I am not sure if anyone is still reading this but if you are, thanks and hope you like this new update
Spoiler Warning - It starts from Seeing Red and then completely veers off in all kinds of tangents.
Disclaimer - All characters, names and some dialogue etc belong to ME and Joss Whedon. However, due to improper usage and gross mishandling of characters and plot lines by aforementioned parties, it is with great pleasure that I (and all the other writers on the board) use them for the reading pleasure of kittens everywhere.
Rating - PG again
Feedback – Yes, definitely!
Notes - Thanks to funkyasian for betaing despite a busy schedule. Sorry for the late update but I have been swamped with work and have just reached week 20 of the pregnancy . Anyway, I do have the next part almost done so hopefully you won’t have to wait too long.
Title : I Dream of Thee
Chapter 8b
Giles was whistling, if Oz was around, he probably would have been able to recognize parts of different tunes, all from obscure bands that never really made it big but had so much talent. He just finished talking to Willow over the phone and had decided to forgo taking inventory and instead quickly put together his present and make his way over to celebrate Tara's birthday. It was amazing to him that he had not recognized Willow's excited voice initially. It seemed like such a long time ago that he had met her but he could still remember her eagerness, sweet naivete and bravery in the beginning. Living on the Hellmouth and fighting alongside Buffy had taken its toll and Giles rarely caught glimpses of the Willow he first met, until recently. Her bubbling voice on the phone and the smile he knew she wore brought back such good memories and he knew that they were because of Tara.
Giles had always been almost certain that his charges, like him, would not fare well in their pursuit of love. He could count the number of failed relationships they all had. He knew that more often than not the reason for their failure could never be put down to luck but almost always to circumstance; The Hellmouth bred its own form of mischief and added to the mix of Angelus, lycantropy, teenage hormones. Each one, immensely good reasons why most of them were alone and possibly had to remain so. Except now, Willow had the power to change all of that. She had found the one person that could make her complete. He hoped she understood that and realized its significance. All these thoughts led him to the present he wanted to prepare for Tara. He had thought of giving it to Willow before, for the both of them but could never think of an appropriate reason. However, the impromptu birthday celebration was a perfect excuse to present such a gift. It had been by sheer chance he had it in his possession in the first place and always knew that he was meant more as its guardian than eventual owner. As he tidied up, he thought back to his youth. After his forays into dark magic had gone horribly wrong and his grandmother had once again taken him into the family fold, Giles had literally thrown out all of his blasted past, in the form of journals, books and spells. He had wanted to forget Ethan and the rest and start over. However, one book had gotten past his drastic sweep. He had picked it up before meeting Ethan, when he had first entered Oxford. He remembered the day well.
He was to meet his father in the afternoon and knowing what a difficult meeting it was to be, Giles had decided to forgo the morning's lecture and instead spend the day in Ayelsbury. He had planned to spend most of his day in the pub there and get good and drunk so that any of his father's lectures about duty and his place in the Council would not register and he would be able to hold his tongue. However, on his way from the bus stop, he had passed an old bookstore. There was nothing to distinguish it from the hundreds of old stores he had seen, except that some of the books displayed in the window were not published books but handwritten journals. That immediately caught his eye, as did the sign on the door that offered anyone who entered a glimpse into their future. Giles really didn't believe the sign but the old journals fascinated him. Real life had always been more interesting than fiction, reading some of the watcher's old journals were like a hobby to him. Finding out about their troubles, both mundane and mystical were always more interesting than his life. Except recently, his father had forbade him access to them unless he agreed to finish up at Oxford and then join the Council and carry on the Giles family tradition.
He had been greeted with a cheery hallo as he entered and was amazed to see that the person behind the counter wasn't old but a young girl, possibly younger than himself. After he had explained his interest, she had looked at him through narrowed eyes, as if judging his worthiness to gaze upon such private books. In the end, she nodded to herself and showed him to the small alcove in the back. It was stacked with books from floor to ceiling but what was most extraordinary was that they were all journals; bound in leather, cloth or hide, hued in different colors and of various sizes. All there for his perusal, collected over decades and years. Before taking her leave, the shop girl remarked that the one thing in common with all the journals was that each of them had a hidden secret inside and Giles just had to find the one he was looking for. He had not paid much attention to her or her words, thinking that she was probably just pulling his leg in hopes of making a sale. He had been so sure that most of the journals were written by bored tradesmen or housewives and contained no inherent value except to give its reader a view into their routine mundane lives, not really like the Watcher's journals that were now closed to him. So, he had settled himself down on the floor and picked up the nearest book. He had been right on that book and the next four that he skimmed through. They had been written in the previous century but were only recordings of boring days and mindless descriptions. He felt his stomach growl and was about to leave and resume his original quest for beer and a good stew, only to spot a small leather journal wedged on the bottom most shelf. It looked old and till today, Giles never knew the reason why it had caught his eye, but it had and in it contained the history of a witch who had live a century ago. She had written down everything from her life story to spells and potion ingredients. Even if it had been made up, it was an incredible read. And most important of all, it contained a blessing for joined souls. The witch had written that the blessing if recited by two lovers during the waxing moon just before Summer Solstice, would entwine their souls through time and both the lovers would gain the better part of each other. The whole book was like a secret world to him and Giles had immediately purchased the book. It had taken most of his drinking money and for the rest of that day, he had just sat in the park reading the rest of the journal, ignoring his hunger and the meeting with his father. It was at the end of that very week that he had tried his first spell from the book and that had led to other things, most of which he would rather forget.
