Title: Gateway

Rating: PG-13, possible R

Spoilers: post- ‘The Gift’

Feedback: Yes please

Disclaimer: Willow, Tara and the other Scoobies are the property of Mutant Enemy

Notes: For those who haven’t read ‘Grim Reaper’; Buffy was never resurrected, Giles has adopted Dawn, Willow and Tara share a dorm room and Tara is teaching Willow responsible use of magick.



Part 1



Giles heard a knocking at his front door and went to answer it. “Willow, Tara, good morning” he greeted the two Wiccans.



“Hi Giles” Willow replied cheerfully. “Good morning Mr. Giles” Tara added.



“Come in” Giles held the door open for them. As they entered, he asked, “so to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”



“We’re taking Dawn to see a movie” Willow explained.



Dawn appeared. “Hi Willow, Hi Tara”.



“Hi Dawn” they both said at once.



“You looking forwards to the movie Dawnie?” asked Tara.



Dawn nodded eagerly.



“Surely you can have some breakfast first” said Giles.



Dawn blanched at that. “Um well…”



“I could give you a hand with that, Mr. Giles” Tara offered. “I really don’t mind” she added, anticipating his reaction.



“Well alright” Giles agreed. “To tell you the truth, my cooking ability does not amount to much”.



As they went into the kitchen, Dawn nudged Willow with her elbow and mouthed the words ‘you can say that again’. They both giggled.



In the kitchen, Tara and Giles were talking about how the Scooby Gang’s patrolling had been going recently.



A few weeks ago, an old friend of Giles, Simon Sheppard, had arrived in Sunnydale to warn them about the Reapers, a race of virtually indestructible ‘super-vampires’. After the Reaper threat had been dealt with (during which Willow had gained much control over her powerful magick), Simon had left town. According to Spike, so had Snowman, the mute vampire samurai who had aided the Scoobies against the Reapers. Tara was glad of that; true Snowman was a vampire, but he had been an ally to the Gang. She didn’t like the idea of having to kill him if he was encountered on a patrol.



“Since the Reapers were vanquished, things have been rather quiet of late” said Giles. He frowned slightly as he took a closer look at the funny-shaped pancakes Tara was making. She smiled. “Trust me, you’ll like them”.



Giles nodded. “Yes I’m sure we all will”.



“So, have you seen any sign of Amy?” Tara asked.



A week ago, Willow and Tara had brought Amy to Giles in another attempt to ‘de-rat’ her. Unfortunately, she had gotten out of her cage and had disappeared without trace.



“I’m afraid not” Giles answered. Tara shrugged.



In the living room, Dawn and Willow were having their own conversation.



“So Willow was your mom and dad okay with the Wicca thing?” Dawn asked gently.



“They took it pretty well” Willow replied. “They said they were disappointed I had chosen not to follow their ways, but that doesn’t mean they love me any less”.



Dawn nodded. “I’m glad for you. So everything’s okay then?”



Willow smiled. “Thank you Dawnie. Yeah everything’s okay”.



At that point, Giles and Tara entered, carrying full plates. “Pancakes” Tara called.



“Ooh nice”. Willow’s smile broadened.



Soon afterwards, all four of them were enjoying breakfast.



“I must say, these pancakes are very good” Giles commented.



Tara smiled brightly. “I didn’t think Willow liked my cooking until I realised that look was her yummy face”.



Willow leaned forwards and whispered something into Tara’s ear. Tara burst into a giggling fit.



Dawn cleared her throat and tapped her watch. “Uh guys, we should be going. We don’t want to be late for the movie”.



Everyone started to get up, having finished their meal. “Bye Giles. Nice to see you” Willow said.



“Have a good time, you three” Giles said, smiling.



“We will” Dawn called as she and the two witches walked out of the front door.



End of Part 1

I liked that! I definitely prefer your version of what happened after The Gift, and any story which involves Tara making pancakes is ok by me Ok, I'm off to try and find the Grim Reaper now.

Thanks, looking forward to more.

Karen

Yayayayayay! Sequel to Grim Reaper! Yayayayay! Did I mention yay? I like the Willow yummy face - and pancakes? Me like pancakes Okay, I feel a babbling spree coming on.... great start!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

NEW MOON RISING

Thank you for your replies, here is the next part. It’s a bit angsty I’m afraid, but bare with it and I’m sure it’ll turn out okay.



Part 2



A few hours later, when the small group had returned to the Summers’ house, they found Giles waiting for them in the living room. After a few moments of casual conversation, his expression turned serious.



“Tara, there’s something you need to see”.



He opened a newspaper and pointed to something. Dawn, Willow and Tara all looked.



“Why would a solicitor want to see Tara?” Dawn wondered.



Next day:



Giles, Dawn, Anya and Xander were in the Magic Box. They all looked up as the bell rang and Willow and Tara entered, both wearing their smartest clothes. Tara had a bemused expression on her face and Willow was gently squeezing her hand.



“So, uh, how’d it go?” Dawn asked hesitantly. Tara replied, “my family, they, well, their dead. They died in a fire”.



Everyone looked at her sympathetically. “Are you alright Tara?” Giles asked gently. She nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay”.



After a brief pause she sat down and went on, “there’s something else. My father didn’t leave a will, so everything they owned, the entire estate, now belongs to me”.



“Wow, the entire estate. That should be worth something” Anya said appreciatively. Noticing the looks the others’ were giving her, she said simply “what”.



The brown-haired Wiccan sighed. “I’m going back to the dorms now”.



“Want me to come with?” Willow asked gently. “Or do you want some time by yourself?”



“I need some time alone now, Willow. Thank you” Tara replied as she stood up. “I’ll see you later. Bye”.



“Bye”.



As Tara left the shop, Anya looked puzzled. “I don’t get it. Tara didn’t like her relatives and she probably wouldn’t ever have even seen them again. Why does she seem so upset?”



“Tara didn’t like her family, but it still hurts her that their gone” Willow answered. “She wanted to fix things with them someday, build bridges, you know”.



For a moment, everyone was silent. Then Dawn spoke up.



“I think I’ll go to the mall, just hang out for a while. Willow, want to come with?”



Willow smiled. “Sure Dawnie, I’d like that”.



As they left, she turned to the others and said “bye guys. See you later”.



“See you later” they called back.



Later that afternoon, Tara was in her room, sitting quietly. Miss Kitty Fantastico was curled up on the bed, fast asleep.



The door opened and Willow came in. Tara’s spirits lifted at the sight of her girlfriend and she smiled warmly. “Hey you”.



“Hey” Willow said, smiling back. She sat next to Tara and asked “you feeling okay?”



“A lot better now that you’re here” Tara replied.



“Any ideas on what to do with your inheritance?” Willow asked softly.



