THE POWER OF THREE
PART ELEVEN
By DragonWriter17
Rating: PG-13 through Part 10, R after that (for language)
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 ELEVEN
Tara frowned in confusion when she saw the female figure in the alley. The woman looked like Willow, but she certainly wasn’t dressed like Willow.
“Willow?” Tara inquired softly, stepping around Buffy to approach the redhead.
Buffy instantly grabbed Tara’s arm and pulled her back.
“That’s not our Willow,” Buffy stated.
“What do you mean?” Tara asked.
“She means you’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy,” Vamp Willow replied. Then, vamping out, she said, “And I’m not Glinda.”
* * *
With tears streaming down her face, Willow looked all around the Grotto, hoping for some sign of Buffy and Tara. There was none. Her two girlfriends were gone, zapped away to God knows where. Willow got to her feet and ran for the nearest pay phone.
She rummaged in her pockets and pulled out some change. With her hands shaking, she put in the proper coins and punched in Giles’ number. The phone rang once, and Willow waited anxiously. Then it rang twice, still no answer.
“Come on, Giles!” Willow said.
On the third ring, Giles answered. “Hello?”
“Giles! You’ve got to come! They’re g-g-gone, j-j-just disappeared and--” Willow said in a rush, her voice beginning to choke.
“Willow? Slow down!” Giles commanded his distraught caller. “Just calm down, breathe.” When Willow had calmed herself somewhat, Giles continued. “Now, tell me what’s happened.”
* * *
The instant Vamp Willow revealed her demonic visage, Buffy leapt into action. In less than a second, she closed the space between herself and the vampire and went into attack mode. She executed a series of punches, which Vamp Willow easily deflected or countered. On Buffy’s last punch, Vamp Willow caught Buffy’s fist and used it to pull Buffy closer. Then the vampire landed a head butt which sent Buffy stumbling back.
“Buffy!” Tara cried when she saw Buffy stunned by the head butt.
Vamp Willow grinned and moved in on Buffy, but found the Slayer now recovered. Buffy punched Vamp Willow’s face once then twice, then she planted a high kick right under her chin, sending her to the ground flat on her back.
Buffy jumped on top of Vamp Willow and straddled her, immobilizing her legs. She pulled a stake from her jacket and raised it.
“I knew I should’ve killed you when I had the chance!” Buffy said.
Buffy brought the stake down hard, intending to bury it in the dazed vampire’s heart. Right before the tip of the stake could penetrate Vamp Willow’s chest, Buffy’s arm was halted in place by a steely grip.
Buffy looked up to see who had stopped her. She was greeted by the sly smile of a gorgeous brunette.
“Faith,” Buffy said with surprise.
“You are good,” the dark-eyed Slayer commented. “But are you as good as me?”
Buffy answered with an elbow to the face. Faith released Buffy’s arm, and the fight was on. It was SlayerFest 2000, this time with Slayer vs. Slayer. In a flurry of punches and kicks and twists and ducks, the two Slayers were going all out. At one point, Buffy left an opening, and Faith took advantage, landing a sharp jab to Buffy’s mouth, splitting her lip.
Faith grinned at her score, but Buffy knocked the smirk off her face with a quick comeback. Landing punch after punch, Buffy beat Faith back. Then with a final huge uppercut, Buffy sent Faith flying into a bunch of boxes stacked against the wall.
Buffy allowed herself a quick smile, then moved toward the downed Slayer.
“Faith!” Vamp Willow cried, having finally gotten to her feet.
When she saw Buffy heading for stunned Slayer, Vamp Willow charged Buffy once again. However, before the vampire could make contact with Buffy, she was slammed with an invisible force that sent her flying into the brick wall and then down into the pile of boxes with Faith.
Buffy looked back at Tara, who was lowering her arm from the magical burst she had just sent against Vamp Willow. As Tara joined her, Buffy turned her eyes back to their attackers. A dazed but determined Faith was already climbing out of the pile of boxes.
“Are you okay?” Tara asked Buffy, touching her arm gently.
“I’m fine,” Buffy said, wiping her bloody lip and keeping her eyes on Faith. “Nothing a little more ass-kicking won’t cure.”
Buffy moved toward Faith again.
“Buffy!” a male voice shouted, freezing Buffy in her tracks.
Buffy turned around slowly and saw Giles coming towards her. Her mouth dropped open when she realized how very different this Giles was. His wheelchair was the first thing she noticed as he wheeled up to her. When he got closer, she saw how haggard he looked. A scar running down his left cheek spoke of the battles he’d been through here in Wishverse Sunnydale. He wasn’t alone. Close behind him were six other White Hats, five men and a raven-haired waif, who crossed her arms and grinned when she saw Buffy.
Buffy cut her eyes at Faith and Vamp Willow, who emerged from the boxes and joined the group behind Giles. Then she turned back to the former Watcher before her.
“Giles,” Buffy said, trying not to show her dismay at the older man’s condition.
“Buffy,” Giles said in a calming voice, “I know you’re confused at the moment, but I promise you, we mean you no harm.” Giles glanced at Tara as the blonde witch moved closer to Buffy. “E-E-Either of you.”
Buffy straightened and crossed her arms tightly. “Why have you brought us here?” she demanded.
Giles sighed. “Because we need your help. With the Master.”
Before Giles could explain further, a huge gang of vampires came rushing down the alley and attacked the White Hats. Buffy turned to Tara.
“Keep Giles safe!” Buffy ordered.
Tara nodded, grabbed the handles behind the wheelchair, and shoved it into a nearby alcove, all amidst the protests of the paralyzed Watcher. When one of the vampires tried to enter the alcove, he slammed into an invisible wall. Unable to access the leader of the White Hats, the vampire turned to the others.
Buffy had already dusted two of the vampires and was fending off another when she ventured a glance in Faith’s direction. True to form, the dark Slayer was wreaking havoc on the undead. What surprised Buffy the most was seeing Vamp Willow fighting at Faith’s side, doing loads of damage herself. Seeing the human fighters among the White Hats struggling against the larger portion of the vampire gang, Buffy turned her attention back to her current foe and vanquished him as quickly as possible. Then she dove into the fray.
