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Chapter Thirty Nine
Buffy was up earlier than usual. Faith was asleep in a nest again. It didn’t look comfortable but Buffy respected Faith’s decision. The Slayer moved surely and silently down the hall. Buffy smiled when she saw Dawn was asleep in her bed. What was supposed to be a quick peek in on the witches turned into a silent assessment before she closed their door. Finally she headed down stairs. She pulled out the tea maker Giles had given her mother, filled it, and let it come to a near boil. Buffy let it come to a boil twice more before Betty floated into the kitchen with a yawn.
“Why the repeated electric heating?” Betty asked glancing at the boiler. “Is something wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Buffy said with a studied calmness in her voice. “When did you know Dawn was the Key?”
“About two hours before I gave up something I thought I’d wanted for centuries,” Betty said quietly.
Buffy just nodded. “Did you know she wasn’t the Key any more when the Queen of the Salamanders showed up?”
“No,” Betty admitted. “I wouldn’t have been so bloody flabbergasted.” With that her sphere trembled and the flames had a slight green tinge for a moment. “I swear I aged a century right then and there.”
“Not a clue?” Buffy asked with a frown.
“The dance was supposed to be about change and choice,” Betty explained. “Dozens of new Slayers and Dawn being just, well not just, not ever really ‘just’, a normal girl that’s...that’s beyond anything that I foresaw happening. By the by, we don’t have queens. Her proper title would be Mother of the Sacred Flame.”
“Thank you,” Buffy said politely.
“No problem,” Betty said with equal politeness. “You appear to have another question.”
“Who was behind the spell last night?” Buffy asked patiently. “I mean the real source.”
“The girls were pitching on the side of the angels,” Betty said with a sigh. “They very nearly directly channeled the The Light.”
“The Light?” Buffy asked with hint of doubt. “Kind of vague.”
“Then think of it as God, Allah, the Great Spirit, the Creator, Holy Mother,” Betty replied firmly “The Great Big Goodness in the Sky.”
“I’d debate the Big Kahuna’s goodness,” Buffy said tightly.
“What’s wrong?”
“One of the new Slayers died,” Buffy replied crossing her arms across her chest. “Alone from what the dream gave me. I guess the Watchers missed one. And the others are children!”
“Dream?” the salamander mused aloud. “Oh, the Slayer dreams. I read up on those. I’m sorry Buffy. I didn’t know. I seem to be saying that a lot of late.” Buffy just nodded. Betty watched the girl for a moment. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”
“Betty, if there was some great big bad spell done with yesterday’s magic, how would you break it and make things better?”
“You’d have to counter or disrupt the casting. And perhaps capture some of the original caster’s power.”
“So if I’m the kind of person who hires Wolfram and Hart and I really want the old days back that’s what I’d do?” Buffy asked leaning forward.
“The old days won’t come back,” Betty answered reassuringly.
“Does my hypothetical big bad know that?”
“Probably not.”
“So if I disrupt the magician behind the spell, or rather witches, maybe I get magic back the way I like it and I get the witches power?”
“I see your concern,” Betty answered gently. “I wouldn’t think Willow or Tara are vulnerable to a magic attack right now given the new way magic is working. It’s going to take a while for the new rules to be understood.”
“I can’t lose Willow again,” Buffy said a small voice. “And Tara...no, I can’t lose either of them.”
“They are fairly safe from magic.”
“There are other ways than magic,” Buffy said, her fear making her voice harsh. “I know they aren’t bulletproof.”
“And someone ruthless enough to use any means necessary would use any mean necessary!” Betty hissed, her tail slashing back and forth. “Oh. Bloody. Hell!” Betty’s sphere lifted and the flames became an agitated orange. Then the flames calmed down and Betty turned back to the Slayer. “Was that in your dream?”
“Not a Slayer dream,” Buffy answered. “Just a ‘brain trying to understand the day’ kind of dream.”
“Lass, I don’t envy you your dreams,” Betty said sadly. “I’ve got to go ask some questions.”
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Tara awoke as Willow shambled off to the bathroom. “To heck with remote viewing,” the redhead muttered. “I want remote peeing.”
Tara gave an affirmative grunt and rolled over. After a moment she knew she wasn’t going to go back to sleep. Tara got up and stretched as she put on a robe. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and was slightly startled to see her reflection with golden blonde hair. Tara sat at the small vanity and stared at the mirror. She pulled her hair back, then began to try other styles. She was more engrossed than she thought but she didn’t realize it until she felt Willow’s hands on her shoulders.
“You’re going to become as vain as a cat,” Willow teased.
“Wanna pet me?” Tara purred as she turned to her lover.
Willow ran a hand through Tara’s hair as the blonde leaned against her. She wasn’t expecting the giggle that slipped from Tara. Tara looked up with a soft smile. “Your tummy’s growling” she said. “And I smell pancakes. You’re going to need your strength later.”
“Later,” Willow promised. “Very definitely later.”
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“Two more days,” Dawn said excitedly as she got up from the small table in the kitchen. “Then freedom!”
“Oh, right,” Buffy said distractedly. “Mercury days delaying vacation. Think I prefer snow days.”
“What are you going to do this summer?” Faith asked.
“Learn to drive!” Dawn almost squeaked.
Buffy let out a choked cough on her Captain Crunch. Dawn didn’t seem to notice as she rushed out to to the familiar green minivan driven by Janice’s mother. Faith watched Buffy slowly gasp herself under control.
“You’re supposed to breath the air, not the milk and cereal,” the dark haired Slayer pointed out.