Tara shrugged. “I’ll sell most of it, I guess”. She paused, and then went on “Um, Willow. There’s an old house in San Francisco that belonged to my grandmother. I I’d really like to visit it”.



“I understand” said the redhead, trying to hide her unhappiness at the thought of being separated from Tara. “So, uh, how long will you be gone?”



Tara smiled. “Actually I was hoping you could come with me”.



Willow’s eyes widened and she beamed at Tara. “I’d love to. Oh Tara, thank you”. She kissed her girlfriend happily. “I love you Tara”.



“I love you too Willow”.



Two days later Tara and Willow were ready to go on their trip. It was a beautiful sunny day as they loaded their suitcases into Giles’ car. He had lent it to them for while they were away and Willow was delighted by the chance to use her recently acquired driver’s license.



The Gang had met up at Giles’ to see them off. Dawn was holding Miss Kitty and was waving one of her paws up and down. “Miss Kitty says goodbye” Dawn giggled. She and Giles were looking after the witches’ cat while they were away. “You guys have fun”.



“We will, thank you” Willow called, waving back cheerily. “Bye”.



She got into the car with Tara and they drove off.



End of Part 2

Ooh yay, update *g* Poor Tara, upset that her - ahem - family died. I'm not going to cheer because it's not nice but they weren't nice to her! Grr. Argh. But they're going on a trip? Hmm... Is the house big and romantic and pretty? Huh, huh, is it, is it? Sorry, got a little overexcited there. *g* Great update!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

NEW MOON RISING

Here is the next update, hope it doesn’t disappoint. It contains my first attempt at writing Willow-babble. I hope I have written it properly.



Part 3



Some time later, after they had left Sunnydale behind and were on the open road, the car’s engine began to sputter and then stopped completely. The two Wiccans looked at each other and then Willow tried to restart the engine. Nothing happened.



“Um Tara”



“Yes sweetie”



“The car’s broken down”.



They got out and walked around to the front. “Giles told us it was fine” Willow complained. “Why didn’t he tell us there was a chance that it might break down? I mean, what if we end up having to walk all the way to San Francisco? It’ll take hours and when we get there we’ll be all tired and”…



She paused momentarily. “Or maybe I did this. Maybe I broke Giles’ car! Oh Tara, what if this is my fault? Giles trusted me with his car and I”…



Tara placed two fingers to her girlfriend’s lips. “Honey it’s ok, calm down”. When the red-haired witch had settled down, Tara lifted the car’s hood. “I know a little about engines” she explained. “Not much, but I’ll do what I can”.



As Willow watched Tara fiddle with the engine, a coy smile spread across her face. Tara looked up. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.



“You, covered in grease” Willow replied.



A matching smile appeared on Tara’s face. After a while, she closed the hood. “Try it now” she suggested.



They got back into the car and Willow turned the key. The engine sputtered a little and then roared to life.



“Tara, you did it! Wow, is there anything you can’t do?”



Tara just smiled as they drove off.



After a while, Willow asked “So what’s your grandmother’s house like?”



“Oh it’s amazing” Tara answered. “It’s this big old Victorian house. Tons of history and character. I’m sure you’ll like it”.



“I like anything that has something to do with you, Tara” Willow replied, a sweet smile on her face.



Tara returned the smile for a moment, then her face turned more serious. “I wish my grandma could have met you, Willow. My mom too. I know they would have loved you”.



“I wish I could have met them too” Willow agreed.



For a moment, both were silent. Then Tara shook her head slightly. “I’m sorry Willow. You were in such a good mood, and then I went and spoiled it”.



“Hey”. The fiery-haired Wiccan took one hand off the wheel and placed it on Tara’s shoulder. “Don’t apologise. I know you miss your mom and your grandmother. I’m always here if you want to talk about them”.



“Thank you” Tara said softly, wondering how she had been blessed enough to have found Willow.



The rest of the journey passed without incident. Willow and Tara passed the time talking and singing along to songs on the radio. Before long, they had reached San Francisco.



“Wow” Willow said as they drove through the city. “This place is just, wow”.



Tara grinned. “Have you ever been here before?”



“No” her girlfriend admitted. “I’ve always wanted to visit, see the sights, you know?”



“There’ll be plenty of time for that” Tara replied. “We can go anywhere and see anything you want”.



They smiled happily at each other.



After about twenty minutes, Tara pointed and shouted, “There, that’s it”.



Willow parked the car and they got out. Tara gestured at the big, red and cream coloured Victorian manor house. “What do you think?”



“It’s nice” Willow commented as she studied the old building. “And it’s a lot bigger than I expected. I can’t wait to see inside”.



“Me neither”.



At that point, rain began to pour down in torrents from the thick clouds covering the sky. A lightning bolt flashed, followed instantly by a crack of thunder. The girls ran under the front porch as quickly as they could, narrowly avoiding getting drenched.



Tara took the keys out of her pocket. “Well we did say we couldn’t wait to get inside” she pointed out. The two of them giggled as she unlocked the door and they entered.



End of Part 3

Cools!!! I'm totally digging the victorian house!



-Will

"Hear that baby? You're my always."

Oh I'm liking this. A victorian house eh?? Those are huge but they are beautiful inside. San Francisco too?? Wow Willow is lucky. Always wanted to go to San Francisco.



-Trinity-

"Hey, I'm a friend of lady Imbolc, get over here and do some quality bowing." Anya in Unexpected Consequensed by Lisa of Nine

Ah, yay, update Poor Will thinking she'd broken Giles' car, and well done Tara fixing it! Me likes a lot. Me also likes Victorian houses... they're so big and beautiful. *Does a Happy Dance* Brilliant update!

Edited by: Warduke at: 11/24/02 1:33:04 pm

Okay, here is the next update, hope you enjoy it. Thank you all again for your encouragement.



Part 4



Tara spent the next few hours giving her girlfriend a guided tour of the house. She was pleased to see that it was still in very good repair and the rooms were still filled with the various antiques that her grandmother had loved to collect. She was a little saddened, but not at all surprised, to see that all of the magickal items (charms, candles etc) she remembered being in every room were missing. Her father had wasted no time in clearing them all out after her grandmother’s death.



Tara smiled at the look of awe on Willow’s face. “I take it you like it here?”



Willow nodded. “Did you used to come here a lot?”



“Oh yeah. Me and my mom used to visit all the time”. She smiled wistfully. “It was great”.



Then Tara’s face brightened and she took Willow’s hand. “Come on. There’s something I want you to see”.



“But we’ve already been in every room” Willow pointed out as she followed Tara.



“Not here” Tara replied as she rolled back a rug on the floor to reveal a wooden trapdoor. “The basement”.



“There aren’t any monsters, are there” Willow joked.



“No sweetie, no monsters here” Tara replied with a grin.



The two of them went down the wooden staircase into the basement. Once again, Willow was amazed by the spaciousness. It had probably been used for storage at some point, but was now mostly empty except for a full-size dress mirror in the corner, along with some packing cases.



