Chains of Horror

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

from Irishlassie101:



Hello kittens, thank you again for dropping by here, we hope you enjoyed it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



willohand: yep, that was a close call, cops are always around when nobody needs them...and vice versa.....

We promise that Willow will be ok !!!!!!



astrangerhere: That always struck me, where are the cops in Sunnydale, at Dunkin´ Donut 24/7 or where...I´d like to read the "killed and missing people" report...

Some people have good reasons to do what they do !!!

(now that is REALLY philosophical isn´t it HEHEHE)



Stroke of Luck: ...he´s just an overworked civil servant, what do you expect...

If you want to know what happened to Willow...I´m afraid you will have to ride with us for a while.....GRIN



taramagic: thank you very much, just keep on checking for updates HEHE



RaVeN: don´t worry, Willow will be fine eventually...and the cop...who knows...????? SMILE



Aine: Glad you liked our littel fic, no need to go insane, just stay on board and will give you a few hints...and maybe some answers.....

[BurningWhiteRose]

Stupid Cop!



I think the only cop I like is Kate Lockley. And she's just another character. But hey. At least she still thinks what she always thought. She only listens to Angel if he has proof. Likin that.



So anywho...



Poor Wills, and Tara. Sedated...



Sincerely,

BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

[TKOLove]

Chapter 4 will be up soon. But not now, nope. Going up now would be silly. Yes, silly indeed. I'd certainly never post it ahead of its time. Nope, not me.



(Sorry, A! While checking the format I accidentally posted and then took it back. Are you sure you want me to have posting authority? LOL)

...when we find That Kind of Love...

Edited by: TKOLove at: 8/4/04 12:25 pm

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

(Posted by TKOLove)



Title – Chains of Horror

Author name – Irishlassie101 & TKOLove

Email address – postingkittens@hotmail.com

Rating – PG-17 for angst and language.

Disclaimer – All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. (Dammit.)

Feedback – Please don’t hesitate to give us feedback, positive or negative.

Summary – This story is set after the battle on the Hellmouth was won in season 7, with a couple of alterations: Sunnydale was not destroyed and Anya’s still alive.



Note – Italicized sentences represent a character’s thoughts.



Note from Irishlassie – My special thanks goes to the best beta I could have possibly come across, TKOLove. It was her wonderful feedback that turned a rather clumsy fic into something precious and wonderful (this, of course, is my own very biased opinion). Without her help and devotion this story would never have been posted!



Note from TKOLove – This is irishlassie’s brainchild and it was a privilege to work with her on it. I hope you all enjoy reading her story as much as I have enjoyed collaborating on it.









Chapter Four



Ouch. Not a great start to the morning, Tara thought, as she woke with a blinding headache. Her eyes couldn’t focus properly by the dim light of the new day, and she felt a sudden rush of panic. The bed she slept in wasn’t hers, nor was the room, which felt unfamiliar and smelled funny. Her head was spinning. Her brain seemed to be working in slow motion and she had a horrible taste in her mouth. But calm overtook her as she felt a warm body beside her, sensed the soft breathing of the woman she loved, and instantly knew that things couldn’t be too bad if Willow was at her side. What she’d experienced earlier must have been one of her vivid nightmares. They still haunted her. Not as often now, but they were still there.



And this one was different. It wasn’t just her father. Willow was there and...a doctor?



She carefully turned around, not wanting to wake the other girl. Just wanting to watch her sleep.



She rubbed her eyes again and reached over, letting her arms settle around the sleeping figure beside her. Tara brushed a streak of hair from the woman’s face and placed a soft, delicate kiss on her cheek.



Mmmmm, this is how I like to wake up.



“Willow, I love you, Sweetie,“ Tara said tenderly, partially sitting up in the bed. “How about one of your favorite wake-up smoochies?” She nearly purred the question while letting her fingers draw circles over the material covering the sleeping woman’s belly.



The girl next to her woke in an instant, let out a loud panicky squeal and jumped out of bed, throwing Tara off balance.



“Willow? What’s wrong?” a startled Tara demanded. “Did I hurt you?” She crawled over to the other side of the bed intending to help Willow off of the floor but...



The door flew open, its handle slamming against the wall, and Buffy came rushing in followed by a breathless Giles.



“What’s wrong?” Buffy shouted, but was silenced by the obvious confusion and panic that danced across Tara’s face.



“I-I-I d-don’t know,” Tara stammered. “I-I must h-have fr-frightened her somehow w-while s-she was waking up!”



“Uhm, yeahhh,” The voice from the floor beside the bed let the last word linger. “You certainly do have a way of surprising a girl.”



Giles turned the light on and moved to retrieve a frazzled Dawn from the floor.



“Sorry Tara,” Dawn said, rubbing her newly-bruised elbow. “I’m not used to waking up like that.” She grinned and lowered her voice to add, “But it was kinda nice.”



The comment was obviously made to lighten the moment, but Tara ignored it, along with the pain searing through her head. “Dawn, what are you doing in my bed? And where’s Willow?” Tara asked, in an uncharacteristically harsh tone. Only then did she remember she was not at home. What the...?



“Why am I in the hospital? Oh my god. Willow? I...I can’t remem–.” Her voice abandoned her. She took a deep breath as disjointed fragments of memory assaulted her mind. She finally found her voice. “What happened to her? What happened to us? Tell me! What happened?”



From their silent reactions and the faces of the three people before her, Tara knew it was bad.



“Where’s Willow?” Tara repeated. “Why won’t anyone answer me? What’s going on?” she nearly screamed.



Buffy and Dawn just stared at her, while Giles swallowed hard and sat down beside the blonde witch.



“Tara”, he said with a cracking voice, “Willow is here at the hospital as well. She was transferred to a private room after what...happened.” Giles simply couldn’t find the words to tell the panicking girl the truth. Several minutes passed. Tara was staring at him but not really seeing him. Reality had slipped away, and she was unable to speak, her mind filled with an endless loop of Mr. Giles’ voice saying, “Willow-hospital-Willow-hospital.”



“Tara? Tara? TARA!” A sudden stinging pain got the Wiccan’s brain working again, and she turned her head to see Buffy kneeling in front of her, tears rolling from her eyes. Though she’d hated to do it, the Slayer had just slapped Tara across the face.



From Tara’s lips came an almost inaudible gasp, and she rubbed the reddening flesh of her cheek. She took another deep breath and with only a whisper she calmly asked, “What happened to us?”



Dawn was the only one able to speak, somehow finding her inner strength. She sat down beside Tara and tried to explain.



“You weren’t hurt, Tara, but you kinda freaked and passed out when you saw what happened to Willow. They kept you here for observation.”



“...what happened to Willow.” This time it was a statement of repetition, not a question, as Tara’s mind scrambled to make sense of the senseless. “I wasn’t hurt. Meaning Willow was?” Tara’s voice was barely audible. Was she hurt?” Her voice grew louder and the desperation in it was obvious. “Was Willow hurt?”



