by nika » Wed Sep 05, 2001 4:36 am
by KirkBaldridge » Wed Sep 05, 2001 2:16 pm
If you like action, you're going to love the next part.
Well, not actually the next part, cause it doesn't involve action so much as, you know, singing.
But after THAT, there is a big fight between Willow and Tara and...well, I gave you guys a hint. Wanna guess?
Plus, after that, well, Sunnydale does beckon. And surely can't stay under a false impression forever, right?
------------------
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
by SciFiAcid » Wed Sep 05, 2001 9:38 pm
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13 (one scene in this installment is ALMOST R, but...)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
They were in the right place.
A sign told them this downstairs area was, or at least recently had
been, Angel Investigations. And Willow did see something else she
recognized--a rack of brightly colored, mostly tight, and never worn
clothing parked by a desk, covered in make-up and fashion magazines.
"Cordy."
Tara followed her lover's gaze. "Who?"
"Cordelia Chase. I told you about her, didn't I? Xander and I knew her
growing up, and he dated her for a while in high school. She moved here,
to LA, after graduation and started working for Angel." Willow pointed.
"That's got to be her desk. I can't imagine anyone else with that kind of
taste."
"Okay."
Willow raised her voice. "Angel? Cordy? It's Willow!" No response. "I
guess they're not here."
"So what do we do?"
"Angel once told me if I ever needed help, if I ever needed anything,
I could come here. I'm going to take him at his word." Willow sighed.
"Because what I need most right now, is a shower."
Tara nodded. "Me too. But we don't have anything to change into."
"Sure we do." Willow reached for the rack of clothes near Cordelia's
desk, and smiled.
*****
"I don't know."
Tara felt uncomfortable in a tight black skirt and sleeveless top with
a wolf printed on the front. She was used to wearing blue jeans and
tee-shirts, or else a regular ankle-length skirt and a peasant blouse.
This sort of outfit was not the sort of thing she could imagine herself
in.
"I mean, I look ridiculous."
"No." Willow emerged from the bathroom, wearing tight blue pants,
along with an even tighter red blouse that accented her breasts. "You
look...incredible."
Tara recognized the hunger in her lover's eyes. "Willow..."
"Come on. We've got this whole place to ourselves." The redhead put
her arms around Tara's neck. "I don't see any reason not to, do you?"
"Willow, we can't. We have to...oh goddess!" Tara felt her temperature
rising as Willow leaned in and nuzzled her throat. "Willow, please. This
isn't the time, or the place."
The redhead sighed. "I need you, Tara. Right now." She kissed her
lover's lips. "Please."
"Oh goddess, forgive me." Tara allowed herself to be pulled to the
floor.
*****
When the two witches finally recovered and got dressed, they headed
downstairs to see if they could find any food. Tara expressed concern
over the fact that the only thing a vampire would eat, was not something
either of them would find particularly appetizing. Willow assured her
that with Wesley and Cordelia were around, Angel had to have some real
food somewhere in the place.
On their way into the kitchen, a flash of color caught Tara's eye.
"Hey." She veered off toward a desk, where a flyer announced an 'Open
Mike Night' at a place called CARITAS. "Willow, look at this." As the
redhead slid up behind her, she began to read. "All races welcome. No
cover. Three drink minimum unless you perform. Is this for real? A place
where humans and demons interact?"
"We don't even have anything like this in Sunnydale," said Willow. "I
mean, there is Willy's. But it sounds like it's a whole lot classier."
"Do you think your vampire friend would go to a place like this?"
Willow shook her head. "I can't see Angel singing karaoke." She
paused. "Still, it has been a couple of years. I suppose it is possible.
And after all, I have seen stranger things." An image of Angel onstage,
singing, filled her mind. "Okay, maybe not. Still, I guess it's worth a
shot."
by tommo » Wed Sep 05, 2001 11:47 pm
------------------
"She looked across at Willow, whose face was filled with light. She had never felt so calm and happy, and strong..." ~ Unseen: Door To Alternity
by KirkBaldridge » Thu Sep 06, 2001 10:26 am
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
by SciFiAcid » Thu Sep 06, 2001 10:54 pm
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
The Host, as he was known to his customers, stood off in a corner,
half-listening to a Layoth demon trying to sing the words to Funky Town.
Unfortunately for all concerned, the creature was tone deaf. And try as
he might the only word he was able to get right was Funky. It made for a
very strange evening.
But the Host's mind really wasn't on his work. Or his customers for
that matter. He was thinking about Angel, and his band of would-be
warriors. There were hard times ahead, one of them involving him. Soon,
he would be forced to make a choice, about whether or not to do something
he had vowed long ago would never happen. He might actually have to
go...home.
Then two people walked in, and took his mind off everything else.
Humans. Females. A blond and a redhead.
More importantly, they were new faces, and he liked new faces.
Normally.
But there was something different about these two. He couldn't read
their auras, or know anything about them really, unless they sang for
him. Even so, he had a sense there was something special about them. He
just could not put his finger on what it was, exactly.
The Host took his Seabreeze in hand and approached the couple. That
much, at least, was obvious to him even without the use of his powers.
They were holding hands, basking in one another's closeness and warmth,
and he almost felt bad intruding. Almost.
*****
Willow saw the green-skinned demon coming first, and her hand
tightened around Tara's.
"Ladies. Welcome. I am the Host. Can I get you anything?"
Willow cleared her throat. "We're looking for a friend. Maybe you know
him? He's kind of tall, has dark hair, and he always wears black. Oh, and
he's a vampire."
"Honey," The Host chuckled. "So are half the people in here. Can you
be more specific?"
"His name is Angel."
"Oh, so you're friends with the angelic one, are you?" He directed
them to a table, and sat down. "I'm afraid he hasn't been in today. But
you never know when he might show up."
The redhead nodded. "Oh, by the way, my name is Willow. This is Tara."
"Charmed, I'm sure. Just call me the Host. Everybody does, and I do
mean everybody."
Willow looked around. "So, does Angel really come in here?"
"Perhaps not as much as some of us would like," the Host replied. "But
he tends to frequent my establishment on a semi-regular basis. Usually
whenever he is in in need of my talents."
"What talents would those be?" Tara asked.
The Host smiled. "Oh, I know what you're thinking sweetness, and you
are sadly mistaken." He nodded toward the stage. "All of my customers are
welcome, and even encouraged, to go up and enjoy themselves, but most of
them also have ulterior motives. You see, I am an anagogic demon, which
means I can see into souls. I can read auras, minds and, as long as the
Powers are willing, predict the future. People and demons come for
advice. Or to find out what sort of destiny awaits them."
"Really?" Willow glanced at Tara, then back to the Host. "You can do
that?"
The Host shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Would I lie to you?"
"Can you do it for us?" Willow put an arm around Tara. "See, we're in
some trouble, and I'd like to know if it's a done deal or not. The end of
the world, I mean."
"I'd be willing to give it a try." His smiled broadened. "But you know
the price."
*****
Tara stood at the rear of the stage and tried to keep her breathing
calm, as Willow was programming in a song for them to sing. The thought
of what they were preparing to do, was enough to send a chill down her
spine, and it was all she could do not to simply run away.
"A-Are you sure about this?"
Willow stood up. "No." She sighed. "But look at it this way. None of
these...people really knows us. And after today, we're probably not going
to be seeing any of them ever again."
"But aren't you s-scared?"
"Petrified. Still, deep down, as long as you're with me..." Willow
held out her hand, and Tara took it. "...I know I'll be all right. No
matter what."
Tara smiled. Suddenly, embarrassment didn't seem like such a big deal.
It wasn't like she could actually die of it, after all, and if the crowd
got ugly...they could handle it.
"Okay. I'm ready. Let's do it."
Taking deep breaths, they both turned to face the bar as the music
started.
When the night, has come
And the land is dark
And the moon, is the only
Light we'll see
Only a few words into the song and Willow could already tell Tara was
beginning to falter. Her words tapered off and her eyes had slowly begun
to drift toward the floor. Willow squeezed her lover's hand more tightly,
and when Tara looked up the redhead was smiling.
Their eyes locked, something seemed to pass between them, and Tara
nodded.
No I won't, be afraid
No I won't, be afraid
Just as long, as you stand
Stand by me
Encouraged by Willow's strength, Tara's own confidence began to grow,
as did the volume of her voice. Soon it was Willow herself who was taken
aback, by the sounds coming out of her lover's mouth. She almost lost her
own place in the song she was so startled.
Oh darlin, darlin stand, by me
Oh stand, by me
Oh stand, now, stand by me
Stand by me
Tara herself could hardly believe it.
Until this moment, she would never have imagined herself able to stand
up in front of a large group of people and sing like she was doing. Her
father always got so terribly angry whenever she would try to sing while
doing her chores, and he made certain she understood how terrible how
voice was, and how much people would laugh if they ever heard it.
Willow, though, knew differently. And Tara believed in her.
When the stars, that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains, should crumble
'to the sea
Willow regained her composure, and elevated the volume of her voice to
match Tara's. She was nowhere near as good of a singer as her lover, of
that she was already certain. But together they managed to acheive a kind
of sound than either one of them could accomplish alone.
I won't cry, I won't cry
No I won't, shed a tear
Just as long, as you stand
Stand by me
Oh darlin, darlin stand, by me
Oh stand, by me
Oh stand, now, stand by me
Stand by me!
Even as Willow and Tara bowed, and the music began to die down, the
entire crowd erupted in applause. They were clapping and whistling, as
well as barking, growling, roaring and every other conceivable sound one
might expect of such an eclectic group of listeners.
The two witches cheeks turned bright red as the stage was swarmed. A
man directed them off one side, out of any potential danger, while a
couple of big, burly demons got the crowd settled down. As the crowd
returned to their seats, Willow and Tara approached the Host at the bar.
In fact he too was clapping by the time they got there. "Excellent,
ladies. Excellent. I've seldom heard a better performance here in my
humble establishment." He picked up two glasses and held one out to
Willow. "Please, accept this imported red fruit juice..." The other, he
offered to Tara. "...and the freshest spring water money can buy.
Compliments of the house, of course."
"That's incredible," said Willow. "I was just thinking about some
fruit juice."
"Me too," said Tara. "Except, you know, water."
The Host tapped his forehead. "Sees all and knows all, ladies. Well,
most of the time."
"Speaking of which..." Willow sipped her juice, it was delicious.
"...did you find out anything?"
He nodded. "As a matter of fact, yes. You've both got a great deal of
power, and that's really going to help you with what's coming. You ladies
are in some pretty hot water. The kind of trouble I generally try to
avoid if I can help it." He glanced nervously toward the door and then
lowered his voice. "Glorificus, huh? I heard she was on this plane, but
I had no idea she was this close to finding the Key."
"You know about the Key?" asked Tara.
"Tell us," said Willow. "We still don't even know what it is."
The Host shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, I only know what They..." He
pointed toward the ceiling. "...tell me. If I were you, I'd head back to
Sunnydale on the double. Something really wicked that way comes, and I
think your Slayer is going to need your help if she wants to win this
one."
"Buffy?" Willow was worried. "What is it? What happens to her? Is it
Glory?"
"I..." Something caught the Host's attention, and he tripped over his
own words. "...think you two had better go out the back way. And
quickly." He hustled them in that direction.
by nika » Fri Sep 07, 2001 10:29 am
by SciFiAcid » Fri Sep 07, 2001 11:10 pm
Okay, you've had the singing.
Now, the promised fighting.
Enjoy. BTW, just so everybody knows, I've actually finished writing the story, Willow and Tara stepped out into the alley behind Caritas, looking ***** Soon thereafter the witches stumbled back into Caritas, where the Host ***** Ben stood in front of a mirror in Glory's apartment, his face beet
but I am going to continue sending it out in installments (though
possibly larger ones) until I have edited the final parts to my
satisfaction.
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
back as they heard the Host close the door with himself on the inside. He
was leaving them out here on their own though neither of them knew why.
There wasn't anything out here as far as they could tell.
"Hello."
Startled, the witches turned to see someone standing in the mouth of
the alley. A wiry, distinguished-looking older man in a dark, crisply
pressed suit. He had gray hair, small eyes, and was holding a walking
stick which he twirled in one hand and he strode toward them.
"You're a very difficult person to find, Miss Maclay."
Willow stepped in front of her lover, her arms outstretched. "You're
with Glory?"
"Yes. I serve the great Glorificus."
