACs-AD4- again but it didn't, instead it continued to darken steadily before it
finally
+ACs-AD4- bottomed out to a barely visible, sputtering light.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Inside the circle the redhead's body began to twitch, then heave. Her arms
+ACs-AD4- and legs flapped and flopped disjointedly about, her jaw opening and
snapping
+ACs-AD4- shut, flecks of phlegm and drool were spit over her face and the
surrounding
+ACs-AD4- earth.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Willow+ACs-ACEAIg- The Vampire Slayer shrieked. She began hammering at the barrier
+ACs-AD4- again, flailing at it desperately over and over. Her fists slammed into
with
+ACs-AD4- all their power behind it, sending thundering echoes across the graveyard.
+ACs-AD4- Still she kept hammering at it, ignoring when her knuckles split open and
+ACs-AD4- began to bleed, ignoring the splotches of her own blood that were left
behind
+ACs-AD4- by her blows on the barrier and she ignored it when that blood began to
sizzle
+ACs-AD4- on the unseen surface. She just kept hitting it, striking it, and
screaming,
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Willow+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The circle continued to dim.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No+ACs-ACEAIg- Buffy shouted. +ACs-ACI-Don't do this, don't you dare do this+ACs-ACE- No, oh God
no+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4- and she kept striking at the barrier. +ACs-ACI-Don't, no, let me in you bastards,
let
+ACs-AD4- me in+ACs-ACE- I have to get to her, I have to help her+ACs-ACE- She's my best friend, I
won't
+ACs-AD4- let her die, let me in, let me in you bastards, let me IN+ACs-ACEAIg- And her final
+ACs-AD4- rising shriek was punctuated with a hammer blow that caused the air around
the
+ACs-AD4- impact to shake. The barrier stood fast.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Cradling her bruised hand to her chest Buffy leaned against the barrier
+ACs-AD4- watching her best friends body continue to flop and dance and gasp and
heave
+ACs-AD4- as whatever was killing her continued to do so. +ACs-ACI-Don't go,+ACs-ACI- Buffy
whispered.
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Please don't go.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You can't go, Willow,+ACs-ACI- she said, the fingers of her good hand splayed out
on
+ACs-AD4- the invisible surface of the barrier. +ACs-ACI-You can't go, can't leave me...I
need
+ACs-AD4- you Will. I need you with me, please,+ACs-ACI- The Slayer sobbed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I love you, Will.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The blond landed face first in the mud directly next to the redhead's
still
+ACs-AD4- jerking body. She lay there in dumb amazement for a few seconds until the
+ACs-AD4- rattling from the throat of the woman beside her caught her attention.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh God, Willow+ACs-ACEAIg- she said loudly pulling her friends body to her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- At that second the jerking stopped. The redhead's eyes fell open and the
dull
+ACs-AD4- green within reflected the final embers of light from the circle dying
away.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-NO+ACs-ACEAIQAi- Buffy shrieked at the top of her lungs. She began to shake the body
+ACs-AD4- fiercely. +ACs-ACI-You come back to me+ACs-ACEAIg- she cried. +ACs-ACI-You come back to me you
stupid
+ACs-AD4- hacker, you come back here right this second, you hear me? Do you hear
me?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- If she did there was no reaction.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-You come back to me+ACs-ACEAIg- she commanded fiercely. +ACs-ACI-Right now+ACs-ACE- Right this very
+ACs-AD4- second or so help me God I'll come to you and kick your ass+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And Buffy Summers felt something very strong grab her like a vice and toss
+ACs-AD4- her up in the air.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'That's odd,' she thought, strangely calm, as the earth fell away from
her.
+ACs-AD4- 'I can still see me lying next to Willow.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The thing screamed and it's thrashing tendrils lashed against the barrier
+ACs-AD4- keeping it from the glowing cord.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow, her brow knotted in concentration, tried to maintain her focus.
'Tara
+ACs-AD4- loves me,' she thought desperately. 'Tara loves me, she loves me I know
she
+ACs-AD4- does, she loves me, she loves me, she loves me.' Over and over she
repeated
+ACs-AD4- the mantra of her beliefs in her mind. 'That thing is a lie and I have my
+ACs-AD4- truth, it can't hurt me, it can't hurt my truth.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The barrier created by Willow looked like a semi-transparent orange box.
