FF: The House That Jane Built Chapters

[allyson12]

Spoiler Alert: This story does contain references to the last half of Season Six if you haven’t seen the episodes yet. Also references from ‘Restless’ in Season Four.



This story continues somewhere in season six after my last story, ‘Careful What You Wish For’, but you don’t have to read it to know what’s going on in this one.



Synopsis: After a relaxing day at the beach, the gang are stranded on the way home during a violent thunderstorm. They take refuge at an elegant mansion until daybreak when the weather clears. What the gang doesn’t realize is that the mansion was built upon a foundation of evil. More than just strange things go ‘bump’ during the night.



DISCLAIMER: WILLOW AND TARA from BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and the scenes depicted here are REGISTERED TRADEMARKS of Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy, Inc., WB, UPN, Fox, and all that jazz. *NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED*



Subtext Disclaimer: This story is about Willow and Tara, two women who love each other. Buffy, Giles, Dawn and Xander make an appearance. And, yes, there is violence, just like in the show. Oh, and if you are under the age of 18, you might want to consult with a parent or legal guardian before reading this or maybe it’s best that you don’t read this at all.



Rating: PG-17, for nudity, sexual situations, and violence.





The House that Jane Built

Written by: Allyson Heisey, aheisey760@aol.com

Thanks to my beta readers: Kimly and Angela





Chapter 1



Streaks of purple and gold colored the horizon as the sun began to set. Seagulls flitted back and forth over the calm sea. Waves rolled gently up the beach and tiny sand crabs scurried out of the way. Occasionally there was a warm and salty breeze and it whispered through tuffs of tall grass that were scattered over the dunes.



Xander stuffed the last bite of his hamburger into his mouth and tossed the napkin into the campfire. Tara and Dawn were roasting marshmallows while Buffy and Willow looked on.



“Um, Willow, could you get us the chocolate bars?” Tara asked.



“Sure.” Willow answered. The redhead stood up, walked over to the cooler by the car and took out a bag of chocolate candy. Buffy appeared at her side and helped herself to another soda. Willow turned and tossed the bag to Dawn who deftly caught it in midair.



Willow smiled as she watched Tara pull the sticky white mass from her stick with her fingers to complete her s’more cookie. She heard Buffy chuckle when both of them licked the marshmallow from their sticky digits.



“We so needed this.” Willow said, leaning back against the car.



“I agree.” Buffy replied and took a long swallow from her soda.



It had been a long time since she felt this relaxed and Buffy smiled around the lip of the soda can. She was glad they decided to take this trip to the beach. They all needed a break. Giles and Anya had stayed behind to mind the store, and agreed to contact them should an emergency arise.



She looked over at her friend, Xander, who was leaning against a stout rigging pole and digging his bare foot into the sand. He was smiling at Dawn and Tara but there was sadness in his eyes. He had come so close to marrying the one person he had ever loved, but then on their wedding day, wondered if perhaps he was making a bad decision. Haunted by his parents miserable marriage, he wandered off and left Anya at the altar. Her heart went out to him for she knew how it felt to love someone so much and not know if you had a future together.



She looked sideways at Willow and admired her best friend in the soft glow of the setting sun. Willow’s smile lit up her face, chasing away the lines of sadness and worry that had begun to set around her green eyes. The young computer hacker had become a very powerful witch. Powerful enough to be a sorceress, but the magic had taken its toll. The use of magic had consequences and for Willow it was addictive. It changed Willow in ways she never imagined that it would. Many years ago, the red head was an outcast in high school. Kids picked on her because of the way she dressed, talked, and even for bagging her own lunches. But then Willow discovered the world of magic and her life changed. Her powers grew and soon she was able to cast spells and change the environment. But it was dangerous. People could get hurt. Willow had abused this power and used it on the people who loved her, especially Tara. Unable to make Willow understand how wrong this was, Tara left. Willow, unable to resist the power of magic, continued to manipulate the world around her, and it almost cost her the lives of her friends. When this happened, Willow stopped using magic and Tara returned to her.



Buffy noticed that Willow’s green eyes had regained their sparkle and her red hair took on a burnished look as the sun set lower in the sky. She followed Willow’s line of sight and her gaze rested on Tara and she sighed. She was amazed at Tara’s transformation over the last few years. When she first met Tara, she was a young, extremely shy girl. Now she was a mature and confident woman. She had also become a powerful witch, but unlike Willow, she was not seduced by the power of magic. Buffy wondered if it was Willow who brought Tara out so easily, or if it was her experiences as part of the Scooby gang, fighting evil and living from day to day. The love that the two women shared often left a gaping hole in Buffy’s heart and it ached. She knew that feeling, to love someone so completely, and so helplessly. Her thoughts were interrupted when Xander approached.



“Ah, this was a great day at the beach.” Xander grinned, stepped between Buffy and Willow, and draped his arms over their shoulders. “And I’ll bet every guy was wishing they were me.” He waggled his brows and looked down at Dawn and Tara. Tara chuckled and stood up, brushing the sand from her shorts.



“You all do look kind of cute together.” She teased and Willow laughed.



“Sorry, Xander, I’m strictly a one woman gal.” She left his side and took Tara’s hand in hers.



“That’s okay, Xander, you’ve got Buffy and me.” Dawn got up and filled the vacancy that Willow had left behind and pulled his arm over her shoulder.



Buffy looked over at her sister, briefly noticing how much she had grown and that her face was losing the cherubic look of adolescence. Her voice was changing and so was her young body. Buffy observed how the tight jeans hugged her curves and that Dawn’s hips were much more defined. She chuckled to herself when she thought about the night she had come downstairs and caught her sister on the living room couch with the boy next door. That was a night she would always remember. They sat up all night, and talked about life, love, sex and her future. Dawn was also become stronger and more mature. Her little sister was growing up. There was still something else different about Dawn, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Buffy sighed and brought her thoughts back to the present.



“I’m in a mood for a walk along the beach.” Buffy said.



“Yeah, me too.” Xander agreed.



“Me three.” Dawn chimed in.



Buffy steered them in the direction of the sand and surf. Willow and Tara followed, their arms around each other’s waist. Their bare feet sank into the wet sand and footprints were left behind for a moment before the waves washed over them, erasing the marks of their passage.



Tara laid her head on Willow’s shoulder and the redhead pulled her tighter against her. They stopped to watch a seagull dive into the ocean, transfixed by the speed and precision in which the bird dove. Tara turned to Willow and their gazes locked. They leaned inexorably closer to one another and their lips met for a soft kiss. Willow cradled her lover’s face in her hands while Tara’s arms went around her neck.



Dawn, Buffy and Xander watched for a few moments and Dawn giggled.



“Hey, don’t mind us single folks. We’ll just mosey on down the path of loneliness here.” Xander commented with a touch of a smile.



“Sorry.” Willow murmured and slowly pulled away. Tara smiled shyly at the group before looking back at Willow when she felt a hand slip into hers.



“Well, I guess we should be heading back. It’s getting late.” Buffy suggested.



“Yeah. I think there’s a storm on the way too.” Xander observed and everyone followed his gaze to the sky in the distance that was getting darker by the minute from growing thunder clouds.





Chapter 2



Huge thunderclouds loomed overhead and the sky became oppressively darker. Willow, Tara and Dawn sat in the rear of the car. Dawn looked out the windows worriedly while Willow and Tara dozed. Buffy sat in the passenger seat calmly leafing through one of Anya’s magazines that she found on the floor. She had pulled the visor down and pulled down the flap. The tiny lights on either side of the mirror shone down on the article she had chosen to read. Xander flipped on his headlights and groaned when the first drop of rain hit the windshield.



“How far are we from Sunnydale?” Buffy asked.



“Oh, I’d guess fifteen miles or so.” Xander replied.



“It looks a little rough out there.” She commented, glancing up at the sky.



“Just rain…” There was a sudden gust of dry wind and a tree branch whizzed by. “…and little bits of trees.” Xander finished.



“I think maybe we should sit this one out.” Buffy suggested.



The car jerked violently, waking Willow and Tara, and Xander looked down at the flashing light on the dashboard in confusion and then looked over at Buffy with a sheepish expression.



“No, let me guess.” Buffy said and shook her head. “We’re out of gas.”



Xander chuckled nervously. “Well…yeah. I don’t know why though…”



To Xander’s astonishment, instead of getting upset, Buffy laughed.



“Guys, I’m really sorry. I thought there was plenty.” He frowned down at the gas gauge in puzzlement.



“We’re out of gas?” Dawn said in disbelief. “Um, I don’t see any gas stations nearby, do you?”



“Nope. And Xander’s going to be a gentleman by getting out and finding us one.” Buffy quipped.



“Wait, let me try my cell. I can call Triple A and they’ll send someone out here with gas.” Willow said cheerfully and covered Tara’s hand on her thigh with her own.



“I like her suggestion better.” Xander chimed in and Tara chuckled.



Willow reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cell phone. The bright yellow cover attracted Dawn’s attention.



“Wow. That’s cool.” She said.



“It’s more than cool. It’s totally awesome.” Willow said. She flipped open the cover so Dawn could see its intricate interface.



“See…you can store phone numbers, retrieve email, write a note, and even listen to music.” Willow explained enthusiastically while Buffy and Tara exchanged amused looks.



“You know Will, she loves her gadgets.” Xander quipped.



“So, it’s kind of like the palm pilots?” The teen asked.



“Oh, this is much better than palms…”



“Willow…” Buffy interrupted. “Giles?”



“Oh, yeah.” She pressed a button and a tiny panel lit up. “No, wait. I can’t. No signal.” Willow’s said in disappointment.



There was a flash of lightning and thunder rumbled in the distance. The rain hadn’t really started yet, just a light drizzle.



“What about that place over there.” Willow pointed to a large house just off to the right. Xander guided the car off the road and parked well off the shoulder.



“Okay, let’s go see if anyone’s home before it really starts to rain.” Buffy suggested. “And we need to get in touch with Giles to let him know where we are.”



They got out of the car and Xander retrieved two umbrellas from the trunk. Willow and Tara shared one, while Buffy and Dawn shared the other.



“There’s room for you under here too, Xander.” Dawn said.



“Nah. I think I’ll be manly, it’s just water. I can deal.” He shrugged.





Chapter 3



The group walked down the road and peered through the iron fence that enclosed the property. They could see lights in the windows and a car parked out front. They walked up the paved driveway and stopped at the iron gates. Buffy spotted an intercom, pressed the button and waited expectantly as it began to rain harder.



The porch light came on, well oiled gears turned and the gate opened. Lightning flashed and a peal of thunder rumbled across the expansive acreage. They followed the short cobblestone driveway as it curved right, around some decorative bushes, and then towards the house. The stone structure was much larger than it appeared from the road. The driveway, lined with magnolias, led up to the house and then circled back down to the gate. The manicured grass glowed green in the rain. Water flowed serenely from a square, three tiered stone fountain. Azaleas and rose bushes surrounded it and their floral scent drifted over them as they walked by. They gazed up at the two story stone building. The front of the house had an A-frame design. The large floor to ceiling windows gave it an airy and open feeling. On the sides of the house, the top floor had balconies and sliding glass doors framed by half moon windows. A curl of smoke rose from a chimney and the rain sluiced down the terra cotta shingles watering the azaleas and evergreen bushes below.



“Wow.” Xander said in a hushed tone.



“This is too beautiful to be real.” Tara whispered and Willow squeezed her hand.



One of the bushes near the fountain rustled and Buffy swung her head. She scanned the bush, but seeing nothing, turned back. She stopped in her tracks at the sound of a low growl. This time she turned slowly and her eyes moved over the bushes carefully. Everything remained quiet and still. Wrinkling her brow she turned and followed the others up the driveway.



They stopped at the wide, open air porch, the door opened and young man with a friendly smile stood there. His face was angular and tanned and he wore a pair of worn overhalls over a white t-shirt. A wide brimmed hat sat back on his head of sandy blonde hair. The tools in his tool belt around his waist banged against one another when he stepped back to open the door wide.



“Come in. Welcome to Mansfield.” He said and motioned them inside.



They stepped up into the covered tiled porch and closed their umbrellas. Tara leaned against the cold stone in the alcove and reached forward to lay a hand on Willow’s arm. Willow turned when she felt Tara squeeze her wrist. Tara was staring upwards with wide eyes. She saw what no one else saw, the house seemed distorted as if someone were stretching it like silly putty, and it made her dizzy.



“Tara…” Willow whispered. Tara’s face was unreadable. Buffy glanced back and exchanged a concerned look with her friend. Willow wrapped an arm around the blonde’s waist and pulled her upright, away from the wall. Tara blinked and gave Willow a wan smile.



“I’m James, the caretaker.” The young man at the door introduced himself.



“Are you all right?” Willow asked Tara with concern.



“Something…” Tara’s eyes scanned the curved alcove.



“Tara, what is it?” Buffy stepped back to Tara’s side.



“I don’t know. I thought I saw something, and I felt… it was just for an instant.” She shook her head, looked at Willow and then at Buffy. “We’d better go in.” Dawn had already stepped inside.



Willow took her hand and they stepped quickly inside out of the weather. They stood awkwardly in the foyer and jumped when lightning flashed and thunder shook the walls. The high arced ceiling was braced with massive wood columns and the hallway stretched past their line of sight. The house was a little too cool and they rubbed their hands together for warmth. The lights flickered and then went out. Outside the rain came down in torrents. They stood for a few seconds in the darkness listening to the storm outside.



“Oh, not to worry.” The caretaker said and pulled a flashlight from the belt at his waist. He turned it on, walked to a desk against the wall and opened the middle drawer. He pulled out a long matchbox and opened it. He shook the contents, selected a long match and struck it against the bottom of the container.



With the lit match he lit a tall candle, then cupping the flame with his hand, he moved down the hall, lighting lamps along the way. They followed him into what appeared to be a library. The burnished oak paneling gleamed from the blazing fire in the stone fireplace. He lowered the chandelier at the center of the room and lit the candles that were set in the two inner rows. When he pulled the chandelier back in place, the entire room was aglow with light.



An overstuffed sectional sofa and several matching chairs were positioned in a semi-circle in front of the hearth. Deep shelves filled with colorful leather bound books filled one wall and rich tapestries and paintings hung on the remaining walls. A small desk with a computer stood in one corner and in the other was a baby grand piano. Oriental carpets layered the dark wood floor.



“Thank you, James.” The soft feminine voice broke the stillness and startled everyone except the caretaker.



“You’re welcome, My Lady.” He answered. He tossed the match into the fireplace and the flames leapt with a loud whoosh.

Edited by: Warduke at: 9/3/02 8:15:22 am

[mollyig]

From a sunny day at the beach to an ominous house. Most intriguing!

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[tiredsoul]

Great setup. I like how you described the various characters through Buffy's eyes. Very visual. And that house Oooh, creepy.



--celia

---------------------------------

"That was just rude. Now I forget what I was saying."

[allyson12]

I'll have Chapters 4-10 posted around noon!

[Repost Moderator]

Originally posted by allyson12



Chapter 4



The rain was a steady downpour, thrumming against the roof and windows. Thunder rolled in the distance and rumbled under their feet.



A form rose from one of the overstuffed chairs, turned and faced them. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders and framed an angular face with high cheekbones. Her deeply tanned skin contrasted with her white shirt and blue eyes. A pair of faded blue jeans hugged her slender legs and her feet were bare. She tossed one last morsel of popcorn into her mouth before setting the bowl down on a table. She glanced at Xander and gave him a flirtatious smile. Realizing that his mouth hung open, he shut it and swallowed.



The woman’s gaze traveled to Buffy and then to Tara and lingered there for a bit. Tara smiled nervously and Willow squeezed her hand. The woman shifted her gaze to Willow and her eyes lingered over her face longer. Tara looked from the woman to Willow and back again.



“Welcome to my home.” She said “My name is Lady Elayne.” She picked up the bowl of popcorn and offered it to them.



“Help yourself. I was enjoying this with a good movie until I was interrupted by this nasty storm.” She said and her eyes twinkled.



“I take my leave now, Madam.” James said, holding his hat to his chest.



“Yes. Be careful, and see you tomorrow.” She answered as he turned towards the door and left. The sound of his footfalls faded and she turned back to her guests.



“Lovely home.” Buffy commented, her blue eyes studying the dark face of their host.