"Please, just leave us alone," said Willow. "We don't want to fight
you."
Doc nodded. "Most assuredly. I'd hate to damage the Key at this late
stage. Glorificus would be angered. So, I ask you both, don't make me do
something we'll all regret."
"I won't let you take her," Willow insisted.
Doc's eyes turned solid black. "Do you honestly believe you can stop
me?"
"I can try." Willow clasped Tara's good hand in her own, and held up
the other. All around them the trash cans, stray pieces of wood and
metal, cardboard boxes and broken liquor bottles, every bit of debris
that was not tied down began to rise into the air.
Doc nodded. "So be it." He stepped forward and promptly disappeared,
or so it seemed to Willow and Tara. In truth, he had just moved so fast
neither of them could follow it. The strange little man was behind them,
before either of the witches realized it, and he raised his walking
stick.
A sharp blade extended from the tip. In a sudden motion he slashed it
across Willow's back, and the redhead's blouse cut down the center as it
sliced open her flesh. She screamed. Blood gushed from the wound as he
spun around and thrust the other end of the stick into Tara's chest. The
blond was doubled over, unable to breath, and he grabbed her hair.
"I warned you!" Doc felt the stick being torn out of his hands, and he
jerked his head toward Willow. "You are nothing to me, witch! Give me
that back!"
As Doc came at her, Willow grabbed the stick out of the air and aimed
it toward his stomach. His momentum and her desperation drove the blade
right into his chest and out his back, taking with it gushes of blue
blood and what appeared to be an organ of some sort. He sank to his
knees, gasping one last time, and then slumped on to his side, a long
tongue hanging limply out of his mouth.
"You asked for it," said the redhead. Her back hurt, but at least the
bleeding had stopped.
"It's over." Tara sighed. "Thank the goddess."
Doc's eyes abruptly snapped open. "I do!" He jerked the stick out of
his body and lurched to his feet, catching the both of them off-guard.
"Glorificus requests your presence, Miss Maclay. If your friend here
insists on my killing her first, I'm perfectly willing to oblige her."
Willow stumbled as the pain in her back intensified. Something was
wrong. Hot knives arced up and down her spine and, soon, it was too much
for her to bear. Her concentration collapsed and all of the things she
had been levitating to fall to the ground. She sank to her knees, tears
in her eyes.
"Willow?" Tara could sense her lover's pain, and it scared her. "What
is it?"
Doc cocked his head and smiled. "It's about time the poison took
effect. I was beginning to wonder if perhaps I'd lost my touch."
"Poison?" Willow asked.
Tara felt cold all of a sudden. "Oh goddess, no."
"Don't fret," said Doc. "It's not fatal. Not in small doses, at least.
You'll be fine soon." He smiled. "Believe me Miss Rosenberg, I have no
desire to kill you. I'm only after the Key."
Willow shook her head. "Never!" She gestured, and a trash can lid shot
into the air.
Doc swatted it aside without even trying. "If that's the best you can
do young lady, I'd suggest you surrender. I may yet be persuaded to spare
your life."
"I won't give up!" Willow focused what little power she had left. "I
won't!" She started throwing everything she could find at the strange
little man. Trash cans, and their lids, empty cardboard boxes, and Doc
either avoided it or swept it aside as easily as one might a bothersome
gnat.
Once she had nothing left, in either the way of ammunition or power,
Doc sighed. "My turn. Pity." In a blur of movement he started
forward...only to find himself hindered by a length of packing twine that
had mysteriously wrapped itself around his ankles. He went down hard,
landing flat on his face, and the stick slid out of his hands and went
bouncing down the alley to land at Tara's feet.
Willow's shoulders sagged as she slumped forward, exhausted. It had
taken all she had to keep Doc distracted while she bound his feet, but
she was starting to wonder if it had been worth it. Sooner or later, he
would get up again, they always did, only she didn't have any way left to
protect Tara.
"I'm sorry," the redhead whispered. "I failed you."
Tara shook her head. "Never. You could never fail me, Willow. And I'm
not about to fail you either." She bent down, and picked up the walking
stick. "I'll take care of this." She turned, bristling with confidence,
only to find herself literally face to face with the creepy-eyed Doc.
"I don't think so!" He slapped the stick out of her hands, and grabbed
Tara by the neck. He sneered as he lifted her off her feet. "You are most
fortunate, child. If it were up to me, I would simply rip the Key out of
you right here and now and be done with it. Glorificus would be pleased."
He shook his head. "But since I do not have the luxury of experimenting,
your body will just have to do."
Fear gripped Willow's heart, as she realized this was all her fault.
Because she insisted they run, to get out of Sunnydale in order to
protect Buffy's little sister, Glory had sent this madman after them.
Worse yet, once she figured out Tara was not the Key, Glory would
probably kill Tara, or worse. And as long as she had a breath left in her
body, Willow would not allow that to happen.
"Leave..." Her mind reached out in search of a weapon. "...her..." She
located the walking stick, and it levitated into the air behind the
unsuspecting Doc. "...alone!" With one last, desperate surge of power she
flung it toward the demonic figure, stars exploding behind her eyes as
she succumbed to unconsciousness.
At the last moment Doc moved, slightly, though it was difficult to
tell whether it had been deliberate or just a stroke of pure luck, and
the blade missed him completely. It did, however, catch a glancing blow
off Tara's side before embedding itself deep into the wall. She cried out
as her blood seeped out, though the wound was only a minor one and she
remained conscious, albeit in pain.
Doc's solid black eyes narrowed. "What's this?" With his free hand, he
reached down to get a sample of Tara's blood on his finger. His long,
snake-like tongue darted out and sucked the blood into his mouth, and
after a few moments a strange statement came over his face. "It can't
be!" He abruptly released Tara, and stepped back. "A human? You're not
the Key! You're nothing!"
"The Key..." Willow mumbled. Even though she was still unconscious,
her subconscious mind still seemed to be responding to Doc's words. "Must
protect...Dawn..."
Tara's eyes widened as she turned to look up at Doc, who was smiling.
"Oh goddess, no."
"Of course," said Doc. "Who better for the Slayer to protect than a
sister?" He shook his head. "I sensed there was something special about
her the first time I saw her, when she and the vampire came into my shop.
If only I had taken here then, I could have saved Glorificus all this
time and trouble." He clucked his tongue. "Oh well. If I hurry, I can get
back and inform her of the Key's location before the days end. She'll be
overjoyed to know we still have time to perform the ritual."
Willow and Tara were seemingly all but forgotten as Doc simply turned
and walked away. His body became a blur as he reached the mouth of the
alley, and he was gone.
Tears in her eyes, Tara started to crawl toward Willow. They had to
warn Buffy, to tell her Glory would know about Dawn soon. But first...
brought them to a back room and had their wounds tended to. None were
nearly as bad as they appeared, and it wasn't long before Willow, still
dizzy, was asking him for a phone.
"Buffy? It's me."
"Oh, hey Will. Good news. Spike and Xander got hold of some book. I
don't know what it is exactly, but Giles thinks it might tell us
something about the Key, and what Glory wants Dawn for. With any luck,
we'll be able to stop her before she causes any more trouble."
Willow licked her lips. "Buffy..."
"We haven't seen the godly one herself, lately, but something's
definitely up. The vamp and demon population is drastically starting to
decline. There's some pretty bad mojo on the horizon, Will, and I think
the dark forces are starting to jump ship because of it."
"Buffy listen," said Willow. "Glory knows about Dawn."
The Slayer was silent for a moment. "What? How?"
"One of her goons jumped us, and he figured out Tara wasn't the Key.
Now he's on his way back. He may even be there by now."
Buffy's voice became muffled, as she apparently put her hand over the
receiver. "I'm back, Will. You and Tara get home, PDQ. We're gonna circle
the wagons around the Magic Box."
"Right. We're on the way." Willow hung up the phone and turned to
Tara. "Time to go."
red.
The last couple of days had been, by far, his worst since coming to
Sunnydale. Not only did he wake up--after 'she' had been hit by a truck
no less--dazed and confused, and have to explain himself repeatedly to
the cops, he finally got to work and found out he had been fired.
"All because of you!" he screamed at the mirror. "You ruined my life,
you twisted bitch!" He laughed. "Yeah, I can hear you! Rattling around
inside my head! You want out? Huh? Well tough! It's my body! And I'm not
going anywhere! You hear me? It's mine!"
Too late, Ben realized he'd played right into Glory's hands. By losing
his temper, his focus was shattered, and in that one instant he lost his
hold on their body.
"No! You can't! You..."
"...lose pal!" Glory slumped forward, her hands cracking the surface
of the mirror. Ben was already beginning to fade. He was like a distant
memory to her. "Damn. Either he's getting stronger..."
"...or the link between you two, is dwindling," said a voice.
Glory slowly turned, to find Doc watching her from the doorway. Even
she had not heard the demon come in, which meant he hadn't knocked. Her
eyes narrowed.
"Where is she? Where's my Key?!"
Doc lowered his head. "Forgive me, Glorificus. I've failed to bring
you the witch." After a moment, he looked up, and smiled. "However, I
have some other news you may find interesting."
IP: Logged
And the saga continues... BTW, much of the dialog in these next chapters comes directly from the There was much rejoicing at the Magic Box when Willow and Tara ***** "You were warned we would return, Slayer." Both Buffy and Dawn spent some time speaking to the General, and by
show. If I skip discussions (whole or in part) or even scenes, without
mentioning them, you can assume everything otherwise happened as it did
on TV.
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
returned. There were hugs all around from Buffy, Xander and Dawn while
Giles stood back and smiled, and Anya tried to appear disinterested. Soon
after,
they got down to the business at hand.
"...and then he took off," Willow said, having just described their
battle with Doc. "I don't know if he's made it back or not, but he'll
find Glory sooner or later."
Buffy nodded. "Here." She picked up a big, leather-bound book. "Giles
got this for you. He said it contains all kinds of protective magic
spells and stuff. What'd you call them?"
"Wards," said Giles, without looking up from the book Xander and Spike
had brought him.
"That's right," said Buffy. "So, you think you can do anything?"
Willow nodded. "I'll do my best."
As the redhead sat down across the table from Giles, Tara approached
Dawn.
"How are you doing?"
The youngest Summers shook her head. "This is all my fault, Tara."
"What do you mean?"
"Your hand, Glory, all of this...it's happening because of me. Because
those monks took the Key energy from wherever it was before, and created
me. If they'd only left things the way they were, everything would be
fine around here now."
Tara shook her head. "No they wouldn't." She reached out and stroked
the girl's hair. "'cause then you wouldn't be here, and we'd all miss
you."
"But you wouldn't. Don't you remember what the monks told Buffy? They
made up all the memories you guys have about me. If I weren't here, if
they hadn't implanted them inside you, you wouldn't remember me because I
would never have existed." Dawn frowned. "But you know what the worst
part is? I still don't know why. No one can tell me what the Key was
designed for in the first place."
All of a sudden, the front door burst open. To her credit, Tara
reacted quickly by pushing Dawn behind her, to get her out of the line of
fire of a possible attack. Buffy and Xander came running, with Giles and
Willow right behind them. But it was not Glory, or any of her minions, as
they half-expected.
It was a hunched over figure, covered in a heavy blanket. Parts of him
were smoking. Spike slammed the door closed behind him and shrugged the
blanket off, grunting in pain. Buffy and the others were startled to see
what appeared to be an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"We've got a problem," the vampire hissed.
All eyes turned to the front of the store, as something shattered a
window. It was another arrow, this one with a flaming tip. Buffy stepped
forward and caught it before it hit anything flammable, then turned to
Dawn. "Hide, now! Get under the table!"
Anya guided Buffy's little sister to safety, while the others went to
have a look outside. There were dozens of men in armor gathering in front
of the Magic Box. They were carrying swords, axes and spears, and several
had bows and arrows. Some were lighting fires.
"We're being attacked by a bloody Renaissance Fair!" Spike shouted.
Then he winced, as he was forced to pull the arrow out of his own chest.
"Quick," said Buffy. "Check the back door!" Spike and Xander went do
to just that while the Slayer overturned a heavy wooden table and moved
it to block the front door.
"Who are these guys?" Tara asked. She glanced over her shoulder, to
see that Willow was sitting cross-legged on the floor, frantically
flipping through a book.
"The Knights of Byzantium," Giles replied. "I recognize those
emblems."