Overall, Giles had never been sure if it had been worth it. It was the journal and its spells that got him interested in magic and that interest had led to Ethan and eventually to summoning Eyghon. As for the blessing, Giles had always wanted to try it but never found anyone suitable until Jenny. He had shown it to her just before he had found out about her role in Angelus's return. He had loved her so much and although he wasn't sure if the blessing would work, he knew Jenny was the type to believe and she had. She had actually looked up the date when the ritual could have been performed and dared him to do it with her but it had all turned out so badly. He had cut her off after discovering her deceit and Angelus had killed her before he realized his mistake. Thus the blessing had not been used and yet, he had not thrown out the book. Although, the singed cover showed that in a fit of anger, he had tried to burn it, only to snatch it back from the flames and again place it on his shelf. He never figured out what made him keep it but perhaps, it was because now was the time for the blessing to be used, not for him but for another special couple that would also believe. Because of his promise to Buffy, he would not assist Tara in teaching Willow about magic but that didn't stop him from giving them the journal. The spells inside were relatively mild and most importantly, Giles truly believed that the incantation for the joined souls would help Willow and Tara. If it was actually true, it would enable Willow to comprehend Tara's balance view about magic and he hoped, it would allow Tara to see how much love Willow could provide despite her own fears and shortcomings. All in all, Giles hoped it was a gift that would benefit the both of them.
He placed the old book on the counter and was about to reach for some wrapping paper when he heard the bell on the door ring. "I'm sorry but we're about to close, perhaps…Ethan." Nothing much surprised Giles nowadays but the re-appearance of Ethan was definitely a major surprise. After their last encounter and Ethan's arrest, Giles had thought that Sunnydale would be the last place Ethan would return to. Despite the fact that Giles was not unduly worried about Ethan's presence, his voice had taken on a derisive tone when he uttered Ethan's name.
"Rupert… I'm surprised you recognized me." Ethan breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of the incense and the feel of being inside a Magic shop. "I was almost afraid you'd forgotten you old friend…Aren't you going to offer me some tea and ask after me or shall I just tell you?" The look on Rupert's face was almost worth the trip back to this hellhole. Ethan had always taken perverse pleasure in getting under Rupert's skin. He used to do it by breaking as many rules as possible, magical or human, just to get a rise out of his friend. It was almost a game to Ethan. He would push the envelope until he was stopped. It was his idea to summon Eyghon in the first place. Initially, Rupert had wanted to summon a lesser demon, one who could have been easier to handle but would provide less power or euphoria. He was the one who had insisted on calling upon the Etruscan demon and in the end, Rupert had agreed despite his better judgment.
"The only thing I need to know is if you're going to leave Sunnydale now or do I have to make you." Giles walked from his place behind the counter, took off his glasses and stood menacingly in front of Ethan. Ethan's mere presence always meant that something untoward would occur and more often than not, it would affect him or his charges and Giles would not let that happen again. "You're not welcome here." He repeated for good measure.
"Come now, Rupert, don't you think I've suffered enough?" Ethan was slowly tracing the scar on his cheek. He was tying to keep his voice modulated and calm. He didn't want to show any anger or malice just yet since he needed to convince Rupert that he was harmless. "Those military people you handed me to really ensured an end to my magic and any and all mischief." The truth of that statement made him pause and he could not hide the bitterness in his voice that flowed through.
"A chip?" Giles knew that it shouldn't have surprised him but Ethan was human and he though would not have been subjected to any of the experiments despite being incarcerated by Riley's special unit. He had never approved of the behaviour modification techniques practiced by them. Even though the presence of Spike's chip did benefit their cause, he knew it was done not for their own good but as an experiment to see if it was possible. From what Ethan was indicating, they had not restricted themselves to demons but experimented on any living thing that they did not comprehend. It sent a small shudder up his spine. He didn't like Ethan but he would never have allowed it to happen had he known and would have just contacted the Watcher's council instead. "I…I didn't know."
Ethan looked curiously at him, Rupert actually looked aghast and sorry about the situation. However, that didn't change a bloody thing. The reality of the situation was that he had been handed over to butchers and he wanted his revenge. "Would it have stopped you if you did?" he couldn't look at Rupert, the horror on his face was almost palpable and Ethan needed to get what he came for, so he slowly strolled around the shop and continued, ignoring the question he had asked before. "Doesn't matter now, really. You got your wish. I can't use any of my magic any more. It's like it doesn’t exist. At least I should be grateful there is no pain." He hid his smile as he saw Rupert wince at his words.
"You turned me into a demon and I almost got killed. Forgive me for not sympathizing with you." Despite his present predicament, Giles would not allow himself to forget what Ethan had done in the past. He was still a ruthless person and the presence of the chip did not change that. "It may have been a mistake to turn you over to the military but you had to be stopped. They're gone now, and won't be coming back."