“Thank you. It’s been… in the family.” She said, nodding.



The tall and slender woman held out the bowl to Xander who helped himself to a handful of popcorn. Her blue eyes sparkled and her dark hair slid forward. The gold necklace around her neck glittered and the dark stone in the pendant shone dully. She shoved a hand in the pocket of her form fitting jeans and took a casual pose against the back of the chair.



“Come. Sit and tell me what you are all doing out on such a night.” She motioned them to the furniture and they all sat down except for Xander who decided to introduce them to their new host.



“I’m Xander and these are my friends.” He said.



“This is Willow, Tara, Dawn, and her sister, Buffy.” He indicated with a short wave of his hand.



Lady Elayne looked at each of them in turn but stopped when she heard Buffy’s name.



“Buffy? Buffy Summers?” Lady Elayne inquired.



“Uh, huh.” Buffy confirmed, curious as to how the woman knew who she was. “Have we met?”



“Oh, no.” She waved a hand. “Your name travels around in certain…circles.” She sat down in one of the chairs and draped a leg over the armrest.



“Really?” Buffy was immediately suspicious. Her tone didn’t alter but her fingers drummed on the end arm of the sofa, “What kind of circles?”



“The elite kind, dear.” She answered and hitched a brow when Buffy continued to stare.



“Oh.” Buffy said. “Sorry, but um, just curious about the title, Lady Elayne?”



“It’s just a title, stuck with me over the years and I’ve gotten used to it.” She munched on another morsel of popcorn and changed the subject. “So what brings you to Mansfield?” She asked.



They started when they heard a loud noise from upstairs. Their host flicked her eyes upwards and then looked back at them.



“It’s nothing. Just this old house. Happens all the time.” She shrugged and switched back to the previous conversation. “Um, you were saying…” She looked at Buffy.



Buffy sat back, crossed her leg over her knee and narrowed her eyes slightly at their host. “It seems that we ran out of gas on our way back to Sunnydale.”



Willow and Tara noticed the tension between Buffy and Lady Elayne. Tara turned her head and exchanged a worried glance with Willow. Willow slid her hand over Tara’s, which was resting on her thigh, and squeezed it.



“Where’s your car now?” Lady Elayne asked.



“It’s parked on the side of the road, near the gate.” Xander answered.



“It’ll be okay there. I’d say from the redness of your skin that you were at the beach today?” She addressed the question to Xander.



“Yeah, we were supposed to meet someone tonight, but uh, change in plans.”



“Well, seeing that you’re out of gas, the power’s out, and it’s storming, you’ll just have to stay here until morning.” She raised a hand before anyone could interject.



“Now, there’s plenty of room, plenty of food and despite the lack of power, there are still two boilers full of hot water for baths if you wish.” She turned to Xander and winked. Dawn looked at her sister and Buffy rolled her eyes.



“Now, I’ve got some things to take care of, so feel free to wander about. If you’re hungry, the kitchen is at the end of the hall to the right. Cold meats in the left fridge, sodas, juices and the like on the right. Snacks are in the pantry and the cake on the counter is off limits. It’s a birthday cake for a friend.”



“Willow and Tara, right?” She asked as she turned, watching them nod. “Take the bedroom upstairs at the end of the hall to your right. It has a beautiful view over the valley.” Willow and Tara exchanged surprised but pleased looks.



“Xander, your bedroom is directly in front of the stairs and right next to mine.” She winked again and the girls stared at him.



“Buffy, Dawn, you can take the bedroom at the end of the hall to the left.” She paused and clasped her hands. “Each bedroom has its own bathroom, of course.” She added as an afterthought.



“So, without further ado, I bid you all a good night. Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m.” She smiled, got up from the chair and left the room.



“I’m going to go to the kitchen and find a snack.” Xander said and followed their host.



“I don’t like her.” Buffy said and chewed her lower lip.



“Is that the ‘don’t like factor’, or the slayer instinct?” Willow asked.



“Both.” Buffy answered and looked from Willow to Tara, whose eyes scanned the room curiously. “Tara, what is it?”



“Well it’s just a feeling and… and sometimes some homes just do that.” Tara replied.



“Buffy, what’s bothering you?” Dawn asked.



“Ah, it’s probably nothing.” The Slayer stood, paced to the window, placed her hands on her hips and her face took on a thoughtful expression.



“Well she seemed nice. I know… looks aren’t everything.” Willow paused and reflected on what she just said and from the corner of her eye, saw Tara look at her. “Um, that didn’t come out quite right, did it?”



“I know what you’re trying to say, Will.” Tara said to her. “She seems okay. I’m not really sensing anything.”



“And… she was very hospitable.” Willow added slyly thinking about the coy looks she kept giving Xander. “I mean she doesn’t even know us.” She paused. “Not many people would open their doors for a bunch of strangers these days, you know.”



“Yeah, we could be spending the night in Xander’s car.” Dawn piped up. “I mean, I don’t mind cozy… but I think that would be a bit much.”



“Not to mention… uncomfortable.” Willow added.



“Okay, okay.” Buff raised her hands. “You all made valid points.”



“I mean we could go back to the car…” Dawn said.



“No. Besides, it’s a little late for that.” Buffy interrupted.



Willow leaned towards Tara and whispered in her ear.



“Willow and I are going to turn in.” Tara announced and Willow slipped a hand into hers.



“Well, I think I’m going to stay here in front of the fire for a bit.” Buffy said. “Um, Dawn, if you’re tired, go on ahead.”



“No, I’ll stay here with you and keep you company.” Dawn replied.





Chapter 5



Willow opened the thick oak door to the bedroom and stepped inside. The candle that she held cast it’s light on a canopied bed and she grinned impishly. She walked into the room and Tara followed. A thick burgundy carpet covered the centermost portion of the dark hardwood floor. A tall wardrobe cabinet leaned against one wall and an oval mirror on a stand sat in the corner. Sliding glass doors opposite the bed led to the balcony that overlooked the valley below. Another door led to the bathroom and a bureau sat against the wall. On either side of the large bed were a pair of nightstands with matching tiffany lamps. Willow and Tara moved about the room, lighting candles along the way, and stopped at the glass doors to the balcony.



They stared down at the meadow below which glowed with a ghostly incandescent light and wisps of mist glided across the grassy knoll.



Tara trailed her fingers down one of the curtains, relishing in the velvety texture of the material. The candles gave off a pleasant, spicy scent and bathed the room with a soft, warm glow.



“This is so romantic.” Tara said and Willow wrapped her arms around her lover’s waist from behind. She peered over Tara’s shoulder and looked up at the half moon that began to shine through the opaque mist.



“It’s late. Aren’t you tired?” Willow whispered into Tara’s ear and trailed several kisses down her lover’s neck and her tongue tasted salt spray from the sea.



Tara turned in her arms and raised a rakish brow. “Not really. But, you can keep me awake if you want.”



One side of Willow’s lip curled upwards into a devilish smile. “Hmm. Very tempting suggestion.”



“I’m the tempting type.” Tara teased with lidded eyes.



“How ‘bout a hot bath first then some naked snuggles in bed?” Willow suggested.



“Hmm…I like that arrangement.” Tara agreed.





Chapter 6



Tara ran the sponge across Willow’s shoulders and then down her back. Her other hand trailed across the creamy white skin of Willow’s shoulders. Her skin was soft, supple, and warm. Willow sat between Tara’s legs in the tub, her back facing her. Tara watched the beads of water roll down the smooth skin and contemplated Willow’s silence for a while before speaking.



“Will, talk to me.” She said softly.



Willow took a deep breath before she placed her hands on the edge of the tub. The water sloshed sloppily over the edge when she stood up. She turned around and sat back down, her legs encircling Tara’s waist. She laid her head on Tara’s shoulder and the blonde stroked her silky hair. Willow took comfort from the warmth and feel of Tara’s body against hers.



“I was thinking about magic.” She whispered, her thumb tracing circles over Tara’s skin.



“Why?” Tara asked, a touch of concern inching into her voice.



Willow lifted her head and looked into Tara’s blue eyes.



“I don’t understand what you see in me. Without magic, I kinda feel like a nobody. I feel…ordinary…plain.” Willow’s face looked sad and she felt a little lost.



“Oh, Will, there’s nothing ordinary about you.” Tara gave a soft laugh. “You always manage to make me feel special. The way you look at me and the things that you say. Even just little things.” She trailed her fingers along Willow’s jaw. “That’s the magic of your love. I love you just the way you are.” Tara smiled.



Willow looked at her with wonder in her eyes.



“Tara, I’m a geek.” She paused. “But when I look into your eyes, I feel courage, and I try to be my best.”



“Will, you’re special.” Tara rested her hands on Willow’s shoulders and her eyes took on a dreamy look.



“You’re amazing. I am so lucky to have you back in my life again.” Willow breathed.



Tara leaned forward and kissed Willow softly on the lips. The kiss deepened and lingered for long moments.



“Are you ready for snuggles?” She asked and Willow grinned.





Chapter 7



In a bedroom down the hall a tall, robed figure stood on a balcony, her face lifted to the heavens. The dark cloak swirled about her feet, its hood hiding her face from view, but long dark strands of her hair peeked out from underneath. A hand appeared from under the cloak and a clear glass sphere was cradled in the palm of her hand. She set her other hand on top of the crystal ball and her deep silky voice chanted in Latin. Her chanting intensified and the crystal in her hand glowed brightly.



Down below, a circular area of grass turned white and a harsh light shone upwards as if a giant spotlight had been turned on. The woman tucked the ball back into her cloak and wrapped the folds tightly around her. She dove off of the balcony into the void below, and the light dissipated, swallowing her up and disappearing all together with a muffled rumble.



A few minutes later in a flash of light she materialized in the slightly damp and dark cellar of the house.



“Light!” She snapped.



Gas lanterns along the walls sputtered and came to life.



“Be still!” She scolded her struggling captive. The young woman was struggling against the binds over her wrists. Her eyes flashed in anger and she purposely stumbled into the sorceress, tripping her. But before she could take five steps, her captor had her by the hair and dragged her painfully back to the spot where she materialized.



“Bind!” She commanded and ropes wound themselves around the woman’s feet, immobilizing her. She fell to the dirt floor on her knees, still struggling against the binds.



“Enough!” She said exasperatedly and pulled the woman to her feet. She turned her around roughly and locked her gaze on the woman’s eyes. The young woman was immediately transfixed by the black orbs shining from the Sorceress’s face.



“Yes! Fear. Good, you should be afraid.” The Sorceress whispered into her captive’s ear. “I enjoy fear. Gives me power.” She circled her captive and then stopped. Electricity sizzled in the air and an invisible wind kicked up. The Sorceress took the young woman’s face in her hands and the woman screamed.





Chapter 8



There was a soft knock on the door and Xander snapped his eyes open. He slid his legs out from under the covers and got out of bed. He walked across the cool hardwood floor to the door and opened it. He was stunned to see Lady Elayne standing there in nothing but a long dark blue silk nightshirt. She held a tall brass candlestick in her hands. The soft flame added more bronze highlights to her hair and skin. Slowly she lifted her face and met his startled gaze.



“Uh, hi.” Was all he could muster.



“Mind if I come in?” She asked and flashed him a wide smile.



“Sure.” He stepped to the side, opening the door wider and she walked into the bedroom.



She set the candle on the low dresser and leaned against the wall.



“Are you married, Xander?”



“Um, no. Almost did though.” He laughed nervously and closed the door.



“Come.” She said and took his hand. “Do you find me attractive?” Like a puppy he followed her to the bed.



“You’re dollsome.” Xander answered.



“Now, why don’t you get up on the bed and relax.” She instructed.



“You know… maybe I should…” He stopped by the bed and turned to face her.



“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.” She assured him.



“Well, that’s a relief. I mean… good. Um, this isn’t coming out right.” He stammered.



“Come, Xander. Relax. I promise you’ll enjoy.” She smiled and he couldn’t resist obeying.



Xander crawled up onto the bed and lie down. Lady Elayne straddled his legs and dug her hands into the muscles of his shoulders and neck, massaging them.



“Um… is this going to be a casual thing or…” Xander said half-jokingly.



“Shh…” she whispered.



“Oh, that feels nice.” He said.



“I like your friends, Xander.” She said and he murmured in agreement.



“Tell me about the redhead, Willow’s the name, right?”



“Ah, Willow. She and I are best friends. We grew up together.”



“I sense that there’s more to her than meets the eye.” Her hands felt his muscles tense.



“Why the sudden interest?” He turned over and eyed her warily.



“Just curious about her, Xander.” She said and her hands trailed over the muscles in his shoulders.



“Really?” he stilled her roving hands.



“I noticed that she and Tara are very close.”



“They are.” Xander was protective of Willow and refused to divulge any more information than necessary. He watched Lady Elyane carefully, trying to figure out what the woman was up to.



“Lovers?” She smiled at her question.



“Look, um…” He was beginning to feel uneasy, as if she were interrogating him. But, before he could say more, his head swung around to the door when he heard a loud noise from somewhere downstairs.



“What was that?” He asked.



“Things always go bump in the night in this house.” She answered and slipped her hands from his grip. She continued massaging his shoulders.



“Yeah, I’ll bet they do.” Xander half chuckled.



A blood curdling scream propelled him off the bed and sent him scrambling for the door, candlestick in hand.





Chapter 9



Buffy and Dawn had spent a few hours in the library. Restless, Buffy looked out the windows, scouring the grounds for activity and then leafed through a few books in the bookcase. She was surprised to find that almost the entire collection was about mythology and the supernatural. Dawn eagerly took one and retired to the couch to read, while Buffy toured the library, inspecting the pictures and tapestries on the walls. When Dawn fell asleep on the couch, Buffy nudged her awake and they went upstairs to bed.



“Buffy?” Dawn asked, rolling over in the bed to face her sister.



“Hmm.” Buffy opened her eyes.



“I had fun today.”



Buffy propped herself up on an elbow and brushed a long lock of Dawn’s hair behind her shoulder.



“I’m glad. I know this must be hard, having a sister who’s a slayer and not around much.”



“You must be talking about dusting vampires, killing demons, and saving the world stuff, right?”



“Yeah.” She sighed. “You’re growing up so fast. I wish there was more time for you to enjoy your teen years.”



“It’s okay, Buffy. I’m ready to help you fight the bad guys. I really want to be part of the team, you know, be a Scooby.”



Buffy smiled at her sister and tugged on the long hair before answering.



“You are a Scooby.”



Buffy lay back and Dawn curled up next to her. They were about to close their eyes when they heard the scream.



Buffy bounded off the bed and bolted for the door.





Chapter 10



The covers rustled and several delighted moans could be heard. Tara folded the covers down from her face and gasped for air. She smiled when Willow crawled up her body and stuck her red head out of the opening. She looked down at Tara with a mischievous grin. Her torso rose and fell as she sucked in the cool air.



“Decided to come up for air.” Willow’s voice was slightly husky and a corner of Tara’s mouth lifted at the sound. They were both perspiring and tendrils of Willow’s red hair, darkened by sweat, clung to the creamy white skin on her neck.



“I see.” Tara replied and looked deeply into the green eyes that stared down at her. She rubbed her foot along the leg that rested between her own. The red head’s gaze traveled from Tara’s smoldering blue eyes to her full lips and back again.



“Not sleepy yet, are you?” Willow asked.



“If you keep me awake, we won’t have to worry about that.” She answered and peered back at Willow in a very sultry way.



Slowly Willow’s head lowered and their lips met. The kiss lingered and Tara ran her fingers lightly over the silky skin of Willow’s back, sending shivers of delight up and down the red head’s spine. They caressed one another with their tongues, knowing and hungry. Diving deep, taking and giving each other breath. Willow moaned low in her throat and bit down lightly on Tara’s lip. Her hand rested over Tara’s heart and she felt the rapid beating underneath. She moved her hand and let it roam freely, exploring curves and valleys. She felt the need awaken in both of them and it burned. She could feel the heat rising and soon it would be hot, full, needy, and pulsing.



Tara kicked the covers down, wrapped her legs around Willow’s and trailed her fingers down her back to the soft roundness of her backside. Willow pushed her hips forward and Tara could feel the muscles bunch beneath the smooth flesh. The temperature was rising, steaming, and wanting.



