Well, the end is here again...part 2 turned out a little shorter than part 1, but this is the logical place to stop, I think. I do have lots of ideas kicking around for a part 3, if anyone still wants to hang around...
spells42 - Always leave 'em wanting more, as a wise demon once said.
Mary's hearty endorsement of Tara's plan is definitely a good sign - and having faith in W/T to save the day is always a good idea!
As for your other question, this part of the tale won't deal with post-apocalypse times, but that'll definitely be part 3, if people can bear with me through another part...
mole - Is this soon enough?
Tara's definitely got a trick or two up her sleeve, and I think putting trust in the power of love is a good thing. Thanks for reading!
Grayson - That's the thing, isn't it? A lot of good people have been lost, and it would certainly seem that Tara's help could have saved more, but...well, I'll let her explain it. And the cliffhanger was sort of evil, I suppose...
eklipse - I'm really glad you've enjoyed the story thus far, and I hope the end's as satisfying. As for what she's gonna do - well, read on!
WillowRulez - Angel's death was definitely a shocker - but what were the odds that the whole core group would come out of a battle that big unscathed? And Gunn - I liked him too, but he seemed the most likely candidate for a turn to the dark side, given his sacrifice of Fred. As for Tara's hair and eye color - well, I won't say too much, but good call!
justin - Yeah, I'm always a fan of giving the PTB's a kick in the pants. But despite Tara's anger, she's not necessarily...well, I won't spoil it here, but see below.
As far as the trust issues with the group, you kind of read my mind on that one. Glad you've enjoyed!
SallyMcFine - Always trust Tara - it's a good. Unfortunately this battle hasn't been an illusion - the apocalypse comes with a price - but there's a twist or two left. Angel Dust - I think I actually had some coke come out my nose when I read that, it was priceless! Poor Gunn - well okay, not really, he kind of deserved it...Thanks for reading!
Chapter 9 - ...Tell Our Moms We Done Our Best
Rating: R for language
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Faith set Buffy down gently, nocked another arrow in her crossbow and took aim at Tara, cold fury in her eyes. All of the slayers who carried ranged weapons did likewise, waiting for Faith’s signal to fire. Willow cried out from behind them, but they took no notice as Faith lowered her arm and the arrows flew. None of them came close to reaching their target, however, as they struck an invisible wall and fell from the sky. Faith broke ranks and stepped forward, a challenging look in her eyes.
“What, then, T?” she screamed. “Is this the part where you kill us all so Red can live?”
There was no reply for a long moment – and then a voice spoke in Willow’s head.
“Willow, do you hear me?”
“Yes. Tara-“
“No time, Will. Get everyone back – as far as you can. I’ve got a little something up my sleeve, but I don’t want anyone caught in it.”
“You – you’re still you?”
She could almost feel the smile as Tara replied.
“Yes, Will, I’m still me. Now quick! Get them back!”
Willow pushed her way through the line to Faith’s side. “We need to fall back.”
“What are you, shittin’ me?”
“Tara’s got something big planned, and we need to be out of the way.”
“Something big – for us, or against us?”
“For us.”
“Well if she’s on our side, what the hell’s she been doing all this time? Angel is dead because of her!”
Willow’s face crumbled at the news, but she looked Faith in the eye as she replied. “I don’t know – if you want her to explain it to you, ask her when this is over. For now, get everyone back!”
Faith stood lost in indecision for a brief moment before she faced their ranks. “Fall back!” she called out. “Everybody fall back!” The call was repeated by the slayers, and they retreated about two hundred feet with the demons offering no pursuit.
Willow looked up at Tara and broadcast a simple message.
“They’re clear! Show ‘em what you’re made of, sweetie!” Tara smiled and soared to the head of the demon army – and then she turned around to face them. With a deep breath, she raised her arms and began to chant – Willow could hear the words, as Tara’s voice was still amplified, but she couldn’t make any sense of the language. She jumped as someone tapped her shoulder.
“Giles? Buffy told me you were going to be here for the fight – where’ve you been?”