+ACs-AD4- Contained inside it was the black thing+ACs-ADs- some of it's tendrils beat
against
+ACs-AD4- the container repeatedly while others gently caressed it.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-She loves me,+ACs-ACI- Willow said aloud, trying to reinforce her belief. +ACs-ACI-She
loves
+ACs-AD4- me, she loves me, she loves me, you're wrong, you're wrong, Tara loves
me.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The battle was happening in her mind. Every time the thing's black touched
+ACs-AD4- her shield the voices in her head, her doubt's, her fears, grew a little
+ACs-AD4- louder, a little stronger.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She loves me,' Willow thought desperately.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Loved you, yes,' It sang in her head. 'Dead now though. Love gone.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She loves me,' Willow thought.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'How you react?' It hummed. 'What you do? You kill, you torture, you hurt,
+ACs-AD4- you burn. Loved you before, yes. Love you now? Never.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'She...she loves me,' Willow thought. 'You're a lie, you're a lie.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Lie I am,' It chorused. 'Truth I say, loved you, past, present not,
present
+ACs-AD4- Tara not love. Can't love. Tara dead. If Tara living see you now not love
+ACs-AD4- anymore. Never love something like you+ACs-ACE- She love light and beauty and soft
and
+ACs-AD4- wonderful. You not that, not anymore. Why she love a monster?'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'N-no,' Willow could feel it sliding between the cracks. Cracks now
reflected
+ACs-AD4- in the container. 'She loves me, I know she does, I k-know it.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'What you know?' It laughed. 'You know pain, you know suffering, you know
+ACs-AD4- your friends not your friends. Not like you, not need you. Pity you, yes,
+ACs-AD4- truly, but not your friends. Your victims.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- Willow whispered aloud. +ACs-ACI-No you're wrong+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Wrong?' Like nails across rusty metal It slithered through her heart.
'You
+ACs-AD4- know this not so, you know your truth is not love, your truth is not
friends.
+ACs-AD4- You know truth.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Sh-she lo-loves me,+ACs-ACI- Willow sobbed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The cracks became gaps and the thing lost Its consistency and began oozing
+ACs-AD4- between them to puddle and reform on the surface of the white.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Truth is hate,' It whispered. 'Your truth is hate. Hate from others to
you,
+ACs-AD4- hate from self to you. You have hate as truth. Hate, as truth, is no
+ACs-AD4- protection from me+ACs-ACE-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The orange shield, darkened, bled, broke and shattered silently as Willow
+ACs-AD4- herself cried out gently, like a kitten struck in blind anger, and she
+ACs-AD4- collapsed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Exploding from the wreckage of Willow's truth It came+ACs-ADs- scurrying across
the
+ACs-AD4- white, jaws crashing and beating together in hungry rhythm as it neared
its
+ACs-AD4- prey. Its tendrils beat against the white, dragging It across toward the
+ACs-AD4- glowing, crimson, light the stretched from the redhead's heel into
nothing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Sorry,' Willow thought. 'Sorry friends, sorry family. Sorry...Buffy.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She closed her eyes. 'Don' wanna see.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow's eyes snapped open.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It turned inside out briefly until Its jaws popped out the opposite side
+ACs-AD4- facing the intruder.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy stood, blue light cascading across the white, making the area around
+ACs-AD4- her glow slightly blue itself. At her ankle an intensely bright blue cord
+ACs-AD4- rippled across the surface of the white.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Don't know what you are,+ACs-ACI- Buffy seethed, her legs tensing for a leap.
+ACs-ACI-But
+ACs-AD4- you hurt Willow. That's a mistake.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Buffy,+ACs-ACI- Willow screamed. +ACs-ACI-No+ACs-ACE- You can't fight it like-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Too little.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Too late.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy sprang at the black, circular blob with it's lashing tendrils and
+ACs-AD4- claws, her fist drawn back to deliver a satisfying blow that would have
+ACs-AD4- reduced Its insides to pulp.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She didn't have time to be surprised when her fist sank into Its body.