She gazed up at the red head, gripped Willow’s hips, pulled her tight against her body and pushed back, urging Willow to continue the slow and languid movement. Their bodies moved together, their tongues licking and dancing. Willow gasped when she felt the familiar tightness just before the impending release. Her hands slid from under Tara’s shoulders to the sheets and she pushed herself up. When her back arched, Tara tightened her legs around her and she felt the smoldering fire spread. Her eyes closed as her head rolled back, and a low throaty moan escaped from her lips. Like a fever, the heat seared outward from the ache between her legs, racing to every part of her body, throbbing, hungry, and passionate. Tara stared up at Willow, mesmerized by the beauty of what she was witnessing.



Tara could feel the connection between them, she could sense what Willow was feeling and it felt so right. She felt Willow’s hands clutch at the sheets on either side of her head and her breathing quickened. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she grasped Willow’s upper arms as her own body responded to the pressure Willow was putting on her lower torso and from the wetness that was trickling down and mingling with her own. She could feel the sweat pooling in the tiny recesses of her skin. Her muscles tightened and she gasped as waves of pleasure rolled over her. It was electric, the energy seemed to surge back and forth between them, and their bodies ebbed and flowed with the current. She felt Willow lift herself slightly and reach down between them. She breathed deeply at the pleasurable fullness and her body moved to the rhythm that was Willow. The rhythm was always changing, sometimes it was fast, lifting her high, but then it would slow and bring her back down, and it was always smooth and deep. Her hips ground and her breath breathed her passion into Willow’s mouth. Her fingers twisted into red hair and dug into the smooth skin of Willow’s back. Her body trembled in the simmering heat and once again the waves crashed over her.



When it was over, Willow looked down, and Tara could see the love in her eyes. Exhausted, Willow lowered herself and laid her head between Tara’s breasts, breathing in her scent. Watching Willow’s head rise and fall, she smoothed down the red hair, kneading Willow’s shoulders and back, relishing in the feel of her lover’s smooth and supple skin underneath her fingers.



After a few minutes, Willow broke the silence.



“I’ve decided on something.” She said.



“Oh?” Tara inquired, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.



“This is much better than magic.” Willow replied, and then continued with a smile, “This feels better than magic.” She lifted her head to look at Tara and they both jumped when they heard the sound of a woman’s scream.



Willow hastily tossed the remaining covers back and scrambled out of bed. She reached down and picked up their robes, shrugging into one while handing Tara the other.

[allyson12]

Here's another update. Chapters 11-12



Chapter 11



Xander stepped out into the hall and glanced to his left. Willow and Tara were running towards him, their robes flapping against their legs. He looked to his right and saw Buffy also running towards him with Dawn in tow.



Willow and Tara reached him first.



“You guys okay?” He asked and tried not to gape at the naked skin under the robes.



“Yeah.” They said as Buffy and Dawn approached.



“You guys okay?” He asked.



“We’re fine.” Buffy answered.



He turned to Willow and Tara and said, “If you’re okay,” and then turning to Dawn and Buffy, “and you’re okay, and I’m okay, then what the heck was that?”



“It sounded like it came from downstairs.” Dawn said.



“Let’s find out.” Buffy said.



Before they could take a step the tiny lights on the walls flickered briefly and then came on, illuminating the hallway with a soft light.



“Oh, let there be light.” Xander said and blew out the candle.



Buffy led the way down the stairs and into the room that they were familiar with, the Library. The group gazed at the television which was showing a screen full of snow. Buffy walked up to it, turned it off and slid it back into its alcove.



Xander wandered over to the tall bookshelf and his eyes scanned over some of the leather bound volumes.



“Maybe it’s not really…” Willow’s voice trailed off.



When he realized that the room was eerily quiet, he turned and to his astonishment, he found himself in the room alone.



“What the…” he muttered and looked back at the bookcase.



“…what it seems.” Willow’s voice picked up and Xander spun around.



“Okay, that was freaky. What just happened?” He asked, and walked over to his friends.



“What?” Buffy asked, clearly confused.



“I went over there…” Xander pointed with his right hand to the tall oak bookcase on his left. “…and then when I turned around I found myself in this room, alone. “ He finished and pointed at his feet.



“Xander, nobody went anywhere.” Buffy replied.



“Yeah, we’ve been here the whole time.” Willow added.



“Um, Willow, I don’t think he’s making this up.” Tara interjected calmly.



“Thank you, Tara.” He turned to the blonde and did a half bow. “I’m not making this stuff up.” He said to Buffy and Willow.



Buffy turned to a wall when movement out of the corner of her eye got her attention. A form reached towards her from inside the wall, pressing against the wood as if it were rubber, stretching it. It began crawling up towards the ceiling and Buffy watched the blob as it ascended.



“Um… guys?” Bufy said and backed up.



Xander, Tara and Willow followed Buffy’s gaze and then looked at one another in confusion.



“Buffy, what is it?” Willow said.



“You don’t see it?” She said.



“Okay, now I’m freaking.” Xander said with a touch of panic in his voice.



“We should leave.” Tara said and glanced about the room nervously.



“Baby, what is it?” Willow laid a hand on her lover’s arm.



“Will, I can feel it now.” Her voice was soft and she looked deep into Willow’s eyes.



Willow took Tara’s hand, closed her eyes and pulled her powers into the core of her inner being. The feel of Tara’s hand in her own kept her grounded. Willow drew strength from Tara’s presence and waited until she felt certain that she was in control before she extended a part of herself. It wasn’t long before she felt what Tara had already sensed, a tingling of power in the air.



“Magic.” Willow whispered and opened her eyes. “The dark kind.” She added.



“Dark?” Buffy reiterated.



“How dark are we talking?” Xander prompted.



“Very.” Willow answered.



“What is this place?” Buffy muttered and then turned to Willow.



“Will…” She started to say.



“Get info. Surf the net. I’m on it.” The red head replied and Buffy shifted her attention to Xander.



“Xander, find a phone and call Giles.” Xander nodded at her request.



“I’m going find our host and get some answers.”



“Um…” Xander spoke up sheepishly. “She was in my room. You might want to try there first.” Buffy’s eyebrows rose while Willow and Tara exchanged amused glances.



“Right.” Buffy said, giving him a sardonic look before exiting the library.





Chapter 12



“How are you going to get in?” Tara asked, looking over Willow’s shoulder.



A box on the computer screen blinked, prompting for a password.



“Easy.” Willow smiled mischievously.



She pressed the power button on the computer until it shut itself off and then pressed it again. She held down a few keys on the keyboard as the computer booted up. The desktop screen reappeared but without the password prompt.



“Okay. Let’s have a look see.” Willow moved the mouse, started opening folders and scanned through the files on the hard drive.



“I don’t see anything useful. Just a bunch of letters and stuff. Zippo.” She was about to close the window on the screen when a file caught her eye.



“Wait.” She opened the file and Tara leaned in to get a closer look at the screen. Distracted by the blonde head in her view, Willow smiled and pushed a lock of Tara’s hair back behind her ear. Tara turned her head and Willow’s eyes locked on to her lover’s blue eyes and then down to her full lips. She leaned forward and kissed her, taking Tara’s upper lip into her mouth and caressing it with her tongue. Slowly, Tara pulled away and cleared her throat.



“Um… sweetie?”



“I know. I’m looking.”



“At the screen, not me.”



Willow smiled and forced herself to look past her at the screen.



“Wow. This is a scanned copy of the deed to the estate. Fify-five acres. Wow. Hey, it was owned by Sir William S. Mansfield. Eighteen ninety-seven. And then here on the bottom, it’s a bit hazy, but it looks like the beneficiary is Lady Jane Mansfield.” Willow pulled back and looked at Tara with a shocked expression. Tara turned back to the screen and read the part of the document that left Willow speechless.



“… are deceased, then Lady Elayne Mansfield shall be the inheritor of the estate, if still living…” her voice trailed off.



“Can it be…?” She left the sentence unfinished and Willow mirrored her own confused and stunned look.



“’Kay, net time.” Willow said and was about to dial into the net when she paused and looked at the desk inquisitively. She opened several of the drawers and examined the contents which were mostly loose papers, envelopes, and various other office supplies. “Nothing.” Willow said in disappointment. “There has to be something. I just know it.”



Tara turned and tilted her head at the picture hanging on the wall. She went over and noticed that it wasn’t flush.



“Willow!” Tara called out from behind her.



The picture swiveled out to reveal a wall safe.



“Since when did you become all nosey?” Willow teased and moved quickly to her side. She peered at the metal door and then looked back at Tara.



“I crack computers, not safes.” She commented.



Tara waved her hand over the dial and chanted a spell. The dial turned right, then left, then right again. There was a click, the chrome handle turned and the door popped open. Tara looked at her and shrugged.



“That’ll work.” Willow said.



Willow opened the door and they peered in. A thick, leather bound volume was the only item and they exchanged surprised glances. Willow reached in and extracted the book, took it over to the desk and set it down. Intricate runes had been carved into the leather at the edges and in the center was a pentagram etched in gold. Mysteriously, a gust of wind blew over them, and the air turned cold.



“I have a very bad feeling about this.” Willow said.



“You may be right. These runes are Sumerian. Will, it’s an ancient spell book.” Tara said and tilted her head for a better look at the lettering. “Ophelia”, she translated.



“Ophelia is the goddess of the nether realm.” Willow finished and looked back at Tara.



Tara closed her eyes, held her hand over the book briefly, and then met Willow’s steady gaze.



“It’s protected.” She said. “I think we should put it back.”



She picked up the book, placed it in the tiny alcove and closed the door. Willow swung the painting back into position and stumbled backwards into the desk when the colors in the painting swirled before her eyes. An image of the house came into view and a tall robed figure stood on a balcony, its arms outstretched. The wide hood obscured the face and made it difficult for her to determine its identity. A fissure formed in the earth below and harsh light streamed from it into the night sky. Ghostly wraiths swarmed from the opening, their faces twisted in agony and their screams echoed in her ears. Willow slapped her hands over them and winced from the harsh sound. A strangled gasp escaped from her when the robed figure turned. Willow saw clearly, except for the dark eyes, a face identical to that of Lady Elayne.



“Willow!” Tara grasped her by the arms. “What is it?” Her voice was tense with concern. Willow placed a steady hand over the blonde’s, looked over at her and swallowed visibly. Tara saw the fear in Willow’s eyes.



“You’re right. There’s something very wrong.” She swallowed again. “And I think it’s about to get worse.”



They both heard a strangled yelp from further down the hall. Their heads swung in the direction of the sound and then back to one another.



“Xander!” Willow breathed and picked up a flashlight from the table by the door as they ran out of the Library towards the sound.



They made a turn into a dark corridor, stumbling into an unfamiliar part of the house, and were immediately shrouded in darkness and a deep hollow silence. They searched along the wall for a light switch, but found none. Willow turned on the flashlight and specks of dust fluttered in the long stream of light like falling snow.



“Xander?” She called out.



Taking hold of Tara’s hand, Willow guided them down the dark corridor, the wood floor creaking under their feet. She shone the light ahead of them, cutting through the darkness like a fog light through a heavy mist. This part of the house looked old and seemed to have been forgotten. She shone the light across the walls and down over the floor. The once rich looking oak paneling was covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. The oriental rug that stretched down the center of the hall was disintegrating into brittle fibers due to age and neglect. The many faceted crystals on the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, similar to the one in the library, gleamed dully, also covered in a thick layer of dust and the cobwebs hung like thin sheets of linen.



Willow stopped and lowered the light to the floor, noting the undisturbed layer of dust before them. She turned, shined the light behind them and saw their foot prints in the dirt. Frowning, they looked at each other and then shifted startled gazes to the end of the hall when they heard the sound of a threatening growl.



A primal animal form came into view from around the corner and they screamed. White paint was smeared over dark skin and dreadlocks hung over its face. The two women turned and fled back down the hall.



There was an ominous sound of wood breaking and Tara’s foot went through a rotting panel in the floor, the splintering wood cutting into the flesh of her calf. She whimpered in pain and tried to pull her leg free.



“Tara!” Willow shouted in alarm and stopped.



She bent down and struggled with the broken floorboard, but it wouldn’t give. She could feel the warm, sticky liquid on her hands from Tara’s wound and she panicked when the growls of the primal creature came closer.



“Buffy! Xander!” She yelled, hoping that one of them would happen be near and come to their aid.



“Willow!” She heard Buffy call out and breathed a sigh of relief.



“Over here!” Willow called back.



Buffy ran towards them with Dawn right behind her, keeping the pace. Willow cast nervous glances at the creature that was crawling closer and closer. Buffy knelt down by Tara and curled her fingers around the broken ends of the wood. She pulled, the wood snapped and gave way, allowing Dawn and Willow to pull Tara’s leg free.



Sttill crouching, Buffy turned on the balls of her feet and looked calmly at the creature, whom she recognized as the first slayer. The primal form stopped and regarded her warily.



“You again.” She sighed.



The creature growled.



“I really don’t like it when you go after my friends.” Buffy retorted.



“She says you have yet to see what’s to come.” Tara’s voice echoed in her head.



“Yeah.” Buffy said to herself. “Look, if you’re here to help, good. If not, go away.”



The creature growled in protest but ambled away, tossing several wary glances over her shoulder at the Slayer. Buffy stood up and exchanged glances with Willow and Tara.



“This place is really messing with our heads.” She said.



Willow tore off a clean section of her robe and wrapped it around Tara’s injured leg. She stood up and draped Tara’s arm around her shoulders.



“Buffy, look!” Dawn said and pointed to the wall. A form, like a large liquid bubble, glided across the panels on the wall. Transfixed, they stared at the entity and then jumped when it popped, producing several dozen more of these liquid like bubbles. The smaller bubbles were faster and sped towards them rapidly, zigzagging over each other in their haste to reach the women. The noise that they made reached their ears and it was not pleasant.



“Run!” Buffy shouted. Willow, Tara and Dawn needed no further urging, they turned and ran down the dark passageway, Dawn and Willow supported a limping Tara while Buffy followed behind. Several hundred feet further on they stumbled to a stop. The passageway ended, branching into new corridors, each just as dark as the one they left behind. Buffy glanced from one to the other, trying to decide which one to take. The flashlight permeated the darkness for only a few feet but she noticed one with a single pair of footprints and they rushed quickly on.



The air about them shimmered and the dark corridor faded away. They found themselves standing in the hall outside the library. Buffy and Willow looked about in confusion, while Tara looked down at her leg, not feeling any pain. Dawn leaned against the wall wearily, breathing a sigh of relief. Tara pulled the makeshift bandage from her wound, not a scratch marred the fair skin.

[mollyig]

Great all the little twists so far. Real House of Horrors theme. Most curious to see whats going on.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[allyson12]

Update...Chapters 13-14



Chapter 13



Xander threw his body into the door, trying to break it down but the oak door wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t believe that he’d locked himself into the room. Rubbing his bruised shoulder he turned and walked back to the desk.



Having spotted a telephone on the desk, he entered the room and proceeded to dial Giles’ number and didn’t notice the door closing silently behind him. It wasn’t until he completed the call and went to leave that he realized that the door was locked, from the outside. He signed resignedly and glanced about the room again, searching for another exit.



He saw a door that he swore wasn’t there before. Frowning, he started to walk towards it, but stopped when he felt something drop onto his shoulder. Xander looked and what he saw made his stomach curdle. Crawling across his pajama top was a huge black widow spider. He stared at the hairy legs and fat body of the insect and gulped. He sucked in his breath and with a flick of his hand, knocked it from his shoulder. Then another one landed on his head. Panicking, he bent over and quickly brushed his hands through his hair. Completely wigged out now, he ran to the door and turned the handle. He felt another spider fall on his back and he reached back with a hand to knock it away. With his other hand, he fumbled for the door handle. The brass handle turned easily and he stepped quickly out into the hall. He stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself down.



He jumped when Buffy called out to him.



“Xander!” She said. “Are you okay?”



“Who? Me? Oh, just peachy.” He looked at Dawn, Tara and Willow. “But, you know, I’m really tired of being insect guy.” He shook his head and the girls exchanged confused looks. He looked up and pointed to the room behind him, “Just a couple of black widows.” His comment was met with wild-eyed stares. “So, you all okay?”



“Yeah, we’re fine. Did you get a hold of Giles?” Buffy replied calmly.



“Nah. I tried both the Magic Box and his place but all I got was a busy signal. I think the lines are out.”



