Welcome to My Nightmare by Frau Hunter Ash

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.

Summary: Willow is healed physically from the after-effects of detoxifying from the black magic Dracula forced on her and dealing with guilt for giving into Dracula along with Xander and Buffy. Now the gang wants to get out of town for some R&R. Can you say "Road Trip?"

Buffy got out of the family car carefully, trying not to pull on her broken ribs. Xander grinned as he and Anya walked out of the Summers' house. Anya moved to help with Buffy's overnight bag and Xander lent his good arm to Buffy to help her stand.

Buffy's pained face lit up when she saw Tara standing in the doorway, waiting for her.

"It's not good, Buff," Xander admitted. "It's been four days since you toasted Dracula and she hasn't improved much."

Buffy tried to let her tension and worry disappear when she melted into Tara's welcoming arms.

The Slayer was tired and so was the rest of the Scooby Gang, the only ones semi-fit were Anya, Joyce and Giles.

Giles had recovered from the vampire bites from Dracula's females; Anya and Joyce had escaped unharmed. Xander was nursing a broken arm and nose along with the humiliation of having been one of Dracula's "Renfields." Brad still had his jaw wired from where a Renfield-crazed Xander had broken it and Tara had escaped physical harm except for an energy drain and sprained ankle. Buffy had racked up an impressive number of broken ribs, collapsed lung, and the loss of enough blood to have almost killed her.

The worst was the stress of dealing with Dracula and what he had done to Willow. The red-haired witch had been seduced by his mental control, kidnapped and feed a steady stream of raw, black magickal energy. Within a day, in the midst of the continual feeding of the drug-like power, regular feedings by Dracula, and being tormented by Dracula's female vampires, Willow was hooked on the magick and hurting.

"She's s-still hurting so bad, Buffy," Tara said softly, almost choking. "Willow still d-doesn't know us or anything."

"Remember that anti-drug film we saw last year?" Xander asked as they entered Buffy's home.

"Yeah, like shaking all the time, sweating, muscle cramps, and that fun stuff," Xander agreed. "Willow is worse."

"No, the doctors didn't want to release you today," Joyce protested. "They're still worried about that punctured lung, young lady."

"I know, it just drove me crazy to lay there for four whole days while Willow is hurting," Buffy protested.

"I know and you need to prepare yourself," Joyce said gently, sitting down on the coffee table as Tara held her daughter's hand. "Willow looks like hell, she's lost weight, she's pale and most of the time her eyes are that magick black."

"Giles t-told you about the Watcher Council helping," Tara asked and Buffy nodded. "There's a hospital b-bed in Willow's room and there are t-tubes and monitors everywhere. A lot like when s-she was stabbed."

"Her wrists are secured with sheepskin lined leather restraints," Joyce continued, watching her daughter carefully.

"She's still out of it, Buff," Xander added. Anya was resting her head on his shoulder as she sat in his lap.

"The Watchers have someone magick trained by her side all the time," Joyce continued. "Giles says that whenever she tries to do her own magick they stop her, binding her."

"They're n-not sure," Tara said softly, trying not to break into tears again. "The Watchers say they've n-never seen anything t-this serious before. They're hoping that with you home we'll b-be able to help settle her energy. Etheridge has b-been meeting with Giles for days."

Tara and Xander helped the Slayer up the stairs but at the door of the bedroom, she hesitated.

The Slayer glanced at the woman sitting next to Willow's bed and dismissed her for the moment as she looked at her lover and whimpered.

Even with the warnings, Buffy wasn't prepared for what she saw. Willow looked like a heroin junkie going through withdrawals. Her skin was tight on her face and she almost looked lifeless. The red-haired witch's eyes were sunken in her head and surrounded by dark circles and pale skin. She had lost weight where it had been unnecessary and Buffy wasn't sure if the body lying in front of her weighed over 100lbs.

Tubes ran from two different IV bags into her veins. Other tubes appeared and disappeared from under the covers along with wires leading to monitors.

Willow's hospital bed was halfway between lying flat and sitting up. The young witch appeared to be sleeping restlessly, pulling at the restraints with small whimpers.

Buffy crossed the floor slowly and Tara dragged a stool over for her lover. The Slayer gently touched Willow's forehead and stroked her cheek.

