Chapter Thirty-Four
Pairing: W/T
Angst/Drama/Smut Rating: PG
Setting: Sunnydale – The Summers House
Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters or dialogue that is borrowed from BtVS; they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy et al. All original characters are in no way connected to them except by me in this forum. No money is involved; this is simply for my own pleasure, and hopefully the people reading too.
Email:
riverwillows@me.comFeedback: Like silence in a movie theater – it’s golden.
***Author’s Notes: This note is a little more important than the others I normally leave since it serves as a reminder. I mentioned early on, that at some point I was going to play heavily with the episode timelines to suit me. Up to this point it has just been pushing things further out than they happened on the show. Well, welcome aboard because here it comes. I may use bits and pieces of episodes as back story in this and upcoming chapters. What I use may not be in the order it was done on the show, so don’t expect that. Ok, you have been forewarned, lol. I'm also unveiling the new banner for the story, so pretend there was a drum roll. As always I’d like to thank you for reading and Team Dry Heat (that never fails to amuse me): Crystal aka CYTEACH; Julie aka Ariel, and Richard aka Azirahael – you guys are the best. Italics are for emphasis. Music for this chapter Ane Brun – “It All Starts With One”, “Spending Time with Morgan”, “A Temporary Dive”, and “Changes of the Seasons”, and Nina Kinert – “Pets & Friends”. All the great voyagers return
Homeward as on an arc of thought;
Home like a ruby beacon burns
As they crest wind, scale wave, soar air;
All the great voyagers return.
“The Homecoming” - Barbara Howe
The plane touched down in Sunnydale fifteen minutes early. The flight had been a short one, at just under two hours, and the plane was a ‘puddle jumper’, the smallest commercial plane available; it was almost identical to the plane the girls had flown on to Sunnydale months ago. When the plane taxied to a stop and everyone was given the clear to disembark, Tara, Willow and Dana waited for everyone else to get off. The flight only had about thirty people on it, so they had been able to sit wherever they liked.
Once they were all out on the tarmac, Willow closed her eyes and paused to just breathe in the air. Tara slipped her hand into Willow’s and gently raised her hand to place a soft kiss on the back. Willow opened her eyes and smiled at both Tara and Dana. They could feel the change in the air; it was heavy with moisture from the sea and magickal energy from the Hellmouth. Pointing to the stairs that led off the runway, Willow shifted her backpack and Dana led the way inside.
They were the last to come out of the door into the cooler air of the terminal, and since they had no bags to pick up, the three made their way right to the doors of the airport. Standing off to the side, Willow texted Buffy to let her know their flight had landed early. Buffy texted that Xander was already on his way, so the little group decided to wait in the cool of the airport and people watch.
They didn’t have to wait long before Xander wandered into the airport and looked around. Willow hopped up and ran to him with a squeal. Xander looked in the direction of the sound, catching her up and swinging her around in a hug.
“Will!” Xander laughed holding a giggling Willow in his arms.
“Ooo, Xander! It’s so good to see you!” Willow squealed excitedly.
Willow brought him over to Dana and Tara. Xander immediately pulled Tara into a warm hug. Then holding her at arm’s length, he tugged affectionately at her shortened locks. He cocked his head to the side and studied her for a moment before he nodded in approval.
“Well, hey there pretty lady, look at you,” he said with a smile.
“What do you think, Xan?” Tara asked as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes.
“I think you look great,” he said with a squeeze of her shoulders.
Xander turned to look at Dana, with her unruly blonde hair and golden, cat-like eyes. She stood taller than he did. “Well, who do we have here, Will?”
“Xander, this is Dana. She helped train Tara and me at the coven. When we started making plans to come back to Sunnydale, well, she felt that she should come with us. So here she is. Claude will be coming with Giles; they haven’t gotten here yet have they?” Willow inquired.
“Claude? We have another guy?” Xander asked hopefully, shaking hands with Dana.
“Umm, no it’s short for Claudia,” Tara said with a smile.
“What do you mean another?” Willow asked as they made their way out to his car.
“Well, Jacob showed up looking for you before the twins did, and then there’s Andrew, but I don’t think you can really count him as a guy,” he said.
