HAVE PITY, HAVE PITY, HAVE PITY O MERCIFUL ONE!!!!



*keeps chanting the mantra*





~Arwen

Hear That Baby? You're My Always... Willow

Okay ppl! Here is the update. The second part has a lot of information about Willow’s AU. So cope with me.





disclaimer bla bla...you know them anyway....more disclaimer...bla



PART 7





Willow looked at her friend…her dead friend. This was impossible. She looked around at the others, Xander, Dawn and Giles…they were all gone, Xander and Giles had left and Dawnie was taken away. Why come back now?



This didn’t make sense. The only way she could explain this, was that this was a trap. A manipulation of some kind.



She shook her head once again and gained control of her tears, pushing them back.



she thought lamely. She tried to convince herself.



She looked at the intruders again, tightened her hold on Spike. A bitter laugh escaped her lips for a second.



Tara was looking at Willow, not quite believing what was happening. Now the answer to her question was in front of her and she was frozen where she was. Buffy seemed more alert as well as Giles. Dawnie, Xander and Anya seemed to be as clueless as she was. She heard Willow laugh bitterly for a second, looking like she was as confused as themselves. The only different was, unlike them she had Spike on a choke hold with a stake right in front of his heart.

.

“Ok” started Willow earning startled reactions form the intruders in front of her.



“I have no idea what you are doing in my house but I know you are not my friends. So you might want to stop with the whole ‘faces’ thing.” She paused her babbling. “…and I might add that this is not the best trap set... I mean…come on… I understand the faces of my friends but Spike? Not a chance. Or…or that demon at the back…I know her, Anyanka right? That is a bad choice. And that blond next to Dawnie… well, surprise! I don’t even have a clue who she is…So yeah very bad choices. What are you trying to do? Confuse me to death.”



As Willow was babbling the gang just stared as she gave up some of the information they wanted to know.



Tara felt as someone suddenly dropped a ton of weight on her chest as she heard Willow saying she didn’t know her. She felt tears prickle her eyes as she felt all her hopes fade away. She pushed away the tears as she tried to focus.



Buffy took a step forward, only to stop when Willow jerked Spike in a dangerous manner.



“Get back! And get out of my friends faces!” Willow hissed. She suddenly felt her energy fleeing from her body again. she pleaded. But her pleas were not helping as she felt getting weaker and weaker.



She did the only thing she thought she could do at this point.



She threw Spike at Buffy with her last physical strength and as they both tumbled to the floor she took a step back and felt the wall on her back. She leaned on it and slid down slowly as she mumbled something under her breath.



The others, seeing what was happening, ran to Buffy’s side to help her up and looked at Willow who was kneeling by the wall, looking exhausted. Not quite getting why Willow suddenly threw Spike at Buffy.



Giles walked towards Willow to get her up but he bumped into an invisible wall surrounding the girl.



“Tara! Come here.” Tara hearing Giles ran next to him. “What is this?”



Tara touched the invisible wall, running her hands on it she decided that it was completely around Willow, surrounding her.



“This is an energy field of some kind, it protects the people in it.” she replied.



Buffy walked up to them and kneeled, now looking at Willow directly, who was looking confused. She didn’t know what to say but she had to start somewhere.



“Hey…”she said slowly “I am Buffy.”



“Like hell you are!” came the reply



Buffy looked at her ‘friend’, she wasn’t used to Willow speaking like this. Okay the babbling a minute ago was like her but the attacking and the sarcasm she seemed to have were not the usual characteristics of Willow Rosenberg.



“Why can’t I be Buffy?”.



“Oh come on! Like you don’t know.”



“Lets say we don’t?” came a voice from the side. Willow turned to see a pair of sea-blue eyes looking at her. She stared at them. she thought and then remembered her situation.



Still looking at the blue-ness she answered “Because she is dead…”



Buffy raised her eye brows. “Dead? Again? When?”



Willow looked at Buffy and snorted “What is this? 20 questions?...You know what I will do?... I will stay in this bubble until I am fully recovered and if you are not out of my house till then…” she cut herself off to give the threat some edge.



“What?” Asked Anya.



“…Then you will never be able to do anything. ” She finished.



“Who do you think we are?” asked Giles, changing the unpleasant subject at hand.



Willow exhaled again



“Would you like the truth or the dare?” she replied sarcastically.



“Ooo this Willow is a lot more sarcastic!” exclaimed Anya.



Willow looked at the Vengeance Demon with annoyance “What do you mean ‘this’ Willow?” she demanded.



“We think you might be from another reality.” Anya answered looking pretty bored. “Or a ghost or a shape shifter or a demon…ohh or a shape shifter demon!” she finished looking pleased with herself.



Willows eyes grew and looked at the girl with blue eyes, they seemed to calm her for some reason. “Alternative Universe?” she whispered. “That can’t be possible…how?”



Giles looked at the girl with compassion in his eyes. “We were hoping you might tell us that.”



Willow was now looking at her feet, shaking her head. She was so tired. And this was utterly stupid.



“So you think I am in an Alternative Universe? Which is here…” she looked at the girl with blue eyes.



Tara looked back at Willow, “That’s what we were thinking but we are not sure ourselves…”



“What…what happened here? Still many things aren’t making any sense. What kind of a reality is this?...I didn’t do anything, I was wounded yesterday, I came home, then I was here… My wound hurts but it shouldn’t…” Willow slowed down again her breathing was becoming more rapid as she could feel the consciousness slipping away. Around her vision blackness started filling in.



Tara looked at Willow, she seemed to be hyperventilating at first but now it seemed that she was going to faint any second, she needed to get her out of that shield.



“Willow…Willow” She called until she got the redheads attention. “You need to break the shield…it wouldn’t be healthy for you to stay in there…”



Willow looked at the girl, her eyes were getting blurry now and it was hard to concentrate. She was saying something…asking her to break something… she thought



Tara looked into Willows eyes and knew that she wasn’t letting it go. She looked deep into her eyes “Please” she said.



“You can trust me…” She said as she tried to pour everything trustworthy into the look.



Willow forgot to breathe for a second as she saw…her…, really saw her. She looked into the bluest eyes ever. And she knew…she could trust her.



Buffy watched as Tara was trying to get Willow to lower her shields. She knew that Tara knew that if Willow fainted while in the shield they wouldn’t be able to help her.



She heard Tara telling Willow to trust her. And Willow locked eyes with her, like she was the only one there.



Suddenly the shield shone Blue and they saw it go down. Willow just kept looking at Tara and Tara smiled.



thought Willow



Then Willows eyes closed and she fell sideways, before she hit the floor Tara was there, holding her.



“Buffy” Tara called “Can we take her upstairs?”



“Yea…sure” Buffy took a step forwards and eased Willow in her own arms, lifting her up and walking towards her room.



Tara turned to Giles “Mr. Giles she said the wound was hurting can you take a look?”



“Of course Tara” Giles said as she was her slipping into her authoritive mood. Tara was taking over the controls. This was her case, her life.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Everyone was in Buffy’s room. Giles had checked Willow’s wound and was surprised to find out the wound was closed but the stitches he had placed there before were still there. He had just finished removing them and was cleaning the angry red holes they had left in their place.



“Looks like when somehow the wound healed, the stitches were still intact so when she was moving about the stitches were cutting into her flesh” Giles informed them. “How the wound healed, I do not know, but it was either an after effect of something, a healing spell or something to that effect.”



“So” asked Dawn for the first time for a long time “Is…is she really Willow?” stepping closer to the bed opposite of Giles.



“Looks like that for now Dawn. She is indeed Willow, but not the Willow we know.”



“But she is Willow, and that what matters right?” Dawn asked her voice wavering.



Tara looked at the young girl. She knew Dawn was hurting very badly over the months. She walked up to her and placed her hand on her shoulder.





“Dawnie, it’s a bit more complicated than that, you know that. But…at least we know she babbles.” She said trying to give the young girl something to hold on to.



Dawn smiled and nodded. “Yea…she babbled didn’t she? Then she can’t be that different.”



Buffy watching the scene before her, hated to bring the subject up, but she had to.



“Dawn, we have to keep in mind that she probably has a family of her own where she came from…we have to help her get back…”



Dawn turned to her sister, silently begging for her to take it back.



“You understand don’t you Dawn? What if there is a another you waiting for her?”



Dawns eyes watered, she nodded and turned back to walk out of the room. She paused on the door way “I’ll be in my room…” she said and took off.



Everyone was silent for a few minutes.



“Tara?” asked Xander “When do you think she will wake up?”



Tara looked at everyone in the room “Not till morning I suppose, why don’t you guys go to sleep. I’ll wait with her” She said looking at Willow.



Everyone nodded. “Anya…would you mind sharing my room with Xander?”



Anya looked doubtful for a minute but she nodded in acceptance. “If Xander doesn’t mind.”



“Sure” Xander said a smile crossing his face. They both exited saying their good nights.



Buffy looked at Giles, “Would you mind the guest room Giles? I’ll go bunk with the squirt.”



“Not at all. I will go as soon as I patch up Willow here.”



“Ok.” Buffy moved to Willows side and squeezed her hand “See ya Wills.” She looked up at Tara “Night Tara”



“Night Buffy.”



With that, she exited. Tara turned to Giles to see him finishing up on Willow.



Giles stood up and faced Tara “This should be more comfortable for her. Are you sure you wish to stay here?”



“Positive Mr.Giles. I…I need to be here.”



Giles looked at Tara with understanding “Try to sleep child.” And he too, left.



Tara looked at Willow, lying down in the bed. She looked very pale. She sat down on the edge of the bed and took Willow’s hand in hers, slowly caressing it with her thumb. She leaned forward and brushed a lock of red hair from Willow’s face with her free hand.



“I…I know you don’t know me…” she whispered. “But…I know you, at least a part of you. In the cemetery I wished…begged for you…just to see you and…here you are.”



“You don’t know me” she repeated “But it doesn’t matter. I will help you return home when you wake up and you will be gone…but that doesn’t matter either. Because now…you are here and I can see you… and feel you” she said holding Willow’s hand a bit tighter.