As Faith and Vamp Willow finished off their attackers, their eyes were involuntarily drawn to Buffy. They stood watching wide-eyed as Buffy took on six vampires at once, whirling and twisting and kicking almost faster than the eye could see.
“Holy shit,” Faith and Vamp Willow said simultaneously as they watched Buffy break up the group of vampires attacking the last three human White Hats standing. Faith and Vamp Willow shook themselves out of their awe-struck reverie and joined the blonde Slayer in the fight.
At one point, Buffy lost her stake. Faith yelled the Slayer’s name. When Buffy looked her way, Faith tossed her a stake. Buffy caught it easily and dusted the vampires charging her. Within minutes, the gang of vampires was decimated, and the final survivor was running for his life.
Buffy and Faith were breathing hard from the fight. Even Vamp Willow looked exhausted. The three humans who were still on their feet immediately ran to check on the three who were down. Tara emerged from the alcove with Giles.
“Buffy!” Giles called out as he rolled to Buffy’s location. “Are you all right?”
“Been better,” Buffy admitted.
“I’m sorry, we hadn’t planned on--” Giles started to say.
“Giles,” one of the male White Hats said, interrupting. “We got three down, including Rachel. We need to get them to the hospital now.”
“Rachel?” Giles said worriedly. Then he quickly sobered. “All right, you three do that,” he instructed. “We’ll see Buffy and ummm...” Giles looked questioningly at the blonde woman who had rushed him to safety, realizing that he didn’t know her name.
“Tara,” the blonde witch supplied.
“Yes, we’ll see Buffy and Tara safely to the Mansion,” Giles finished.
The male White Hat nodded and quickly returned to his work with the injured. Faith stepped forward and said, “We’ll get the vans.” Then she and Vamp Willow left the alley.
Within a few minutes, the van carrying the injured was headed for the hospital, and the van carrying Buffy, Tara, Giles, Faith, and Vamp Willow was on its way to the headquarters of the White Hats, Angel’s former Mansion.
* * *
The surviving vampire dashed through the Bronze and burst into the Master’s office suite in the back. The Master looked up in annoyed surprise.
“Jamis,” the Master said in a cold voice, “you’d better have a good reason for--”
“Master, forgive me please,” Jamis pleaded, dropping to his knees. “But I have news.”
The Master closed in on his minion until he was face to face with the younger vampire. “It’d better be good news...” the Master said with sarcastic cheer.
Jamis swallowed hard. “Y-Y-You were right, the White Hats were up to something. We attacked them, like you said, but...” Jamis froze.
“Don’t tell me you let the Watcher-on-Wheels and his Slayerette beat you?” the Master said, standing and turning his back to his minion.
“Th-Th-That’s just it,” Jamis stammered. “There wasn’t just one Slayer. There was another one there. They called her Buffy.”
The Master whipped around. “What?” he exclaimed. “Impossible!”
* * *
As Xander and Anya and Willow stood nearby, Giles paced back and forth across the spot where Willow had seen Buffy and Tara disappear into the portal.
“A-A-And this tendril...it just...yanked them inside, you say?” Giles asked.
“Yes,” Willow replied. “It grabbed Buffy first and started dragging her in. When Tara tried to hold Buffy back, it pulled her in, too.”
“So, the portal was targeting Buffy specifically?” Anya asked.
“I guess...it seemed like it,” Willow said.
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Xander said. “Who would want to make Buffy disappear into some portal? Oh, wait...how about every...evil...thing in Sunnydale?”
Willow wrapped her arms around herself and said in a small, frightened voice, “Giles, what are we gonna do? We have to find them.”
Giles stepped closer to the redhead and rested his hand on her shoulder. “We will,” he assured her.
* * *
As the Willow and the rest of the Scoobies left the scene of Buffy and Tara’s disappearance, Lindsey stepped from his hiding place. After giving them a moment to move ahead, he silently followed, keeping a safe distance away.
* * *
On the way to the mansion, Faith and Vamp Willow sat in the cab while the others rode in the back with the wheelchair-bound Giles. Vamp Willow looked over at Faith in the driver’s seat and smiled. She scooted across the bench seat until she was right next to the Slayer. She ran her finger down Faith’s arm.
“Thanks for the save back there,” Vamp Willow said in a sultry voice. “How can I ever repay you?”
Faith felt her body flush. She swallowed, cleared her throat, and kept her eyes on the road.
“Just doin’ my job,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone that was still huskier than she would’ve liked.
Vamp Willow stared at Faith for a moment, but Faith never met her gaze. Vamp Willow chuckled and then returned to a face-front position.
* * *
The group had barely gotten in the door when Buffy turned on Giles.
“Okay, time to talk,” she said abruptly. “How did you bring us here? What exactly is it that you want us to do? And why the hell do you have the evil undead in your midst?”
At Buffy’s last words, everyone glanced in Vamp Willow’s direction.
Vamp Willow shrugged and said, “At least someone around here thinks I’m still evil.”
“I think you’re evil,” Faith stated firmly, crossing her arms tightly.
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Vamp Willow cooed, moving closer to the dark-haired Slayer.
Faith rolled her eyes, realizing that her attempt to redraw the line between herself and the vampire had failed completely.
“That’s actually...quite a long story and--” Giles began until Faith interrupted him.
“The Master got pissed at her, sentenced her to death, she asked for asylum with us, which we gave her—against our better judgment—in exchange for information and help against her former boss.”
“Not that long, apparently,” Buffy said to Giles after Faith’s summary.
“Yes, well, why don’t we all sit down, a-a-and I’ll answer the rest of your questions,” Giles replied.