“Andrew? You mean Warren’s little
butt monkey?” Tara asked incredulously. “When did he and Jonathan show back up?”
Willow and Xander both snickered.
“Yup, that be the one,” Xander said rocking up on the balls of his feet. “He’s more of an unwilling guest than any real use anyway. Jonathan was with him, but now he’s… not.”
“Explain the
‘not’ part. Wait, do I really
want you to explain the ‘not’?” Willow said with raised eyebrows.
“Well, about a week after Jacob showed up looking for you two, we found Andrew when we were out patrolling. Uh, how much do you know about what’s been going on here in lovely old Sunnydale since you left?” he asked seriously.
Willow and Tara looked at one another, then at Dana who shrugged.
“I know what you know,” Dana replied to the questioning glance.
“Which means not so much. We know potential slayers have been turning up dead mysteriously all over the world, Giles told us that. We know there’s some big bad brewing, and it’s old and mean and not here to snuggle,” Tara replied.
“Uh, yeah, well that’s a good start. Maybe I should let Buffy fill you in. Are you folks hungry? Let’s stop and pick up some food on the way home. How does pizza sound?” Xander smiled, as he dodged away from the subject. Xander opened the passenger door for Dana and the girls slid into the backseat cuddling up immediately.
The girls shot knowing looks at one another as they recognized Xander’s ‘avoid-y dance’ for what it was – there was something he didn’t want to tell them. Dana watched Xander curiously, as he kept his gaze averted while he fiddled with the radio before pulling out to head back towards Sunnydale. Tara slipped her hand into Willow’s, and squeezed reassuringly.
******
“Are we trying to feed a small army or what?” Dana asked looking at the boxes of pizza split between her and Tara’s laps, and the dozen bags of drinks and salads Willow had around her ankles and in her lap.
Xander smirked. “You could say that. Potentials can eat, and we have to feed everyone at Buffy’s. I can guarantee you there will be at least two potentials there as guards.”
“Guards?” Tara asked in surprise.
“Yeah, we have to keep Dawn and your ever growing witchy fan club safe, although Jacob seems to be pretty handy in that department. And here we are, home again, home again,” Xander replied.
Everyone got out of the car and started walking towards the door. Dana and the girls stopped and looked at one another then back at the house. Xander didn’t notice he was now walking alone as he passed through the protection spell that had been cast around the Summers’ house. The spell shimmered like a soap bubble briefly when he crossed through it.
When he got to the door he realized he was alone and turned around. Tara held her hand to the spell’s boundary, creating what looked very much like a glass door. She pushed and it swung inwards as though it were on hinges. After Dana and Willow passed through, she entered and in effect, shut the door she had created.
The door to the house was yanked open and a slight young man with chestnut colored hair and striking grey eyes rushed out, looking panicked. He rushed past Xander and immediately started to draw energy into a crackling orb in his hand. Tara quickened her pace, putting herself between him and Willow, and literally took his orb from his hand, dispersing the energy.
“I think you
really need to calm down before someone gets hurt accidentally,” Tara said with calm authority. “I’m Tara, and I’m the one that breached your spell. You must be Jacob?”
The young man nodded curtly, looking between Tara, Willow and Dana with a wary eye. Willow stepped forward with her hand out.
“Hi, I’m Willow. This is Tara, my girlfriend, and that’s Dana. You were the first one to arrive looking for Tara and me, right? We’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” Willow smiled brightly.
“I’m so sorry, My Ladies,” Jacob said his eyes wide in recognition. “I didn’t mean to offend you, I had no idea you had already arrived. I simply felt the breach, and panicked,” Jacob apologized and ducked his head in respect.
“That’s a solid spell, Jacob,” Tara encouraged. “We can reinforce it later. What have you been using to power it?”
“Andrew,” Jacob replied with a smirk.
“Andrew?” The girls asked in unison, looking at each other in dismay.
“I helped Giles find the spell that allows Andrew to charge several large quartz stones that we have stashed around the perimeter of the house, like rechargeable batteries.” Jacob replied with pride.
“Nice, so do you power it at all?” Willow asked.