With all the adrenaline flowing through her body Tara’s head began to clear.



“Oh my god. She’s…she’s hurt seriously, isn’t she? Shit…shit!" Tara jumped from the bed. “Who was it? What was it? I need to know! God, I could kill anyone who’d...” All eyes turned in the blonde’s direction.



“Just tell me! Who did this?” she shouted even louder, grabbing Buffy’s shoulders, shaking them vigorously.



Buffy was flabbergasted by Tara’s outburst. “It...it was...” the Slayer stammered, and not having the courage to tell Tara, she recoiled to the chair in the far corner as Giles stepped in.



“It was you.” Giles’ voice ripped through Tara’s brain like a bolt of lightning. “I’m so sorry…it was you, Tara.”



Her world came to a standstill. She could hear nothing over the fragments of her mind arguing with each other…





It Was Me.



-- Me? It Couldn’t Have Been! I’d Never Hurt My Love!



He Said…



-- He Must Be Wrong. It Can’t Be True.



He’s Never Lied To Me. I Trust Him.



-- He Must Be Lying…It Has To Be A Trick. Another Hellmouth Mind Game.



But He’d Never Do That To Me. Maybe It’s TRUE.



-- I Didn’t Hurt Willow. Period. If I Did, That Would Make Me Like…



Father.



-- Never.



Never?



-- NEVER!



Remember The Nightmare.



-- The Nightmare?



“The nightmare,” Tara said. Her eyes danced wildly as her thoughts came together and manifested in her scream. “Oh My God, WILLOW!” The three other people in the room nearly jumped out of their respective skins.



“It was me. It was me, I-I...” she stammered and fell back onto the bed. Her mind was filled with images of an injured Willow, and her heart bore the weight of a lover’s guilt. Tara had always been a very strong woman but the emotional stress combined with the medications coursing through her veins and forced her body to succumb.



Giles rushed to the bed to check the again unconscious woman’s pulse. “She’s ok,” he managed to mutter.



“It is just as well that she’s hospitalized,” he added. “It wouldn’t do to have her in this state without medical attention.” As the words left his mouth the door opened with a whoosh and a nurse rushed into the room. She pushed everyone aside and began to check Tara’s vitals.



“Which part of...’Don’t disturb her. Stay out of her room. She needs to rest’...did you lot not understand?” she hissed with a furrowed brow. “Now get out of here before I have you removed by security!”



“Is she ok?” Dawn asked when they’d all left the room.



“Yes, she’s fine. I’ll get Dr. O’Reilly to check on her in a few minutes,” she answered with much less impatience in her voice. She saw the concern and pain in the young woman's eyes.



With a stern face and her arms crossed over her chest, Dawn asserted, “I’m going to stay with her in her room. I’ll sleep in the chair, I don’t care. And you’ll have to get security if you have a problem with it.”



“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Dr. O’Reilly said from just behind her. “Security, I mean. You can stay in her room if you promise me that you’ll be absolutely quiet.”



“Whatever you say, Doc," the nurse said with a questioning look on her face. She decided not to argue and went back to her other duties.



“Thank you, Doctor,” Dawn said, and a weak smile flashed across her face, in direct opposition to the tears that welled up in her eyes. “I promise I won’t disturb her. I just can’t leave.”



“I understand. Just don’t make me regret it.” He returned the smile. “I’ll check up on her again and then you can go on in.” With those words he disappeared into the room.



Buffy and Giles watched the whole conversation, not saying a word. Giles was coping reasonably well, but Buffy was just staring past them, tears trickling down her face.



“Don’t worry, I’ll look after her…just like she’s always looked after me,” Dawn replied, quietly sobbing. “Get Buffy into the visitors lounge and try to get her to snap out of it. She needs rest, needs to get her strength back, needs to be the strong one again…she has to be.”



Giles whispered his reply. “She, too, is only human. Let’s not forget that. It can’t be easy for her, watching her best friend lie in hospital, and seeing her confidante suffer through the aftermath.” Giles smiled at the young girl, gathered Buffy, and gently led the Slayer down the hall. Her eyes had grown puffy, the tears flowing freely.



Yes, she is only human, Giles thought, and his smile faded. I hope and pray that she will be able to recover fast. We need her…if she cracks, the rest will go with her. I won’t be able to stop it. I’m no good at such things. I can give advice and find a spell forgotten for centuries but I could never be the one to keep them together.



Please Buffy, be strong for all of us. Be strong for me.



Giles showed Buffy to the couch in the lounge. She sat down not saying a word as her Watcher, or former Watcher, sat beside her and buried his face in his hands.



He started to cry. It didn’t happen to him often, but this time he wasn’t going to hold his tears back; he simply couldn’t. After all that had happened his strength was drained and his emotions took over. He saw so much of his younger self in Willow. They shared similar experiences tangling with the dark magicks, and he held the girl in high regard for being able to come through hers.



And Tara had become such a source of beauty, light, and wisdom in all their lives. A soft smile danced across Giles’ face as he recalled the way that Tara always referred to him as “Mr. Giles,” when everyone else had long since abandoned the title. Her presence and her respectful ways reminded him that “Giles” was, in fact, his last name.



Truthfully, the man had lost his professional edge when it came to the two witches. He’d hardly ever thought about having children of his own, knowing early on that his occupation would not make a suitable environment for a family. Buffy, she’d been his pride for so many years; the best Slayer in centuries and the closest thing he could have imagined to being his own daughter. Still, he could never rest easy in that thought. History told them that the fact she’d lived past 18 years was a miracle in itself. There was always the possibility that Buffy would be lost to him – that the teacher would someday lose his student, the father responsible for losing his daughter. That sense of potential loss meant he’d kept a wall up. Just a small barrier to protect them both.



But these two women, he loved them with all his heart and considered them not merely something akin to his own children, but exactly and unreservedly his own.



His smile faded. And just look at what a great father I am. I’ve failed them. I’ve bloody failed them. I can't take this pain away.



Tears rushed down his face; cumulative tears that should have been shed long ago on various cataclysmic occasions. Tears shed for himself, Buffy, Tara, Willow, and all the others. Tears for his…family? Yes, his family. In this rare moment, Giles the Watcher let the barriers drop and gave way to Rupert Giles the concerned, loving man…the father. The tears continued unabated.



He suddenly felt two strong arms wrap around him. “Come on, let ‘em flow, it’ll do you good,” Buffy said with a small voice. “I’m ok, I'll be ok. I’ll be strong. I will…for all of us, and especially for you.”



He collapsed, crying in her arms. He let himself fall completely, as she laid his head on her lap, holding him, stroking his tired head. “You looked after me for so long, I’ll take care of you now.”



“We will not go down,” she said. “We will not go down.”