+ACs-AD4- Instantly hundreds of Its tentacles burrowed into the surface of her form,
+ACs-AD4- sliding underneath and where they traveled within the black flowed freely.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy screamed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Weak+ACs-ACE-' Thundered through her soul.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'No+ACs-ACE- I'm not+ACs-ACE-' She felt.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Pathetic+ACs-ACE-' The thunder screamed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'I'm not.' She cried.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Failure+ACs-ACE-' Blackness shouted.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'I tried.' Her soul whimpered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Weak+ACs-ACE-' It lashed again. 'Weakness, Failure+ACs-ACE- Pathetic+ACs-ACE-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'i'm not,' Buffy cried, a drifting lost voice inside her own self. 'i'm
not,
+ACs-AD4- really i'm not. i'm not...i'm not...i'm...sorry...i'm sorry...i'm sorry, i
+ACs-AD4- tried, i tried, i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i tried.....'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- It prepared to feast.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow watched horrified as the tendrils buried themselves in the form of
her
+ACs-AD4- best friend. Lines of black had run across the Slayer's face, arms and
legs
+ACs-AD4- and in seconds they began to spread.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- At Buffy's scream the white itself had cracked and puss colored light had
+ACs-AD4- begun oozing and bleeding across everything.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Buffy,' Willow thought. 'Dying, dying because of me.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She rolled over onto her back, rolled away from the sight of The Slayer
being
+ACs-AD4- devoured by black. 'Why? Why did she do it? I'm not worth it, I'm not
worth
+ACs-AD4- anything....'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She moaned slightly and crawled onto her hands and knees.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Why Buffy?' The question attacked the redhead's mind again. 'Why?'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Deep inside she felt it stir, twist and fight against the despair that
+ACs-AD4- threatened to drown her. It fought against her own fears ruthlessly until
it
+ACs-AD4- broke free and gave Willow her answer, one she had always known. 'Buffy
+ACs-AD4- cares.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Buffy cares,+ACs-ACI- Willow whispered to herself. +ACs-ACI-She cares about me...she
+ACs-AD4- cares...Buffy cares+ACs-ACE- She doesn't hate me, she cares about me....+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- As she said it a feeling of lightness and excitement rushed through the
+ACs-AD4- redhead and the words came out tumbling out faster and louder. +ACs-ACI-She cares
+ACs-AD4- about me, because she's my friend, she's my best friend and that's what
they
+ACs-AD4- do. They care, they care because they're friends and they're friends
because
+ACs-AD4- they care. She's my best friend and my best care'er and I'm her best
friend
+ACs-AD4- and I'm her best care'er and that means-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Lurching to her feet she stared at the thing through narrow eyes as It
+ACs-AD4- casually sliced through the blue light cord, now very dim, attached to
Buffy's
+ACs-AD4- ankle.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI--YOU CAN'T HAVE HER+ACs-ACEAIg- The hacker screamed, flinging her hands, her will
and
+ACs-AD4- her truth at The Abomination.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Hundreds of blazing, fiery red walls burst into existence and surrounded
It,
+ACs-AD4- blocking it off, locking it in. Those parts of It not fast enough to
recoil
+ACs-AD4- into the central mass were severed to fall upon the white, thrashing and
+ACs-AD4- twisting before melting away. In a heartbeat It was neatly encased in a
+ACs-AD4- crimson gem a hundred facets strong and a thousand layers deep.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy's self, no longer supported by the invading tendrils had collapsed
on
+ACs-AD4- the slowly healing white.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow ran to the fallen Slayer's side and examined her. 'Black's fading,'
+ACs-AD4- she thought. 'That's good.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The redhead eyed the fallen cord, no longer connected to the Slayer's
self+ACs-ADs-
+ACs-AD4- it lay dark and empty but it was still connected to the body on Earth.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Bad,' Willow concluded. 'Very, very bad.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- A low sound, like thunder, rumbled across the white. Willow flinched and
+ACs-AD4- shook her head slightly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's fighting me,+ACs-ACI- she whispered to Buffy. +ACs-ACI-It's fighting me Buffy and
It's
+ACs-AD4- old and strong and I don't know how I can stop it.+ACs-ACI- She wanted to cry.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'No crying+ACs-ACE-' the redhead chastised herself fiercely. 'Don't know if you
even
+ACs-AD4- can here, but we don't have the time.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- There was another rumble and the crimson gem darkened slightly. +ACs-ACI-I know
you
+ACs-AD4- care, Buffy.+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-But I'm tired and ...it hasn't been a good
couple
+ACs-AD4- of months and I need to fix you or It'll get us both. If that happens
we'll
+ACs-AD4- wish we had died.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy, still unconscious, could say nothing. 'Shock,' Willow thought.