Buffy nodded. "I fought some of them a while back. They said they were
going to do whatever it took to make sure Glory never got the Key. I
guess they decided to make good on their threat."
"We've got a real problem," said Giles. "There are far too many. We'll
never be able to fight them all."
Willow lifted her head, her eyes solid black. "We don't have to.
Everyone stand back." She held up her hand as they moved out of the way.
"Enemies, fly and fall...circling arms, raise a wall!" A ripple of energy
erupted from her palm and expanded ever outward until the entirety of the
Magic Box was sealed under a shimmering, barely visible bubble. She
dropped her hand, her eyes back to normal.
"Goddess, Willow." Tara came to her lover's side. "Why didn't you ask
me to help you?"
"She's right," said Giles. "That's a very advanced and potentially
dangerous spell, Willow. You should be more careful utilizing those kinds
of magicks."
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Don't knock it." She glanced out the
window. Knights were pounding against a section of the barrier. "How long
will it last?"
"Half a day, maybe," Willow replied. Outside, she saw two men in long,
brown robes holding up their hands as they chanted. "Or until Heckel and
Jeckel punch a hole through it."
Xander came in from the back room. "Perimeter secure. A couple of them
got in, but between me and Spike's headaches we managed to take care of
them." He smiled. "We do have a surprise." He looked over his shoulder,
as Spike dragged an even more regally dressed Knights into the room.
"Bloody poof hits like a girl," said Spike. "But he looks important,
so I thought we'd keep him."
Buffy nodded. "Good. Now we can figure out what the hell's going on."
Buffy and the Knight faced off in the back room of the shop, he with
his hands tied behind his back. He could have made a move if he chose,
but they both knew it would be pointless.
"Took you long enough." Buffy paused. "What are you supposed to be?
Some kind of Chief?"
"General."
"General. In charge of what? Getting captured?"
"You do not frighten me, child. The instrument of chaos must be
destroyed."
Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Are you talking about my sister?" Without
warning, she turned and kicked the head of a practice dummy standing near
her. It was torn off the rest of the body and went flying across the
room, where it struck the far wall and exploded, raining sand everywhere.
"Poor, frightened girl. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself
into."
Buffy considered, very briefly, doing the same thing to him, then she
changed her mind and crossed her arms instead. "Why don't you tell me?"
"Would it make a difference?" The determined look in Buffy's eyes told
him all he needed to know. "What do you know of the Beast?"
Buffy knew he was talking about Glory. "Strong. Fast. Hellgod."
"From a dimension of unspeakable torment."
"A demon dimension, I know. She ruled with two other Hellgods, right?"
Willow, who had been standing in the doorway listening this whole
time, now turned away. She still could not help thinking about how close
Tara had come to being seriously hurt, or worse, by Glory. It occurred to
her that if she had not arrived at the park when she did, her sweet,
wonderful Tara might have suffered the same terrible fate as all those
poor people in the hospital.
"Tara..." The redhead walked over to the table where her lover, along
with Giles, Xander and Anya, was sitting, searching through any texts
that mentioned anything about rituals. The Watcher was particularly
involved in the book Spike and Xander had stolen from Doc's place. Though
he had not been home, Spike described the creepy little demon in detail,
and Tara had realized it was the same one who attacked them in Los
Angeles. Which told them why he had not been present when Spike and
Xander arrived. "Tara?"
The blond raised her head. "Hmm?"
"Can I talk to you over here, for a minute?" Willow went over to the
counter, sighing when she felt her lover's arms wrap around her from
behind. "Mmm...that feels nice."
"What's wrong?"
Willow shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...I have a bad feeling
about this one, Tara."
"I thought I was the one who had the empathy."
"I'm serious." Willow lay her head back on Tara's shoulder and sighed.
"Just in case we don't, you know...make it through whatever's coming, I
want to be sure you know how much I love you."
Tara felt both happy and worried at the same time. "Goddess Willow,
don't talk like that." Realizing her words might have been taken out of
context she became nervous and thus began to stutter. "T-The fatality, I
m-mean. I love you too. More than I ever thought it was possible to love
anyone."
Willow turned, still in her lover's arms, to face her. "You know the
worst part? Even if we do win, and Glory's plan for...whatever, fails,
it's not over. Oh sure, we might beat her, but they'll keep coming. It
might be a demon next, or a group of vampires. Or something else all
together." She shook her head. "But it's never going to stop, Tara. Ever.
As long as we live on the Hellmouth, it's never going to stop."
"What are you saying?" Tara asked.
Willow was nearly in tears. "I'm sorry. Forget it. I guess I needed to
let that out."
"It's all right." Tara leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
"That's what I'm here for."
*****
the time they were finished the Slayer and her sister were hugging and
holding one another.
Willow sat in a chair, her arms wrapped tightly around Tara, who was
sitting in her lap.
Anya stood behind the counter, keeping busy by doing the thing she was
most comfortable with--counting the money in the cash register. Xander
sat on the corner and just watched her.
Giles, meanwhile, made an odd noise that drew everyone's attention.
"Oh dear." He began flipping through the pages of a book while the
others, including Buffy and Dawn, gathered on either side. The Watcher
removed his glasses. He was looking a little paler than usual.
"What is it?" Spike asked. "Did you find out what the glorious one
wants with little bit?"
After a moment, Giles nodded. He opened his mouth once, twice, and
again, before finding the words. "Glory plans to open a dimensional
portal, by way of a ritual blood-letting."
"Dawn's blood," said Buffy. She felt her sister tense in her arms, and
held her tighter.
"Yes." Giles cleared his throat. What he had to say would have been
tough under the best circumstances. With Dawn actually right there,
watching and listening to him, it was nearly impossible. "Once the blood
is shed, at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all
realities will be torn apart."
"Yeah, I know the rest." Buffy told everyone what the General had
said. About the Key, and how it would open all the gates between all the
dimensions, sending them crashing into one another and plunging the
universe into eternal darkness. "Question is, how do we stop it?"
Giles looked Buffy right in the eye. He didn't dare let his gaze
waver, out of the fear of seeing Dawn's face as he said the next few
words. "The portal will only close once the blood had stopped, and the
only way for that to happen..."
"Don't you finish that sentence," Buffy warned. "Don't you dare!"
Willow held her hand out, and instinctively found Tara's. Xander put
his arm around Anya.
"Buffy, I'm sorry. Truly I am. But this text is very clear." Giles
took his glasses off and stood up. "If the portal opens, reality as we
know it will cease to exist."
"So that's the trick, right?" Anya asked. "We just have to keep Glory
from opening the portal, so Dawn doesn't have to die." She glanced at
each one of them for confirmation.
Dawn turned and walked away from the table.
"Nice," said Buffy. "Thanks a lot, Anya." She turned and followed her
sister.
Anya blinked at the hostility she was sensing from everyone. "What?"
"An?" Xander pulled his girlfriend off to one side, to once again try
and help her understand what was and was not appropriate. It never seemed
to take.
"I hate to say this," said Spike. "But demon-girl may be on to
something."
Willow nodded. "We just have to keep Dawn away from Glory and
everything should be fine. I mean, you said she's only got a certain
amount of time to do the ritual, right?"
"Assuming my translation of the text is correct, yes."
IP: Logged
can't wait for more
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
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And the saga continues... BTW, much of the dialog in these next chapters comes directly from the There was much rejoicing at the Magic Box when Willow and Tara ***** "You were warned we would return, Slayer." Both Buffy and Dawn spent some time speaking to the General, and by
show. If I skip discussions (whole or in part) or even scenes, without
mentioning them, you can assume everything otherwise happened as it did
on TV.
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
returned. There were hugs all around from Buffy, Xander and Dawn while
Giles stood back and smiled, and Anya tried to appear disinterested. Soon
after,
they got down to the business at hand.
"...and then he took off," Willow said, having just described their
battle with Doc. "I don't know if he's made it back or not, but he'll
find Glory sooner or later."
Buffy nodded. "Here." She picked up a big, leather-bound book. "Giles
got this for you. He said it contains all kinds of protective magic
spells and stuff. What'd you call them?"
"Wards," said Giles, without looking up from the book Xander and Spike
had brought him.
"That's right," said Buffy. "So, you think you can do anything?"
Willow nodded. "I'll do my best."
As the redhead sat down across the table from Giles, Tara approached
Dawn.
"How are you doing?"
The youngest Summers shook her head. "This is all my fault, Tara."
"What do you mean?"
"Your hand, Glory, all of this...it's happening because of me. Because
those monks took the Key energy from wherever it was before, and created
me. If they'd only left things the way they were, everything would be
fine around here now."
Tara shook her head. "No they wouldn't." She reached out and stroked
the girl's hair. "'cause then you wouldn't be here, and we'd all miss
you."
"But you wouldn't. Don't you remember what the monks told Buffy? They
made up all the memories you guys have about me. If I weren't here, if
they hadn't implanted them inside you, you wouldn't remember me because I
would never have existed." Dawn frowned. "But you know what the worst
part is? I still don't know why. No one can tell me what the Key was
designed for in the first place."
All of a sudden, the front door burst open. To her credit, Tara
reacted quickly by pushing Dawn behind her, to get her out of the line of
fire of a possible attack. Buffy and Xander came running, with Giles and
Willow right behind them. But it was not Glory, or any of her minions, as
they half-expected.
It was a hunched over figure, covered in a heavy blanket. Parts of him
were smoking. Spike slammed the door closed behind him and shrugged the
blanket off, grunting in pain. Buffy and the others were startled to see
what appeared to be an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"We've got a problem," the vampire hissed.
All eyes turned to the front of the store, as something shattered a
window. It was another arrow, this one with a flaming tip. Buffy stepped
forward and caught it before it hit anything flammable, then turned to
Dawn. "Hide, now! Get under the table!"
Anya guided Buffy's little sister to safety, while the others went to
have a look outside. There were dozens of men in armor gathering in front
of the Magic Box. They were carrying swords, axes and spears, and several
had bows and arrows. Some were lighting fires.
"We're being attacked by a bloody Renaissance Fair!" Spike shouted.
Then he winced, as he was forced to pull the arrow out of his own chest.
"Quick," said Buffy. "Check the back door!" Spike and Xander went do
to just that while the Slayer overturned a heavy wooden table and moved
it to block the front door.
"Who are these guys?" Tara asked. She glanced over her shoulder, to
see that Willow was sitting cross-legged on the floor, frantically
flipping through a book.
"The Knights of Byzantium," Giles replied. "I recognize those
emblems."
Buffy nodded. "I fought some of them a while back. They said they were
going to do whatever it took to make sure Glory never got the Key. I
guess they decided to make good on their threat."
"We've got a real problem," said Giles. "There are far too many. We'll
never be able to fight them all."
Willow lifted her head, her eyes solid black. "We don't have to.
Everyone stand back." She held up her hand as they moved out of the way.
"Enemies, fly and fall...circling arms, raise a wall!" A ripple of energy
erupted from her palm and expanded ever outward until the entirety of the
Magic Box was sealed under a shimmering, barely visible bubble. She
dropped her hand, her eyes back to normal.
"Goddess, Willow." Tara came to her lover's side. "Why didn't you ask
me to help you?"
"She's right," said Giles. "That's a very advanced and potentially
dangerous spell, Willow. You should be more careful utilizing those kinds
of magicks."
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Don't knock it." She glanced out the
window. Knights were pounding against a section of the barrier. "How long
will it last?"
"Half a day, maybe," Willow replied. Outside, she saw two men in long,
brown robes holding up their hands as they chanted. "Or until Heckel and
Jeckel punch a hole through it."
Xander came in from the back room. "Perimeter secure. A couple of them
got in, but between me and Spike's headaches we managed to take care of
them." He smiled. "We do have a surprise." He looked over his shoulder,
as Spike dragged an even more regally dressed Knights into the room.
"Bloody poof hits like a girl," said Spike. "But he looks important,
so I thought we'd keep him."
Buffy nodded. "Good. Now we can figure out what the hell's going on."
Buffy and the Knight faced off in the back room of the shop, he with
his hands tied behind his back. He could have made a move if he chose,
but they both knew it would be pointless.
"Took you long enough." Buffy paused. "What are you supposed to be?
Some kind of Chief?"
"General."
"General. In charge of what? Getting captured?"
"You do not frighten me, child. The instrument of chaos must be
destroyed."
Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Are you talking about my sister?" Without
warning, she turned and kicked the head of a practice dummy standing near
her. It was torn off the rest of the body and went flying across the
room, where it struck the far wall and exploded, raining sand everywhere.