“Thanks,” Buffy said with a glare. “I’ll try to keep that in my little blonde head from now on.”
“Hey, B,” Faith said quickly. Buffy sighed.
“Sorry,” Buffy whispered. Then she looked at Faith. “Did you have a dream last night?”
“I think so,” Faith said with a frown. “I didn’t understand most of it. Part of it was like a biblical disaster movie.”
“What do you remember?”
“Not much.” Faith closed her eyes. “There was this volcano kind of thing.”
“I didn’t get that part either,” Buffy admitted. “But I think its important and I should know the scene. Anything else?”
“I felt...it’s weird, like I lost somebody but its not clear.”
“One of the new girls died last night. Alone.”
“I’m so sorry!” Willow said from the doorway. The redhead hurried forward and wrapped her friend in a hug.
“Are you okay, Faith?” Tara asked worriedly placing a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” Faith said in a disappointed tone. “I-I didn’t get the whole dream thing.”
“Each Slayer’s different,” Tara said hoping she was right. “With everything that’s happened the rules might have changed.”
“She didn’t have a Watcher?” Willow asked with a hint of anger.
“They missed her,” Buffy replied.
Tara felt Faith’s tension increase under her hand. “Right now I’m very glad you’re here with us, Faith,” Tara said softly. “We’re going to need everyone to get through this.”
“We’ll make it,” Faith said feeling more at ease with Tara’s touch. There was another, fainter feeling but Faith ignored it for the moment.
“There’s some other stuff too,” Buffy said in a rush. “I’ve been talking with Betty and there’s some stuff you need to know.”
“Stuff we need to know?” Willow asked looking puzzled.
“Yeah,” Buffy said. “Since keeping secrets and trying to protect each other have kind of blown up at the worst times before I figured I’d try something else.”
“Like facts and the truth?” Tara said unhappily as she remembered her family fighting blind. Faith reached up and put her hand over Tara’s.
“Tara, everyone at this table has made mistakes,” Buffy said with a wan smile. “I guess that helps put us on the same level.”
“What do we need to know?” Willow said carefully.
“Well, to start, Dawn is just Dawn and not the Key anymore. Betty confirmed it and doesn’t know how it happened.”
“Betty confirmed it?” Tara asked with a hard tone in her voice.
“Key?” Faith asked with a bewildered look.
“It’s, um, kind of long story,” Tara said uncomfortably.
“Am I going to need to know it if Dawn’s not a were-walrus or an elf princess from some tree filled alternate reality anymore?” Faith asked.
“Um, probably not,” Buffy answered.
“Then please spare me the weirdness,” Faith sighed. “Red, could you recommend a thesaurus? I’m really overusing the word ‘weird’ around here.”
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In the Hotel Hyperion Gunn looked through the e-mails from Cordelia and Angel (or rather Connor for Angel the young detective was sure). He was also monitoring various news sites. Those sites spoke of some vanishing people and objects from Wolfram and Hart’s offices around the world but no widespread damage. However there were rumors of cases being reopened and the law firm entering bankruptcy. Aside from that and a few small spontaneous combustion stories nothing looked like Wes’ worry about changing magic.
Across the desk Fred was engrossed in the paperwork following their latest investigation, confirming their client’s fear that her husband had indeed fallen off the sewer rat wagon. Suddenly the thin girl stopped and looked up from her notes.
“Is Quadahalle as in the Quadahalle Anti Rodent Consumption League one L or two?” she asked.
“You’re asking me?” Gunn grinned.
“Two els,” Wesley said not looking up from his own computer search. “Emphasis on the last syllable.”
“Unless it concerns a female article, noun, or adverb,” a female voice added.
Wes looked up at the woman, her features framed with dark ringlets of hair. It took a moment but he was finally able to get out “Thank you, Virginia.”
“Hello,” Gunn said standing up. “How can Angel Investigations help you?”
“You can tell me what’s happened to the magic,” Virginia said urgently. “And who’s in control of it now.”
“Let me make a phone call,” the former Watcher said calmly.
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“What else is eating you, B?” Faith asked as she took a coffee from Tara.
“It’s mostly speculation, and I didn’t see it in a Slayer dream, okay?” Buffy said hurriedly as she looked at Willow.
“But you did dream it?” Willow asked.
“Uh, yeah, sorry.”
“Not good,” Willow said with a worried frown. “How much not good?”
“Lots of not good,” Buffy sighed. “Will, you know how you’d break a spell you didn’t like back in the old days, like the day before yesterday?”
“You could go after the components, the method, or the caster...” Willow’s eyes grew wide as she looked at Tara.
“But we didn’t cast the new magic, something a lot bigger than us did that,” Tara insisted.
“But it would seem like it came from us if you didn’t know,” Willow said worriedly. “And there’s a whole lot of people who know how powerful you are now love.”
“But I don’t think I am powerful,” Tara said in a rush. “I feel-I feel like me, like the me I was when I got back the best girl ever.”
“Tara, have you ever felt the power you had?” Buffy asked carefully.
“When I felt anything it felt like I was holding something strong I didn’t understand and was always w-worrying about it, you know, escaping and h-hurting somebody.”
“And now?” Buffy asked gently.
“The magic feels like mine. Just mine.” Then the blonde lowered her head in a way that made Willow’s heart ache. “S-sorry.”
“Just Tara magic was pretty damn good,” Buffy observed. Tara smiled shyly.
“It kicked ass,” Faith added. “Mine included.”
“So there shouldn’t be any problems with the old magic guys, right?” Willow asked hopefully. “Since there’s nothing we can do to change it.”