“Well…that’s what I thought too, but then I woke up ten minutes ago with this lump on the back of my head – I’m guessing Faith thought I wouldn’t be any help and decided to keep me out of the way, but we’ll have that discussion later…what’s Tara doing?”
“I don’t know, exactly. I’m not even sure what language that is.”
Giles cocked his head and listened for a moment. “It sounds…Wesley! Does that sound pre-druidic to you?”
“Yes! I’ve never heard it, but it borders on primordial!”
“I-“ Giles was interrupted by a flash that lit up the battlefield. Tara’s hands were outstretched and streams of energy poured from them; one white and one black. The streams converged behind the Partners’ army, where an obvious tear was forming – a hole in reality, much like the portal the army had emerged from. As it grew, a whining noise like a wind tunnel at full power split the air and the soldiers closest to it were sucked in and disappeared.
Willow and everyone behind her stood watching in awe as the portal – if that’s what it was – continued to grow, pulling in more and more demons. When the army was nearly gone, with perhaps twenty-five demons remaining, the portal began to shake and tremor. Willow looked up and saw that the streams of power from Tara’s hands were faltering. They sputtered and stopped, and the portal collapsed as Tara’s unconscious form plummeted like a stone from the sky.
[hr]
Faith rallied the slayers and charged the remaining demons, as Willow reached out with the last bit of magick she had in her reserves to catch Tara before she hit the ground. She ran from her position next to Giles and scooped her wife up in her arms. “Tara?” she cried. “Tara?”
Blue eyes fluttered slowly open. “Will?”
Squeezing her as tightly as she dared, Willow planted kisses all over her face. “Tare…are you okay?”
“Um…I think so. Did it work?”
“It worked. What was it?”
“I…I’ll tell you all about it later. I’m sorry I couldn’t do it earlier – I’m sorry so many good people died. I just couldn’t take them all – and if I’d used the spell early and there was too many of them left, it wouldn’t have helped, and then they would have come after you too…goddess, I’m so sorry.” Tears spilled down her face, and Willow’s heart hurt to watch her.
“It’s okay, baby – everyone will understand. You did everything you could.”
“Forgive me, Willow.”
“That’s kind of what I was saying…”
“Not for that, just…tell me you forgive me, okay?”
“Okay, I forgive you. But what...” she trailed off as Tara reached into a pouch at her side and withdrew a familiar-looking plant.
“I love you, Willow,” Tara whispered before she cradled the plant and murmured “forget.” The Lethe’s bramble didn’t flash, as it had when Willow had used it, but rather exploded with the power of the spell Tara cast. Flaming bits of it landed in a circular pattern around them. Willow waited for her memories to disappear, but quickly realized that it didn’t seem to be happening as Tara’s head lolled backwards and she slipped into unconsciousness.
“Tara? Tara? God, baby, what did you do?”
Faith approached, the slayers behind her, leaving the corpses of the demons behind them. One of the Immortal’s army took hold of Buffy, and the rest of the group gathered around the two women. “Red?” asked Faith. “What happened?”
“I don’t know!” she tearfully shouted. “She was okay, and then she did something, cast some kind of spell, and now she won’t wake up! I can’t wake her up!”
“It’ll probably take a few hours,” came a voice from outside the circle. The crowd parted to reveal the apparition of Tara’s mother. “And she’ll have to wake up on her own – you can’t force her.”
“But what did this?” Willow demanded. “What did she do?”
“More than you know,” Mary said sadly. “I talked to her last night, and she explained her plan – but I wasn’t sure she could really go through with it.” She paused for a long moment, and began to explain just as Willow prepared to shout at her. “You see, that wasn’t just a portal she opened – it didn’t just take the demons elsewhere, it took them out of all existence, destroyed their essences. It will take centuries to rebuild that army now – but it won’t matter when it has been. Tara used the energy she had control of – both of the essences you imbued her with – to close and seal every possible hellmouth and portal, even every place where one could be created, from every demon dimension into this one. This reality can never be invaded by forces outside it again. There are still demons in this world, of course, but they can never replenish their numbers. That’s the gift that Tara has given you all – not only did she avert the apocalypse, she has ensured that such a battle never need be fought again.”
