THE POWER OF THREE
PART TEN
By DragonWriter17
 

Rating: PG-13 through Part 10, R after that

Disclaimer: All of the materials borrowed from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel belong to Joss Whedon and to the entities and companies associated with their creation.  I have borrowed them for creative and entertainment purposes only.  No compensation has been or ever shall be received for the writing below.  No copyright infringement is intended.

My Website: http://www.oocities.org/dragonwriter17/

Feedback: Yes, but only if it’s of the non-flamey variety: DragonWriter17@aol.com

Distribution: The Mystic Muse, Near Her Always  (If you are interested in posting my story on your site, please contact me first for permission.)

Spoilers: The end of BtVS Season 4’s “Wild At Heart” and beyond.

Pairings: Willow/Buffy/Tara

Author’s Notes: I have kept to the BtVS/Angel canon in some ways, borrowing directly from aired episodes; however, I have also made significant changes: deleting certain storylines, moving some, changing others, as well as adding some completely original plots.  You may want to read my stand-alone story “Out Of Shadow Into Light,” which tells my version of Tara’s life prior to her arrival in Sunnydale; it is the backstory for Tara for this series.

Number of Chapters: 13

Complete: 1-12

Series Summary: After Oz leaves Sunnydale, Willow turns to best friend, Buffy, and new friend, Tara, for comfort, resulting in a remarkable new relationship for all three.  Amidst the daily dangers of life on the Hellmouth, the three women forge bravely ahead, unaware that their relationship has been predestined. 

Chapter Summary: Buffy tells her mother about her relationship with Willow and Tara.  The Scoobies also adjust to the news of the Threesome.  While sharing details of their lives with Willow, Buffy and Tara become closer.  As Lindsey maintains surveillance of the Three, an unexpected event changes everything. 

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PART ONE       PART TWO       PART THREE       PART FOUR       PART FIVE      

PART SIX       PART SEVEN       PART EIGHT      PART NINE

PART TEN       PART ELEVEN       PART TWELVE       PART THIRTEEN

PART TEN

“You know who the Three are?” the Senior Partner said, turning Lindsey’s dramatic announcement in a question.

“Yes,” Lindsey confirmed.

“Go on,” the Senior Partner said.

“It’s the Slayer and her two witchy sidekicks, Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay.” 

“I’m familiar with Rosenberg.  According to our records, it was she who restored Angel’s soul after he lost it in his doomed romance with the Slayer.  But the other, she is unknown to us.  What do you know of her?” 

“Not much, I’m afraid,” Lindsey admitted.

“Are the Three joined yet?” 

“I don’t think so.” 

“You don’t think so?” the Senior Partner boomed.  “Well, find out!  Find out everything, about all of them.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Lindsey responded quickly.  Then he asked, “Do you want me to take them out?” 

The Senior Partner paused then answered.  “No, not yet.  Not without knowing if they’re Joined or not.  We can’t take the risk of…” The Senior Partner paused again.  “Just watch them, learn what you can about them, find their weaknesses.  When the time is right, we’ll send in a specialist to deal with them.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Anything else?” the Senior Partner asked

“There is one more thing,” Lindsey replied.  “Ever since her first visit to the Hellmouth, Zephenia’s been raving about someone who was coming.  She kept repeating ‘he comes, he comes.’  Well, today she came up with a name: ‘N’Faius.’  And when the Slayer and her group went to the Hellmouth, the blonde witch, the Maclay girl, came out really spooked.  So, whoever this ‘N’Faius’ is, he sounds big.  Do you recognize the name?” 

“Not offhand, no,” the Senior Partner responded.  “I’ll get the Research Department on it.  In the meantime, maintain surveillance on the Three and report your findings.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Lindsey said before disconnecting the call with a deep sigh.

*     *     *

By the time Giles, Xander, and Anya had exited the old high school, Willow and Buffy were helping Tara to her feet.  Willow kept her arms wrapped around Tara’s waist while Buffy held Tara’s hand.

“Tara, are you all right?” Giles asked with concern.

“Yeah, you shot out of there like a bat out of hell,” Xander added. “And where does that phrase come from anyway?  I have never seen a bat manage to clock more than an enthusiastic flutter.”

Tara was still trembling, but she managed a small smile and nod.  “I’ll be okay,” she said in a shaky voice.  “I just…b-b-bad vibes…”  Tara shuddered again, and Willow gave the frightened blonde another squeeze.

“Well, if we had any doubts about the nature of what’s coming up out of the Hellmouth,” Anya stated, “I think they were just shattered.”

Buffy kept her grip on Tara’s hand but turned to Giles.  “I think you and I need to talk some shop,” she told her unofficial Watcher, who nodded in agreement.

“Buffy,” Willow said to her roommate, “I’m going to take Tara back to her room and stay with her.”

“Good idea,” Buffy replied as they two of them helped Tara to her feet.  “I’m gonna meet with Giles for a while and then patrol.  I’ll probably be out late.”

“Don’t patrol alone, okay?” Willow asked.

Buffy smiled at Willow.  “Hey, Xan, you up for patrolling?”

“Oh, yeah,” Xander agreed quickly.  “Hand to hand, Xan’s the man!”