“They won’t be thinking, Red,” Faith said tightly. “They’re scared. They don’t like to be scared. They’re gonna try to smash things back to the way they want them.”
“But the magic is changed for good,” Willow said as she looked away. As if from a distance she said “And the gate is closed...
“The Gates of Blood are closed!” both Slayers almost shouted.
“That’s what the other part of the dream was!” Buffy said looking at Faith.
“Lava, big rocks and burn baby burn,” Faith said distantly. “That’s kind of permanent.”
On the table the plate of pancakes cooled quite forgotten.
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Cordelia was sitting off the set for moment, relishing the quiet in the edge of the forest. She was almost dozing when she heard a litany of ‘no’ coming from the other side of a stand of vine maple. She looked over and saw Liam, the main writer for Wendy the Werewolf Warrior writing on a pad and then scratching out what he wrote. Finally Cordie stepped around the small trees.
“Problem?” she asked easily.
“Jocasta or Terri?” the writer grumbled. “Who’s going to have the doofus boyfriend and who’s going to fall victim to Helmut?”
“They’re witches, right?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Not very strong ones for now.”
“Why not Jocasta and Terri?” Cordelia asked. “I saw the girls reading the scene in the dance club. There’s good chemistry there.”
“You mean they’re gay?” Liam asked quizzically.
“No!” Cordelia sighed. “They’re actors who act really well off each other.”
“And Wendy?” the writer asked. “How do the lezzie witches treat her?”
“They treat her like a not too bright but nice little sister,” Cordelia said with a smirk. “Or the kind of friend you really like but shouldn’t be allowed sharp things like pencils. Oh, you should make one a real tech witch who knows computers and stuff and the other can be the traditional organic type.”
“Okay, how about Henry?”
“Wendy saves him,” Cordelia said. “Unrequited love, tries settling with the witches, finally clues in and bounces from one terrible girlfriend to another.”
“I’ll...think about it,” Liam said much too nonchalantly.
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“Closed by tons of fire and rock?” Giles asked as young women filled the rest of chairs in the small apartment.
“Never more to open type closed,” Buffy answered.
“That would explain one of the phone calls this morning,” Giles said thoughtfully. “It seems most of the Slayers had dreams that weren’t as clear as yours.”
“One of them never had a chance,” Buffy said softly. Giles took off his glasses and stood up. He took a few paces to the window.
“I’m sorry,” Giles said after a moment. “We’ll see what we can find out.”
“We?” Buffy asked quickly.
“I’ve been asked to teach the Watchers who suddenly have new Slayers what you might call the ‘modern method’ of Slayer Management.”
“What happened to one Watcher, one Slayer?” Faith asked pointedly.
“”It seems it has become one Slayer, one Watcher, some friends, and the occasional lover,” Giles said uncomfortably.
“Sounds challenging,” Willow said with a small smile.
“Yes,” Giles said returning to his chair. “Quite. Is there anything else?”
“Dawn’s a real girl according to Betty,” Buffy said with a studied neutrality in her voice. Giles sat up with an alarmed expression. “Faith doesn’t know,” Buffy added.
“Faith doesn’t freaking want to know,” Faith admitted.
“The were-walrus of Warsaw is safe!” Willow said to Tara in a stage whisper.
“Wonderful!” Tara whispered back.
“Quite reasonable, Faith,” Giles nodded. “Willow, Tara, please don’t explain.” Giles looked at the women. “And?”
“And Buffy’s had a dream, but not a Slayer dream, and it was about somebody wanting the old magic back,” Willow said in an unhappy rush. “They try to use the break the spell at the source method and we’re the source but Tara’s more well known right now especially around the demons in LA and anyone we tried to fool with the ‘bespelled salamanders’ bit which would be terrible but okay if she had lots of magic but Tara doesn’t feel like she has a lot anymore and I’m kind of freaked.”
“It might make sense that Tara’s magic has returned to normal,” Giles said thoughtfully.
“How?” Tara said leaning forward, her hope and trust in him evident in a single word.
“All of this started with an act committed by a man using the darkest magics,” Giles said warming to his subject. “To counter that attack you used and then managed to destroy two of the most powerful tomes of evil magic that ever existed and the magic of those who coveted those books.”
“And the rest of what happened?” Buffy asked. “Nazi vampires with guns, cursed mercury, that creepy Varschick-”
“Varshak,” Giles corrected. “I just finished an article on it for the Watcher’s Quarterly.”
“Not surprised,” Buffy said with an oddly proud smile.
“What about Tar?” Faith asked impatiently.
“Yes,” Giles said looking back at the blonde witch. “Tara. Most of what happened came about because of exposure to evil magic or your efforts to harness and destroy it. Now you’ve touched the blessed in a spell that was as big or bigger. You’ve become balanced again.”
“Her magic had the bad magic countered with the good magic?” Willow asked shaking her head. “That’s-” There was a long pause as Willow’s face fell, then brightened as she thought of another point only to halt before she spoke and look thoughtful.
“It sounds right,” Tara said taking Willow’s hand.
“Yeah,” Willow added with frown. “I’m just worried.”
“You may have right to be,” Giles said more seriously. “Last night I phoned and asked Angel’s people in LA to watch for any evidence of a change in magic.”
“W-was there any?” Tara asked softly.
“Yes, but without the massive damage the destruction of the evil books inflicted. As an organization Wolfram and Hart has been damaged severely but without wanton destruction or even much injury.”
“More dispersed?” Buffy thought aloud.
“More mercy,” Tara said surely.
“Wes also said the first questions about the new magic, and who controls it have been asked,” Giles added carefully.