"Poor, frightened girl. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself
into."
Buffy considered, very briefly, doing the same thing to him, then she
changed her mind and crossed her arms instead. "Why don't you tell me?"
"Would it make a difference?" The determined look in Buffy's eyes told
him all he needed to know. "What do you know of the Beast?"
Buffy knew he was talking about Glory. "Strong. Fast. Hellgod."
"From a dimension of unspeakable torment."
"A demon dimension, I know. She ruled with two other Hellgods, right?"
Willow, who had been standing in the doorway listening this whole
time, now turned away. She still could not help thinking about how close
Tara had come to being seriously hurt, or worse, by Glory. It occurred to
her that if she had not arrived at the park when she did, her sweet,
wonderful Tara might have suffered the same terrible fate as all those
poor people in the hospital.
"Tara..." The redhead walked over to the table where her lover, along
with Giles, Xander and Anya, was sitting, searching through any texts
that mentioned anything about rituals. The Watcher was particularly
involved in the book Spike and Xander had stolen from Doc's place. Though
he had not been home, Spike described the creepy little demon in detail,
and Tara had realized it was the same one who attacked them in Los
Angeles. Which told them why he had not been present when Spike and
Xander arrived. "Tara?"
The blond raised her head. "Hmm?"
"Can I talk to you over here, for a minute?" Willow went over to the
counter, sighing when she felt her lover's arms wrap around her from
behind. "Mmm...that feels nice."
"What's wrong?"
Willow shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...I have a bad feeling
about this one, Tara."
"I thought I was the one who had the empathy."
"I'm serious." Willow lay her head back on Tara's shoulder and sighed.
"Just in case we don't, you know...make it through whatever's coming, I
want to be sure you know how much I love you."
Tara felt both happy and worried at the same time. "Goddess Willow,
don't talk like that." Realizing her words might have been taken out of
context she became nervous and thus began to stutter. "T-The fatality, I
m-mean. I love you too. More than I ever thought it was possible to love
anyone."
Willow turned, still in her lover's arms, to face her. "You know the
worst part? Even if we do win, and Glory's plan for...whatever, fails,
it's not over. Oh sure, we might beat her, but they'll keep coming. It
might be a demon next, or a group of vampires. Or something else all
together." She shook her head. "But it's never going to stop, Tara. Ever.
As long as we live on the Hellmouth, it's never going to stop."
"What are you saying?" Tara asked.
Willow was nearly in tears. "I'm sorry. Forget it. I guess I needed to
let that out."
"It's all right." Tara leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
"That's what I'm here for."
*****
the time they were finished the Slayer and her sister were hugging and
holding one another.
Willow sat in a chair, her arms wrapped tightly around Tara, who was
sitting in her lap.
Anya stood behind the counter, keeping busy by doing the thing she was
most comfortable with--counting the money in the cash register. Xander
sat on the corner and just watched her.
Giles, meanwhile, made an odd noise that drew everyone's attention.
"Oh dear." He began flipping through the pages of a book while the
others, including Buffy and Dawn, gathered on either side. The Watcher
removed his glasses. He was looking a little paler than usual.
"What is it?" Spike asked. "Did you find out what the glorious one
wants with little bit?"
After a moment, Giles nodded. He opened his mouth once, twice, and
again, before finding the words. "Glory plans to open a dimensional
portal, by way of a ritual blood-letting."
"Dawn's blood," said Buffy. She felt her sister tense in her arms, and
held her tighter.
"Yes." Giles cleared his throat. What he had to say would have been
tough under the best circumstances. With Dawn actually right there,
watching and listening to him, it was nearly impossible. "Once the blood
is shed, at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all
realities will be torn apart."
"Yeah, I know the rest." Buffy told everyone what the General had
said. About the Key, and how it would open all the gates between all the
dimensions, sending them crashing into one another and plunging the
universe into eternal darkness. "Question is, how do we stop it?"
Giles looked Buffy right in the eye. He didn't dare let his gaze
waver, out of the fear of seeing Dawn's face as he said the next few
words. "The portal will only close once the blood had stopped, and the
only way for that to happen..."
"Don't you finish that sentence," Buffy warned. "Don't you dare!"
Willow held her hand out, and instinctively found Tara's. Xander put
his arm around Anya.
"Buffy, I'm sorry. Truly I am. But this text is very clear." Giles
took his glasses off and stood up. "If the portal opens, reality as we
know it will cease to exist."
"So that's the trick, right?" Anya asked. "We just have to keep Glory
from opening the portal, so Dawn doesn't have to die." She glanced at
each one of them for confirmation.
Dawn turned and walked away from the table.
"Nice," said Buffy. "Thanks a lot, Anya." She turned and followed her
sister.
Anya blinked at the hostility she was sensing from everyone. "What?"
"An?" Xander pulled his girlfriend off to one side, to once again try
and help her understand what was and was not appropriate. It never seemed
to take.
"I hate to say this," said Spike. "But demon-girl may be on to
something."
Willow nodded. "We just have to keep Dawn away from Glory and
everything should be fine. I mean, you said she's only got a certain
amount of time to do the ritual, right?"
"Assuming my translation of the text is correct, yes."
IP: Logged
can't wait for more
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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Thank you.
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"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
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And the saga continues... BTW, much of the dialog in these next chapters comes directly from the There was much rejoicing at the Magic Box when Willow and Tara ***** "You were warned we would return, Slayer." Both Buffy and Dawn spent some time speaking to the General, and by
show. If I skip discussions (whole or in part) or even scenes, without
mentioning them, you can assume everything otherwise happened as it did
on TV.
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
returned. There were hugs all around from Buffy, Xander and Dawn while
Giles stood back and smiled, and Anya tried to appear disinterested. Soon
after,
they got down to the business at hand.
"...and then he took off," Willow said, having just described their
battle with Doc. "I don't know if he's made it back or not, but he'll
find Glory sooner or later."
Buffy nodded. "Here." She picked up a big, leather-bound book. "Giles
got this for you. He said it contains all kinds of protective magic
spells and stuff. What'd you call them?"
"Wards," said Giles, without looking up from the book Xander and Spike
had brought him.
"That's right," said Buffy. "So, you think you can do anything?"
Willow nodded. "I'll do my best."
As the redhead sat down across the table from Giles, Tara approached
Dawn.
"How are you doing?"
The youngest Summers shook her head. "This is all my fault, Tara."
"What do you mean?"
"Your hand, Glory, all of this...it's happening because of me. Because
those monks took the Key energy from wherever it was before, and created
me. If they'd only left things the way they were, everything would be
fine around here now."
Tara shook her head. "No they wouldn't." She reached out and stroked
the girl's hair. "'cause then you wouldn't be here, and we'd all miss
you."
"But you wouldn't. Don't you remember what the monks told Buffy? They
made up all the memories you guys have about me. If I weren't here, if
they hadn't implanted them inside you, you wouldn't remember me because I
would never have existed." Dawn frowned. "But you know what the worst
part is? I still don't know why. No one can tell me what the Key was
designed for in the first place."
All of a sudden, the front door burst open. To her credit, Tara
reacted quickly by pushing Dawn behind her, to get her out of the line of
fire of a possible attack. Buffy and Xander came running, with Giles and
Willow right behind them. But it was not Glory, or any of her minions, as
they half-expected.
It was a hunched over figure, covered in a heavy blanket. Parts of him
were smoking. Spike slammed the door closed behind him and shrugged the
blanket off, grunting in pain. Buffy and the others were startled to see
what appeared to be an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"We've got a problem," the vampire hissed.
All eyes turned to the front of the store, as something shattered a
window. It was another arrow, this one with a flaming tip. Buffy stepped
forward and caught it before it hit anything flammable, then turned to
Dawn. "Hide, now! Get under the table!"
Anya guided Buffy's little sister to safety, while the others went to
have a look outside. There were dozens of men in armor gathering in front
of the Magic Box. They were carrying swords, axes and spears, and several
had bows and arrows. Some were lighting fires.
"We're being attacked by a bloody Renaissance Fair!" Spike shouted.
Then he winced, as he was forced to pull the arrow out of his own chest.
"Quick," said Buffy. "Check the back door!" Spike and Xander went do
to just that while the Slayer overturned a heavy wooden table and moved
it to block the front door.
"Who are these guys?" Tara asked. She glanced over her shoulder, to
see that Willow was sitting cross-legged on the floor, frantically
flipping through a book.
"The Knights of Byzantium," Giles replied. "I recognize those
emblems."
Buffy nodded. "I fought some of them a while back. They said they were
going to do whatever it took to make sure Glory never got the Key. I
guess they decided to make good on their threat."
"We've got a real problem," said Giles. "There are far too many. We'll
never be able to fight them all."
Willow lifted her head, her eyes solid black. "We don't have to.
Everyone stand back." She held up her hand as they moved out of the way.
"Enemies, fly and fall...circling arms, raise a wall!" A ripple of energy
erupted from her palm and expanded ever outward until the entirety of the
Magic Box was sealed under a shimmering, barely visible bubble. She
dropped her hand, her eyes back to normal.
"Goddess, Willow." Tara came to her lover's side. "Why didn't you ask
me to help you?"
"She's right," said Giles. "That's a very advanced and potentially
dangerous spell, Willow. You should be more careful utilizing those kinds
of magicks."
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Don't knock it." She glanced out the
window. Knights were pounding against a section of the barrier. "How long
will it last?"
"Half a day, maybe," Willow replied. Outside, she saw two men in long,
brown robes holding up their hands as they chanted. "Or until Heckel and
Jeckel punch a hole through it."
Xander came in from the back room. "Perimeter secure. A couple of them
got in, but between me and Spike's headaches we managed to take care of
them." He smiled. "We do have a surprise." He looked over his shoulder,
as Spike dragged an even more regally dressed Knights into the room.
"Bloody poof hits like a girl," said Spike. "But he looks important,
so I thought we'd keep him."
Buffy nodded. "Good. Now we can figure out what the hell's going on."
Buffy and the Knight faced off in the back room of the shop, he with
his hands tied behind his back. He could have made a move if he chose,
but they both knew it would be pointless.
"Took you long enough." Buffy paused. "What are you supposed to be?
Some kind of Chief?"
"General."
"General. In charge of what? Getting captured?"
"You do not frighten me, child. The instrument of chaos must be
destroyed."
Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Are you talking about my sister?" Without
warning, she turned and kicked the head of a practice dummy standing near
her. It was torn off the rest of the body and went flying across the
room, where it struck the far wall and exploded, raining sand everywhere.
"Poor, frightened girl. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself
into."
Buffy considered, very briefly, doing the same thing to him, then she
changed her mind and crossed her arms instead. "Why don't you tell me?"
"Would it make a difference?" The determined look in Buffy's eyes told
him all he needed to know. "What do you know of the Beast?"
Buffy knew he was talking about Glory. "Strong. Fast. Hellgod."
"From a dimension of unspeakable torment."
"A demon dimension, I know. She ruled with two other Hellgods, right?"
Willow, who had been standing in the doorway listening this whole
time, now turned away. She still could not help thinking about how close
Tara had come to being seriously hurt, or worse, by Glory. It occurred to
her that if she had not arrived at the park when she did, her sweet,
wonderful Tara might have suffered the same terrible fate as all those
poor people in the hospital.
"Tara..." The redhead walked over to the table where her lover, along
with Giles, Xander and Anya, was sitting, searching through any texts
that mentioned anything about rituals. The Watcher was particularly
involved in the book Spike and Xander had stolen from Doc's place. Though
he had not been home, Spike described the creepy little demon in detail,
and Tara had realized it was the same one who attacked them in Los
Angeles. Which told them why he had not been present when Spike and
Xander arrived. "Tara?"
The blond raised her head. "Hmm?"
"Can I talk to you over here, for a minute?" Willow went over to the
counter, sighing when she felt her lover's arms wrap around her from
behind. "Mmm...that feels nice."
"What's wrong?"
Willow shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...I have a bad feeling
about this one, Tara."
"I thought I was the one who had the empathy."
"I'm serious." Willow lay her head back on Tara's shoulder and sighed.
"Just in case we don't, you know...make it through whatever's coming, I
want to be sure you know how much I love you."
Tara felt both happy and worried at the same time. "Goddess Willow,
don't talk like that." Realizing her words might have been taken out of
context she became nervous and thus began to stutter. "T-The fatality, I
m-mean. I love you too. More than I ever thought it was possible to love
anyone."