“Once a day I have to key it to me, but that’s all. I act like a human alarm system should it ever be breached. We use Andrew as an ongoing power source, since he doesn’t really do anything else but whine and eat hot pockets. Faith thought it would put his “bitch ass” to good use, as she put it.” Jacob smiled and used his hands to form air quotation marks around Faith’s description of Andrew.
“
Faith?” Willow squeaked, looking at Tara incredulously.
“Curiouser and curiouser,” Tara muttered. Her look of annoyance matched Willow’s.
“Hey, guys the food’s getting cold. Let’s take this inside and you can compare notes with Jake while we eat,” Xander suggested. He threw a glance over his shoulder and tried to hurry into the house.
“Oh, you
so have some explaining to do, mister. Xander, you didn’t tell us Faith
and Andrew were here!” Willow yelled as she whacked him on the arm when she walked by, then Tara cuffed him on the back of the head, and Dana who punched him in the shoulder.
“Hey!” he griped at Dana.
She smiled wickedly and said, “It seemed like it might be deserved, and I didn’t want to be left out of the fun.”
“Great, now you too,” he rolled his eyes. “Okay, okay. I may have left that tiny little detail out, but I
distinctly remember saying that we should talk once we got back here,” Xander said as he went out of his way to avoid any further blows from angry women.
“No, you said
Buffy would explain. So what’s your excuse now?” Willow groused.
“Aw, c’mon, Will! Cut me some slack, there’s been a lot going on, and honestly Faith was not on my radar,” Xander pleaded as he walked into the dining room to set down still warm boxes of pizza.
“Really? I didn’t think she was ever off of
anyone’s radar,” Tara said.
“That’s all part of my charm, Blondie,” Faith said as she sauntered into the dining room
Everyone turned to face Faith. Jacob swallowed rapidly and blushed before exiting quickly; Tara looked at Faith and raised an eyebrow in silent question at his behavior. Willow crossed her arms over her chest while narrowing her eyes. Dana eased off to the side, watching closely as everyone in the room became tense.
“Long time no see, Red. How’s it hangin’?” Faith asked leaning casually against the door frame, one hand on her hip. “Is that pizza?” She asked, peeking around the two women that blocked her view of the pizza laden table.
“Yeah, it is. There should be enough for everyone, is Buff around?” Xander asked. He scooted out of the other doorway and away from whatever was about to happen between Faith, Willow and Tara.
“Yeah, B’s out back with the little Slayer tykes,” Faith said, holding eye contact with Willow.
“So when did you show up, Faith?” Willow asked her voice flat.
“I played taxi to the twins a few days ago. Plus ‘The Fanged Wonder’ thought I might wanna get in on some of this,” Faith smirked.
“You mean Angel sent you? And to
‘get in’ on what exactly?” Willow asked.
“Why didn’t he just send them on their own?” Tara asked suspiciously, putting her hands on her hips. “What do they need you for?”
Faith eyed Tara closely before she realized who Tara was. Her eyes widened. “Whoa,
you definitely got in touch with your inner butch, didn’t you?” She said moving towards the table opening pizza boxes to see what kind they were, picking up one with extra pepperoni. “Fang boy said something was gonna go down here in Sunny D, so here I am. ‘Sides, the twins – they don’t talk.”
Willow’s hands clenched into fists and she stepped towards Faith. “Watch your mouth, Faith,” She growled.
Tara wrapped her arm around Willow’s waist and pulled her close to soothe her. “What are you leaving out, Faith? Why don’t they talk?” Tara asked ignoring the jibe.
Faith took a breath, and continued with a little less attitude. “I dunno why they don’t talk, you can ask ‘em yourself. They’re around here somewhere. They showed up in L.A., Queenie saw ‘em comin’ and told me I had to be the one to bring ‘em ‘cause she knew they needed to be here with the two of you.”
“Interesting…” Dana spoke softly for the first time.
“And who might this tall drink of water be?” Faith asked looking at Dana a little too intently.
“This is Dana; she came with us from The Grove. You may not want to piss her off Faith, she helped train Willow and me. In
combat magicks,” Tara smirked.