'Soul
+ACs-AD4- shock, or soul something. It attacked her soul, severed her connection
with
+ACs-AD4- her body. I could fix it, I think, if I had time but-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- A third rumble rolled across the white and tiny red shards broke off from
the
+ACs-AD4- gem, drifted slightly and disappeared.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Time,+ACs-ACI- Willow mumbled to herself. +ACs-ACI-I need time but where.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- She paused and a hairline fracture split the surface of the gem.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-There's a place, Buffy,+ACs-ACI- Willow explained to her comatose friend. +ACs-ACI-We'd
be
+ACs-AD4- safe there, sorta and I might be able to fix this. It's risky but we'd be
+ACs-AD4- safe, I said that already, but we would be, we'd be safe from that thing
and
+ACs-AD4- anything else like it. They're lies Buffy and we could go to a place where
+ACs-AD4- lies can't exist.+ACs-ACI- She looked over she shoulder at her own cord. +ACs-ACI-But we
can't
+ACs-AD4- go like this.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The crack widened.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow made up her mind. +ACs-ACI-The alternative is worse,+ACs-ACI- she said. Reaching
down
+ACs-AD4- she grabbed the badly frayed crimson line that connected her to herself in
the
+ACs-AD4- material world and snapped it off.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Then laying her hands, one on the empty, dark, blue cord and the rapidly
+ACs-AD4- fading glow of her own, with a burst of will incinerated them both.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Gathering The Slayer's self in her arms she stood, closed her eyes and
dove
+ACs-AD4- just as the gem blew apart into nothing and a black wall of teeth, bone,
claw
+ACs-AD4- and hate exploded outward sweeping across the area where they had just
been.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- In the Southside Cemetery in Sunnydale, California it was late at night.
Near
+ACs-AD4- a marker with the name 'Tara Mclay' inscribed on it, inside a now dark
magic
+ACs-AD4- circle, lay two girls+ACs-ADs- one with red hair, the other a blonde. They lay
+ACs-AD4- together as if in a deep and restful sleep. No worries marred their
features,
+ACs-AD4- no inner pains despoiled their rest. They took slow, deep, easy breaths+ACs-ADs-
their
+ACs-AD4- chests rising and falling
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Rising and falling.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Rising and falling.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Rising and....
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And they fell.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Down through the dark they fell and fell and the wind between tore at the
+ACs-AD4- hacker's fingers. Their energies concentrating on the hands that held The
+ACs-AD4- Slayer's self, her soul, to Willow's chest. They tried to break that hold
+ACs-AD4- these winds, using cold, and power and despair and void to shatter the
grip
+ACs-AD4- the hacker had on her best friend. But the winds failed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And they fell.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Down through the dark they fell and fell and with each second the fell
+ACs-AD4- farther and farther away from everything and the farther they fell the
closer
+ACs-AD4- the two came to themselves. Willow's concerned features began to blur,
Buffy's
+ACs-AD4- own unconscious face too became less distinct. Clothes tore off and then
arms
+ACs-AD4- and legs simply began to fade as well.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And they fell.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Down through the dark they fell and fell. The fading moved up the legs,
the
+ACs-AD4- waist the torso, erasing the form and leaving only the self behind. For
they
+ACs-AD4- were falling away from everything and towards the end and at the end all
there
+ACs-AD4- is is what is really there.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And they fell.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Down through the dark they fell and fell. There was nothing left of them
save
+ACs-AD4- for what they were, truly+ACs-ADs- and when that was all that they had left, they
were
+ACs-AD4- at the end.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- A dark, glass clear, sky stretched from horizon to horizon. Within its
ebon
+ACs-AD4- field were stars, more stars then had ever been or ever would be again,
save
+ACs-AD4- this place. An infinite expanse of black sky with an infinite expanse of
+ACs-AD4- stars+ACs-ADs- reflecting this infinity back upon itself was The Sea+ACs-ADs- deep, and
black
+ACs-AD4- and old. From this came everything else and to this, one day, everything
would
+ACs-AD4- return. Its calm surface marred by no waves, no tide, no time, no change.