That's it for now. Thank you for sticking with us -- it will all come together in the end.

[RaVeN]

another great update, will be waiting in the corner for more

[WickedReds]

great update... although i can't wait for the end to come sooner... but i looks like i'm gonna wait... keep up the good work...





-reds



my banana dances for smut

[taramagic]

wow that was amazing. so what will happen with tara and willow?

please more soon

[Stroke of Luck]

WHAT? Tara was it? i cant believe that...i doubt she could ever do anything like that to her love! Really touching update, cant wait for the next one



Cu

SoL/Natti

"I wish that you were here or that I were there, or that we were together anywhere!"

[BurningWhiteRose]

Awww...



Its sad....beautiful....yet...



extremely funny...



Dawn you little devil!



Dawn needs a someone.



Sincerely,

BWR

***

If homosexuals dont reproduce, why are there so many of them?-Jim David

[Tempest Duer]

Silly Dawn... but still, who wouldn't like to wake up next to Tara?

It's insulting to the whole gender[sic] of rap.



~Eminem

[astrangerhere]

YAY! for Giles. He is often painfully absent from much of this fic, but I really appreciated his appearance here. Your explanation of him as Willow's father figure rang so true it hurt my ears. I keep seeing him almost rip Willow's head off for raising Buffy and seeing that relationship. I think you just nailed it.



As for the Tara-hysterics and the Dawn-protectiveness... Tara was stunning. Love her and feel so sorry for her. Dawn. Well, I normally cannot stand Dawn. But you have painted an interesting picture here. She was always the quasi-liason between Wil and Tara during the off-time and almost a daughter to them in Buffy's absence. The loyalty and strength you show her having here are a direct product of those times.



In short, I love what you're doing and can't wait to see more.



ash

Can you help me with this heart in my chest? It ain't perfect, but you should see me use it.

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

from Irishlassie101:



Hy all, thank you again for all your interest in this fic !!!!



RaVeN: thanks, we won´t let you wait very long eace



WickedReds: Hy reds, there is a whole lot more to come and we really do hope that you will stick around ´till the end !!!!!!!!



taramagic: ...just keep on checking, I PROMISE that you will get all the answers right HERE ish



Stroke of Luck: I´m afraid it...well I have to tell you...I must confess that... ish

...just stick with us but no panic...this is a W/T friendly environment !!!!!



BurningWhiteRose: Thank you, I did hope that it would be all that

poor Dawnie was just cought off guard a little...hey...sleeping next to Tara !!!???

And she does need someone to love and take care of, not here and now I´m afraid, but I´ve got a whole new fic in "production" and there will be a very happy Dawn in it !!!!!



Tempest Duer: Exactly, who would not want to be there in that bed and... ish

HEY...not what you were thinking now !!!!!



astrangerhere: Hy Ash, thanks for dropping in !!!!!

There is not much of Giles in this fic I know, but there is a lot of "quality Giles" spread in between, so he will be there ´till the end !!!

Tara: is simply...Tara...no more words needed

Dawn: I always thought that people are very harsh with her, ok she is annoying and does stupid things and so on, but...that´s what little sisters are supposed to do !!!

And with her background, being The Key and living on the Hellmouth...it´s amazing how normal she is anyway !!!

So I decided to give her charachter a new dimension (much more grown up), well not only her, most of the others too, and I hope it will work out.

and ok, ok, I might as well confess right now: when it comes to Michelle Trachtenberg, the first words that cross my mind are SO CUTE and YUM.MY

Edited by: Irishlassie101 and TKOlove at: 8/8/04 8:02 am

[tmr]

um i just have something in my eye i just need some time to think to myself okay

[alysagoddess85]

i just sat down and read all of this fic so far and im in total shock...i wanna !! first tara's dead! then shes back! then willows hurt!! I CANT TAKE IT!!



and yet i want more!!



~mel

Willow: It's horrible! That's me as a vampire? I'm so evil and... skanky. And I think I'm kinda gay.

Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was



Sure it doesn't

[irishlassie101]

from Irishlassie101:



Hello there kittens, thank you for dropping by......



just stick with us and you will see that things will be alríght....

we are not JW SMILE



Ashling

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

Title – Chains of Horror

Author name – Irishlassie101 & TKOLove

Email address – postingkittens@hotmail.com

Rating – PG-17 for angst and language.

Disclaimer – All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. (Dammit.)

Feedback – Please don’t hesitate to give us feedback, positive or negative.

Summary – This story is set after the battle on the Hellmouth was won in season 7, with some alterations: Sunnydale was not destroyed and Anya’s still alive.



Note – Italicized sentences represent a character’s thoughts.



Note from Irishlassie – My special thanks goes to the best beta I could have possibly come across, TKOLove. It was her wonderful feedback that turned a rather clumsy fic into something precious and wonderful (this, of course, is my own very biased opinion). Without her help and devotion this story would never have been posted!



Note from TKOLove – This is irishlassie’s brainchild and it was a privilege to work with her on it. I hope you all enjoy reading her story as much as I have enjoyed collaborating on it.







Chapter Five



The next day it was up to Xander and Anya to calm a distraught and delirious Tara. They insisted that Buffy, Dawn and Giles go home and get some sleep – no use in having a few more members of their family hospitalized.



“Let me see her! I need to...I have to be there!” she continued to plead, through tears and wailing cries. “It was my f-father...I dreamed he was...coming after me. I-I didn’t want to hurt her. Goddess, I didn’t mean to hurt her! Let me see her! Please! Please, let me see her!”



Xander was afraid Tara would resort to magic to get to Willow, so he set out with the intention of talking her doctor into sedating the blonde Wiccan again. It was moot, as the physician had already decided that getting the woman’s vital signs back to normal would be a lot easier with the benefit of a little more monitored, stress-free rest. So after a quick injection, Tara was fast asleep in her room.



As they watched Tara’s body relax and her breathing return to normal, Xander and Anya realized that although they were now aware of what caused Tara to use powerful magic on Willow, they didn’t feel the slightest bit better about any of it.



***********************



A few days later....



Tara had been released from the hospital in perfect physical condition. Her state of mind, on the other hand, was far from ideal.



Anya and Xander arrived at the Summers’ house to take another turn looking after Tara.



After eventually getting Dawn’s help to piece together all that had happened, Tara broke apart inside. It had been painful to watch as the kind-hearted, gentle woman was forced to wrestle with the knowledge that she’d hurt the most precious thing in the world to her. Her girl. Her Willow.



She just sat on her bed, able to do nothing more than rock gently back and forth, her arms wrapped around a pillow, her eyes wide open but tearless. She had to be fed and taken to the bathroom. It was as if her soul had faded away and left behind only a shell of a body.