Giles led Buffy and Tara to the living room. He rolled into position with his back to the fireplace and gestured for Buffy and Tara to sit, and they took their places on the sofa, Buffy on the end and Tara in the middle. Faith dropped into the chair that faced the other end of the sofa. When Vamp Willow moved in Faith’s direction, Faith glared at the vampire. Vamp Willow rolled her eyes and plopped onto the sofa next to Tara.
Vamp Willow turned her eyes to the blonde next to her. She hadn’t had a chance to look at the witch closely when they were in the alley, but now, here in the light of the Mansion, the vampire could see what she’d been missing. She stared unashamedly and lifted her eyebrow in appreciation.
Tara could feel the vampire’s eyes on her, and it was totally freaking her out. With every fiber of her being, she fought the urge to leap from her seat and run screaming from the room. She ventured a glance in the vampire’s direction. She met sparkling green eyes in a pale face framed by shiny red hair and creased by a sexy smirk. Tara smiled politely but quickly and turned her eyes back to Buffy.
“Okay, we’re all seated,” Buffy said impatiently. “Now...why did you bring us to Bizarro Sunnydale?”
“You know where you are, then?” Giles asked.
“Yeah, we’re in Anyanka’s Brave New World, home of Vampire Willow,” Buffy replied sarcastically.
“Yes, that’s exactly right,” Giles said, pleased.
“I thought you destroyed Anyanka’s necklace and reversed the wish she granted to Cordelia,” Buffy commented.
“I-I-I did,” Giles explained, “but nothing changed.”
“Huh?” Buffy asked confused.
“My sentiments exactly,” Giles said. “I don’t know what happened, I just know that your Sunnydale and our Sunnydale somehow continue to co-exist.”
“Okay, this is making my head hurt more than it already is,” Buffy said. “So, enough about the where, I wanna know about the why, as in why you called us here.”
“Well, actually we meant to bring only you here, Buffy,” Giles explained. “We never meant to bring Tara.”
“Why do you need me at all?” Buffy asked. “You’ve got a Slayer.”
“Apparently, they don’t think I can cut it,” Faith complained.
“That’s not true, Faith,” Giles responded. “You are the Slayer, but this is the Master we’re talking about. We need all the help we can get. We need Buffy’s experience.”
“What’s he up to here that’s so terrible that you have to rip me from my own reality?” Buffy asked.
“He’s going to try and open the Hellmouth,” Giles answered.
Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at the ceiling. “Why does it always have to be the Hellmouth?” Then she looked back at Giles. “I thought he already did that here. You know, when he rose and I wasn’t here to stop him?”
“Yes, he did,” Giles agreed. “But he was unable to keep it open for very long due to the fact that he started the ritual too early.”
“Yeah, sixty years too early, right?”
Giles nodded. “When he attempted the ritual in 1937, he became trapped in the ensuing earthquake, and the ritual was never finished. When he rose, the ritual was finally completed. But because part of the ritual took place sixty years ago, it just didn’t work—at least not for long. The Hellmouth remained open for about a week, and many demons did come through before it closed again.” Giles chuckled ruefully. “We really had our hands full for a while.”
“Why didn’t he just do the ritual again right away?”
“He wanted to wait until the apex of the period of vulnerability for the Hellmouth, when the doorway was at its weakest point.”
“And that’s…” Buffy prompted.
“Just a few days from now,” Giles supplied.
“I don’t get it, though,” Buffy complained. “Why is the Master and all the other wannabes so interested in opening the Hellmouth anyway? They’re just gonna let the next dimension’s demon population come in and get in the way.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not that simple,” Giles explained. “What the Master wants is to become the Dominus Ostiorum.”
“Huh?” Buffy responded in confusion.
“Dominus Ostiorum,” Tara repeated for her. “Master of Doorways.”
Giles smiled at Tara, impressed by her accurate translation. “Yes, that’s right,” he confirmed. “The Hellmouth isn’t connected to just the next demon dimension over. It’s connected to, or rather it can be connected to, any demon dimension out there. The Dominus Ostiorum can manipulate the Hellmouth, control where it opens and what is allowed through. And most significantly, anything coming through would be subservient to the Dominus Ostiorum.”
“So he’d have a willing and able demon army at his beck and call,” Buffy said. When Giles nodded, she added in a worried voice, “Damn!”
* * *
With books surrounding them, the Scoobies minus two sat in Giles’ apartment, looking up all references to portals, dimensional travel, teleporting, and the like.
Suddenly, Willow slammed her current book shut. “This is useless,” she complained. “All of these spells deal with the caster opening a portal for himself to go through. It doesn’t say anything about sending an attack portal after someone else.”
Xander looked just as frustrated. “Even if we can figure out how to yank them back, we still don’t know where they are. I mean, there’s hundreds of these dimensions, right?”
“Oh, thousands,” Anya said matter-of-factly, “maybe even hundreds of thousands. There are hell dimensions, heavenly planes, alternate realities, you name it.”
“Great,” Xander replied unenthusiastically.
“Oh! I know what we could do!” Anya said excitedly. “Willow and I could do the Supplication of Eryishon again and--”
“No,” Willow interrupted. “I don’t think painting Buffy and Tara’s image on a plate is going to bring them back. Besides, look what happened the last time you tried that.”
“Hey, it wasn’t my fault your evil self got zapped to Sunnydale!” Anya said defensively. “You’re the one who wigged out in the middle of the spell.”
“Yeah, after seeing the hellish reality you created, Anyanka!” Willow answered hotly.
“Willow! Anya!” Giles shouted to get their attention. “This isn’t helping! So, stick your nose in a book, and stop bickering.”
Willow and Anya did as they were told and resumed researching.
* * *
Buffy thought about the matter for a moment, then remembered the situation back at home. Whatever was coming through the Hellmouth in her Sunnydale might be doing exactly what the Master was doing here. Buffy stood suddenly.
“Look, you have got to send me home!” Buffy said in an outraged voice. “I’ve got my own impending Hellmouth apocalypse going on. I don’t have time to solve yours too!”
“Time isn’t an issue,” Giles insisted. “When we send you back, you’ll arrive only moments after you left, so your world is in no danger whatsoever.”
