by Sassette » Sun May 12, 2002 1:11 am
Officially, this is the end of Answering Darkness. Unofficially, there will be an epilogue. This is too big for one post, so I'll be posting it in two pieces.
**Jennpurr: *G* I love you, too. And you're welcome.
**ExtraFlameyWT: I do, in fact, feel a bit better. Not quite as ouchy, but close And no more waiting, 'cuz here's the update. *G*
**Drakkenfyre: *G* It's certainly always nice to hear from everyone, but it's certainly not required ... and thank you - and yes, your avatar SO rocks.
**wiccachica: wiccachica!!!! Do not cry, darling wiccachica, for here is an update for you. And you can 'beck' me anytime, baby
**Owl: Thank you - you rocketh muchly *G* And yes, Willow and Tara sent to my room is >always< appreciated.
**walker: I think the jury is still out on that one ... it would be an interesting study ... if you were, y'know, insane *G*
**RaiStarr: Oh, wow - sorry about the butt and back pain *sheepish look* But I'm really glad you enjoyed the story. I'm really very amazed by people who get through this whole thing in one sitting. And thank you *G*
**xita: Awww, thank you, xita - I'm just happy this story has helped people during this big ol' rough spot. Honestly, it's the most flattering thing I've heard, and I'm just damn grateful for it. It makes me feel better to hear that I've made people feel better.
And now, the update.
Answering Darkness 54b
"Not that easy," Glory said dangerously, reaching out a hand, only to find that she couldn't penetrate the pillar. Frowning, she tried again, then again.
Tara watched Glory's attempts to reach them with an amazed expression. "Umm … sweetie?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"I think we're safe right here," she said in a wondering tone.
"Ummm … yeah," Willow said slowly, turning her head this way and that to take in their surroundings. "But, ummm … kind of … trapped?"
"Oh, well, that too," Tara said sheepishly, a weak smile crossing her face as she looked around. "Honey, you look awful," Tara said fondly, her eyes finally taking in more than just the fact that Willow was there and alive. Spike's coat was streaked with mud, as was the majority of the fair skin showing. Willow's hair was all tangled and matted against her head, looking more brown than its usual red color. Her face was pinched with fatigue, and her eyes had deep dark circles under them.
"And you're all scratched," Willow said with a frown, noting the scrapes and bruises marring the surface of her lovers skin.
"So, umm … now what?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she watched Glory pounding away at the pillar of light, unable to break through.
"Oh, ummm … I kinda' … didn't plan this far ahead?" Willow said with a helpless shrug, her arms tightening around Tara. "Which reminds me," Willow added with a frown. "You are in >so< much trouble when we get home. No Hell Walking, remember? We agreed. And, ummm … not that I'm being all complain girl, because I like a naked Tara, but … you're naked and we need to get out of here," she pointed out, shrugging out of Spike's coat and getting it around Tara's shoulders.
">I'm< in trouble? Oh, no. >You're< in trouble. What were you thinking, anyway?" Tara demanded, as she sat up, putting Spike's coat on fully and wrapping it around herself. "Running off, getting captured, and dragged into Hell?"
"What were >you< thinking?" Willow shot back. "What part of 'No Hell Walking' isn't clear? So what do you do when I hop a train to LA? You just assume I'm in Hell and storm on in?"
Tara's eyes widened. "You mean you weren't … ?"
Willow shook her head.
A shattering sound tore through the cavern, and Willow and Tara both turned their heads towards the source, seeing the wall of light enclosing The Trickster break into a million pieces, releasing the shadows. They gaped as Glory stopped her pounding, leveling one last sneer at Willow and Tara before turning to face the approaching shadows.
"Umm … we're forgetting about the Hell Gods. Let's pay attention to the Hell Gods," Tara said quickly.
"Right," Willow said with wide eyes and a nod. "I'm all with thinking the ritual fleeing sounds good. You're not in trouble until we're all safe and, y'know, not in Hell."
"No, >you're< not in trouble until we're safe," Tara bantered back automatically, but there was no heat in her voice as they helped each other to their feet.
"Back off, Beast … those two are mine," The Trickster hissed, the shadows filling the room, until only the pillar of light containing Willow and Tara remained to break the darkness.
"Oh, no, Tricky," Glory said, shaking her head slowly. "I'm not stuck in little miss goody two-shoes anymore, so you can't beat me."
"If they start fighting each other, should we make a run for it?" Willow whispered, leaning in so her mouth was right next to Tara's ear.
"I don't know if that'll be safe," Tara said, shaking her head slightly, watching the Hell Gods face off.
"And I won't fall for it, anyway," The Trickster said in response to the soft exchange between Willow and Tara.