Buffy checked on Tara before leaving the house. I’ve seen her like this before. Oh, please God…not again. I don’t think Willow could live through seeing her like this again. Buffy cringed as she recalled the “Glory incident.” No one liked to talk about the horrible weeks that Tara faced following the Hellgod’s attack. The memories were far too painful. The Slayer shook the thought from her mind and placed a light kiss on Tara’s head as she continued to rock.



“Any change?” Anya asked with a concerned tone. “Has she spoken or anything? I mean, how much longer are we supposed to sit around and wait?!”



“No, not a sound…nothing,” Buffy replied with a sigh. “I know this is hard, but I’m hoping it’ll get better when Willow comes home from the hospital. I really, really am.”



“Tara should be in the hospital. She needs professional help,” Xander alleged, as he had repeatedly over the past few days. “We have to get her over this perpetual state of…rockingness. Willow’s going to need her to be, you know…’all there’ when she comes home.”



“You know what the doctor said. As long as her physical condition doesn’t get worse, it’s better for her to be in familiar surroundings. We’ve gone through this once already, we’ll manage again.” Giles’ voice traveled from the living room. He’d camped out on the couch in order to be close if needed. “They couldn’t do any more for her than we can here. Besides, what would Willow think if we left her best girl to mend in the company of strangers? Just let it go, Xander!”



“Hey, man, don’t snap at me.” The tension of the situation manifested in Xander’s overreaction and he replied with a mix of sarcasm, anger, and grief. “Look, I just want to make sure she’ll be all right. Do you honestly think I’d do anything to harm Tara? Or to...hurt Willow?!” he added, raising his voice even more.



“For God’s sake Xander, shut up!” Buffy yelled at him. “You’re not helping.” She then stormed out the door.



“I...I…didn’t mean to...” Xander just managed to get out a few words before the tears gathered at his eyelids. “I’m sorry Giles, I...”



“It’s all right, Xander. This is difficult for all of us. I know you only mean well,” Giles replied while hugging the younger man. “Anya, please go check on Tara. I’m going to get Xander some tea. Perhaps it’ll help to calm him down. At the very least it’ll give me something else to concentrate on.” The ex-demon and the former librarian exchanged sympathetic smiles.



Anya climbed the stairs, entered the bedroom, approached the bed…and instantly frowned. No change, she thought. “Come on, Tara. You’re the nice one, and I like you. Therefore you really should snap the hell out of it.”



In truth, she felt horrible seeing Tara like this. The blonde Wiccan was the Scooby Anya liked most of all. She was always kind to Anya, even when the same couldn’t be said of Willow. The two blondes had bonded over being girlfriends of the core Scoobies and they shared the whole, ’I’m a demon’/’I’m-not-a-demon-but-thought-I-was’ connection. Deep inside, the former vengeance demon despised being helpless to aid her friend.



She sat down beside Tara, put an arm around the girl’s shoulder, adjusted herself to Tara’s movements, and joined her in the gentle rocking motion. She began to softly hum a little tune she’d heard as a very little girl long ago. Whenever she was frightened, someone in her village would calm her with the melody. She didn’t remember who sang it to her, and she wasn’t even sure if there were words for it, but none of that mattered. Anya only knew that she would hum it until her voice cracked if there was any chance it would have a similar soothing affect on her friend. The simple act of being there for Tara comforted the 1120-year-old’s heart.



**********

Willow had been awake for about a day. For the first few hours, she couldn’t remember how she came to be in the hospital or how she’d sustained her injuries, but as her mind cleared, her memory fully returned. Jumbled thoughts and flashes eventually settled into discernable chronological patterns, but in the end the only thing Willow knew for sure was that she had a desperate longing to find Tara.



She’d tried to get out of bed several times when her questions went unanswered. No one would tell her why Tara wasn’t there with her, and subsequently Buffy had to break the news. The slayer carefully explained to her all that they’d figured out from Tara’s sobs and stammering.



Willow’s eyes were full of tears as Buffy finished telling her about the events of the past few days. But she graduated to hysterics as the reality sank in – the reality of what…or rather of who had brought about her hospital stay. Her panic reached an even greater height when Buffy told her of Tara’s current state of mind.



Buffy stepped aside as Willow had to be forced back into bed by two nurses. Buffy let the staff handle it, not wanting to injure her best friend further with an accidental overdose of Slayer strength. At that point, the Scoobies decided they’d stay at the hospital in shifts, on round-the-clock Willowwatch…just to make sure she didn’t try to leave, risking further injuries. She was after all, a powerful witch, and the gang had to assume that in her current frame of mind, she might take drastic measures in order to get to her lover.



They promised her she’d be out of the hospital in no time, and that Tara would be better soon. Their words seemed to calm her a bit, but Willow’s concern doubled when she found that she couldn’t contact her love via telepathy. Despite numerous attempts, she just couldn’t reach her.



She’s shutting me out; she’s so ashamed. “Baby, please open up. I love you so much. Nothing will ever change that! Let me in, Tara. Can you hear me? Baby?..“



**********



It took Tara a few days to come out of her stupor, and Dawn was once again by her side.



The teen was sitting next to Tara, maintaining the slight contact that seemed to calm the blonde. Or maybe it just calms me, Dawn thought. The youngest Summers sister was deeply engrossed in one of the cheap novels she’d picked up while at the hospital’s gift shop. They helped pass the hours. This one told the story of a wannabe-tombraider called Woss Jeedon, who deliberately – and out of pure malice and greed – destroyed a sacred shrine of a female tribe in the Brazilian jungle who’d made him feel welcome by inviting him to a special ritual and meal. So the usually gracious women, who turned out to be the last Amazon warrior tribe on earth, decided to alter the jerk’s invitation so that he was attending “a special ritual as meal.” After days of torture, which were described very explictly by the author, the last thing Woss felt in this lifetime was a sharp tribal knife plunging through his rather hollow heart.



At the moment she read of Woss’ befitting end, Dawn felt a hand on her arm and heard a voice say, “Hi Dawnie,” which caused her to yell and jump from the bed in total surprise, crash-landing on the floor for the second time in mere days. Buffy, who was busy burning dinner, heard the noise and rushed upstairs. Oh, not again. Am I in another one of those freakin’ time loops, or what? she thought, as she ran into Tara’s bedroom.



Much to her relief, she saw Dawn sitting on the floor laughing and Tara gazing at her with a dumbfounded look.



“Dawn, there are better ways of getting out of bed, you know,” she said, as she picked her sister up in one smooth motion.



“Hey there,” Buffy said, turning to Tara. “Ya know, we were an itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie bit worried about you.” She wrapped her arms around the blonde witch and asked, “How do you feel? Do you want anything...need anything?”



“No, I’m fine. Well, there’s s-sort of a headache, but I’m fine otherwise,” the blonde replied, downplaying the pain and smiling for the first time in days. “Dawnie, did you hurt yourself?” she asked in concern. With a playful grin she continued. “I think we’ll have to tie you to my bed to keep you from falling off in the future.”