Willow turned, still in her lover's arms, to face her. "You know the
worst part? Even if we do win, and Glory's plan for...whatever, fails,
it's not over. Oh sure, we might beat her, but they'll keep coming. It
might be a demon next, or a group of vampires. Or something else all
together." She shook her head. "But it's never going to stop, Tara. Ever.
As long as we live on the Hellmouth, it's never going to stop."
"What are you saying?" Tara asked.
Willow was nearly in tears. "I'm sorry. Forget it. I guess I needed to
let that out."
"It's all right." Tara leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
"That's what I'm here for."
*****
the time they were finished the Slayer and her sister were hugging and
holding one another.
Willow sat in a chair, her arms wrapped tightly around Tara, who was
sitting in her lap.
Anya stood behind the counter, keeping busy by doing the thing she was
most comfortable with--counting the money in the cash register. Xander
sat on the corner and just watched her.
Giles, meanwhile, made an odd noise that drew everyone's attention.
"Oh dear." He began flipping through the pages of a book while the
others, including Buffy and Dawn, gathered on either side. The Watcher
removed his glasses. He was looking a little paler than usual.
"What is it?" Spike asked. "Did you find out what the glorious one
wants with little bit?"
After a moment, Giles nodded. He opened his mouth once, twice, and
again, before finding the words. "Glory plans to open a dimensional
portal, by way of a ritual blood-letting."
"Dawn's blood," said Buffy. She felt her sister tense in her arms, and
held her tighter.
"Yes." Giles cleared his throat. What he had to say would have been
tough under the best circumstances. With Dawn actually right there,
watching and listening to him, it was nearly impossible. "Once the blood
is shed, at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all
realities will be torn apart."
"Yeah, I know the rest." Buffy told everyone what the General had
said. About the Key, and how it would open all the gates between all the
dimensions, sending them crashing into one another and plunging the
universe into eternal darkness. "Question is, how do we stop it?"
Giles looked Buffy right in the eye. He didn't dare let his gaze
waver, out of the fear of seeing Dawn's face as he said the next few
words. "The portal will only close once the blood had stopped, and the
only way for that to happen..."
"Don't you finish that sentence," Buffy warned. "Don't you dare!"
Willow held her hand out, and instinctively found Tara's. Xander put
his arm around Anya.
"Buffy, I'm sorry. Truly I am. But this text is very clear." Giles
took his glasses off and stood up. "If the portal opens, reality as we
know it will cease to exist."
"So that's the trick, right?" Anya asked. "We just have to keep Glory
from opening the portal, so Dawn doesn't have to die." She glanced at
each one of them for confirmation.
Dawn turned and walked away from the table.
"Nice," said Buffy. "Thanks a lot, Anya." She turned and followed her
sister.
Anya blinked at the hostility she was sensing from everyone. "What?"
"An?" Xander pulled his girlfriend off to one side, to once again try
and help her understand what was and was not appropriate. It never seemed
to take.
"I hate to say this," said Spike. "But demon-girl may be on to
something."
Willow nodded. "We just have to keep Dawn away from Glory and
everything should be fine. I mean, you said she's only got a certain
amount of time to do the ritual, right?"
"Assuming my translation of the text is correct, yes."
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can't wait for more
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The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
can't wait for more
IP: Logged
posted September 10, 2001 14:37 this is really good i like thiscan't wait for more
IP: LoggedWardukeGay Now! IP: Logged
posted September 10, 2001 16:36 Great stuff Kirk and that was a very beautiful scene between W/T.IP: LoggedSciFiAcidWillowhand The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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I'm glad you liked it.
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Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
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The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
posted September 14, 2001 12:21 Part 9TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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posted September 17, 2001 14:09 Awww, that's lovely. Baby Dawn, with two wicca mothers!------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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posted September 17, 2001 14:59 Kirk, this story was fantastic. And the ending is great. (Hell, I was halfway expecting Willow or Tara to be impregnated by the Key's essence!)Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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posted September 17, 2001 16:41 Great ending Kirk and that last scene with W/T was very sweet.IP: LoggedKirkBaldridgeBlessed Wannabe I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 21, 2001 14:41 Thanx, everybody.I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 22, 2001 02:20 Sniff!!!Beautiful just beautiful.by SciFiAcid » Mon Sep 10, 2001 10:42 am
And the saga continues... BTW, much of the dialog in these next chapters comes directly from the There was much rejoicing at the Magic Box when Willow and Tara ***** "You were warned we would return, Slayer." Both Buffy and Dawn spent some time speaking to the General, and by
show. If I skip discussions (whole or in part) or even scenes, without
mentioning them, you can assume everything otherwise happened as it did
on TV.
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
returned. There were hugs all around from Buffy, Xander and Dawn while
Giles stood back and smiled, and Anya tried to appear disinterested. Soon
after,
they got down to the business at hand.
"...and then he took off," Willow said, having just described their
battle with Doc. "I don't know if he's made it back or not, but he'll
find Glory sooner or later."
Buffy nodded. "Here." She picked up a big, leather-bound book. "Giles
got this for you. He said it contains all kinds of protective magic
spells and stuff. What'd you call them?"
"Wards," said Giles, without looking up from the book Xander and Spike
had brought him.
"That's right," said Buffy. "So, you think you can do anything?"
Willow nodded. "I'll do my best."
As the redhead sat down across the table from Giles, Tara approached
Dawn.
"How are you doing?"
The youngest Summers shook her head. "This is all my fault, Tara."
"What do you mean?"
"Your hand, Glory, all of this...it's happening because of me. Because
those monks took the Key energy from wherever it was before, and created
me. If they'd only left things the way they were, everything would be
fine around here now."
Tara shook her head. "No they wouldn't." She reached out and stroked
the girl's hair. "'cause then you wouldn't be here, and we'd all miss
you."
"But you wouldn't. Don't you remember what the monks told Buffy? They
made up all the memories you guys have about me. If I weren't here, if
they hadn't implanted them inside you, you wouldn't remember me because I
would never have existed." Dawn frowned. "But you know what the worst
part is? I still don't know why. No one can tell me what the Key was
designed for in the first place."
All of a sudden, the front door burst open. To her credit, Tara
reacted quickly by pushing Dawn behind her, to get her out of the line of
fire of a possible attack. Buffy and Xander came running, with Giles and
Willow right behind them. But it was not Glory, or any of her minions, as
they half-expected.
It was a hunched over figure, covered in a heavy blanket. Parts of him
were smoking. Spike slammed the door closed behind him and shrugged the
blanket off, grunting in pain. Buffy and the others were startled to see
what appeared to be an arrow sticking out of his chest.
"We've got a problem," the vampire hissed.
All eyes turned to the front of the store, as something shattered a
window. It was another arrow, this one with a flaming tip. Buffy stepped
forward and caught it before it hit anything flammable, then turned to
Dawn. "Hide, now! Get under the table!"
Anya guided Buffy's little sister to safety, while the others went to
have a look outside. There were dozens of men in armor gathering in front
of the Magic Box. They were carrying swords, axes and spears, and several
had bows and arrows. Some were lighting fires.
"We're being attacked by a bloody Renaissance Fair!" Spike shouted.
Then he winced, as he was forced to pull the arrow out of his own chest.
"Quick," said Buffy. "Check the back door!" Spike and Xander went do
to just that while the Slayer overturned a heavy wooden table and moved
it to block the front door.
"Who are these guys?" Tara asked. She glanced over her shoulder, to
see that Willow was sitting cross-legged on the floor, frantically
flipping through a book.
"The Knights of Byzantium," Giles replied. "I recognize those
emblems."
Buffy nodded. "I fought some of them a while back. They said they were
going to do whatever it took to make sure Glory never got the Key. I
guess they decided to make good on their threat."
"We've got a real problem," said Giles. "There are far too many. We'll
never be able to fight them all."
Willow lifted her head, her eyes solid black. "We don't have to.
Everyone stand back." She held up her hand as they moved out of the way.
"Enemies, fly and fall...circling arms, raise a wall!" A ripple of energy
erupted from her palm and expanded ever outward until the entirety of the
Magic Box was sealed under a shimmering, barely visible bubble. She
dropped her hand, her eyes back to normal.
"Goddess, Willow." Tara came to her lover's side. "Why didn't you ask
me to help you?"
"She's right," said Giles. "That's a very advanced and potentially
dangerous spell, Willow. You should be more careful utilizing those kinds
of magicks."
Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Don't knock it." She glanced out the
window. Knights were pounding against a section of the barrier. "How long
will it last?"
"Half a day, maybe," Willow replied. Outside, she saw two men in long,
brown robes holding up their hands as they chanted. "Or until Heckel and
Jeckel punch a hole through it."
Xander came in from the back room. "Perimeter secure. A couple of them
got in, but between me and Spike's headaches we managed to take care of
them." He smiled. "We do have a surprise." He looked over his shoulder,
as Spike dragged an even more regally dressed Knights into the room.
"Bloody poof hits like a girl," said Spike. "But he looks important,
so I thought we'd keep him."
Buffy nodded. "Good. Now we can figure out what the hell's going on."
Buffy and the Knight faced off in the back room of the shop, he with
his hands tied behind his back. He could have made a move if he chose,
but they both knew it would be pointless.
"Took you long enough." Buffy paused. "What are you supposed to be?
Some kind of Chief?"
"General."
"General. In charge of what? Getting captured?"
"You do not frighten me, child. The instrument of chaos must be
destroyed."
Buffy's eyes narrowed. "Are you talking about my sister?" Without
warning, she turned and kicked the head of a practice dummy standing near
her. It was torn off the rest of the body and went flying across the
room, where it struck the far wall and exploded, raining sand everywhere.
"Poor, frightened girl. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself
into."
Buffy considered, very briefly, doing the same thing to him, then she
changed her mind and crossed her arms instead. "Why don't you tell me?"
"Would it make a difference?" The determined look in Buffy's eyes told
him all he needed to know. "What do you know of the Beast?"
Buffy knew he was talking about Glory. "Strong. Fast. Hellgod."
"From a dimension of unspeakable torment."
"A demon dimension, I know. She ruled with two other Hellgods, right?"
Willow, who had been standing in the doorway listening this whole
time, now turned away. She still could not help thinking about how close
Tara had come to being seriously hurt, or worse, by Glory. It occurred to
her that if she had not arrived at the park when she did, her sweet,
wonderful Tara might have suffered the same terrible fate as all those
poor people in the hospital.
"Tara..." The redhead walked over to the table where her lover, along
with Giles, Xander and Anya, was sitting, searching through any texts
that mentioned anything about rituals. The Watcher was particularly
involved in the book Spike and Xander had stolen from Doc's place. Though
he had not been home, Spike described the creepy little demon in detail,
and Tara had realized it was the same one who attacked them in Los
Angeles. Which told them why he had not been present when Spike and
Xander arrived. "Tara?"
The blond raised her head. "Hmm?"
"Can I talk to you over here, for a minute?" Willow went over to the
counter, sighing when she felt her lover's arms wrap around her from
behind. "Mmm...that feels nice."
"What's wrong?"
Willow shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...I have a bad feeling
about this one, Tara."
"I thought I was the one who had the empathy."
"I'm serious." Willow lay her head back on Tara's shoulder and sighed.
"Just in case we don't, you know...make it through whatever's coming, I
want to be sure you know how much I love you."
Tara felt both happy and worried at the same time. "Goddess Willow,
don't talk like that." Realizing her words might have been taken out of
context she became nervous and thus began to stutter. "T-The fatality, I
m-mean. I love you too. More than I ever thought it was possible to love
anyone."
Willow turned, still in her lover's arms, to face her. "You know the
worst part? Even if we do win, and Glory's plan for...whatever, fails,
it's not over. Oh sure, we might beat her, but they'll keep coming. It
might be a demon next, or a group of vampires. Or something else all
together." She shook her head. "But it's never going to stop, Tara. Ever.
As long as we live on the Hellmouth, it's never going to stop."
"What are you saying?" Tara asked.
Willow was nearly in tears. "I'm sorry. Forget it. I guess I needed to
let that out."
"It's all right." Tara leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
"That's what I'm here for."
*****
the time they were finished the Slayer and her sister were hugging and
holding one another.
Willow sat in a chair, her arms wrapped tightly around Tara, who was
sitting in her lap.