"So Ripper, the end justifies the means, eh? I guess, I should have expected that. And to answer your first question, I'm just passing through. I just thought it only polite to stop by and say hello to an old friend since we don’t have that many left anymore." It was partly true, he didn't plan to stay longer than necessary. All he wanted to do was to make Rupert hurt, if not directly, then indirectly by hurting those he loved and cared for. In this case, Warren had already given him the target. It was then that he noticed the old journal lying on the counter. It too brought back memories. It was the book that had brought Rupert into his circle of friends and it was the lure of magic that had kept them bonded despite their inherent differences. "That does bring back old memories…fun times." indicating to the old book, Ethan didn't really have to try for his wistful tone, it had been fun and exciting when they first started. Then the power became too enticing and the friendships fell to the wayside.
"Never stopped you from trying to kill your friends… Leave…just leave, before I change my mind about beating you to a bloody pulp or before Buffy finds you here." Giles could see that Ethan had suffered for his acts and decided to just get him out of Sunnydale. They had more important things to worry about and they didn't need an added distraction in the form of Ethan. Despite his abhorrence of the way Ethan had been experimented upon, Giles knew that with the chip, Ethan was more or less harmless and he didn't have to warn Buffy and the rest about his presence. "I'm late for a birthday celebration" Giles grabbed the book off the counter and a one of the store bags. He didn't want to waste any more time with Ethan than necessary but was taken aback to see Ethan step into his path instead of leaving.
"I'm surprise you don't even have time for a farewell drink. Granted you're probably never going to drink with me after the last time… Although, you did make a good Fyarl demon." Ethan noticed Rupert's almost raised hand and decided it was time to stop goading him. "Planning to give the witch the book are you? She must be special. Keeping it all these years only to give it away now…" It was a good guess but not a major stretch as if Rupert really considered the young witch special. It was an obvious birthday gift. He knew he was right when instead of hitting him, Rupert's eyes widened at his words. It wasn't much information but at least it indicated that she means a great deal to Rupert. The journal represented many things, not all of them good, but it was also something that Rupert considered precious.
"She is special, she understands and respects the magic and her powers and is willing to teach others too. She's been teaching Willow... It's really none of your business is it? I'm going to do you one last favor and let you leave unscathed. It's more that you would have ever done for me. Leave tonight and don't come back. " Giles looked on as Ethan turned away and walked towards the door. He almost felt sorry for the man but knew that in the end Ethan had brought it upon himself. However, Giles swore that if Riley ever passed through, he would hit the man on principal. So intent was he on staring Ethan down and making him leave that he almost missed the phone ringing. Without breaking eye contact, Giles reached blindly for the receiver. “Yes…Ah…Buffy. Sorry, I was held up. In fact, I was just on my way out. No, of course I wouldn’t miss Tara’s birthday... Yes, I do have a present and yes, it’s kind of magical…uh ah, yes…Is Tara alright…and Willow? Well she does love Tara a lot if she did that…I understand. Yes, they are both rather special. Tell Willow to save me some cake and I’ll be there shortly. Just need to lock up.”
Rupert had not said a lot but what he did say was enough. There were two witches and Willow was the one he needed, the one who needed help with respecting magic. Better still was the one-sided telephone call. From what he could gather, Tara was the other witch and she and Willow were probably an item of sorts. That was incredibly useful. He could still fell Rupert’s eyes on him as he gave a mock salute and turned to the door. There was no need to say anything else so he pulled opened the door and walked back into the cold night. He didn't look back to see if Rupert was watching or if he had also gone on his way. His mind was busy mulling over what he needed to do. Warren had already promised him the use of the Christos Pandect and he knew the spell that was needed. He had learnt more than he had expected to from Rupert and that was a bonus as he had visited the shop, only to make contact and to ensure that Rupert knew who was responsible after he had made his move. All he needed now was to lure the witch away and ensure she used magic on him.
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"You got someone else?" Jonathon didn't know whether to feel relieved or frightened. From what Warren was saying, there was a new member in the mix and one who was skilled in magic. It seemed like a way out for him now. All he needed to do was to take his share of the money they had stolen and leave. It was too good to be true but here was the solution he had been hoping for. "And he knows magic right?" Warren had to let him go now, they didn't need his strengths anymore, especially not if this new guy possessed all the powers Andrew was bragging about.
"Ethan's cool…He worships Chaos and remember that one incident three or four years back when our parents all turned really weird and started acting like…well, us? Ethan said he was responsible for that. Would have gotten away with it as well, if Buffy hadn't interfered." Andrew couldn't wait to lord it over Jonathon. He had met up with Ethan and Warren at a bar last night and they had spent the time going over Ethan's past exploits as well as their current ones. Warren had wanted to prove that he was really on his way to taking over Sunnydale and had hinted about his overall plan and how in the end, he needed the blood of a Slayer. All in all, it proved to Andrew that he was more important than Jonathon and that Ethan had been brought in as a replacement.
"So what's he going to do?" Jonathon almost instantly regretted asking the question. Truth be told, he would have rather not known the plan. That way, he didn't have to feel guilty if Buffy or any or her friends got hurt. He just didn't want to know anymore. Andrew had been trying to drop hints about Warren's big plan, the whole day but he didn't take the bait. If Ethan could replace him then all the better, he would just leave and try and forget some of the things he had done over the past few months. All he wanted to do now was to go to class again and maybe join one of the smaller fraternities or the AV club at the University.