“And for now…I am okay, for now…” she whispered even lower, as if the powers heard her Willow would be gone again. She stood up again and leaned down, dropping a kiss on Willows forehead. She gently let go of her hand. She took a step back not taking her eyes off Willow. She sat down on the arm chair and pulled a blanked over herself.



“Don’t worry” she whispered again “I will take care of you…no matter what.”

PART 8





Willow felt herself waking up but didn’t open her eyes right away as she tried to remember what the heck had happened yesterday. She remembered seeing her friends and enemies and another girl…with the bluest eyes.



She was in an Alternate Universe. That’s what she was told anyway. She didn’t want to believe them but what else made the slightest sense? That seem to be the best explanation just yet, until she found a better one that was what she was going to go with.



She could feel she was in Buffy’s bed again and she was feeling a lot better, she remembered last night again. She was in her energy field and she was about to faint. Something had happened then, the girl…the blue eyed girl. She had just looked at her and…then…complete trust. That’s all she felt; trust. And she had given in, letting the shield down. Not something she did easily.



She decided that it was time to open her eyes now. She looked at the ceiling to adjust her eyes. Light was filling the room, obviously morning. She turned to her right side, to look outside. But instead her eye caught a figure sleeping on the chair. Her breath caught as she looked at the sleeping girl.



she thought



For a few minutes she just looked at the sleeping beauty, not caring about the situation she was in. As she was watching her, she started to want those eyes to open, to look at her and…smile.



“That awesome smile.” she whispered smiling.



Just then Tara slowly stirred, showing signs that she was about to wake up. Willow held her breath in anticipation. Tara stirred once again and brought a hand up to rub her eyes, which was the cutest thing in Willows book.



One blue eye opened followed by the second. Tara blinked several times to adjust her eyes. When she focused she looked at Willow to check on her. She was surprised to see a pair of emerald eyes staring back at her. She gulped and stared back.



Once she managed to stop herself from doing something rash. she thought. She smiled and removed the blanked that covered her.



Willow continued to look at the girl, she gloated but managed to keep a neutral face.



Tara looked at Willow once again to find that she was still looking at her, then she realized, .



“Hi…”She said “I am Tara.”





Willow allowed herself to smile. “Tara…” she said rolling the name in her mind “I like that name, its very beautiful.” She said, then turning completely red and her eyes bulged out.

she looked down to see a cover on her. she looked back to see Tara smiling again.



“Well…I…am Willow” she said lamely but glad that Tara was still smiling.



Tara looked around as her smile faded a little “I…I already know.” She said slowly.



“Oh” Willow inwardly kicked herself “Sorry…of course because I don’t know you doesn’t mean that you don’t know me. I mean AU’s are very tricky and all and you never know who you know…I mean AU’s are very different and its probably different to you too. Not that you don’t know this universe…but you know….weird babbling person form another universe…ummm….I think I’ll stop now…yea….definitely. Stopping is good. Cause babbling is confusing….and…”



Tara looked at Willow switching from babbling about AU’s to babbling about stopping to babble.



“…and babbling can be contagious too, I mean…”



“Willow” Tara interrupted.



Willow looked at Tara “Uh…yea…shutting up now. Zip…yep.”



Tara at this point was trying not to laugh. “That’s ok…” she said looking at Willow again.



Willow looked a bit embarrassed now “Sorry” she muttered; stopping another babble fest she could feel bubbling up inside of her.



Tara stepped closer “Would you like to go down and have breakfast, and then if you are up to it we can all talk.”



Willow though grimly



Tara looked at the redhead as she was babbling internally. She always knew when Willow was babbling inside her head. Her face would scrunch up in concentration.



“Willow?” she asked, bringing the redhead back into the world “Is that okay?”



“Sure” she replied all with a neutral tone and face. She had slipped in to her ‘business face’, as effective as her ‘resolve face’ she always thought.



She looked at herself in bed and sat up looking at the PJ’s she was wearing.



“Um…is there anything I can wear?” she asked as she fidgeted with her top looking at her wound.



Tara seeing this action “There was a wound there yesterday but now there isn’t” she explained.



Willow nodded “I know thanks”. Still keeping a neutral face.



Tara saw this “I’ll get you some clothing…there is bathroom there” she said pointing at the bedroom’s joint bathroom. “You can use it.”



Willow nodded again and slowly got up, making sure she wasn’t going to lose balance this time. “Thanks” she replied and slowly headed to the bathroom as Tara made her way out of the room.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Tara went to her own room and knocked on the door. When there was no noise she slowly opened the door and peeked inside to make sure Xander and Anya were not in there. She saw that the bed was already made. She went to her closet and took out a pair jeans and a sweatshirt that belonged to Willow. She also took out a pair of underwear.



She made her way back to Buffy’s room and went in. Willow was apparently still in the bathroom so she left the clothing on the side of the bed. She knocked on the bathroom door.



“Willow?”



“Yes?”



“I left some clothes for you on the bed. I’ll be downstairs for 10 mins and I will come and get you, is that ok?”



“Sure, thanks” came the reply.



With that Tara turned to leave. Before making her way downstairs she checked Dawn’s room to see it empty. Apparently the Summers sisters were also up too.



She made her way to the kitchen.



As she entered Giles spotted Tara.



“Oh Tara, you are up. How are you?”



“Fine thanks Mr. Giles.”



She sat down on the table. “Where is Spike?” she asked, she didn’t have any idea what happened to him after last night. For all she knew he could even be dust.



“Locked in the Basement” Anya stated.



“You locked Spike in the basement?” asked Buffy clearly amused



“Yes. Didn’t want him eating us while we were sleeping.” she said stuffing her mouth with cereal at the same time.



“Oookay…” said Buffy.



Another silence as only chewing voices could be heard.



“Willow’s awake” Tara stared.



The others looked at her.



“Oh…Will she be coming down?” Giles asked.



“Yeah…I left her so she could dress, I’ll go get her in a minute.”



“Did she talk to you at all?” asked Xander.



“A little. I introduced myself and she babbled a whole lot.”



Dawn smiled at this.



Tara continued “Then everything got all ‘welcome to the real world-y’ and she went all neural faced.”



“Ooh.” Stated Buffy “Business face on.” Looking at Xander.



“I didn’t know Wills mastered that yet, she couldn’t hold it for 2 mins.” he said smiling.



“Well apparently this one did” Anya stated, putting out any fun that might have occurred.



“Apparently” said Tara rather unenthusiastically. “Ok then I’ll go get her.”





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``





Willow had finished dressing and was making the bed and folding her clothes as she was waiting for Tara to come back.







She sighed loudly and sat on the bed until she heard a knock on the door.



“Willow? Are you decent?”



“As decent as I can be.” Willow called out.



The door opened and Tara entered. “Hey…are you ready? Everyone else is up.”



Willow took in a deep breath and nodded “Ready…”



“Alright.” Said Tara standing aside so Willow could join her. Willow walked up to Tara with uncertain steps. Tara started walking “They are downstairs in the kitchen”



Willow nodded. She was looking around at the house.







She turned her attention back on Tara as they walked down the stairs. She could see the kitchen entrance. Her breathing quickened just a little. She saw Tara walk in but she stopped for a second right next to the entrance so the others couldn’t see her. She needed a second before going in.





Tara walked in as the others looked at her.



“She didn’t want to come?” asked Dawn somehow sad.



Tara scrunched her face in confusion and looked behind her not seeing Willow. She closed her eyes and felt her aura right behind the door.



“She is right outside….she needs a minute.” Tara said, understanding Willow’s need for some time alone.



Scooby’s nodded in understanding, they were very anxious to talk to their…friend.



Then Willow came in to the kitchen hesitating at the door before walking up to them cautiously. She stood near the table looking at everyone.



For a while no one said anything. Willow looked at Dawn. She looked so hopeful. She looked so much like her Dawn. Her young surrogate sister.



thought Willow



She looked at the young girl and smiled. Dawn’s eyes opened even more and widely smiled back.



She passed her gaze to Xander who was just looking at her. Then to Giles who seemed…well as ‘librarian’ as usual. Buffy…her best bud who wasn’t suppose to be alive; but now she was smiling herself silly.



She coughed lightly “Um…Hey…I am sorry about yesterday…you know with the ‘don’t move or else’ attitude. I was kindda confused…” she said.



“That’s quite alright Willow.” Said Giles.



“Ok then…well I still don’t know how to act here…and actually probably you don’t either. Cause, heck, it isn’t very common. If it was common it would happen more…uh…commonly. Hence the name; common…Shutting up now”



“Well this one babbles too” came a voice from her left, she turned towards it.



“Anyanka!” she hissed. She turned back to the other “Ok, number one thing that I don’t understand.” She said with her ‘business face’ on. “What is a vengeance demon doing here? Is she captured somehow?”



“Uh…not exactly” said Buffy looking worried.



Willow saw the worried look on her face and misinterpreted it, as she turned back to Anya. She was about to say something again but a voice came from her back.



“So Red woke up eh?”



Buffy turned towards the voice “Spike? You were supposed to be locked in the basement!” she exclaimed.



Spike pointed out to Anya “She let me out a minute ago.” He said in his usual bored voice.



The only thing Willow understood was; Spike was locked in the basement, Anyanka helped him escape. Buffy was using her ‘surprised’ and worried voice…and that equals….enemy at large.



Willow turned to Spike with a swift move and held him with her powers, throwing him towards Anyanka.



She looked at them and quickly called on fire to destroy the enemy at large.



Buffy looked wide eyed at what was suddenly happening. Willow was attacking Anya and Spike.



She watched as Willow lifted her hand up towards Spike and suddenly he was in air, flying towards Anya. He landed right next to Anya while Anya ‘eek-ed’ and Spike ‘ouch-ed’.



Then Willow stretched her hand, palm facing up and pulled her hand back, which was in front of her chest now, palm still upwards. She saw Willow concentrate and suddenly a fire ball appeared in her head.



She heard her self exclaim “Whoa!!!” and ran to Willow to stop her.