“Wait here” Tara said. She went over to the packing cases and began to rummage through them.



Willow watched Tara, her fingers toying with the pentacle necklace Tara had recently bought her. She grinned slyly as she watched her girlfriend bend down.



The brown-haired witch gave a happy cry as she found what she had been looking for. She held up an ancient-looking book, covered in brown leather. The cover was imprinted with three arcs interlocked inside a circle.



“My grandmother’s Book of Shadows” Tara explained. “This basement is where I first started learning witchcraft. I used to spend hours reading this book with my mom and grandmother”.



She paused for a moment and then continued in a more serious tone. “I want you to have this”. She held the Book of Shadows out to Willow.



The redhead smiled beatifically at that. “Tara, that’s so sweet. Thank you”.



As Tara handed the book to her girlfriend, Willow added “but you know, it’s not mine. It’s ours”.



Tara took Willow’s hand in hers and kissed her on the lips.



That evening, Willow and Tara were in the living room, curled up together on a settee. Earlier, the rain had briefly stopped, giving them just enough time to collect their luggage from the car. It had started again immediately after and was now raining heavily.



Tara glanced at the window. A fine mist covered the street, lights glowing softly through the gloom. Dark grey clouds covered the sky and rain continued to pour down to the slick pavement.



Tara shivered and looked at Willow. Her girlfriend had been glancing at grandmother’s old piano for a while now. “Do you want to play it?” she asked.



Willow nodded. “I haven’t played in a while, and I’m not that good, but”…



“Go on” Tara encouraged, giving her a nudge. “I’m sure you’ll be great”.



Willow got up and walked over to the piano. She sat down and hesitantly tapped the keys a few times. Taking a deep breath, she began to play.



Tara closed her eyes and listened intently to the sound of Beethoven’s Fur Elise. Tara had always liked that particular piece, and to hear it being played by Willow was just wonderful.



As the music ended, Tara walked up to Willow and hugged her from behind. “That was beautiful” Tara whispered into Willow’s ear.



“Thank you” she replied.



The two of them stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other’s closeness. Then Willow asked, “bed now?”



“Oh yes” Tara replied eagerly.



Many hours later, they were sleeping in the master bedroom’s queen-sized bed. Both were snuggled up together as close as they could get, arms wrapped around each other in perfect contentment.



As she slept, Tara dreamed. In her dream she was walking through the house, following something. Tara tried to see what the something was, but it always seemed to be disappearing round a corner. There was something wrong with the house too. It seemed even bigger than normal, and some of the rooms were unfamiliar, as if they had been redecorated. Others, Tara didn’t recognise at all.



She entered the living room and was delighted to see Willow playing the piano. The red-haired Wiccan was wearing a beautiful white dress that shimmered in the light. She stopped playing and turned to smile at Tara. “Hey”.



“Hey” Tara replied. “I’m glad to see you. There’s this thing in the house and I’m looking for it. Would you like to come with me?”



“Sure” Willow answered.



They found themselves in the basement. Willow, still in her white dress, pointed to the mirror. Its surface was rippling like water. “What’s that”?



At that point, Tara woke up.



End of Part 4

Oooh!! Is the mirror haunted? Or something? Brilliant update!! I had an instant image of the "Charmed" BOS when Tara showed Willow the Book of Shadows *sheepish* I'm too much of a Buffy/Charmed fan. Anyways, wowee!! Loved the update!! Wonderful! *ponders* Did that dream mean anything, I wonder?

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

Actually the Book of Shadows was based on the one in Charmed. That’s where I got the idea. The significance of Tara’s dream and the mirror will be revealed soon. Anyway, here is the next part.



Part 5



“Morning” Willow said perkily. She had woken up a few minutes ago and had contentedly passed the time watching Tara sleep.



“Morning” Tara replied drowsily. She stretched her body a little, then smiled lopsidedly at Willow. “Did you sleep well?”



“Like a baby. How about you?”



“Not too bad. I had this weird dream”.



“Was it a bad dream?” Willow asked, a frown appearing on her face.



“Oh no, it wasn’t a bad dream” Tara replied. “Actually, I can’t really remember anything about it”.



Willow shrugged. “Okay, no biggie. Would you tell me if you remember anything?”



“Of course”. Tara ran her fingers through her girlfriend’s short red hair. “You still want to go sightseeing, baby?”



“Sure, but not right away. There’s no hurry. Couldn’t we stay in bed for awhile and just, you know, snuggle?” She smiled slyly at the last part.



Tara laughed. “You are such a vixen”. She kissed Willow. “And I don’t want you to ever change”.



“You don’t have to worry about that”.



It was eleven o’clock before they finally got up. The rest of the day was spent travelling around San Francisco, enjoying the sights. Willow in particular had a wonderful time. The redhead was like a small child, pointing out everything she saw and happily babbling out trivial details. Tara had a delighted smile on her face the whole time. She loved seeing Willow so excited and happy.



As the day drew to a close, Willow suggested visiting a nightclub she had noticed when they first arrived. Tara readily agreed. While she was not really one for nightclubs in general, she did like visiting new places with her lover. By evening, they were in the living room, getting ready for their night out.



“How do I look?” Tara asked, doing a little twirl to show off the outfit she had bought that day. It consisted of a grey, stripy top, a blue and green light skirt and a blue jacket.



“You look awesome” Willow replied. “That outfit looks great on you”.



“You look pretty awesome yourself” Tara replied, her eyes roaming over her girlfriend. Willow was wearing a light brown top and black pants, also bought that day. “Time to go?”



“Time to go” Willow repeated.



The nightclub, the Raven, turned out to be very similar to the Bronze, but with better lighting and a ‘high tech’ look to it’s fixtures and furniture, lots of chrome and mirrored glass.



Tara smiled at Willow. “Having a good time?” she asked.



“Any time with you is good” Willow replied sweetly.



Tara’s smile widened. Before she could reply, Willow stood up and took her hand. “Dance with me?”



Tara nodded and stood up. The song playing was a fast one and she preferred dancing to slow songs. The type of music didn’t really matter, though, just so long as she was dancing with Willow.



The witches walked over to the dance floor and began to dance, Willow with her arms raised over her head, Tara with her arms held out at her sides. Willow danced quickly, as if her life depended on it, Tara slightly slower. After a moment, Tara quickened her pace to match Willow’s, and copied her movements. Willow gave her girlfriend a little smirk, stopped moving, and then started dancing in the style Tara had been using. Tara returned the smirk and switched again, so she and Willow were dancing in the same style.



Giggling slightly, Willow took Tara’s hand and raised it above their heads. She spun beneath their raised hands into Tara’s embrace. Both of them laughed happily.



After a while, they went back to their table, broad grins on their faces.