"I have an eternity to fight with Tricky here, and even though it's one of my favorite things, I can spare a few moments to torture two witches who have managed to piss me off," Glory said, turning back to the pillar of light. "You two kept my key from me when all I wanted to do was get home, your stupid friends killed my cute little minions and spoiled all my plans, and you were working for Tricky the whole time. And as if that weren't enough," Glory went on, placing a hand on her hip and glaring at the girls. "I had to spend four months trapped inside the >nicest< person who ever lived," she went on, her voice rising as she ranted. "And I kept waiting and waiting for her to just let a little darkness out - just a little, that's all I needed - and nothing did it. Not fighting demons without a slayer for three months, not a resurrection, not a betrayal - all that waiting and all that work? Then, nothing! It >so< wasn't fair!"
The shadows gathered as Glory spoke, swirling together, then coalescing into the vague form of a man, and Willow and Tara knew they were looking at the closest thing The Trickster had to a form.
"You may have defeated Glory," The Trickster said with a snarl, glaring at Willow. "But you won't defeat me."
"Oh, hey!" Willow said, a shocked look crossing her face. "I did defeat Glory didn't I?" she asked proudly, eyeing the pissed off pair of Hell Gods who were glaring at her menacingly.
"Yes, you did, baby," Tara affirmed, smiling up at Willow. "My hero. I'm all Glory-free, thanks to you. Again."
"Aww, shucks," Willow said, a blush crawling up her neck. "Tweren't nothin', ma'am."
"I'm going to enjoy having you both here," The Trickster said slowly. "Because the second you try to leave this safe spot, you're mine."
"Well, I'm thinking this isn't so bad," Willow said with a shrug, wrapping her arms around Tara from behind. "I mean, the décor could use work and all, but I'm with my girl, so … that should be okay."
A small smile crossed Tara's face, and she turned her head to press a light kiss to Willow's cheek, earning a grin from the redhead. "You say the sweetest things," she murmured.
"Just the truth, ma'am," Willow said lightly. "'Cuz if I have to be stuck in Hell forever, I'm thinking you're a nice person to be all sticky with," she went on, waggling her eyebrows outrageously.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" The Trickster asked slowly, his tone triumphant.
"Umm … honey? Are we forgetting something?" Tara asked Willow, her brow furrowing.
"Let's see," Willow said thoughtfully, resting her chin on Tara's shoulder. "In Hell, check. Two Hell Gods want us to experience endless pain and torment, check. They can't get to us in this middle of this neat light thing - and how did we do that, anyway? I mean, I certainly didn't do it on purpose, and I'm guessing you didn't, and I didn't even know that we >could< do that - did you know we could do that?"
Tara just shook her head in response, her hands rubbing the arms around her middle gently.
"Right, so - safe light pillary kind of thing, check. Can't leave unless we want the Hell Gods to get to us, check," Willow said. "I think that's everything."
"That's the problem with smart people," The Trickster said softly, his voice flowing over them. "You overlook the obvious. You're human, and mortal, and in a cage. Without food and water, you're going to watch each other die."
"Sometimes, Tricky, I can almost like you," Glory said, her voice dripping with satisfaction as she eyed the witches. "It's going to take awhile for them to die, though, isn't it? Two weeks, I think, if the witch-bitch conjures up some water."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Tara asked boldly, addressing The Trickster.
"No, I'm not," he said, the light and happy tone to his voice at odds with its natural timbre and pitch, lending an eerie effect to the sound.
"Willow. You need to let Willow live, and have children, or you're stuck here," she said flatly, her eyes cold.
"Okay, hold on," Willow interjected quickly before The Trickster could respond. "First - what? Are you nuts? There's no way I'm going to wander off all tra la la and leave you in Hell, so don't even think about it. Second - he's not after me - he's been after you the whole time. And third - I'm not leaving you here, because, y'know, it bears repeating. In fact, let me say that again. I'm not leaving you here."
"I can make her go," The Trickster said lightly. "All you have to do is push her out of the pillar and finish the ritual, and I'll send her back. She can live a very long life, or you can watch her waste away into nothing."
"Oh, no - little Willow Tree isn't going anywhere," Glory said with a growl. "I owe that tramp pain."
"Okay, I feel dumb," Tara said miserably. "He was after me the whole time?"
"You're not dumb," Willow said firmly. "Just all distract-o girl, and worried about me. It's very sweet," she said, kissing Tara on the cheek, reveling in the feel of her soft skin against her lips. "You're very sweet."