“Why don’t you walk Anya home and then meet me at Giles’ a little before dark,”  Buffy suggested.

“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit,” Xander said.  Then he and Anya started down the sidewalk.

“Buffy?” Tara said.  “Call us at my dorm when you get in?”

Buffy smiled at Tara.  “Sure thing.”

Willow and Tara moved away, heading for the university.  Suddenly, Tara stopped and turned back towards Buffy.

“Buffy! I just remembered something!” Tara said.  “That man we saw today, the one with the old woman?  I saw him earlier this week, on campus, looking for Stevenson Dorm.  When you were still in the hospital.”

“Really?” Buffy replied, now even more suspicious.

“I-I-I meant to say something earlier, but--”

“It’s okay,” Buffy assured Tara. “I know what he looks like now, so I’ll be watching for him.  I have a feeling we’re going to see him again.”

*     *     *

“Okay, what’s the plan?” Buffy asked Giles as soon as they entered his apartment.

“Well, I’ve given the situation some thought,” the former Watcher replied, “and I think we should contact the Council to see if they have any information.”

“The Council!” Buffy objected.  “You mean the ones who subjected me to that archaic Slayer test that nearly got me and my mother killed?  The ones who refused to share the information that would have helped Angel?  That Council?”

“I understand your anger, believe me,” Giles replied.  “However, we mustn’t turn away from a possible resource.  Not when it concerns the Hellmouth.”

“I’m not working for them again, Giles!  I want that to be made perfectly clear to them.”

“Agreed.  I’ll ring Quentin this evening.”  Giles paused and looked at his Slayer.  “I think that you should contact Riley as well.”

“Yeah,” Buffy reluctantly agreed.  “I still don’t trust the Initiative, but if Tara’s reaction is any indication, we’re gonna need some big guns.”

*     *     *

Back at the hotel, Lindsey dragged Zephenia into the suite and plopped her onto the sofa.  Then he sat on the coffee table right in front of her.  Zephenia was in her own little world, swaying and humming to herself about the Three.

“Zephenia,” Lindsey said. 

When she didn’t respond, he repeated her name more firmly.  When she still didn’t look in his direction, he grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.

“Zephenia, I need you to listen to me, okay?” he said.  “I need you to focus...focus on the Three.  Tell me...are they Joined yet?”  Lindsey released her chin when she appeared to go into deep thought.

Zephenia considered the matter for a moment, then shook her head.  “Two and two, not through and through.”  Suddenly, she frowned and grabbed Lindsey’s hand.  With a look of grave concern, she said, “Soon they will be One.”  Then she went back to her humming and swaying.

Lindsey looked away and rolled his eyes.  “Just once I’d like to get a straight yes or no answer from her!”

*     *     *

Tara stood at the sink in the bathroom, combing her hair in front of the mirror.  She had headed for the shower as soon as she and Willow had arrived at her dorm.  Her experience at the Hellmouth had left her feeling contaminated, touched by evil.  Although she knew there wasn’t anything physically on her body that needed to be washed away, her extra-long shower had still provided a psychological cleansing of sorts.  She now felt much better than she had.  She took a deep breath and headed for her room, where Willow was waiting.

Willow had showered as well, but unlike Tara, she hadn’t lingered.  She had cleaned up quickly and then returned to Tara’s room.  She changed into one of Tara’s t-shirts and began preparing the room.  Wanting to create a peaceful setting for her rattled girlfriend, Willow lit every candle she could find and placed them around the room.  She put a soothing CD in the stereo and turned off all the lights except the string of Christmas lights.  Finally, she rummaged around in Tara’s mini-fridge and cabinets until she had scrounged up some drinks and snacks.

When Tara stepped inside the room and saw Willow’s preparations, the blonde smiled gratefully. 

“Somebody’s been busy,” she commented.

“You like?” Willow asked.

“Yes, I like, very much,” Tara replied.  “Thank you.”

“I’ve got snacks if you’re hungry,” Willow offered, holding out the plate of goodies.

Tara shook her head.  “I don’t think I could eat anything right now,” she said.  “But maybe later.”

“Okay,” Willow said amiably.  “I’ll just put this up then.”

As Willow dutifully put away the drinks and snacks, Tara sank wearily onto the bed.  Willow joined her, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend and resting her head on her shoulder.

“I’m so tired,” Tara said.

“Well then get yourself into bed, missy!” Willow ordered, standing Tara up and pulling down the covers.

“It’s too early to go to bed,” Tara objected weakly.  “It’s barely dark out.”

“There’s no such thing as a bad time to nap,” Willow countered.

When Willow pointed at the bed in a silent order, Tara surrendered and crawled into the bed.  Willow climbed in beside her and pulled her into a warm embrace.  Tara sighed and snuggled into place. 

Sleep can wait, Tara thought. This is what I need right here.

*     *     *

With the night fully upon them, Buffy and Xander walked slowly down a residential street, making their way from one cemetery to another as part of their patrol.  The first few graveyards had been completely monster-less; consequently, Buffy was a little bit antsy.  The whole Hellmouth thing had Buffy worried, and she needed a good Slay to relieve some of that pent-up tension.  Unfortunately, Sunnydale’s resident evils were not cooperating in the least.  Plus, Buffy could tell that Xander was itching to talk about her earlier announcement that both she and Tara were co-dating Willow.