Faith raised her eyebrows when she looked at Dana again, who narrowed her eyes and rose to her full height to peer down stoically at Faith. Looking up at Dana, Faith laughed and winked at her, then eyeing Tara once more, Faith smirked. “Things is changin’ all over, ain’t they, Blondie?” she said as she plopped down in a chair holding the pizza box in her lap.
Willow was still shooting daggers at Faith when the back door opened and slammed shut.
“Tara! Willow! Where are you?” Dawn yelled.
“In here,” they replied in unison.
Dawn squealed and rushed in capturing both girls in a big three-way hug. In minutes, Buffy stood in the doorway smiling. The door opened again and several other bodies filtered into the house, following the sounds of chatter and the scent of food.
“Alright, Dawn, let them go already,” Buffy teased. “It’s my turn for hugs,” She laughed hugging her best friends tightly.
Willow sat, still watching Faith warily. Tara sat down in Willow’s lap, pulling pizza boxes towards her, looking for the one with pepperoni and black olives for her and Willow to share. Finding her box, she chatted with Buffy while she ate. No one paid any attention when the front door opened. Two more additions joined the growing group of people trying to fit in the small dining room.
“Pizza! I’m starving!” Claude said, announcing hers and Giles’ arrival.
Someone had managed to bring plates and napkins in at some point during the initial hellos and chatter. The dining room was quickly filling with more bodies than it could hold comfortably. Buffy whistled loudly to get everyone’s attention
“Why don’t we migrate into the living room, there’s more room, and it looks like we have a few new faces and introductions to make,” Buffy said picking up her box of pizza and soda.
The group shuffled into the living room, while Dawn and a girl with shoulder length chocolate brown hair; and pierced nose and eyebrow passed out drinks. Willow and Tara took the loveseat, as people started to fill up the space around the coffee table holding the pizza boxes.
Fifteen people were spread around the living room, all munching on pizza. A boy and a girl sat off to the side along with Buffy, Jacob, Claude and Dana in chairs. Xander, Dawn and Giles had claimed the sofa. The girl with the piercings and a light skinned African American girl with pretty green eyes sat on the floor next to one another; Faith had pushed Andrew out of the recliner, so he joined the group on the floor.
Murmurs of “Can you pass me…” and “What’s on that one?” filled the room while everyone settled down to eat. Eventually the meal began to wind down as everyone ate their fill.
Buffy wiped her hands on her napkin, and looked around the room. “Will, why don’t you make your introduction and then I’ll make mine,” she said with a smile.
Tara handed Willow a napkin, and she nodded wiping her mouth. “Sure, well that’s pretty easy,” Willow pointed at Dana. “On the other side of Tara, we have Dana, and next to her is Claude. They came back with us from The Grove, and for those of you who don’t know, I’m Willow and this is Tara,” She said with a smile and a wink at Tara. Tara took her hand and kissed the back of it smiling.
Buffy smiled affectionately at the pair. “Okay, here on the floor next to you, Will, we have Charity, next to her is Veda,” Buffy pointed to the girl with the shoulder length brown hair and facial piercings, then the African American girl. “You guys already met Jake,” she said smiling. “Over here we have the twins, Livy and Stephan. The twins don’t speak, they hear fine though, just so you guys know,” The boy and girl with strawberry blonde hair, and sweet, cherubic faces grinned shyly and waved. “Then we have Andrew over here,” Buffy pointed to the short young man with blonde highlights, “Oh, and hiding over there in the corner in the recliner is Faith; she’s the other slayer.” Buffy said with a jerk of her thumb in Faith’s direction
Faith rolled her eyes and muttered, “Gee, thanks B.”
Willow gave a little wave to the room, and Tara nodded, replying in unison, “Hi.”
Charity made a point of reaching her hand out for Willow to shake. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
Willow shook her hand politely, but when she had to tug her hand back she shot Buffy an uncomfortable look. Tara briefly narrowed her eyes at the girl, and Dawn gave Charity a not so subtle kick in the leg. Claude and Faith snickered and then looked at one another.