“Unless I get killed here,” Buffy pointed out.
Giles tilted his head in reluctant acknowledgement that Buffy’s point was entirely possible. “We won’t force you to stay, Buffy, but...we really need your help. If the Master succeeds in his mission, then our world is lost.”
Buffy walked a few feet way, her brow heavily creased as she considered what to do. After a few moments, she turned back to Giles.
“Send Tara back, and I’ll stay,” Buffy stated.
“No!” Tara objected, joining Buffy where she stood. “I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“Tara, I can’t expect you to take on this kind of risk, it’s not fair to--”
“What’s not fair is you trying to speak for me!” Tara replied angrily. “You’re not the boss of me.”
Buffy crossed her arms and looked down, not wanting to hear Tara’s words.
Tara reached out and touched Buffy’s arm. After a moment, Buffy looked up and met Tara’s eyes.
“When the portal grabbed you, you told me not to let go, and I said I wouldn’t. So I’m not. I’m not leaving here without you,” Tara told Buffy. Then she smiled and added, “Besides, you couldn’t send me home now anyway, could you, Mr. Giles?”
“Well...I...ummm,” Giles stammered.
“What?” Buffy demanded.
“Rachel...their witch,” Tara explained. “She’s one of those in the hospital, isn’t she?”
“Yes, well, I’m afraid so,” Giles admitted.
Buffy threw up her arms in defeat. “Well, since we’re stuck here, we might as well help out. I’m assuming that since you went to all the trouble to call me here you have a plan of some kind?”
“We do indeed,” Giles said. “But I’d rather wait to discuss it. I need to get all of our team leaders together for it. I suggest you get something to eat and rest—you can take Rachel’s room since she won’t be using it for the moment—and I’ll call you when we’re ready.”
Buffy nodded her agreement. Then Giles and Faith and Vamp Willow left the room to set up a meeting with the leaders of the White Hats.
* * *
When the others had left, Buffy and Tara returned to the sofa and sat down, both of them deep in thought about the situation they now faced. Buffy soon became too antsy to remain seated. So she rose, walked to the big bay window, and looked outside. When that failed to hold her attention, she paced nearby.
* * *
Giles leaned back in his chair and tilted his head back to stretch the muscles in his neck. After rotating his head several times, he leaned forward again and turned his eyes to the book before him. A sudden “aha” caught his attention, and he looked up.
“I think I may have something,” Willow said. “It’s a nether realm spell. According to this, there’s a ritual...a passage to the nether realm. If you can get there, you can see lots of different things, the realities behind the purely visible world.”
“But does it allow you to see into other dimensions?” Giles asked, joining her and taking the book from her hand.
“It doesn’t say,” Willow admitted. “But it could work. And right now, it’s all we’ve come up with.”
“From what I know of the nether realm, it exists beyond the physical world,” Giles said. “Accessing it will be somewhat like...ummm...astral projection. It’s very intense. You’d need an anchor, someone to keep you on this plane.”
“I’ll do it,” Anya offered. “Willow and I have cast together before. And despite her momentary freak, we did work some very serious mojo.”
Giles looked at Willow expectantly. Willow thought for a moment, then shrugged in compliance. “What do we need?” she asked.
* * *
After finishing their talk with Giles, Faith and Vamp Willow came back to the living room. They paused at the edge of the room and glanced at their two visitors. Then Faith headed for Buffy. Vamp Willow watched Faith saunter over to the other Slayer.
“Buffy Schmuffy,” Vamp Willow grumbled.
Then she perked up and moved in Tara’s direction, a smirk forming on her lips.
* * *
Faith moved to the bay window and leaned against the wall where she could get a good look at the pacing Buffy.
“Those were some great moves out there,” she said. “I’m impressed.”
“You weren’t doing so bad yourself,” Buffy said, joining Faith by the window.
“So, I hear in your world, you killed the Master.”
“Yeah, I did,” Buffy replied, “but not before he killed me first.”
“What?” Faith asked, confused.
“The first time I faced the Master, he killed me,” Buffy explained. “He bit me, and then he drowned me. I was actually dead for a minute or so, but I was revived with CPR.”
“What happened then?”
“Then I went and kicked his ass.”
“Wicked,” Faith said with a big grin.
When Buffy grinned in return, Faith moved closer, clearly entering Buffy’s personal space.
“You know, I gotta admit, I wasn’t too keen on bringin’ in another Slayer,” Faith said before running her eyes along Buffy’s body. “But now that you’re here, I can certainly appreciate the concept.” Faith lifted her face and looked into Buffy’s eyes.
Buffy felt the familiar tug of attraction that she had felt more than a year ago when she had met her Faith for the first time. She swallowed but didn’t move away.
* * *
Vamp Willow returned to her former position on the sofa next to Tara. She folded her right leg under her so that she could sit sideways and face the blonde witch. Once again, Tara smiled politely, but she didn’t stay facing the vampire.
“That was some pretty impressive magic out there tonight,” Vamp Willow commented.
“Oh...ummm...th-th-thanks,” Tara replied, making eye contact for only a second before dropping her head and hiding nervously behind her hair.
“You know,” Vamp Willow said in sly voice as she scooted closer to Tara, “if you happen to get stuck here for a while, maybe you could teach me some magic.” Vamp Willow leaned over to whisper in Tara’s ear. “I’m a very quick study.”
Tara’s fear finally got the better of her, and she practically jumped from her seat. She backed away from the sofa.
“I...ummm...n-n-need to use the bathroom,” Tara said lamely before heading down the hallway that led from the living room.
* * *
Buffy felt a stab of fear break through her mesmerized state. She tore her eyes from Faith and looked in Tara’s direction. She watched as Tara rose suddenly and then quickly left the room. Without another glance at her fellow Slayer, Buffy strode purposefully over to the sofa.
Faith put her hand on her hip and stood with her mouth open, clearly shocked that something had managed to draw Buffy away from her.
“What did you do to Tara?” Buffy demanded.