“That was so cool” Willow said. “We should do that more often”.



Tara nodded in agreement. “You ready to go back to the house?”



“Sure. Just give me a minute to catch my breath”.



Soon after that, they were heading back to the house. The clouds had lifted and the stars were out. Tara was glad of that. The streets were empty and it was very dark. Tara felt uneasy and squeezed Willow’s hand for reassurance.



“Is something wrong, baby?” asked a concerned Willow.



“It’s nothing. Just a bad feeling”.



At that point, three figures, two male, one female, emerged from an alley. All three had thickened brows, yellow eyes and sharp teeth.



Vampires.



Willow and Tara reacted quickly. From out of nowhere, a wind kicked up, blowing their hair back. They felt magick flowing through them, linking them together.



The witches focused their attention on a nearby crate. It rose into the air and went flying into the closest vampire, a blond male. The crate smashed into him with such force, it shattered into pieces.



Willow let go of Tara’s hand and ran forwards. She grabbed a wooden sliver and plunged it into the stunned vampire’s chest. He had just enough time to look surprised, and then he dissolved into dust.



Tara circled to her left and faced another vampire, a dark-haired female. Tara raised her left hand and shouted “flagrare”. A brilliant white light flashed from her palm, dazzling the vampire. She cried out, covering her eyes. Tara quickly snatched up another wooden sliver and drove it into the vampire’s heart, dusting her.



The last vampire turned and ran back down the alley. He jumped over a wall and escaped into the night.



For a moment, Willow and Tara stood there, recovering from the shock. Then Willow shook her head.



“I don’t believe it! Can’t we just have a nice non-danger-filled trip for once. Did the vampires follow us here or do we have some sort of sign floating over our heads saying ‘trouble magnets’? What do we”…



“Honey” Tara said calmly. “Look at it this way. If we hadn’t been here, they would have attacked somebody else. We’ve probably saved someone’s life tonight”.



Willow relaxed. “Well, I guess that’s right”. She grinned. “Wow, we’re awesome, aren’t we?”



“We’re like, cool monster fighters” Tara agreed, returning Willow’s grin.



“That we are”.



Later that night, after the Wiccans had gone to bed, the vampire that had gotten away was joining the rest of his gang in an abandoned theatre.



Una listened intently as the vampire, Ed, told what had happened. She was a tall woman with piercing blue eyes and short, dark brown hair. She wore a form-fitting grey dress and a thin, pale blue scarf.



To her right, stood Darkhammer, a powerful brute of a vampire with no hair and tattoos covering the lower half of his face. Next to him was Luther, a short Texan vampire with a black beard.



Una frowned as Ed finished his report. “Those two are more powerful than I thought” she said. “We will have to try another approach”.



“What’s the problem” queried a blonde named Jeri. “Their only witches”.



Una’s eyes turned black as coal as she raised a hand. A red bolt of energy shot out and sliced off Jeri’s head, decapitating her.



Una turned to the rest of the gang. “Does anyone else think that witches are easy to deal with?”



No one answered. She smiled. “Good”.



End of Part 5

Ack.... that's not good. No baddies, please no more baddies!! And to think I thought that they had gotten away with that.



But, they are 'cool monster fighters' anyways... Great update!!



I guess I'm not *too* obsessed with Charmed after all. *breathes sigh of relief* Looking forwards to more!!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

Here is the next part. I hope you like it.

Part 6



The next morning, Willow was again watching Tara sleep. She smiled as her girlfriend scrunched up her nose.



“The mirror” Tara murmured softly in her sleep. After a moment, she opened her eyes.



“Hi” Willow said, still smiling.



“Hi” Tara replied, snuggling up to Willow. After a moment, she said “I had the same dream last night”.



“Oh, do you remember what it was?”



“I was following this thing through the house” Tara began. “It kept disappearing around the corners so I couldn’t tell what it was. And the house was weird. It was like it had been changed somehow, like someone had added a bunch of new rooms. Anyway, I came into the living room and you were there”.



Tara grinned. “You were wearing this gorgeous white dress, and you were playing my grandmother’s piano. I asked if you’d like to come with me and you said ‘sure’. We went into the basement and the mirror’s surface was rippling, you know, like it was made of water. You pointed at it and said ‘what’s that’. Then I woke up”.



Willow frowned. “You think maybe there’s something wrong with your grandmother’s mirror. Like it’s haunted or something”.



“I’m not sure” Tara admitted.



“ I could check the newspaper archives on-line” Willow offered. “See if the house has any history of weird things happening”.



“That’s a good idea” Tara agreed. “I’ll see if I can find a spell that might help”



“Okay”.



Two hours later, Willow had her laptop set up and was busily going through the archives, while Tara was sitting at the main table, surrounded by magick books.



“Got it” Tara exclaimed. “This spell, when cast on a non-living object, will reveal if it’s been enchanted in any way”.



“Okay, let’s try it. I’ve got nothing” Willow replied, switching off her laptop.



A few minutes later, they were in the basement. Both girls cast their circle and began their spell. They sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other. Between them was a copper bowl into which Tara sprinkled a handful of herbs. She and Willow then joined hands and began to chant. As they chanted, a gentle breeze ruffled their hair.



“Shadows are parted and secrets are revealed. So mote it be”.

“Shadows are parted and secrets are revealed. So mote it be”.

“Shadows are parted and secrets are revealed. So mote it be”.



The breeze dissipated and the mirror began to glow with a bright blue light. The witches got to their feet, careful not to break their circle. The light faded and the surface of the mirror began to ripple.



“It worked” Willow said quietly. “The mirror’s all rippley”



“Just like in my dream” Tara agreed.



The ripples faded and an image appeared in the mirror. A kindly-looking seventy year old woman, with a brooch shaped like a cat pinned to her shawl.



“G, grandma” Tara stammered. Willow took her hand and squeezed it gently.



“Hello” said the woman in the mirror. “I don’t know if anyone will ever see this, but if they do, and it’s you Bianca, or you Tara, then it’s good to see you”.



Willow and Tara glanced at each other. Bianca was the name of Tara’s mother.



“I’ve kept this secret from you for many years” Tara’s grandmother continued, her voice filled with regret. “But now I have no other option”.



She paused for a moment and then went on. “This house you are in now is the site of a gateway to another world. A world of nightmares, of cruelty and evil”.



Tara was shocked as she listened. Grandma kept this a secret from me and my mother all along she thought. Could my father have known or suspected something about this? Is this where he got the inspiration to make me think I was a demon?



“My coven gave me the task of guarding the portal. Of making sure it would never open and somehow finding a way to permanently seal it. It has taken me years of research to find such a spell but I believe I now have it”.