Willow was about to fry the demon and the vampire when she heard a voice and turned towards it to see Buffy literally ‘flying’ towards her. She only had a chance to squeak before Buffy tackled her to the ground.



They both tumbled to the ground and the fire ball disappeared. Willow looked up at Buffy, who was currently sitting on her.



“Ow…Buffy!!” she whined. “What is going on here? Did everyone here lose their minds?” she turned to her pre-targets “They are going to escape or something!”



“Uh Wills…” said Xander behind them “That was what we were trying to tell you before you went all…Terminawitch on us. They are not prisoners…”



“Which was why I was attempting to…uh…terminate…Termiwitch or whatever you just said.” Exclaimed Willow, still under Buffy.



“No, no I mean they are with us…they help us.”



“They help you?” Willow said eyebrows lifting up.



“Yeah…” said Buffy, still on top of her.



“Uh, Buffy? Could you maybe…you know…”



“What Wills?”



“…could you uh…get off me?”



“Oh yea yeah sure” Buffy said lifting herself up and helping Willow up too.



Willow looked at Tara, to be surprised when she was a flicker of disappointment. She looked at Tara as if asking what was wrong. Tara just smiled and shook her head as if to say nothing was wrong. Willow made a mental note to ask later on.



“See? No harm no foul” said Buffy dusting herself off.



“Speak for yourself” Anya whined.



“Yea” agreed Spike “That makes two Red…”



Willow looked at Spike, still not liking the vampire that much “Ready for a third?” she asked sarcastically.



Spike looked around and sat on a shaded corner without saying anything.



Willow looked at Anya and lifted one of her eyebrows, daring her to say something stupid.



Anya lifted her hands up “I wasn’t gonna say anything!” she squeaked. Walking up to Xander, “Xander!” she whined “She is as cruel bunnies!”



thought Willow.



She turned her gaze back to Buffy, who was currently staring at her.



“Buffy” she said softly and smiled a little “It…it is good to see you again.” She turned to Xander, Dawn and Giles“…all of you” she added.



Giles smiled “why don’t we sit down, we have a lot to talk about….for example the differences in our realities and how did you get here.”



The gang nodded and they all sat down. Willow remained standing for a while then looked at Tara and walked over to her side of the table and took the seat next to her which also was the head seat so she could see everyone sitting.



“Shall I start with my reality?” she asked



“Go ahead…and it would be appreciated if you talked about yourself as well” Giles said.



“Um…sure. Ok then I’ll start from the beginning but I will go swiftly.”



The others nodded.



“Alright…” Willow said a bit nervous that she was the center of attention, she looked at Tara and saw her looking at her with her loop sided smile that she grew to adore from the first time she saw it. She filled with confidence.



“Well…Um I found a Wiccan Principles book when I was about12 and was very interested in the religion. At first I was only studying the religion but after a year or so I started taking an interest in Witchcraft and started practicing slowly. My only friends at the time were Xander and Jesse” she pointed at Xander.



“They weren’t really interested in the craft but they supported me anyway. Too many foreign languages made them queasy they said. Well…Three years after that I met Buffy in school when she got transferred from LA, by her I met with Joyce, Dawn and Giles. But we also lost Jesse to vampires that year.” She said sadly “And that was the time when we learned all about vampires and slayer and watchers and all that.”



“Umm…lets see that year Buffy met Angel…You know Angel right?” Buffy nodded.



“Ok…Master was the big bad pain in the ass at the time. When defeating him Buffy kind of drowned and died for a minute or so. Umm…So Kendra, another slayer, was called.”



“In our Junior year, everyone seemed to be dating” she said with a smirk “Angel was dating Buffy. Cordy, who was the bitchy cheerleader at the time, was dating Xander. Giles was kindda dating Ms. Calendar and I was dating Oz, who also happens to be a werewolf.” She looked at the others to see if they were following her and of they knew the people she just told about. They seemed to be familiar with the story.



“Ok then, that’s the year we met Spikey and the loony bin.”



“OY!!!”



Willow glared at him and he sat back down.



“To cut the long story short, some stuff came up and um…somehow…Angel got diverted into Angelus, the soul-less vampire.” She said turning a bit red, talking about Buffy’s…uh…sex life.



Buffy made a face “Uh…that’s okay Will we know the story of…how”



“Ok then. Well…” She apologetically looked at Giles “Jenny had found a soul restoration spell but Angelus found out and…murdered Jenny.” She said slowly “Jenny was a good mentor to me, helped me a lot with my spells and taught me a lot of things. It was a very sad lost.”



“Then things went even screwier, Angelus found a way to bring hell to earth. Acathla or something was the name. One night, he got us ambushed, when Buffy was tricked into leaving the Library. A bunch of vamps, the loony bin and Spike here…” she said looking at Spike menacingly. “…Attacked us. We fought and managed to eliminate every enemy except for Spike and Loony. Then the next thing I know. Xander has a broken arm, I am under a book shelf and Kendra was murdered. I was in a coma when Buffy decided it was time to put Angelus down, before he did the ritual to combine hell and earth. Anyway apparently it was right after she left that I woke up and I asked Cordy and Oz to get me the ingredients for the soul restoration spell.”



Turning to Xander “I asked you to go tell Buffy that I was going to do the spell so she should stall Angelus until I was done.”



After she said this Buffy looked at Xander for a minute but shook her head and dismissed the idea. Xander somehow managed to keep a straight face.



“We were lucky Xander got the message through in time and soul restoration spell was completed and Angel returned. Buffy and Angel took on Spike and Loony but they escaped somehow.”



“Lets see….in our final year, in high school, we had a problem with the mayor. And a new slayer came into the game. Faith and her huge ego barely fit in Sunnydale.” She said with a smirk.



“That year, we met Anyanka; apparently she had lost her necklace somewhere and was trying to get it back. Lucky her…I was having a rotten day that day….something about me being reliable…long story…and she asked me, like she was a student in the school, if I could help her with a spell. Normally I think a lot before accepting an offer or at least try to learn more about the spell. But this time I didn’t. Long story short; she used me to get her necklace back.”



She glared at Anya “…and to this day I feel guilty because I gave a demon back her powers. I tried to catch her in many occasions but she being a chicken kept teleporting! In the end she just stopped coming to Sunnydale and I couldn’t leave Sunnydale to go and find her!” she grumbled.



“Anyway…Also Faith got all murder-y on us and switched to Mayor’s side. We learned that for the major to ascent, he needed a box of spiders….huge gross factor….so we stole it but when we were stealing it Faith managed to get me. So Buffy decided to trade me and the box.”



“Weasly…, who was another watcher at the time, apparently suggested that they should just leave me to die.”



“Weasly??” asked Xander “Do you mean ‘Wesley’?”



“Same thing.” Willow answered, waving her hands in dismissal. “He did suggest that I should not be rescued after all…I think I have the right to misuse his name.”



“….okay, where did I left off….hmm…oh yea. So in the end we managed to blow up the major along with the school, Faith was in a coma and Angel, Cordy and Weasly left Sunnydale and moved to L.A….you know to do good there.”



“That year Xander also left to ‘find himself’, travel a little. But a few months later he called from Brazil to say he wasn’t coming back and that was the last time we heard from him.” She said looking at Xander sadly “He didn’t leave any phone numbers or addresses so we couldn’t contact him.”



“Moving on…the first year of University wasn’t that eventful. We had a psycho psychology professor, a new army branch and a human-machine-demon mix Frankenstein. That’s when Riley joined us….we had a hack of a year, but nothing major. Well…there was a part where no one could speak because of the Gentlemen. That was huge freaky factor.”



From the corner of her eyes she saw Tara leaning a little forward against her chair, like she wanted to hear this story in particular. But there wasn’t anything to tell really.



“But we beat them kindda easily…Buffy had to scream and ‘blam’ heads exploding everywhere….” She made a disgusted face. “Glad I wasn’t there to see that…”



She noticed Tara leaning back to her chair with a disappointed face.



“Again long story short we found out that Adam had a power source in his chest to operate so with the help of some of my mojo, Buffy managed…ummm….take it out….literally. oh…also that year Faith woke up did some damage, ran to LA, tried to kill Angel, then turned herself in to the cops….again long story”



She was kindda bored of telling her life story since it was going to get worse soon but the look on her friend’s faces showed interest and surprise. So she guesses they had a right to know. She took another breath in.



“okay now our second year in college might sound way far fetched if the same didn’t happen here…well actually this is Sunnydale too, I suppose nothing here is too far-fetched…”



“Okay okay not going to start babbling…” she stopped herself before she started on the ‘bad-ness’ of babbling.



“The second year of college, things got really complicated. Let’s see Dracula came for a visit, Riley left too and the most important of all we had a new ‘big-big-big bad’ in town. A hell god; Glorificus shortly Glory. As Buffy told us; a dyed-blond bitch with really tramp-y wardrobe. She was looking for a key to return to her hell dimension with the after effects of dimensions bleeding into each other.”



“That year we lost Joyce to a brain tumor. Ironically enough nothing we could have helped her with.” She muttered sadly.



Buffy cut in at this point. She had to ask this question, she had to know.



“How…how did she die….I mean where?”



“What?” Willow said softly “Where?”



“Yea…you know….was anyone with her or was she alone?” Buffy looked at Dawn, who was looking back at her, understanding where all this was going.



Willow on the other hand didn’t. She didn’t really want to tell this story but Joyce was in the end their mother. But she had been her mother as well, though not biologically. When her parents weren’t there for her, Joyce always was. Even when in the beginning of their senior year in high school when the Rosenberg’s wanted to move out of town for their job, Joyce had offered them that Willow was more then welcome to move in with the Summers. And she had done just that. Became the third Summers sister somehow and another daughter to Joyce. It was still hard to talk about her passing. The woman who was the only real mother she knew.



She concentrated on Buffy again.



“No…she wasn’t alone. It was way after the operation and…and she seemed fine. Joyce, Buffy, Dawn and I were in the living room one day just talking about normal day stuff. Joking around. It was pretty sudden, but not at the same time. She was telling us that she was so lucky to have us and that she loved us all. And we were saying that she was all mushy because she was actually dating a decent man.”