“Nothing,” Vamp Willow insisted as she stood to face her accuser. “We were just talking.”
Buffy glared at the vampire, not believing a word of her story. Then she left, following in Tara’s footsteps.
Once Buffy had gone, Vamp Willow plopped back down on the sofa, settling into a pouty slouch. At the window, Faith shook her head in continued disbelief at Buffy’s departure. Then she joined the redheaded vampire on the couch.
After a few moments of mutual pouting, Vamp Willow perked up, getting a mischievous glint in her eyes. She scooted closer to the dark-haired Slayer next to her. Once again, she ran her finger down Faith’s arm.
“I’m having a terrible night,” Vamp Willow complained in a petulant voice. Then she leaned over to purr in Faith’s ear. “Wanna make it better?”
Faith snorted dismissively.
“It’d be fun,” Vamp Willow said in a sing-songy voice that indeed promised hours of fun.
Faith looked over at the vampire next to her. Her heart raced as a stream of images began going through her mind. With a final effort, she pulled herself together and cleared her throat.
“We’ve been over this before,” Faith said firmly. “Me Slayer, You Vampire. Never the twain shall meet.”
“But I’m a good vampire now,” Vamp Willow chirped cheerfully. “I’m a White Hat!”
“Only because you’d be dead if you weren’t,” Faith replied bluntly before taking her leave.
Vamp Willow scowled and folded her arms tightly across her chest. Then she sank back into the sofa.
* * *
As Xander and Giles watched from a distance, Anya and Willow were mid-ritual in a glowing circle. Anya sat with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. Sweat was on her brow, and her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe. Willow lay on her back, writhing, also breathing heavily, clearly agitated.
Suddenly, Willow sat up straight and gasped for air. The glow of the circle immediately went out. Anya fell forward slightly, weakened from the strain of the spell. Xander and Giles ran to the circle to check on the girls.
“Anya, Will, are you okay?” Xander asked in a concerned voice.
“Yes, are you all right?” Giles echoed.
Anya shrugged uncertainly and looked at Willow, who shook her head sadly. The four of them were silent for a moment. Willow looked as if she were about to cry. Unable to stand seeing his best friend so distraught, Xander rattled his brain trying to think of something, anything, that might work. Finally, an idea emerged.
“Oh! Oh!” he said, waving his hands emphatically. “Anya, why don’t you contact D’Hoffryn? He’s big with the reality shifting, right? So, maybe he could look around for Buffy and Tara?”
“I can see,” Anya offered, “but the last time I tried, he wasn’t returning my chants.” Anya rose from the chair. “Okay, let’s go,” she ordered Xander.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“Since I don’t have his talisman, I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way,” Anya explained. “Humble supplication to the Lord of Arashmahar, made at the grave of one who received a vengeance well wrought and well deserved.”
“Huh?” Xander asked.
“I have to beg inside a crypt,” Anya said simply.
“Oh,” Xander replied.
* * *
Later, in the dining room, Buffy and Tara sat at the long table with plates of sandwiches and chips before them. Buffy was quickly devouring her meal, but Tara merely picked at hers.
“You know, food works better if it actually ends up in your stomach,” Buffy said teasingly.
Tara made a small smile before confessing, “I just don’t have much of an appetite.”
“What’s up?”
“It’s just...Willow,” Tara said. Then she corrected herself, “Vamp Willow, I mean.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Buffy replied. “When I first met her, I was like…Ewww, this is freakin’ me out. I mean, she’s Willow, but she’s not, you know?”
Tara nodded. Then she asked, “What about Faith? Is she like her counterpart?”
“Yep, cocky, arrogant, pushy…”
“Sexy, flirtatious…” Tara added with a wink.
Buffy looked at Tara and readied herself to deny the statement. But she couldn’t.
“Yeah, that too,” Buffy said, shrugging. “It’s like meeting her for the first time all over again. I can feel that Slayer connection. And she’s just oozing that charm and sex appeal of hers. But this time it’s...”
“Not what you want?”
Buffy looked at Tara with surprise. After a moment, she asked, “How do you do that?”
It was Tara’s turn to be surprised. “Do what?” Tara responded.
“Know what I’m thinking?” Buffy said with a smile.
Tara smiled and blushed.
“Anyway,” Buffy said, returning to the topic, “I’ll just have to set Faith straight. No pun intended.”
“I-I-I think Vamp Willow is coming on to me, too,” Tara said, “and frankly, it’s scaring me.”
“I’ll just tell her to buzz off ‘cause you’re seeing someone,” Buffy said.
“Yeah, but the someone I’m seeing is her…well, not her exactly, but her other self,” Tara replied. “I kinda think she’d take that as an encouragement, not a deterrent.”
“Well, then I’ll follow up my statement by beatin’ the crap out of her,” Buffy offered.
Tara looked pained at that suggestion.
“She’s a vampire,” Buffy insisted.
“I know, but she’s a vampire in a Willow-body,” Tara said with a frown.
“Well, unless you’ve got a better idea...”
Tara thought for a moment and then smiled her quirky little half-smile. “Well, I do have one thought…”
* * *
Giles and Willow continued to research while anxiously awaiting the results of Anya’s attempt to contact her former boss. When the phone rang, they both jumped.
“Hello?” Giles answered.
“Giles, it’s me,” Xander said.
“Xander, yes...ummm...how did it go?” Giles asked.
Willow looked at Giles with hope-filled eyes.
“No luck, I’m afraid,” Xander replied.
“Oh...well...I’m sorry to hear that,” Giles said. He shook his head at Willow to indicate that Anya had not been successful.
Willow’s face fell, and she shrank back down in her seat.
“Listen, Giles,” Xander said, “Anya’s kinda wiped out. Between the neither-nor spell and the beg-o-rama, she’s just exhausted. I’m gonna take her home.”
“I understand completely,” Giles said. “Get some rest, and check with me tomorrow.”
Giles hung up the phone and turned to Willow. He walked over and sat beside her on the couch.