“There you all are.” Lady Elayne said as she exited a room down the hall and approached them.



“Just the person I want to see. What’s going on?” Buffy asked bluntly and crossed her arms over her chest. Her face was still, composed and hard with barely suppressed anger.



“What?” Lady Elayne looked from Buffy to Xander and back again.



“The weirdness. What’s going on?” Buffy snapped. Her slender form was ramrod straight. She planted her feet apart and jammed her fists on her hips.



“I don’t know what you…”



“Look…” Buffy cut her short. “I’m not in the mood for games. I want answers.” She stepped closer to Lady Elayne until they were practically nose to nose.



“Now.” She snarled through clenched teeth.



“All right.” She conceded. “Certain areas of this house are, what you might call, possessed.”



“Possessed by what?” Buffy frowned.



“By spirits.”



“You lost me.” Xander said.



“This house rests near a portal to other dimensions.” She paused, “My sister extracts, if you will for the lack of a better term, the essence of those who possess mystical power, like your friends Willow and Tara.”



“Your Sister?” Buffy’s face mirrored their confusion.



“If you can’t go to the Hellmouth, the Hellmouth’ll come to you.” Xander said.



“There’s more.” She continued.



“Oh, goody, there’s more.” He added.



“The power that she takes provides her with the energy to open and close the portal at will. She takes their mystical energy, but not their spirits. She has bound them to this house and they dare not defy her. She has broken them and they fear her. She has made unpleasant examples of them. Now, they obey her. But, they also share a hatred of what had been done to them.”



“What does she do with the bodies?” Dawn wanted to know. Her voice was almost a whisper and she swallowed visibly.



There was a moment of dead silence when everyone looked to Lady Elayne for the answer.



“There’s an incinerator in the cellar.” She said not meeting their eyes.



“So, what you’re saying is, your sister, the evil Sabrina, takes this magical energy from her victims so she can travel back and forth between these hell dimensions?” He summed up.



“Yes.” She answered.



“Then she gets rid of them by burning their bodies?” He added.



“Right.”



“But, the spirits of her victims live on in this house?” he gestured with his hands as if he could physically put things in the right order.



“Essentially, the spirits in a way, built this house.” She clarified.



“Say again?” Xander frowned.



“Oh, my god.” Dawn muttered with a pained and petrified look on her face.



“What?” Xander turned to the young girl.



“They’re trapped in this house for an eternity.” Tara said uneasily and Willow placed a comforting hand on her arm.



“Now I know why I’ve been having so much fun.” Xander said sarcastically.



“Where is your sister?” Buffy asked.



Willow shuddered, suddenly went rigid and she gritted her teeth when she felt something probing her mind. She tried to resist, but whomever was wielding the spell was very powerful. Against her will, she moved away from the group, to a door under the stairs.



“Willow!” Tara caught up with her and swung her around. The pupils of Willow’s eyes were dilated and she was breathing unevenly. Tara clasped the red head’s hand and Willow was comforted by the feel of Tara’s hand slipping into hers. She blinked and tried to focus on the blonde’s face.



“Willow!” Tara peered into her lover’s face anxiously. Buffy, Dawn and Xander rushed anxiously to her side.



“Tara…” Willow whispered. “Don’t let go of me.”



“I won’t. I promise.” Tara smoothed back a lock of red hair.



“Tara, what’s going on?” Buffy asked, concerned.



“I think she’s being called.” Tara explained.



“Say what?” Xander asked.



“Down there.” Tara nodded towards the door. “ A form of dark magic is calling to her.”



“All right. Let’s find out what it is.” Buffy said and then turned to her friends. “Stay here, I’m going down.”



“No! You can’t go down there!” Lady Elayne exclaimed.



Everyone turned to Lady Elayne who stood at the rear of the group. Her eyes darted around nervously and she bit her lip. Buffy walked up to her and put her hands on her hips.



“Why the hell not?” Buffy asked.



“You… you just can’t.” Lady Elayne stammered.



“Again, I ask, why the hell not?” The slayer reiterated.



When Lady Elayne didn’t answer Buffy shook her head in exasperation, turned and walked back to the door.



“The longer I stay in this house, the less I’m liking it.” Buffy commented.



She opened the door and descended the stairs. Bare bulbs hung from the ceiling, the light dulled by a thin film of dirt and grime. Spider webs hung in thick clusters from the ceiling. Green mold and black mildew coated the walls, and the air was cold and smelled musty and damp. When Buffy reached the bottom and stepped away from the stairs, she looked around. The cellar was just a tiny room and completely bare.



“Guys, there’s nothing down here.” She called up.



Before Tara could react, Willow propelled herself down the stairs.



“Willow!” She cried out and ran after her, while Xander and Dawn followed.



When they joined Buffy in the cellar, one of the walls rippled, shimmered and then vanished. Several balls of fire materialized and hovered about in the air. The cellar wall was an illusion.



“Everyone! Behind me, now!” Tara shouted in alarm, knowing that there wasn’t enough time for them to get back up the stairs and out of harms way.



“Justante!” Tara chanted and extended her arms out in front of her, palms facing the impending threat. A circular mist settled down around their feet as the flaming balls screamed towards them. Willow placed her hand against Tara’s back, sending magical energy to help Tara maintain the spell. The balls of fire collided with the invisible shield that Tara erected, sizzling and falling to the floor in piles of simmering ashes. When Tara released the spell, Buffy caught Willow as her body sagged to the floor. Tara, breathing heavily from the exertion, knelt and took Willow into her arms.



“What the hell was that?” Buffy exclaimed.



“Demon balls.” Willow gasped.



“She didn’t just do some magic did she?” Buffy asked looking over at Willow worriedly.



“No, Buffy, she didn’t.” Tara looked down at Willow, still conscious but weak. Xander and Tara helped her to her feet.



“She transferred her energy to help hold the spell in place, but it drained her.” Tara explained.



“Oh, that hurts.” Willow moaned and pressed a hand to her head.



“Will, you shouldn’t do that. It’s dangerous.” Tara paused. “For you.” She whispered.



“I don’t think we have a choice and I can’t use magic.” Willow looked up at Tara. “You know how much I hate this. Buffy may be able to fight creatures of evil, but she can’t fight magic. She needs us.”



“Okay, I’m confused.” Dawn piped up.



“So am I.” Xander agreed. “I thought Willow was the big voodoo here with the dark mojo, not Tara.”



“Tara, are you…” Dawn let the question hang and looked at Tara with concern and fear in her eyes.



“Tara’s fine.” Willow answered. “She won’t become like me, addicted.” She said softly. “She knows when to use magic. She learned that lesson from…” Willow caught herself. “From watching people like me. Something I’m trying to learn to do.” She looked up at Tara. “And maybe someday, I’ll be able to do magic again.”



Tara smiled and put an arm around Willow’s tiny waist. She felt Willow’s hair brush across her cheek.



“Well, don’t you all look like one big happy family.” A deep, silken voice spoke from behind, and they whipped their heads around in surprise.



A woman who looked like Lady Elayne, except for the eyes, which were a deep brown, regarded them coolly. She was composed, her face impassive. A long black cloak hung from her shoulders and taking the edges in her hands, she brought the material forward, sweeping it across the floor and partially concealing the clothing that she wore. Her unadorned dark hair was cropped shoulder length and curled over the folds of the hood. Wide silver bracelets encircled her wrists and a thin band of silver, barely noticeable, was on the third finger of her left hand.



Recognizing her as the woman in her visions, Willow gasped. The woman shifted her gaze to focus on the red head. Her smile lacked warmth and Tara hugged Willow tighter against her body.



A creaking sound came from the stairwell and they turned. It was Lady Elayne. Her horrified gaze traveled over the small group to rest on her sister.



“Jane! No! They’re my friends!” Lady Elayne voice pleaded.



“You don’t have any friends!” Her sister growled.



“And neither do you, you old hag!” She snapped back. Her eyes widened when it dawned on her that her sister had orchestrated their arrival.



“You brought them here, didn’t you?” She accused.



“Dear sister, I felt them coming hours ago and decided that they should stop and stay with us for a while. It’s been some time since we had any visitors.” She said smoothly.



“So you made it appear that we ran out of gas.” Buffy surmised and the woman lifted a dark brow.



“I knew it! There was gas in the car!” Xander exclaimed.



“No! Not again!” Lady Elayne groaned. “Jane, the police have been here so many times already.”



“And they didn’t find anything, now did they?” She said dryly and Lay Elayne’s mouth worked silently.



“Now, go back upstairs.” She ordered and Lady Elayne hesitated, but when her sister raised a hand, she turned and went up the steps.



“Who are you?” Buffy demanded and glowered at her.



“I’m known as Lady Jane.” She raised her arm and the sleeve of her robe fell back to reveal an odd birthmark on her arm.



“You’re an Ellecry. A demon from the old race.” Tara’s eyes glanced at the birthmark and drew herself closer to Willow.



“She’s a what, again?” Xander said.



“Once, a long time ago there was a Great War. It was a war between the creatures of good and evil magic. It was a long, terrible, and devastating struggle. But in the end, the forces of good were victorious and the forces of evil were cast down. Yet, the nature of evil was such that it could not be completely destroyed, only banished.” Tara finished.



Xander stared at Tara and then blinked. “You know, for a minute there, I thought I was listening to Giles.”



Buffy glanced at Xander briefly before speaking. “Banished, huh?”



The Sorceress’s lip curled, “It was only for a few centuries.”



“She intends to return the evil upon the earth.” Tara shifted her gaze to the Sorceress who had walked to the far wall. “Who are you?” She whispered.



The Sorceress turned and Tara inhaled sharply when their gazes locked. The woman’s liquid brown eyes bored into her.



“Janearle.” She answered.



“The dark Sorceress.” Tara whispered. Willow looked up in alarm, and pushed Tara behind her.



“That explains things.” Willow said.



“Explains what?” Xander asked and Buffy placed her hands on her hips expectantly.



“This estate once belonged to a Sir William S. Mansfield, also known in the mystic circles as Imati, a very powerful warlock.” She paused. “Now, this is were it gets kinda fuzzy. In eighteen sixy-four he vanished, so his wife and her sister moved into the estate.”



“Wow. That means you’re over a hundred years old!” Xander chuckled and then his face paled.



“So is Lady Elayne.” Buffy voiced his thoughts.



“Oh, much older, dear Xander. I’ve been around since the dark ages.”



“Now don’t get me wrong, I like older women, but…” His voice trailed away when he noticed the stares. “Ha.” He laughed nervously. “I seem to attract them, don’t I?”



“What happened to Imati?” Tara asked, changing the subject.



“I killed him.” Lady Jane said bluntly. “We fought too much.” She paused for effect and walked to the stairs before turning back. “Now I can have things my way.”



She gazed at Tara admirably and said, “I can feel your power, witch.” and then she flicked her gaze to Willow. “But this one… this one has incredible power.”



“What do you want?” Buffy snapped and the woman laughed at her.



“Ah, Slayer, you know what I want.” She answered and turned a sickly smile on Willow.



“Will, you’ve got to stop being such an attractive power magnet.” Xander said and Buffy gave him a look.



“So, you know who I am?” Buffy said.



“Yes. It’s a shame, really. In a way I admire you. You’re young, strong and fearless.” She sighed. “I have no use for you.” She clicked her tongue and turned her attention to Xander.



“Xander, the floundering knight in shining armor.” She said dryly and then shifted her gaze to Dawn. “And Dawn, the sister Buffy never had. How touching.” She added sardonically.



“Stilletto.” She murmured and suddenly pointed at Buffy, Dawn and Xander. The trio became frozen in place, unable to move, or even blink.



“Urgrotto!” Tara said quickly, breaking the spell, and the Sorceress quirked a dark brow.



“That hurt.” Xander said and gingerly rubbed the cramps out of his thighs. “Do you think you could give us advance warning next time? That way I can pick a better position?”



“Hmm. I haven’t had a challenge like this in a while.” Her voice was calm. The Sorceress paced a few steps to a table and then stopped. She turned back and the pupils of her eyes darkened until they were almost black.



“Contelle Ubelte!” She said and they froze up again.



Tara searched her memory for the counter spell. Frustrated, she looked at Willow and then at the motionless trio regretfully.



“I don’t need them. I need the two of you.” The Sorceress approached and with a finger, touched Willow’s jaw. Willow stepped back, pushed Tara behind her and Lady Jane chuckled, amused.



“Come!” she commanded Willow, curling her fingers seductively into the palm of her hand.



“No!” Tara countered and waved her arm over Willow, breaking the spell.



“Love. It’s fickle, isn’t it?” She said to Willow with a sarcastic smile.



“I can feel the power in you, Willow. But you forsake it, in the name of love.” She shifted her gaze from Willow to look significantly at Tara. “For her love.”



“But love betrays and hurts, doesn’t it?” She looked into Tara’s eyes and saw her words mirrored in remembered pain.



“Stop it!” Willow managed to snarl. “Leave her alone.”



“Tell me, Willow, what makes you think you are worthy of this woman, hmm?” She taunted, walked behind them and Tara followed the Sorceress with her eyes.



“Tara has never done anything to hurt you, has she?” She chuckled when she saw the tortured look in Willow’s eyes.



“But you on the other hand, have. And not just once. Nor just twice.” She whispered into Willow’s ear before flicking a look into Tara’s face.



“And yet, there she is, standing by you, even after all you’ve put her through.” The sorceress shook her head in mock astonishment.



“A part of me feels for her, you know.” Her voice softened and she had a faraway look in her eyes. Her face clouded with conflicting emotions, and there were sudden tears in her eyes, tears that were gone as fast as they had come.



“Can you see her, Willow?” She whispered. “I mean, really see her?” She looked over at Tara and Willow followed her gaze.



Willow’s eyes widened at the image that shimmered before her. Tara’s face shone and her long blonde hair cascaded softly over her shoulders and glowed in a mysterious light. A long flowing robe swirled at her feet and in her hand she held upright, a metal staff with a pulsating stone.



“Tara?” Willow whispered and the blonde looked over at her. “You’re a Sorceress?”



Willow blinked and the image faded away. She turned her attention back to the Sorceress.



“What you saw is but a fragment of her past life. Her powers will strengthen as she ages and moves on to her next life.” She shifted her gaze to Willow. “I had someone like her once.” The Sorceress’s voice turned suddenly bitter, and she turned her face partially to the shadows.



“But, she will never have your kind of power.” The Sorceress turned back and pointed at Willow. “Soon, woman, you will be mine!” And then she shifted her attention to Tara.



“Aligreme Encanto!” She commanded and Tara began to fade away.



“No! Will…!” She cried out.



“Tara!” Willow’s hand reached out but found only empty air.



“Don’t worry, dear, she’s around. I’ll need her later.” Her lip curled. “After I take what I need from you.”



“What?” Willow asked.



“She’s powerful. Not as powerful as you, but power never-the-less and I’ll take it any way I can get it.” The woman’s eyes hardened.



Realizing that she still had an audience, she turned to Buffy, Dawn and Xander who stood by helplessly, still frozen in place. Her eyes narrowed and she took a step towards Dawn.



“Interesting.” She said simply, and gazed at the teen inquisitively.



“Leave her alone!” Willow snapped and tried to lift herself up.



“There’s something about this one. Her aura’s very bright and it buzzes. Most unusual.” She sighed and then dismissed her.



“I’m sorry, I must be boring you.” She lifted her arm, snapped her fingers and they winked out of sight.



The Sorceress slowly approached Willow and she backed up against the wall.



“Now, let’s see what you’ve got, shall we?” She said softly and arched her eyebrows.



“No… please.” Willow whispered and watched in horror as the sorceress’s hands began to glow and tendrils of electricity sparked from them.



“Why are you doing this?” Willow recoiled further into the wall.



“For the power. Why else?” She looked at Willow and smiled. “With your power, no one will be able to stop me… or us.”



“Stop you? Us? What are you talking about?” Willow asked, flinching when the heat from the sorceress’s hand brushed over her chest.



“I am going to make this world MY world.” Her voice was cold and flat. “I’m giving you a choice. You can join me and add your knowledge and power to my own…” She flipped her hand over. “…or I drain you of your power and you die.” She flipped her hand back. “Then I offer the same conditions to you girlfriend.”