Again she paused. “However, there is a problem and that is why I have made this recording. The spell is extremely difficult as it requires a great deal of power. Once cast upon a specific portal, it can never be used again by the same witch on the same portal. I am an old woman and there is no guarantee I will survive the spell. If you have found this message, that means I have failed and the gateway is still a threat”.



“Bianca, Tara, you must attempt the spell. You will find it in my Book of Shadows. I am so sorry to burden you with this, but you must do it. The gateway cannot be allowed to remain”.



“Don’t worry grandma, we’ll do it” Tara said, although she knew that the image of her grandmother couldn’t hear her.



“There is something else you must know of. A member of my coven, Una, seeks to open the portal. She has turned to dark magicks and now worships the demons. At present she is seeking a spell that will allow her to achieve her goal. You must be careful, she is very powerful”.



“Whatever happens, know that I love you dearly, my daughter and grand-daughter. It is my hope that you will never read this message, but if you do, then my prayers are with you”.



The image of Tara’s grandmother vanished from the mirror.



End of Part 6

Oooh!!



Exciting!!



It's like that thing, where, that thing, um, that thing... okay, don't mind me. Aha!! Got it!! A challenge!! I mean, that's what it is... a challenge... but they shall succeed. Our girls always do...



Really loved the update!!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

4evaWill: Thank you again for your continuing replies. They mean a lot to me. I hope you continue to enjoy this fic.



Part 7



For a long moment, the two witches were silent. Then Willow spoke, “are you okay Tara?”



Tara nodded. “I’m a little shocked, but yeah I’m okay”.



After a moment, Tara continued “Willow, you heard what grandma said, about the portal-sealing spell, and um I”



“Sure I’ll help” Willow said enthusiastically. “You know me, I’m always glad to lend a hand”.



Tara smiled. “I know, sweetheart. Thank you”.



A part of Tara wasn’t sure about this. She hated the idea of Willow being in any kind of jeopardy, of course, but this felt different. This had been grandma’s responsibility and it was now Tara’s. If Willow were put in danger because of this portal thing, it would be Tara’s fault. She knew however, that asking Willow to go somewhere safe would accomplish nothing. There was no way that Willow would keep herself safe while Tara faced any kind of danger. If there positions were reversed, Tara knew that she would do exactly the same thing.



And that’s as it should be she thought. Willow and I are partners, whatever happens we stay by each other’s side.



“Let’s go get the Book of Shadows” Tara suggested. “We should start looking for this spell”.



“Got it” Willow agreed as she broke the circle.



It did not take them long to find where Tara’s grandmother had added the spell to the book.



“It seems pretty direct” Tara commented as she read the spell. “I think we have most of these ingredients with us”. She noticed something and frowned. “But we don’t have those”. She pointed at the page.



“Oh, that’s no problem” Willow replied brightly. “There’s a magick shop a little way from here. I’ll run down and get the stuff we need, while you start preparing for the spell”.



“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Tara cautioned. “I mean, you heard what grandma’s message said. There’s someone out there who wants to open this portal. You remember those vampires that attacked us last night? Maybe they were working for her”.



“Don’t worry Tara, I’ll be fine” Willow assured her. “It’s not far, I’ll be back in just a few minutes, and I don’t think this dark mojo chick will try anything in a public place. And if she does have vampires working for her, well it’s daylight, so that shouldn’t be a problem”.



Tara thought about it for a moment. “Okay” she agreed, “but please be careful”.



“I will be” Willow promised. She gave Tara a quick kiss. “Bye”.



“Bye”.



As Willow went out the front door, Tara turned her attention to the book. She was going to make certain that the spell did not present a risk to its caster before she and Willow attempted it.





Willow’s eyes widened as she entered the magick shop. It was filled with fascinating items; magick books, rune stones, Tarot cards, candles, incense, crystals, shells, scented oils, athames, and glass jars containing all manner of herbs and roots.



Resisting the urge to browse, Willow quickly selected the spell ingredients she needed and took them to the counter. The owner, a young woman with short, fair hair said, “can I help you?”



“I’d like these, thank you”.



“These are quite potent ingredients” the woman pointed out, examining the herbs. There was no judgement in her tone, only mild concern.



Willow nodded. “I’m very careful” she replied. “And I have someone to help me”.



“Someone you trust?”



“With my life” Willow said, her voice soft and sincere.



The shop-owner smiled. “Good luck with that” she said as she put Willow’s purchases into a bag.



“Thanks. Bye” Willow said as she left the shop.



As she started to walk back to the house, Willow was thinking about the spell she and her girlfriend were going to cast. What would it be like? How would they know if it had been successful?



I hope Tara’s okay Willow thought. It must have been a shock, finding out that her grandmother was…



Her inner musings were abruptly cut off as something grabbed her wrist and yanked her into a shadowy alley. She was thrown to the ground, dropping her bag.



Willow turned to see her attacker. A vampire stood at the front of the alley in full demon face. He wore a black jacket and matching jeans. He had black hair and a neat, trim black beard.



“Any last words?” Luther drawled.



Willow murmured something in Latin and the ground under Luther’s boots turned slick as oil. He gave a surprised yell as he lost his balance and fell to the ground. Willow was already on her feet, and, as he got up, she ran forwards. The redhead kicked the vampire in the chest, causing him to stagger backwards into the sunshine. Luther burst into flames, quickly turning first into a fiery skeleton, then nothing but ash.



Wow, I’m good at this kicking ass thing, thought Willow.



The shopkeeper came running out. “Are you alright?” she asked. “I heard noises”.



“I’m fine” Willow replied as she picked up her bag. Mercifully, nothing had been broken when she had dropped it. “I just bumped into someone, it’s no biggie”.



The woman frowned, but nodded and went back into the shop.



Willow resumed walking. It struck her as typical that there had been no-one around to see the vampire.



Then she froze. Why would a vampire attack me during the day, she wondered. Goddess, he must work for that evil witch the message warned us about. If one of them came after me, maybe others went after Tara. She could be in danger!



Willow started to run.



End of Part 7

Hmm, this fic isn’t getting much in the way of feedback is it? Oh well, here is the next update



Part 8



Tara had finished going over the spell and was content that it did not pose a risk to her and Willow. All she had to do now was wait for Willow to get back with the ingredients they needed.



“Miss Maclay” called an unfamiliar voice. “Look out the left window. I believe I have something that belongs to you”.



Tara walked over to the window and almost screamed at what she saw.



Standing in the shade was a tall, dark-haired woman in a grey dress and pale blue scarf. Standing next to her was a large powerfully built bald man. He was shirtless and wore a pair of black jeans. Tattoos covered the lower half of his face and he was wielding a massive pointed hammer.



Tara barely noticed any of that. Lying in front of the strangers was Willow. She was unconscious, but otherwise seemed to be unharmed.



“Don’t hurt her” Tara cried, frantically trying to think of something -anything- she could do to help her girlfriend.



The woman smiled. “Invite us in, and your lover will not be harmed. You have my word”.