“Okay, okay,” she finally said.  “Out with it.  I know you’re dying to say something about me and Willow.”

“Okay, here it is,” Xander answered immediately, once given the go-ahead by Buffy.  “How did this happen?  And when did this happen?  And where the hell was I when all of this was happening?”

Buffy grinned at Xander’s barrage of questions.  “Well, it didn’t happen overnight,” she explained.  “I’ve known for some time that I was bisexual--”

“Since when?” Xander interrupted.  “You’ve never dated anyone of the female persuasion that I know of.  Was this pre-Sunnydale?”

“No, I was clueless in L.A.,” Buffy replied.  “I’ve known...since Faith.”

“Faith? You and Faith were dating?” Xander exclaimed.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it ‘dating’ exactly...” Buffy said.

“Man, talk about clueless!  How could I have missed all that?”

“Maybe because you were too busy drooling over her yourself?”

“Au contraire,” Xander corrected.  “I have drooled for only one Slayer.”  Xander gave Buffy a playful to nudge.  “So all those nights you and Faith were out ‘slaying’ together, you were actually--”

“Not all those nights,” Buffy interjected.  “It was complicated.  Angel was gone, and then he wasn’t.  It didn’t matter, anyway, we knew we could never be together.”  Buffy paused thoughtfully then continued.  “And Faith was so m--”

“Mamalicious?”

“Nooo,” Buffy chided.  “Magnetic.  I was just drawn to her.  It was probably a Slayer thing.”

“That and the fact that she’s hot,” Xander quipped.

“Ha, that’s exactly what Willow said!”

“See, now that’s gonna take some gettin’ used to...you and me and Will checkin’ out the same babes.”

“It’ll just give us one more thing in common,” Buffy added cheerfully, linking her arm in Xander’s.

“Okay, I get it with Faith,” Xander said, pulling the conversation back on track.  “But you and Willow...that just seems to be so out of the blue.”

“Yeah, I know,” Buffy agreed.  “It’s really not, though.  We’ve loved each other for a long time, but just didn’t realize it.  Or when we sort of halfway did realize it, the timing was bad.  We wouldn’t have gotten together at all if Tara hadn’t forced us to admit our feelings for each other.”

“Why did she do that?” Xander asked.  “She already had Willow.  Why would she risk losing her to you?”

Buffy shrugged.  “I don’t know, but I’m glad she did.”

“So, how’s this all gonna work with the two of you both dating Willow?  You gonna alternate nights or something?  You know, you’re the Girl Friday-Monday-Wednesday, she’s the Girl Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday, and you share Saturdays, or maybe that’s Willow’s night off...”

“God, I don’t know,” Buffy said.  “It’s not like there’s a ‘Three-Ways for Dummies’ instruction manual out there.  Is there?”

“Don’t ask me,” Xander said, lifting his hands in a stave-off motion.  “My one-time three-way ended in complete and utter failure, if you recall.  I lost Cordy and Willow.”

“Ehhh,” Buffy said, shaking her head.  “I’m not gonna worry about it.  All that matters is that we both love Willow and she loves us.  We’ll find a way to...oh my...”

Buffy stopped mid-sentence when a sudden hot shudder rolled through her body.  Her hand flew to her chest as she felt herself flush in the wake of Willow and Tara’s love-making.

“What is it?” Xander asked worriedly.  “You okay?”

“Fine!  I’m fine!” Buffy answered way too quickly.  “It’s just...tacos!  Yes, tacos, that’s it.  Dining hall tacos, revisiting, not good.”

“You wanna call it a night?” Xander offered.  “Doesn’t look like there’s gonna be much business.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Buffy agreed, her body still tensed up.  “I’ll...ohhh...walk you home.”  Man, payback’s a bitch, Buffy thought to herself.

*     *     *

After walking Xander home, Buffy returned to campus.  She headed for Stevenson, then changed her mind and went to Tara’s dorm instead.  She paused outside the dorm and tried to sense what Willow and Tara were doing.  She couldn’t pick up much, but she felt sure that the two were awake and not engaged in any heated activities.  Buffy entered the dorm and went to Tara’s room.  She knocked on the door.  After a few moments, Tara answered.

“Buffy,” Tara said with surprise.

“Hey,” Buffy said.  “Can I come in?”

“Oh, sure,” Tara replied, stepping aside to allow Buffy to enter.

When Buffy walked inside, she saw Willow sitting on the floor with a spread of snack food in front of her.

“Hey, is something wrong?” Willow asked worriedly, wondering why Buffy had cut her patrol short.

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Buffy answered.

“We were just getting a late-night snack, you wanna join us?” Tara offered.

“Okay,” Buffy agreed, plopping on the floor beside Willow.

“What do you want to drink?” Tara asked, standing beside her mini-fridge.  “I’ve got bottled water and juice.”

“Water’ll be fine,” Buffy said.

Tara retrieved a bottle from the fridge, handed it to Buffy, then sat down on the other side of Willow.  Buffy thanked Tara, twisted the cap off her water, and grabbed a handful of cookies. 

“Slow night?” Willow asked Buffy.