"I thought I'd start with taking some of Willow's power, considering she has more than enough." Ethan's answer caused both Andrew and Jonathon to nearly fall off their seats. They had not expected his arrival or the ease in which that he had gotten passed all their security barriers. That led to the both of them scrambling for the panel of monitors hoping to catch the glitch in their system that had led him through. However, Ethan's next words put a stop to their mad frenetic movement. "Warren, thank you. The codes worked like a charm."
Warren smiled indulgently. He had provided Ethan with more than he had asked for and was sure that the older man was more than happy with the money and the respect Warren had given him. It wouldn't be a long wait now for Ethan to use his magic and get the slayer and her friends. It already sounded like he had a plan to take the witch's power. "Fine, what else do you need?"
These boys had made it so easy for him, they were playing with things they knew nothing about and had been lucky so far. They had not been exposed to the Slayer's real wrath or Ripper's for that matter and still thought they were so brilliant at planning and executing the Slayer's eventual demise. He didn't care about it one way or the other. He just wanted his revenge and for that, he needed magic, potent magic. More than what was in Rupert or the other member of the trio, the one they called Whinathon. He needed the magic that Warren described in Willow and for that, he did have a plan. "I would need an Arrakesh Crystal and the Christos Pandect."
Jonathon immediately went to fetch the book and crystal. They had stolen quite a number of different ones and he knew that he had at least two Arrakesh crystals. The sooner he handed them over, the sooner he would be free. He was smiling as he passed the artifacts over to Ethan and turned to leave. The only problem was that Ethan grabbed his wrist before he could turn away. He was too surprise to utter anything and just stood there transfixed.
"You’re not going anywhere. You're going to help me with the spell."
"But…I…I thought you didn't need…I was…I was just gonna go." Jonathon knew that both Warren and Andrew were looking at him as he tried to get his words out without sounding like he was scared out of his wits. He didn't want to have anything to do with the new addition to the group. Ethan's look and demeanor frightened him as much as Warren's blasé attitude towards killing Buffy and her friends. He was in over his head and no amount of money or clinging to the fact that no one had gotten seriously hurt so far, could change that. He looked at Warren and tried to sound surer of himself, hoping the quaver in his voice would not appear. "Looks like you don't really need me anymore right, Warren? I mean, Mr. Rayne's magic is way more powerful than mine…I just wanna go…"
It wasn't that Warren was so anxious to have Jonathon around. In fact, he had been planning of getting rid of the idiot as soon as he became a liability. However, he wanted to do it on his terms and he would not accept Jonathon just walking out on them. He still seemed to be useful, at least to Ethan and Warren could always use a scapegoat if the plan went awry. “Wait there just a minute, Shorty! We’re in this together remember? We started this and you’ll stay until it’s finished. This isn’t over until I say it is.” Warren looked back at Ethan and nodded for him to continue.
“There is a spell in the Pandect that allows the crystal to store magical energy.” Ethan could see Jonathon’s eyes narrow at his comment and before any questions could be asked and his weakness exposed, Ethan went on. “I could do the spell myself but that would mean it may negate the potency of the crystal when I use it on Miss Rosenberg. So if you please…the spell calls upon Heka. I suggest you brush up on your Middle Egyptian…” Ethan held the book out to Jonathon and smiled. A few years ago, the smile would not have invoked any sense of dread in its recipients. However, couple with his scar and closed cropped haircut, the smile seemed more sinister than anything and Jonathan looked away as he reached for the book once again.
“Well now, I think I could use a drink. Warren, would you be so kind to find me once the spell is done…In the meantime, it would also help to know Miss Rosenberg’s schedule tomorrow or perhaps a chance meeting could be arranged, hmm…”With that, Ethan turned to leave. He didn’t want Jonathon or Warren to further question why he didn’t do the spell himself or realize that after the spell was done, anyone would be able to use to crystal to attack the girl. However, he still had the upper hand, in order to obtain the power from Willow, he had to ensure that she would use magic. Since she had a problem with control and had a soft spot for another called Tara, he could use both to his advantage.
“Wow, you’re really a natural…you know except for the incident with the sidewalk driving bit.” Xander was trying to sound encouraging. It wasn’t too difficult as Tara was really trying her best and was a pretty good driver. It was just that he was taken aback at her boldness on the roads. She loved going fast and he was sure that some of her mutterings under her breath about certain drivers were not all thanking the Goddess but possibly cursing the drivers. He just hoped it wasn’t the literal kind of cursing. As for the sidewalk incident, he had to admit that Tara had only done so to prevent hitting a stray dog that had wandered into the street. “So what do you say to a peppermint mocha freeze as a present for obeying the speed limit, huh?”