Tara moved around to the other side of the bed as the Watcher moved aside without a word, taking notes. Tara reached out and held Willow's hand.

Tara's eyes brightened immediately as Buffy smiled hopefully at her. The Watcher quickly wrote in her notebook, watching the girls as Joyce watched from the doorway.

"Giles, I've been with Buffy most of the time the last few days since Dracula," Joyce said slowly. "Can we have some coffee and you explain this to me?"

A few minutes later, Giles sighed heavily as he sat down with a cup of tea and Joyce with her coffee.

"Where to start?" he complained. "Willow is a witch and has dealt with magick for awhile. Most of the time things went wrong until she teamed up with Tara and she seemed to find a balance. Together they both improved, even their own individual powers."

"Willow has more power than I've ever seen, Joyce," Giles admitted. "When she used that Black Magick spell to call the werewolf curse from Buffy onto her, she opened herself up to temptation. It was like taking a small bite of the apple."

"I've heard you both talking about that, when she healed you," Joyce nodded again.

"Yes, and once you take that bite, it can't be undone," Giles tried explaining. "All you can do is keep from biting it again; part of it is now in your system. She was doing alright, even when she ran away from us."

"Carson said she did some things but never anything what he would consider 'evil,'" Joyce commented.

"Yes," Giles agreed. "Some of the magick could be seen as self survival or selfish but not evil. Healing her hand, hiding their identities when stopped by police, things like that."

"From what Buffy saw, Vlad Dracula was a sorcerer before he turned into a vampire," Giles said slowly and thoughtfully. "He bragged to her that he wasn't turned by another vampire, he changed himself into a vampire when he was dying in a battle by sheer will alone."

Joyce sat back in her chair, not believing what she was hearing. "Giles, that's not possible, is it?"

"Well, he does exist," Giles smiled ruefully. "He was totally evil and without a shred of compassion before he turned. One could argue that he had no soul to lose and simply changed from one demon to another, one that could continue the existence of his body."

"That explains why he's different than other vampires?" Joyce asked. "I mean, that mental control he had over the kids and changing into mist?"

"Yes, there's also some speculation that there are actually different types of vampires," Giles again said thoughtfully. "There are hints that not all vampires are alike and not all werewolves are the same. We may have seen an example of that with Willow being different than Oz and that werewolf she attacked."

"Dracula and Willow?" Joyce asked, drawing him back to the original conversation.

"She's powerful, Joyce," Giles said softly, his face worried. "You saw that healing ritual she did for me and Angel. Two different healings at the same time with the most raw and powerful energy that can be harnessed."

"Healing you and binding Angel's soul to his body," Joyce nodded, remembering their road trip to the beach.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "It should take someone years to reach that ability. It seems to come easier to her now since she did that werewolf spell. Dracula tapped into that and was feeding her raw magickal energy."

"Buffy said Dracula was doing it with a wave of his hand," Giles said thoughtfully. "I tried to explain it to Tara like this: the affects of dealing with the magick level she and Willow were at was like alcohol or marijuana. When Willow used that black spell she graduated to the magickal equivalent of cocaine."

"Dracula was feeding her the same level of almost pure heroin," Giles said softly. "Now's she hooked on that energy."

"Buffy told me about that night," Joyce said slowly. "She said that Willow crawled across a floor on her hands and knees to Dracula for that energy."

"Buffy also told me that Willow resisted him when Dracula demanded Willow sever her ties with Tara," Joyce pointed out.

"She told me that too, and Tara told me how Willow changed into a werewolf willingly and fought Dracula's werewolves," Giles continued. "Did Tara tell you how Willow did that?"

Joyce shook her head. Neither one of them was aware that Buffy had ventured down the stairs and was listening on the other side of the doorway. The Slayer felt herself go pale at the conversation.

"She mentally connected with Tara, grabbing onto Tara's humanity so she could think somewhat like a human," Giles continued explaining. "Willow used that edge to kill the other two werewolves."

"So if she broke Dracula's hold, why is she suffering so badly?" Joyce demanded.

"Willow resisted breaking her ties with Tara but she didn't break her ties with Dracula," Giles corrected. "I think if he showed up tonight, he could call her from that damned hospital bed."