“Yeah,” Buffy said.  “Plus, I got really distracted about an hour ago.  Now I wonder what could’ve possibly done that?”

Willow and Tara exchanged embarrassed glances.

“Ooops,” Willow said.

“Sorry,” Tara added.

Buffy laughed.  “I had to give Xander some lame taco story to explain my suddenly-flushed condition,” she said.  “You know, the ole ‘heartburn’ excuse is gonna get old after a while.”

Willow nearly choked on her cookie when she started to laugh.

“This may become a real problem,” Tara said seriously.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate the experience,” Buffy said with a chuckle, “it’s just that it can be a little embarrassing and definitely hard to explain.”

Willow laughed again, and Buffy poked her.

“It’s easy for you to laugh,” Buffy told the redhead.  “You’re not the one who has to deal with this!”

“We should work on our shields,” Tara suggested to Buffy.

“Shields?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah, you know...your psychological walls that block thoughts and feelings,” Tara explained.  “Telepaths and psychics have to learn how to close themselves off so that they won’t go crazy from the constant bombardment.”

“It works the other way, too,” Willow added.  “People who work magic together have to learn how to open their shields more fully so that they can form a stronger link during casting.”

“Is this gonna be like meditation and stuff?” Buffy said unenthusiastically, remembering some of the sessions Giles had forced upon her.

“It’ll be similar,” Tara answered, “at least at first while we’re practicing.”

“You sound like you know a lot about this,” Buffy commented.

“Not a lot, n-n-not really,” Tara replied shyly.  “My mom taught me some things.  She could see auras and sense things, like I can, but she was way stronger than I am, so she had to learn to keep her shields up.”  Tara ducked her head.  “I should have done that today at the Hellmouth, but I didn’t.”

Willow reached out and took Tara’s hand.  “Hey, what you were sensing at the Hellmouth was some big-time evil.  It’s understandable that you would react the way you did.”

Buffy watched Tara raise her head and smile at Willow.  She felt her heart warm at the sight.  She decided to shift the conversation away from the Hellmouth.

“Speaking of mothers,” Buffy said, “I’m gonna talk to mine tomorrow and tell her about us.”

“How do you think she’ll take it?” Willow asked.

“Haven’t a clue,” Buffy replied.  “What about you?  Have you told your mom and dad yet?”

“Nah, they’re still on the road,” Willow answered.  “They won’t be back for a couple of weeks, and I am not going to try to tell them over the phone.”

Buffy turned to the blonde witch across from her.  “What about you, Tara?  I mean, I know you can’t tell your mom...is there someone else in your family that you’re close to, that you—”

“No,” Tara interjected abruptly.  “My mom was it.  Now there’s just me.”

“Correction,” Willow stated firmly but with a smile.  “Now there’s just us,” she said, reaching out to take Buffy’s hand as well.

With smiles all around, the three quickly forgot any unpleasant memories and soon dug back into their junk food. 

*     *     *

After they had eaten and talked and laughed a bit longer, Buffy excused herself and left for her own dorm.  Buffy was a little saddened by the separation but not in any way jealous.  Buffy wondered again for the millionth time why she wasn’t having any ill feelings towards Tara.  The more Buffy thought about it, the more convinced she became of the fact that she simply liked Tara.  She was sweet and funny and just an all-around good person.  And she made Willow happy, which earned her a star in Buffy’s book. 

And she’s got that adorable half-smile of hers, Buffy mused to herself before cutting off her errant thoughts.

“This is not normal,” Buffy said out loud to herself as she walked along the sidewalk.  “I should be all ‘grrr...arrggh...get away from my girlfriend’, but I’m not.  God, I can’t even figure this out for myself, I don’t know how I’m going to explain it to Mom.”

Buffy continued to debate the issue with herself as she slowly crossed the campus to Stevenson dorm.  Her mind was so engaged with the matter that she didn’t realize she was being watched...by two separate sets of eyes.

From the dorm parking lot, Lindsey peeked over the dash of his inconspicuous rental car as Buffy neared her building.  He looked at his watch and stifled a yawn, then took a sip from his coffee.

From the shadows of the dorm next door, Spike glared at the Slayer’s back as she headed up the steps to the front entrance of her residence hall.  Once she’d gone inside, he threw down the cigarette he’d been smoking and crushed it under his boot heel.  Then, casting a glance about for any Initiative scouts on patrol, he slipped away from the dorm.

*     *     *

Despite her late return the night before, Joyce had risen early, anxious to get her recent purchases from the art show to her gallery for sorting and cataloguing.  She had just turned on the coffee when she heard the front door open quietly.  She stepped into the foyer and saw Buffy easing the front door shut.

“Buffy?” Joyce said.

“Yeeeoow!” Buffy said, jumping in fright, then turning quickly to face her mother.  “Holy cow, Mom!  Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“I could ask you the same thing, sneaking in here at the crack of dawn...” Joyce teased.  “You know, if you were still in high school, I’d be grilling you about now.”

“Thank god, I’m in college now,” Buffy said, rolling her eyes as she and her mother moved into the kitchen.

“Not to be nosy, grown-up college gal, but what are you doing here so early?”

Buffy put her hands on her hips.  “Well, I was going to surprise you with breakfast, but now you’ve gone and ruined it.”