The
+ACs-AD4- infinite dark with its stars bore down on the infinite dark that returned
+ACs-AD4- those starts to it and this was how it had been since the beginning and
how it
+ACs-AD4- would be at the end.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- On a shore of The Sea was The Beach. The Sea met the Beach like the edge
of a
+ACs-AD4- knife, never moving, never wavering+ACs-ADs- where The Sea ended and The Beach
began
+ACs-AD4- ran straight and true from end to end. Black sand ran along the beach,
each
+ACs-AD4- tiny grain as hard and dark as the deepest parts of The Sea, and these
tiny
+ACs-AD4- granules reflected the sky back upon itself as well. This was how it had
been
+ACs-AD4- since the beginning and how it would be at the end.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Behind The Beach were The Cliffs. Hard and cold black and grey granite
made
+ACs-AD4- up the cliffs. They stretched along the entire length of The Beach and The
Sea
+ACs-AD4- towering over both, upwards, into the starlit sky an infinity high. The
stones
+ACs-AD4- making up the cliff were razor sharp, and their edges too gleamed in the
light
+ACs-AD4- of the expanse of stars above them. This was how it had been since the
+ACs-AD4- beginning and how it would be at the end.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Then, something different happened.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Out of the sky fell two sparks, one was bigger than the other, strong,
+ACs-AD4- powerful, a beautiful shade of red. The other was a tiny, weak thing,
+ACs-AD4- sputtering and flaring like a dying blue flame. The red moved alongside
the
+ACs-AD4- blue as if sheltering, holding, the other. They drifted, propelled by
unseen
+ACs-AD4- winds first one way, then the other until they rested at last upon the
black
+ACs-AD4- sands of The Beach.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- There they lay for a time. The red pulsing in even beats of greater light
and
+ACs-AD4- then diminishing, only to flare up again a few seconds later. The blue was
not
+ACs-AD4- so regular. It would darken steadily only to flare up to a blinding
intensity
+ACs-AD4- for a brief time but this would quickly fade back into a darkening color.
And
+ACs-AD4- the instances between the blue's flares were growing longer and the
darkening
+ACs-AD4- of its fire was increasing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The red flared brightly, as if straining to accomplish something, some
goal,
+ACs-AD4- some need, some task that needed completing and perhaps that's what it
was. As
+ACs-AD4- its light shone upon the blue the blue began to grow in strength and
light.
+ACs-AD4- The weakness, guttering and sputtering ceased and it began to beam with a
+ACs-AD4- steady pulse of its own...until the red fire dimmed, exhausted and spent.
At
+ACs-AD4- which point the blue too dimmed and become weaker and less than it had
been
+ACs-AD4- before.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Again the red flared and again the blue drank in the light of its
companion,
+ACs-AD4- growing in ferocity, and power until again the red would flicker, waver
and
+ACs-AD4- dim and the blue would mirror this only more so. The red pulsed with even
+ACs-AD4- beats, like a heart might beat in the breast of a loved one, while the
blue
+ACs-AD4- flickered, gutted and began to die.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- For the third time the red flared and if the first two had been great this
+ACs-AD4- effort was the greatest. Its crimson hue was cast far and wide across The
+ACs-AD4- Beach, across The Sea and a good way up the face of The Cliffs. These
places
+ACs-AD4- that had existed in darkness, made of darkness, and of the darkness now
found
+ACs-AD4- themselves painted a deep, fiery, fierce glare of red fire. The blue drank
of
+ACs-AD4- this fire deeply, for a third time gaining in strength and intensity,
healing
+ACs-AD4- a wound cut so deep and so terrible that self itself bled from it. And the
red
+ACs-AD4- began to fade again and echoing its darkening the blue darkened but this
time
+ACs-AD4- it would fade completely away, a burnt out ember, an empty, hollow husk.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- From beyond the horizon of The Sea something glowed and skimmed across the
+ACs-AD4- surface of black waters. It was small and green and very, very bright. It
+ACs-AD4- raced to the edges of The Sea, raced to where a red spark was dimming and
a
+ACs-AD4- blue spark was dying.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The tiny, bright green spark raced to the greater red and bobbed in the
still
+ACs-AD4- air before it. Then slowly, very slowly the green dimmed and faded away
till a
+ACs-AD4- tiny fragment of red was left. The red fragment now bobbed, and weaved and
+ACs-AD4- zipped around and around the greater, as if waiting...as if...asking for
+ACs-AD4- permission.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And for the first time since The Sea, The Beach and The Cliffs had first
come
+ACs-AD4- sound echoed across all three. Quiet, hushed, and faint but sound
nonetheless+ACs-ADs-
+ACs-AD4- the sound of someone crying.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The red pulsed in time with the quiet sobs that emanated from it, the
moans
+ACs-AD4- and cries and weeping reflected in its darkness or its intensity. Still
the
+ACs-AD4- tiny red spark buzzed around and over and around and over the greater red
+ACs-AD4- spark. Waiting.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The red spark, Willow Rosenberg at her core, spoke. +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- she whimpered.