“But what’s wrong with her?”
“I’m getting there, Willow, but there are things you need to understand – consequences of her actions that even she was unaware of. Chief among them is the change she’s made to the slayer line.”
Faith stared. “What change?”
“She invoked the essence of the Slayer to perform her spell – in effect, binding that essence to herself. What that’s done is to change the lineage – there will be no further potentials imbued with that power, with the exception of Tara’s bloodline.”
Willow looked down at her stomach. “You mean…”
“Yes. Your twins will be the first of the new slayer line. And their children will be the next, and so on. Your bloodline will be a sacred one. Now, as for Tara herself, she knew there was one more thing she had to do once the spell was done. The deal she made with the Partners was violated, of course, and they would be sending their assassins for you. Now, although the Partners have their own trouble at the moment, their assassins are relentless – but Tara knew much more about their assassins than they realized. The contract on your life is only valid if either party remembers the original deal – the Partners won’t be around to, and Tara had to rid herself of the knowledge to make you safe.”
“Lethe’s Bramble…”
“Yes. She didn’t know how deep she needed to go, though, and so the spell she cast was meant to erase every memory she had – but the Powers stepped in to help out a little, and managed to save most of her memories. So she didn’t wipe her mind clear; it was only memories tinged with darkness that were erased. So what that means is that she is still herself, but without any of the dark memories she carried with her. She doesn’t remember the pain of her childhood, your period of separation, or any of her recent struggle with darkness – she’ll remember the time you spent together this past week, but not the circumstances. And of course, she won't remember her deal with the Partners or any of this battle. She’s going seem almost like a different person when she wakes – still the Tara you love, but happier, more confident and without the weight of the world she’s carried since she was a little girl. She’ll laugh more easily, and smile more often. But she’ll have nightmares, frequently.”
“Nightmares? Why?”
“Spells cast on Lethe’s Bramble are unstable. Even small ones – if Tara hadn’t discovered you made her forget your fight a few years ago, she would have dreamed it eventually. The memories she erased will surface in her nightmares – and it’s going to be up to you how much to tell her should she ask. The Partners’ contract on you was broken forever the moment she forgot it, so you can safely tell her as much or as little as you choose. I leave that decision to you.”
Mary knelt down and stroked Tara’s hand. “And one last thing – she’ll never be able to do magick again. That spell she just cast didn’t only use up all the power she had in her, it burned it out - and she used the absolute last drop of power she had to cast the memory spell.” She looked up at Willow. “Can you love a Tara who can’t do magick?”
Willow gasped. “How can you even ask me that? The magick is us – what we are together. I don’t give a damn if she never does another spell!”
“Glad to hear it. I-“ she stopped mid-sentence to look up at the sky as it turned blood-red, peals of thunder echoing around them.
“What the hell is that?” Faith yelled over the din.
“That’d be our resident troublemaker. Anya! Quit fooling around and get down here!”
A pin dropping in the next time zone could have been heard as the thunder stopped and a girl of about 18 appeared next to Mary. She was beautiful, clothed in a simple white gown that contrasted sharply with the deep red of her hair. “Sorry, Grandma,” she apologized.
“I take it the Partners are no more?”
“Too easy. It’s like I was destined to destroy them or something – oh wait, I was!” She gave a half-smile that Willow would have known anywhere.
“Good. Well, now that you’re here, maybe you want to introduce yourself.”
The girl gave a mocking curtsy. “Anya Anne Rosenberg-Maclay, at your service.” She looked at Willow. “Hello, Mama.”
Willow’s shock turned into tears. “Anya?” She wouldn’t leave Tara’s side, and Anya sensed it and came to her instead, tightly embracing her.
“It’s so good to see you again, Mama.”
“But…how?”