She looked at the table.



“She stiffened for a second, then blinked and fell sideways on the couch….she was just gone. We did everything we can, called the paramedics. Buffy and I were doing…doing CPR.”



She lifted her head back up and connected her eyes with Buffy’s, trying to make her understand there was nothing they could have done. Suddenly an idea dawned to her that Joyce might still be alive in this reality, but she pushed it away for now.



“There was nothing we could do…from the moment she blinked, she was…gone. I am sorry there was nothing…we could do.”



Buffy nodded and smiled in understanding. There really was nothing she could have done….even if she were there. And there was silence for a few minutes.



“Well….I know this is indeed a grim subject” said Giles slowly “But Willow if you would continue”



Willow looked annoyed a split second but nodded.



“Sure. Okay so Glory is looking for the key and we learned that key was in a human form…umm…are you familiar with this??” she asked uneasily.



Seeing her unease Tara leaned forwards and captures one of her hands in her own. Giving her hand a light squeeze. The mention of Glory was giving her Goosebumps but she remained calm. She caught her eyes then turned to Dawnie. “Do you mean Dawnie?”



Relieved that the gang already knew, she smiled and let out her breath that she had been holding. She lost herself in Tara’s eyes for a second.



“Yea…” She said then somehow managed to tear her eyes from Tara and looked at Dawn and smiled. Dawn smiled widely back.



“That’s good then…” she said turning her attention to the group. “then things turned even more screwy when an army decided that killing the ‘key’ would save everyone. So we were trying to hide from both Glory and this medieval army.”



“One day we were at the hospital because we learned that one of the soldiers were brain sucked by Glory so we all went to try to get information from him, maybe work some mojo on him to make him talk. When we got in the room Ben, an intern there, was in there giving medications. Out of nowhere the patients started to point at Dawn and saying that she was a green light or something like that, then Ben panicked and ‘boom’ Glory was there. She heard the patients and took Dawn.”



She paused “Buffy went into a catatonic state. I entered her mind and got her out. Later on we went to the Magic Box that Giles owned and Giles found out that the next day Glory was going to…bleed Dawn to open the portal.”



“It took us a day to find the location of Glory since she wasn’t in her ‘palace’ like manor. She was getting built a very tall tower thingy. Then she was going to open the portal. We had gotten a Troll’s Hammer from before, we took that and I prepared some binding and holding spells….and we went to ‘storm the castle’.”



She gave a sad chuckle and continued, now resting her arm in the seat-arm supporting her head.



“We were fighting and I managed to bind Glory enough for Buffy to use the hammer. Then Giles and I tried to keep the minions away so Buffy could go up and help Dawn. We didn’t count on another demon being up there when Glory was getting her ass kicked. I saw Glory turning into Ben and I thought we were ok. Buffy ran up to Dawn and Giles approached Ben when I was trying to hold back the minions.”



“We saw the gate open above us, I wasn’t expecting it…but that meant that Dawn was cut. I didn’t know what to expect at that point. A huge Dragon-like demon got out and flew. I hadn’t seen Giles since he approached Ben. I fought off the last of the Minions and I looked up…”



“…just in time to see Buffy running to the edge and jumped….such a graceful jump I thought at the time….I don’t know why I thought that…she went into the portal…she got out of it...still falling. It closed behind her. Then Buffy’s fall…finished.”



“I just looked at her, everything inside me wanted to break down and I saw Giles next to me. He kneeled and sat down on his knees. I…I looked up again, there was Dawn, just looking down. I didn’t think at the time, I turned…I climbed up and helped Dawn down silently.”



“Well Giles carried Buffy home and I helped Dawn along…”



Willow stopped “No need for further details” she said in a croaked voice.



“Giles and I looked after Dawn for couple of weeks until we managed to contact Mr. Summers. He came and took Dawn to Spain. Then it was just me and Giles…but then the Council called…they asked Giles to return, that there was no need for him in Sunnydale anymore…I did the thing excepted of me…I told Giles that I would look after Sunnydale and he left. Then there was just me.”



“Has been just me for about a year and a half.”



The rest of the gang looked at her. Willow was alone.



Giles looked closer and saw a responsibly that loneliness brought. Buffy saw the strength, Xander saw the seriousness, Anya saw the sarcasm as a self-protective wall around her, Dawn saw respect, Spike, well he only saw another pain in the arse…but Tara…Tara saw the utter loneliness that was in her eyes, the loneliness that had changed her, that hurt her, that was still hurting her.





TBC…see I didn’t leave it at a bad place this time…well better then before anyhow…Feedback is appreciated.



Luvs, Phoenix

Edited by: Eternal Phoenix at: 10/21/03 1:04 pm

Yay, this fic is back!

I really like this idea, especially how there are only minor changes between the two worlds, but these changes make such a big difference. The closing paragraph was excelently done, summed up everyone's views of willow perfectly.

Of course, my fave parts were the willow/tara moments. I love how Tara is the only person who can calm her, even though willow doesnt know her.

So, its safe to say that i lve this fic, and im realy looking forward to reading more...kinda soonish?



willowsgirl xx

Fantastic update I was kinda surprised Willow offered to tell her story first, but I'm glad she did. Now the other scoobies just basically have to point out the differences.



I felt so sad for Tara - especially when she realizes she isn't in this Willow's stories But they seemed to have bonded anyway.



Can't wait for more

-shuyaku

Well it was worth the wait!!!!

I loved it, the whole thing, and then the unmistakable attraction between both witches.

This Willow is different, bitter yet very lovable... Her story about her AU helped the scoobies realise that she's alone and that maybe they could take care of her, and take her in.



Don't keep us waiting so much for the next parts!!



~Arwen

Hear That Baby? You're My Always... Willow

Can't say I would mind horribly much if Willow burned Spike and/or Anya, even though this Anya seems almost nice at times. Spike I definitly would not mind to see destroyed. Why DID Anya let Spike out anyway ? Willow didn't name the demon at the top of Glory's tower, so it probably wasn't Spike though that would have been fun.



Hmm... come to think of it, wouldn't it have been MUCH easier/smarter to only have core scoobies and Tara at the initial meeting ? Not the questionable charachters, Willow obviously responded bad to both Anya and Spike initially... so why have them around before talking to Willow ?



What would have been so horribly bad about Willow fainting inside the protective field ? I like that she trusts Tara enough to lower that field, sure, but it wouldn't have killed her to faint/sleep inside that buble (awaking with lotsa sore muscles sure:-).



I'm not entirely sure why Tara looked dissappointed at Willow using magic. I can understand Tara not wanting Spike or Anya be destroyed but it wasn't like Willow was playing around for fun. She intended to destroy both demons (to protect the others), using magic for that seems allowable to me... even when using Tara's restrictive rules :-)



The easy fix for the disapproving look is asking Willow why didn't resurrect Buffy. Judging by this Willow's different route into magic I would expect her to 'explain' to the other scoobies you can't "just" resurrect somebody :-). Heh, that'll be fun.



Where did that fire Willow conjured go anyway ? She called on fire, obviously had it in her hand (hence Buffy's response) and then Buffy dives onto her and no more fire ??



Some very recognizable things Willow does (you write Willow very well in my opinion); asking Buffy to get of her and all the babling she does in her head and such . It's interesting to see what the other scoobies see in this other Willow. Most of the changes are for the better, responsibility and a better (fundumental) grasp of magic. A bit too grown up/cynical for her own good but that might be a good protection against the world in general. The lonelyness is definitly something Willow could do without.



I found Tara's thoughts very touching, she would take care of Willow and let her return to 'her' dimension. That must have hurt to think like that, even though she fully meant it it must have hurt.



Should be fun when Willow hears the scoob's stories; her relation with Tara, Xander's relation with Anya, Buffy sleeping around with Spike, Willow using magic for things I doubt ThisWillow would approve of, getting shot and killed by a 2-bit loser... ok, maybe not so much 'fun' really. Still her reaction should be interesting, poor Willow her image of Buffy will be sooo much tarnished. (heh, as with this Willow I prefer to limit my memories of BtvS up to and including _the Gift_)



Will we ever find out where OtherTara is, did she simply go to another school perhaps ?



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

Edited by: Grimlock72 at: 7/15/03 12:38 pm

Oooo...All with the subtle drawing in of me before I even realise that this is actually a beginning! Well done!



I don't think I've read an AU story where Willow didn't know who Tara was,but you've managed to convey that the two characters from Alternate Realities would still have a connection.



A really good read which I'm looking forward to continuing.



******

Read Emily and Lucy's FanFic.



vive,valeque.

Hi April



And again i just can say....great updates

I love this story but its not easy to see that Willow doesnt know Tara....but its good to read that shes lost in those blue orbs....



Wonder what happens next to the scooby gang... hope no bad things



So next part soon?



Cu

SoL/Natti

This is a duet, Amber! You need to sing!"- Tony

Willowsgirl_ it is really great you like the fic. I also love the T/W moments and will be writing a lot of them in the near future.



Shuyaku_ yeah…actually it is sad that Tara isn’t in Tara’s stories…but what can you do?...when u have a whacky person with a story idea everything can change. I will make sure they will create new memories



Arwen_ wow, I always love your feedbacks! I am trying to slip the girls into the story a bit more so they are a bit more comfortable around each other. Glad u r enjoying the fic



Grimlock_ ok where did you hide the cameras in my room eh? Because there is no way you could guess so well what I am planning to do with the story!!

The demon on top of Glory’s tower was Doc, but Willow didn’t really knew that. As for Anya and Spike. I love Anya so I am not planning to kick her out but as for Spike we are not going to see much of him. Some of the things you asked will be answered in the next installment. I am not planning to give anything about the other-Tara so anything could have happened to her.



Emily_ Thanxs! I am glad you like the story. I’ll try to keep it up



SoL_ hey Nat girl! Haven’t been seeing u on the chat for a long time, good to know u r still alive. Lol. Ah…who doesn’t like the famous blue orbs…(or the green ones for that matter). No bad things for the group…yet. *insert evil laugh* muhahahaha.