Tara smiled and nodded. She didn’t want to take her eyes off the road as the last time she glanced at Xander for a second, she could see his eyes go wide and his furtive glances at the speedometer. Since then, Tara tried to keep to just below the speed limit and not take her eyes off the road. It was just that driving was an amazing feeling for her. It was more than just the convenience of being able to go to places, it was the feeling of being able to choose to go anywhere and get there on her own. She had forgotten what freedom like that felt like. Five years of being told what to do and being punished for one’s independence had made her forget or repress the feeling. Tara pulled up to a parking spot just before the Espresso Pump and turned to Xander. “Thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
The words were softly spoken but Xander felt the sincerity behind them. He almost blushed because the lessons were a throwaway idea to him. He had just thought that they would be useful and that it would help. However, they seemed to mean more to Tara than that and he didn’t really know what else to say so he shrugged and smiled back. “I’m glad. I mean, I’m glad you like the lessons but I’m also glad you’re here for Willow and for us.” Tara’s party two nights ago really brought things into perspective for him. Xander finally realized that they had all made decisions over the past year, some good, some bad but they all heralded the fact that things had changed. He was for all intensive purposes, an adult. He was going to get married next month and with that came more responsibilities. He couldn’t keep living life one day to the next, hoping not to get hurt or die; he had to start planning. Despite his proposal to Anya, he always thought things would carry on as they were. He would still patrol with Buffy and order pizza for Dawn and Willow would always come over for ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’. But hearing Willow’s confession and her commitment to Tara made him realize that things had changed and he had to change with them. Willow still loved him and Buffy but she had moved on. She found the one thing that made her truly happy and complete and would do anything not to lose it. An added bonus to that was the fact that Tara was so nice and she had helped all of them in her own way. She had arrived after Buffy’s death and not only held Willow and Dawn together but in the end, she was also instrumental in bringing Buffy back. There had been so many changes in their lives and Willow had adapted with Tara’s help. Maybe it was time for him to adapt as well. He had made his choices and had to now take responsibility for them. He just had to stop being so afraid.
Tara could guess some of Xander’s thoughts. Like Willow, he too wore his emotions on his sleeve and she knew he was thinking about his impending nuptials. “Thinking about the wedding, huh?” Tara went to one of the tables in the back and motioned to Xander to sit down. He smiled as he did so, “You’re getting really good at that.”
At Tara’s raised eyebrows, he elaborated, “Willow used to be the only one and Anya’s getting good at it as well…you know…knowing what’s on my mind. Granted I’m no big brain but sometimes a guy likes to be all mysterious.”
“I wouldn’t know about what guys like but you’re kinda obvious. You always have this look when Anya’s talking about the wedding and you had it just now…It is better though, since you stopped flinching.” Tara smiled to lessen the sting of her words.
“You mean the ‘Dear Lord, I’m actually getting married and am totally scared stiff look’…or just the normal, ‘I hope I can still fit into my tuxedo pants despite all my nervous eating’look?” If it was that obvious to Tara, Xander decided that he might as well talk about it. “I don’t want to feel afraid, I mean I know how much of a good thing this is and I do want it…it’s just that it’s actually scaring me more that the past say…five or six apocalypses…si…ses, end of world stuff.”
Tara nodded at his admission as she could sort of relate to it as well. She loved Willow with all her being and that was kind of scary but not in a bad way as it was the good kind of scary. She smiled again as she thought of that. Only people who lived on the Hellmouth or had spent the past five years in a demon dimension could make distinctions like that. “It’s really ok to be afraid sometimes.”
“Is it?” Xander really wanted to believe Tara. She seemed so sure but to him, being afraid was not a good thing. It signified that maybe he was a coward or even worse, he didn’t love Anya enough. He had always equated being afraid with not being a man.
“Yes, because it’s the good kind.” She could see that she needed to convince Xander further as he wasn’t looking too convinced at accepting that sometimes it was just acceptable to feel that way; sometimes that was the only way you knew you were alive. “Like when I was in Pylea, I was afraid as well…but I knew that I was afraid that I was never going to make it back to Earth, that I was afraid to die there and no one would know of it or mourn for me.” Tara could see Xander nodding at that. “Then when I got back here, I was so afraid of so many other things as well…like if there was a demon in me or if I had a family who still wanted me and there was a time that I thought I would be paralysed by that fear…And if I had let it, I would have never opened up to Willow or I would have just gone on believing I was a demon. I didn’t mind being afraid of death but I didn’t want to be afraid to live.”
“So what you’re saying is that its ok to be afraid of death or weddings or clowns but it should not stop us from being afraid to live our lives.” Xander finally got it. It didn’t matter if he was afraid as long as he knew he was doing what he wanted and it didn’t stop him from wanting to marry Anya. As he at musing about his new revelation, the waitress brought over their drinks. It was such a small price to pay for some of the best advice he had ever received and he gladly handed over the money. Tara looked extremely happy with her beverage but Xander still thought it wasn’t enough. She had opened up and told him about her fears and even mentioned Pylea. Two things that, in his mind, took great courage. “You’re sure I couldn’t tempt you with a muffin or perhaps twelve…” Xander offered, wiggling his eyebrows.
“No, it’s ok. Willow’s meeting us at the shop later and I’m sure she’ll want to stop by here for a snack so I’ll just wait for her but thanks anyway and the mocha’s great and just what I wanted.” Tara didn’t want Xander to feel beholden to her. She really had not done that much except to point out that what he was feeling was normal or as close to normal that one could get considering the proximity to the Hellmouth.
“Ok but that only means that I get to buy you a muffin…or twelve the next time we have another driving lesson. Deal?”
“Deal.” Tara could see why Willow and Xander had been best friends for so long. Despite everything, he was a sweetie and she was happy for Anya. “We should get going soon, I want to help Anya with the new inventory shipment before Willow arrives.”