Anya stood behind the counter, keeping busy by doing the thing she was
most comfortable with--counting the money in the cash register. Xander
sat on the corner and just watched her.
Giles, meanwhile, made an odd noise that drew everyone's attention.
"Oh dear." He began flipping through the pages of a book while the
others, including Buffy and Dawn, gathered on either side. The Watcher
removed his glasses. He was looking a little paler than usual.
"What is it?" Spike asked. "Did you find out what the glorious one
wants with little bit?"
After a moment, Giles nodded. He opened his mouth once, twice, and
again, before finding the words. "Glory plans to open a dimensional
portal, by way of a ritual blood-letting."
"Dawn's blood," said Buffy. She felt her sister tense in her arms, and
held her tighter.
"Yes." Giles cleared his throat. What he had to say would have been
tough under the best circumstances. With Dawn actually right there,
watching and listening to him, it was nearly impossible. "Once the blood
is shed, at a certain time and place, the fabric which separates all
realities will be torn apart."
"Yeah, I know the rest." Buffy told everyone what the General had
said. About the Key, and how it would open all the gates between all the
dimensions, sending them crashing into one another and plunging the
universe into eternal darkness. "Question is, how do we stop it?"
Giles looked Buffy right in the eye. He didn't dare let his gaze
waver, out of the fear of seeing Dawn's face as he said the next few
words. "The portal will only close once the blood had stopped, and the
only way for that to happen..."
"Don't you finish that sentence," Buffy warned. "Don't you dare!"
Willow held her hand out, and instinctively found Tara's. Xander put
his arm around Anya.
"Buffy, I'm sorry. Truly I am. But this text is very clear." Giles
took his glasses off and stood up. "If the portal opens, reality as we
know it will cease to exist."
"So that's the trick, right?" Anya asked. "We just have to keep Glory
from opening the portal, so Dawn doesn't have to die." She glanced at
each one of them for confirmation.
Dawn turned and walked away from the table.
"Nice," said Buffy. "Thanks a lot, Anya." She turned and followed her
sister.
Anya blinked at the hostility she was sensing from everyone. "What?"
"An?" Xander pulled his girlfriend off to one side, to once again try
and help her understand what was and was not appropriate. It never seemed
to take.
"I hate to say this," said Spike. "But demon-girl may be on to
something."
Willow nodded. "We just have to keep Dawn away from Glory and
everything should be fine. I mean, you said she's only got a certain
amount of time to do the ritual, right?"
"Assuming my translation of the text is correct, yes."
IP: Logged
can't wait for more
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
can't wait for more
IP: Logged
posted September 10, 2001 14:37 this is really good i like thiscan't wait for more
IP: LoggedWardukeGay Now! IP: Logged
posted September 10, 2001 16:36 Great stuff Kirk and that was a very beautiful scene between W/T.IP: LoggedSciFiAcidWillowhand The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
posted September 14, 2001 12:21 Part 9TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
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------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
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posted September 17, 2001 14:09 Awww, that's lovely. Baby Dawn, with two wicca mothers!------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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posted September 17, 2001 14:59 Kirk, this story was fantastic. And the ending is great. (Hell, I was halfway expecting Willow or Tara to be impregnated by the Key's essence!)Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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posted September 17, 2001 16:41 Great ending Kirk and that last scene with W/T was very sweet.IP: LoggedKirkBaldridgeBlessed Wannabe I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 21, 2001 14:41 Thanx, everybody.I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 22, 2001 02:20 Sniff!!!Beautiful just beautiful.by WiccanBex » Mon Sep 10, 2001 11:37 am
can't wait for more
by Warduke » Mon Sep 10, 2001 1:36 pm
by SciFiAcid » Tue Sep 11, 2001 9:07 pm
The day grows dark, as Buffy's little sister discovers that no matter how TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Are you okay?" Willow cried out as the resulting mystic backlash tore into her brain, ***** Giles finished brewing a pot of coffee and brought the tray out to the
things change, some stay the same.
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Buffy stopped just short of touching her sister.
"Don't let what Anya said scare you."
"I'm not scared." Surprisingly, to Buffy at least, Dawn wasn't crying.
"She's right. If it comes to your having to choose between me and the
world..."
Buffy shook her head. "It's not a choice. I will always be there for
you, Dawn. You know that."
"But, why? I mean, Buffy, I'm not even really supposed to be here. You
heard the General. I was yanked out of some other place and dropped here.
In this body. I'm not human."
Buffy put her arms around Dawn's shoulder. "Yes, you are. You're also
my sister, and I love you."
"I know." Dawn sighed. Her face fell. "Hey, do you hear something?"
The Slayer raised her head. She hadn't been listening, other than to
Dawn, but now it occurred to her that there was something going on
outside. Screams, metal crashing against metal, definitely the sounds of
a fight. "Yeah, I do." She started toward the front door. "Hey Will, can
you..."
All of a sudden, the door exploded inward.
It caught Buffy square in the face and sent the Slayer flying
backwards. She slammed into a bookshelf and the whole thing tipped over,
burying her underneath wood and books. Dawn stood there, with a stunned
look on her face as the dust settled, and the others came running.
Glory, meanwhile, strode into the shop. "Yuck." She glanced around.
"You guys hang out in this place? What a dump." Her eyes locked on to
Dawn. "Hey there. Wanna go for a ride?"
Spike's face contorted to full vamp-mode as he charged. Glory didn't
even bother to turn--she simply grabbed him by the throat and pitched him
toward Buffy. He struck the Slayer as she was starting to get back to her
feet and the two of them crumpled to the floor.
"Thicken!"
Glory saw the air in front of her rippling, and she frowned. She did
turn this time, to glare at Willow. "Do you really think you can stop me,
witch? I don't!" The goddess punched at the barrier with what was
obviously only a minimum of force, and it virtually shattered like glass.
and she collapsed, blood seeping out of her nose. Tara was at her side in
an instant.
"Well, that was fun." Glory saw that Dawn was running for the back
room. "Hey, wait for me!" She surged into motion, becoming a blur as she
darted between Xander and Giles, and the two of them were sent knocked
aside as a result. She went right through the wall, not even bothering
with the door, and stopped abruptly as she found herself face to face
with the General. "Hey look, it's Gregor."
He was stunned, even scared. "The Beast."
Glory casually snapped his neck and tossed his body aside. "Now it's
not." She saw Dawn at the back door, but it was apparently locked. "Don't
be scared, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "Not right now,
at least. I have much bigger plans in mind for you."
"Please..." Dawn was in tears now. "...leave me alone."
"Can't do that, pipsqueak." Glory walked slowly toward her. "Sorry."
Dawn raised her head. "Buffy! Somebody, help me!"
"They can't do a thing to stop me," said Glory. "I..." Her eyes went
wide. "What? No, not now!" She fell against a side wall, groaning as she
transformed back into Ben. "What the...how did I get here?" He saw Dawn
staring at him, trembling and crying. "Oh no. Oh god no."
Behind him Buffy and Spike--looking somewhat the worse for wear--and
Giles came tumbling into the room, followed shortly by Xander and Tara,
who were helping Willow walk. They all saw Ben, he saw them, and all of
them were very confused. Dawn stepped forward.
"Where did Glory go?"
"I was just going to ask the same question," said Buffy. "She was
right here."
Spike glared at each one of them in turn. "Are you people blind?
General deadmeat over there, said Glory was trapped in a mortal's body.
And doctor Bob here is wearing a dress. Glory's dress. It doesn't exactly
take a brain surgeon to figure this all out, now does it?"
"Figure what out?" Giles asked.
"Bloody hell." Spike sometimes wondered why he bothered.
Ben put his hands to his head. "No! Not like this!" He arched his back
and he all of a sudden transformed back into Glory. She sneered. "That
was different."
"There now," said Spike. "Are we all clear on today's topic? Ben and
Glory 101?"
The goddess shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't
really care either." She grabbed Dawn's arm, making the girl cry out as
she squeezed. "Time to go." With her other hand, she picked up an axe and
threw it. It missed Buffy, who ducked at the last second, and instead
struck Spike in the chest. He stumbled back, this time crashing into
Xander, Willow and Tara. "Just so your friends don't get any ideas!" She
kicked the door into splinters and rushed outside, Buffy hot on her
heels.
The Slayer saw Glory pause at Willow's energy barrier, just long
enough to punch a hole through it. She leapt through, Dawn screaming and
calling for her, and ran off laughing while the barrier reformed behind
her. Buffy stood there and watched, helpless.
By the time any of the others made it outside, Glory was long gone.
The Slayer was sitting on the ground, her eyes blankly staring off into
space.
others. Willow and Tara were seated on either side of Buffy, while Xander
and Spike paced back and forth, and Anya sat by the cash register. He put
the tray in the middle of the table.
"How's Buffy?"
"The same," Xander replied. "Still."
Willow shook her head. "It's been almost a half an hour."
"I'll snap her out of it." Spike strode over to Buffy and kneeled in
front of her. No one tried to stop him, as all of them, even Anya, had
taken a turn--with the same results. "Buffy!" He put his hands on the
Slayer's shoulders and began to shake her. "Oi! Rise and shine, love!"
Xander crossed his arms. "We tried that."
To everyone's surprise, Spike abruptly reared back and slapped Buffy
hard across the face. Naturally, the chip in his head went off and he was
seized with pain. "Ow!"
"We didn't try that," said Anya. Not that it had worked. Buffy still
wasn't moving.
Xander grabbed Spike and practically jerked the vampire across the
room. "Are you insane?" He got right into Spike's face, knowing he had
nothing to fear. "We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You
want to kill her?!"
"We have to do something!" Spike snarled back at him. "I can't just
sit here watching. You waste time with kid gloves." He smiled. "I'm
willing to wager, when all is said and done, Buffy likes it rough." He
was trying to push the mortal's buttons, and he got more than he
bargained for.
Xander punched him. Hard. Spike's head snapped back, and he could
swear he felt one of his teeth loosen. He was quite fond of his teeth, as
he used them to eat even more than humans did. The vampire lunged at
Xander, a familiar rage burning in his chest. He knew the chip would go
off if he pushed too hard, but at this point he was more than willing to
put up with a little pain.
As the fighting intensified, Willow turned, her eyes narrowing.
"Separate!" Invisible waves of force struck the combatants, shoving Spike
and Xander apart. They were both so startled they stopped what they were
doing and turned to face her. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real
soon she's going to use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every
dimension there is." She glared at each one of them. "So, if you two want
to fight, you do it after the world ends, 'kay?"
Spike and Xander both knew Willow was more than capable, and at this
point willing, to carry out her implied threat, so each of them grumbled
and went to a neutral corner.
"Nicely done," said Giles. He sat down beside Buffy, and poured a cup
of coffee.
Willow put a hand to her head and walked away, Tara right beside her.
"You okay?"
"I have a headache."
Tara nodded. "I'm not surprised. That was a pretty nasty backlash you
took from Glory. You shouldn't be using so much magick, Willow. It could
be dangerous."
"I don't have a choice. It's the only thing that seems to work against
Glory, at all."
"Just, be careful." Tara put her arms around the redhead. "And more
importantly, don't feel like you have to do everything on your own.
You're not alone in this Willow. I'm here. I'll help you. I couldn't
stand losing you. We may save the world, but it isn't one I want to live
in if you're not with me."
Willow nodded. "I know. I feel the same way." She took Tara's good
hand in her own. "We'll find a way to stop Glory, together. You and me,
right?" She glanced over her shoulder. "And Buffy. We have to help her.
We need her too. There must be something in one of these books..."
"Then let's get to work," said Tara. They headed for the table, and
Giles' texts.
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
IP: Logged
posted September 14, 2001 12:21 Part 9TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
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"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
posted September 17, 2001 14:09 Awww, that's lovely. Baby Dawn, with two wicca mothers!------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
posted September 17, 2001 14:59 Kirk, this story was fantastic. And the ending is great. (Hell, I was halfway expecting Willow or Tara to be impregnated by the Key's essence!)Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
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posted September 17, 2001 16:41 Great ending Kirk and that last scene with W/T was very sweet.IP: LoggedKirkBaldridgeBlessed Wannabe I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 21, 2001 14:41 Thanx, everybody.I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 22, 2001 02:20 Sniff!!!Beautiful just beautiful.by SciFiAcid » Fri Sep 14, 2001 9:21 am
TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Giles stood in the doorway of the workout room, watching as Willow and
Tara arranged a series of candles in a circle around a still catatonic
Buffy.