“Come in, come in” Tara shouted. A part of her mind realised that she couldn’t trust these people, but fear for her lover overrode rational thought.



Una smiled as she shifted into demon-face. She reached down and removed an amulet from Willow’s neck.



At once Tara realised her mistake as the image of Willow vanished, replaced by another vampire. The amulet was the same kind of illusion-generating stone that Jared, the Reaper leader, had used. Normally, Tara’s ability to perceive a person’s aura would have allowed her to see through the illusion, but in her concern for Willow, she had acted without thinking to look.



Una waved her hand, and the front door was ripped off its hinges. She, Darkhammer and Ed scooped some blankets up from the ground and ran for the house.



Tara quickly left the front room. She knew that she couldn’t take on all three of them at once; her best chance would be to find another way out of the house and into the daylight. She could figure out how to deal with the vampires then.



I have to find a way to warn Willow, Tara thought as she headed for the back of the house. She’s probably on her way back right now!



In the front room, Darkhammer and Ed quickly closed the curtains. As they did so, Una drew out a piece of paper and began to read out words of a long-forgotten language. It had taken many years to find this spell and the trouble was that it could only be cast within the house. When she had returned to San Francisco, she had been unable to enter the old building due to the fact that Tara now owned it.



As the vampire witch finished the incantation, the entire house began to rumble. The walls glowed first red, then purple. Then the walls, ceiling and floor began to melt and warp into otherworldly new shapes, colours and textures.



Black spiky plants sprouted from the floor. Grey ivy spread to cover a wall in a matter of seconds. Lizard-like creatures emerged from holes that had suddenly appeared in the ceiling.



“What the hell’s going on?” Darkhammer yelled. “You just answered your own question” Una replied, laughing insanely.



At that moment, a hole appeared in the wall and a grotesque creature emerged. It resembled a vulture, but with a human face.



Ed screamed in horror as the creature beat it’s wings and flew right at him! It’s talons dug into his shoulders as it flew through the window, shattering the glass.



Outside, the thing rose above the house’s roof before it abruptly dissolved into white mist. That was no comfort for Ed, as the sunlight had set him ablaze. He fell, shrieking, finally blowing apart as he hit the ground.



Willow saw something crash through a window and then disappear, dropping a burning vampire as it did so. “Tara!” she cried, running even faster towards the house.



In the back of the house, Tara was having problems of her own. She had been walking quickly through a corridor when the rumbling began. As she looked around, wondering what was happening, the walls and ceiling dissolved. Tara found herself standing on a metal walkway in the middle of an empty black void.



Oh Goddess Tara thought. That woman must have been the one in grandma’s message. She’s opened the portal to the demon dimension!



Tara jumped as she heard a high-pitched shriek. Flying towards her was a three metre long lizard, with wings in place of forelegs. It was coloured a bright red, making it starkly visible against the blackness. A forked tongue flicked out from between two rows of sharp, shark-like teeth.



Tara raised a hand. “Incendere”.



A jet of flame appeared in front of the winged creature. The flame vanished as quickly as it had first appeared, but it was enough to distract the demon, making it stop and hover in place for a moment.



Tara spun around and sprinted back down the metal walkway. A few feet ahead of her the walkway led to a door, just floating there in the void.



Tara reached the door, with the lizard-thing gaining on her. She yanked it open, ran through and slammed it closed behind her.



Getting her breath back after her narrow escape, the Wiccan looked around. Fortunately, she was back in the house’s corridors. Unfortunately, they were undergoing a bizarre transformation.



The walls were now made of iron, sinister-looking designs and demonic faces etched onto the metal. Puddles of flaming liquid covered parts of the floor. The windows had disappeared completely, so that the fiery puddles were the only source of light. Shadows flickered across the walls, seeming to bring the etchings to life.



How do I get out of here? Tara thought.



End of Part 8

I am going to rant. I am. And I never rant. I wanna know why this fantastic fic is getting no feedback. It sure deserves it. I totally understand if every single Kitten (and how many are there, what, two thousand?) is too busy to reply to one fic. Grr. Argh. I shall post millions of feedbacks for you, chilled monkey, to make up for all the lost ones. And don't you worry, I love this fic, it's one of my favorites and you're a great writer. Don't stop, please!! I would have posted earlier but ya know, I was on vacation. Grr. Stupid things, holidays are.



Not good, that Tara is stuck. But I'm sure Willow will save her, right?



Really looking forwards to more!! Keep up the good work!!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

Chilled monkey, I am soooooooo sorry! I am completely loving this fic, but unfortunately I had no time to reply! In a way, that's a compliment to you... I haven't wanted to wait to read the updates to when I have time to reply, instead I rush on at the first possible moment. My replies are lacking in all fics, not just this one, I promise.



I am really enjoying this fic so far and intend to read Grim Reaper at the first possible moment. I especially like the Charmed part to it, I, like 4evaWill, am a fan... mainly because she forces me to watch it, like, five times a week... not that I'm complaining, cos those gals....



Please please continue with the updates, and I will make an effort to reply more often... or at all *hides*.



Once more, pleeeeeeease update!



Gem

Thank you both very much, I needed that. Here is the next update, hope you like it.



Part 9



Willow shoved the door open and came running into the house. “Tara!” she cried.



Only then did she notice what was happening. The hallway she was standing in was bathed in a cold, blue light. Willow shivered from the sudden chill in the air. As she watched, droplets of moisture condensed on the walls and floor.



The roaring noise of rushing water filled the hallway. From around a corner, a huge wave came streaming directly at her.



Willow stood frozen for an instant, dropping her bag. She searched through her memory for an appropriate spell.



Then the wave began to slow down. As the witch watched in astonishment, the rushing water shrank in on itself and coalesced, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. It continued to move forwards, picking up speed again. It didn’t walk, it simply glided forwards as if it had wheels under it’s feet. The water demon’s long arms reached out ahead of it.



Willow suddenly realised the perfect spell. She raised her hands and said in a calm, clear voice, “ice”.



A blue-white light flashed from her palms and the water demon froze, it’s vaguely formed, amorphous hands just a few inches away from her.



Willow picked up her bag and carefully stepped around the creature, taking caution not to slip on the patches of ice on the floor.



“Tara, where are you?” she shouted.



There was no answer.



She turned around and looked past the frozen water demon, at the front door. To her alarm, the door had disappeared, leaving only a bare wall.



Oh boy, I’m trapped in the house and a weird water thing just attacked me, she thought. I’ll go to the front room and try to contact Tara with magick from there.



She shivered again, this time in fear as she wondered about where Tara was, and what else could be happening in the house.



Please be okay Tara, Willow thought as she headed for the front room, hoping that there wouldn’t be any monsters or other nasty surprises waiting for her.



Meanwhile, towards the back of the house, Tara was trying to figure out what to do.