“By who?” Buffy demanded, almost bristling.
“Virginia Bryce,” Giles answered. “Daughter of Magnus Bryce, one of the most powerful brokers of magic in all of California. She is rather insistent on seeing someone in charge.”
“No,” Buffy said flatly.
Giles saw Faith was now standing between Willow and Tara and the window, as Buffy was standing between them and the door.
“Maybe if we talk to her,” Tara said trying to be calm. “We can tell her the truth and it might help get the word out.”
“It would be rude to refuse a request at this time,” Giles agreed in a polite tone with what might have been considered a smile.
“Time..time...something from last night,” Tara said softly to Willow as Buffy, Faith and Giles began to talk about the meeting.
“Yeah,” Willow nodded. “It was...oh well, probably not important. Giles, is there anything breakfasty here? I’m starving!”
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“The Magic Box, where magic awaits,” Anya said brightly as she answered the phone, but she frowned as she listened. “Look, I know who she is and I’ll tell her you called, but I’m not going to promise anything, understand that. Okay, what’s the number?”
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“Are they going to be okay on their own?” Faith asked as she watched the witches walk across the small courtyard toward the street. Before her question could be answered Faith gave a bit of a start when the new cell phone in her pants began to vibrate. She managed to get it out of her pocket without breaking it and flipped it open.
“Hello?” she said. “Who? Yeah, I know her. Oh crap. Yeah, give me the number.” After a very brief flurry of looking a pencil was produced and Faith wrote the number on a book’s flyleaf as Giles sputtered. “Thanks, Anya.” She turned to Buffy and Giles. “We may have clients for our first Slayer workshop.”
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Liam looked at the rest of the writers and the producer at the end of the cramped RV. They were silent as he finished his idea about making the witches gay and in love.
“Controversial,” an older one muttered.
“Cheap,” said the producer leaning forward. “The side story about two lesbian witches trying to figure each other out could fill up some of the gaps cheaper than CGI. Henry picking the wrong girl is going to wear thin, but the girls will generate eyeballs just because no one else is going to do it outside of cable. They’ll dance around each other until the first sweeps, then Helmut shows up and witches connect.”
“What about the howl from the censors?” the older writer asked.
“And a whole lot of others,” the producer smiled humorlessly. “You say controversy, I say free publicity aimed at a desirable advertising segment.”
“That’s kind of cold,” Liam said with a frown.
“Its show business,” the producer pointed out as he leaned back. “Find the publicist. We’ve got something to add to the background.”
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“You’ve met them?” Virginia asked as Wesley merged into the brainless monster that was Interstate 10 at this hour.
“Yes,” the Englishman replied tersely.
“Am I going to piss them off by interrupting their schedule?” she asked nervously.
“No, I think they’re almost done with classes.”
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“They left about ten minutes ago,” Fred said into her headset.
“What about her father and his rival?” Giles asked a hundred miles away.
“Neither Magnus Bryce nor Paul Lanier are answering any phone numbers I’ve been able to find,” Fred said quickly. “Charles has taken a quick look at both of their estates.”
“What did Mr. Gunn observe?”
“Both places are busy but not in a real productive way.”
“Beheaded chickens comes to mind.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do either of you have any back up right now?” Giles asked.
“Um, not really.”
“Tell him to watch Bryce’s place from a distance and let me know immediately if they get suddenly organized,” Giles said firmly. “Reconnaissance only.”
“I’ll tell him,” Fred said with an equally firm tone. After she hung up she added with a sigh. “Whether or not he’ll listen is another thing altogether.”
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“Honey, your meeting with your advisers don’t start until noon,” Tara pointed out gently.
“I know,” Willow said as they approached the Espresso Pump. “But between Buffy and Faith getting all protective and Giles not even having an English Muffin and how does he let that happen-okay, that might be stereotypical, I had to get out of there.”
“I understand,” Tara said holding Willow’s hand. “I missed breakfast too.”
“I mean it’s not like a great huge crisis is going to crash down on us at this moment,” Willow protested.
“”Well, it has been a bad month,” Tara sighed.
“Year,” Willow said rolling her eyes. The she froze. “And...”
“A year and a day!” Tara whispered with a quiver in her voice.
Tara and Willow looked at each other in shock as each of them remembered the words from their host at the end of the spell.
“Honey,” Willow said in a shaken voice. Then as they stood in the dappled shade there came a loud reminder about missed meals.
“I’m not facing an uncertain future on an empty stomach,” Tara said with a weak smile at her love. “Let’s get something to eat.”
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“Who called looking for help?” Buffy asked as she and Faith headed for the Magic Box.
“It’s Kelli,” Faith said.
“Blonde, pretty and friendly,” Buffy said with a lifted eyebrow. “Very friendly if you were female.”
“That’s her,” Faith said flatly. “And no, we weren’t friendly that way.”
“Me neither,” Buffy smiled. “You know, this is going to sound crazy, but I was glad when she tried to pick me up. She had an eye for pretty girls. Wait! That night at the Bronze when she got jumped by that possessed frat boy.”
“I made sure she got home,” Faith said after a moment. “She kind of understood about Sunnydale and...we talked. A lot for me.”
“I think that’s a good thing,” Buffy said sincerely. “Is she in trouble? Oh no! She’s not a brand new Slayer, is she?”
“Her girlfriend is,” Faith with a frown. “You know, Kelli kind of reminded me of Red when she talks about Tara.”
“Kelli?” Buffy wondered with a surprised tone.
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“What do we do?” Tara asked with a smile as Willow basked in a glow of pastry and chocolate induced happiness.