“Whoa, now! Hold it right there. The idea of bondage, my sister, and my best friend’s girlfriend is enough to blow a hole clean through this Chosen One’s mind. I’m glad you’re feeling better, but just so we’re clear; there will be no tying to the bed of any sister of mine in this house at any time,” Buffy said with the most stern voice and serious visage she could manage. Her efforts were undermined when she wasn’t able to hold back her own giggles. She’s on her way back to normal, thank the gods in all the heavens. “And by the way, I wouldn’t risk upsetting a certain redhead if I were you. She’s not large with the butch, but she’s a bit touchy when it comes to sharing her woman,” Buffy added, before she could bite her lip. Oh, shit…that was stupid. Open mouth, insert two size 7-and-a-halfs.



The smile faded from Tara’s face and her eyes filled with tears. “How is Willow?” she nearly whispered. “Will she be ok? When can I see her?” The blonde’s voice was nearly inaudible at the last question.



“She’s recovering very well. Don’t worry Tara. Getting better by the minute. She’ll be home by tomorrow night,” the Slayer answered, hoping it would be sufficient.



Tara just smiled at her vaguely and left the bed with a half-nod. She walked to her closet, took a case from one of the highest shelves, and placed it on top of the crumpled covers on the bed. Avoiding eye contact with either of the Summers sisters, she turned to the dresser nearest to the door and started emptying it, placing the contents in the case.



Buffy and Dawn just stood there and stared at her for an eternity-filled moment until the younger sister managed to speak. “Tara, what on Earth are you doing?”



“I’m packing my things, clearing the room,” Tara replied, still not looking at the other two girls. “When Willow gets here, she won’t have to face me. I don’t want to see her turning away from me, I want to give her time to recover…all the time she needs. I’ll wait a day, a year, all my life if I have to.”



“You’re what?” Buffy finally regained her speech and stepped just in front of Tara. “Uh, I’m sorry, I meant to say you’re what?”



“I want to spare her from having to look at me.” Tara’s voice shook as she continued, and her eyes were red-rimmed. “After what I did to her, I wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t stand to s-see me.” Tears now flowing, anger at herself rising, hands balled into fists, Tara erupted. “I hurt her! Do you know what that does to me?” Turning back to her packing, she lowered her voice only slightly and asked, “How can I ever face her?”



Buffy grabbed Tara around her waist, pushed the suitcase onto the floor, scattering its contents, and shoved the witch back on the bed. Plain and simple, she got in Tara’s face.



“If you dare to not be here when Willow comes home, and if you dare touch that case again, and if you ever say such utter bullshit again, I’ll not only tie you to your bed…I’ll stuff one of Dawn’s gym socks in your mouth!” Buffy said in a tone that made Tara and Dawn shiver. Neither of them had ever heard the Slayer speak that way.



“Y-you th-th-think she’ll want to s-see me?” Tara whispered, her head bowed and tears falling on the bed. “Why would she w-want to? I hurt her. Goddess...I nearly killed her.”



“Yeah, you nearly did. But she’s going to be ok…and she loves you more than her own life. She’s proven that already, don’t you think?” Dawn continued, while a still-fuming Buffy tried to calm down. “I’ll bet anything I own that she won’t be mad or angry with you. Tara, she was crying her eyes out at the hospital because she felt she was responsible for the whole thing. Do you hear me? She thinks she did this! She feels like she hasn’t given you the support you need to get rid of your nightmares. You know how Willow is. No matter what, she loves you silly, Silly.”



“Sh-she’s…I don’t know wh-what on earth I…” the Wiccan’s words were choked by her quiet sobs.



“Tara, what? What is it?” the teen urged.



“I d-don’t know wh-what I ever did to deserve the love of s-such an amazing woman,” Tara managed to stammer.



Buffy’s anger lifted and her tone changed to one of comfort and compassion as she looked directly into Tara’s eyes. “Well duh. You’re Tara!” Buffy said, as if that explained it all and answered every question ever posed to man or womankind. “You deserve anything and everything you want,” Buffy continued in a calm voice, as she pulled Tara into a tight hug.



“Yep. You deserve it all, Tara,” Dawn echoed the slayer’s sentiment and joined the two in the warm hug. “Willow, happiness…everything.”

[alysagoddess85]

awww....poor tara...shes not allowed to leave!! i wont let you let her leave!! so go buffy for making her get her shit together!!



also i was with buffy and the bondage of dawn...that was great...



i just hope they get everything figured out and they can convince tara to stay...please gve me more!!



~mel

Willow: It's horrible! That's me as a vampire? I'm so evil and... skanky. And I think I'm kinda gay.

Buffy: Willow, just remember, a vampire's personality has nothing to do with the person it was



Sure it doesn't

[wimpy0729]

I'm so glad the girls are both finally coming around and very glad that Buffy got in Tara's face, if that's what it took to keep her there.



But I gotta say the part I absolutely LOVED was the Woss part, being the Amazons meal!! LMAO



Great job!



Wimpy

"There was plenty of magic." ~ Tara

[tmr]

bodly marvalous need more of a update or i mite

my computer and that will make me so im kindly asking to hurry up with the update



tmr

[taramagic]

oh poor tara. but i am glad that buffy and dawn are there for her!

willow and tara have to be together

[Stroke of Luck]

Both are blaming themself! GOD DAMNIT!! what happend with them. i still doubt it was really Tara, there had to be magic or anything or someone was in Taras body....hmm ok me needs the next part! But its good to see that Tara is back "in town" i dont like her as this "lifeless" woman. And she has great friends



Cu

SoL/Natti

"I wish that you were here or that I were there, or that we were together anywhere!"

[WickedReds]

Wow its a blamefest.. poor Tara with the crazy and all... but really what the hell happened, i'd have to agree with Stroke on that.... but great update.. and yeah i'm so gonna stick around for the end...



-reds



my banana dances for smut

Tara in a wet shirt, Tara in a wet shirt. Tara in. A. Wet. Shirt. “Of course.”-Willow From Remember to Breath By Yellow Crayon



Now that just sucks- me

[Tempest Duer]

Okay, good news... Tara's herself and Willow's coming back... and Woss! I'm glad he got what was coming to him. This is great.

It's insulting to the whole gender[sic] of rap.



~Eminem

[sapphicpoet]

Just got caught up with this fic and I'm loving it!



I can't wait for Willow to get out of the hospital and I really hope Tara is there when she gets home...



You're doing an amazing job so far and I really hope to see an update soon, please?







~Sapphic

"Humanity is measured by the soul, not the flesh." ~ Layla

Edited by: sapphicpoet  at: 8/17/04 12:43 am

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

from Irishlassie:



Hello kittens, sorry for the delay, sometimes the real life really gets at you !!!!!!!!

So I apologize if my replies are a little short !!!!!!!





alysagoddess85: Tara will go nowhere, she will be there when Willow comes home.......