Okay, she thought as the firelight flickered across her face. I can’t go forwards because that would just go back to that black void. So that means I have to go back towards the front. Hopefully, I can still get out of the house so I can find Willow.



Tara was startled out of her thoughts as something appeared from around a corner. It resembled a short human, but was covered in short, black fur, had a boar-like snout in place of a nose, and tusks curved out from it’s mouth. It wore tattered rags, and carried a curved sword.



“Who are you?” Tara asked, keeping her voice friendly, not wanting to startle the creature.



It did not react. It just stood there; it’s face expressionless.



Without warning, a massive pointed hammerhead came swinging out of the shadows and slammed into the boar-creature’s head. It fell to the ground, dead, it’s sword clattering to the ground.



Darkhammer glared at the witch. He had run away from Una in horror, unable to believe what was happening. In the confusion he had ended up here. Now he was very angry with Tara, blaming her in part for his current predicament.



Tara raised her hand, hoping that this would work; her telekinetic ability wasn’t as good as Willow’s. Nonetheless the dead creature’s sword rose into the air and flew into her hand. She swung it and the blade sliced through the vampire’s neck. His head tumbled off, exploding into dust before it hit the ground. A split-second later his headless body also disintegrated and his hammer crashed to the ground.



Tara dropped the sword as she suddenly felt her girlfriend’s nearness. Willow’s in the house! She thought. I have to get to her, before anything happens.



She ran, desperately hoping that the portal hadn’t changed the house’s structure so much that she would get lost.



Willow was in the living room. She glanced around in astonishment at the weird, alien plant life that covered the walls and floor.



Satisfied that nothing hostile was nearby, she sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, and began to speak the words of the finding spell she and Tara had developed. She stopped abruptly and stood up as she heard a crackle of electricity.



Willow dodged to one side just in time as a red energy bolt shot past her and struck the piano, blasting it into pieces.



Una shifted into vamp-face and smiled as Willow faced her. She had left the room only briefly and had just returned.



“Where’s Tara?” Willow demanded.



The vampire’s smile widened. “I don’t know. Not here”.



“You’re her aren’t you?” Willow asked. “The one who wants to open the portal?”



“I served the Old Ones in life and I serve them in death” came the reply. “But my spell doesn’t just open the portal, it amplifies it. It won’t stop growing until this dimension is completely absorbed”.



Her yellow eyes darkened to black. “And you are not going to stop me”.



If this confrontation had occurred a few weeks earlier, Willow’s first reaction would have been to draw upon dark magick as well. Now, she did not even think of doing that.



“Swarm” Una hissed. A cloud of buzzing insects appeared around her hands and flew towards Willow.



The red-haired Wiccan raised one hand. “Wind”.



A gale force wind whipped up from nowhere and blasted the swarm away from her, back towards their source. Una waved her hand and the insects disappeared, but the wind still lifted her off her feet and smashed her into a wall.



She got up groggily as the wind died down. An expression of utter rage twisted her features.



Bolts of lightning shot from the vampire’s fingertips. Willow raised both hands. “Protect”.



A wall of green light appeared in front of her. The lightning bolts slammed into it.



Even as she concentrated on maintaining her shield, Willow was reaching out and using her magick to float a wooden splinter from the shattered piano.



Una grinned fiercely. She knew that the other witch’s shield would soon collapse under such a prolonged onslaught.



Then, Willow sent the splinter flying through the air, right into the vampire witch’s heart. The lightning ceased.



Una’s black eyes turned yellow then blue. Then she vanished in a cloud of dust.



End of Part 9

Oh - oh - oh!! I think that's good - that's good, isn't it? It's very good!! Una dead!! Woo hoo!! *frowns and stops bouncing* She is dead, right? None of that resurrecting stuff, I hopes...



'n now our girls have to find each other, right? I am so loving this... the baddie dead? Really and truly gone? What's gonna happen with the other baddies? Just ignore my questions, once again I'm way too hyper...



Great update!!

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

Chilled Monkey, I have just caught up with all the parts. I haven't read Grim Reaper, but fortunately that does not negatively affect reading this fic. There are two things a WT fic must have in order for me to be able to enjoy it: Willow and Tara as the living breathing beautiful women we have come to love and they have to be true to their characters. Your fic contains both these elements. You have written Willow and Tara in a believable manner and you combine it with an interesting story which shows you can have angst without being too gruesome. My compliments and thanks. I look forward to the next update.

Edited by: DrG at: 12/26/02 7:43:55 am

4evaWill: Once again thank you for your continued feedback and support. It's really heartening to hear that you are not only enjoying my fic but that it's one of your favourites too. Your questions will soon be answered...



Miss1234Kitty: No problem, I don't give feedback as often as I could either. Thank you for your reply, and I'm glad you are enjoying my fic.



DrG: Thank you very much. When I first started writing fic, my biggest concern was if I could write Willow and Tara correctly. I'm really glad to hear that I did it.



The next update should be in a few days time. In the meantime, I have some questions. See, after I finish 'Gateway', I'll take some time off before writing a new fic. I haven't decided if it'll be a sequel to 'Gateway' or something new. Whichever it is, there are a few things I'd like to ask:-



1) What should I do about Spike? If it does include him, should he be a good guy, be evil, be killed off? What are your thoughts? He is the only one I'm unsure what to do with.

2) What do you think about original characters (not bad guys). Would you be interested, or do you prefer it just being Willow, Tara and the other Scoobies?

I should be the one thanking you... I really am loving this fic and look forward to more from you. In answer to your question, I personally like Spike good. But not obsessed with Buffy. That's just plain annoying. But it's your fic, and it should be up to you... as for original characters, it is nice to introduce new characters that mean a lot to the fic, but keeping just a few close friends i.e. the Scoobies is also good. I've been no help at all. You write what you like, and I know I'll love it.

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

I think you should write secondary characters as you want them to, as long as WT are in character, but even that is not something you can define, it's personal. No matter how you write someone like Spike there is no pleasing everyone. As long as WT remain the focus of your fic it does not matter how you write them to me. And before this starts of a Spike debate: don't start. WT are the focus as always, they are the ones who matter.

I just wanted to say that I have liked what I've read so far. I really liked the battle between Una & Willow. I was glad Willow didn't dip into the dark magicks. It'll be interesting to see how Willow & Tara close the portal.



In regards to your questions:



1) I came to this board for WT. What you do with characters like Spike is up to you.



2) I don't mind new characters. I've read some wonderful fics on this board featuring some terrific new characters. I can hardly wait to see what you come up with.



I look forward to your next update.



Ron

Edited by: Plastixs at: 12/29/02 1:56:36 am

Thank you again for your feedback and for answering my questions. I’m sorry to say that this is the final part. As much as I’ve enjoyed writing this fic, it just feels like the right time to end it. I’m pretty sure that if I tried to stretch it any further it would start to deteriorate. I hope that the ending makes sense, that it doesn’t feel rushed and that it doesn’t come as too much of a disappointment.