“The night I appeared to you and Tara,” Mary said, “I was going to try and explain it to you, but she was already too lost in her grief to hear me. Anya had to be born human to fulfill the second part of the Shanshu prophecy – to be a child of magick, born to a witch. But to destroy the Partners she had to ascend. And she did – but her work is done now, her destiny fulfilled, and she can come home.”
“You…you’re coming home to me?” Willow managed.
“Yes, Mama. To you and Mom both.”
Willow brushed her fair cheek with one hand. “You’re so grown up…”
“Time passes differently where I was. But I saw you every day – how much you loved Mom, and how you saved her. I love you both – so much. Oh! And before I forget, Grandpa Rosenberg wanted me to pass along a message.”
Willow looked at her silently, not sure what to expect.
“He says he loves you, and that he misses you. He’s sorry you drifted apart, but he never stopped loving you. He…wait, what was it…he sees with greater clarity now, and he wishes he’d been more understanding of your love for Tara. He’s glad you’re happy, and he hopes you can forgive your mother.”
Willow was speechless, so she wrapped Anya in a tight hug and just held her.
“Now,” said Mary. “As for the rest of you…the Powers send along their congratulations and their thanks for your tremendous sacrifice today.”
“Sacrifice?” screamed Spike, his head snapping up. “You bitch! What the hell do you know about sacrifice? You and your Powers can stuff it – Angel gave his life to save this world, and you’re giving him a heartfelt thanks? Bitch.” Buffy, being supported beside him by one of the slayers, had regained enough consciousness for the words to sink in, and she looked around at the group. “Oh please god no,” she moaned. “It can’t be…”
“It’s okay, Buffy,” Mary soothed.
“How the hell is it okay?” Wesley said, carrying more power in his quiet voice than he would have if he’d yelled. “All Angel ever did was what the Powers wanted – and now he’s gone.”
“Actually, if you’d all quit talking at once, I did have a little more to say. The Powers did have more in mind than a heartfelt thanks for Angel – you do remember the Shanshu, right? The vampire with a soul, after playing a pivotal role in the apocalypse, will have his past wiped clean and live again as a human. Note that nowhere in the prophecy does it say he has to live through the final battle to get his reward.”
Spike regarded her suspiciously. “You mean…”
“I do.” She gestured, and from the pile of dust his body had become, Angel was born anew. Clothed in familiar black, he stared back at the group who was staring at him.
“Okay. What the hell’s going on? Last thing I remember I was saving Spike, and then…nothing.”
Spike couldn’t help the goofy grin that crossed his features. “Hear anything different, mate?”
“Hear anything? No, I…wait, what is that?”
“Thumping noise?”
“Yeah.”
“Welcome back to the human race, mate. You got your Shanshu.”
“I…I’m human?”
“Flesh and blood.”
Beyond words, he rushed to embrace Spike. He shook Wes’ hand, hugged Ilyria – who stared blankly at him – and made the rounds through the group before stopping in front of Buffy. He swept her up in his arms and kissed her long and deep, as Faith turned a nasty shade of purple. Setting her down, he looked in her eyes. “Sorry. I’ve wanted to do that for…well, a while. I’m done now.” He patted Faith’s head, pretending to be condescending but smiling too widely to pull it off. “Down, Faithy. Don’t want you kicking my ass - I think it’d hurt a lot more now than it used to.”
“If I could finish…” Mary interrupted gently. They turned to her. “Just one more thing, and then I’ve got to be on my way. Buffy?”
Buffy cocked her head inquisitively.
“The Powers – they wanted to thank you above all. The longest-lived slayer ever, and still willing to lay down her life to save the world again. The Powers would like to know – what do you wish? Just one, mind you, and there’s a few conditions, but they’ve granted you a single wish.”
“I…” Buffy swallowed. “I don’t suppose I can wish this last week never happened?”
“Sorry – that’d be one of the conditions.”
“Oh, boy. Uh…Will! What would you wish for?”