Thanks a lot for the feedback Guys! Keep it up!

Disclaimers yada yada...J.Whedon yada ME yada yada...come on, we all know the drill. bla bla







PART 9





Willow looked at her friends; they were silent for a few minutes now. Just staring off or staring at her and it was staring to nerve her. She fidgeted with her fingers for another minute to give them a chance to speak but they weren’t complying. She frowned a little.



“Um…I am glad my story was interesting and all but uh…the silence is kindda making me anxious so you guys better speak or something, because silence can be nerving and I feel like a sheep at the slaughter house with the whole staring…and sheep’s at the slaughter houses must be nervous and all…”



She stopped to inhale and realized everyone was staring at her but this time with slimes on their faces.



“Uh…Glad the babbling amuses you…” she said sheepishly.



“Sorry Willow, speaking for my self, I was just thinking how the smallest changes made so big differences in between our realities.”



The others nodded.



“Yea” said Willow “Nice to see everyone is…um…intact here.” Waving her hands back and forth.



Giles changed the subject; he still wanted to know more about Willow’s magic abilities before telling her about this reality.



“Willow, would you mind explaining your magical abilities? If it isn’t a problem.”



Willow scrunched her face at the request for a second. She didn’t mind answering the questions but she was pretty curious about this reality as well, she had a lot of questions herself. And a plus to that she never liked being the center of attention in the first place. But she was patient, she could wait. After all she was the new one in this reality.



“Um…sure. I use elemental magic, umm telekinesis and telepathy. A variety of healing spells and mostly light magic like locater spells or protective shields…energy fields and uh…stuff like that.”



“Elemental magic, you say? Interesting…aren’t those hard to wield?” asked Giles



“They used to be harder but you know…practice makes perfect. They are still a little hard though, sometimes maintaining them is hard…Like this morning… I am not in my full strength yet so it was taking longer to call on fire and them maintaining it there. When Buffy landed on me like a piano,” she glanced at Buffy, “I hadn’t stabilized fire yet, so it dematerialized into its basic components and back to the nature.”



“Huh?” asked Xander.



“Um…Went ‘poof’ back into air…” Willow tried to explain in a language Xander would understand. “If I had stabilized it, it would have just flew somewhere else and…umm…burning problems might had occur”



“Oh okay, I knew that…” mumbled Xander.



Tara looked at Willow, she had a feeling that the red headed witch had learned a lot about magic and rules, and she decided a little test was in order. Then she pointed at the candle in the middle of the table. “Can you light that?”



Willow looked at the candle “Yes I can.”



Tara pointed at it again. “Okay then can you?”



Willow scrunched up her face in thought. “I can…” she said slowly not understanding what Tara was asking her to do.



“I mean can u do it now…light it.”



“Oh you want me to light it now…”



Buffy rolled her eyes “Yes can u light it!”



“Yea please” Giles added.



“Okay, okay…sheesh” Willow said and got up, she was pretty sure she saw a box of matches when she first came in, on the kitchen tile.



As she was walking to it she thought < When did their last slave die off…geez they could have just got up and do it themselves its not hard. It’s just a candle and its still day outside…>



She grabbed the matches and returned to her seat, leaned forward and lit the candle.



“Okay…There you go…but its still light out so I don’t really get this, is this a tradition or something?”



“Not exactly…may I ask why you didn’t just call on fire and light it? It would have been easier.” Asked Giles.



Willow looked a bit peeved at the question “Because you can’t use magic for daily things…you only use it when you really need to.” She paused while trying to come up with a better way of explaining.



“It is not the act of lighting the candle that’s wrong. If I were locked in some dark basement by some baddies and needed a way out and to find a way out I needed to see, I needed to light a candle, and if I didn’t have a lighter with me, I would have used magic to light it…But using magic to light the candle now would be misusing it….did that make sense at all?” She babbled.



Tara smiled at the girl’s answer.



Giles smiled as well, he was right, she had developed a respect for magic.



“May I ask if you had any instructors at all?”



Willow nodded “Yes, from the moment you came along you stated teaching me some basic rules, then Jenny taught me a lot until she passed away…And there has been 3 more…advisors that I visited sometimes. An old mage called Brigit, she lives in San Francisco; she has taught me a lot…Then a Sorcerer named Teo and a Sorceress named Lea, from LA. They are a couple…and they have helped me a lot too.” She said smiling.



Spike at the time, with his broken ego threw a question at the Red head.



“You said the Slayer was dead in your reality why didn’t you resurrect her then?”



Everyone’s eyes bulged out except for Willow’s, who had a horrified expression on her face.



Before anyone had the opportunity to shut Spike up and throw him outside, Willow spoke;



“Because you can’t *just* resurrect someone! It is against every Wiccan rule. You can never know what will happen if you do and there is always a price to whatever you do…A resurrection is dangerous for the person performing it and to the person being performed to. The consequences can be very dire.” She was becoming a little flustered “It would be irresponsible! You *just* can’t!” she finished with a huff.



Everyone looked at Willow who was staring hard at the table. Telling her about their reality had just gotten tiny bit difficult.



“And anyway, I wouldn’t possibly do that to Buffy, she is like a sister to me and she is one of the most respectable people I know…me doing that would be as horrible as…” she thought for a second still a little angry “…would be like Buffy sleeping with a vampire

or something.”



Willow looked at Buffy apologetically and saw a horrified look on Buffy’s face, she misunderstood what she saw. “Oh…Buffy, sorry, I… of course I wasn’t talking about Angel! Sorry, I really didn’t mean that and Angel had a soul anyway and he is good!”



Buffy tried to erase the mortified expression on her face and forced a smile. “It s fine Will”



Telling Willow had just gotten officially rotten.



Buffy got up and yanked Spike up and was about to throw him outside, when he yelled



“OI! It’s still light out!”



“I know” the Slayer hissed



“At least give me a blanket!”



“I am going to regret this later” Buffy mumbled under her breath as she grabbed Spike’s blanket and threw it at him, promptly throwing Spike out the door as well.



Willow looked at Buffy “I thought he was helping you guys?”



“Yea but that doesn’t mean we like him.” Replied Xander in a cold voice.



Willow scrunched her eye brows at the statement but decided to drop it, she had questions.



“Buffy? May I ask some stuff?”



“Sure”



“Um…is…is your mom alive here?” she asked fingers crossed.



“Unfortunately not Wills” Sadly Buffy answered.



“Oh…” Willow bowed her head for a sec. “I’m sorry…”



“Okay…um…how about…about me? You know…I saw some pictures but I haven’t seen…umm… me yet.”



Suddenly everyone looked sad.



Giles took over “Willow in our reality passed away.”



Willow lifted her eyebrows “Oh…Sorry” she said feeling weird “It must be weird seeing me here...”



“That’s okay…” She turned to the voice to find Tara looking at her “It must be similar what you are feeling…” Tara said giving Willow a heart warming smile. Willow couldn’t help but smile back. The little lip curve somehow grew to a full blown smile in a manner of seconds.



“Willow?”



She heard someone calling her and hardy managed to turn away from Tara to the owner of the voice.



She turned to see Dawn grinning happily. “Sorry…I thought we lost you there for a second. Wanted to make sure you were still with us.”



“Yea…” said Willow stealing another glance towards Tara “Still here…”



Now it was time for Willow to ask a question that could turn a little embarrassing if the situation was opposite here. But she was really, really curious.



“Um…okay now can I ask something about Willow?”



“Sure” answered Xander



“Did she umm…date women?” she asked blushing.



Everyone blushed at the same time if that was possible, except for Tara who was unconsciously having a party inside. If this Willow didn’t like girls then she wouldn’t have asked.



“She was dating one” Tara said softly.



“Oh…good then, I was just curious” Willow stated “Um…and isn’t it time that you explained this reality to me?”



Everyone’s smiles drained from their faces.



“Um…sure” started Giles “But there may be some things that you wont like” he said wiping his glasses.



Willow smiled “Hey my story was no picnic, can’t be worse.”



The Scooby’s looked at each other and winced



Giles sat up “alright then Willow. To start with when Buffy, Dawn, Joyce and I first arrived here you didn’t know any magic or the Wiccan Principles…”



Willow raised her eyebrows in surprise. It wasn’t going to be the only time.



As Willow listened everyone else was secretly watching her. Some time into the story Willow had forced to keep her face neutral and now she was just staring at the table while seemingly listening. This didn’t bode well.



Willow was listening to a totally different story then her own. It was confusing, some of the things her friends had done was unbelievable but the things she had done…



She rested her head on her hand. She lifted her head up when Giles seem to have finished his story.



“A geek shot me…” she said silently “Not how I quite imagined…”she sighed.



She looked at everyone, they were different from her friends but yet still her friends.



“So…Xander was engaged to Anya but left her at the altar, which prompt in Anya becoming a demon again. Giles left to go to England. Buffy did die but I brought her back and she had been sleeping around with Spike. Dawn was feeling so lonely that she actually started stealing things. I was dating Tara. I got addicted to magic. I used magic on Tara and u guys. Tara left. I kicked the addiction at last, got back with Tara and got shot…by a geek.”



She looked at Anya, feeling a little sorry for the demon “Sorry I overreacted before…”



Anya was about to open her mouth but she stopped and just nodded.



Then Willow looked at the table again “Well this sounds like a nightmare….” She said rubbing her head.



She put both her hands on the table and got up. “If you will excuse me…I’ll be in the living room for a while…” she said sounding tired.



She walked out of the kitchen with the watchful eyes of her friends.



“Well that went well” muttered Xander.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``



Willow made her way to the couch and sat down slowly. Her head felt full and she suspected she was going to have a headache soon.



Here her friends had done things that they would never do. Here she had done things that she would never do. But from the difference in circumstances she could see some things happening. Like the fact that she was never trained.



She tried to look in the positive side; at least this Xander had returned from his trip and Buffy seemed to okay now and Spike-free. Dawn seemed to be okay now too…



Still this was confusing as hell.