Willow held her head down and stared at her hands. Without lifting her gaze, she said quietly, “We’re not going to find them, are we?”
“We are,” he said firmly. “We just have to keep looking, keep trying.”
“I know,” Willow whined, “but I don’t know what else to do!”
“What about this ‘bond’ you were telling me about that the three of you seem to share?” Giles asked. “Do you think you could use it to contact them?”
“I tried earlier at the Grotto before you arrived,” Willow stated. “It didn’t work.”
“Perhaps if you had assistance, it might,” Giles suggested. “With my energy and will added to the mix, it might work.”
Willow looked thoughtful, then nodded in agreement. She smiled gratefully at the former Watcher. “Thanks, Giles.”
Moments later, Willow and Giles sat opposite each other in much the same fashion as she and Anya had. They joined hands and began to meditate. Willow focused her mind on Buffy and Tara, mentally reaching out for them like a woman in a dark room, searching for the pull-cord to an overhead light, moving her hands before her, hoping to find what she was looking for.
Everywhere Willow turned, there was nothing, no sign of her lovers. Just when Willow was about to give up hope, she felt something: a hint of a connection, like a tiny thread hanging from a nylon cord.
“I felt something,” she said excitedly, not opening her eyes.
“Find it, follow it,” Giles urged.
In her mind, Willow reached forward and to the sides, then forward again. She felt the connective cord brush the back of her arm, and she desperately tried to grab it, fumbling as it passed through her fingers.
* * *
Back in the dining room of the Mansion, Buffy and Tara gathered up their dishes and headed for the kitchen.
“Okay, we’ve got a plan,” Buffy said as they passed through the doorway. “If things get dicey with Faith and Vamp Willow, we know what to do.”
“Right,” Tara agreed as they moved towards the sink. “We’ll--” Tara stopped in place, nearly dropping her plate. “Did you feel that?”
“Yes,” Buffy said grabbing Tara’s arms, “do you think it’s--?”
Tara’s face creased in painful disappointment. “It’s gone,” she said.
* * *
“It’s gone,” Willow said, letting go of Giles’ hands. Tears began filling her eyes. “It didn’t work.”
“We can try again, perhaps--”
“It didn’t work, Giles!” Willow said in a angry and frustrated voice. “It’s never going to work! I was probably just imagining things anyway. I wanted to contact them so badly that I--” Willow’s voice became choked. After a few moments of silence, she rose to her feet and said, “I’m going home now.”
“Oh, well let me get my keys, and I’ll drive you.”
“No, I’m just gonna walk,” Willow said. “I think the fresh air will do me good.”
Without another word, Willow left Giles’ apartment and headed for the campus.
Willow didn’t get very far from Giles’ apartment before despair overtook her. She stumbled to the curb and sat down, her body shaking with sobs.
* * *
Not long after Tara and Buffy had finished their meal, the team leaders of the White Hats began to arrive. Giles invited everyone into the dining room, where he and Buffy took their places at the head of the table. Tara sat beside Buffy on Giles’ right, and Faith sat beside Giles on the other side. Vamp Willow, however, stood alone, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen.
When the last leader, clad in green army fatigues, entered the Mansion’s dining room, Buffy immediately recognized him.
“Riley,” Buffy said.
“You know him?” Giles asked.
Buffy nodded. “He works for the Initiative. Is that true here?”
“Yes, when we learned of the organization’s existence, we asked for their help,” Giles answered. “We’ve been working together ever since.”
Riley took his place at the opposite end of the table, amiably greeting those around him. Once he was seated, Giles knocked on the table to get everyone’s attention. When the room was quiet, Giles addressed the group.
“First of all, thank you for coming on such short notice,” Giles began. “I’m happy to report that Rachel’s plan was successful, and I’d like to introduce Buffy Summers.”
As the group applauded, Buffy smiled politely.
“She has agreed to help, and--” Giles started to say before being interrupted.
“Where’s Rachel?” Riley asked.
“Yes, well, there’s the catch,” Giles answered. “After Rachel conducted the ritual and brought Buffy here, we were attacked by a gang of the Master’s minions. Rachel was one of those injured in the fight. She’s in the hospital, in critical condition.”
The team leaders began whispering among themselves, expressing worry and concern.
Riley finally spoke. “Our plan requires a witch, and--”
“Luckily,” Giles interjected, “when Buffy was summoned, someone came with her.” Giles gestured at Tara. “Her name is Tara, and she’s a witch, and--”
“And a powerful one at that,” Faith added. “Just ask Red back there. Tara here knocked her right on her ass.”
“Yeah, right after Buffy knocked you on yours,” Vamp Willow countered.
“Let’s get back to the task at hand, if you don’t mind,” Giles said. “I’d like to turn the meeting over to Riley, who will present the details of our plan. Riley?”
Riley nodded at Giles and stood and began addressing the group.
* * *
When Riley was done making his presentation, he turned his eyes to Buffy, who was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed, looking completely unimpressed. She sat up straight and then put her arms on the table.
“That’s your plan?” Buffy said incredulously. “To storm the castle?”
“Well...basically...yeah,” Riley said defensively.
“Why face the Master on his own turf?” Buffy asked as she stood to address the group. “That’s where he’ll be his strongest.” She left her place at the table and walked behind Tara to stand near the doorway to the kitchen. “We need to get him on our turf. We need to set a trap.”
“What kind of trap?” Giles asked.
“A special kind of trap,” Buffy said, “with some very special bait.” Buffy stepped aside to reveal Vamp Willow behind her.
Vamp Willow instantly made the connection. “Oh, no, you don’t!” she exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Buffy and the group. “You are not turning me over to the Master!”
“Don’t worry,” Buffy assured the vampire. “He wouldn’t fall for that anyway. He’s too smart for that. No, you’re not going to be the bait. You’re going to be the trap.
Vamp Willow looked confused, then asked, “Who’s going to be the bait?”
“I am,” Buffy said solemnly.