"Willow, are you certain this is a good idea?"
"No," said the redhead. "But we don't have a lot of choices. We need
Buffy."
Tara nodded. "And she needs an anchor. That's what I'm here for."
"Very well. Good luck." Giles closed the door, and shook his head on
the other side. "I fear you'll need it." He saw Xander standing at the
front door, looking out. "What are you doing?"
"The sun just went down," Xander replied. "And there's only one way
Glory could have gotten past all of those Knights. Spike's dumping their
bodies into the sewer. He says there is something down there...I didn't
ask what, who'll take care of them." He raised his voice. "How's it
coming?"
There was a lengthy pause, and then they heard a slightly muffled
"Fine!" from outside.
"See?" Xander shrugged his shoulders.
*****
Spike dumped the Knight down the manhole and wiped his red-tinged
lips.
He hated having to feed off already dead people, but this was the
freshest blood he'd tasted in a long time and he wasn't about to pass up
on such a banquet. What Buffy and the others didn't know wouldn't hurt
them, and the vampire was already starting to feel stronger--there was no
substitute for the real thing. Having eaten his fill he shifted back to
his human face, and reached for one of the last two Knights.
Surprisingly, the Knight reached back. Spike leaped to his feet,
snarling. "Bloody hell!" He hadn't expected to find any of them alive.
"You're one lucky bloke." He kicked the last Knight into the sewer,
smiling when he saw a dark, bulky shape moving through the sewage beneath
him. "Enjoy." He picked up the manhole cover with one hand and dropped it
into place, then grabbed the Knight. "Come on, Galahad. There are some
people inside who will probably want to have a chat with you."
*****
"Well done Spike," said Giles.
The vampire crossed his arms and smiled smugly.
"By the way," said the Watcher. "You missed a spot."
As Spike turned away to wipe his mouth, Giles leaned toward the
Knight.
"Who are you?"
The Knight rolled his eyes. "Light and dark. All broken. Coming to a
new day. New day."
Xander frowned. "He's been brain-drained."
"He won't be able to help us," said Giles. "He can't even help
himself." They left the Knight tied to a chair, and walked across the
room. "If Willow and Tara aren't successful..."
"...we're screwed," said Xander.
Giles nodded. "Quite."
*****
Willow sat cross-legged in front of Buffy, staring into the Slayer's
vacant eyes. Tara stood right behind her, a hand on either of the
redhead's shoulders. She was not inside of Buffy's mind like Willow, but
she was offering support and power, just in case Willow needed it.
"Be careful," the blond whispered. "We can't lose both of you."
*****
Giles glanced up at the clock.
It had been just over an hour, and there was still no sign of Willow,
Tara or Buffy. He was just about to check and see if they were all right
when the door opened.
"Buffy?" He saw the Slayer come out first, followed by the witches.
"She's back."
"You're okay?" Xander asked.
Buffy nodded. "Looks like it. What do we know?"
Her question was directed at Giles, who started. "Oh. I did some more
research, and if everything is accurate, Glory will need to do the ritual
very soon."
"How soon?"
"Tonight. We just don't know were."
"I have places to be!" The Knight struggled against his bonds. "Big
day!"
Buffy stared at him for a moment. "Who is that?"
"Spike found him outside," said Giles. "We were hoping he would be
able tell us something about Glory, but I don't think he knows his own
name right now."
Buffy crossed her arms. "What about Glory? Have you found some way to
stop her?"
"Perhaps. We have at least one advantage." Giles bent over the table
and picked up a small, glowing orb. "Anya reminded us that the Dagon's
sphere was designed to repel Glory. I think we can use that."
Buffy nodded. "Anything else?"
"Oh, the hammer," Anya offered. "Olaf, the troll god's enchanted
hammer."
"Using a god's weapon, to fight a god?" The Slayer picked up the
enormous hammer, testing its weight. "That's not bad." She turned to
Giles. "But we need more."
Giles nodded. "I know."
"Um...Buffy?" All eyes turned to Willow. "I've got an idea."
by SciFiAcid » Mon Sep 17, 2001 10:25 am
I was going to send this in at least a couple of more parts, to heighten
tension, but I changed my mind.
Here then, is the finale of TOUGH LOVE, REVISITED.
I hope you like it. TITLE: Tough Love, Revisited "Man, this is creepy." ***** It didn't take long to figure out where they were going. ***** It wasn't going well for the good guys. ***** "Shallow cuts." ***** Several days went by, and life slowly began to return to what could ~FIN
AUTHOR: Kirk Baldridge
E-MAIL: KirkBwriter@juno.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please. The more the better.
DISTRIBUTION: You can have it, as long as you let me know where it is.
SPOILERS: Major stuff from the 5th season episode TOUGH LOVE and for at
least some of the episodes after it, including the season finale, THE
GIFT.
CONTENT: W/T
RATING: PG13
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb
luck.
SUMMARY: Willow and Tara go on the run to protect Dawn from Glory, who
thinks Tara is the Key.
NOTE: This story diverges from the story in TOUGH LOVE in a major way,
but elements from it and from some of the episodes to follow are merged
into this tale. You may recognize events, locals, and even dialog, but
bear in mind this is intentional, not some oversight on my part.
*****
Xander was right in Buffy's face, snapping his fingers, and yet she
didn't flinch.
"Talk about deja vu. Didn't we just do this like, an hour ago?"
Willow was crouched behind Buffy, lifting the back of her shirt with
one hand while she used a wrench in the other. "Don't remind me."
It wasn't Buffy, of course, the tangle of wires Willow was rearranging
showed that. It was the Slayer's robotic doppleganger, the so-called
Buffybot. She had been sitting inactive in the basement ever since she
helped them rescue Spike from Glory, and now she was being reprogrammed
once again.
Buffy, the real Buffy, was on her way back from her house. She and
Spike had gone there to get weapons, and clothes for the Buffybot. Not
that she was naked, but for the sake of hopefully confusing and
distracting Glory, they wanted her dressed as similarly as possible to
the real Slayer.
Anya stood behind Xander, with her arms crossed. Though she did not
actually say anything, he suspected she wanted to make sure he didn't
look up the Buffybot's skirt or down her blouse. Not that he would have,
but then again she did look like Buffy, and he did once have a crush on
Buffy.
On the other side of the shop Giles was sharpening his favorite sword,
while Tara put some crystals and a few bottles of colored powder in a
small bag.
Everyone was getting prepared because, according to the book, Giles
said they had less than an hour before it was time for Glory to start her
ritual.
"There." Willow pulled 'Buffy's shirt down and stood up. "She should
be on-line any second."
For a moment or two nothing happened, then the robot blinked. She
slowly raised her head and the rest of her body soon followed. "I am
ready to slay."
Xander smiled. "Nicely done, Will. Glory'll never see this one
coming."
"Thanks. I'm just lucky she wasn't too badly damaged." Willow watched
the robot turn in a circle, scanning the entire store into her memory
banks. "I'll say one thing for Warren...he knows his cybernetics. Her
system is so incredibly advanced, and yet simple to operate at the same
time."
Tara came over. "You're being too modest, honey." She put an arm
around the redhead and smiled. "It's simple for you, 'cause you're a
genius."
"That is true," said Willow.
Everyone turned toward the front door as Buffy and Spike came in. They
gave the clothes to the Buffybot and told her to go change. She started
to take her clothes off right then and there, much to Spike's delight,
but Anya clapped her hands over Xander's eyes before he could say, or
see, anything. Willow and Tara guided her toward the bathroom, while
Giles approached the group.
"Is everyone clear on what we're doing?" One by one, they nodded. Even
the Buffybot, once she got out of the bathroom. "Buffy, is there anything
else you'd like to say?"
The Slayer nodded. "Remember, the ritual starts, and we all die." She
gripped the hammer tighter. "And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."
She turned and walked away.
"Well, not exactly the Saint Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike
asked.
"We few," said Giles, following Buffy. "We happy few."
The vampire was right behind him, looking none too happy. "We band of
buggered."
Outside, Willow and Tara stood with the only surviving Knight, who had
obviously been assaulted by Glory at some point. He was muttering to
himself, and seemed to be about ready to tremble right out of his boots.
They were not too pleased about having to use the poor fellow like this,
any of them, but as far as they could tell, his twisted mind was the only
way they had of finding Glory. He was being drawn to the Hellgod, to
serve her, they had finally figured out, and they could see no reason to
hold him back any longer. Buffy nodded, to Willow and Tara, and the
witches let him go.
He took off almost immediately, screaming about working on the factors
and the dawn of a new day, and they followed. Not too close, though, they
didn't want to crowd him.
Beyond a certain point they could not help but see the massive steel
tower, three stories tall at least, recently erected in the middle of a
construction site. Somewhere along the way they lost track of the Knight,
but by that point it didn't matter anymore. They had what they needed.
Xander looked up, and up, and up. "Shpedoinkle." It was a nonsense
word, but under the circumstances no one seemed to notice. Or, at least,
they didn't say anything.
"The portal must open up there," said Giles.
Buffy and the Buffybot, made up to be almost twins, both turned.
"Will," said the real Slayer. "You're up."
"Need anything?" Giles asked.
Willow, still staring up at the tower, nodded. "Some courage." She
started as Spike held out a small flask. She could smell the liquor. "The
real kind." She smiled at him. "But thanks."
He shrugged his shoulders and put the cap back on, after taking a swig
himself.
"Don't worry." Tara took Willow's hand, and kissed her. "I'm right
here."
Willow took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
The witches slid through the front gate, hiding themselves amongst the
throng of dull-eyed humans who were just standing around, muttering to
themselves. Buffy and the Buffybot headed around to the back, while
Xander headed toward a crane parked just outside the construction site.
Giles, Spike and Anya remained together, their weapons up and ready. They
knew what they had to do.
In the midst of it all stood Glory herself, hands resting on her hips
as she stared up at the tower. Surprisingly, even though she was mere
minutes away from her ultimate victory, she wasn't smiling. In fact, she
didn't appear to be too happy at all. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Some whining, meatbag. It'll all be over soon." Without warning,
Glory transformed into Ben. "Don't do this, please. This world..." He
changed back. "...is a sewer. Trust me, nobody'll miss it." Then it was
Ben again. "I will, and so will..." Glory returned. "Don't! Don't you
dare say her name!" She knew full well how her mortal half felt about
Buffy, and it made her sick to her stomach. Mortals and their...feelings.
"It's my time! Mine! And there is nothing you, or the Slayer can do to
stop me!"
Willow stepped into the Hellgod's line of sight. "What about me?"
"Oh please." Glory shook her head. "Haven't we played this game
already? We both know you can't really stop me. At best, you can delay
me." She glanced up at the tower. "Oh, I see." She smiled. "That's what
you want, isn't it? To keep me busy, so I can't use the Key? Good plan.
Too bad it won't work."
"We'll see." Willow drew a large, milky white crystal from behind her
back. She held it out in front of her and began to chant, causing the
wind to swirl and churn around her.
Glory soon recognized the words. The Cage of Isis. An ancient spell,
which was meant to imprison a being of great power. She wasn't worried,
however, even though it technically had the potential to contain her. She
knew for such a spell to work, two spellscasters were necessary. The
Hellgod started to laugh, until she realized Tara was behind her, holding
another crystal and chanting just as strongly.
"No!" The ground under Glory's feet liquified. It flowed up her legs,
and engulfed her lower torso. "You'll pay for this witch!" It swallowed
her chest and arms, and continued on upward. She screamed as it poured
right into her mouth and nose, and encased her entire head. Then the
liquid instantly dried, growing hard as stone, and left Glory a living,
exceedingly angry statue.
Willow and Tara dropped their arms. The spell was not a simple one,
and it had taken its toll on them. Both of them still had power
remaining, but for the moment they were drained. Thus they were in no
condition to stand against Glory's minions, human and demon alike.
"Get them!" one of the knobby little creature's commanded. "Our day of
glory is upon us!"
"Well punned," said another.
"It just called out to me." His smile faded as an arrow struck him in
the chest.
As he fell, Spike, Giles, and Anya entered the fray.
In the midst of it all, to no one's surprise, the Glory-statue began
to tremble. Jagged cracks formed across its entire stony surface. Glory's
shriek returned in full force as the Hellgod shrugged off the stone
remnants of her make-shift prison, and clenched her white-knuckled fists.