Whatever she was trying to think wasn’t working. She couldn’t believe that she was dating that wonderful woman. What she had done to her...



And in the end she had quit magic to get back to Tara. A few days after she and Tara had gotten back….she had died.



She felt wonderful whenever she was near Tara but…Tara…how did she feel? Seeing her dead-girlfriend couldn’t possibly be good for her.







Her thoughts were cut when she felt someone sit next to her. She turned her head to see Tara there.



“Hey…” Tara said softly.



“Hi” Willow responded.



“Feeling down aren’t you?”



“Yes…Tara…I am so sorry…”



“You have nothing to be sorry about Willow...My Willow and I got behind all this. We loved each other so much… I forgave her, despite the fact that I know she didn’t quite forgive herself…but I also know that if we were given the chance, she would have made it up to me everyday of our lives…She always learned from mistakes…”



“You loved her very much didn’t you?” Willow asked.



“With all my heart and soul” Tara smiled and Willow smiled too.



“Must be nice…being loved so much, Willow was very lucky.”



Tara looked forward “We were both very lucky.” she said sadly.



“I am very sorry for your lost…and I will understand if you want to…stay away from me.”



Tara turned to Willow “I wouldn’t even think about it.”



Willow smiled “If you are sure…”



“Positive”



“Good then” Willow said felling herself blushing. Tara seemed to have that effect on her.



“So you never met me in your reality?”



“No…I wish I had though…”she said biting her lower lip.



“Are you going to come back to the kitchen now?”



Willow nodded “In a minute…” she said as Tara got up. “And Tara…can you tell Dawn to come here for a second…”



“Sure” Said Tara smiling.



Willow watched Tara go into the kitchen with a smile.



~~~~~~~~~`



Tara walked into the kitchen “She will be here in a few minutes…Dawn?”



Dawn turned to Tara a little nervous “Willow asked if you could join her in the living room?”



“Me?” squeaked Dawn, now really nervous.



Tara nodded and Dawn got up, unsurely walking into the living room.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~`



Willow saw Dawn slowly walking towards her. She could tell that the young girl was nervous. Willow got up from the couch and waited until Dawn came next to her.



She smiled at Dawn and who smiled shyly back, and hugged the young girl.



Dawn surely wasn’t expecting this…maybe some speech about stealing or something but hugging?...nope surely didn’t expect that. But she happily complied. Tightly hugging Willow back.



Willow smiled and broke the hug after a while taking her surrogate sister’s hand she sat down, Dawn sitting next to her.



“You know in my reality you are like a sister to me. In my last year in high school, I moved into the same house with you, Buffy and Joyce. And you guys became my family. Buffy and I decided that we will stay at home during college as well. Money doesn’t grow on trees mentality.” She snickered.



“You are always interested in something in my reality; we could hardly keep you off patrol. There even was an incident were you were checking out research books and found a demon with…um…misplaced horns.”



Dawn giggled “That happened here as well”



“…and Dawnie you always somehow needed attention…and I am not saying that in a bad way.” Said Willow, growing serious. “Everybody your age does…I am sorry that you didn’t get as much as you needed it here. But I promise you…during the time I’ll be here you can come to me for anything…I know you Dawnie…when you need to talk, I’ll be around, and when I am not, everyone else in that kitchen will be.” She said, tucking the young brunette’s hair behind her ear. “Don’t bottle up…ok?” she finished with a smile.



Dawn smiled though her now tearful eyes and nodded.



“Ok…”



Willow got up, helping Dawn up too, “Alright then, lets go back inside.” She said allowing Dawn to go first. Following her, they made their way to the kitchen.



~~~~~~~~~~’



Tara looked up to see Willow and Dawn coming in. something inside her tingled with excitement. It usually happened whenever she saw Willow. Apparently the fact that this was another Willow didn’t change anything.



Her eyes connected with the red-heads and gave her the famous ‘loop-sided’ smile. Willow smiled back her eyes shining.



Willow walked towards her and sat to the chair that she had been using previously, right next to Tara.



Willow painfully tore her eyes from Tara and set them on Buffy. The slayer seemed so…sad somehow and was currently just staring at the table, trying to avoid as much as eye contact as possible. She looked so fragile like this, maybe waiting for Willow to give her an ‘I’m disappointed in you’ speech or something.



Of course that would have been the last thing Willow could ever think of doing. After pulling her out of heaven she felt like she lost every right to judge anyone.



There was some light conversation now. Willow asked about some small details and the rest of the gang were explaining. Except for Buffy, who was still staring at the table.



Right in the middle of Xander’s speech, Willow had enough. Buffy’s quilt trip was unnecessary.



“Ok…that’s it.” she said getting up from the chair, and walking towards Buffy. When she reached the slayer, she took her by hand and hoisted the confused slayer up and dragged her outside the kitchen.



Buffy had a fearful expression on her face. Willow looked right into her eyes.



“Buffy…no force in this world could get me to hate or despise you. Not Spike or any other creature. You are my best friend and my surrogate sister. I am sure you had your reasons and if you ever want to talk about them, I will be here at least for a short while. But for now…believe me I could never hate you.”



The fearful expression on Buffy’s face change to a relieved one. Out of relief she hugged the red head and then nodded.



“Ok, Wills. We’ll talk later. For now let’s get in there and talk about now you got into this Alternate Galaxy.”



Willow laughed softly “Universe” she said correcting her friend.



Buffy shrugged and smiled “Whatever” she said playfully.



The best-friends smiled at each other and headed back in the kitchen.



The others obviously had heard the conversation and looked at the two.



“Sorry” Willow smiled sheepishly “that had to be done”



Giles smiled and looked at his Slayer “I agree, Willow”



Now it was Buffy’s turn to smile sheepishly.



They took their seats and Willow gave a shy smile at Tara… though Willow as Tara smiled back.



“Alright now Willow, what do you remember about coming here?”



“Well, the thing is I am not sure when I came here…” she stopped as something clicked in her mind.



“…Graveyard…”she mumbled



“huh?” came from Xander



“Graveyard” said Anya, trying to be helpful in her own way.



“Ok I am sure that I was in my own reality last time I was patrolling. I came across several vamps, made bad puns, dusted them…then I visited Buffy’s grave…then several more vamps attacked…I got hurt. Then there was a demon…and ugly ass one at that.”



“Demon?” Anya asked “What kind?”



Willow had a puzzled expression on her face. “Well…interestingly enough, I didn’t recognize it…and I usually do, I study demons on my free times…which are a lot.” She paused giving her babbling a break “It was very big and tall. Gray. Had a blue shiny thing coming out of its hand.”



The gang perked up when they heard the description of the demon.



“That’s the Tourist Demon!!” exclaimed Buffy.



“A Tourist Demon?” asked Willow somehow suspicious about the name…this was Buffy after all, she got every possible name wrong. If she were any worse at names she would be calling her ‘Oak’ or ‘Pine’ or worse; ‘Cherry tree.’



“Traveler!” corrected Anya.



Willow’s eyes widened “A dimension traveler?? Why didn’t I think of that before…so I am guessing the blue stuff was the Carrier Liquid?”



“Yup” stated Anya feeling useful.



“So what happened?” asked Xander



Willow continued telling the gang about what happened with animated hand moves.



“I was just walking, since I was hurt I was planning to head home, I sensed the demon and turned back to see it raising its hand to throw something at me so at the same time I threw a fireball at it. The Carries Liquid hit me first, and then the fire hit it. I watched it burn to cinder and then pain came and it was hard to breathe and a whole load of pain…and I passed out.”



Giles and Anya gasped. Giles took his glasses away and proceeded to wipe them as Anya exclaimed;



“You killed it??”



Willow looked nervous “Um…yea”



There was silence for a minute where Anya and Giles seemed to be thinking while the others were giving each other ‘I have no idea what the heck is going on’ looks.



Anya got bored of the silence after a while, she was trying to keep quiet for a while to show her more tact-full side but the awkward silence was getting on her nerves now.



Anya, with her best ‘please spend your money at my store’ smile, said;



“Well the bad news is you are stuck here, in this reality since you killed the only creature that could have been able to send you back to your reality…and the good news is maybe you can become orgasm partners with Tara again!”





TBC....



Please leave Feedback...i am begging and stuff!



Phoenix Enjoy!

I really love your AU Willow. It's so refreshing to see her strength. She has learned the rules of Wicca and stands by them steadfastly. She's so mature and uses her brains as well as her (magickal) brawn.



And of course this...

Quote:

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and the good news is maybe you can become orgasm partners with Tara again!”

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Gotta love Anya!



Fantastic update!

-shuyaku

HI April



Yeah its been a while since we talked But I were busy *blach* but i hope that will change soon. I want that great, funny and hehe sexy voice chat again



OH this sentence is definitely ANYA hehe this girl is just to great!!!!

Quote:

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and the good news is maybe you can become orgasm partners with Tara again!”

---

Willow is so great...i like to see that she thinks that witchcraft isnt a power you can use when ever you want to... GO

But ehm there is one little problem....she never can go back into her time... well i guess she is lucky in this time too but "her" friends are still in the other time....but i know that you are an EVIL and that there will be lots of adventures and maybe some *cough, lots, cough * smoochies



Hehe and Willow already has a crush on TARA awwwwwwww....



April well done again...



Cu

SoL/Natti

This is a duet, Amber! You need to sing!"- Tony

Woo & Hoo... I liked Willow telling them how resurrection should not be done :-) I would have liked some more detail on when the scoobs told their lifestory to Willow, esp. the Gentlemen part and Willow's reactions to it. No doubt Willow will think a lot about it, has tendency to even bable inside her head .



About Willow lighting the candle... I know ThisWillow wouldn't use magic for something that easy but I don't believe she was that oblivious to what the scoobs were asking/expecting of her. Fun effect though, with Willow muttering about them needing a slave :-) I wonder what Giles thought when Willow told him the OtherGiles thought her magics, it obviously worked much better that way... (avoiding soapbox here)



No matter what Willow says she must see Buffy differently now, kinda impossible to avoid. True, she wouldn't hate Buffy but dissappointment would be somewhat justified. The upside of that is that it confirms to Willow she was right not resurrect 'her' Buffy, heh.