+ACs-ACI-I
+ACs-AD4- can't...it hurts...it hurts too much, I can't.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The tiny red fragment still buzzed around the greater.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Please, I...I'm strong enough, I can help Buffy,+ACs-ACI- Willow sobbed. +ACs-ACI-I gave
you
+ACs-AD4- to her. She gave to me and I gave to her and you belong to her, not to me.
You
+ACs-AD4- were a gift, a gift that wasn't supposed to return+ACs-ACE- Go back to her, go
back
+ACs-AD4- Tara, please+ACs-ACEAIg-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The fragment still whirled about, ignoring the pleas of Willow.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-NO+ACs-ACEAIg- she screamed. +ACs-ACI-Noooooooooo....+ACs-ACI- and her wail died away while the
blue
+ACs-AD4- continued to steadily bleed away into the black sand.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Time passed. Willow mourned the blue died and the fragment waited.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Time passed. Willow mourned the blue died and the fragment waited.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Time passed. Willow mourned the blue died and the fragment waited.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Time passed. Willow accepted, +ACs-ACI-Come,+ACs-ACI- she sent. +ACs-ACI-Come back to me, I
can't...I
+ACs-AD4- can't do it alone.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The fragment instantly joined with the greater red spark and there was a
+ACs-AD4- flash of crimson so great that in all directions of the sky, The Sea, The
+ACs-AD4- Beach and The Cliffs glowed red once more. The edged stones making up the
+ACs-AD4- cliff now glowed red, almost bloody. The black sands turned a muddy, red
+ACs-AD4- color. From The Beach a crimson light grew that reflected off The Sea with
+ACs-AD4- such power that the stars overhead were obscured.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Briefly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Effortlessly now the red, Willow herself, burned with a great and healing
+ACs-AD4- power. Steadily now the blue drank in the light, the love, and the soul
+ACs-AD4- offered by her. And finally another small fragment of red broke off from
+ACs-AD4- Willow, drifted toward the blue, as if uncertain it hesitated, then turned
and
+ACs-AD4- buried itself into the now strong, blue glow of Buffy Summer's restored
and
+ACs-AD4- vibrant soul.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The two sparks burned for a while on the shores of The Beach, their twin
+ACs-AD4- lights coloring the area around them. They rested and simply existed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The red burned patiently, waiting.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The blue burned purposefully, preparing.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- With a great burst of light the blue burst into luminescence. When the
flare
+ACs-AD4- died away there were two blue lights resting on the shore+ACs-ADs- one greater and
+ACs-AD4- beating with a steady pulse and the other, a tiny bright fragment of
intense
+ACs-AD4- sapphire buzzing around between the greater fire rapidly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Then it slowed, circled a few more times, and came to stop resting before
the
+ACs-AD4- red. The red itself shrank away from the tiny blue flare as if in fear but
the
+ACs-AD4- blue fragment remained adamant and unwavering in its position or purpose.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- With a tiny flicker of acceptance the red accepted the gift and in a flash
+ACs-AD4- the tiny blue fragment buried itself in the greater light of Willow
+ACs-AD4- Rosenburg+ACs-IBk-s soul.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACoAKgAq-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- In the Southside Cemetery in Sunnydale, California it was late at night.
Near
+ACs-AD4- a marker with the name 'Tara Mclay' inscribed on it, inside a now dark
magic
+ACs-AD4- circle, lay two girls+ACs-ADs- one with red hair, the other a blonde. They lay
+ACs-AD4- together as if in a deep and restful sleep. No worries marred their
features,
+ACs-AD4- no inner pains despoiled their rest+ACs-ADs- but their chests, their hearts, were
+ACs-AD4- still. No life animated any part of them and no warmth caused their cheeks
to
+ACs-AD4- flush. They lay together in death as the dark on the horizon began to fade
and
+ACs-AD4- surrender the field to the coming dawn.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy Summers lurched upright coughing and gasping. Beside her Willow
+ACs-AD4- Rosenberg rolled over with a slight groan. Around them both the circle and
+ACs-AD4- runes sprang into life again, glowing a soft, peaceful white.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-What...what....+ACs-ACI- Buffy gasped. +ACs-ACI-What the hell was that?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow ignored the random questions as she crawled on her belly across the
+ACs-AD4- earth. Embracing the headstone that marked the resting-place of her love,
Tara
+ACs-AD4- Mclay, she silently began to weep.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Will?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said sitting. +ACs-ACI-Where are you? Will?+ACs-ACI- She turned around to
see
+ACs-AD4- the redhead crying.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Oh...god,' Buffy thought. In her gut she felt this maw open wide. A great
+ACs-AD4- sense of loss overcame her and her stomach heaved at the sensation. She
opened
+ACs-AD4- her mouth as if to gag, gritting her teeth and shaking her head fiercely
+ACs-AD4- helped her fight the impulse off.. Tears sprang to her eyes as a great
chill
+ACs-AD4- fell upon her. 'No, oh God...I had no idea.' she thought.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'I should leave,' Buffy thought. 'I should stand up right now and leave.