Buffy shot Charity a disapproving glare, then looked at Willow and Tara said, “The twins and Jake are here for you and the coven. Veda and Charity are potentials, as I bet you guessed.”
Willow rested her hand on Tara’s thigh and sat back. “Will and I are here with our coven of witches that we’ll be training. We’re also here to help Buffy in any way we can. Since it seems like some of you have some excess energy, it would be great if you could help Claude unload the plants and herbs she brought with us,” Tara said looking pointedly at Charity. “She’s our herbalist, or will be,” She said with a smile.
Willow nodded. “Since it’s still early, once you get all the plants arranged outside, Claude, why don’t we all meet in the dining room and get to know one another.”
“Great!” Charity said with a little too much enthusiasm and a big smile, not taking her eyes off of Willow.
“Um, I meant the coven, Charity,” Willow said as politely as she could.
“Oh,” she said as her smile faltered.
“You don’t have time anyway,” Buffy replied, further shooting Charity down. “Once you guys help unload whatever Giles and Claude need help with, Faith will take you back to the barracks. You two are done with your rotation here, who’s up next?”
“Vi and Tammy,” Charity answered.
“Okay, remind Tammy not to forget her pillow and stuffed lion this time, I won’t go back for it at 4am again,” Buffy said brusquely.
“Barracks?” Willow and Tara asked in unison.
“Do you guys do that all of the time?” Veda asked.
“What?” They replied, then looked at each other and giggled.
“Yes, they do,” Dana answered for them with an affectionate smile.
“I think it’s cute,” Claude added.
“Me too,” Dawn said happily.
“Since when do you have barracks, Buff?” Willow asked with a grin.
“People have started leaving town – lots of people. The building next to The Magic Box has been empty for ages now and it used to be a gym,” Buffy replied.
“So we kinda liberated it, yo,” Faith interjected. “We needed the space, it has showers an’ whatnot, so Xan Man hooked it up. He got it all setup; water, electric and bunk beds for the Slayer tykes. He even got the little brats cable.”
Buffy shrugged. “It beats having another twenty plus people all crashing around here. Once Jake showed up, he put a cloaking and protection spell on the building to keep them safe, and he and the twins stay here. Faith stays there at night, along with Andrew and Anya, and we pull two girls for three day shifts here at the house for added protection with me. They train with me while they’re here too.”
“You have that many girls?” Dana said amazed.
“Wow,” Claude whispered.
“The only thing it don’t have is a kitchen, so Anya gets to play ‘Mrs. Garrett’. Gotta feed the little tykes, ya know?” Faith smirked.
“Several girls already had watchers and were training. Buffy is using their expertise as well to train those still at the barracks,” Giles said. “Buffy has also informed me that the twins and Jake rotate casting the spells there; they work together to keep the signature from staying the same for too long.”
Tara nodded. “Making it harder for another witch to pinpoint the caster, which in turn it makes it harder to find the location of the potentials. So far it’s working, and everyone is staying safe? ”
Buffy nodded again. “They train all day, either at the barracks or with either Faith or me. Sometimes both,” she said solemnly. Making eye contact with Willow and Tara, Buffy added. “We’ll talk later. I need to fill you both in on lots of things.”
“They seem to keep coming too. With people leaving, we’ve, uh, “liberated” futon mattresses for padding, and sleeping bags,” Xander said. “I’m surprised by the few that have stayed. The pizza place is one, the grocery store and the drug store too.”
“Seems like they’ll be the last to go, but they will go, Buffy,” Tara said sadly.
“Yeah, they will,” Buffy replied calmly. “That’s what will be safest.”
“The more that leave, the closer it will be,” Dana added morosely.
“And we’ll be ready,” Willow and Tara said in unison.
“We have to be,” Buffy said firmly.
Claude hopped up clapping her hands. “Then let’s get started, come on girls. Let’s do this!”
The group dispersed; people went to start their tasks. Dawn, Andrew and Xander picked up empty pizza boxes, and generally cleaned up. Willow, Tara and Buffy stayed in the living room, waiting until everyone had left. Buffy seemed to be lost in her thoughts, her expression blank as Willow and Tara watched her.
“Buff,” Willow said quietly, trying to draw Buffy back from her thoughts.