“Finish eating,” Willow answered lazily. “Then you talk to your adviser and I see what book sized project Professor Klein has for my summer. Meet the lady from LA after that.”
“We need to check in on Miss Kitty,” Tara insisted.
“Honey, I’d like to stay at my parents tonight,” Willow said hopefully.
“That’s fine,” Tara replied. Willow caught a feeling of unease from Tara that was not quite like anything she and her lover had shared before. Willow reached out and covered Tara’s hand with hers. “Go on.”
Tara met the most wonderful green eyes that had ever been. “I was just thinking about a sacrifice my father made.”
“Your father?” Willow asked with surprise.
“Yes,” Tara said looking down at her coffee for a moment. Then she looked back to Willow with shining eyes. “My father loved his job, but when he found out about...Mom...he quit that job and took one he’d been offered but hated. He did it for the benefits, so my mother could have everything she needed. He boasted about it to us but one night I...he was trying not cry as he was talking on the phone to one of his old work friends. He made me promise I’d never tell my mother or Donnie.”
“And you never did.”
“I’ve never told anyone until now,” Tara replied. Then Tara looked away, buried in thought. Willow waited patiently as she sipped her coffee. Finally Tara frowned in a puzzled way. “Are you frightened by those words?”
“By the words, yeah,” Willow admitted after a moment. “But not where and who they came from. Last time Wolfram and Hart in LA were destroyed completely except for Lilah Morgan. This time most of world’s scariest lawyers survived. Maybe they didn’t enjoy it at all but they’re alive.”
“There’s lots of sacrifices,” Tara said thoughtfully.
“Like things you don’t want to do?”
“Or things you never saw yourself doing, but things that need to be done,” Tara said softly. “Like fighting vampires.”
“Or facing down a Hellgod rather than give up a sometimes annoying teenaged girl,” Willow said with equal parts dread and pride. “There’s some things I never want to do again.” Then Willow called herself three kinds of idiot when Tara’s face froze. “Tara? Honey?”
“Damn,” Tara hissed.
“What is it?” Willow worried aloud.
“I never finished that spell that would repel a Hellish intruder!”
“Honey, before you start beating yourself up let’s talk to Betty and see if the big spell last night did that already.”
“You’re right,” Tara nodded. “Love, what are we going to tell our family?”
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“OW!”
A being of burnt skin and bone rubbed its nose. The dread creature unfolded its wings and raked with razor sharp talons at the shimmering wall between the dimensions. There was no purchase now. A thousand times it had come this way, but now the path was barred.
“This is so UNFAIR!” it screamed. “I’m out of the good coffee!”
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“You’re saying this Kelli was rather amorous and a bit flighty, correct?”
“Anya, that was a very polite description,” Buffy said admiringly.
“And she’s asking for help for her new girlfriend who’s a Slayer?”
“Yeah,” Faith replied.
“Well if they’re both lesbians Xander can help give them a ride here,” Anya said brightly. “Have you found out what kind of Watcher they have?”
“Kind?” Buffy asked.
“Young, old, field trained, office staff,” Anya counted off. “I’ve picked up a lot from Giles over the last year.”
“We don’t know yet,” Faith said with a shrug. “Why meet here?”
“The training room and the books, plus the chance that this might be a trap,” Anya explained. “As much as it pains me to say it, a business lost is better than friends lost.”
“We’re not gonna lose either,” Faith said with a hard tone.
“Anya, we came for something else,” Buffy interjected gently. “Have you ever heard of a Magnus Bryce?”
“Big time magic broker,” Anya answered without hesitation. “Or he was before last night.”
“Has that changed anything here?” Buffy asked with concern.
“Don’t worry,” Anya reassured her. “Bruce came by and looked through my stuff. Most of what I have in the shop are the basics. The earth, herb, and water based stuff is pretty much unchanged, but it won’t have the same effect unless you can actually do magic. Pity about the mummy hands.”
“Is this Bryce dangerous?” Faith asked.
“Ruthless businessman,” Anya shrugged. “Tried to sacrifice his own daughter for a great big power boost but Angel’s people stopped him. Was a big client for Wolfram and Hart in LA. At least that’s what the chat rooms for magic shops have been saying.”
“What about his daughter, Virginia?” Buffy asked.
“Fell out with her dad over being nearly sacrificed,” Anya said shaking her head. “That can really bring friction into a family.”
“Sacrifice,” Buffy said softly looking at Faith. The dark haired Slayer nodded. I am not going to rush over and wrap Willow and Tara in cotton batting Buffy fumed at herself.
“Very old fashioned,” Anya went on. “Most demons now are into multi-year contracts. The evil ones have balloon payments. A lot of those were done through our favorite lawyers.”
“I’m liking this less and less,” Buffy muttered.
“What?” Anya asked directly.
“Giles is going to meet Virginia Bryce here in the training room,” Buffy explained. “She’s asked for a meet with the people in charge of the new magic.”
“Willow and Tara aren’t in charge,” Anya pointed out.
“You know that, we know that, but the rest of the world doesn’t know that,” Faith replied. “Maybe if more people know that the girls will be safe.”
“Faith, I know you won’t want to hear this,” Anya said in a tone so gentle and wistful it caught the full attention of both Slayers. “Safe is just a word.”
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“What do we tell them?” Tara said as Miss Kitty purred in her lap.
“Do we tell them anything?” Willow mused as she petted the soft black and white tummy.
“I don’t want to keep secrets from them,” Tara said unhappily. “But if they know...”