“No…” Willow started to say, but the impact of the Sorceress’s hand on her skin shocked her into speechlessness.



Willow gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut in an effort not to cry out, but a scream escaped from her throat. The sorceress’s hand sent searing heat through her. She felt power surging towards her chest and then leaving her. As suddenly as it happened, it was over. The sorceress pulled her hand away and her eyes lidded with pleasure.



Willow, hands clenched at her side, and breathing raggedly, opened her eyes and stared into the coal black irises of the Sorceress. She swallowed and then she felt faint, weakened from the drain of power. She slid down the wall to the floor and fought the tendrils of fog that began to enter her mind. Her eyelids became heavy, the fog in her head thickened and everything dulled. Exhausted, her head fell forward to rest on her chest. The Sorceress bent down and pulled Willow into her arms. She raked her hands through the dark red hair, now damp with sweat, and pulled her head back so she could look into Willow’s face.



“Yes. Rest my little one. Oh, how I wish you would join me.” She murmured into Willow’s ear and with a soft kiss to her cheek they winked out.





Chapter 14



“Great! Dragon lady zaps Tara who knows where and then kidnaps Willow for some really big dark mojo. We’re in big trouble here, Buff.”



“Xander, we’ll find Tara and we will get Willow back.” She pulled him around to face her.



“We’ll find them and Tara’s the key.” Buffy told him.



“Tara’s the what?” He said, confused.



“Tara was a threat.” Dawn replied.



“How’s that?” He asked.



“The Sorceress knows that Tara’s a powerful witch.” Buffy paused. “Without Tara to anchor her, Willow can’t focus or break the link with the Sorceress.”



“We need Tara.” Xander agreed.



They froze when Willow’s scream echoed through the house.



“Willow!” Xander cried out, his voice shaking with fear.



Buffy took off down the corridor and stopped so suddenly that Xander and Dawn almost collided into her.



“Buffy, what…?” Dawn began but Buffy raised her hand signaling for silence.



Buffy listened and heard her name being called. She sprinted down the hall, turned into another corridor and stopped in front of a door at a dead end. She turned the knob but it was locked. She sucked in a deep breath, kicked the door in and it crashed down a set of stairs.



“That felt good. I’ve been wanting to kick something for hours now.” She said before reaching out and turning on the light switch.



“Tara?” Buffy called out.



“Buffy! Watch out!” Tara yelled out in warning.



Buffy turned in time to deflect a fist headed for her face. When she grasped it, it squished in her grip in a stomach churning kind of way.



“Eww! Yuck!” She spat. “What is this thing?”



“I don’t know.” Xander said. “But, it sure ain’t pretty.”



He ran down the last few steps and leapt into the air, aiming his feet towards the creature’s stomach. There was a sickening, sucking sound as his feet sank into the being. The creature was thrown back against a pipe that ran vertically from the floor to ceiling. The pipe cleaved his body in half and it wavered a bit before the two halves joined back together.



“Lovely.” Buffy sighed.



“How do we kill this thing?” Xander shouted.



“I don’t know!” Buffy shouted back.



“Buffy, it’s mostly water!” Dawn shouted from her spot on the stairs.



“Of course!” Buffy slapped her head. “Color me stupid.”



She reached up, pulled an electrical cable from the open rafter, the exposed wires crackling, and tossed it at the creature. She took on a bored expression as the being shook and then sizzled before finally dissolving into a puddle of liquid on the floor.



They looked over at Tara standing in the far corner against the cold cement wall. The other three sides of the cell were covered by a glowing mesh of metal. They ran to the cell.



“Don’t touch it!” Tara shouted in warning.



“What kind of a cell is this?” Xander asked.



“It’s protected by magic. It has a dampening effect on my powers.”



“Magical or not, it’s coming down.”



Buffy leapt and struck the cage door with her foot. The metal rattled but wouldn’t budge. Frowning, the Slayer repeated the move, this time with much more determination. The door flew open and swung loosely by the top hinge. Dawn ran in and Tara scooped her into her arms.



“Thank god we found you. I was really worried for a bit there.” Dawn said.



“I’m here, sweetie.” She said and turned to Buffy.



“I know, Willow’s in trouble.” Buffy said.



They ran up the steps to the other side of the house and down to the cellar, but it was empty.



“Tara, is this for real or are we seeing an illusion?” Buffy asked and looked to Tara for confirmation.



“I’m not sensing any magic.” Tara answered.



“Now what?” Dawn asked.



Tara sat herself down on the floor, folded her legs and rested her arms over her knees.



“Oh, yeah. Tinkerbell. Good idea.” Xander said.



“Tinkerbell?” Buffy asked.



“Oh, that’s right, you weren’t here when Tara did the ‘Tinkerbell’ thingy.” Xander chuckled. “Gives a whole new meaning to ‘Follow the light’.”



“Shh!” Tara hissed and they fell silent.



Tara chanted and a soft hum came from low in her throat. A tiny orb of light appeared above her and steadily grew brighter. It hovered in the air before it zipped past Buffy and Xander.



“Come on!” Xander urged and sprinted after it with Buffy close on his heels.

[MissQuirky]

WOW!! This is REALLY GOOD!! U write the scoobies so well, U got Xander nailed!



This is one hellava fright house!! I hope Willow's Ok! And I hope the scoobs can get to her soon! The tinkerbell light thingy never lets em down!



Can't wait 2 read more!

~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[allyson12]

Update! Chapters 15-16



A warning though. Lots of angst to come in the final chapters, but promise that things turn out okay in the end



mollyig: I tried to make this an interesting story. I can't help it, I love haunted houses.



MissQuirky: Thank you! It was really hard to put myself in Xanders shoes, and try to think like him. He really is a boy with no clue!



Shelly12: Thanks for the compliment! And, no I don't live in one (whew!).



EzGirl: Thank you. I'll have more soon!





Chapter 15



Electricity crackled and spewed lazily from the sorceress’s fingers. Her energy encased Willow within a glowing yellow cocoon and then released her. Willow fell to her knees on the dirty floor, still fighting against the intrusion upon her body and mind. She could smell blood, her blood, and the blood from many innocents that died here. When the attack passed she looked over at the altar and spied the sacrificial knife.



“Why?” Willow asked and wiped away the blood that trickled from her nose.



“Like I said, for the power.” She answered, glancing at Willow. She picked up the knife and examined it. The blade glinted in the bright light from the smokeless lamps.



A young man lay on the altar, unconscious. The sorceress slowly placed her hand over his chest and his body convulsed as ripples of power traveled up her arm. Her eyes closed as she drank in the energy from her victim.



“You see, I built this house.” She stepped down from the platform and into the circle of light. “It’s more than just stone and mortar. It’s full of spirit.” Her smile was sardonic.



Willow looked up in shock and glanced over at the altar, a low circular stone platform. She was sickened by the dark stains in the pale stone and by the realization of what the sorceress did with her victims. She stared about momentarily, there were iron stanchions on the platform, stone benches filled the chamber and strange markings were carved into the stone columns and walls.



“Beneath this house is the gateway between dimensions. With each sacrifice, the gateway stretches further into infinity.” She walked towards Willow.



“When you were young, before you discovered you were a witch, did you even have an inkling of how much power was inside you?” The Sorceress asked. “No. Of course not. There are many like you who have absolutely no idea of the power they harness within.”



“So you find them and take it. Killing them in the process.” Willow said and looked at the Sorceress with contempt.



“Don’t forget fear. Power and fear. It’s a real rush.” She continued walking towards Willow.



“Yeah, I suppose it would be. For you.” Willow snapped and the Sorceress smiled wickedly.



“You know what it feels like, Willow.” She raised her arms and yellow streaks surged towards Willow, still kneeling on the dirty floor. Her head sagged and she fell forward onto her hands, sliding on the floor until she was lying face down. She flinched when the energy encased her and tears streamed down her cheeks.



“You can’t keep this up forever.” The Sorceress lowered her arms and Willow rolled over on her side, panting.



The Sorceress approached, knelt down and took Willow’s chin in her hand, forcing Willow to look up into her face. Willow pulled her face away and concentrated on her breathing. She was tired, but she hung on.



“Hmm. Do you know how pretty you are?” She said quietly and Willow closed her eyes.



“Stand up!” She ordered. She grasped Willow by the arm and yanked her to her feet. She brushed Willow’s hair from her face and fingered the material of her dirty, tattered robe.



“I’d like to see you in clothes. How about some black?” She waved her hand and Willow found herself in a pair of tight black leather pants and boots. She raised her hand to her throat and found a leather lace choker around her neck.



“Nice. Now how about some color, like your hair?” She ran a hand up along Willow’s thigh and then through the soft red hair. Grasping Willow’s hair she pulled her head back and pulled the sash to her robe, exposing her nakedness. With another wave of her hand Willow’s robe was replaced with a red leather vest, the black lace crisscrossed her back, connecting the two pieces of material. The lace wove through eyelets in front to pull the fabric together.



“Much better.” She released Willow and walked behind her, fingers trailing along Willow’s bare shoulders. Yellow energy bolts danced along her skin, and Willow shivered in both pleasure and revulsion. The Sorceress continued to trail her fingers down Willow’s back, around her slender hips and then grasped them. She pulled Willow against her and her hand moved lower down her belly. Willow could feel the Sorceress’s breath on the back of her neck and the heat from the hand on her lower abdomen. A yellow glow emanated from the Sorceress’s hand and Willow’s breathing increased as a slow smoldering fire in her groin began and then intensified. The Sorceress pulled her hand away just as Willow leaned into her.



“Felt good, didn’t it?” She crooned and Willow jerked herself away, staggered to the far wall and leaned her head against the cool surface. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes.



“Tara…” She whispered softly and an image of the blonde came into focus.



Tara smiled and a lock of hair fell over her eyes. It was one of those special looks that were only for Willow. Tara’s eyes were teasing and a corner of her mouth curved upwards into a sexy and sultry smile. She heard Tara’s voice in her mind, “I am you know… yours.”



Willow took a deep breath and dropped her arms. She hoped that what she was about to do would put an end to this evil, but what about herself? She couldn’t think about that now, the more power the Sorceress took from her, the stronger she became. This needed to stop before she took what was left of her energy and became even more powerful. Either way, Willow knew she was doomed. If she chose to allow the sorceress to take what was left, she would be but a shell of her former self. She would be better off dead. If she chose to fight the Sorceress, she might defeat her and stop this evil. Willow had faith in her friends. They would find a way to bring her back if she got lost in the magic. But, she held off, deciding to wait just a little bit longer. She raised her head and looked to the door.



“If you’re waiting for your friends, I’m sorry to say that they’re occupied right now. It will be a long time before they find you.” The Sorceress whispered, her lips brushing against Willow’s ear. Willow shivered when she felt the wetness of the Sorceress’s tongue on her skin.



“That’s just a taste of what we could have together.” She trailed her hand down Willow’s back.



“Now, where was I?” She walked away, “You are so very distracting.” Then she spun back and extended her arms towards Willow. Jagged amber streaks of light hit Willow and her body convulsed in both pleasure and pain. Willow gritted her teeth, willing her body to resist, but she could feel her power draining away. She sank down to her knees.



“I can feel your hunger, Willow.” The sorceress crooned. Willow saw Tara’s face in her mind and decided that now was the time, before she was too weak to fight back. She had to fight for Tara and for her friends, to protect them from the Sorceress, even if the price was her life.



“Tell me, what does Tara hunger for?” The sorceress whispered into Willow’s ear and that was the clincher.



Willow feared for Tara should the Sorceress capture her. Her heart lurched at the thought of any kind of evil touching Tara. The Sorceress’s powers were strong, no match for even the Slayer’s strength. Tara would be at the Sorceress’s mercy and Willow wasn’t about to let that happen. Nor was she going to die like a trapped animal in a sack.



“Baby, I’m sorry.” Willow whispered thickly and then inhaled deeply, gathering what was left of her powers within. Her lidded eyes closed and with an effort, she pushed herself to her feet. A bolt of energy from the sorceress hit her and instead of resisting, she let her body absorb the energy. It raced through her system, the instant high made her head spin, her ears buzz, and her body tingle. She raised her head and coal black eyes met those of the Sorceress.



“I will not let you put your filthy hands on her!” Willow growled, her dark eyes flashing in anger.



“Ooh. The kitten has claws after all.” The Sorceress said, clearly amused by the change in events.





Chapter 16



The bright orb wound itself down the hall and to the cellar door they had been down before. It stopped and then changed direction. It went back up the hall, up the stairs, down another hall and then stopped to hover before a door. Breathless, Xander skidded to a stop, turned the knob but it was locked. Not one to waste time, Buffy moved in front of him and kicked the door down. They went inside and the tiny light flew to Willow and circled her, brushing against her sallow skin. Her hair, no longer red, was so dark that it shone blue in the light of the moon that was shining down on her from one of the high windows.



“Tara?” Willow whispered and she reached for the little light that danced excitedly in front of her.



“Will…Will?” Xander and Buffy said and crouched down by their friend.



Slowly, Willow turned her head. Two black orbs stared at them and they exchanged nervous glances.



“Willow!” Tara cried, entering the room breathless. She ran to her lover’s side and the tiny light faded out.



“Tara… no, you shouldn’t be here.” Willow’s body shuddered and she pushed Tara away.



“What?” Tara said in confusion and placed her hands gently on Willow’s face. Willow felt the warmth from her lover’s hands as she cradled her face ever so gently. Willow opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on Tara. She saw Tara’s jaw clench and a spark of anger flashed in those blue eyes.



“I’m sorry, baby.” Willow whispered and dropped her gaze.



“Oh, Will… no, sweetie, look at me.” Tara urged and Willow lifted her eyes to meet Tara’s once again. Tara’s gaze softened and she brushed a stray lock of black hair back from Willow’s face.



“I love you, Will.” Tara bent her head and kissed her softly on the lips and she felt Willow melt into her.



“I’ve been waiting for you.” The Sorceress’s shadow fell over them and Tara’s head snapped around. She could feel the anger boiling just beneath the surface and she ground her teeth together to keep from lunging at the Sorceress. Instead, she wrapped both arms around Willow. It was a protective gesture, and the Sorceress stared down at her with cold eyes.



“You! What have you done to her?” Tara snapped, her eyes narrowing in anger.



“Done?” She was incredulous. “I have done nothing. What she is… is what she always was. Surely you knew that.” Her voice was calm and steady and it brushed aside her anger.



“She wouldn’t…” Tara whispered and stared at her wordlessly for a moment.



“How could she not?” Her voice mocked. “In her quest to be different she entered the world of magic.” The Sorceress’s eyes were frightening as she fixed her gaze on them. “Tried she did though. But she couldn’t resist the allure of its power.”



Dawn reached out and clasped Buffy by the arm. Buffy glanced back at her sister’s strained white face and pulled Dawn into her arms.



“And the price was the awakening of her darker self.” The Sorceress continued. “We all know it exists in each of us, but we keep it locked away and we think we’re safe. But it lurks in the darkest corners of our souls waiting… waiting for a chance to break free.” She crossed to the window and turned back. “All it needs is a little encouragement.” She looked meaningfully at Tara.



“You used me to get to her.” Tara’s tone held a hint of stiff anger.



“Worked like a charm.” The Sorceress shrugged nonchalantly, sighed and looked down at Willow. “But she still won’t give in. It’s a shame, really. She should have joined me. Now she’ll only die and so will her friends.” The sorceress, without moving, glided forward and wrapped her fingers around Tara’s throat. Tara choked for air when the Sorceress lifted her effortlessly off the floor.



Buffy hurled herself at the Sorceress, but the Sorceress waved her hand and Buffy immediately found herself airborne. She was thrown up to the ceiling and left suspended there, motionless. Buffy tried to move but it was as if invisible restraints held her in place. All she could do was watch helplessly as the drama unfolded below.



“You two… out!” She glared at Dawn and Xander and waved her hand. They flew out the door and were deposited unceremoniously on their rumps several feet down the hall. The door swung shut and they heard the lock click into place.



Tara gasped and tried feebly to loosen the Sorceress’s fingers from her throat, but they held her fast. The Sorceress’s lip curled and her free hand, glowing and crackling with energy, moved slowly towards Tara’s chest. Tara’s eyes were panic-stricken and she flinched inwardly with fear.