“You were going to cook me breakfast?” Joyce asked in shock.

“If I cooked the breakfast, it would be a surprise, and not a good one,” Buffy replied.   “I was thinking more along the lines of toast.  I mean, the toaster has only one button, so I just punch it down and pop goes the toasties.”

“Actually, the toaster has two buttons,” Joyce explained.  “One does the popping, and the other controls the toasting time.”

“Oh, well, that settles it,” Buffy said, throwing up her hands in defeat.  “You’re gettin’ cereal then.  I’m sure I can handle that.”

As Joyce giggled and got a cup of coffee, Buffy retrieved the cereal, milk, bowls, and spoons.  Then she got herself a glass of juice and sat down with her mother at the bar.

“So, what do you want to talk to me about?” Joyce asked pointedly as they began to eat their breakfast.

“What makes you think I have something to talk about?” Buffy replied innocently.

“Do you really expect me to believe that you came all the way over here this early just to have breakfast with dear old Mom?”

“Hey, it could happen,” Buffy said.  “But not today,” she admitted.  “I do have something I want to tell you.  But don’t worry, I’m not pregnant, I’m not on drugs, and I’m not flunking out.  Oh, and I’m not dating a centuries-old vampire, either.”

“Thank god!” Joyce exclaimed.

“But I am seeing someone,” Buffy said with downcast eyes, “and it is a little complicated.”

Joyce reached out and touched her daughter’s arm until Buffy looked at her.  “Buffy, I will love you no matter who you date, you know that, right?”

Buffy smiled and nodded gratefully.  Then she took a deep breath.  “Okay, I’m not gonna beat around the bush and give some long-winded explanation, I’m just gonna say it: I’m dating Willow.”

“Willow?  But she’s...honey, are you...are you telling me that you’re gay?”

“Technically, I think I’m bisexual, but yeah,” Buffy replied.

“Then, Willow must be bisexual, too, because she was dating...”  Joyce trailed off and shook her head.  “I can see what you mean by complicated,” she said.

“Actually...that’s not the complicated part.”

“Oh, my,” Joyce exclaimed, wondering what else there was to the story.

“You remember Tara?”

“Yes, I met her at the hospital,” Joyce answered.

“Well, Willow is dating her, too,” Buffy said.  “Willow’s dating both of us.  At the same time.”

“So, you and Willow and Tara are...doing a three-way?” a confused Joyce asked.

“Sort of,” Buffy said with a guilty shrug of her shoulders.  “But not really, ’cause Tara and I aren’t slee...ah...seeing each other, you know, in that way.”

Joyce dropped her head for a moment, then raised it.  A worried expression covered her face.  “Open relationships can be very dangerous,” she advised.  “They’re almost impossible to maintain, human jealousy being what it is.”  Joyce took daughter’s hand.  “I’m just afraid you’re going to get hurt.  Someone always does in those kinds of relationships.”

Buffy looked her mother in the eyes and squeezed her mother’s hand.  “I know all that, Mom, I really do.  But so far, it’s working, and we really want to see this through.”

Joyce frowned in concern for a moment longer, then smiled. 

“Okay,” she said with a final squeeze to Buffy’s hand. 

She was rewarded with a beaming Buffy-smile that Joyce hadn’t seen in a long time. 

If it can make her smile like that, then I can’t be against it, now can I? Joyce thought to herself.

Buffy hopped off her stool and hugged her mother tightly.  “Thanks, Mom,” Buffy said excitedly.  “I can’t wait to tell Willow and Tara.”

“You’ll be seeing them today?” Joyce asked.

“Yeah, we’ve got a dinner date at the Grotto,” Buffy answered as she gathered up their breakfast dishes and put them in the dishwasher.  “Tonight, before I have to patrol.”

“Well, tell them both that I said hello and that I’ll be expecting them here at the house for supper very soon,” Joyce said firmly.

“Yes, Mother,” Buffy said dutifully.

*     *     *

Buffy sat in the student lounge nibbling nervously at one-half of the foot-long sub she’d picked up for lunch.  She hadn’t talked to Riley since that awkward passing on the quad about a week after she’d left the hospital.  Last night, when she had called him, he had been civil, friendly even.  She’d made it clear, however, that the reason for the meeting was purely business; she didn’t want to mislead him.  Still, she worried about how it would go, and now he was five minutes late.

Finally, Riley appeared and began looking for Buffy in the crowd.  She stood and waved until Riley saw her.  He smiled and headed her way.

“Hey,” Buffy said as Riley sat down to join her.

“Hey,” Riley replied.  “Sorry I’m late.  I had a student conference after class.”

“It’s okay,” Buffy assured him.  “You want some of my sandwich?” she offered when she saw that Riley was lunch-less.

“Sure, thanks,” Riley said, gratefully taking the other half of Buffy’s sub.  “I haven’t had time to pick anything up.”  Riley bit into his sandwich.  “So you had something ‘work-related’ to talk about?” he prompted as he chewed.

“Yeah, something big is going down at the Hellmouth,” Buffy explained.  “From what we can tell, someone is getting ready to come out of there, and whoever he is, he’s bad news.  I think the Initiative should take a look.”

“Sure, we can do that,” Riley said.

