FF: The Prophecy (2/6)

"In case you die?" cried out Dawn, jumping to her feet with a scowl. There were tears in her eyes. "I don't care who you're screwing, Buffy, you ain't gonna die again! I won't let you!"

"Okay, Dawnie," said her sister. Her voice was deceptively mild.

Willow knew just by looking at her, by reading her subtle signals that Buffy was already long gone. She'd known all along of course but she hadn't been able to face it. Buffy was back because of her. Because she needed the Slayer in ways she couldn't even begin to describe to herself. That Buffy wasn't happy was something she couldn't stand to think about. Something that she would dig into the blackest of magicks to change if she could.

"Buffy," she said, stepping between Giles who was standing with a helpless arm out and Xander who was glowering with clenched fists. She bravely looked straight into the Slayer's remote gaze. "You aren't going to fail tonight. You've never failed. Because you always give your all, your one hundred percent and we all believe in you. I believe."

Buffy's eyes finally found hers and Willow flinched at the iciness she saw there.

"Willow," the Slayer said, her voice smooth and low. "I've already failed. The sooner you acknowledge that you did too, the happier we'll all be."

"What do you mean by that?" demanded the witch, just angry enough to step well into Buffy's personal body space and stare her slightly shorter friend down.

"You know what," said the Slayer, eyes now smouldering with barely suppressed rage.

"I didn't fail, Buffy," Willow almost screamed. "How could bringing you back be failing? We love you Buffy. We all missed you and n...needed you. I need you!"

"I don't need to hear this," Buffy bit out, turning to go. Before she could get all the way around, Willow reached out and pulled on her shoulder. The result was instantaneous. Buffy snapped. She whirled back around and backhanded Willow across the room.

The world seemed to stop to the Slayer. Thick rushing greyness speared towards her in her mind's eye as a primal force from somewhere deep inside her core rushed up and filled her, filled her more, filled her bursting, rushed through her body and out of her fingers and toes like fire.

To the watching Scooby's a thick palatable tension appeared in the air around the Slayer, brooding and gathering like an oncoming storm. Her blonde hair rose around her head as though with static electricity and her eyes snapped with unnatural silvery light.

"Whoa Nelly," gasped Xander backing away in reaction, although part of him desperately wanted to go to his fallen childhood buddy.

"Dear Goddess!" exclaimed Giles, rushing to shield Dawn. "This is just bollocks."

"I agree!" screeched Anya, ducking behind the counter. Tara in the meanwhile scrambled towards where Willow huddled on the floor.

"Stop," commanded the Slayer and Tara froze. Literally. Buffy raised her hand and pointed toward Willow. "Get up."

"Uh, yes Mam?" Willow's lip was bleeding and she looked badly frightened.

"Buffy!" screamed Dawn from where Giles had pulled her underneath the table. "Buffy, what are you doing?"

Buffy ignored her in favour of spreading her hands to her sides and addressing a stunned Willow.

"I am here to face you, Magick Woman."

"Oh crap," said Willow, glancing back at a seemingly frozen Tara in panic. "This can not be happening." She turned back to Buffy finding no help available from her girlfriend. "Uh, I'm not the Magick Woman. I mean, I a m a ah woman and I do the magicks but I'm not the one you're looking for. Buffy? Or ah Tortini? Sorry er is it Zucchini? No, erm Lolini?"

"I am the Force Of Goodness," intoned the Slayer. Her voice sounded different. Hard and guttural.

"The First Slayer?" Willow guessed, wondering desperately what the other Scooby's were doing to try and help her out of this situation. They'd better be doing something!

"I am the Force Of Goodness that exists inside every Champion's heart," Buffy continued, seemingly oblivious to Willow's question. "I never give up. I cannot be destroyed. I go on forever. I keep the vampires and demons at bay. But I am...lost."

"Like I understand what you just said," gasped Willow. "Abstracto girl."

"I am here to face you, Magick Woman," said Abstracto Girl. "I am here to defeat you and to be defeated in turn. As it should be."

"Huh?" said Willow, beginning to get her bearings enough to start edging away and closer to Tara. "Double huh?"

"Buffy!" called Dawn over from the Slayer's right. Under Giles direction the Scoobys began to launch an attack on the being possessing Buffy's body. With a little scream of terror, Dawn ran past her sister hurling holy water as she went. Buffy didn't react.

TBC in 3/6