“What would I wish for? I’d wish I could go home. As silly as it sounds, I kind of miss Sunnydale. Europe’s been nice, but it’s not home. Of course I don’t miss the hellmouth and the monsters, but the rest of it…”
Buffy thought for a moment and smiled. “You know what?” she said to Mary, taking Faith’s hand. “I’ve got everything I want right here. Give Willow what she wants. Raise Sunnydale. Without the hellmouth and such.”
“Well, that’s the last thing I expected…but if that’s your wish.”
“It is.”
Halfway around the world, the crater that had been Sunnydale was replaced with the city, exactly as it was the day it collapsed but completely empty of people, throwing a little bit of a shock into the neighboring communities.
“Thank you all once again. Anya, you take care of your moms, okay?”
“Okay, Grandma. I’ll see you again.”
“Yes, you will. Willow?”
“Yes?”
“Did you want to go home now?”
Willow looked around at the faces of the slayers, especially Faith. “Yes.” She looked around to make it clear that she was addressing the group. “I love you all, but I don’t think any of you will ever be able to look at Tara the same again – and I don’t want the first dark memory she has to be your blaming her for all of this. She did everything she could – I know you don’t believe me, especially you Faith, but she did. She was never working for the Partners in this battle, not really. But the look in your eyes tells me you’ll never forgive her. So yes, I’d like to go home now. With my wife and daughter and my twins. But I’d like to say goodbye first.”
She hugged each of Angel’s group in turn, thanking them for their help in the struggle and finishing with Angel himself, who she squeezed tightly and wished him the best in his new life. He surprised her, though, by making a request.
“Can I come with you? Not to live with you, I mean, but to Sunnydale. It’s been a long time – I think it’d be fun. If you don’t mind sharing the place?”
“A whole town between the bunch of us? I think we’ll manage. Of course, you’re welcome to come along.” Angel pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “Thank you, Willow. And you know I’ll never blame Tara – I know a little about darkness, and she fought hers better than I ever fought mine; of course, I didn’t have love like you two have.”
She smiled her thanks before Spike spoke up. “Better add one more. This human life is going to be bloody boring if I don’t have you around to annoy, you ponce. Again, if you don’t mind the company, Red.”
“Of course not.” Willow gave Faith a perfunctory hug without much feeling and turned to Giles. “Wanna come too? We may need a new school librarian.”
He surprised her by laughing out loud. “No, thank you. I had more than enough of high school children back then – I’ve no urge to revisit that time of my life. But have a great time – and take care of yourself. I’ll visit soon.”
“I’d like that. Tara would too.”
She turned to Buffy, who had tears in her eyes. “Will…I don’t blame Tara. I hope you know that.”
Willow embraced her. “I know,” she whispered. “But I can’t have Tara around Faith – if she said anything to her, I’d have to be cranky – and I would never ask you to be apart from her. And I really do want to go home.”
“Oh, Will…I’m going to miss you so much. I’ll call as often as I can, okay?”
“I’ll miss you too, Buff. I love you, you know.”
“I love you too, Willow. And Tara – please tell her when she wakes up how much I love her.”
“Can…I feel bad for asking, but can we live in your old house? It’s just…lots of good memories, you know?”
Buffy smiled through her tears. “Sure. I know Mom would be happy to know you were there, like old times. And Dawnie, too.”
“Dawnie…I nearly forgot. You’ll say hi to her for me when she comes home?”
“I’ll do better – once you’ve got a phone, call me and I’ll give her your number.”
“Okay. Well, I guess we’d better go.” She released Buffy and turned to find Anya holding Tara.
“Ready to go home, Mama?”
“I’m ready.”
Mary smiled and disappeared, taking Willow, Tara, Anya, Spike and Angel along with her into their new life.
[hr]
Thus endeth the apocalypse. So...anyone interested in a part 3? Thanks so much to all the wonderful Kittens who've read and left feedback - it's always appreciated. Thanks for sticking around, and thanks for reading!
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in the next chapter and how tara reacts to her memory loss? Keep writing Please. lottagay