“Great, that’s a load off my mind,” Buffy said sincerely.

The two concentrated on their sandwiches for a while, not really knowing what to say, now that the business portion of the conversation was over.  As a result, their subs disappeared quickly, and they were left with nothing to fill the empty space between them.  Riley eventually bit the bullet and said what was on his mind.

“So...how’s it going with your ‘someone else’?” he asked in what he hoped was a neutral tone.

“Oh...ummm...good,” Buffy replied.  “It’s going good.  Great as a matter of fact.  Better than I’d hoped.”

“Oh,” he said, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.  “Well, good.  That’s...good.”

Once again, they were both awkwardly silent for a moment.  And once again, Riley bravely pushed ahead.

“Look, if things don’t work out with—”

“Riley...” Buffy warned gently.

“It’s okay, no problem, I get it,” he said quickly.  Riley stood and moved a step or two away.  “Don’t worry about the Hellmouth.  We’ll check it out.”

Before Buffy could say either sorry or thanks, Riley was gone.

*     *     *

When she got out of classes that afternoon, Buffy went straight to Giles’ apartment to check in with her unofficial Watcher.  She told him that Riley had agreed to get the Initiative on the Hellmouth problem.  Then she asked him if he’d been able to contact the Council.  He said that he had talked to Quentin the night before.

“So, what did Tight-Ass Travers have to say?” Buffy asked bluntly.

Giles hesitated at Buffy’s description of his former colleague on the Council, but then he answered.

“Quite a lot,” he said.  “When I explained what was going on, it sparked something in Quentin’s memory.  He told me he had to research something and he would call me back.  When he rang me later, he told me about a manuscript that I was completely unfamiliar with, one that the Council had acquired it recently.  It’s incomplete, a mere fragment, actually.”

“So what does this partial piece of paper say?”

“It talks about the Hellmouth,” Giles answered.  “It says that every thousand years the Hellmouth enters a period in which it becomes especially vulnerable to being opened.”

“And I guess we’re at the thousand mark right now, huh?”

“I’m afraid so.  About three and half years past the thousandth mark, or thereabouts.”

Buffy thought for a moment then asked, “Do you think that the Master knew about the Hellmouth’s vulnerability back in ’37?”

“If he did, he was sixty years too early.”

“Hmmm...I’ll bet, though, once he realized he had his figures wrong, he made sure he got free at the right time so that he could finish what he started,” Buffy theorized.  “So, if the Hellmouth was so vulnerable, why didn’t the Master’s plan to open the Hellmouth succeed?”

“Oh, it did, at first,” Giles explained.  “But once you defeated him, it closed again.”

“Why didn’t it just stay open?”

“My guess is that the ritual he performed was tied directly to him in some way, and when he fell, the Hellmouth fell with him.”

“How long does the Hellmouth stay in this ‘vulnerable’ state?” Buffy inquired.

“Seven years, according to the manuscript.”

“Uh-huh.”

“At these times, though, a special Guardian also appears,” Giles stated optimistically.

“That would be me, I presume.”

“In all likelihood, yes,” Giles replied.  “Unfortunately, it is at this part of the explanation that the manuscript is cut off.  Personally, I don’t think it’s any coincidence that you moved to Sunnydale when you did.”

“So...the Master’s attempt to open the Hellmouth was actually just the beginning?” Buffy summarized.  “Now every wacko demon from the Master to the Vahrall is gonna be taking a turn at the Hellmouth?”  When Giles shrugged an affirmative, Buffy rolled her eyes.  “Great,” she added unenthusiastically.

*     *     *

Lindsey was staking out Tara’s dorm when his cell phone rang.  He put down the small binoculars, flipped open his cell phone, and answered.

“Lindsey, I have some information for you,” the Senior Partner reported.  “We don’t know much, but we have learned some things about this ‘N’Faius’ you mentioned.  He’s a Demon Lord from the N’Krial hell dimension.  Known for leading a huge demon army.”

“So, what are we going to do?  I mean, what do you want me to do?” Lindsey corrected.

“If this ‘N’Faius’ does indeed emerge from the Hellmouth, I want you to make contact with him,” the Senior Partner instructed,  “and offer him the services of Wolfram and Hart.”

Lindsey hesitated then answered, “Yes, sir.”

*     *     *

In the underground facility of the Initiative, Riley told Professor Walsh what Buffy had said about the Hellmouth.  She seemed intrigued.

“We have been getting unusual readings of late,” she said.  “Especially since the last earthquake.”  She paused and thought for a moment.  Then she looked at Riley.  “I think it’s high time we set up a perimeter at this...Hellmouth.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Riley agreed.

“We’ll set up a lab there and monitor the readings,” she continued.  “Perhaps we can predict its opening.  We’ll need a fully-armed squad, of course.  If this is the doorway that the sub-terrestrials use to enter our dimension, then we’d better be ready to kill whatever comes through.”

*     *     *

It was late afternoon, and Buffy and Tara sat in uncomfortable silence at their table in the Grotto.  Willow had told them earlier that she might be late because of an extra credit lab she wanted to complete.  She said that they should go ahead and eat and that she would join them as soon as she could. 