Xander thought it was a good idea too since he wanted to see Anya, not to help with inventory but just to tell her he loved her.
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Willow loved all her college classes and it was even better when there were surprise quizzes like the one today. She was sure she had aced it as it covered Fractal Geometry and that was a pet subject of hers. The day was going to get even better as she was currently on her way to the Magic Box. It wasn’t the location but a certain someone working at said location that made her all with the happy. She wanted to see Tara and learn about her first driving lesson as well as share her own news about her day at school. She knew that initially Tara was apprehensive about the disparity in their education. However, Willow never doubted Tara’s intelligence. In fact, one of the reasons she kept telling Tara about her classes and school was that eventually, she wanted to convince her to enroll part-time. Tara loved music and art and UC Sunnydale offered a lot of such classes. They would probably not have a lot of classes together but it would be nice to meet on campus and to be utterly selfish, it would give Willow a chance to sneak peeks at her love throughout the day without having to travel all the way to the Magic Box. That was the master plan in Willow’s mind; she just wanted to spend as much time with Tara as possible. It was always the foremost thought in her mind that unwittingly, her walking pace also quickened so that she would arrive at the shop earlier. So intent was she on thinking of Tara that she didn’t notice the man shadowing her movements from across the street. However, even if she did glance his way, she would have been hard pressed to recognize him.
Ethan didn’t know whether to be surprised or thankful that the idiot boys had actually come through with what they had promised. The crystal in his hand was practically humming and the witch was walking carefree across the road just as they had predicted. She had glanced his way about a street back but her gaze didn’t even stop on him and he knew she never even noticed his presence. But that was definitely about to change. He was going to taste the magic again and at the same time get back at Rupert and his Slayer. Life was going to get interesting again and it was about time it did. Ethan noticed the alley coming up just before the Cinema. He crossed over, knowing that it would be a good place for his little confrontation with the witch, so he called out. “Willow?”
Willow was more or less lost in her Tara thoughts as she made her way down Main Street. They were not many people about and those that were milling about outside the Cinema were about to go in for the matinee. She could feel her book bag bouncing against her thigh as she again quickened her pace. If she got to the Magic Box sooner, she would be able to see Tara sooner and her day would be more or less perfect. Only the sound of her name being called by an unfamiliar voice could cause her to stop and turn around. She knew it wasn’t a vampire as it was still light out and guessed that it was probably a fellow student from school, who wanted to borrow her notes or something. So she turned around and recited the excuse in her head that would allow her to extricate herself and arrive at the Magic Box within the next fifteen minutes.
“Hi…I’m kinda late for …I know you…” Willow’s voice trailed off as she tried to retrieve a name for the familiar face staring back at her. He looked different due to his close-cropped hair and the scary scar but she still recognized his features. It was the way his hand was holding the crystal that jogged her memory. She remembered the same fingers holding onto a gown in front of Buffy all those years ago. “You’re Ethan Rayne.” Suddenly realizing what that meant as well as the enormity of the situation, all Willow could do was to repeat her last statement in a louder and more incredulous tone. “
You’re Ethan Rayne” The last time he had been in Sunnydale, he had managed to turn Giles into a demon and that had resulted in Buffy handing him over to Riley and his military buddies to ensure that he would never set foot in Sunnydale again. However, the fact that he was standing in front of her proved that that plan was not working out. She didn’t know whether to run or tell Ethan to make himself scarce as Buffy was probably still angry at him for making her believe Giles was a demon and causing her to eventually stab Giles. “I…you…You should not be here. Buffy is going to come along any minute and if she sees you…well, you don’t want her to see you. And…and when she tells Giles, he’s going to-“
“Buffy is currently busy at home with a social worker, I believe and as for Rupert, we had quite a nice chat yesterday…Before he had to toddle off to a birthday party, one I believe you invited him to…for Tara?” Ethan let the name hang there and was rewarded when he saw Willow react to the name. He knew now that all he needed to do was to push a bit further. “Nice girl, according to Rupert but-“
“Don’t.”
Now it was time for Willow to cut him off. She had been taken aback when he mentioned that he had talked to Giles the night before as Giles had not said anything when he turned up for the party. He had arrived just as Dawn was distributing cake and even before he sat down, he approached Tara and handed over the gift. Willow had been even more amazed when Giles motioned for her to join them as he explained the significance of the gift. He told them about the shop where he found it or rightly where the book had found him as well as the significance of the journal. It was quite a gift especially for a witch like Tara who understood the importance of magic and respected its history. However it was the blessing spell that he mentioned that caught her attention. Giles had not made a big deal of it but said in passing that apart for the historical link, the journal also contained a spell that might be of interest to the both of them. Later that night, Tara had read part of the incantation to her and it sounded like it had been written for them and she knew Tara wanted to try the blessing. Despite this, she still had reservations; not of her love for Tara but if Tara really would want to do the spell so soon after Willow’s confession. However, Tara never thought that way. She knew Willow had made a mistake but that still did not change the way her heart felt or the way she loved Willow, would always love Willow. To hear her name now, being uttered by someone like Ethan was abhorrent to Willow.
Ethan smiled when he noticed the catch in her voice as she cut him off. “Rupert did say you were close…” He continued to hold her gaze even as his fingers played with the small crystal, moving it dexterously across his knuckles and back again.