"Willow, I can't watch you die," Tara said softly as her eyes welled up with tears. "Not again," she went on, shaking her head, then turning in Willow's arms to pull her close, needing to feel Willow, alive and whole and against her. "Oh, Goddess, I can't watch that again."
"Again? Huh with the what now?" Willow said, her voice filled with confusion as she returned the embrace, stroking Tara's back in soft soothing motions.
"I saw … I saw what would happen, if the dark magick killed you. I watched you die," Tara whispered hoarsely.
"Oh, God, baby, I'm … I'm sorry," Willow said, hugging Tara hard. "I'm here, now. And I'm okay. We're both okay, and we're going to get out of this."
"No, you're not," The Trickster said, his voice loud and booming, echoing through the chamber. "I'll let Tara go, Willow. She won't have to watch you die. And she'll be alive, and with her friends, and all you have to do is stay here."
Willow stiffened in Tara's arms, her eyes widening. It was a way out, for Tara at least. Refusing would be the selfish choice, wouldn't it? To hang onto her own life at the cost of Tara's? Part of her wanted to grab onto that chance for Tara's survival, to push her out of the pillar so The Trickster could send her back where she would spend the rest of her life with the other Scoobies. They would take care of her, Willow knew, and do their best for her. And they needed her - needed Tara
But, Willow knew, Tara needed her.
And really, that was what she had learned in the middle of all of this mess. Willow had always known that losing Tara would be the worst thing that could ever happen to her - worse, even, than her own death - so how could she expect Tara to feel differently?
"No deal," Willow said softly, finally noting that Tara was stiff as a board in her arms. She pulled back, meeting Tara's eyes with her own, holding that gaze steadily. "No deal. Tara and I stay together."
Tara let out the breath she had been holding, knowing that in Willow's place, she would be oh so tempted to agree - had, in fact, been very tempted when The Trickster had made her the same offer. She felt her body relax, and a brilliant smile crossed her face, lighting it up.
"We stay together," she affirmed, and it was a promise and a vow, a pledge of her heart and her life to Willow's, that they would fight to their last breath if need be to stay alive … together.
"Fools! Then you'll die together!" The Trickster bellowed, and Willow and Tara flinched at the sudden noise.
Then, strangely - incongruously - they broke into giggles.
"Fools!" Willow repeated, lowering her voice to what she hoped was a threatening register, but really made her sound like she had a head cold. "You'll die together, and my black naughty evil will live on!"
Tara broke into laughter, taking up where Willow left off, her own voice lowering. "And once you're dead, I will continue to kick puppies and knock over little old ladies who cross the street!"
"But wait! Oh no!" Willow continued, her voice melodramatic as she raised the back of her hand to her forehead. "There are no puppies or streets in Hell! Curses! Foiled again!" she mock-raged, shaking a fist in the air, and Tara fell against her, laughing so hard tears streamed down her face.
"Oh, Goddess, that's …" Tara broke off as another wave of laughter broke over her, and Willow joined in helplessly. "That shouldn't be funny, but - don't these Big Bads ever come up with original material? Is there some kind of Evil Phrase Book?"
Willow howled. "Oh, God! An Evil Phrase Book! With things like 'you may have won this round, but you shan't win the next! I shall return!'"
"Or 'you cannot imagine the powers I possess! Tremble before me!'" Tara intoned.
"Oh, oh oh!" Willow said, wiggling excitedly in Tara's arms. "It's not a book! It's a language tape! So the evil wannabes can hear and learn the deep dark vocal tones," she said, dropping her voice on the last words to illustrate her point.
"You two don't know when you've lost, do you?" Glory asked in an annoyed tone. "Why is it that none of you stupid Scoobies can wrap your brains around the concept that I am a God?" she demanded to the air, throwing her hands up in frustration.
The two young women had just been winding down from their laughing spree, but then started up again at Glory's words, holding on to one another as their mirth danced in the air around them.
"No, no," Willow said, shaking her head. "You're supposed to say that in a deeper voice. Be all Darth Vader sounding. Like this: 'you two don't know when you've lost!' See?" she illustrated.
"Willow - I am your father, Willow," Tara said, in a passable Darth Vader voice.
"Come out here and mock me, little girls," The Trickster snarled, advancing on the pillar of light. "We'll see who laughs then," he finished in a tone that could turn blood into ice water.
"Ooohhh… great delivery," Tara said softly, a chill running up her spine. "But I'll stay right here, thanks. With Willow."
Willow beamed at Tara, kissing her lightly on the nose. "Definitely," she agreed, nodding emphatically. "I much prefer dying with lots of Tara-snuggles beforehand than dying after a long bout of Hell God torturings."