* * *
With the details of their new plan hammered out, the meeting of the White Hats broke up. Tara ended up back in the living room, talking with one of the team leaders as Buffy finalized a few things with Riley and Giles in the dining room. Vamp Willow stood in the doorway to the living room, watching Faith hovering around Buffy, clearly waiting to get her fellow Slayer alone. Vamp Willow rolled her eyes and headed into the living room.
* * *
When Buffy was finally alone, Faith quickly moved in.
“Excellent plan,” Faith said sincerely. “I gotta admit, G-man did the right thing bringing you here. I coulda never come up with something like that.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Buffy replied. “And don’t praise me yet. We don’t even know if this plan is gonna work.”
“Oh, I think it’ll work all right,” Faith said. “It’s wicked clever.”
“Thanks,” Buffy answered.
Faith moved closer, once again entering Buffy’s personal space. “Now that the plan’s all set,” she said in a husky voice, “what d’ya say you and me go do a little warm-up...my room...upstairs?”
Buffy froze for a moment, then stepped back. “Sorry, I can’t,” Buffy replied firmly. “I have a girlfriend.” Buffy tilted her head in Tara’s direction.
“You and the mousy blonde?” Faith asked, disbelieving. “No way!”
Buffy didn’t answer, but crossed her arms and glared.
Faith waved her hand in dismissal. “Whatever,” she said bluntly as she walked into the kitchen.
* * *
After heading into the living room, Vamp Willow went immediately to the sofa, where Tara was now sitting alone. She plopped down right next to Tara instead of sitting a more respectable distance away. Tara nervously shifted a few inches over.
“You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?” Vamp Willow asked.
“Ummm...yes...I-I-I am,” Tara admitted.
“You don’t have to be, I won’t hurt you,” Vamp Willow assured her. Then she grinned and added, “Not unless you want me to.”
Tara stared in alarm at the vampire version of her girlfriend. But then something caught her attention. She focused her inner eye on the redhead, not quite understanding what she was seeing. Her concentration was broken when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Buffy standing beside her at the end of the sofa.
“Honey,” Buffy said pointedly, “they’ve got a place fixed up where we can sleep. You ready for bed?”
“Oh...ummm...yeah...I am,” Tara replied.
Buffy held out her hand. Tara took it and rose to her feet. As the two women walked away, Buffy put her arm around Tara’s waist and glared a warning back at Vamp Willow.
The vampire just rolled her eyes and got up from the couch. “Whatever,” she said to herself.
As she turned to leave the room, she saw Faith grab her jacket and stomp out the front door. Vamp Willow grinned and quietly followed her.
* * *
Buffy and Tara were still holding hands as they entered the bedroom of the White Hats’ injured witch. Once inside, they both heaved a sigh of relief. Buffy touched Tara’s arm and looked into her eyes.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, thanks,” Tara replied. “You know, w-w-when you first told me about Vamp Willow, I was sort of i-i-intrigued…like in a fun f-f-fantasy kind of way…but now...”
“The real thing in the evil flesh is sometimes not so fun, huh?”
Tara nodded and then said, “She’s not all bad, though.”
“Tara, she’s a vampire. Of course she’s all bad.”
“No, she’s not,” Tara insisted. “I-I-I can tell.”
“By her aura? Willow told me you can read people’s auras.”
“Yeah, hers is…n-n-not like other vampires,” Tara said. “It’s still dark and m-m-mostly evil, but there’s this layer of light in there that shouldn’t be. It’s hard to explain.”
Buffy thought for a moment and then asked, “Do you think she has a soul? I mean, it is possible, Angel was a vampire, and he had a soul.”
“I’m not sure. It doesn’t seem quite big enough or strong enough to be a soul.” Tara shrugged. “I don’t know what it is. Anyway, s-s-soul or not, she was creeping me out, so thank you for saving me.”
“You’re very welcome, but remember, you’re saving me too,” Buffy said. “Having Faith flirt with me is like someone waving a cigarette in front of a chain smoker who’s quit. They know it’s bad for them and they really deep down don’t want it at all because they’ve got a much better life now that they’ve quit, but there’s this one part of them that just craves it.”
“Y-Y-You’re really that tempted?” Tara asked worriedly.
“If I’d ended up here a week ago, before Willow and I…yes, I would be. But now I’m just annoyed by it. Having you here helps.” Buffy took Tara’s hand again. “You remind me of what I—what we—have waiting for us back home. And I won’t let anything here mess that up.”
Tara smiled in relief. Then she dropped her gaze, pulled her hand free, and stepped back.
“We’ll...ummm…I mean, while we’re here, we’ll have to…keep up the pretense, you know, that we’re…together. A-A-Are you okay with that?”
Buffy looked nervous for moment, then answered in what she hoped was a confident voice. “Oh, sure…I can handle it if you can, I mean, how hard can it be, right? We’ve already held hands in front of them.”
“A-A-And hugged,” Tara added, “we’ve done that.”
“I’m cool with both of those things.”
“Yeah me too.”
They both nodded enthusiastically before glancing away. After a few moments of feet-shuffling, Buffy asked, “What about kissing?”
“K-K-Kissing?” Tara answered, wide-eyed.
“Well…” Buffy said knowingly, tilting her head towards the bed, “if we’re...you know…then they’d pretty much expect us to…ummm…kiss.”
“Well, we can’t j-j-just do it impromptu-like!” Tara exclaimed in a terrified voice. “That w-w-would be a dead giveaway!”
“What do you mean?” Buffy asked.
“First k-k-kisses can be a little awkward, you know...till you get used to each other? Especially if there’s an audience.”
“Oh, god, you’re right. What do we do?” Buffy said anxiously. Then she finally declared, “We’ll just have to not kiss.”
Tara’s brow creased with worry as she considered the situation. After a moment, her face lightened, and she made a suggestion. “We could…ummm…practice first.”
“Practice?” Buffy asked.
“Look if this is just too much, w-w-we just won’t do it, we can just l-l-let them wonder.”