Willow didn’t believe for a second that Giles would have told Ethan anything about her or Tara but the fact that he knew about the birthday celebration and Tara’s name was not a good thing. His smile was also quite unnerving as it brought attention to his scar more than anything else. That was why she looked down and noticed the crystal he was playing with. “Giles wouldn’t tell you anything so you’re wasting your time in convincing me otherwise.” Willow wanted to sound sure but she knew that her voice carried a note of uncertainty.
“Well then, I’m sure you wouldn’t believe me when I tell you that you were also a big part of the conversation…Hmmm…what was Rupert’s exact phrasing…I think it was along the line of magic control issues. But I guess he only brought that up because it was a problem that he thought I had as well… Our old Rupert can be a bit self-righteous if you ask me…”
“Yeah…I mean no. We’re nothing alike and Giles is fine the way he is.” Willow was feeling more and more agitated. She knew rationally that Ethan was playing some sort of game with her but his knowledge and the fact that he probably did meet Giles and that Giles had not said anything was adding to her apprehension and anger. She knew how dangerous Ethan could be and the fact that he not only singled her out but knew of Tara made her angrier. “I’m only going to say this once…leave now and I’ll tell Buffy and Giles about you in an hour. That way you get a decent head start or…”
“Or? Couldn’t exactly finish that sentence could you. It’s not like you can do anything, not like you can do magic. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been asked not to…So I guess if I do want a demonstration, I’d be better off making my way to the Magic Box again. Maybe Ta-“
“Enough!” Willow shouted. She didn’t want to hear Tara’s name coming from Ethan and she could feel her anger inside of her building up and transforming into something else. Willow took a deep breath and reached out to feel Tara’s presence, always surrounding her; following her. She needed to calm herself as she could feel her anger changing and wanting to lash out and react to Ethan’s words. She did not want that to happen and concentrated on feeling for Tara’s calming presence. In addition, instead of looking at Ethan’s hideous smile, she again concentrated on the crystal he was playing with. Willow let out a small sound of surprise as his hand suddenly turned over and instead of holding onto the crystal, he flipped it with his thumb and sent it sailing in her direction. Acting purely out of instinct, Willow involuntarily reached out and caught the crystal as it arced it way towards her. It was light but warm in her palm. However, she could tell that the warmth did not come from it having been held but instead from within. It was then that she realized that it was an Arrakesh crystal and even before she could will her hand to turn over and drop it, the crystal began to glow. Willow could feel the magic in her begin to gather even as she fought desperately to contain it with the help of Tara’s calming strength.
Ethan watched calmly as the woman before him fought against the power of the crystal. He knew that she could not win but was amazed that she was putting up a fight at all. In most cases, the magic user would be rendered almost catatonic from the moment they touched the crystal. Even Jonathon had not been able to stay by the crystal for any length of time after he had activated it with the spell. He had convinced the trio that his power surpassed even the crystals and that enabled him to handle it. Here, Ethan’s own lack of magic was the only thing that allowed him to play with the crystal and in turn lull Willow into thinking it was harmless. He could tell that she was still fighting the pull of it as her body shook and beads of perspiration formed on her upper lip and temple. He finally realized that she was probably calling upon her bond with the to her witch but overall, he knew that it would be futile. Like a black hole swallowing light, the crystal would suck out as much magic as possible in the shortest amount of time. It would not kill but it would incapacitate.
Willow felt as though she was being pulled from the inside out. The intense sharp pain that was radiating from within made her want to cry out and it was only the fact that she could hear Tara in her head telling her to hold on, that made her stay silent and concentrate on not letting her magic flow out. However, the pain was getting more intense and Tara’s voice was getting dimmer. Little by little, Willow could feel the magic trickling into the crystal. She tried to hold on, sending up prayers to the Goddess and focusing on Tara’s fading voice and presence but the pain was too great as was the pull into oblivion. Before Willow blacked out, she felt her magic unleash and at the last second, as hard as she tried to break her connection with Tara, she felt it flow there as well.
Tara and Xander had arrived at the shop and were immediately put to work in sorting out the new inventory that had arrived. Xander was in charge of lifting and carrying the big boxes to the basement and Tara was in charge of entering the descriptions and prices of each new item into the computer which Giles had reluctantly agreed to have and which Willow had set up. Anya was incredibly pleased that Tara was as good with numbers as she was, although she decided that they still had to work on Tara’s commerce instincts. Overall, sales at the shop were increasing and with the wedding next month, she didn’t have time to worry about anything else. Anya knew that Giles, Buffy and the rest were worried about the unknown threat they were facing and she was too. It had impacted her directly when they stole from the shop but more than that, it was making Xander nervous. At least Anya hoped it was the big danger in Sunnydale that was making him nervous and not their impending wedding.
If she was still a vengeance demon, it was have been so easy to make the whole thing just go away and then go off with Halfrek for a tête a tête. However, she was human now and therefore had to deal with these emotions. Luckily Tara was there to be the voice of reason and hopefully assuage her fears. Anya knew that Tara had just had her first driving lesson with Xander and that it had all gone splendidly. Even better, the both of them had arrived smiling and happy with mochas for everyone. However, most telling that something had occurred was the words that Xander had whispered in her ear before kissing her again. He had said ‘I love you, despite my flaws and problems, always know I love you’. It was exactly the thing she needed to hear but Anya still wanted reassurances from someone and so she turned to Tara.