"Then I'll leave you to your snuggles and your deaths," The Trickster said silkily. "And when Tara's line dies out, leaving no female descendant, I'll be free of this curse, and anyone can let me out of Hell."
"I don't remember that part. Do you remember that part?" Tara asked Willow.
"No, I don't remember that part. Think he's lying?" Willow responded with a shake of her head.
"Probably," Tara said with a shrug, snuggling up to Willow on resting her head on her shoulder. "Does it matter? Either way, we're kind of stuck here, y'know? And it's still death by Hell God torture with lots of pain and screaming, or death by starvation with lots of snuggle-time."
"Mmm … Tara-snuggles," Willow said solemnly, squeezing Tara gently and rocking the previous girl in her arms.
"Be serious for a minute," Tara admonished, slapping Willow lightly on the shoulder, then giggling.
"You sure you want me to?" Willow asked softly, turning her head to whisper into Tara's ear, tightening her arms around her. "Because that's the part where I start crying and apologizing for not saving you. For not being good enough, and smart enough, to get us out of this. For getting us into this in the first place."
"Hey, it's not your fault, baby," Tara said soothingly, raising her head and taking Willow's face in her hands. "We've just been muddling along as best we could, trying to do the right thing and keep each other safe." Tara's heart clenched when she saw Willow's eyes shut, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Oh, no, honey - don't cry," Tara urged, wiping the tears away with her thumbs and kissing Willow lightly on the lips. "Don't cry, baby," she said, their lips still pressed together. "We both made mistakes in this, but they were honest ones. They were because we didn't have all the information we needed to make good choices, not because we did anything wrong."
"I just … I feel like I failed you," Willow said, her voice bleak as her eyes drifted open, her sorrow evident in her gaze.
"Did you ever once stop loving me?" Tara asked gently.
Willow's eyes widened in response to the question, and she shook her head emphatically, wondering how Tara could even ask her such a thing.
"Then you didn't fail me," Tara said firmly, kissing Willow again, their lips moving slowly and tenderly together, their love for each other flowing through the simple gesture, filling them with warmth.
"Well, I guess I'm just a big poo-poo head," Willow said dazedly, her eyes glazed over as she smiled slowly. "Silly me."
"Yes, you're very silly," Tara said fondly, her eyes twinkling.
"Oh, my God!" Willow said suddenly, her eyes widening comically as she stared over Tara's shoulder. "I defeated Glory!"
"Umm, yeah," Tara said slowly, eyeing her lover with a puzzled frown on her face. "We went over that part."
"And you defeated The Trickster!" Willow nearly shouted, turning her gaze to look at her lover.
"Well, no, not really," Tara said, her frown deepening. "I just -"
"No, no - in your past life! You defeated him, and that's why he needs you!" Willow said excitedly, grabbing Tara around the waist and jumping up and down giddily.
Thoroughly bemused, but trusting that this train of thought was going somewhere, Tara played along, jumping with her lover, and then honestly laughing as Willow's contagious enthusiasm seeped into her.
"Umm, baby?" Tara asked, still laughing lightly when Willow finally stopped the random jumping. "Are you going somewhere with that, or are we just patting ourselves on the back?"
"We defeated them, magickally, so we have the power to command them, magickally," Willow said, her eyes shining. "We have the power to get all commanding and stern with them, and shake our fingers, and tell them to go clean their rooms."
"You can command Glory as much as you'd like, Willow, but you know Tara would never dare attempt to command me," The Trickster said with a little laugh.
"Try it, Red, and I'll put your girl in a world of hurt, even if I have to spend eternity trying," Glory promised darkly.
"It's, umm … he's right, Will," Tara said slowly. "It's dark magick, and we shouldn't -"
"I was thinking more along the lines of bargaining chips, baby," Willow said with a soft sad smile. "Though I understand why you'd assume that I'd mean -"
"Oh, no!" Tara said quickly, her mind turning over Willow's idea, finding where Willow was going with it easily. "No, I shouldn't have assumed that. Y'know, assuming - it makes an ass out of me and Xander. But - bargaining chips? To the other, right?"
"Exactly - it wouldn't work the other way," Willow said, beaming at Tara. "You're so smart," she said softly, pure adoration evident on her face.
"Am not," Tara said with a blush, her eyes dropping shyly. "You're the one who thought of it. You're the brainy type."
"Well, I thought of it, but I didn't have to explain it to you," Willow said, nodding her head emphatically. "Only, like, three people in the whole world have a ticket for the Whacky-Willow-Thought-Train, and my dad is one of them, so I don't think that counts, because, y'know, I probably got it from him, and -"
"So who's the third?" Tara asked.