Buffy looked at Willow and Tara; her eyes troubled and pained. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“We can only do our best, and hope that it’s enough, Buffy,” Tara replied.
Buffy nodded. “You know not everyone will make it; it’s inevitable.”
“We know,” the girls answered.
“So where’s Spike, Buffy? I thought he would be skulking around by now,” Willow asked with a smile.
“Spike’s gone,” Buffy replied, as her face darkened.
“Where did he go?” Willow asked.
“No, I mean he’s gone – dusted.” Buffy looked up at them.
Both girls sat in shock for a moment, surprised that someone had finally gotten the best of Spike after all this time.
“How?” they asked in unison
“You know, you guys have really got to stop doing that,” Buffy said with a sad smile, taking a breath she continued. “It was Dawn. She overheard Xander and I arguing about him after… well, you know, and she went to his crypt. She didn’t tell me for days after she’d done it.”
“Oh my God,” Willow breathed and looked at Tara.
“She was so angry, and he was drinking. She cornered him and asked if it was true, he started crying and trying to apologize. She said he didn’t even realize that she was staking him,” Buffy said softly, looking at her feet.
“We know,” they said.
Buffy’s head snapped up, confusion clear in her expression. “Did she call you?”
“We saw it. We saw Dawn in tears, but we didn’t see it until a few days ago, and it made no sense until now,” Tara said.
“I don’t understand,” Buffy said.
“Part of what we had to do before we joined the coven was a vision quest,” Willow said. “We saw it during the vision quest.”
“More accurately, we saw Dawn in tears, and dust falling all around her. We had no idea what it meant though,” Tara added quietly.
Buffy sniffled, and looked away the muscle in her jaw jumping as she grit her teeth and tried to keep control of her emotions.
“You loved him, didn’t you?” Willow asked gently.
“No…I don’t know…maybe. After what he tried to do I didn’t trust him – I just couldn’t deal with him,” Buffy laughed grimly. “Dawn did what I’ve never seemed to be able to do.”
Willow and Tara went to Buffy; Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy in a hug. “It’s for the best, Buff. There was a reason for it.”
Tara stroked Buffy’s hair. “We don’t see it now, but there had to have been a reason it was Dawn. Has she talked about it anymore?”
Buffy let go of Willow, shaking her head. “No, she says there’s nothing to talk about.”
The front door opened and Claude came, in followed by the others talking and smiling. She took one look at the serious faces that greeted her and stopped in her tracks. Buffy quickly wiped her face, all traces of her turmoil gone in an instant.
“Are you good?” Buffy asked Claude.
“Uh, yeah. Everything is as good as we can make it. I was wondering if you had a hose, I need to water my babies,” She said, trying to smile and lighten the mood. “Faith said she and the Slayer tykes are ready to go too.”
Willow rolled her eyes at hearing Faith parroted, and snorted, “Slayer Tykes.”
“Will, can you?” Buffy asked making absent minded hand gestures. She wiped her face again and walked out. She looked at Willow and Tara. “Later?” They both nodded.
“Sure. Follow me, Claude. We can’t have any poor little plants dying on us now, can we?” Willow chirped.
“Is she okay?” Claude asked quietly.
“She will be,” Tara said. “C’mon, let’s go water your babies.”
The three girls walked through the kitchen and out into the back yard. Willow and Tara looked around at the abundance of herbs. The porch rails were covered in window baskets, and the other dozen and a half of other assorted pots were filled with medicinal and cooking herbs, along with a half dozen whiskey barrel pots containing some of the larger shrubs.
Smiling at each other, they went over to the water spigot that had a two hose adapter. Tara handed Claude one hose and she took the other; while Claude watered her ‘babies’ Tara watered the rose bushes and her small herb garden. Dawn must have remembered to water the garden, keeping it alive while she was gone. There was no chance it had been Buffy; she had such a notoriously black thumb that she had even killed fake plants
Willow sat on the ground close to where Tara was watering and began to meditate. The scent of Roses, lavender and rosemary wafted into the air deliciously, helping to calm and center both girls.
It was going to be a long night
TBC…