They had complied, and now, here they were, picking at their food, wondering what in the world to say to each other.  It was easy, they thought, when Willow was around and it was the three of them.  Buffy and Tara were perfectly capable of speaking to each other then.  They even managed to joke around and do some tag-team teasing of their favorite redhead.  So why was talking proving to be so difficult now that they were alone?

Buffy decided to break the ice by bringing up the one thing they knew they had in common: Willow.

“Willow’s probably rechecking her lab report for the fifteenth time to make sure it’s perfect,” Buffy said with a small grin.

“Yes, she’s quite the perfectionist, isn’t she?” Tara agreed.  “I mean, I think I’m a pretty organized student, but she takes it to a whole new level.”

“No kidding.  Have you seen her pen collection?”

“You mean the sacred tin of pens that shall not be touched or woe be unto you?” Tara answered with a nod and rueful laugh.  “Oh yeah.  I made the mistake of trying to borrow one for a minute when she was over at my room studying.  She was like, ‘No! Not those pens!’  Then she actually pulled out a separate box where she keeps her ordinary pens, those which may be safely borrowed.”

Buffy laughed.  “She’s so cute when she’s obsessing.  The way her brow furrows up just so,” Buffy said, pointing at her own forehead as she duplicated Willow’s frown. 

Tara chuckled, recognizing the expression instantly.

“Oh, and then there’s her ‘resolve face’,” Buffy pointed out.

“Her what?” Tara asked, not making the connection.

“Don’t worry, you’ll know it when you see it,” Buffy told her.  “It’s her I-have-made-up-my-mind-and-shall-not-be-moved look.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see it,” Tara said excitedly.

“Ah, yes you can,” Buffy warned her.  “If you see it, it usually means she’s about to drop a big bomb on you.”

“Gosh, there is so much I have to learn about her,” Tara said with a hint of jealousy that Buffy had been able to know her for much longer.

“Want the scoop?” Buffy said slyly.

When Tara nodded enthusiastically, Buffy began her tale of life with Willow: their first meeting, their Scooby adventures, their friendship with Xander.  Soon Buffy had Tara laughing until her sides hurt, and the two of them completely forgot about being uncomfortable with one another.

*     *     *

As Buffy and Tara continued to talk with each other, Willow sneaked through the trees until she was in a position from which she could surreptitiously spy on her girlfriends.  When she saw them smiling and laughing, she grinned to herself, pleased with her little arrangement.

*     *     *

Buffy waved her hand in the air emphatically.  “No, no,” she said, “I have to tell you about the time we met Willow’s double.”

“Her double?” Tara asked.

“Yes,” Buffy confirmed.  “Willow has a doppelganger from another dimension that she just accidentally conjured one day.  And guess what?”

“What?”

“Vampire.”

“No way!”

“Oh, yeah.”

Buffy had Tara’s full attention as she went on to describe Willow’s decidedly evil, possibly gay, leather-clad twin.

“You know, seeing her doppelganger made me look at Willow a whole lot differently after that,” Buffy admitted.

“I’ll bet,” Tara said.  “Did you ever think of asking her out?”

“Oh, no,” Buffy said quickly.  “Willow herself was firmly in straight mode at the time, and I was just...”  Buffy dropped her glance to her hands.  “...screwed up.”

“Angel?” Tara asked softly.

Buffy looked up, surprised that Tara knew about Angel.  Then she realized that Willow must have told her.  She nodded sadly.

“And not just Angel,” Buffy said quietly.  “Faith, too.  From homicidal vampire to homicidal vampire slayer...it wasn’t pretty.”

“But now you’ve got Willow,” Tara pointed out optimistically.

“Yeah, I do,” Buffy said with a small smile, which quickly faded.  “That’s what scares me.”

“Scares you?”

Buffy shrugged in confirmation.  “She makes me so happy, but I just know, that if there ever comes a time when Willow has to choose, it won’t be me.”

Tara’s eyes widened in shock.  She shook her head, not believing what she had heard. 

“N-N-No, you’re wrong,” Tara said sadly.  “I-I-I know she’ll choose you.  She’s known you much longer, and you have a history together.  You’ve had time to really bond.  I don’t even know about her resolve face.”

“But you’ve got the big magic connection with her that I’ll never have,” Buffy countered.  “Plus, you have the whole sweet and nurturing thing going for you.”

“But you’re the Slayer, a super hero, for goodness’ sake.  You’ve got super strength and Slayer powers a-a-and that lean, buff body of yours.”

“But you’ve got the sexy voluptuous body and--”  Buffy paused as a light bulb went off over her head.  “God!  No wonder Willow wants both of us!” Buffy exclaimed, talking more to herself than to Tara.  “She’s getting the best of both worlds.  She’s getting her cake and eating it too.  She’s--”

“Y-Y-You think I’m sexy?” Tara interrupted shyly.

“Huh?” Buffy said before she finally realized what Tara had just asked.  Then she straightened in her chair and smiled.  “Well, yeah,” she said confidently.  “Don’t you?  I mean, don’t you think you’re sexy?”

“N-N-No,” Tara said, shaking her head. 

She immediately dropped her gaze and hid behind her hair.  Buffy reached out and grasped Tara’s hand firmly until Tara met her gaze.

“Well, you should,” Buffy assured her, “because you are.”