Buffy can be quite useful sometimes

bondage: a little bit of spice always works



more to come, don´t worry !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





wimpy0729: It´s good to have a Buffy around the house, very useful



...and I LOVED writing the Woss part, although...what I originally had in mind would have got us kicked off the board in no time, but...it might have been worth it !!!!!!!!!



oh...damn...it just struck me right now...they should have cooked him ALIVE !!!!!!!





tmr: thank you and sorry, but the update will follow really soon !!!!!!!!!!





taranmagic: Don´t worry, they will always be there for Tara, and hey...there is no JW or ME here to ruin their lives !!!!!!!!!!!





Stroke of Luck: Hy Natti, just stick around and I promise answers soon !!!!!





WickedReds: Hy reds, Tara will be fine...for now...and there will be more blaming !!!!!!





Tempest Duer: W/T will never be apart far in my world...and Woss...he does not deserve to be in any world anymore...well exept in one with Amazones and "foreign" cooking techniques





sapphicpoet: Thank you for joining, you won´t regret it !!!!!

Willow will be home soon and Tara will be there !!!!!



update will follow...not far from now

[Irishlassie101 and TKOlov]

Title – Chains of Horror

Author name – Irishlassie101 & TKOLove

Email address – postingkittens@hotmail.com

Rating – PG-17 for angst and language.

Disclaimer – All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. (Dammit.)

Feedback – Please don’t hesitate to give us feedback, positive or negative.

Summary – This story is set after the battle on the Hellmouth was won in season 7, with some alterations: Sunnydale was not destroyed and Anya’s still alive.



Note – Italicized sentences represent a character’s thoughts.



Note from Irishlassie – My special thanks goes to the best beta I could have possibly come across, TKOLove. It was her wonderful feedback that turned a rather clumsy fic into something precious and wonderful (this, of course, is my own very biased opinion). Without her help and devotion this story would never have been posted!



Note from TKOLove – This is irishlassie’s brainchild and it was a privilege to work with her on it. I hope you all enjoy reading her story as much as I have enjoyed collaborating on it.







Chapter Six



The next week was another trip through hell for the Scooby gang.



Willow was recovering astonishingly well from her injuries, but drove everyone within earshot to distraction by continuously asking why Tara wouldn’t come to see her. It hurt Willow to imagine how ashamed her sweetheart must be feeling. She desperately wanted to tell Tara that she would never blame her for any of this. That it was not her fault. That the blame rested squarely on the shoulders of John Maclay and the things that happened in that house years ago. That she would do everything to make sure nothing like that would ever hurt her again. Willow wanted Tara to look deep into her eyes and see the truth there – that nothing in this world or any other could lessen her love for her.



Buffy and Dawn tried to convince Tara that Willow not only wanted her, but needed her. They had little success, and their efforts to get the blonde to visit the redhead in the hospital were disastrous and would have been comical if not so sad.



On the first attempt, the Scoobies got Tara as far as the car...where she hyperventilated and had to be dragged back into the house.



The next day she jumped out of the car at a traffic light opposite the hospital. When motivated, Tara could run like the wind. Buffy had to use her Slayer speed to catch her and once again haul the Wiccan back to the safety of their home.



After that, they didn’t approach the subject for a few days and tried to distract Tara with various tasks. They begged her to cook dinner or to take over the kitchen and make a stack of her famous funny-shaped pancakes. They urged her to help Dawn with her homework, and to tend to the small herb garden out back. The idea was to keep her so busy that she’d not have much time alone. Time to think.



It was Thursday evening, and Tara had been kept so busy that she was tired out and in bed by 8:00 pm.



Buffy, Dawn, and Xander were sitting in the living room drinking rather stale coffee.



Look at them, Xander thought, and wondered if the worry showed on his face. Buffy hasn’t slept in days and is about to collapse. Dawn’s literally run out of tears and hasn’t spoken a word all day. They can’t go on like this. It’s killing them. Hell, it’s killing me to see them like this.



The doorbell rang, startling Xander from his thoughts. He flinched and moved to open the door, where Anya greeted him with a hug and kiss and quickly stepped inside.



“How are things going?” she asked and frowned. The answer came to her immediately in the look on her lover’s face. “Ok, Xander, we have to do something…enough waiting,” she said in a seriously firm manner.



“An, I couldn’t agree more. And I think I know just what to do,” Xander said, his face brightening up just a bit. “Stay here with the girls, and I’ll be back soon.” In a flash he was headed for the door.



“Where are you going?” Anya questioned, but he didn’t turn around. In seconds he’d started Buffy’s jeep and was driving off into the crisp night.



I hope your idea’s a good one. Everything’s so strange now, and I miss my normal human friends. Well, kind of normal, anyway.

Hmmm... Two things do a body good, despite those goofy milk commercials. Sex and sleep. And since they’re not having sex...yes, rest will do them good.



Within 15 minutes, she’d managed to get Buffy and Dawn into their respective beds. The teenager was no problem. She was pushed upstairs, undressed, and in her PJ´s without much resistance. “If I see your butt out of bed young lady, I’ll go and get a set of handcuffs. Don’t think I don’t know how to use them. And I happen to know there are at least two sets in this house! Want to test me?”



Moments later, Anya was astonished to realize that not the tiniest little thought about having sex involving handcuffs had popped into her mind.

Hello! Where are you...explicit mental images, pictures of naughtiness, flashes of debauchery? Hey, hungry brain waiting here! Where are you, damn it!? This must be that ‘caring for the well-being of friends’ thing that Xander told me about. So is this what happens? You stop thinking about sex?! I’m going to kill them…if they survive all this, I’m going to kill them. “I want my saucy thoughts back, dammit!“ the ex-demon muttered while heading down the stairs.



Dealing with Buffy was an entirely different game. The elder Summers sister started to argue that she was all right and not tired at all. It took about one minute for Anya to lose all sight of whatever she possessed that passed for tact and diplomacy. She simply twisted an exhausted arm, covered the Slayer’s mouth to muffle any protest, dragged her up the stairs, and threw her onto her bed.

Buffy was completely paralyzed by Anya’s actions. She silently wondered whether the ex-demon was more “demon” and less “ex.”



“No sound from you, or I’ll forget my good manners,” she hissed as she closed the bedroom door, leaving a startled, fatigued Slayer behind.



Her good what? Buffy mused. Whatever. I’ll just lie down on the bed and keep my ears to the grindstone. Or is it hold my nose to…something? Anyway, I’ll…stay awake…and if I hear…anything, I’ll jump…right...up. The Slayer yawned as her mind processed the last two words. Forty-eight hours of being awake had taken its toll, and within seconds she was fast asleep on her bed, fully dressed.