She
+ACs-AD4- needs to be alone, needs time to deal with this...this...'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy Summers was only mildly surprised when she found herself crouching
down
+ACs-AD4- besides Willow and cradled the redhead's chin in her good hand.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Yes,' A distant and not too familiar part of her mind said. 'This is
+ACs-AD4- right.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Leaning forward Buffy lifted the hacker's face and gently pressed her lips
to
+ACs-AD4- the redhead's cheek. Her puckered her lips erasing a falling tear. Taking
a
+ACs-AD4- tiny sliver of great pain into her.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Again Buffy leaned forward and kissed away a tear marking the face of her
+ACs-AD4- best friend.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And again.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- And-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No+ACs-ACEAIg- Willow shrieked raising an arm as if to ward off a blow.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- she repeated more calmly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Shhhhhiiiiiitt,' Buffy's mind hissed slowly. 'I blew it, went too fast
and
+ACs-AD4- I've probably screwed up big time now and-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Not yet,+ACs-ACI- Willow said.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Will?+ACs-ACI- Buffy asked her eyebrows raised. +ACs-ACI-Are...are you okay?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow shook her head, fresh tears replacing the ones taken, replacing the
+ACs-AD4- ones Buffy had healed. +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- she said slowly. +ACs-ACI-I'm not.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I-I'm sorry, Will,+ACs-ACI- Buffy stammered. +ACs-ACI-I don't know what came over me and
I
+ACs-AD4- thought it was a good idea and it-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I do,+ACs-ACI- Willow whispered. +ACs-ACI-I do, Buffy, I know.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The Slayer's shoulders slumped in relief. +ACs-ACI-You do?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The hacker nodded. +ACs-ACI-So do you.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy sat back and rested her forearms on her knees. +ACs-ACI-The...the
tiny...little
+ACs-AD4- fires?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- Willow shook her head. +ACs-ACI-They are something but...+ACs-ACI- she shrugged.
+ACs-ACI-Just
+ACs-AD4- something, not everything.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-So...you...don't?+ACs-ACI- Buffy asked hesitantly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-I don't love you like that.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy was ready to leap to her feet and run. 'How could I have been so
+ACs-AD4- stupid?' her mind screamed. 'What was I thinking? Now Willow will never-'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-And you don't love me that way,+ACs-ACI- Willow sighed, nuzzling the cold marker.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Wha-?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said. +ACs-ACI-Will I-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-But we could,+ACs-ACI- Willow said quietly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-We...we could?+ACs-ACI- Buffy stammered.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow laughed quietly. +ACs-ACI-Now your stammer is cute.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy felt her face growing a warm. She looked away, looked up at the
stars.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Um-+ACs-ACI- she ummed.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-It's not easy,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-I'm not sure either but I do know I'm
+ACs-AD4- not...we're not...quite ready.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy looked away from the stars and found herself looking at the redhead.
+ACs-AD4- Willow's eyes still shone with unshed tears but held her own stare steady,
+ACs-AD4- softly, in a non-aggressive way but rock steady. 'Her eyes are so
beautiful'
+ACs-AD4- Buffy found herself thinking.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I mean,+ACs-ACI- Willow said staring right at Buffy. +ACs-ACI-Tara...is....+ACs-ACI- she
shrugged.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-This world is cruel,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-I can't be...sure. I want to be sure
+ACs-AD4- it'd be okay with Tara if...y'know...only there no messages in a bottle or
+ACs-AD4- anything.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Like a shooting star?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said with a sad smile.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Or a rumble of thunder,+ACs-ACI- Willow said in agreement.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-So...+ACs-ACI- Buffy shrugged slightly. +ACs-ACI-When do you think...?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Soon,+ACs-ACI- Willow said. +ACs-ACI-Soon.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I...I think I can...I mean I...think that's....+ACs-ACI- Buffy started over.
