Hey Kittens, sorry about the late update (I try 2 update 1 a day), but I had something of an epiphany in the bathtub the other night and decided to go a new direction with the fic. I'll let you know more about it the more it ties into the fic. Anyway, glad that you're enjoying the story. There's a little more W/T in this part too – but alas, no showers. PEACE … Dix
Part 5
"Okay then," Willow called over her should as she pulled Tara out of the back seat of Xander's car, "We'll see you later. Thanks Xander."
"Bye Xander," waved Tara.
"See you gals later," called Xander as he pulled away from the curb. He was still upset with Buffy about her involvement Spike, and hurt that she hadn't confided in him, so he wasn't keen on hanging around the slayer residence.
Willow and Tara approached the front door and the blonde set down her stack of books to dig in her bag for house keys. "So, what do you think we shou-" The blondes question was cut off when a pair of lips crashed against hers.
Willow wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pushed her back up against the door as she devoured her mouth. Tara's surprise fell away and she melted into the desire laden kiss. Her arms slipped around Willow's slender shoulders and pulled her in even closer.
Several minutes went by and the need for air was becoming a pressing issue. Finally, the redhead pulled back and took in several deep breaths and noticed that her partner was doing the same. After only a few gulps of air Willow's mouth was back against Tara's and two hot tongues were battling in the most pleasant of duels.
More then a few moments later the battle was still raging, only now hands were starting to roam. The two witches were so engrossed with each other that neither noticed the doorknob's movement.
The door they were leaning against disappeared suddenly and the couple fell into the house in a tangled heap of arms and legs.
A pair of matching 'Oof's' echoed in the hallway when the two witches landed on the floor and lay looking up at a smirking teenager.
"What cha' doing?" Dawn asked innocently.
Willow scrambled up off the blonde and helped Tara to her feet. Both women blushing all the while.
"Dawnie!" squeaked Tara.
"We were, well you see, and then there was, we were just," Willow tried to find something, "Hey, what's that?" she asked interested and pointed into the living room.
Intrigued, Dawn turned to look behind her and then turned back quickly at the sound of Willow and Tara running hand in hand up the steps.
Then teen laughed as she watched the couple disappear upstairs. "I so love you guys!"
Dawn adjusted the overnight bag on her shoulders and stepped out onto the porch. She saw the books and Willow's bag with her laptop on the railing. The teen rolled her eyes and smiled as she thought of Willow and Tara. She gathered their things and left them on the dinning room table.
She stopped at the foot of the stairs, "In case you're wondering, I won't be home tonight. I'm sleeping over Janice's and yes Tara, Buffy all ready okayed it. I'll see you guys later. Have fun," she added wickedly and walked out the front door, puling it shut behind her.
She was on her way to Janice's … but she had to make a quick stop at Spike's first. Now that she knew about him and Buffy, she wanted to know why he did what he did with Anya.
She watched as Anya still agonized over her and Xander's breakup, the Trio in the demons lair trying to get the orbs to make them super-powerful, Dawn confronting Spike about his actions, and then her fight with Xander about her involvement with Spike…"Wait. Wait." Demanded the slayer, and she opened her eyes stopping time from rewriting itself.
"What?" asked Anya from her place beside the slayer. "Why are we stopping? I want to get to the happily ever after part. The part where everybody is alive and I get to have money and orgasms."
"I don't know how to fix this. I don't know what to change?"
"How about Tara not dying! That will stop Willow going dark and trying to end the world."
Buffy sighed, "That won't change the darkness in Willow."
"Technically, the darkness isn't in Willow, it stems from the agony, which leads to the vengeance, and that's where the darkness comes in. Anyway, as long as Tara is alive, Willow won’t reach out to dark magics."
"And if something happens to Tara later on? What then?"
"O yeah, I forgot about that," Anya looked thoughtful, "Okay, I got it. We have Tara bind Willow's powers. This way if anything ever happens to her Willow won't be able to go all Terminator on us."
"Can we do that? Can Tara do that?"
"Definitely. Willow has more power, but Tara is definitely the more powerful witch."
Buffy rubbed her forehead and paced back in forth in front of the crypt, "I don't know about this. It doesn't sound like a very good plan. I mean, you saw the power that Willow had. How could Tara be stronger then that?"
"I didn't say that. I said Tara was more powerful, not that she had more power. Willow has to rely on outside powers. Powers from books, or charms, or dark forces. Tara doesn't. Her power comes from within and it's light based. It's
her power, and based in light, which makes her more powerful. Besides, her and Willow are connected on all kinds of levels, Tara could easily bind her."
"Okay, I still don't understand the whole 'more power' verses 'more powerful' thing, but it doesn't matter anyway. Isn't there a thing against a witch binding another witches power? Isn't it a big witchy 'no no' or something?"
"Do you want the world to end?" Anya asked annoyed. "Is that what you want? Cause if it isn't you really need to throw me a bone here."
The slayer slumped against the crypt, defeated. "I really hate this plan, but it looks like it's all we've got."
Anya threw her hands in the air, "Finally."
"How hard do you think it will be to get them agree to do this?"
"Them? Them who? What them? No, No them." Anya exclaimed. "No plural here."
"We have to tell them both. Tara won't put a spell on Willow without her knowing about it."
"Why not? Willow did?" retorted Anya.
"That was before, and it's none of our business." Buffy took a deep, calming breath, "We need to tell them both or Tara will never agree. Besides, if Willow knows that she can still go crazy dark, she'll want us to bind her powers … right?"
The demon shrugged, "Whatever."
"Do you have a better idea?" asked the slayer.
"Yes, we don't tell Willow."
"Secrets break up relationships. You have to be honest with each other or it'll ruin everything. You should know that." Said Buffy, not unkindly.
The demon sighed. "Fine."
Buffy nodded.
"So now, we just stop Warren right?" asked Anya. "We stop him and have Tara bind Willow… Her powers I mean, not some kinky BD Dominatrix-"
"Anya!" interrupted Buffy. "Would you please stop doing that?"
"What?" the demon asked completely unaware.
"Do you remember the thing we talked about before?" asked the exasperated slayer. "About the focus."
"Fine." Huffed Anya.
"Thank you," sighed Buffy. "Now, we can watch the rest of the timeline play out, and I'll stop Warren from killing Tara and shooting me. After that we talk to Willow and Tara about the binding thing. Tara will bind Willow's powers, you and Xander can make up, Giles will stay safe in England, and we'll all live happily ever after … until the next apocalypse. But that's another thing. Okay?"
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Will you be happy?"
Buffy looked up at the demon and shared her gaze for a long moment before finally looking away. "Ready to do this?"
Anya just nodded.
TBC…
Hey, did ya know that Britney Spears is going to do a 6 ep guest spot on BtVS next season? She's going to play "nightmarish demon." Kinda makes you wonder…