Anya went downstairs wearing the wide grin of satisfaction. Ha! That was easy. She’s not that tough after all, she smirked. I’ll have to remember that. It could be fun to try to push her around again sometime. But...she was very tired and frustrated and full of worries. She couldn’t have been using her full strength and…well, after all she is the Slayer. Hmmm…maybe I’d better not push my luck. Ok, so, nope. Not gonna do that again anytime soon.



Anya came down the stairs, still feeling overjoyed, and with a child-like, sing-song phrase playing in her head. I be-eeat Buffy, I be-eeat Buffy!



Passing the kitchen table she grabbed a banana, and using it as a make-shift microphone, she began her play-by-play.



“She gets to the 20 yard line. She’s tackled...NO! She weaves past it…another grave error from the ‘Sneaking Slayers’ defensive secondary. She’s at the ten yard line, the five…she runs, she dives, she...



TOUCHDOWN!!



Oh my god! She did it! The fans go wild! Anya scores, and ‘D’Hoffryn’s Demons’ win the SUPERBOWL!”



*******



In the meantime, Xander pulled into the hospital parking lot, ran toward the visitor’s entrance, and began his search for Dr. O’Reilly. Eventually he found the physician making rounds on the ward.



“Hey doc. Uhm, how are things?” he greeted, somewhat nervously.



“A night like any other. But I’m guessing you didn’t stop by to shoot the breeze. What can I do for you?”



“Doc,” Xander approached, “we have a problem and I think you can help.”



“I’m always happy to help if I can,” the doctor replied, worried about the expression on the young man’s face, and the near panic in his eyes.



“Is there any possibility that Willow -- Miss Rosenberg -- can be released soon? Like, like really soon? Xander inquired. “I mean, she’s doing better, right? Uh, see, the thing is, if she doesn’t get out of here very, very soon, you and your staff are going to have to make rooms available for myself and several of my friends.”



“Is it that bad?” O’Reilly replied, understanding immediately what the young man was referring to.



“It’s worse,” was Xander’s only counter.

“I’m not entirely comfortable with an early release. Anyone with injuries like those sustained by your friend…well, she should be under constant medical supervision for an extended period of time. Internal injuries are the most worrisome, and they aren’t always apparent right away.”

The doctor paused and considered the young man’s frantic state. “But, if she signs the outpatient paperwork and someone agrees to watch over her for 48 hours, I could send her home by her own request. Could be as soon as...let’s say tomorrow morning?”

Xander jumped at the doctor and hugged him. Hard. Twice.

“Thank you! Oh god, thank you so much. I think you’ve just saved our lives.” Xander was gone in an instant, on his way to Willow’s room.

“Sometimes I really like my job,” O´Reilly said softly to himself. “If only it were that easy all the time.” He sadly turned his eyes to the chart in his hand, knowing his next stop was the lobby, to inform the parents of a 20-year-old young woman that their daughter had little chance of regaining consciousness. She’d been hit by a stray bullet while standing in her own home. “Who the hell could take away something so beautiful and do something so fucking screwed up?” the doctor contemplated.



Xander slowly opened the door to Willow’s room and quietly slipped in. The redhead was awake and trying her best to read a newspaper one-handed. Giles sat beside her, fast asleep, still tenderly holding her other hand...or at least the fingers that stuck out beyond the cast. A wee bit of Watcher drool collected on his lips as he dozed.



Daddy’s looking after his little girl. Xander grinned. They might revoke Giles’ ‘Uptight British Dude’ identification card and executive washroom key. I mean, who knew he was chock full o’ emotions?



“Hey there,” he whispered to Willow, who returned his greeting with a big smile. “How are you feeling?”



“Not too bad,” the redhead replied through a smirk and a very scratchy voice. “I’m getting used to living without my left hand, since Giles here’s been holding it for hours now.”



That’s my Willow. Yeah, that’s the girl I know and love, Xander thought.



“Daddies and daughters,” he said grinning, and got an amused, slightly confused look from Willow. He shook his head to ward off her question before it was posed. “It’s just sweet, is all.” He moved to fill a cup of water and hand it to his best friend.



“By the way Will, I talked to Dr. O’Reilly. He uh…he said you could actually go home tomorrow morning, if you want to,” Xander started. He tried to keep his voice neutral. “It’s up to you. You know, only if you feel up to it.”

“That’s great, Xan!” She sipped the water to ease her dry throat before continuing. “I so can’t wait to get outta h—“

Willow looked at him, and the smile vanished from her face. “You know I want to get out of here, but…is it that bad at home?” she said with watery eyes. “Tell me. Is it that bad?”

Xander felt the familiar sting behind his eyes. “No, Will. I mean...it’s...no…not at all. I-It’s just that…uhm…that…”



“I’m not in a coma, you know. I can sense the strain on all of you. I can feel the tension,” Willow said as she reached out to take Xander’s hand. “And it’s my fault. Once again I’ve managed to bring misery and chaos into the lives of those I love. Everyone has a gift; I’m beginning to think that must be mine. Well, there’s that and my freakish ability to calculate square roots.”



“What did you say?” said Giles. He’d just woken up and opened his eyes. “What in Heaven’s name are you talking about?”



“Oh yeah. Been able to do that since I was five. It’s really –“

“Bloody hell, not that! What were you saying before that? About your being responsible for…for…”

Willow’s brief moment of levity escaped her, her head dipped, and her voice was that of a frightened little girl.



“Giles, I should have seen her pain and I should have paid more attention to the recurring nightmares. But no…I let her convince me that she could handle it, and that I shouldn’t worry about it, that I just needed to hold her. She promised she’d tell me if she needed my help. She promised.” Willow took a deep breath and added in a calm, matter-of-fact voice, “I should never have believed her.”



“Young lady, you’ve fought so many battles that should not have been yours to fight, helped so many people you didn’t know. You have to be aware that you’re not expected to fight every war that arises,” Giles sighed. “You simply cannot heal all the wounds of the world.”



“Oh that’s just great. Kudos for me! Woo hoo. So I fight battles for other people. How truly wonderful and special of me. And when it comes down to it I can’t even keep the one person…the one woman who’s the very air I breathe, safe. God, I wasn’t even able to keep safe the most precious thing in the world to me,” Willow shot at Giles. “She was hurting so badly and I just went on about life…tra-la-la.” The redhead chided herself, “Well, hurray Willow, just a big old hairy hurray.”



“You know that isn’t true at all,” Giles replied, slightly annoyed. His tone changed to one of compassion as he went on. “I see the connection between the two of you. It’s astonishing, overwhelming. But no matter that connection, and although she is the love of your life, you can’t stave off all peril, keep her from all danger. Some battles have to be fought, and some must be fought alone. And when the time comes for Tara to wage such a battle, can you think of a person more able to do so? I’m sure I can’t,” he added.