“No!” Willow’s said sharply. Her voice was uncharacteristically deep and threatening. Her eyes darkened as she pulled herself up to her feet. “You… will not… touch her!” She whispered harshly and without thought reached inward to the source.



Her arm shot out and blue bolts surged from her fingers. The magic energy struck the Sorceress with enough force that she loosened her grip from Tara’s throat. Willow lifted her other arm and sent another bolt which lifted the Sorceress from her feet, sending her crashing through the wall and into the next room.



Tara rubbed the chafed skin at her neck and made her way to Willow’s side.



“Tara…” Willow gasped and curled her fingers gently around Tara’s arm, grimacing in pain. “The spell book… we need it. I can’t… stop. I can feel its need… it’s bottomless.” Then her voice changed into something almost inhuman and her eyes darkened even more. “The book. Get it!”



Willow stood up effortlessly and a wild wind swirled at her feet. She was across the room and through the wall like a whirlwind.



“Willow!” Xander cried out and started to run after her but Tara grabbed his arms.



“Xander, no. Let her go.” Tara said.



“What do we do?” Dawn asked, what just happened left her numb with shock.



“I need to get back to the library. There’s a book there that I think might help us.” She looked into their faces. “I have to warn you though, the book has a protection spell on it, so I don’t know what’s going to happen when I open it.”



“We’ll worry about that when we get there.” Buffy said and helped Tara to her feet.



They jogged briskly down the dimly lit passageway, Buffy and Tara a length or two behind Xander and Dawn. They made their way down the stairs and into the bright hall just outside the library. Before entering the library, Buffy pulled Tara back out of earshot. Tara turned and looked at the Slayer expectantly.



“How dangerous is Will right now?” Buffy wanted to know.



“Well, she could go either way. The sooner I reach her the less likely she’ll go completely over.” Tara answered.



“As in… over to dark magic?” Buffy inquired, glancing at Tara questioningly. The two of them faced one another and in their minds the truth whispered soundlessly.



“Right.” Buffy said, not voicing her thoughts.



They walked into the library and Buffy spoke again. “Tara, how is it that you know so much about dark magic?”



Tara shot her a nervous look before turning away.



“Now is not a good time.” She said after a moment.



“Got it. Fix problem, talk later.” The Slayer said and Tara flashed her an appreciative smile. “There’s one thing that really bothers me.” Buffy said and Tara turned her head again. “Why doesn’t Lady Elayne fight back?” She asked.



“She doesn’t have any power.” Tara shrugged when Buffy looked at her quizzically.



“So, she’s normal. Like us. Well, like Xander.” Buffy said.



“Hello. Normal guy heard that.” Xander said over his shoulder from his position at one of the tall windows.



“Yeah. She’s immortal like her sister, but she has no powers.” Tara nodded absently.



“So, what is she?” Buffy wanted to know.



“She has the same birthmark as her sister, so she’s an Ellecry demon too.” Tara’s gaze shifted to the painting behind the desk.



“But she’s a good guy, er… gal, right?” Xander asked.



“Maybe, not all demons are evil.” Tara answered.



“Where’s the book?” Xander asked.



“It’s in a safe, behind that picture.” Tara pointed.



They rushed to the far wall behind the desk and Xander opened the door. Tara uttered a spell and the safe door popped open. She reached in, took out the book and set it on the desk. They looked down at the book as if it held the answers to all their problems.



Tara took several short candles from the mantle on the wall and placed them around the old manuscript. She remembered seeing charms and herbs in the bottom drawer. She retrieved them and was about to mix the ingredients when Lady Elayne walked in.



“There you are. I’m so glad she didn’t kill you.” She seemed genuinely happy to see them.



“You’re glad? No, I’m glad. You left us with your sister, the big bad Sabrina, remember?” Xander said in a huff.



“I’m surprised she’s even bothered to show up.” Dawn remarked sarcastically.



“Yeah, why now?” Buffy asked. “We know what you are.” Buffy said bluntly and the tall woman sighed.



“Then you know what my sister is capable of doing, especially since she’s the one who took my powers.”



“So, that’s why I don’t feel mystical energy when I’m around you. What happened?” Tara asked.



“My sister was very ambitious in her quest to become a powerful witch. She’s known throughout the realms not only as the Dark Sorceress, but as the Queen of Darkness. However, she has a few flaws, she’s impatient and reckless.” Her tone held a hint of contempt and she walked behind Xander, trailing her fingers over his shoulders.



“She also has a weakness for young and pretty things.” She added quietly, more to Xander than to the others and Buffy noticed the pained look on Tara’s face.



“At one time, I too had powers. But, one day, while I was sleeping, she broke one of my protection spells and entered my room. She attacked before I could utter a word to defend myself. I was helpless and unable to stop her from taking my powers.” She looked over at the group.



“Some time has passed since then, and I’ve regained some of my lost powers, but not much.” She noticed the apprehensive stares. “Look, I heard you talking, and yes, it’s true that Ellecry demons don’t have the best reputation, but I have an agenda, and neither of you are on it, so, relax.”



“Oh, boy.” Xander muttered.



“What are Ellecry demons?” Dawn asked.



“Well, mostly we’re travelers.” She tilted her head at the teen.



“Really?” Buffy raised a brow, not amused.



“She’s telling the truth… well, mostly.” Tara confirmed. “They’re actually changelings and they tend to cause chaos wherever they go.”



“Oh, like Chaos demons. I’ve run into those.” Xander chimed in.



“Well, almost. But their pleasure is in the form of vengeance. It could be anything from starting a feud to macho sadism.” Tara continued.



“Macho…” Xander choked on the word and glanced sharply at Lady Elayne who flashed him one of her most charming smiles.



“I really hate the thought of leaving, you know. Here on this earth, we can be anything, from an insect to a plant. From an animal to a human. No matter the size, shape, color or abilities. The possibilities are endless.” She tilted her head and they stepped back when her body began to distort and shift. Slowly the identity of the changeling became clear. She looked like an identical twin of Buffy. Her body morphed again, going through a transition of colors and shapes before she changed back to that of Lady Elayne.



“Cool.” Dawn said.



“Thank’s for the lovely show. You couldn’t help us when we were down in the cellar, but now you’re saying you can?” Buffy said, bringing them all back to the business at hand.



“I’m not strong enough to stop her, my powers are too weak and her sorcery is very powerful.” Lady Elyane answered.



“Hey, what if they’re connected. You know like with their brains or something.” Xander said. Dawn and Buffy looked at him with blank expressions and Tara shook her head.



“Look, I’m really sorry, but she takes care of me. I mean, where can I go?” Lady Elayne said. “I like all of you. You’re good people. Let me help.” She nodded towards Tara and the book.



“You know anything about that book?” Buffy asked.



“Yes. It’s my book. You’ll have to use the spell of Enchilorn.” She answered.



“Enchilorn! Of course.” Tara said.



“What else do you know?” Buffy asked.



“I know what it can be used for.” She answered and everyone focused their attention on her.



“I can only do small stuff.” She paused. “You know you have to send us back.” She looked at Tara meaningfully.



“We’re sending them back?” Xander asked. “Okay, back up. Layman’s terms, please? I mean, I understand sending ‘Evil Sabrina’ back, but why Lady Jane?”



“Because we’re connected. If you kill one of us, you kill the other. We’re two sides of the same coin.” Lady Jane answered. “If Willow decides to embrace the dark magic and fight my sister, she may be strong enough to not only defeat her but kill her as well.”



“Oh.” He whispered, finally getting it.



“Tara, can you do your ‘Tinkerbell’ thingy to find Willow again?” Buffy asked.



“First, we have to bring her to me. I have to bind her powers and everything I need is here.” She answered.



“Yes, time slips away from us and we must act quickly if we are to save your friend.” Lady Elayne urged.



“I don’t know about you, but I’d really like to get out of pajamas and into clothes.” He glanced at Tara. “And Tara probably would like to be in something a little less breezy.” Xander suggested and Tara gave him a dry look.

Edited by: allyson12 at: 9/4/02 4:58:35 am

[mollyig]

Heh, is it wrong of me to have loved that the spiders freaked Xander? Its his own fault for being a spider eating man bitch!



Poor Willow. Having had to turn to the dark magic to try and keep Tara and the others safe. I hope Tara and Elayne between them can find a way to help her.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[MissQuirky]

Hey I like Tara w/ the breezy wardrobe! Well maybe she should change cos they're fixin to have a big battle and u wouldn't want to reveal anything! And robes do that alot, believe me i know!



Anyway this was a great update! Now everything is comin into place and the big bad part is comin up! I hope things go good 4 the scoobies! Its sad that Jane and Elayne r connected. And Elayne has to die w/ her, I was startin to like her!



Well i'm lovin this story so far i can't wait 2 c wut happens next!

~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[allyson12]

Update! Chapter 17



Chapter 17



The library was dark, the candles in the chandelier having been extinguished. The only light was from the flickering candles. They stood in a circle, the book sitting in the center, holding hands. Tara whispered a spell, repeating the chant over and over again.



Air rushed into the room, the candles went out, then flickered back. A bolt of lightning flashed, startling them and when they looked to where it struck, their eyes fell upon Willow, lying face down on the floor. Slowly, Willow stood up, turned and faced them. Her face was cold and impassive. They stared at her in astonishment taking in the leather attire and the blood stained knife clutched in her hand.



Tara swallowed and her eyes traced the curves of her lover. From the square tipped boots to the slender legs. The tight pants hugged her hips and accented the apex between her legs. Tara swallowed again. The vest covered her small breasts but left her stomach and shoulders bare. She could see tiny freckles on the creamy white skin. She bit down on her lower lip and looked over at Xander. His mouth hung open and she resisted the urge to shut it for him. She turned her head the other way and met Buffy’s stunned look.



“Did you think you could fool me?” A cold voice snarled suddenly, making them jump.



Their heads whipped around to the center of the room and saw the sorceress standing there, her face a dark mask of fury. Willow walked over and stood behind her, the leather pants squeaking softly and the boots clicking on the floor. When she turned, there was an evil smile on her face, and her lidded eyes gazed at Tara over the Sorceress’s shoulder.



Slowly recognition dawned and uncertainty flickered in Willow’s eyes. When Tara saw this, she quickly shouted a command.



“Madillo!” Tara pointed to the sorceress and a wall of wind rushed over her, picking her up and tossing her sideways against a wall.



“Oh, no you don’t!” The Sorceress snarled.



“Willow! Will, look at me!” Tara pleaded.



Willow looked into Tara’s eyes and the darkness in hers faded. Here eyes changed back to green and she swallowed. She looked down at the knife that was gripped in her hand.



“Oh, god! What have I done?” She whispered in shock, her eyes haunted. She opened her hand and the knife fell. Everyone watched as it clattered to the floor and rolled away.



The Sorceress picked herself up and turned towards Tara. Her eyes gleamed evilly and her lip curled. She stepped forward and cast a bolt of energy at Tara.



Tara’s body convulsed when the energy hit her and Willow rushed forward to catch her in her arms. She lifted her face and glared at the Sorceress. Her eyes gleamed darkly but as her rage intensified, they changed over to an angry shade of red.



The Sorceress’s eyes widened in surprise and then she winked out of sight. Willow set Tara gently on the floor, cradling the blonde’s head. She straightened and everyone sensed her power, like a gathering storm, and they instinctively backed away. A few wisps of energy wrapped themselves around Willow’s torso and she faded from sight.



Outside, there was a blinding flash of lightning and a loud peal of thunder. Buffy helped Tara to her feet and they ran to the window to look outside.



There was a stirring in the air and the ground rumbled. Cracks appeared in the earth then it split wide, rent by the force beneath.



They turned, ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out into the yard. A burst of bright light came from the opening and a chill swept over them. Abruptly they drew back when wraithlike forms came shrieking from the portal. Their howling rose up all around them. Buffy’s blood ran cold at the hatred that poured from within. It was so intense that it bordered on madness. These creatures had been imprisoned for centuries and they had sufficient time for their hatred to fester and grow. Their hatred was towards humanity, the very ones who condemned them to the bottomless black hold that they were so desperately trying to escape.



Dozens of disfigured spirits ripped and tore their way out of the portal and the Sorceress directed them to attack Willow. Howling with glee at their sudden freedom, they flew towards the young witch. Undaunted and unafraid, Willow held her ground. When the wraiths were close enough, she lifted her arms and sent them crashing to the ground, like one would when swatting away flies. When they collided with the earth they solidified into whatever entities they once were. The evil creatures rose, one twisted its head and set its sights on Xander. It moved towards him menacingly but Buffy was already in motion. Her slight form plowed into it, knocking it down.



Willow slapped another wraith aside and it materialized into a skeleton. Again, Xander was targeted and the mass of bones moved towards him. Xander backed up and searched the ground for a weapon. Tripping over a tree root, he fell on his butt and scooted backwards until his back hit the trunk of a tree. Panicking, he felt around with his hands and found a stout branch. Swinging it like a bat, he stood up. Xander and the skeleton circled one another. Feinting to the left, Xander crouched and swung the branch. The tree limb connected solidly with the skelton’s knees. It was swept off its feet and fell in a heap of shattered bones. Xander stared at the pile of shards with a quick sigh of relief. Looking up, he saw more undead creatures approaching them.



Buffy looked hurriedly at Xander, Tara and Dawn as she dispatched a demon, his impaled body hanging listlessly from a tree. She followed Xander’s gaze to the demons that were approaching Tara and Dawn. A demon tackled the teen and she fell to the ground. She kicked at him, but he crawled up her body, wrapped his huge hands around her throat and she looked to Buffy for help. Tara lifted her arm and pointed at the demon in an attempt to begin a spell, but was tackled around the waist before she could complete it. Xander ran to their aid but a demon hit him and he went down, unconscious.



The Slayer ran to Dawn’s side, snatched him by the belt and dragged him off. Tara was thrown to the ground and she scooted backwards when two demons stalked towards her. Tara uttered an incantation and both demons stopped in their tracks when their clothing caught fire.



Buffy was about to go to Tara’s aid when she was startled by several bolts of lightning shooting by her and hitting all three demons squarely in the chest. Their eyes bulged and they looked down at the charred holes before toppling over. Buffy glanced behind her at Willow, but the witch had already turned away and was focusing her attention on the Sorceress.



Willow’s arms came up quickly, sending powerful bolts into the Sorceress. The Sorceress turned and stepped into the portal. Without wasting time, Willow ran and dove after her before the rent came together. The portal closed swiftly, closing off the light and all things that were within.



Regaining consciousness, Xander struggled to his feet, and Tara steadied him with an arm around his waist. With Xander, Tara and Dawn behind her, Buffy waited for the last two demons to approach. Seeing that they were vampires, Xander stumbled to one of the tall oaks and pulled down one of the lower branches until it snapped free. Breaking the branch into several pieces, he tossed the sharpest one to Buffy and she threw it at one of the demons. The short stick impaled the vampire and he dissolved into a pile of dust. Enraged, the last vampire rushed her, dodging the stick she had aimed at his chest. His fist connected with her jaw and her head snapped back. She recovered quickly by pivoting and sending a round house kick to his head. The demon staggered and she spun back, plunging the stake into his chest. His body exploded and the dust settled around her.



Breathing heavily, she turned and her eyes went to the area where she last saw Willow. There was no sign of the portal or any indication that it even existed. All was quiet once more.

[Tulipp]

Allyson, I haven't read this whole thing yet, but I like what you're doing, finding a way to deal with Dark Magic Willow that doesn't involve Tara dying. See, we all know that Tara doesn't have to die to provoke that darkness in Willow, and you are finding a way to get to that.



I will catch up on the rest soon, but for now, thanks for posting this.

[mollyig]

Oh yikes. Willow went through the portal. Molly wonders where it brings her.



Great update.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[tommo]

I like how you're working through Willow's dealing with the dark magick here. Especially as Tara is at her side throughout the whole thing. There's an element of trust running through your story that is lovely to read.

----------
"The only thing going for me -
were those moments - just
moments - when Tara would look at
me and I was wonderful."

[MissQuirky]

Freakin heebie jeebie!! Willow's in the portal! All that battling was probably tiring 34 the scoobs but its not over yet!! Can't wait 4 more!