Part 10



Tara was lost.



The house’s bizarre metamorphosis made it all but impossible to navigate. Some doors had vanished completely; others opened up to reveal seemingly endless wastelands. Yet more led to the walkways in the eerie void. Tara possessed a good sense of direction, but she had no idea which way would lead to the front room (or rather, what used to be the front room), and which would lead her further into the other dimension.



She tensed briefly as she saw something approaching, then relaxed as she realised what it was.



A tiny ball of green light flew up to her and flitted giddily around her head. Tara smiled, “Willow”.



The little tinkerbell light began to float away and she followed it.



At one point, they passed a group of what appeared to be Komodo dragons. Tara was ready to cast a spell should they attack, but fortunately they did not. Some of the reptiles glanced at her, flicking their forked tongues, but they made no move to attack her.



Before long, they reached a mercifully familiar sight; the hallway door to the front room. The little ball of light went through the open door and Tara followed.



She smiled again as she saw Willow sitting cross-legged on the floor, her eyes closed.



The redhead opened her eyes and stood up. She ran to Tara and they hugged each other tightly.



“Baby, are you okay?” Willow asked. “I’m fine, you?” Tara said.



“I’m okay”. Willow kissed Tara on the lips. “We have to use your grandmother’s spell to close the portal”.



“Will it still work? I mean the spell was intended to seal a closed portal” Tara pointed out.



“I know but what else can we do?”



Tara nodded and they quickly prepared for the spell, hoping against hope that some creature wouldn’t suddenly appear and try to devour them. Fortunately the spell and its preparations were quite straightforward; the difficulty was the amount of power needed to cast it successfully.



Tara remembered something. “Willow, the witch that grandma mentioned is”...



“She’s a vampire, I know. It’s okay Tara, I dusted her”.



“Well done sweetie” Tara congratulated her. “Now let’s do this”.



The witches sat down and held hands. They started to chant



“Doors are locked and windows are barred”.

“Paths are closed and links are severed”.

“May this gateway be gone forever”.



As before, a wind blew up from out of nowhere. Unlike before, this was no breeze, but a powerful magickal hurricane. Faster and faster it spun around Willow and Tara. Lightning flashed and the air was filled with the smell of ozone. Only within the circle was there calm.



Willow felt beads of sweat start to form on her forehead. This spell was one of the most tiring she had ever done. She momentarily wondered if she had expended too much magick during her fight with Una for the spell to work.



She pushed that thought out of her mind. If it didn’t work, then Tara might be trapped in this dimension forever. Willow would not allow that.



Again they chanted. As the wind spun still faster, both of them heard a sound that the wind didn’t completely drown out; the beating of wings.



The world erupted in a flash of blinding white light, dazzling the Wiccans. Shocked, it took them a moment to realise that the sounds of the wind, the lightning, the wing-beats, had disappeared completely.



As her vision cleared, Willow looked around. Tara looked tired, but was alright. The room was completely restored, no sign of the demon dimension at all. Even the shattered window and the piano were intact. Fortunately, the effect had not extended to Una; she was still dust.



“It worked” said Tara. She looked at Willow and was alarmed by how exhausted she looked. “Honey, are you okay?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her redhead.



“I’ll be fine” Willow replied shakily. “I just need a little rest”. She smiled, “and cuddles. Lots of cuddles”.



Tara returned the smile. “I think I can manage that”.



“Yay”.



After a few moments, they had recovered enough to check out the house. Sure enough, everything had been returned to normal.



That evening, they were back in the living room and were curled up again on the settee, Willow with her head in Tara’s lap.



“Well, demon dimensions and vampire witches aside, I had a really great time” Willow said, looking up at her girlfriend as she spoke.



Tara stroked Willow’s hair, smiling softly. “Me too”. She kissed Willow’s neck. “We still have a few more days left. Is there anywhere you’d like to visit?”



“A few places” Willow replied. “But right now, all I want to do is stay snuggled up like this with you”.



Tara giggled. “Sounds good to me”.



The next few days passed without incident, allowing Tara and Willow to make the most of their trip. The drive back to Sunnydale also went without a problem, although Willow vowed to make sure Giles found out about the breakdown that had occurred during the drive to San Francisco.



When they arrived at the Summers’ house, the door was opened by Dawn. She smiled happily, “Willow, Tara, you’re home”! She hugged the two Wiccans delightedly.



“We missed you too, Dawnie”, Tara replied as she and Willow returned the hug.



Giles appeared from behind Dawn. “It’s good to have you back” he said warmly.



Before long they were in the living room. Tara played with Miss Kitty Fantastico, while Willow told Giles and Dawn all about their visit to San Francisco. They listened intently as Willow described everything that had happened.



“Good Lord” Giles said. “That hardly sounds like a relaxing holiday to me”.



Dawn grinned. “So this vampire. You really kicked her ass, huh?”



Willow smiled and shrugged in a ‘no big deal’ way. “Oh, and Tara gave me this”. She held up the Book of Shadows, “it belonged to her grandmother and it’s really cool. There’s a whole section on transmogrifying spells. If we can find Amy, I’m sure this could de-rat her”.



Dawn and Giles shared a quick glance. They had decided not to let Willow or Tara know that Miss Kitty had found Amy. And eaten her.



“So how about you guys?” Willow asked. “Has everything been quiet while we were away?”



“Things have been fairly calm” Giles replied. “Although Xander had a somewhat unpleasant encounter with some vampires during a patrol. One of them kicked him in a rather private place”. The Watcher looked embarrassed. “And apparently he was wearing steel toe-capped boots”.



Willow and Tara winced.



“Xander hasn’t had a good week” Dawn added. “You know that show he likes, Firebug? It was cancelled”.



That didn’t come as a surprise to the witches. They had watched an episode once and had fallen asleep twenty minutes into it.



“I guess we should visit him” Tara said as she stroked Miss Kitty. “Maybe take him some grapes or something”.



“I don’t think grapes are a good idea” Dawn commented. “I mean they bruise easily”.



The girls all shared a wicked grin.



The End

I liked how you ended this story. It was fun, especially the bit about Amy. I knew there was a reason I liked Miss Kitty.



I also enjoyed the comments about "firebug" and what happened to Xander.



I look forward to your next story.



Ron

This was a wonderful end to a wonderful story... I look forwards to reading more from you. Oh, and I say - "Go MISS KITTY!" Tee hee. Bye-byes Amy! Mwah-hah! I'm extraordinarily hyper for so early in the morning...



I have loved reading both your stories, and want to say thank you so much.



Xander not having a good week..

Cath

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.

Willow: I am.

Oh this ending will do fine.