Goody, even the fire-dissappearing was explained! How nice, though it would also have been fun seeing Buffy trying to get up/away from it reallllly fast : --> .



Travel-demon is dead, that has advantages; it prevents Willow or Tara having to face an awfull choice. After all, what DOES Willow leave behind in her dimension ? Only Sunnydale inhabitants she hardly knows, who would indeed benefit from some protection but hey... it's not like Willow was going to be around forever anyway. Get used to it .



Anya still is direct as ever, she has the right idea but don't rush 'm into things please. Getting there is half the fun.



BTW: no I don't have a camera in your room, honest... it's just that the setup of your story gives rise to specific expectations. Nothing wrong with that, I *like* this Willow... or did I say that already ?? :-)



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

Edited by: Grimlock72 at: 7/25/03 6:05 am

Hey guys,

i am going to England tomorrow for 10 days and i am not permitted to take my laptop with me...(i still dont know how i am going to survive it...cold turkey...brrr)

So i'll not be able to write the story (sooo soorrrryyy)

when i get back i'll try to be quick and update as soon as possible.

just wanted to let you guys know...

See ya later

Phoenix

Have a great time! Come back soon!

Wow I love this fic, I havent updated til now but I just had to after Anya's final comment- made me laugh out loud!

Dont worry about the wait, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be sitting here, patiently waiting. well, maybe not so patiently!

Hope you have fun here in england, it's a cool place (some of the time!), and if you end up down canterbury way...maybe Ill cya around



willowsgirl xx

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!



great up-date! i really need more now though! I'm loving this fic! definitely hooked! *winks*



Krystle

Hey guys,

i am back and am working on the story! You should be able to have another part soon!

Thanks everyone who left feedbacks, i love them!

I'll try to hurry



Phoenix



PS. oh the name change i had to do since i forgot my password (silly me) sorry about that. when i find the stupid thing i will return to my old one...

weeeee... good to see you're back.



ezBoard has a help form to have your password send to the email-adress you registered with www.ezboard.com/help/form_forgotpassword.html



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

WOW!! This fanfic is awesome!! Alternate Universe Willow is so cool! It's how it should be, she all responsible and Wiccan-y. Can she kick ass without magic too? I mean, can she fight? I know that it's not very original, but I just love these fic with Super-Kick-Ass-Willow!

Pleeeeeeaaassseeee update soon!

See ya!

Iz



*A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort* - quote by Herm Albright

Darn cliffhangers ... they're everywhere! Seriously really cool story. Look forward to see where you are going with this, Is the AU going to drag Willow back??

Quote:

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"If you practice being fictional for awhile, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats" R. Bach

---

Hi there

I'm really loving this story.

It's nice that for once it's Willow that's from a AU.

Oh, and I know that this line is from lot of updates ago, but as this is the first time that I'm leaving feedaback here, I just had to mention it:

Quote:

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Apparently she was a bit on the slow side for learning things. Ken…Kentucky…something…ah…JFK was too cocky as Giles put it lightly and certainly not ready for a real combat yet.

---

LOL



Probably I'm being mean , but I like the idea that Willow is stuck here. There wasn't much for her to come back to, and this way there is no need for her to make a choice between this reality and her own.



I'll be waiting anxiously for an update

---

"If it makes you happy, it can´t be that bad" - Sheryl Crow

Hey April!



I was wondering if there's an update soonish?This fic is really really great, and I wanna know what's gonna happen next!

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



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa

,

I love this fic! I just all of it that is posted thus far. You are evil and for leaving it there!!!! I have to know what happens next! I love the idea with being from an AU. I also like the way that just one or two small things set off huge differences in the realites. I love the last part though, Anya with her way,bad news is that your stuck here, good news is maybe you and can be orgasm buddies! Yeah, eveyones face is red on that one. I can't wait to read more and find out what happens next! Update soon, please?





bluewillowwitch

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

"Fate keeps on happeing."--Anita Loos

Alright, believe it or not i am back (really this time)



I am sooo sorry i couldnt update earlier but i have moved back into my college in the USA so i was very busy. with the School and all it is hard to find extra time.



But i want to thanx so much for the feedback, i love them!



~Arwen :I am glad u love the update. i know isnt Anya just great? i will be fast forwarding the story a bit so hopefully things will be faster now. Thnks



shuyaku : wow everyone loves Anya i'll make sure she continues having remarks about everything.



Natti: Girl i have missed you! its been tooo long. hope to see you on the chat room one of these days! Glad u like the story.

Another Anya fan!



Grimmy : hey i love Willow no matter what! i am glad u r liking the story so far. i try to add things that you guys ask for and etc. unless it really screws up the story i'll do modifications ANd its good to be back. thnx



Allykat: Thanks! I did



willowsgirl : glad u decided to leave feeback because it always makes me wanna write more! Thx



Krystle: ooo another one hooked! wheee.



Iz: I am glad u like this Willow, and you like fighting Willow eh? well then i'll try to put a bit of Willow fighting in there, it is actually a good idea. It wont be Super-dooper though...Thx for the feedback



WintersDreamer: muahahah wait and see...*Evil laugh* iglad u like the story so far



sabina: Yea, as u can see i am not a big fan of Kentucky (love that name) she annoys me. I thought that it was time for a AU Willow and noone was writing it so i took the job to my own fingers, glad u liked it.



Washi: You are back! wow i hope the vacation went well! now you ask for an update i cant say no!



Grace: OMG The divine Grace liked my fic! lol thanks alot! Anya will continue to make the red faces cause its fun!



Ok ppl! thanks everyone for feedbacks! i love them! Keep them coming!



Phoenix

There we are, i am sorry it is not as long as normal but i have too much hw! i wanted to add so much to it but i didnt want to keep you guys waiting even more. Thx for your patience.



Disclaimers are as usual, you know them, i know them..yada yada.



This Part is rated R just in case the violence-y bit at the end disturbs anyone.



PART 10





“Uh…” Willow sat there stunned and red faced after Anya’s comment “Umm…”



Tara looked at Willow, she was going to stay here…she shouldn’t feel this happy that Willow was stuck in a different Universe...but she was. She was thrilled and she wasn’t too happy with herself right now.



“So I am stuck here?...” Willow repeated “I mean…isn’t there any other way to return? Not that I have the perfect life there or anything but still it is still my home…well actually it is the Summers home but I live there now cause the obvious reason and I have school and work and my boss would lose her own head if I didn’t know where it was…”



“Willow breathe” cut in Xander.



“Sorry…it is just…well a shock, and I wasn’t excepting it…obviously.” She inhaled “ I mean what am I going to do here? Where is my life going to go from here…isn’t there a way to go back? Are you sure?”



“Willow…” Giles started “I know this sounds difficult for you…but I am pretty sure that there isn’t another way to return you back to your Universe…finding your universe with a spell is nearly impossible and most possibly you would end up in another one even if it did work.”



“As for what to do now” continued Buffy “You are more than welcome to stay here…with us..”



Willow looked at the people around her. They were her friends in some ways…they were different than the people she knew but still…and there was the new members of the gang. She was still a bit uncomfortable around Anyan…Anya but she could get used to it. As for Tara…that was another story. Only knew her for…well less than a day but she had this effect on her that she didn’t know how to explain…yet. And now it looked like she would have the time to explore her feelings towards Tara.



Still there was the fact that she was away from her universe, therefore Sunnydale was unprotected. Until Giles in her reality noticed that she was gone anyway. Everyone there, were either dead or gone…which was becoming a cliché for her now. Here in this reality she had her friends back and more.



But what if something happened to them here? What if she has to live through that again?



Willow sighed loudly and leaned on the table. “I can’t possibly ask you to do that…”



“What? Invite you to stay with us?” asked Dawn



Willow nodded and looking extremely uncomfortable and stressful “I…I don’t know when you lost your Willow…but…but I am not her…and…” she exhaled loudly “I don’t know…I don’t want to be a burden…”



Tara looked at the red haired girl who seemed highly on the edge. She leaned towards her a little and took her hand in hers.



“Willow…I cant imagine how you feel now…but you should know that you will be no burden what so ever. We know that you are not the Willow we know…but you are still…Willow.”



The others nodded slowly trying to show their support somehow.



“Please stay with us” Dawn said, using the puppy dog eyes technique on the other girl. “

I am sure we can work something out…”



Willow looked at the young girl and smiled a little, then looked at Buffy who was nodding her head. She turned her gaze at Tara, “Are you sure?” she asked softly.



“I am.”



And Willow smiled.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`



About 2 hours later the Scooby’s were still discussing the situation. Willow was still in a bit of a shock but she was trying not to show it. For now she decided that she needed to sort things out, there would be time to freak out later.



“…and since Giles, Anya and Xander has their own houses you can stay in the quest room, no problemo.” Said Buffy



“Yea the guest room will become Willow room” Dawn excitedly added.



“As for identity” Giles continued “That might be a problem, we can’t simply resurrect you…School…work might be problem if you don’t have an identity…obviously”



“That shouldn’t be a big problem for me to arrange…” said Willow still a bit of sadness in her voice “I can probably even make sure I keep my name, only add a middle name or something…and in my reality I was just about to finish my university anyway, I only had one final left so I can just make myself graduate…”



“You can do that?? Wow can you do the same for me?” Xander asked enthusiastically.



“Um…I don’t think that would be right Xander, I don’t even feel right doing it for me, but going to school will attract too much attention. And I suppose I can try to find a job after a while…”



“How are you going to re-create yourself with the same name without anyone thinking you are a flesh eating dead person?” asked Anya.



Willow sighed “Um…twin sister” she said



“Oh…okay but the name?” asked Buffy



“Well… Parents do the weirdest things…I’ll just say that we had the same middle name just different first names…I can just say that I use Willow too. But I am going to need a new first name just for the record…any ideas?”