+ACs-ACI-Good,+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- she said.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yeah,+ACs-ACI- Willow replied, smiling herself.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Getting late,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said blatantly changing the subject.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The hacker sat up and looked at the brightening glow on the horizon.
+ACs-ACI-Gettin'
+ACs-AD4- early you mean.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I guess,+ACs-ACI- Buffy shrugged and the two looked at each other for a moment
+ACs-AD4- before smiling at each other softly.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Sleepy,+ACs-ACI- Willow murmured.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Shall we...?+ACs-ACI- Buffy said slowly. +ACs-ACI-Y'know...head home?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Willow shook her head. +ACs-ACI-No,+ACs-ACI- she said. +ACs-ACI-I want to sleep here. With her.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4- Willow ran her fingers over the engravings that spelled out Tara's name.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Oh,+ACs-ACI- Buffy said standing up slowly. +ACs-ACI-Oh, okay I understand.+ACs-ACI- she made a
show
+ACs-AD4- of brushing nonexistent dirt off her jeans. +ACs-ACI-Uh...alright then I guess
I'll-+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Stay with me?+ACs-ACI- Willow said looking up at the Slayer hopefully. +ACs-ACI-Stay
here?
+ACs-AD4- With us?+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Buffy paused, 'It could...it might be...' her mind threw up objections
+ACs-AD4- instinctively. 'We might be intrud- Heck with it.'
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-Yeah,+ACs-ACI- she said smiling down at Willow. +ACs-ACI-Yeah okay.+ACs-ACI-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Stretching out besides the reclining redhead Buffy reached over slowly and
+ACs-AD4- gently took Willow's hand in her good one. They lay there for a while
watching
+ACs-AD4- the fading stars and feeling weariness steal over them.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- +ACs-ACI-I...I missed you, Willow,+ACs-ACI- Buffy whispered, still staring up into the
sky.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- 'Finally,' her mind sang.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Besides her she felt, more than heard, Willow sigh deeply, the satisfying,
+ACs-AD4- restful sigh of someone who has been relieved of a long held, heavy
burden. +ACs-ACI-I
+ACs-AD4- missed you too, Buffy.+ACs-ACI- Willow said.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Nothing else needed to be said.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Soon the two girls drifted off to sleep, hands still clasped together.
They
+ACs-AD4- rested peacefully inside the glowing white borders of a circle in which
two
+ACs-AD4- names were carved in colored sand, a circle that would protect them from
any
+ACs-AD4- residual nightspawn. They slept and dreamed the dreams of the found, of
+ACs-AD4- friends and of something, maybe, more.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- The sun rose slowly in the east, its great light burning away shadow and
+ACs-AD4- dark, its light cascading across the sky so bright that the stars were
+ACs-AD4- overwhelmed and faded away until the next night. Before gaining total
+ACs-AD4- dominance in the dawning sky, had either of the two girls been awake to
see
+ACs-AD4- it, they would have witnessed the awesome sight of a falling star, its
tail a
+ACs-AD4- great and fiery white, burn itself across the sky. With its passing they
would
+ACs-AD4- have heard the quiet rumble of distant thunder.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- END-DEEPER
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Authors Notes: Two rewrites, six drafts and far too many pages later, this
+ACs-AD4- thing is finally DONE. And I'm rather pleased with all the work that went
into
+ACs-AD4- this one. Why? Well, easily put I was being paid for it.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Okay, not paid but a bargin had been struck. The person who was kind
enough to
+ACs-AD4- send me copies of Season 6 made me an offer. On the one hand I could send
them
+ACs-AD4- the money they had spent on shipping and handling or I could do what they
+ACs-AD4- requested- That being salvaging Buffy and Willow at the end of Season 6,
as
+ACs-AD4- realistically as possible.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- I don't think it's that bad. What do you think?
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- I remain, as always,
+ACs-AD4- Mad-Hamlet
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- W.B. Yeats: What rough beast, its hour come at last, slouches toward
Bethlehem
+ACs-AD4- to be born?
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4- Mad-Hamlet: Me.
+ACs-AD4-
+ACs-AD4-
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