“If they know they’ll try to help us and get protective and they’ll mess up what they have to do,” Willow said with a sigh. “They’ll be distracted. Especially Buffy, but the rest of them will be almost as bad.”
“And that could get them h-h-hurt or even...” Tara in a vanishing voice as she wrapped herself around the young cat.
“Tara,” Willow said calmly shifting her strokes to Tara’s back. “They’re okay, I’m okay. But Miss Kitty’s going to tell you to back off in a second.”
“S-sorry baby girl,” Tara said straightening up. The cat twisted to her feet and stretched her way to Willow. Tara sighed. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in a year and a-no wait, that’s just a year from now.”
“And we’re assuming its an earth year,” Willow pointed out quickly. “If it were Neptune of Uranus it would be a lot longer! Oh, but if it was Venus or Mercury it would be too short!”
“I think I’ll go with an Earth year,” Tara said with a bemused expression. “But of course we can’t be sure.”
“And as long as we’re not sure we can’t tell them,” Willow said briskly. “At least until we’re absolutely positive. Uh oh, you need to get to your meeting.”
“Right,” Tara said. “Stay here for a bit and spoil the cat.”
“Yes ma’am!”
===========================================================
There was a faint tapping coming from the middle of his living room. Giles looked up from one of his library of notebooks. “Please manifest,” he said politely.
“Good morning,” Betty said formally as her sphere crossed into the reality of a bachelor’s apartment.
“Tea?” Giles asked.
“Oh, that would be lovely,” Betty sighed. Giles turned to the small kitchen and poured a cup holding a stout serving of black tea in a proper tea ball.
“Any problems with the elementals?” Giles asked as he diligently watched the tea steep.
“Only that the dryads and the some of the undines were disappointed that Willow and Tara wouldn’t join them in, ah, a ‘celebration’ of the old magic’s return,” Betty answered with a hint of pink in her flames. “There was an unexpected change, well I can’t call it unexpected, hardly anything about last night went according to my expectations.”
“I understand,” Giles said placing the ceramic trivet on his coffee table. “What is the change?”
“Tara’s spell for repelling Hellish intruders seems to have become part of the world,” Betty replied as Giles placed her cup on the trivet.
“It does fit the sponsors of last night’s extravaganza,” Giles observed. “How is the tea?” he asked as Betty lowered her sphere over the cup and immersed herself in the golden red liquid.
“Lovely,” she sighed happily. “Anything new here?”
“There has been an expected development,” Giles replied. “But not one I am entirely comfortable with given the circumstances.”
“Oh dear.”
===========================================================
Virginia glanced around her with visible alarm as Wes took the off ramp for Sunnydale. The former Watcher sighed.
“The Vampires are all gone and the Hellmouth is no more,” he said turning near the mall.
“Sorry,” Virginia said trying to relax. “You just hear so much about this place. “This little town has been the most darkly magical place in the world for as long as I can remember. My father wouldn’t come near this place.”
“I can see his point,” Wesley replied. “A century old mayor with true demon aspirations, a gate to Hell, and the highest VH ratio-pardon, Vampire to Human ratio ever recorded did dampen the real estate values.”
“One witch changed all that,” the young woman said looking at the tree lined streets. “One witch who’s touched more power than anyone has ever controlled. Aren’t you worried she’s playing some deep game with a hoard of power?”
“Not at all,” Wes smiled. “Ah, here we are.”
“This really is a small town.”
===========================================================
Willow shook her head as she and Tara walked down the winding alley behind the Magic Box. “That’s all?” she asked in an envious tone. “You’ll be done in a semester.”
“I was thinking I might, you know, wait and, um-
“Go with Buffy and Faith on their whirlwind Slayer tour?” Willow asked.
“I think that violates a trademark,” Tara grinned. Then she looked serious. “They’ll need help.”
“But Dawn will be fine here with Anya and Xander,” Willow said surely. “No way that can end badly.”
“Giles can be here with Dawn,” Tara said quickly.
“Yeah,” Willow replied with an arched eyebrow. “It’s too bad there isn’t someone steeped in eldritch lore and who can teach martial arts and could act as a mentor to Buffy and Faith and new Slayers.”
“Giles has been doing so much for years,” Tara said softly.
“Which means he has lots of experience,” Willow finished.
“But he could video conference and take a break...” Tara stopped and looked down. “I’m sorry love. Ever since Buffy told us about the Slayer dream where she dies alone I-I-I keep seeing her in the operating room but the alarms are going off and I c-c-can’t s-s-save h-her. Sometimes its Faith or...Giles.”
Willow wrapped her arms around Tara. “They’re alive, and they’re not alone.”
“S-sorry,” Tara managed to get out. “I sh-should be over this.”
“Tara, if you ever get over worrying about all of us, I’m going to check the basement for pods,” Willow said holding her close. “Besides its been whole weeks since your world came apart.” Willow looked into the prettiest blue eyes in the world. “You are so strong, and caring, and beautiful you make me wonder what I could ever have done to deserve you.”
“You loved me,” Tara said softly. They embraced for a long moment. Finally Willow stepped back and took Tara’s hand.
“We need to hurry,” the redhead said reluctantly.
“Why are we going the back way?” Tara asked.
“Don’t know,” Willow said. “Probably the same reason we have a salamander flying cover.”
Tara looked up and could barely see the ripple caused by the passage of a sphere through the afternoon air. “I didn’t even feel him.”
“Being a fire witch does have some advantages,” Willow pointed out.
“Yeah,” Tara agreed. “It makes you hotter.”
“Somebody’s switch is set to randy,” Willow teased.
“I have another setting?” Tara asked wide-eyed as they came to the back of the Magic Box.