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[Loco2]

woo!



is willow in that fucked up portal? can she teleport herself out of it? or open it again? or possibly be not all evil?



go her on the sorcerer part though! she should kick 'jane''s ass!



here's hoping willow's magic lasts until that bitch is dead - well, ass-kicked, 'cos they don't wanna kill elaine - but she doesn't know that - ooh, you have me all thinky. this is rare



great fic



steph

"I'm not gay - I'm just Trevor's bitch." - some drunken guy about his sexuality
"Oh, bugger off, you BROLLY!" - Anya to Giles on his use of the english language
"We'll all be a lot happier without the constant whining....Mom, Buffy, Tara, Waah" - DMW to Dawn

[allyson12]

Last Update, The Final Chapters!



Tulipp - I wanted to write around Tara's death. I accept the fact that she's dead, but I don't have to like it.



mollyig - Don't worry, she's okay.



tommo - I've been with my partner a long time. We've seen the worst in each other, but we've always stood by one another, no matter how hard it was. Trust is one of the foundation blocks in any relationship, sometimes it is betrayed, but we make mistakes. After all, we're only human.



MissQuirky- Nope, not yet.



Loco2 - I always felt that Willow had tremendous magical power, even Tara said so in 'Hush' and in 'Once More With Feeling'. I wanted to see how far I could take this.



ezGirl - Glad you liked it! Sorry for the angst, but I promise, it all ends well!



Chapter 18



Willow looked about warily. She was in another dimension, possibly in the Sorceress’s own sick and twisted world. It was bright here, but not blindingly so. Tortured landscapes flashed past, paused, then flashed by again. Willow ignored the distraction, concentrating instead on the source of magic that flowed around her. Then it stopped and she stood in the shadow of a towering peak that knifed into the sky, casting pillars of darkness across the desolate land. All around her the land was empty, void of life, a barren wasteland. Nothing moved on its surface and no sound broke the stillness in the air. She gazed at the scene with an odd detachment before her gaze traveled up the ragged structure into the desolate sky above.



Lifting her arms, she carried herself upwards and landed on a prominent balcony high in the tower. She walked inside and the Sorceress turned to face her with black eyes that hid something evil. She was cloaked head to foot in robes the color of damp ashes and held an oddly twisted rod made of weathered wood by her side. Willow half-closed her eyes and gathered her powers within. Her body tingled as her power intensified and when she opened them, they shone darkly and deceptively placid.



Willow channeled her power into threads of fire and thrust them at the Sorceress. The Sorceress was caught by surprise when her robes burst into flames. She uttered a few words and the fire was vanquished.



With a flurry of hands, the Sorceress hurled a volley of fireballs at Willow. Moving quickly, Willow ducked and uttered a spell. An invisible barrier slid into place in front of her and the fireballs merely bounced off and disintegrated into piles of ashes.



The Sorceress grinned weakly. “You surprised me.”



“Oh, I’m full of surprises.” Willow mocked. “You’re draining. Opening and closing that portal requires enormous power.”



Her arms shot forward and a blast of wind hit the Sorceress, lifting her into the air and up against the cold stone wall. She came crashing down and the staff fell from her hands, rolling across the wooden floor. Both women had brief eye contact with each other before scrambling after the scepter. They collided in their haste and went down in a tangle of arms and legs. Willow got to her feet first but the Sorceress grabbed her by the ankle, tripping her.



The Sorceress reached the scepter and brandished it before Willow threateningly. Eyeing the glowing tip of the staff warily, Willow backed away. Chuckling, the Sorceress swung the staff in an arc intending to hit Willow over the head, but the young witch ducked, tossed herself to the floor, and out of the way.



Gasping for air, the Sorceress pointed her staff at Willow and the stone in the tip glowed brighter. Energy arced from the stone and struck Willow, lifting her from the floor and tossing her against the far wall. Landing on her stomach, she grunted when the air was forced from her lungs. She lifted her head and looked over at the Sorceress with glittering eyes and picked herself up.



Angry now, Willow folded the space between herself and the Sorceress. One moment she was standing across the room and then the next, she was in front of the woman and they grappled for the staff. Magic energy arced and flowed around them from the scepter. Snarling, Willow pushed the Sorceress backwards and pinned her against the wall with the staff across her neck, choking her, until her body went limp like a rag doll. Unconscious, her body slid down the wall into a crumpled heap.



Drained and exhausted, Willow sat down heavily, the staff resting across her leg, and for a moment, she was sane. She uttered a plea before succumbing to the dark insanity that stole over her once again.



“Tara… bring me home.” She whispered.





Chapter 19



Tara, chanting in Latin, knelt on the floor and drew the last connecting line in the pentagram. Dawn walked around and they held out their candles for her to light. Buffy, her face pensive, stood looking out the tall window, a knee propped on a bench that sat underneath. Xander and Lady Elayne sat on the corners of the desk, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Tara looked up suddenly when she heard Willow’s voice in her mind, calling out to her. A coldness crept into her chest and she put her hand over her heart as if the warmth from her flesh could ward away the chill. Her lover’s voice was weak but in that split second she felt the darkness; forbidding, strong, and probing for weaknesses in her mind. Instinctively, her power awoke and sought it out, but then it was gone.



“Willow…” she whispered. She pulled her attention back to the small group who looked at her questioningly. “We have to get her… now.” She said, the urgency in her voice spurring everyone into action.



They scrambled to their positions around the pentagram and set their lit candles down in front of them. Tara held a deck of special cards in the palm of one hand and with the other, she set on top of the deck. Unlike tarot cards, these cards were triangular in shape and specifically made for the ritual they were about to perform.



“Ophelia, hear my plea…” She began.



“Evil of old rises anew, the veil of blackness from whence it came,”



“Evil of old, release my love, the one whose heart you do not hold,”



“Ophelia, return my love to this realm, to the one who’s heart she holds,”



“Evil of old, return to the realm from whence you came, and never to return.”



“This I command in the name of Ophelia…”



She looked down at the deck in her hand and picked up the top card. She turned it over and placed it on the floor by her candle.



“The Sorceress.” She whispered.



She handed the next card to Xander who placed it by his candle.



“The Paladin.” He said.



It was Buffy’s turn and she took the card Tara offered, placing it next to her candle as well.



“The Savior.” She whispered and looked over at Dawn.



Dawn took a deep breath, and set down her card.



“The Light.” She said, her eyes widening in surprise, and Buffy glanced at her sharply.



Lady Elayne reached for her card, turned it over and placed it on the floor next to her candle.



“The Changeling.” She murmured. She looked up at Tara and smiled. “Perfect. The cards know to whom they belong, and it has been done.”



A burst of light flared from the center of the pentagram, blinding them. The brightness intensified and they lifted their arms to shield their eyes against it. Finally it faded, and Willow lay there, curled into a fetal position, panting and shaking with exhaustion. Lady Elayne’s spot was empty and they exchanged glances before Tara explained.



“They have been returned to the realm in which they belong.” She returned her attention back to Willow, watching her lover’s every movement, not sure if it was safe to approach her.



Willow pushed herself upright and then slowly stood up. Her dark eyes glittered and she looked at them warily. Xander started to push himself up and she reacted by swinging her head in his direction.



“No one move.” Tara cautioned quietly and then whispered, “El curto!”



A ring of orange light encircled Willow’s torso, forcing her to clamp her arms to her sides thus rendering her immobile. She looked at Tara in surprise and then with understanding. Her head fell forward and her eyes closed, as if she’d just gone to sleep.



Tara stood up and approached her bound lover.



“Will… Will, can you hear me?” She said softly.



Willow lifted her head and gazed into the calm blue orbs of her lover. Tara’s breath caught at the tortured look in Willow’s eyes.



“Tara?” She whispered.



“I’m here, Will.”



“I can feel you.” She looked down at the orange glow that encircled her. It was soft, gentle and warm. It was Tara. “It is you.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. The binding ebbed and flowed around her and she surrendered to the sensation.



“Will, what I have to do now…” Tara’s voice held a note of worry.



“I know… dangerous.” Willow struggled with her breathing and with the powerful magic within. “Tara… help me, please. Bring me back. I don’t want this. I want you.” Her eyes pleaded.



“I will. I promise.” Tara said and Willow could see the love shining in her blue eyes.



The seconds slipped away. This was not easy for either of them. They did not expect events such as this. For Tara it was frightening. It brought old feelings and memories long suppressed to the surface and she could feel her fear lurking in the back of her mind. She remembered the last time her mother touched her. It was irrepressible, dark, and something more, something undefinable and she shuddered at the memory.



Willow’s body jerked and her eyes turned cold.



“Witch! You think I don’t know.” Willow spat.



Tara backed up, her face a flurry of emotions.



“I know you don’t trust me. You may love me, but you don’t trust me not to violate you again. The only reason you came back was because you’re still in love with me,” Dark Willow paused to re-arrange her words. “I mean… with Willow. You feel safe with her, when she’s in a non-magical, mousy and ordinary way. How boring.” Her voice held a note of contempt and her lip curled in disgust. Tara had to admit that shadows of mistrust and betrayal often flitted across her mind.



“We’ve already talked about this, Willow.” Tara said evenly.



“I’ve just done some powerful magic…”The dark eyes bored painfully into Tara’s soul. “Are you going to leave me again?” Dark Willow spat bitterly but Tara’s expression was one of compassion and her eyes clouded with sadness.



“If it’s used for the wrong reasons, yes, and you know that. You know I’ve forgiven you and you’re right, I haven’t forgotten. You know why.” Tara said softly.



She remembered the evening they kissed and made love after a long separation. They talked for most of the night and Tara explained why Willow’s abuse of magic upset her so. Black magic was dangerous and Willow was putting her life on the line each time she summoned it. She lost more of herself and the addictive power could consume one’s soul, leaving behind an empty shell, a fragment of what the person once was. Willow also tried to bend and shape the world to her liking, just as her father did. It hurt to think that she wasn’t good enough and that Willow used magic to make their problems go away. That was no longer the case for they’d had a few heated arguments and disagreements since then. They also came to know and understand each other better. Where Willow was quick to react, Tara was calm. When Willow was unsure, she was confident. Together they were complete.



“Forgiven me?” Her tone was hard. “No. I sense the anger. You try to hide it but you can’t.”



Tara sighed and rubbed her forehead.



“Tara, what’s happening?” Dawn asked worriedly. She looked up at Willow’s dark eyes, glittering with the madness that reigned within.



“It’s all right, Dawnie. The Willow we know is still there.” Tara assured her.



“The Willow you know?” Dark Willow laughed. “You don’t know her, so stop lying to yourselves!” she mocked them. “Willow doesn’t even know who she is anymore.” She gave a short laugh. “Back and forth. Magic… no magic. Eenie, meanie, miny, moe.”



“The Willow I know cares about her friends. The Willow I know would kick your ass if she could!” Buffy snapped.



Dark Willow chuckled in amusement. “You’re missing the point. This Willow can kick YOUR ass. Hello! I’m part of her… don’t you get that?”



The tiny group looked at each other in understanding and shock, except for Tara who sighed resignedly and her brow furrowed.



“We get that, Willow.” Tara said. “Myself more than anyone.”



“Ah, now it’s sinking in. I’ve taken a life, I live so close to her heart, and that under the right circumstances I could become your worst nightmare.” She taunted them.



“And I could become yours.” Buffy stated flatly.



“Really? Testy aren’t we?” She commented.



“Yes. You don’t want to cross that line again. If you try, I’ll be there to stop you.” The Slayer warned.



“Always the Slayer. Protecting innocents from evil. I get that.” She paused and regarded Buffy. “You understand the darkness, don’t you Slayer?” She smiled coolly. “You know it’s there. You try to deny it and hide from it, but you can’t, can you? You’re both attracted and repulsed by the darkness.” Willow smiled cruelly and Buffy swallowed against the sting of the truth in her words.



Willow’s body shuddered. Her hair slowly changed back to the familiar red, her eyes turned green and a thin sheen of sweat covered her body. Her mind felt foggy and her eyes kept drifting closed. She was tired. Very tired.



“Tara!” She called out.



“I’m here, sweetie.” Tara answered calmly, wishing she could cradle her lover’s body in her arms and soothe away the pain that was mirrored in the haunted, green eyes.



“The Willow I know is special.” She paused. “The magic didn’t make you Willow, it’s a part of you, yes, but it was your essence, your heart, and your soul that touched and loved me. That’s the Willow I know and think about.”



Willow gritted her teeth and moaned in pain. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her body shuddered again.



“What’s going on?” Dawn asked.



“She’s draining.” Tara answered.



“She’s whating?” Xander said, bewildered.



“She’s expending energy, fighting the thrall of the magic. She’s trying to control the powerful magic inside her.”



“How long?” Buffy asked.



“I don’t know. We’ll just have to wait and see.” She turned to Willow and then she sighed and turned back. “We might as well get comfortable, I think it’s going to be a while.”



“You know, there’s a bit of déjà vu here, but I gotta say this. She really does look good in leather.” He said. Buffy shook her head in exasperation and she sat down on the couch. When she leaned back her eyebrows rose when she looked over at Tara. Tara was staring at Willow with pursed lips and a thoughtful look on her face.





Chapter 20



Tara stood by the stone hearth of the fireplace watching Willow doze fitfully. The fire crackled and popped, making her jump a little, but she welcomed it’s warmth.



Then Willow began twisting and turning, her face tormented. “No! Please…” She whispered.



Tara, hearing the anguish in her voice, was by her side instantly.



“Willow…” She whispered urgently, whishing she could touch her, but daring not to.



Willow’s eyes snapped open and she gasped.



“Oh god, Tara! I killed him. She placed the knife in my hand, and I cut his throat. My hands! Blood on my hands!” Tears streamed down her face and panicing, she struggled against the bind.



“Will!” Tara called out to her and then took a deep breath. “Will, look at me.” Her voice was calm and soothing. Willow stopped struggling and she looked over at her partner. Tara could see the sorrow, the shame, and the uncertainty in her lovers eyes.



“It’s over, Will. You’re safe now.” She said in a soft voice that communicated comfort and reassurance of her love for Willow.



“No! It’s not safe! You can’t be around me! I’m bad, very bad!” Willow knew that Tara didn’t know that the Sorceress had tried to seduce her, had touched and held her. Her face burned with shame and she looked away.



“Will… It’s over.” She reiterated calmly trying to comfort Willow with her soothing words..



“No, you don’t understand. I killed him. She was in my mind and I couldn’t stop her. I couldn’t stop myself. ” Willow began to sob. “Oh, god. And I let her touch me. Tara, I’m so sorry.”



A cold fist squeezed her heart, then she blinked and swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. “Will… listen to me. I love you. And I know you love me. We’ll work this out, but right now you have got to calm down, okay?” She moved so that she could look up into Willow’s eyes. Willow saw the love in Tara’s gaze and tears stung her eyes.



“Can you forgive me?” Willow whispered between sobs.



“Will, there’s nothing to forgive.” Tara answered in a soft voice and unspoken words hung in the space between them.



“Even after all this… the darkness and the pain.” Willow’s eyes were sad.



“Yes.” Tara nodded slowly, fighting back the tears.



“How can you?” Willow shook her head.



“Because we all hide what we don’t want others to see. It has nothing to do with magic.” Tara answered and Buffy looked over at her sharply.



Dawn watched, mesmerized by the display of loving devotion that the two women had for each other. She felt the extreme sadness in Willow’s voice and saw the torment in her eyes. Willow was broken, but with simple words, Tara expressed her love and made Willow whole again. Dawn’s eyes brimmed with tears and she swallowed the lump in her throat.



Buffy got up and approached her friend. Her skin crawled at Willow’s words and they continued to echo in her ears. Willow turned her head and saw the sorrow in Buffy’s eyes.



“I’m so sorry, Buffy.” Willow said tearfully and Xander came to stand by her side.



“Tara, can’t we do something?” she asked the blonde.



“Yes, we can.” Tara nodded solemnly.



She sat down in her chair and closed her eyes. As the minutes ticked by Willow’s breathing slowed, her eyes closed, and her face softened, almost as if she were at peace. Buffy and Xander looked from Tara to Willow and back again.



“Well, whatever it is she’s doing, it seems to be working.” Xander commented before shifting his gaze back to Willow, looking at his childhood friend tenderly. “You know, in a way she’s right. I don’t know her. I remember when she was just ‘Willow’, you know, she was so bright and airy in a funny way. She wore jumpers and saddle shoes, and brought her own lunches. Now look at her. What has she become?” Xander said, his eyes troubled.