"You little witch-bitch!" Glory frowned. "Oh, it's you." Willow and
Tara were nowhere to be found. She found herself face to face with Buffy,
the Slayer standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Let me
guess, now you want to play? I really don't have time."
"Make time," said Buffy. "Because I'm not going anywhere."
Giles and Anya tried their best, but the odds stacked against them
were just too great. And while Spike fought with incredible ferocity
against Glory's robe-wearing demon minions, each time he threw a punch at
one of her brain-sucked human followers he was wracked with pain.
Xander, on the other hand, was having more of an impact on the Hellgod
herself. During her fight with 'Buffy' she crushed the Dagon's sphere and
then decapitated what turned out to be the robot. But that only proved to
be a distraction so the real Buffy could sneak up behind Glory and
started wailing her with the troll hammer. Both combatants made it
halfway up the tower, before knocking each other off, and when Buffy
momentarily lost her grip on the troll hammer Xander swung into action.
Using the huge wrecking ball on the end of the crane's arm, he knocked
Glory through a wall and put the Slayer back in control.
Willow and Tara, meanwhile, crouched behind a pile of bricks as they
mapped out their own strategy. Getting to Dawn was the number one
priority. If they could only keep her blood from being spilled long
enough, Glory would be unable to complete her ritual, and the world would
be saved. Unfortunately, right now there were way too many people, and
demons, in their way.
"On the plus side," said the redhead. "If we can't get to her, no one
else can either."
Tara frowned. "I'm not so sure about that, Willow." She was staring up
at the tower, and her senses were going a mile a minute. "I think there's
someone up there with Dawn."
"What?" Willow couldn't see anything, it was too dark. "Are you sure?"
"No. But can we take the chance?"
Willow licked her lips. "I have an idea." She closed her eyes and
concentrated. "Spike..." On the far side of the battlefield, the startled
vampire raised his head. "...can you hear me?"
"Yeah. Loud and clear."
Willow looked up toward the tower. "Is there someone up there with
Dawn?"
"Yeah." Spike did not know why he was suddenly able to hear Willow's
voice in his head, but he seen and done so much in his long life he
wasn't particularly bothered by it. "Can't tell who."
"Get up there!" Willow insisted.
Spike looked upon the more than a dozen armed demons and humans
standing between him and the stairs, and shook his head. "Yeah, but..."
"Go, now!" As Spike took off, Willow reached back blindly with her
hand. Without hesitation Tara grabbed it, and together their combined
power swept the crowd apart. They went flying, in several different
directions, and Spike darted right between them. He covered several steps
at a time.
Tara watched until the vampire was out of sight. "Do you think he'll
be able to do it?"
"I hope so," said Willow. "I'm just about out of ideas."
They turned to see how Buffy was doing. It appeared as if she actually
had the Hellgod on the ropes. Glory's face was battered and bloody, but
she was still on her feet. Each time Buffy swung the hammer, it staggered
the Hellgod just a little bit more. They wondered how much she could
take.
Willow and Tara's attention was then drawn back to the tower, as they
saw movement from the corner of their eyes. It was Spike. He was
free-falling three stories to the hard ground below. Whoever was with
Dawn was not playing games, apparently. Spike hit, hard, and lay still,
though from where they were sitting they could just tell he was still
alive--or whatever term was appropriate to a vampire.
"Oh man," said the redhead. "This is not good." Glory was getting
desperate, fighting back with all she had, but by that point the Slayer
had proven to be the stronger of the two. "There is no way Buffy can
finish in time to help Dawn. And it looks like Spike it out."
Tara looked her lover in the eye. "I guess it's up to us."
"None of the others can get up there fast enough," said Willow. "But I
have an idea." She pulled a little bag out of her pocket. "Do you
remember the teleportation spell we did against Glory?"
"Of course. It gave you headaches for a week." Tara blinked. "Wait.
Willow. You're not thinking about using it again, are you? It's too
dangerous..."
Willow shook her head. "I've modified it. The only reason it took so
much out of me the last time, is because I took the entire burden on
myself by saying the power word alone. Plus, in my defense we were
teleporting an honest to goodness god, against her will." She cupped
Tara's cheek. "Together, we should be fine. As long as we concentrate on
where we want to go...up to that tower."
"Okay." Tara took a deep breath. "It's not like we have much of a
choice anyway."
Willow tossed the powder into the air--and as it sprinkled down upon
them they simultaneously clapped their hands. Focusing their will, and
their power, they shouted: "Discaine!"
With a loud pop, the witches literally vanished into thin air. The
place where they had been sitting was empty, save for a smoldering black
circle.
Doc gently sliced into Dawn's flesh, being extra-careful not to spill
too much of her blood.
"Shallow cuts."
After all, Doc knew if the Key bled too much too quickly, there was a
chance her mortal body would give out and she would die before Glorificus
had the opportunity to return home. And once the portal was closed, it
was closed forever, leaving her stranded in this lower plane of
existence.
Dawn cried as her blood began to flow. It slowly made its way down her
legs. She didn't know what was going to happen, exactly, but she knew it
would be soon. "Buffy!"
Willow and Tara materialized on the far end of the platform. They fell
against one another, gasping for air, as Doc turned to face them. He
could see they were sweating and breathing hard, and it wasn't hard to
figure out it had taken a great effort for them to get up to him. He
smiled.
"Well now." He started toward the witches. "This should be
interesting."
Tara felt as if her body had been turned inside out. Her head was all
fuzzy, it was hard for her to think, and her stomach was all twisted up
in knots. It was something of a minor miracle she was still on her feet,
as her knees had apparently turned to jello. "Goddess."
Through a haze of pain and nausea, Willow heard approaching footsteps.
She stared, until her eyes had finally focused enough for her to
recognize the demon who attacked them outside of Caritas. Her head still
throbbing, she lifted a trembling hand and pointed it at him. "Away!"
No one was more surprised than Doc, when an invisible wall of force
struck him so hard he was lifted off his feet. Screaming, he went sailing
off the side of the platform and plummeted into darkness, so far away
they did not even hear him hit the ground.
Willow dropped her hand. "It's over."
"No," said Tara. "We still have to get Dawn away from here."
As the witches untied Dawn, they failed to notice her blood seeping
through the open surface of the platform they were all standing on. Drop
by drop it collected in mid-air, until there was an audible tearing
sound, and the very fabric of reality itself began to unravel. A surging,
crackling vortex of blue energy appeared beneath them, growing larger and
larger with each passing second.
In that one, terrible instant, they knew they were too late.
Terrible bolts of lightning began erupting from the vortex, and
everything they touched was altered. A fissure was torn open in the
middle of the street, and a nearby building suddenly became the nest for
some particularly hideous, white-skinned demons. Even the construction
site beneath them was not spared; a stray bolt dislodged some stone or
other building material, and they could hear it crash down.
"Oh no," said Willow. "It's starting."
Dawn stared into the vortex as she thought about the blood. The blood
which had caused all this. Her blood. It was all her fault. She had
destroyed the entire world.
"It's me. It's all because of me."
A huge, gray-skinned, dragon-like creature sailed out of the vortex.
It soared past them, and they lost track of it as it disappeared off into
the night sky.
"Buffy." Dawn closed her eyes for a moment. "Mom."
Tara put her arms around the redhead. "I love you, Willow."
Willow embraced her in return. "Goddess, Tara. I love you too."
For Dawn, the time for tears was passed. She could see everything so
clearly now, and she knew what she had to do. "Willow, Tara, do me a
favor. Tell Buffy I'm sorry, and...I'm okay." Before either of them could
make any effort to stop her, Dawn turned and ran for the edge of the
platform.
"No!" The scream came not from Willow or Tara, but Buffy. The Slayer
had made it to the top of the tower in time to see her sister doing a
swan-dive off the platform.
To her credit, there was no fear on Dawn's face as she plunged into
the vortex. In that one, agonizing moment of eternity, every second of
her life passed before her eyes. Mom. Dad. Learning to swim. Riding a
bike. Her first earthquake. Angel. Xander. Spike. Giles. Seeing Willow
and Tara kissing. Her first slumber party. Kissing her best friend on the
lips. Eating marshmallows. The Hellmouth.
And then, just like that, it was all over. Dawn's eyes closed, and her
body just seemed to dissolve. It became a shimmering mass of pure green
energy, being drawn in every direction at once by the force of the
multitude of dimensions. They Key, once again in its true form,
fulfilling its ultimate destiny as it sealed the breaches it had caused,
while assuring it could never be used that way again.
But there was more.
The spell cast by the monks, all those months ago, which had been
bound with the essence of the Key, ceased to be. It wasn't that Buffy and
the others didn't remember Dawn. Instead, in their reality the girl known
as Dawn had never existed at all. No sister. No chess partner. No origin
of a childhood crush. She had literally given her all to save the world
she loved, and none of them would ever know it.
Buffy, Willow, and Tara all embraced one another on top of the tower,
knowing that the Apocalypse had been averted once again. They weren't
sure exactly how, as their memories of the Key were only vague. It was
not an object which needed their protection any longer, apparently, so
they assumed it had somehow been returned to its rightful place in the
universe. Wherever that was.
"Let's go home," said the Slayer, one arm around each of her friend's
shoulders.
laughingly be called normal in a place like Sunnydale. The demons and
vampires--most of whom had left because of Glory--were slowly finding
their way back into the city. Patrolling was once again in full swing.
It was early in the morning, well before the sun had even come up,
Willow and Tara lay in bed with their arms and legs wrapped around one
another. Every inch of bare skin glistened with a fine layer of sweat,
generated by a night of exceptionally passionate lovemaking. They were
both a little out of breath, their breasts still heaving beneath the
sheet as they huddled together and talked quietly.
"Willow?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
Willow lay her head on Tara's shoulder and grinned.
"Honey, after what you just did for me, you can ask me anything you
want."
Tara's cheeks, still flushed, turned an even darker shade of red.
"Have you ever thought about...kids?"
Willow blinked. "What?"
"Kids. Children."
"I know what they are."
Tara nodded. "So? Have you?"
"Honestly?" Willow lay her head back and sighed. "Sure. Of course. I
mean, since you...since we...it's crossed my mind. Once or twice, I
guess. Why do you ask?"
Tara took a moment to organize her thoughts. "Because, before I met
you, I never really thought about it. Not seriously, anyway. I
don't...you were with a guy. You had that option." She turned her head,
and looked her lover in the eye. "I love you so much, Willow. And I don't
think there can be a greater symbol of our love, than having a child
together. And I know, in my heart, that you would be an incredible
mother."
"Goddess." Willow leaned in and kissed her lover. "Tara, are you
saying you want a child?"
Tara shook her head. "No." She saw the stunned look on Willow's face.
"Not yet. I think we're too young, right now. In a few years, when we're
done with school, and we've had the chance to really start our lives
together, I'd like to consider the possibility. One day. I mean, I
even..."
Willow saw the sparkle in Tara's eyes. "You've already thought of a
name, haven't you?"
"Not really."
Willow smiled. Her lover was many things, but a good liar was not
among them. "What is it?"
"Dawn."
"That's a beautiful name. What made you think of it?"
"I don't know. It just came to me."
"Dawn." Willow snuggled into Tara and closed her eyes. "I'll have to
remember that."
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
IP: Logged
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
IP: Logged
posted September 17, 2001 14:09 Awww, that's lovely. Baby Dawn, with two wicca mothers!------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
posted September 17, 2001 14:59 Kirk, this story was fantastic. And the ending is great. (Hell, I was halfway expecting Willow or Tara to be impregnated by the Key's essence!)Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
IP: Logged
posted September 17, 2001 16:41 Great ending Kirk and that last scene with W/T was very sweet.IP: LoggedKirkBaldridgeBlessed Wannabe I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 21, 2001 14:41 Thanx, everybody.I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
IP: Logged
posted September 22, 2001 02:20 Sniff!!!Beautiful just beautiful.by mollyig » Mon Sep 17, 2001 11:09 am
------------------
"The hardest to learn is the least complicated" - Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls)
by CaptMurdock » Mon Sep 17, 2001 11:59 am
Thank you.
------------------
"I will say, I've been in some weird places, but this is…another weird place."
by Warduke » Mon Sep 17, 2001 1:41 pm
by KirkBaldridge » Fri Sep 21, 2001 11:41 am
I'm glad you liked it.
------------------
Kirk Baldridge
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
I got so lost.
I found you.I will always find you.
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