Willow looked at the man, her wide eyes full of doubt. She didn’t want to hear that. It was clear to her; like black on white. It was her job to protect her girl, to keep away all the dangers of the world and the Hellmouth. To hold evil away from Tara, who’d already wrestled with far too many demons during her young life. It was her duty to make sure the blonde beauty was safe, even from the monsters that attacked from the deepest reaches of Tara’s memories.



But at the same time, Willow had to admit that her mentor had a good point. She couldn’t keep everything bad away from Tara; that would be impossible. After Glory’s attack, Willow had vowed to herself to protect Tara with every fiber of her being. Still, she was realizing that there were some things she just had no control over…and that realization broke her heart. It felt like the betrayal of a sacred promise.

“You’re right, Giles,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I know you’re right…and I’m sorry, I didn’t…”



Giles leaned over to the girl he considered a daughter, and silenced her with a kiss on her forehead.



“Everything will be all right, I promise,” he said, as he discretely signaled to Xander that it would be best for them to leave. “Right, then. Watcher’s orders: go to sleep and don’t think about it too much. Just get a good night’s rest and you’ll be at home and with Tara tomorrow.”



“I love you, Giles,” she said with tears rolling again. She wasn’t sure she’d ever said those words out loud before, but at that moment they came from the deepest part of her. “Thank you so much for everything.”



“I love you, too,” Giles answered. Clearly touched, he had to resist the temptation to reach for a lens cloth and rub his glasses until the screws popped out. Instead, he turned and led Xander out the door. And I will keep my promise; everything will be ok. You two – my daughters – will be happy again. And so will the rest of my family. There’s no holding back. Whatever it takes, even if it’s my own life on the line, I’ll make sure I keep my promise. He smiled as he followed after Xander.



“What are you smiling about Giles?” Xander asked him as they drove home. The young man was thrilled to see the watcher in a better mood.



“Oh, it’s nothing really. I just made up my mind about something,” he replied, smiling even wider.





Meanwhile, Dr. Connor O’Reilly found just the man he’d been looking for standing at the hospital’s information counter.



“Hi ‘Nesto, I was looking for you,” he called out as he approached the police detective. “I wanted to make sure you got this personally.”



Detective Ernesto Gonzales took the brown envelope with a puzzled look. “This only can mean more work for me,” he moaned while ripping it open.



“On the contrary, my dear friend,” the doctor replied. “For once I decided to make your life easier. You wanted written statements from these two girls if I’m not mistaken. You remember...the Rosenberg/Maclay incident?

Well, Stockwell stopped by to talk to me after bringing his wife in...I think it was the day before Ms. Maclay was released.” O’Reilly chuckled lightly as he continued, “You work with him, so you know how he was all but convinced his wife was never actually going to give birth – she’d been in four times with false labor. Anyway, after the baby no-go, he offered to take Ms. Rosenberg’s statement. Said he was glad for the distraction. When Ms. Rosenberg was up to it, he came back and talked to her as well.

The statements pretty much mirror each other, and I’ll sign whatever you need signed to document the fact that there’s no clear medical evidence that Ms. Rosenberg’s injuries were sustained suspiciously. So there’s one less case you have to mess with.”



The officer was a little confused, but took a moment to read the two statements and decided that it was, indeed, sufficient evidence to close the file.



“One down, a billion to go,” he muttered to himself. “Connor, I’d hate to seem like an ungrateful prick here, but would you please tell me why you’ve spent your time doing my job?”



“Come on Ernesto, can’t a friend help a friend out once in a while? After all, most of your overtime is due to my phone calls. Or am I wrong?”

“No” sighed the officer, “you’re not wrong there. Most of ‘em are. Ok, I think I have all the information I need. Thanks, Connor. I need to get back to the office. See you later.” He shook hands with the doctor and left the hospital.



Did he buy that? Stands to reason he’s a pretty suspicious guy, Dr. O’Reilly thought as he went back to his office to finish his paperwork. Never mind, if he has more questions I can come up with even more answers. Whatever really happened with those two, I can truthfully say there was no beating involved.



His mind went back to an incident some months ago. On one of his rare evenings off he took his girlfriend out for a nice meal and a romantic movie.

It was after midnight when they foolishly decided on a shortcut through the cemetery. Just a few steps away from one of the exits they were attacked by...someone. Several someones, actually. Neither of them could see exactly how many there were or what they looked like, but it was clear that whomever it was must have been wearing Halloween masks. The doctor and his companion were both injured, but probably would have been killed if the attackers hadn’t been beaten and apparently chased off by a young blonde woman who appeared out of nowhere.

A woman who talked to and taunted the attackers as she seemed to make them vanish into thin air.

A woman O’Reilly instantly recognized when he heard that same tone as she stood insistently by her redheaded friend’s bedside at the hospital.



We owe you so much more than this little favor. I’ll never forget what you did for Trish and me...never forget what you did for us that night.....Buffy Summers.

Edited by: Irishlassie101 and TKOlove at: 8/21/04 12:48 am

[Stroke of Luck]

What an emotional update! U made me cry when Willow said I LOVE U to Giles damn u and ur emotional writings



I dunno, but dont u think that Tara will get a lil shock if she sees her girl in the house? Sure she will be happy and all, but she will be freaked as well! Cuz Tara still believes it was her fault! But i will see in ur next chapter



And to that Doc, he is such a nice guy! Good that the scoobies found another "scoobie" member, even if they dont know he joined the group Go Doc GO



Cu

SoL/Natti

"I wish that you were here or that I were there, or that we were together anywhere!"

[WillowRulez]

Gosh, there is just so much I love about your recent update!

For once, your Anya is great. She got me rofl and let me forget for a while how sad things with Tara and Willow are. Giles' compassion is another strong point. And of course I can't forget the Doc and his way of handling stuff. *sigh* Buffy our lil life saver

Great work! Continue soonish please!

"There was always this thing in the back of my head. This, you know, voice, saying, like,’what if things get bad, I mean really bad? And what if you can’t handle it?’

[WickedReds]

Anya i love Anya

Quote:

---

“I want my saucy thoughts back, dammit!“

---

And the Father/Daughter exchange... i got misty..

yeah still a blame-fest... hopefully things will work out. i'm sticking around for that..



-reds

my banana dances for smut

Tara in a wet shirt, Tara in a wet shirt. Tara in. A. Wet. Shirt. “Of course.”-Willow From Remember to Breath By Yellow Crayon



Now that just sucks- me

[sapphicpoet]

Really loved this update!



Anya's thoughts, or lack thereof, about sex and her frustation with the situation was just histerical. Glad to see her taking on some human emotion. And her playback of what she considered her defeat of Buffy was awesome!



I find it heartbreaking that poor Tara can't bring herself to visit Will in the hospital. I'm hoping to see them reunited soon. Oh, by the way, the irony of the 20 year old girl getting shot by a stray bullet is not lost on me. I agree with you, I don't know WHO would ever do something like that...



~Sapphic

"Humanity is measured by the soul, not the flesh." ~ Layla