Tara ducked her head again, this time blushing at the compliment.  Then she raised her eyes and looked deeply into Buffy’s.

“So are you,” she stated with certainty, giving Buffy’s hand a squeeze.

Buffy and Tara exchanged smiles then engaged in unabashed stares. 

I can see why Willow loves her: she’s beautiful, inside and out, they both thought, completely unaware that they were each thinking the same thing about the other.

*     *     *

Willow grinned when she saw her two girlfriends hold hands and lock eyes.  It was what she had hoped for when she had arranged the supper date and her intentional tardiness.  She wanted Buffy and Tara to be comfortable around each other, to become friends in their own right, outside of what they shared with her.  Willow mentally patted herself on the back as she decided to watch them for a few minutes more before making her fashionably late arrival. 

Suddenly, Willow felt the hair on her neck stand on end.  Something wasn’t right.  She looked around, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.  She turned back to Tara and Buffy.  She saw the air near them begin to shimmer and distort.  Willow ran towards their table.

*     *     *

Buffy and Tara’s moment of mutual admiration was abruptly halted when a blast of cold air slammed against them.  Knowing it came from behind her, Buffy stood and turned in that direction.  Both Tara’s and Buffy’s eyes widened when they saw a swirling portal forming ten yards away.   A tendril of energy suddenly shot out from the portal and wrapped itself around the Slayer’s waist and legs.

“Buffy!” Tara called out in alarm.

Buffy struggled in vain against the tendril as it began dragging her towards the portal.  Tara dashed around the table and grabbed Buffy’s arms, then dug in with her heels, trying to get leverage against the portal’s relentless pull.

“Don’t let go!” Buffy yelled over the roar of the portal.

“I won’t!” Tara yelled back.

Buffy and Tara groaned from the strain.  Soon the portal began dragging both of them.  Then, with one final surge, the portal yanked the two blondes inside.  In a blink, they were gone.

“Noooo!” Willow screamed as she arrived at the spot where Buffy and Tara had just disappeared.  She fell to her knees, touching the ground where her two girlfriends had last stood.  “Buffy!  Tara!” she cried.

*     *     *

Lindsey dropped his coffee and made a step towards the Grotto, not yet believing what he had just seen.  He looked around with his mouth wide open.  Then he settled down and moved closer.  He watched as the redheaded witch broke down, clearly just as shocked as he was.  Lindsey pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed the firm.

“Yes,” the Senior Partner answered.

“W-W-What did you do?” Lindsey asked in a rush.  “With the Slayer and the Maclay girl?”

“Calm down,” the Senior Partner ordered.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I-I-I was maintaining surveillance, and all of a sudden, this...this portal opened up beside the Slayer and started pulling her in,” Lindsey explained.  “The Maclay girl grabbed her and then zap!  They both got sucked in and disappeared.  Are you saying that you didn’t do this?”

“No, of course not!” the Senior Partner responded.  “I told you we weren’t taking any action against the Three until we knew for sure whether or not they had Joined.”

“Well, if it wasn’t you, then I don’t know what the hell just happened,” Lindsey said exasperatedly.

“I think, perhaps, that someone has gotten to the Three before us,” the Senior Partner mused happily.  “The fact that they were vulnerable to the portal at all suggests that the Three are as yet Unjoined.  If that’s the case, then our problem may have just been solved.”

The Senior Partner didn’t say anything else, but just hummed thoughtfully as he considered the matter.  Lindsey waited nervously for a few moments, then finally spoke.

“What would you like me to do, sir?” Lindsey asked.

“Maintain surveillance on the one remaining, the Rosenberg girl,” the Senior Partner ordered.  “Make sure that the disappearance of the other two isn’t just temporary.  And keep tabs on the Hellmouth.  If N’Faius shows up, call me immediately.”

“Yes, sir,” Lindsey replied.

Lindsey ended his call.  He looked back at the spot where the portal had appeared and let out a deep breath.

*     *     *

Buffy and Tara tumbled out of the portal, landing hard on the concrete and rolling a few feet away before ending up in a tangled heap.  They both groaned and began untangling themselves.

“Are you okay?” Buffy asked.

“I think so,” Tara replied.  “You?”

“Yeah,” Buffy said.

Buffy got up and then helped Tara to her feet.  They looked at their surroundings.  It was an alley—a typical, litter-strewn alley like any they would see in Sunnydale.  Tara glanced at the sky.

“It’s night here,” she commented.  “It was still light when we got pulled into that portal.”

“So there’s definitely a time difference,” Buffy replied.  “I mean, it felt like we were in the portal for, what?  A minute maybe?”

Tara nodded, then asked, “Where are we, though?”

“I don’t know,” Buffy answered.  “I guess we’d better find out.”

Buffy and Tara started up the alley, but halted when a female figure stepped from the darkness.  The figure walked slowly towards them, her leather-clad body moving in a sexy, confident slink.  When the figure reached a spot of light in the alley, she stopped and put her hands on her hips.

When Buffy saw who it was, she immediately pushed Tara behind her and held her arm in front of the blonde in a defensive gesture.

The redheaded figure smiled at Buffy and then folded her arms across her chest. 

“Welcome to my world, Slayer,” Vamp Willow said with smirky satisfaction.

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