“Umm…”Dawn started “Sindy!!”



Everyone made a face “EW” reacted Buffy “No way!” Looking at Willow, who was shaking her head violently.



“Just a suggestion…” huffed Dawn.



“Well what’s next; Barbie?” joked Xander only making Willow frown more.



“Isabella” said Giles.



“uh I don’t think Isabella will go that well with me Giles…”



“How about Nymph?” asked Anya



“Huh? Where did that come form?” asked Willow confused.



“Well whenever you and Tara got this look, which was like every few hours!, you two would go and find somewhere to have s…mhptf...” Anya was cut short, thankfully, when Xander and Buffy at the same time jumped off their chairs and clasped their hands over Anya’s mouth.



Tara and Willow were totally red and Dawn was laughing her head off while Giles was cleaning his glasses.



After everything calmed down a minute later but Anya was still mumbling about ‘telling the truth’ and ‘damn thought police’.



“Well any more ideas?” asked a fearful Willow.



“Oak!” said Buffy.

“NO” said everyone else.

“Pine?” asked Buffy.

“NO” said everyone else.

“Cherry Tr…”

“Don’t even finish that!!” said Willow rolling her eyes.



“What about ‘Alyssa’?” came a voice from next to her.



Alyssa had a nice ring to it, she turned to Tara smiling, “That’s a pretty name. I think I will go with that one.”



“It means ‘logical’ too so it kindda suits you.” Tara said smiling



“Good idea Tara” said Giles “Very suiting.”



“Yeah, Alyssa Willow Rosenberg, that rings!” exclaimed Xander.



“Alright then that’s settled” Said Giles “What else will you need Willow?”



“Umm did Willow have a computer?”



“Yeah in our…um...my room” said Tara



“Alright then…I better start that will take most of my day”



Willow slowly rose and was about to go upstairs, when she realized that she didn’t have the right to barge into Tara’s room. She sheepishly turned around to Tara.



“Um…Tara? Can you show me where in the room the computer is?”



“Oh…yea yes sure. Um lets go then.”



The two began climbing the stairs in silence, which was broken by Willow.



“Tara, I know this situation is not easy for anyone, and it must be hard having me here…so…thanks …but mostly for accepting me so quickly. You guys didn’t need to…you know…accept me.”



“There wasn’t any other way…I wouldn’t have it any other way” said Tara “We will all survive this” she continued and reached for Willow’s hand gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go again.



If she wasn’t already facing her bedroom door to open it, she would have seen the bright red shade her companion suddenly turned or the silly smile she had on her face while staring down at her hand.



Only one day and Tara had such an affect on her? She couldn’t wait for a month!





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



6 WEEKS LATER



Willow woke up to the annoying alarm clock, she tried to nuzzle back to her pillow and hoped the stupid thing would just shut up, but no luck. She groaned a little and turned to the side of the bed to shut the alarm off, it showed 9 a.m.



She tried to remember why on earth had she set her alarm at 9am on a Sunday morning. Then it came to her, family picnic! She was suddenly very awake and a huge simile on her face. She had been looking forward to this for a week now, when Tara had suggested that they should go to a picnic. They had all liked the idea and actually agreed to wake up early on a Sunday morning to make most of the day.



She got up and began dressing, these days she was unusually happy, not something she was used to. 6 weeks ago when she got her family back she wasn’t this happy, but because that was because she was shocked, and then there was panic and plus being somewhere completely different then her own reality was quite scary. But in a week all those feelings were gone and were replaced by love and friendship and lots of happiness. She had a hard time frowning. She was thinking that her system was barely just adjusting to being happy.



Everybody else seemed to be happy too, which she was pretty sure it wasn’t fake. They were genuinely happy too, that thought made her smile even more.



She finished getting ready and headed to the kitchen, Buffy and Dawn were already up and were chatting about which shoes to wear for the picnic.



She smiled at both of them and greeted them, receiving the same. She turned to get some oatmeal which both of the Summers frowned upon. Willow chuckled and rolled her eyes and continued getting ready her breakfast. Those two would not be eating anything healthy if it weren’t for Tara.



Dawn was pretty much the same girl she knew, she was acting like her surrogate sister which she was very happy to return. As for Buffy, it had taken a while to get over the disappointment she had with the slayer when she learned that she had slept with Spike, but in the end she was able to. Buffy and Willow were back to the best friend/surrogate sister stage again.



Xander and Giles were pretty much the same except for the several minor details. The best friend and the father figure.



Anya was just hilarious in Willow’s eyes, she usually said the wrong things at the wrong times and she was a bit on the funny side but still she couldn’t help but like the demon. A fact that everyone was quite surprised about since apparently; Willow of this reality and Anya would most possibly kill each other if they had been ever locked in the same room.



As for Tara…now that was the thing…she had the biggest crush on the girl, actually 'crush' was the understatement of the millenium. She loved all her friends but Tara was different. She was just so…Tara. She found herself throwing glances at the beautiful blond quite often and in every opportunity she would sit close or stand close to the blond.



Of course there was no way she was going to approach her with this. Tara had lost the love of her life no more than 8 months ago, and on top of the complication; herself, in some way, was the woman Tara lost.



She was completely in love with the woman she probably couldn’t get. She couldn’t do that to Tara, so she settled for friendship but it was slowly taking away a part of the happiness she was feeling with her family. She kept feeling something was missing and knew what it was. Tara was missing from her side not as a friend or even a girlfriend but something a lot more…something she couldn’t define…yet.



She had never felt this way towards anyone, she had dated girls before, true the longest one was for 2 months or so but still. She could feel her heart beating wildly whenever she was near Tara. And the whole ‘Butterflies’ scenario.



But no…she wouldn’t do that to her, she would keep quite until she possibly couldn’t anymore.



“Morning” the voice jerked her from ‘Willow-land’. She smiled when she saw who the voice belonged to.



“Morning.” She replied knowing she sounded way too enthusiastic but couldn’t help it.



“Where were you?” asked Tara fully knowing how Willow’s mind worked.



“Uh…Willow-land” said Willow smiling “Where thoughts run wildly and free because there is no one to stop them.”



Tara laughed softly “Hm..” she played along “No thought police?”



“Nada” said Willow giggling.



They just looked at each other for a while. Willow didn’t want this to end but she painfully, as usual, tore her gaze away from Tara’s. “Come on then…breakfast time” she said with a slight smile.



Tara nodded and then saw what the Summers ladies were eating and started fussing about their eating habits. Willow just sat there and looked at the beautiful woman, watching her every movement and memorizing it. She smiled thinking how graceful her movements were even when she was scolding at the chocolate pop-tarts the sisters were eating. Everything about her was just so…perfect.



She sighed out loud as the door opened and Xander and Anya burst in. The two had become more chummy lately, not quite at the dating or re-dating stage but it seemed to the others that they might give it another chance.



“So I am like ‘look geezer! No window shopping if you are not gonna buy anything’ and he is like…” Anya was interrupted by the mere realization that they were at their intended destination. “Xander! Good sex brownie points for you! I didn’t even realize we had arrived!”



Xander smiled like a child who just got a present he got.



The others laughed. “Hey Anya, Xander” greeted Willow “Ready for the picnic?”



“Very ready” said Anya, then stopped and looked at Xander “Was that enthusiastic enough?”



“Yes An”



The others rolled their eyes and Anya continued to tell her story of ‘the anti-American customer who wouldn’t buy’ as they waited for Giles to arrive.



Willow looked at her family, minus one, and she smiled and pushed her usually worries aside, what could go wrong?





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`





2 NIGHTS AGO

Paris



The alley was pitch black, the only sounds around were of flesh and bone ripping and cracking. The little creature walked hesitantly towards the noise knowing his master would be in a bad mood of he was disturbed while he was…working.



He stopped a few steps behind as he saw his master threw something, from the person on the ground, aside. The shape on the floor hardly looked human anymore, after hours of torture just for the pleasure of his master he looked nothing like the good-looking man that they had captured. His face and chest was full of cuts and bruises and he was hardly alive.

He could hear little weak groans from the floor. His master in the end pulled something that looked like a short metal rod out of his long coat and lit his lighter, holding the fire to the end of the metal rod where it seemed there was some kind of symbol. As the metal got hot it started to glow a red color. His master then bent over at the person on the floor and pushed the rod onto his chest. A weak scream-like noise escaped the man.



After the marking was done his master turned the man around so he was lying in his stomach. He felt the man’s spine for a second before plunging his fingers in his back and pulling out the spine which broke at the neck point. The man screamed out loud before eventually dieing.



“Enjoy the show?” asked a hissed voice and the creature knew his master knew it was there.



“Sorry to interrupt master…but I had news from Sunnydale.” He said in a trembling voice.



“Well” came the voice smugly “I am done here anyway, the weakling only lasted a day of torture” he let out a mocking laugh “Hard to believe I needed the spine of such a weakling for my plans. So tell me Koneke what news from the Hellmouth? Is my order ready already?”



“No master it is not that”



His master snorted “It was too much to expect of Rack anyway, always so slow”



“Well master, I actually have good news”



Now his master was interested, and he was pleased. “Tell then”



“The Witch…”



“The dead one?”



“Yes master, it seems she is somehow…back. There were sighting of her in Sunnydale at the Slayer’s house and at several different places”



The master smiled ever so slightly his eyes glowing for a split second. “Good job Koneke, very good job…you can have what is left of him” he said pointing at the body on the ground.



“We are heading to Mexico after this, then to the Hellmouth for the last piece of the puzzle.”



As Koneke started feasting on the body, his master walked away with the spine dangling in his hand and a cruel smile on its face, it was nearly done…







TBC...i know evil evil...



Phoenix

I agree, evil! And hey, I think you didn't post in the update thread, which you should!

And an update from me? Soonish...

I loved it, I want more, plz give me more.

Great stuff, as always.

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



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB

Great update April...after such a long time we needed an update from you



I love to see that Willow is falling in love with Tara, cant wait till they´ll be a couple again



Cu

SoL/Natti

This is a duet, Amber! You need to sing!"- Tony