“Not that I’ve found,” Willow said clinically.
Tara smiled as she reached for the door.
“They’ve just arrived,” Faith said before the door was closed. “Change in plans. Anya thinks the store is more appropriate to negotiation and conversation. You two follow me in, and then sit across the table from Bryce, okay?”
“You want us in body armor too?” Willow asked.
“Damn!” Faith hissed. “I’m sorry! I shoulda thought of that!”
Willow’s retort was stopped by the obvious concern on the brunette’s face. She looked at Tara and saw the blonde was looking toward the door to the store. Tara looked at Willow after a moment and the red-haired witch knew Tara was feeling another’s pain. Before Tara could speak Willow touched her cheek. “Now I’m worried. You’re feeling a stranger in another room.”
“There’s...echoes,” Tara said in a distant tone.
“I’m right here, love,” Willow said softly.
Tara straightened her head and met Faith’s eyes. She saw the badly hidden concern. “I’m fine, my bodyguard. Let’s do this.”
===========================================================
Virginia Bryce knew about power. She was minor staple in the tabloids, but she’d seen the power plays of the truly rich and famous. She’s seen magicians that could kill with a glance or make a fortune with a well cast spell. She’d listened outside her father’s office to politicians of all stripes cut deals for a magical edge in an election, their payment being grants and other gifts from the public largesse they controlled.
Now more than a few of those politicians had vanished or retired suddenly along with some of the glitterati she’d almost envied. The LA authorities were still combing through the wreckage of Wolfram and Hart, the once invincible mix of law and magic torn asunder in a whirlwind of the darkest magic she’d ever heard of. There were whispers that not even members of the so-called secret society the Circle of the Black Thorn had made it through that night. Now she was going to meet the witch who had done all of that. She held her hands in her lap to hide their shaking.
The young woman looked at the older Watcher across the table. The boutique little shop fit the small town. The quiet, controlled voice of the Englishman did not. If she hadn’t heard from a few trustworthy demons she could have imagined this Giles as the true power behind the magic. Wes deferred to him from the start. His Slayers watched her like well trained hunting cats and when the more feral brunette had left for the back of the store she had breathed a bit easier. When she returned she led, no, escorted a pair of witches.
The redhead was a witch, and a fire witch to boot. Even Virginia’s small talent for magic could barely read her considerable power. The look the Englishman gave her was one of concern more than control. The blonde behind her barely registered as a witch to Virginia. Giles turned back to their visitor. “Miss Bryce, may I introduce Miss Maclay and Miss Rosenberg.”
Virginia met the fire witch’s green eyes. “Miss Maclay,” she said respectfully. The witch smiled.
“I’m Willow, Willow Rosenberg. This is Tara.”
Virginia glanced quickly at the blonde young woman. She saw Willow’s supportive hand on Tara’s arm as the two witches sat across the table. With her small power Virginia couldn’t see any great power in the sad-eyed girl until she met troubled blue eyes and knew somehow she was going to be heard out. “Thank you for seeing me,” she started. “I need your help. I brought-” The little blonde Slayer’s hand was on her arm before she could reach into her purse.
“A bit slower, please,” the trained vampire killer said politely.
“Buffy, its okay,” Tara said with gentle sincerity. “Thank you.”
“Ah,” Virginia tried to start. She looked at the witches again as her careful words wouldn’t come as she pulled out a small hand carved figure of a California Quail. “I can’t find my Poppa Martin,” she finally said in a shaking voice. “He went out on that night and he didn’t come back and no one can find him.”
===========================================================
Shit! both Slayers thought at the same second. They redoubled their watch, knowing Tara would reach out.
===========================================================
“Miss Bryce, isn’t your father’s name Magnus?” Giles asked with a slightly puzzled tone.
“My father?” their visitor asked. “The bastard’s missing?”
“The estate is quite full of frentic activity,” Giles said glancing at Wes.
“He was probably out stealing magic from desperate poor people and had one of his new magic toys fail, I hope catastrophically,” Virginia almost spat. “If you run across him bleeding in a gutter, please kick him for me.”
“He’s alive,” Tara said gently. Virginia looked at the blonde witch holding her hand out towards the small wooden carving. “He’s unhurt, but the truck-oh! the whole axle is sheared! But the plants are okay. He rescued them from a new power line access road that’s going through.”
“Where is he?!?” Virginia asked leaning forward.
Tara turned to Willow. “Honey, can you bring up a map of the coast?”
“Who is this gentleman?” Giles asked politely.
“He was our gardener,” Virginia said wistfully. “But that’s like saying da Vinci was a tinkerer. My sperm donor hired him away from the Grand Master of Horticulture over in Lompoc, gave him a house on the estate. After my mom died, or was sacrificed...” the woman choked back whatever she was going to say. “I went there a lot. I couldn’t go out. He and Momma Lupe and the girls became my family. I helped sew Marta’s Quinceanera dress even if I couldn’t go.”
“Why is he on the coast?” Wes asked carefully.
“My father fired him because of me,” Virginia snarled. “I was sixteen. Like Poppa would ever do anything like that. He went back to work with Howard.”
“Ah, that’s why...” Wes started.
“Rebel girl,” Virginia nodded slightly. “Did it mostly to spite him.”
“Wow, that’s way off the beaten path,” Willow said looking at an Apple laptop. “It’s not on the map but with those contours it could be an old access road might still be there.”
“Some of those roads won’t get a vehicle on them for a week,” Wes added.
“How do I find him?” Virginia asked urgently.
“I can give you the road but beyond that...”