"Third what?" Willow responded, her brow furrowing as she lost track of the conversation completely, her mind already racing away three steps ahead.
"The third person with a ticket on the Whacky-Willow-Thought-Train?" Tara said patiently.
"Oh, I don't know," Willow said with a shrug. "Probably some kid in the African Jungle. I just figured with all the people on the planet I've never met, at least one of them has to be able to understand Willow Brain."
Tara laughed lightly. "You're so cute."
"Is there going to be a part in here somewhere where you two step out of that pillar? Because I'm about to vomit. And I >hate< being ignored," Glory said acidly.
"We have a proposal for you two," Willow said, turning to face the Hell Gods.
"Unless it involves Tara finishing the ritual, I'm not interested," The Trickster said. "That's the only thing you have to offer, because I know Tara won't attempt to command me."
"Really?" Tara asked, letting go of Willow to turn around, raising an eyebrow at the Hell God, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "I was more than willing to perform a dark ritual and cut off my own finger to save Willow before - what makes you think I won't do it again?"
"You hate dark magick," The Trickster said slowly, his voice losing a slight measure of its confidence.
"I do," Tara affirmed, nodding her head and crossing her arms in front of her chest, a look of pure determination hardening her features as she glared at him. "So I'll hate doing it, but I'll still do it. Because if that's the only way to save Willow, then that's what I have to do."
"I'll stop him," Glory growled. "Remember, you have two Hell Gods here."
"Oh, we have a deal for you, too," Willow said as she smiled sweetly at Glory, her eyes dancing. "This is kind of fun," she whispered an aside to Tara.
Tara turned her head, her features softening as she saw Willow bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Sweetie, I don't think the 'giddy little kid on Christmas' look is really the one we're going for," she said fondly.
"Chanukah," Willow corrected automatically, then schooled her features into her resolve face, settling down and stopping the bouncing. "It's an offer you can't refuse," she said with relish.
"Or we'll have Jimmy the Weasel make them swim with the fishes?" Tara asked softly, a giggle escaping her.
"Shhh!" Willow admonished. "I'm trying to do the tough thing, here."
"Will you just get to the point?" Glory snapped impatiently. "I have places to go, souls to torture, and I'm sure my Hell Palace is completely run down. Tricky here probably took all my best minions."
"Oh, right," Willow said sheepishly, peering apologetically at Glory. "Here's the deal. You two agree to give us safe passage back through Hell and the Hellmouth, and we give you back our power to command you. Otherwise, we start commanding."
The Trickster laughed, a genuine sound of amusement escaping him. "All it takes is one tiny mistake in that ritual, and you'll be here in Hell for eternity. I refuse," he said simply.
"Oh, but you don't want to do that," Tara said slowly. "You see, I'm offering Glory the power to command you, so if she accepts and you refuse, you'll spend the rest of eternity as her lapdog."
"And Glory, I'm offering him the power to command you - same situation. You either both accept and keep yourselves on equal footing, or one of you has total control over the other," Willow added.
"I accept," Glory said, clapping her hands together. "Oh, you two >are< good. Clever, clever girls. Of course, once you're out of Hell, all bets are off, and I'll try my best to make your lives miserable, if I don't decide to just have one of my minions kill you outright.
"So what else is new?" Willow said wryly, exchanging a look with Tara. Danger they could handle - danger was like, an old friend, as twisted as that sounded.
"Come on, Tricky - make my millennia, and turn the nice witches down," Glory cooed, looking over at the other Hell God.
The shadowy form of The Trickster darkened, seeming to suck in the light around it. "I accept," he growled, the shadow whirling around the pillar. "Now step out from there," he added.
"Ummm … are we sure this is safe?" Willow asked, suddenly afraid that her brilliant idea had a hole in it she didn't see.
"Yes," Tara affirmed with a nod. "If either one of them breaks their promise, they give up control over the other. They one that breaks it can probably kill us, but then they're pretty much enslaved to the other one forever."
"Oh, good," Willow said weakly, taking Tara's hand in hers and squeezing gently. "You ready?"
"Wait, one more thing," Tara said, turning her attention to the Hell Gods.
"What?" The Trickster snapped impatiently.
"I'm taking my book … that's part of the deal. Willow and I, and my book … we all get out of here, alive and safe. Agreed?"
"Agreed," The Trickster and Glory said in unison.
______________________________________
I Think The Hellmouth Tastes Like Chicken -- Autumn
Seriously. 
Yeah our girls kicked Hell God Butt(s) 
you Sass.
Thank you for such a great story, and I'm totally looking forward to the epilogue. Hopefully, with Autumn's dialog in it somewhere. 
WOLFLORD 