“Ok, I know it is customary for us to partake in small talk before I slyly segue into my real problem but since I am new to this and you’re very understanding, can I just ask if Xander is ok with everything now or do I have to postpone the wedding which would be difficult if not impossible as invitations have already gone out and I have a very nice white dress?” Anya managed to say everything in one breath and was now looking anxiously at Tara.
Tara was caught by surprise with Anya’s question, not because she wasn’t expecting it but she thought that it would be like her talk with Xander. That they would work themselves up to the crux of the matter slowly and not just jump straight to it. However, Anya had cut straight through and just wanted to know the outcome. Tara looked over and could see Anya’s anxious face. She was wringing her hands and her posture tense. “You should breathe now and it’s fine. Xander’s fine and the both of you should just talk about it. You love each other so much and that’s the important thing. I think he realizes that and so do you….” Tara wanted to say more but she suddenly felt uneasy, like something was not quite right. Immediately following that, she felt Willow trying to connect with her. It was as if Willow was trying to bridge the physical distance between them and was reaching out, almost desperately. She knew that Willow wasn’t in danger but she could feel Willow’s need and therefore sent out her own thoughts and feelings in order to calm the red head down and lead her home.
“Tara?” Anya was extremely happy to hear Tara’s soothing words but they had not continued and currently, she was just standing there, swaying slightly, her hands gripping the side of the counter and her eyes closed. Anya hoped she wasn’t having a seizure or falling sick. She didn’t need an angry Willow telling her that she was working Tara too hard. “Tara, maybe you should sit down and maybe the next time, we’ll start with the small talk, you know weather and how the Dow Jones is doing.”
Tara smiled at Anya’s words and decided to take her advice. She could feel Willow reaching out and the contact was becoming more apparent such that she could feel Willow’s low-level apprehension. Since it was still light out, she knew that it wasn’t a vampire threat and she just hoped that it was just Willow wanting comfort because she didn’t ace a pop quiz. “Sorry for spacing out there. I just felt…I just felt Willow and I guess she just wanted to know that I’m here. It’s just that I guess I’m more tired than I thought and our connection is kinda fuzzy. Anyway, she’s pretty near and should be here soon.” Tare took a deep breath and slowly made her way around the counter and gratefully took Anya’s hand. Her connection with Willow was fading but that could be due to Willow realizing how it was affecting her and therefore clamping down on it. She tried to reach out as well but it was as if there was something interfering with their bond. Tara didn’t want to jump to any conclusions since it could be something as simple as a flu bug.
“Well, you should just sit down then, missy. I don’t want wonder witch to think I’m over working you and change me into a toad or something.” Anya took hold of Tara’s arm, leading her to their research table. It was then that Tara felt it, the unmistakable pull of Willow’s magic building up. Tara unconsciously tightened her grip on Anya’s arm and concentrated on calming Willow and trying to stop the magic flow. The power and strength of the magic building up frightened her. Even through their hazy connection, she could feel its draw. It was as if Willow was about to cast a very big spell but deep down, she knew that it was impossible. Willow had promised to stop casting not because Tara had forbid her too but because she wanted to learn control first. However, Tara could not deny it any longer, Willow was nearby and she was channeling big magic, so big that Tara could feel it through the haze and uncertainty. The only thing that did not fit into the scenario was that Tara could feel Willow trying to fight back as well. It was as if Willow was reaching out to her not because of the magic but because she wanted Tara’s support in keeping it at bay. Regardless of the reason and her own insecurities, Tara complied with Willow’s amorphous request and sent her love as much strength and courage as possible. Tara also tried to ascertain Willow’s whereabouts as well as her well being. From what she could make out, Willow was indeed close by and she was in some kind of pain. Tara didn’t feel anything at first as Willow had done her best to shield her from it but as Willow grew weaker, Tara felt the cold, sharp pain that was surrounding Willow and at the same time, she could feel some of her own magic trickling through their connection. Slowly, she realized that it wasn’t Willow calling upon her magic but an external force. So intent was she on picking apart her new revelation that she didn’t acknowledge Willow desperately trying to break their link. Tara still hung on and because of it was hit by the psychic backlash as Willow’s raw magic was unleashed. She didn’t even realize that she had screamed out Willow’s name as she tumbled out of Anya’s grip and fell unconscious, hitting her head on the side of the table that she was being led to.
Anya could feel Tara’s whole body tense as if she was fighting some internal battle. She had seen things like this before and knew that whatever was going on, the only thing she could do was offer a small prayer up to any and all gods and just be there in case Tara needed more help. She was still slowly leading her to the table when suddenly Tara screamed out, startling her. “No…Willow…no…” The regret and fear in Tara’s voice was enough for Anya to call out for Xander and Giles, even as Tara’s body went rigid and slumped over. Her forward momentum caught Anya by surprise and she was too late in stopping Tara’s head from hitting the side of the table with a dull thud.
“Xander!!!, Giles!!!, please…something bad has happened!”
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Edited by: Warduke at: 11/25/02 8:53:16 am