“No, no,” Buffy insisted, “we need the kiss, and it has to be convincing. I don’t wanna be wasting energy fending off unrequited Slayer lust, and I don’t want you worried about being seduced by Vamp Willow.”
“S-S-Slayer lust?”
“Yeah, it’s…never mind.”
Buffy and Tara stood in awkward silence, casting glances about the room and at each other. Then Buffy finally spoke.
“So…I guess we should practice,” she said.
“I guess so,” Tara replied.
Buffy made the first move, stepping towards Tara. The two women took a few moments to get situated in each other’s arms. Then they looked into each other’s eyes and tried in vain to stay calm.
Oh, god, I’m going to kiss Buffy! Willow is going to kill me! Tara thought as Buffy pulled her closer. Okay, okay, just breathe, breathe, and don’t--
Oh, god, I’m going to kiss Tara! I’m going to kiss my girlfriend’s other girlfriend! Buffy thought as she leaned in towards Tara’s face. Oh, god…get a grip and just--
Before Tara and Buffy could even complete their thoughts, they kissed. And for just a moment, Willow was forgotten as the two women focused only on each other. The kiss went longer and deeper than either of them had intended. When they pulled away, they were both breathing hard.
“There,” Buffy said between deep breaths, “that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“No, it wasn’t,” Tara quickly agreed. “We did it.”
Buffy and Tara smiled awkwardly at each other, then glanced nervously away.
After a long pause, Buffy smiled to herself and then said to Tara, “You know…if we really want to do this right, we should really do it more than once.” Buffy lifted her eyes.
Tara’s mouth slowly curved into a mischievous smile. “Well, the term ‘practice’ does imply multiple repetitions.”
“And they do say that practice makes perfect,” Buffy added, grinning slyly as she moved back into Tara’s arms.
One kiss soon became several, each one becoming longer and deeper and more passionate than the one before. By the time they had to stop for air, both of them were extremely aroused.
“Oh god…Tara…you kiss sooo good,” Buffy said.
“Oh, you too, you too,” Tara agreed.
Buffy abruptly separated them. “What are we doing?” she exclaimed. “We’re not supposed to be feeling anything here! We’ve got girlfriends back home! Well, technically, one girlfriend, the same girlfriend, but that’s not the point! The point is…ummm…I don’t know what my point is.”
Tara looked at Buffy and then asked timidly, “Y-Y-You have feelings for me?”
Buffy opened her mouth to deny it, but found she couldn’t. “I…uhhh…I guess I do,” Buffy said with a shrug. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to.” Then she waved her hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. “Ehhh, it’s probably just some of that Slayer lust kickin’ in.”
“No, it’s okay,” Tara replied. “I-I-I think I have feelings for you, too, so it can’t be just a Slayer thing.”
Buffy straightened and threw her shoulders back proudly. “Well, unless you cater to the notion that Slayers are irresistibly attractive.”
Tara curled her lips into that sexy half-smirk of hers and said without the least bit of shyness, “I’m beginning to.”
* * *
As Vamp Willow watched unseen from a distance, Faith kicked the unlucky fledgling into the side of the mausoleum, stunning him. Then she began to pummel him. When he finally slipped to the ground, unconscious, Faith staked him.
This was the third vampire Faith had slain since leaving the Mansion. She had thought that a little slaying would loosen her up, but it had only made her more tense. Her Slayer lust had kicked into full overdrive.
She sighed and shook her head. “Don’t think about the evil bloodsucking fiend,” she told herself. “Focus on anything but the evil redheaded bloodsucking fiend.”
Faith sighed again, slumping in defeat. She moaned and grumbled to herself, then headed back towards the Mansion.
Her vampire senses allowed her to hear Faith’s every word, and Vamp Willow grinned widely. Then, chuckling to herself, she moved to follow Faith home.
* * *
Buffy entered the bedroom, having just finished her shower. She found Tara already dressed in her borrowed night shirt and sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting nervously for her.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be asleep by now?” Buffy teased.
“Oh, I-I-I didn’t know which side of the bed you wanted, so…” Tara shrugged.
Buffy smiled at how thoughtful and selfless Tara was. Buffy went over to her and touched her cheek.
“You are so sweet,” she said. “I can see why Willow loves you so much.”
Tara blushed and ducked her head, but smiled as she did so.
“I’ll take this side,” Buffy said, pointing out the side that was closer to the door. “If that’s okay with you.”
“That’s fine,” Tara replied, moving to the other side of the bed.
Tara pulled back the covers and got in. She lay on her side, facing Buffy. When Buffy finished getting ready for bed, she turned out the overhead light and got into bed. The room was still lit by the moonlight coming in the window. Buffy lay on her side facing Tara. After a moment of silence, Buffy reached out and touched Tara’s arm.
“You doing okay?” she asked.
Tara sighed deeply. “I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve slowed down enough to even think about it. How about you?”
“Ehhh, just another day on the job in Sunnydale,” Buffy said before correcting herself. “Well, in one Sunnydale anyway.” Buffy was silent for a moment. Then she added in a quiet voice, “I miss Willow.”
“Yeah, me too,” Tara said. “She’s probably freaking out, wondering what’s happened to us. I mean, in her world, we’ve just disappeared.” Tara paused and then said in a choked voice, “Oh, Willow…”
Tara began to cry, her worries and fears finally taking their toll. Buffy pulled Tara into her arms and stroked her back soothingly.
“It’ll be okay,” Buffy promised. “We’ll get back home, you’ll see.”
* * *
Willow cried for quite a long time before her tears finally subsided. When the last hiccupy sob left her, she drew in a deep breath and then slowly let it out. Once she felt ready, she rose to her feet. She turned and stepped back onto the sidewalk.
Suddenly, Spike was in front of her.
“Hello, Luv,” the vampire said. “Miss me?”
Before Willow could do anything, Spike grabbed her by the arms and sank his fangs deeply into her neck. She struggled against him, but soon her eyelids grew heavy. Then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she went limp in Spike’s arms as he continued to feed.
TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWELVE…