Chapter : One
Rating : R
Pairing : WR/TM
Timeline : Season Six, Wrecked
Beta Reader : Kathryn Kirkland
Authors Notes : Oz is in this story, however it is only for a brief time. There is nothing except friendship between Willow and Oz. The wolf part of him is stuck with wolf rules though, and does consider Willow his mate, but she is not. So don't panick. This is a pure Tara/Willow story.
Summary : When Willow performs a lethal favor for her ex lover Oz, she finds herself caught between a council that's out to destroy her, and the consequences of helping Oz.
Disclaimer : All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox studios.
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Willow kicked violently at a nearby trash can. Her right foot connected rather harshly with the heavy steel unit, sending a spike of pain arching through it and into her ankle.
" Dirty, son of a bitch. " She cursed uncharacteristically.
She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She couldn't believe that the hellmouth could get so bad. Even Hell had it's standards, so why did this have to occur now?
It was right when things were at their worst for her. She'd hurt Dawn, and was currently going through magical withdrawals. It had been a week of shakes, nosebleeds, and vomiting.
Now, on top of everything there was a new problem. One by the name of Daniel Osbourne. The werewolf was deteriorating fast. It wasn't a surprise, in fact, they'd both been expecting it for sometime. Just not so fast.
Any human that was infected by lythropy gradually lost themselves to the wolf. Since people didn't have any safe guards, they were left open to the wolf. Allowing it to take over the weaker human.
Willow refusing Oz and the wolf for Tara had unfortunately caused the process to speed up. The wolf had been mated to her, she knew that, and with her denial of their being mates the wolf had grown enraged.
Then just three days earlier, Oz had shown up, begging for her help. She hadn't been able to say no. Despite their split they'd remained good friends, keeping in contact.
The heartbreaking problem was that there was only one way to help a Cain werewolf. All she could do was use special herbs to keep him weak, and partially sedated. He had to be kept in the cage she'd had Devon put in her parents basement. Though the last hinge was the one thing she was so worked up over.
Once Oz had reached a certain level she would have no choice but to kill him. It wasn't something she was willing to do, or sure she could do. Yet, at the same time she knew that when the time came she'd have no other choice.
He would be so fargone that he would be in a constant berserker rage. Continuously trying to kill, maim, and hunt. A bloodthirsty animal determined to rip people to shreds.
" Stupid idiot. " She sulked sadly.
A howl broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. She moved reluctantly back inside her parents house. She let the whimpering growls guide her down to the basement, and she felt her heart break at the sight.
A red furred full-formed wolf was pacing the cage, his amber eyes glaring at her darkly. The sheer rage that radiated from the werewolf was staggering.
" Oh, Oz. " She sighed tiredly. " When are we going to finally get a break? "
The wolf lunged at the cage door, causing it to shake violently. The growling grew in volume and again he charged the door, only this time it gave.
Willow dived to the side of the basement and grabbed the dart gun. She turned onto her back and aimed it at the wolf as it jumped at her.
She barely managed to fire the rifle as the teeth sank into her arm. The flaming pain started to spread through her body, indicating the infection taking over her human body. A spell flashed through her mind, that she had researched years before when she'd first started dating Oz.
" Wolf and Human, join in spirit. Fur and skin, join in body. Moon and Earth, join in mind. Demon and Magic, join in essence... " She trailed off as a green and brown light covered her body with the spell's completion.
She moaned at sudden surge of magic and cursed her luck. She was so close to over coming the withdrawals. Then there was the now unconscious wolf sprawled across her legs.
" You really need to lose some weight. " She complained, pushing Oz off her. " Now, I have to deal with being furry, too. "
She dragged the heavy wolf back into the cage by his tail. Once inside, she grabbed the spare chains and clamped them onto him.
" Guess I'm going to have to call Devon. " She shook her head wearily.
The band member had been a big help in the last couple of days. He'd brought raw meat for Oz to eat while in wolf form, and had fixed the cage twice already.
" This time I'm going to paint silver on the bars. " She muttered heading upstairs.
She also had to wrap her arm. The blood would incite the wolf further, then again there was also the fact that the idea of infecting Willow would push Oz even further into the wolf.
She dialed the cordless phone, and moved into the downstairs bathroom. By the time Devon had answered, she'd managed to wrestle the first aid kit open.
" Yeah? "
" The wolfie escaped again. " Willow said simply.
" You ok? " Devon asked as usual.
" Fine. Can you come over? "
" Give me ten minutes. "
Willow heard the dial tone as he hung up, and snorted. The band member was a man of few words, like Oz.
" Damn the hellmouth. "
She felt the tears beginning to run down her cheeks, and wondered idly why they chose that moment to put in an appearance. She wondered why things just kept getting worse for her, and when they would finally ease up.
She ignored the hot, burning tears and carelessly wrapped the roll of gauze around her left arm. Over and over she spun it around the wound until it was totally covering the bloody bite marks.
She didn't blame Oz though. She couldn't. It was her super hero complex. Always having to save the day. Needing to constantly help her friends and family.
She wiped rapidly at the tears, and grabbed the box containing the silver nitrate. She wasn't sure if Oz would revert back to his homid form or not. She wasn't sure that if he did, his human mind would be in control.
" Goddess, help me, I don't know what to do. " She prayed helplessly.
She tucked the long, slim box into her pocket and went back to the basement. Her shaking hands grabbed the rifle as she took her seat on the stairs over looking the sleeping wolf.
" It'll be over soon Oz, Giles is looking for someway to help you, and you know Giles, when he gets his nose into something he's like a pig in a truffle patch. He'll just keep going until he finds a solution. "
She closed her eyes, letting the lack of sleep and fresh withdrawals hit her hard. She could feel the shaking in her hands intensify, and the magic wanting out again.
She hadn't wanted to do the spell in the first place, but she knew if she didn't she would end up like Oz. The spell was the only way around that.
It merged the wolf with the human, leaving the human mind in full control no matter what. There would be no demon, or wolf mind in her.
It meant that she had to go through the withdrawals from the beginning again. It meant that she had to deal with the worst of the vomiting, the convulsions, and the nosebleeds.
" Goddess, Oz, everything has been so hard. It's like we're walking up hill on ice, and all we do is slip and slide and end up on our butts. "
She reopened her blurred eyes and shook her head. She couldn't see as well as she wanted because of lack of sleep, but at least she would be able to shot the rifle if she had to.
" Whoa. "
Willow glanced up at Devon as he walked down the stairs. He was staring at the bloody bandage, his dark hazel eyes filling with concern.
" You're hurt. "
" I did the merging spell. " She answered his silent question.
" Cool. "
The musician moved around her and headed for the cage. His enormous toolbox, and the case containing his blow torch both fell to the floor as he bent over to check out the hinges.
" Can you fix it? "
" Yep. "
" Think you could paint silver on the bars? " Willow asked.
" Sure. "
" Thanks. "
" No problem. "
Willow leaned back, pressing her back against the wall, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The act did the trick, clearing her eyes momentarily.
She watched absently as Devon began the process of repairing the door, all the while making sure to keep out of her firing range. He'd fixed cage doors for Oz so many times over the years that he was used to the different eccentricities.
" How long has he been like this? "
Willow sighed at Devon's question. " Twenty one hours and fifty-one minutes. "
" Shit. "
" Yeah. "
The fact was that if a Cain werewolf stayed in wolf form far more than twenty four hours then they were permanently gone. There was no going back, and it was time to put them to sleep.
Every day since he'd arrived he'd spent more and more time in wolf form. More time as a half demon, half wolf. Closer to being the kind of killing machine that most vampires could only dream about.
" Why'd he come to you? "
Again Devon asked so much in a single short question. Why would Oz put her through this? Why would he ask her to kill him? Why wouldn't he just do himself in?
" Because he knows I'll do everything I can for him. "
' Even kill him. '
He trusted her with his very soul. He trusted her more than he trusted anyone, and despite the obsessive urge to never hurt her, or put her through something like what was happening. He simply couldn't trust anyone else with the delicate task.
" Oh. "
" You're a deep man, Devon. " She wryly stated.
She yelped softly as the cordless went off in her lap. Her face blushing dark red at the raised eyebrow Devon shot her way.
" Hello? "
" Willow? I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time. "
" No, just some basic cage repair. " Willow answered.
" Was anyone hurt? " Giles asked.
" I'm fine. " Willow assured. " Oz is sleeping the whole thing off. "
" Thank goodness. "
" Have you found anything? "
Silence. It was deafening, and it spoke volumes. It said more than a whole lecture, and still managed to make her feel far worse.
" I see. "
" I've tried every source I have, and some I didn't. However, each one says the same thing there's nothing to be done. If it was at the start then a simple spell would've merged the wolf with the human, rendering him harmless and healthy. "
" Couldn't we do an altered merging spell on him? "
" I'm afraid not. The wolf mind has been in him too long, it's become an integral part of him, and if we merged them the resulting exorcism would kill Oz. Most likely leaving him a mindless shell. "
" Maybe the gypsy's.... "
" No. " Giles sharply said.
" Then I have no choice. " Willow hoarsely stated.
" Absolutely not. I'm on my way there now. If there's no problems the plane should land in an hour. In the meantime, I want you to call Buffy, have her stand guard until I can get there. "
" But..."
" Don't argue. If anyone will do it, it will be me. Why Oz would even think of asking you to perform such an act is unforgivable. He should have come straight to me. "
Willow swallowed the urge to protest. It wasn't Giles task to perform, or Buffy's. It was her's. Oz had come to her, he had trusted her to perform the execution.
" Alright. I'll see you in an hour. "
She hung up before she argued. It would do no good, and in the end he would call Buffy on her.
" Leave it. " She told Devon. " You don't need to fix the cage after all. "
" You're going to do it. "
" He wanted it to be me. " She answered.
Oz, the man and the wolf, had wanted his last sight to be of her. He wanted to know that he died in her presence. The presence of his mate, and the only woman he'd ever loved.
" I wish I could find a woman like you. " Devon said.
She stood up, laying the rifle on a side table, with the phone next to it. Behind her she could hear Devon repacking his tools, and when the banging stopped, she heard the soft whispers of Devon saying his good-byes.
" Goddess Artemis, keeper of the moon, guardian of all lunar animals, and mother of the hunt. I find thee in a time of Cain. I pray to thee for a lost wolf. I beg thee to guide the son of the moon to peace. "
She pulled the slim box from her pocket and opened it. With suddenly steady hands, she lifted the syringe, and the bottle of silver nitrate. The needle slid easily into the bottle and she drew the liquid into the needle.
" Goddess Gaia, mother of the earth, creator of all animals. Hear my prayer so that a lone wolf may be calm. Cry with me so that thy child may never be thirsty. Speak a tale so that a wolf may know his worth. "
She placed the bottle carefully on the table, and squirted the needle to get rid of air bubbles. She turned to the cage and nodded her thanks to Devon as he slipped out of the basement.
" God Pan, father of all animals, protector of creatures. I kneel before thee to pray for those lost to the pack. I pray to thee for those the pack can never save. I turn to thee for guidance in this time of trial. "
She sat down and lifted Oz's head into her lap. Her left hand ran gently through his fur, causing the sleeping wolf to whine. She used her right hand to slide the needle into the furred animal's neck.
" Let those of our pack respect this wolf. Let those of our land remember his scent. Let those of the moon sing for his pride. Let those of the hunt do so in his honor. Let those of our ghosts forever keep his memory safe from harm. As a wolf shall keep the earth. "
She depressed the needle, watching as the poison slowly entered his body. She threw the needle away as it emptied, and hugged the wolf desperately to her chest.
" I love you, Oz. Maybe not as a lover, but I do love you like a brother, and I'll miss you. " She whispered.
The wolf gasped loudly, gently letting out his last breath. His glowing amber eyes blinking once more before succumbing to the silver poison.
" There. All better. " She sobbed, feeling what was left of her heart shatter. " No more pain. "
" Oh god, Will. "
She glanced up at her friend. Somehow she wasn't surprised to see her. She'd doubted that from the beginning that Giles would resist the urge to call Buffy, just to make sure.
" He's okay now. "
The blonde moved over to her, the thin arms gently pulling her away from Oz, and into a tight hug.
" Why didn't you wait? " Buffy asked softly.
" I promised. "
She burrowed into the slayer's hug, sobbing harder.
" Oh goddess, I promised. "
" Shh. I've got you. "
She clung to her friend. Everything coming to a head. The lack of sleep, the fresh withdrawals, having to kill her first lover. It all hit her hard, sending her spiraling into a sea of darkness.
' Oh goddess, let him find peace. '
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Tara Maclay sat numbly at the side of her ex-lover's bed. Her entire body ached and throbbed painfully from the shock of everything that Giles had told her.
She'd woken up that morning looking forward to her art classes. She'd finally finished her semester assignment. The portrait of the person that had changed her life the most. A portrait of Willow.
She was so proud of the painting. It had shown the joy and explosion of love that she adored. The dark red hair that flowed like a swan over water. Those rich, emerald eyes that sparkled brightly.
Then Giles had shown up at her door. His face worn and tired. Eyes blood shot from exhaustion, and crying. His normally pristine appearance had been anything but.
The black tie had been undone, just lay across his shoulders. His dress shirt's collar had been open. His jacket missing, exposing his rolled up sleeves.
Her nightmare had become a true horror when he'd entered the room, his glasses hanging from his left hand as he paced the length of the room.
He'd spoken haughtily, reluctantly. Yet, he hadn't left anything out. He'd explained all about the Cain werewolves. About Oz progressing into the madness of the Cain clan. The ritual execution, and Willow.
Dear goddess, Willow. Oz had asked Willow to perform the duties of his mate. To guard him, and execute him when the time came. An act that was horrifying to think about, much less to contemplate.
The worst of it though was the bite marks on her left arm. The wounds that had infected her soul mate with lythropy. The very thing that had led Oz into the embrace of insanity.
One thing, one single thing was keeping her from panicking. Somehow her lover had managed to do the merging spell. The only thing that stood between Cain werewolves and the race of shapeshifters.
She slipped the damp towel onto her ex-lover's forehead, and wiped the sweat from it. She tried desperately to ignore the harsh effects of magical withdrawal.
The determination, no the resolve face was keeping Willow from giving in to the demanding black magic. A fact that brought her hope from the bleakness that surrounded them.
" Tara..."
The blonde gently kissed the red heads forehead. She wanted nothing more than to climb into the bed and keep the pixie wrapped up in her arms, safe from the world.
" I'm right here, sweetie. "
" ...so sorry. "
" I know. " Tara assured, and she did.
She knew the red head was destroying herself over messing with Tara's memories. She was working herself up into a state of depression that scared Tara more than the act itself.
Tara feared that in her state, Willow would end up killing herself. She was afraid that Willow would get into more trouble from the depression than she would from the magical addiction. All in all, she wasn't sure what to do to help the red head.
" ...love you. "
" I love you, too, sweetie. "
Tara felt her heart burst from joy at the peaceful expression on the red heads face as she fell back into a dreamless sleep.
The sight caused the blonde to give up fighting her urge to climb in bed. She quickly discarded her shoes, and crawled in with her ex-lover.
Almost immediately, the pixie curled up into her arms, letting out a happy sigh. She smiled slightly at the sight and pulled the red head closer to her.
The one thing she knew she wouldn't have to worry about though was the situation with Oz. The ritual leading to the execution of a Cain wolf wasn't just for the Cain wolf but for the wolf's mate.
The ritual created a temporary link with the spirit of the Cain wolf once they'd died. It lasted less than an hour, but it was long enough to help the mate deal with any guilt they may have felt, and to say good-bye.
She knew it had worked, because Buffy had talked about Willow passing out, and muttering about cheeky wolves. It was enough to let Tara know that Willow had gotten her chance to talk with Oz.
" How is she? "
Tara glanced up at Giles. The older man had been hovering almost as much as Buffy, and that was saying something. She could see a definite amount of guilt, and some regret in his eyes. Some from having left them in the first place, and the rest for not being there when they needed him the most.
" Calm. " She answered truthfully.
" Because of you, my dear. " Giles took a seat in the chair by the bed. " She was quite restless before you came over. "
Tara couldn't help but blush deeply at the statement. Dawn had made it clear already that Willow had been having nightmares since they'd broken up.
" What did the council have to say? " She asked.
Giles sighed at the question. She assumed it was over having to deal with Trevors. The head of the council had somehow found out about Giles inquiries about Cain werewolves.
" Stressful. Quentin was most helpful in taking care of any loose ends. Unfortunately, he also found out about Oz biting Willow. "
" If he tries to touch her..." Tara all but growled at the other man.
" I've managed to convince him that Willow performed the merging spell. Though, I'm not sure he believes me. "
" Why not? "
" He knows that Willow went cold turkey, and for her to use magic.... " He trailed off momentarily. " In his mind it means one of two things, she has given up magic and is now a Cain werewolf, or two, she hasn't given up magic and is a full powered dark witch. "
Tara narrowed her eyes at Giles comments. Neither idea was good, especially since the council wasn't known for letting possible threats survive.
" You think he's going to have her killed. "
" It's the most logical conclusion. " He agreed.
" If the council tries anything, I'll consider it a declaration of
war. " Buffy spoke up from the door.
" Are you sure? " Tara asked.
" Nobody messes with the Scoobies and gets away with it. Not even the mighty council. "
" Buffy's right. " Giles said. " We won't let anything happen to Willow. "
" How do we fight someone as politically powerful as the council? " Tara wondered.
" Carefully. " Giles said wryly.
" Ooohhh...did someone squash the frog that hit me? " Willow moaned, burrowing her face into Tara's neck.
" I'm afraid not. " Giles answered.
" Not so loud. " Willow complained.
" Is it your head? " Tara whispered.
Willow nodded pitifully. " Everything's so loud. I'd almost swear I could hear Giles heart beating from here, and the smells.... Ew, when was the last time someone cleaned the toilet. "
" I see. " Giles grinned slightly. " Welcome to the life of a lythrope. "
Willow lifted her face away from Tara's neck to glare at the ex-watcher. " You mean this is permanent? "
" Unfortunately, yes. However, you will adjust. " Giles smirked at the horrified expression covering her face." Just a word of warning, I would take great care with the use of your strength. "
" Well, poop. " Willow pouted, snuggling back into Tara's arms. " I'm never getting out of bed again. "
" You can't hide in here forever. " Tara gently pointed out.
" Can, too. "
" Sweetie, we have a slight problem. " Tara tried a different tactic. " The council seems to think you need to be eliminated. "
Willow's head popped up instantly, her bright eyes shining with curiosity and confusion. " Why? What'd I do now? "
" It seems Quentin has gotten it into his head that you're either a witch addicted to black magic, or a newly made Cain wolf. "
" But I did the merging spell. " Willow protested.
" Hence our problem. If we insist that you did the necessary spell, then we prove you're still using magic. On the other hand, if we show that you've quit abusing magic, then we've shown that you are indeed a Cain wolf. "
" Can't you show that I quit with the magic's after I was bit? "
" I had informed Quentin of your previous attempts, so it wouldn't work. "
" Great, just great. I try to do the right thing, and look what's happened. " Willow sat up, reluctantly pulling away from her ex-lover. " I'm starting to think I should just resign from the hero gig. "
" I'm all for that idea. " Buffy agreed, flopping down on the bed beside Willow.
" You would. " Dawn said, poking her head into the room.
" Hey! " Buffy protested glaring at her sister. " And just how long were you eavesdropping? "
" I wasn't eavesdropping. I happened to be walking by and heard you mention the council. " Dawn stuck her tongue out at her sister before turning to Giles. " Are they really after Willow? "
" I can't say for sure, no. Though, from my previous dealings with the organization, I would say it's a safe bet. Now, I believe we should call the others and decide what the best course of action is. "
" Oh, oh, do I get to activate project spanky? " Willow bounced on the bed happily, her energy causing Tara to buzz just by being near it.
Giles cleared his throat, making it sound suspiciously like he was trying not to laugh. " Not as of yet. "
" Spoil sport. " Willow pouted.
" Maybe later. " Giles reassured.
" Wait, what's project spanky? " Buffy asked with a smirk.
" Don't look at me. I can honestly say that it is Willow's pet project. " Giles left the room at that, leaving the other three staring expectantly at the red head.
" Sweetie? "
The red head flushed under the blonde witch's gaze.
" Oh, well, see after they screwed Buffy I decided to take certain precautions, so I used my hacking skills to set up various safety nets. "
" What kind of safety nets? " Buffy asked suspiciously.
" Oh, you know, the usual. Sending every single dime of their money into certain untraceable Swiss accounts, wiping out their hard drives and leaving me with the only existing copies, changing their accounts with the water and power company so that it looks like they're bills are a couple of years overdue, then there's the files that would be sent to MI9 which would probably have them arrested, oh and you can't forget the whole auditing them thing. "
" Anything else? " Tara asked with not a little amusement.
" Of course. There's a bunch of other stuff, but they're really nasty. " Willow nodded.
Tara snorted softly at that. Only the red head wouldn't consider getting audited being nasty.
" You think you're up to going downstairs? " The blonde questioned.
" Sure, I need to get something to eat anyway. "
Tara couldn't help but be doubtful. She wanted to keep the red head tucked away in bed, but she knew the lythropy was making her hyper. Plus, Willow really did need to be at any discussions concerning the council.
" What do you want to eat? " Dawn asked.
" Steak, medium rare on the side of rare. Oh and a large salad with creamy Italian. Maybe some of those yummy rolls and mashed potatoes. " The red head bounced off the bed, her bare feet curling into the carpet. " Could I have a slice of chocolate cake, too? With some chocolate ice cream on the side? "
" Is that a good idea with the withdrawals? " Dawn asked Tara.
" I think it's safe to assume that her rapid healing has finally kicked in. " Tara smirked.
" Along with the appetite. " Buffy wryly commented.
Tara followed the group downstairs, idly wondering how they were going to afford feeding a werewolf and a slayer. Though, she also couldn't help but wonder if they'd even survive a Willow that could now get hyper without the help of mocha goodness.
" Buffy? "
The blonde slayer dropped back and glanced questionably at the wiccan.
" Have you noticed how hyper she is? "
" It'd be hard not to. " Buffy snorted.
" Maybe you should think about taking her with you on patrol? "
" Is that a good idea? "
" She's got the same strength and speed that you do. She just needs to learn how to defend herself. "
" Oh, maybe Giles could be her watcher type person. " Buffy lit up, catching on to what Tara wanted. " Then he'd have a reason to stay. "
" Not to mention, help Willow drain some of that energy. " Tara added.
" That, too. " Buffy agreed. " I'll talk to Giles about it, now. You go feed the wolf. "
Tara shook her head as the slayer happily went over to Giles. It was the first time she'd seen any real emotions in the blonde since they'd brought her back.
" Maybe some good came from all this after all. " She mumbled.
" Are you coming? " Willow called out from the kitchen.
Tara entered the kitchen to find chaos. Somehow in the few short minutes that she was with Buffy, Dawn and Willow had turned the room into a disaster area.
The stove was on, with an enormous steak sizzling. In a large platter to the side was several more steaks, and Dawn was in the process of smashing a dozen Yukon gold potatoes in a bowl easily the size of the teen.
Spices, and worcestershire sauce were scattered over the counter by the stove. The lids haphazardly thrown off them. The refrigerator door was cracked open, and Tara could just make out what was left of a package of rolls in the trash.
There was a boiling pot on one of the small eyes, and she could barely see what looked like Orzo cooking in it. On the other small eye was butter-saturated peas.
" I can't leave you two alone for a minute? " She lightly scolded, though the smile dancing over her lips caused it to lose it's bite.
It was well known in the Scoobies that Willow was the best cook out of all of them. Able to cook the most complex of dishes with a calculated precision that would make Julia Child jealous.
However, with her cooking brilliance came a tendency to create a mess in her wake. Somehow, she could turn the simplest task into a storm of powder and dirty dishes. It was why they very rarely allowed her near the kitchen, and even rarer why they succeeded.
Of course, Dawn's continuously running interference for the red head might have been the reason for their failure. Or it could have been the fact that Willow really was a genius in most things.
" Um, oops? " Willow cocked her head at the blonde.
" What am I going to do with you? " She asked.
" Send me to my room without supper. " Willow waggled her eyebrows at her.
Tara rolled her eyes, struggling to keep a straight face.
" Do you need any help? " She questioned.
Willow stuck her bottom lip out. " Lots. "
Tara fought against the smile, she really did. It was just that she'd been afraid that having the instincts of the wolf would cause the red head to hate her. Instead it seemed to have the opposite effect. If anything the red head loved her even more.
" I meant with the cooking. " Tara corrected.
" You could make the salad. " Willow said, then lowered her voice. " Or you could spank me for being naughty. "
" Will...." She warned with a twinkle.
" I've been a really bad girl. " Willow huskily continued.
" How bad? " She couldn't help but ask.
" Hey!! " Dawn cut off. " I am in the room, you know. "
Willow stuck her tongue out at the teen, then went back to the cooking stead.
" We'll behave. " Tara promised.
" Yeah, and I'm a slayer. " Dawn said cheekily. " What's gotten into Willow? "
Tara blushed slightly at the question. " It's the wolf. Her instincts are to claim her mate. "
" Sheesh, you make it sound like I have no control. " Willow complained.
" I just meant that before while you simply wanted to get back together you weren't being driven by a biological need for your lover. "
" Oh, right, I knew that. "
Tara cocked an eyebrow at the red head. " Oh really? "
" Really. " Willow answered, then smirked. " Of course, if you want I could come over there and prove it to you. "
" Willow? Giles wants to talk to you. " Buffy interrupted.
" Can it wait? " Willow asked.
" Nope. " Buffy smirked knowingly.
" Well, fudge. " Willow suddenly smiled evilly and swooped in. She grabbed Tara in a short but passionate kiss that left the blonde weak-kneed. " I'll be right back. "
Tara grabbed the edge of the island as the red head left the kitchen with an animalistic grace. She wanted to say a lot of things in that moment, except she couldn't seem to manage any coherent sounds.
" I didn't know you were back together. " Buffy prodded.
" We're not. " Tara avoided.
" Then why did you let her kiss you? " Buffy sat on one of the stoles. " Tara, she hurt you, how can you just forget that? "
" I'm not forgetting anything. " Tara sharply said.
" Then why? "
" What do you know about wolves? "
" They live in packs. There's two alphas, mated, and they're
in charge. "
" Buffy, wolves are protective of their families, and their mates. They won't do anything that might hurt them, or let them be hurt. "
" Okay, but that doesn't explain you and Willow making with the eyes. "
" Think about it. Willow is now a werewolf. She has all the instincts of the wolf, despite her human soul to balance them. " When Buffy didn't make any comment to confirm she got it Tara continued. " In other words, she will treat me the way a wolf would treat their mate. She couldn't hurt me no matter how much she tried because the wolf in her wouldn't let her. "
In a lot of ways, there was now a full-fledged guarantee that Willow was safe. There was no chance that she could ever do anything to Tara, not anymore. It wouldn't matter if she was so high on black magic that she was on a rampage, she wouldn't even consider raising a hand to the blonde.
It was that fact that made Tara at ease with the red head. That, plus the sudden refusal to use magic. Willow had given it up, in the face of the most horrible of withdrawals, she'd refused to give in to the magic.
She had her Willow back. A little furrier maybe, but her Willow neither less. Goddess be thanked, Willow was her's again.
" Cool. " Dawn said brightly. " So that's it? "
" Not quite. " Tara said. " There's several issues we have to work through. "
" Yeah, but I mean you're all with the cuddling again. " Buffy protested.
" It's not that easy. Willow hurt me, and wolf or not, we need to have a long talk about it. I can't just let it go because she's suddenly got a wolf to keep her in control. "
" Well, that's no fun. " Dawn sulked.
" No, but it's life. " Tara chided gently.
" What did Giles want with Willow? " Dawn changed the subject.
" He wants to be her watcher type. " Buffy said proudly.
" Does that mean he's staying? " Dawn squealed.
" Yes. " Buffy grabbed the teen, and they started dancing around the kitchen.
Tara laughed lightly at the sisters. Sometimes they were so in tune with the other that it was obvious that Dawn was made from Buffy's blood.
" Hey, what's with the happy? " Willow asked entering the kitchen.
" Dawn found out about Giles. " Tara said.
" He wants to train me. " Willow shook her head in disbelief. " I mean, I know I'm all with the wolf and everything..."
Tara frowned at the sadness creeping into the red head's eyes. It didn't take a genius to know she was thinking of Oz. The two had been friends for a number of years, and they'd both been through numerous life or death situations.
" Come on, we have a dinner to fix. " Tara nudged.
" Oh, right, dinner. " Willow muttered, turning to the stove.
" Did you say yes? "
" What else could I say? "
" How about no? "
" Without magic I'm nothing but a hindrance. At least with Giles help I might be of some help. "
" How can you say that? " Buffy asked. " You were a big help long before you became super witch. "
" Yeah, so big that I managed to get myself kidnapped by an obsessed stalker computer demon. " Willow muttered.
" Are you saying that Xander's a hindrance? " Buffy challenged.
" Of course not, he's all with the G.I. Joe stuff. "
" And you're all with the computers, and books. " Buffy firmly
said. " Now, no more pity party, or you'll have an angry slayer on your hands. "
" Yes, ma'am. " Willow muttered.
" Good. Now, about that steak...."
<><><><><>
Aeris Jade Orion
Grey Fox of Mischief
and Discord
Just... wow. You sure you wanna keep this at R rating?!
ray