Tara stood up and walked to the front door of the shop trailed by Willow. Virginia followed, bracketed by the Slayers but she didn’t even see them. Behind them came the two Watchers with Wes pocketing the carving as he fell in behind Giles Near the curb there was a small patch of earth with clumps of grass and dandelions fighting for space. Tara knelt down and touched the earth. “The Spice Bush is still in bloom at the entrance to the old road,” the witch said with her eyes closed. “It’s a big one and the only one still heavy with flowers on that road. Turn there and you’ll see a big cluster of Sticky Snapdragon, sort of a soft violet color, about a hundred paces up the road. The road is very grassy. Go up the hill on the road until you see a stand of Bigleaf Maple. Oh, watch out for the badger burrow uphill from the truck. She’s got two cubs.”
“Right,” Virginia said writing on a pad. Then she took out her cell. “Mama? He’s okay, but the old truck is busted. I know, I know, maybe he’ll finally buy a new one. I’m on my way over. Can you have the Blazer filled and ready? Cause he has plants. Okay, see you, love you.” She turned to Tara and Willow. “Thank you so much. What can I give you?”
“Does your Poppa consult?” Willow asked.
“We’re reawakening an old garden,” Tara added.
“You might need a winch to get him out of it,” Virginia smiled. “Do you mind roses?”
“There’s an old one there already,” Tara said returning the smile. “I think its an old Ards Rover.”
“He’ll be there,” Virginia grinned. “Thank you.”
“I assume we’re in a hurry?” Wes said as he put on his sunglasses.
“Please,” Virginia said.
“Vaya con Dios,” Willow said as they turned to leave.
Once Wesley’s car pulled away Buffy turned on Tara. “Could you give us a bit more warning before you go off and get mystical?” she hissed in her worry.
“Sorry,” Tara said even as she smiled at the emotion behind Buffy’s chiding tone. “I’ve gotten used to being safe around you two.”
“Safe is just a word,” Faith said unhappily.
===========================================================
“I think you’ll want this,” Wesley said as he handed the carving to Virginia.
“Thanks,” she said. Then the woman’s jaw dropped. “She didn’t touch the quail! That Tara read it at a distance.”
“Quite so,” Wes said pulling out a piece of paper. “From these directions Willow gave me we’re going about a hundred miles north.”
“She read the earth that far away?” Virginia gasped.
“Down to the color of the flowers and the baby badgers,” Wes replied.
“And all she wants is to bring back a garden?”
“Tara’s a rather remarkable young woman,” he answered. “You might let people know that.”
“They’re not going to believe me,” Virginia said, the surprise still in her voice. “But I’ll tell them.”
===========================================================
“Hey, do you need us for the Slayer conference?” Willow asked Giles as they stood outside the store.
“We could help if you need us,” Tara added.
“We’re good at visual aides,” Willow pointed out. “Hocus pocus focus.”
“That might be helpful,” Giles said kindly. “But I was informed by Sheila she’s making dinner and would like Buffy and Faith to come over also if they have free time.”
“Aren’t the new crew getting in at seven?” Buffy asked. “We could do dinner and be back here.”
“I don’t want to set the new Slayer’s expectations too high for anyone in her support group,” Giles explained.
“Not every Slayer’s got kick-ass witches in their posse,” Faith nodded.
“We are kind of out of vampires right now,” Buffy said thoughtfully.
“And training dummies don’t pouf into dust,” Faith added.
“Very well,” Giles sighed. “If you’re not too tired and don’t over-extend yourselves we could use your help.”
“We’ll be fine,” Willow smiled. “Join us for dinner?”
“Computer conference call with the planning committee,” Giles said unhappily. “You can’t just throw a bullwhip and a revolver into your suitcase and head off for adventure anymore. Bloody accountants.”
“Sorry G man,” Faith said with a wince at the word ‘accountants’.
“Please escort our witches and get them back on time,” Giles instructed. “Oh, and bring back a bottle of aspirin if you’d be so kind. I’m sure there is going to be a slide presentation and droning.”
“We’ll do that,” Buffy promised.
The girls turned and began walking towards the Rosenberg house. Giles barely heard the chatter they fell into as they walked away. He took out his phone and called Fred. “Please take Mr. Gunn off surveillance,” Giles said tiredly. “The threat did not materialize.”
“Sir, Bryce’s people are suddenly heading for an abandoned warehouse near Hollywood.”
“A bad neighborhood?” Giles asked.
“It’s getting that way,” Fred answered. “I wouldn’t go near it.”
“Probably a magic power theft gone wrong,” Giles said. “Tell Charles to leave it alone for now but note the area for investigation after things calm down.”
“Thank you,” Fred said with relief. “I’ll set a watch on the electronic traffic too.”
“Nothing traceable, Miss Burkle,” Giles ordered.
“I’ll be careful, sir.”
Giles slipped he phone closed as the girls took the turn that would lead them to a home cooked meal. He lost sight of them and turned back to the Magic Box. Anya looked up as he came in.
“I know that look,” she said directly. “Giles, you can’t protect them forever.”
“I of course have no idea what you’re referring to,” he said with a small smile.
“Right,” Anya said. “Oh! Watch the store. I ordered shrimp fried rice and the hot and sour soup from across the street for your dinner, which you will eat.”
“Thank you Anya,” Giles said to her retreating back. When he was alone he took off his glasses.
“Hello Betty,” Giles said into the air.
“She’s right you know,” Betty said with a hint of resignation as she shimmered into the store. “You can’t protect them forever.”
“Perhaps not,” Giles agreed. “But I can try.”
To Be Continued
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