“She’s going to be all right, Xander.” Buffy said and put a comforting arm around him



The Slayer looked sadly at her friend. She remembered too, the ‘innocent’ Willow. The shy girl who thought she was in love with Xander and had never been kissed. The girlish giggles, the fits of laughter, and the little eccentricities that were uniquely Willow. What she saw now was a girl who was blossoming into womanhood, been kissed and loved by a woman, and had become a very powerful witch. She shifted her gaze to Xander and took a deep breath. He was much bigger now, more manly, but the boy without a clue was still there. A small smile crept across her face and then quickly disappeared. Their view of the world changed dramatically when she arrived at Sunnydale and became a part of their lives. In one night she had managed to turn their lives upside down. She shook her head ruefully and reminded herself that this is what they wanted. They could have left Sunnydale for a normal life else where, but they chose to stay and help her fight the evil at the hellmouth. Buffy walked over to one of the tall windows and looked outside. The responsibility of being the Slayer weighed heavily on her shoulders, but keeping her friends alive weighed even more, but she couldn’t have gotten this far without them. She blinked in surprise. She was actually feeling something, sadness, regret, and love. She sighed and her breath fogged up the window.



Tara watched Buffy walk away and could tell that Buffy’s thoughts were tormented. She exchanged glances with Xander and they walked over to stand by the Slayer.



“You all right, Buff?” Xander asked making his tone light.



“Honestly?” She answered and turned to face them. “Not really.” The moonlight made her blue eyes translucent and she looked over at Dawn, sleeping on the sofa.



“Hey, she’s going to be okay.” Tara said and placed a calming hand on the Slayer’s shoulder and Buffy turned to look at her. She knew that Tara saw things that others didn’t. She also knew that Tara was only trying to console her and that behind the gentle eyes the blonde had much more to say but chose not to voice her concerns. So, Buffy spoke up for all of them.



“Is she?” Buffy shifted her gaze from Tara and Xander to Willow. “She’s been changed forever. When you kill someone, everything changes. I should know.” She said sadly.



“Buffy…” Xander started to say and Buffy raised her hands.



“No. This is all my fault. She’s the person she is today because of me.” She looked at Xander, tears brimming in her eyes. “Even you’ve changed because of me.” Her gaze traveled to Tara. “And you, Tara. Nothing has ever been the same since you’ve met me, has it?”



“No, but I met Willow and I have friends that I can trust with my life. You’re my family. I didn’t have that before.” She said and a corner of her mouth lifted into a small smile.



“Always the optimist.” Buffy returned her smile and they hugged.



“What are we going to do about Willow?” Xander asked shifting from one foot to the other and Tara gazed at him speculatively.



“We’ll have to talk to Giles and see if he can help her.” Buffy replied.



“I’m sure there’s a way.” Tara agreed.



“You know, Anya was right. If she hadn’t gotten so involved with magic in the first place, she wouldn’t be like this.” Xander blurted out.



“Xander…” Buffy tried to stop him.



“No, let him talk.” Tara interrupted.



“Okay, we were able to stop her this time, well actually, Tara stopped her this time. But what about next time? Tara, you can’t be with her twenty-four hours a day.” He paused to breathe and his eyes had a desperate look to them.



“You shouldn’t have left her when you did. You should’ve tried to stop her from going even further into this stuff.” Xander’s voice rose. The tension between Tara and Xander was so thick that one could cut it with a knife. “I didn’t know things were that bad. I thought you could get her under control. If I had known you couldn’t… if I had known that she was going to end up like this…” His eyes flicked over to Buffy and she shifted her gaze to the floor. She was guilty too. She heard the alarms going off in her head. At the time she was so absorbed in herself and was wallowing deeply in so much muck that she just didn’t have the energy to care.



Tara narrowed her eyes at Xander for an instant and then took a deep breath. She folded her arms under her breasts and when she spoke her voice was even.



“First of all, I have faith in that Willow will find a way to control the power within. And Giles may have information to help her. Secondly, Willow chose to use magic. It was her decision, not mine. Thirdly, you know we fought about her abuse of magic and when she continued to violate my trust, I felt it best for both of us if I left. That’s why I left.” Stung by the pain the memory brought to the surface, Tara turned away for a brief moment and then turned back. “Willow needed to find herself, get her priorities straight and I needed to get back in touch with myself. I didn’t want to leave, but staying with her was hurting both of us.” She stopped and walked up to Xander. “Willow’s a woman now, Xander. Her wants and needs are different from the girl you knew.” Her blue eyes stared into his pained ones.



Buffy raised her eyebrows. She had never heard Tara say so many words, but as usual, she hit every nail on the head.



Xander blinked and his mouth worked, trying to absorb this information. Tara’s face softened.



“Willow has come into her own, Xander. You can’t control what she chooses to do.” Tara said finally and rested her hand on his arm.



“Just as you have, Tara.” Buffy said and a surprised Tara, suddenly struck with the realization that someone noticed, nodded. Buffy sighed when she saw the frown on Xander’s face.



“We’re growing up.” She said, not sure if that helped clarify things for him.



Tara dropped her arms and turned her attention to Willow. She walked up to her lover and let her hands trace the outline of Willow’s body, releasing some of her essence so that Willow would know that she was still there. Tara could feel the shimmer of the binding around her.



Willow’s body shifted and she listened to Tara’s comforting words whispering to her in her mind. She concentrated and the fog lifted. An image came into focus and she relaxed. Tara was beneath the canopy of a willow tree, waiting for Willow to join her. The distance closed between them and then disappeared all together. Willow took Tara’s proffered hand and sat down at the base of the tree. Tara knelt in front of her and took Willow’s face in her hands. Her skin was soft and warm against her cool skin. She felt a light breeze drift across them and it lifted tendrils of Tara’s long hair, brushing the curls forward over her shoulders. Tara’s voice was hypnotic, almost musical.



“Breathe, Will, breathe.”



“Focus and look for the light.”



“Find it. Touch it. Feel it. Hold it.”



“Now pull it within and let it warm you.”



“Wrap yourself in the light and let it chase away the darkness.”



“You are my light.” Willow whispered and a calmness descended upon her. Even though she was sweating and her skin felt as if it were on fire, she shivered and her teeth chattered.



The hours went by and the sun rose, streaking the early morning sky with warm rosy hues. It’s rays fanned across the house and over the sleeping group, except for Tara, still in a trance and linked with Willow.



Buffy woke when the first rays of sun penetrated her eyelids and she stretched her cramped limbs, almost falling out of the sofa in the process. She looked over at Dawn who slowly opened her eyes and then yawned.



“What time is it?” The young girl asked.



“Almost seven.” Xander opened one eye.



“Xander, I need you to get a hold of Giles.” Buffy said.



“On it.” He replied, got up and left the room.



Buffy went to the window and looked outside. What she saw concerned her. The manicured lawn was now a myriad of grass, weeds and wildflowers. As time went by more and more of the estate was falling into a state of disrepair. It was as if an invisible line of disease was sweeping over the land.



Sensing her distress, Tara opened her eyes and pushed herself from the chair. She went to Buffy’s side, peered out the window and inhaled sharply.



“The estate was an illusion. Magic.” Tara said and Buffy fixed her gaze on the blonde witch.



“Then we need to get out of here.” Buffy suggested.



“Let’s take Willow home.” Tara agreed.



“I reached Giles. He’s on his way.” Xander rushed in and stopped abruptly.



“Buffy…” Dawn started.



When Buffy and Tara turned, the walls of the library began to shift and wink in and out of existence.



“Xander, we need to leave, right now. Let’s get Willow to the car.” Buffy said and he nodded silently as if she really needed to ask.



Buffy ran up to Dawn, wrapped her sister in her arms and steered her towards the doors of the library.



Tara walked up to Willow and looked into her lover’s face. Willow was gaunt and pale from exhaustion. She reached towards the circle of light with her fingers and when they touched, the circle of light dissipated. Willow’s body sagged and Tara held Willow’s slight frame in her arms. She laid her head on the small shoulder, one hand coming up to stroke the soft red hair. Willow leaned into her and was about to encircle her arms around Tara’s neck when Xander slipped his arms underneath and lifted the smaller woman, cradling her against his chest.



“Will, we have to leave now. I’ve got to get you to the car, okay?” He said tenderly and reluctantly, Willow draped her arms around his neck instead.



She found Tara’s eyes again with her own and determination burned in Willow’s face. Tara had saved her and stood by her through the insanity. She nodded at her partner in silent gratitude.



“I’m all right. A little shaky, but okay.” Willow said firmly. Her eyes were sad and Tara’s heart ached.



They exited the house and stopped on the driveway in shock. They glanced about uneasily. The once paved circular driveway was broken and rutted. Weeds and scrub littered the courtyard. The rose bushes grew wild, their thorny stems weaving around the crumbling fountain. The azaleas had turned brown and were hidden by tall grass and weeds. They followed the rutted pathway around the fountain to the rusting iron gates now hanging listlessly from broken hinges.



They turned at the sound of crashing stone. What they saw left them speechless. The house was literally coming apart before their eyes. The stone at the upper stories crumbled and the roof caved in. They could hear individual clay tiles bouncing and rolling across the debris. More stone crumbled and most of the walls fell in and they could hear the tinkling of glass as the windows shattered. An eerie wind picked up and brushed over the house and then all was calm once more.



“This reminds me of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. We’ve seen the wicked witch of the west and the good witch of the east.”



“Click your heels three times and repeat after me…” Buffy said.



“There’s no place like home.” Buffy and Xander said in unison.



“Really bizzarro.” Dawn said and threw one last look over her shoulder.



“So, with the apocalypse over, who’s in for a vacation?” Xander quipped.



Tara raised a brow and Willow opened an eye to give him one of her stares.



Dawn interlinked arms with Buffy and Tara while Xander and Willow moved on ahead. They stepped past the gates and walked towards Xander’s car. Dawn ran ahead and peered at the gas gauge in the dash.



“Xander, I think there’s gas now.” She commented.



Buffy opened the rear door and Xander tucked Willow into the seat while Buffy, Tara and Dawn got in. Tara pulled Willow close and the red head melded into Tara’s soft curves. Xander slid into the driver’s seat and started the car.



When Tara felt Willow squeeze her hand she looked down and saw apprehension mixed with fear in her lover’s eyes.



“I’m sorry.” Willow said and Tara sighed, hearing the silent question Willow left unspoken between them.



“You did what you had to. We’ll get through this.” She smiled slightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”



Willow almost exhaled with relief, but instead, gave Tara a weak smile and laid her head back down on her shoulder. Her world was changing and she didn’t know what kind of a place it was becoming. She took comfort in the fact that Tara would be a part of it.



Willow was no longer the innocent, nerdy little girl in the frumpy dresses with the plain face and long hair. She could feel the timid girl shrinking inside and she feared the woman that was emerging. Her idea of the world, of love and dreams had been shattered. Here, demons killed the innocent, people lied and betrayed one another, and love was never perfect. This was reality, this was the real world. But, in her dreams, the shy little girl still fantasized about a peaceful world, everlasting love, and a place where one was always safe. Suddenly, Willow missed the girl she used to be, way back when life seemed so new, and she didn’t have anything to hide. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and blinked back tears.



“Giles should be here…” Buffy’s voice trailed off when the watcher’s red BMW pulled up along side. “… soon.”



“Giles, my man!” Xander greeted the Englishman.



“How is she?” Giles asked, peering at Willow in the back seat. Willow opened her eyes and smiled wanly at him.



“She’ll be all right.” Buffy answered and turned to exchange a glance with Tara and then looked over at Willow. Willow met Buffy’s gaze, and saw tenderness there. It had been years since she had last seen that kind of tenderness in the Slayer's eyes. Willow reached out impulsively and Buffy took one of her hands in her own.



Tears sprung to Tara’s eyes. She understood the darkness from which Willow came and had witnessed it now from two people she loved, first her mother, and now Willow. She knew it wasn’t over, there was much to be done. For the first time in a long time she was afraid. Afraid of losing Willow, again. She bent her head, kissed the soft red hair and a slow smile spread across Willow’s face. For a moment Willow forgot about the invisible, permanent scar upon her body and mind, and hugged Tara tight.



“Actually, I’m just very tired.” Willow spoke suddenly.



“All right. Um, why don’t you all go on home. I’ll be along shortly, but first, I want to take a look at what’s left of the estate.” He smiled and held up a camera. “This is incredible.” His smile faded. “And then we’ll talk about what happened.” He looked specifically at Willow before nodding and driving on.



“It was just another day for us.” Xander quipped and drove away.







THE END

[mollyig]

That was heart-breaking, our Willow fighting to rid herself of the dark magic, and poor Tara having to watch the struggle.



Tara is far too nice, she should have belted Xander for questioning her decision to leave Willow when she did.



"You are my light." Lovely.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[MissQuirky]

WOW!!! What a Great ending!



This last update was very emotional. Willow going through all that to finally get all the dark magic out. She is very strong!



Everything Tara said was needed to be said. Her speech to Xander was perfect, I think he understands more now of what the problems were and why Tara had to leave! I didn't like how Xander started yelling at Tara like that but it was necessary, in my opinion!



Everything worked out in the end and the scoobs get to go home and yes it was just another day 4 them!



This was an amazing story!!! I really enjoyed reading it! Thanx!

~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[tommo]

Quote:

---

Willow met Buffy’s gaze, and saw tenderness there.

---

See, I like that. There's an emergence of a new kind of Buffy in a lot of fics I'm reading now and I'm happy with that. It's about bloody time.



Thanks for this.

----------
"The only thing going for me -
were those moments - just
moments - when Tara would look at
me and I was wonderful."

[darkmagicwillow]

Excellent story. I really liked the vividness of your descriptions, especially of the house. I also liked your final image of Willow saying goodbye to the innocent girl inside and becoming a woman.

--
"Omnia mutantur, nihil interit. "   "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost."

[Tulipp]

I think one of the things I liked best about this story was that you dealth with the way Willow has changed: partly because Buffy came into her life, partly because of Tara and the magick, partly because of her own fears, partly because of just growing up, partly because--as you say--darkness is a part of Willow. You show that her character has changed and developed; the Willow she will be from this point forward is not the same as the babbling Willow of the past, but that's okay. She's growing.



Really nice.

[SquishyTrishy]

This story was incretible, i love it, it was so twisted with relaity and grabbed me. A house of horors, a house of truth, a house of pain, a house of evil, a house of deception...very good!



Trish

~I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine!~ Soul Shatter

[allyson12]

TOMMO: I felt it was time for Buffy to step up and be an adult, accepting her role in life and thus becomming more aware of the world around her. She needed to allow herself to feel. Our emotions are what make us come alive, and feel alive.



darkmagicwillow: Willow has evolved in the show, especially this past season. She is wiser and more grown up. The little girl will never truly leave, though, for our inner child exists in all of us. I kind of like her more mature, it makes her 'quirky' moments even more humorous and enlightening.



tulipp: Yep. Willow was cute in high school, but now that she's in her twenties, she's grown into a stunning woman, not to mention a powerful wicca as well. It's time to grow up, but as I mentioned in the above note, she's still got that 'uniqueness' that can only be 'Willow'. I just love her quirky comments and expressions



SquishyTrishy: Thanks! I had fun writing this one!



EVERYONE: I hope to do another one soon, but I've kind of got my mind working on a 'Halloween' theme with Willow and Tara in leather Well, working on it anyway, but it's going to be a challenge since I've not experienced this type of thing, well, not exactly...okay, nuff said before I put a foot in my mouth. And... no comments from the peanut gallery either...



-Allyson

"After one take, Joss did say, 'Can we have one that's less like you're going to sleep together in about five minutes?'" - Alyson Hannigan

[xita]

new to the archive And you can still leave feedback!

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Tara and Willow

Accept NO subsitutes

[Insanity]

Amazing!

I got totally caught by Dark Willow fighting her Magic.

And poor Tara. To see Willow suffer like this. For her.

Oh my God. Damn my awfull english. I can´t express, what I want to say....

Tara is so sweet and lovely and powerful....

The Story is just amazing!



Insanity

"Nobody messes with my girl!" Tara, Bargaining

[Mierke]

It's really amazing, especially the way you describe the feelings of Tara & Willow; the part where Tara had to look at Willow suffer was... I just shivered...