"Yes, but not her own and not her addiction to dark magick," Giles argued. "Tara and Buffy are the only things holding Willow on this side of the light. Without them, she'd just give in and become one of the most powerful evil sorcerers I've ever seen."

"Yes, we're keeping her tied down but with a single thought she could snap those bonds and throw that Watcher through the window," Giles said grimly. "Willow is letting us keep her down."

"What about the future?" Joyce asked. "Is it like addiction? She'll always be tempted?"

"I still feel the craving for good strong magickal energy running through me," Giles admitted. "Sometimes it dances off the girls. It's like a recovering alcoholic being tossed in a bar and handed his favorite drink."

"At a very high risk," Giles said slowly. "The more she works and the easier it comes and the more tempting it will be. Like a heroin junkie drinking a beer, it may not set off a full-blown crash but it doesn't help. Willow could still fall to that darkness, anytime in her life."

"There are a few options open to us," Giles said. "One is Aversion Therapy, the Council is in favor of that after seeing how affected Willow is and how strong the energy is in her."

"What's that?" Joyce asked, not liking the sound of the term and not liking anything the Council was in favor of.

"Every time Willow begins to chant or do magick, someone zaps her with a stun gun or cattle prod, actually," Giles said calmly and winced when Joyce stood up so rapidly that she knocked over her chair. The Englishman lowered his head, refusing to meet her angry eyes.

"Rupert Giles! If any of you even bring one of those into my house I will use them on all of you and shove them…."

"Joyce!" Giles said rapidly, cutting her threat off. "I didn't say I was in favor of it. I think it does more harm than good, especially with what she's already been through with the Initiative's shock experiments."

Joyce reluctantly picked the chair up and sat back down, unaware that Buffy was smiling grimly at her mother's threat. The Slayer was pleased Joyce had reacted so strongly.

"What we're doing, especially now with Buffy and Tara here," Giles said softly. "Try and focus Willow through the recovery and let the black magick work its way out of her system."

"Well, the Council would suggest feeding her just enough energy to keep her stable and taper her off slowly," Giles added, beginning to clean his glasses. "I don't like the method, it never works. Another would be to kill her and eliminate the threat."

"Stop!" Giles said, raising his voice and hand. "Again, not an option we'll allow. You need to understand their fears, Joyce, to understand what they're capable of."

"Willow could be powerful enough to leave most of Sunnydale flattened in a day," Giles said slowly. "That kind of power is tempting and I've never seen anyone who didn't give in."

Buffy frowned and leaned against the wall next to the kitchen, continuing to listen in on the conversation.

"Some recover and make it out alive, others become sorcerers and totally abandon the light, some don't make it and burn out or are destroyed by their own energies," Giles explained.

"You're telling me it's possible that Tara will have to take Willow down someday?" Joyce asked.

"Yes, look at Star Wars," he said firmly. "Silly films, I know, but the message is clear in them. Anakin Skywalker is tempted by the dark forces and gives in, he becomes Darth Vader and his mentor tries to kill him."

Buffy frowned and moved away from the wall, sneaking back up the stairs without the soda she had gone to the kitchen for in the first place.

The Slayer was quite disturbed by the Star Wars analogy. That was something she could understand. Power and the temptation of darkness, it was an easy answer. A quick way to power as Tara had explained once. Those working magick in the gray and light areas practiced, studied and worked with others to keep themselves in balance. Those that went for the quick power almost always fell into the dark. It seemed easier and quicker but the price tag was higher.

Buffy stood in Willow's doorway and watched her lover struggling against the bonds and her own inner demons while Tara held her hand. The Watcher kept Willow shielded from using any magick.

Giles had hoped that Buffy's return home would send Willow into a rapid recovery but he was disappointed, along with the rest of the Scooby Gang family. The next week was spent in the agonizing duty of watching over Willow as she detoxed.

The physical part was bad enough to watch: vomiting, losing control of bodily functions, shaking, muscles cramps, night sweats, convulsions, and major nose bleeds were the worst of the physical. What was worse was the emotional. Willow became somewhat aware of her surroundings after three days and the gang had rejoiced at first until the pleading, begging and threats from their beloved Willow had hit them.

Giles and the Watchers tried to reassure everyone that this was expected and not let Willow's words get to them but it wasn't easy to listen to her cursing everyone, threatening them if they didn't release her and begging to be allowed a little magick.

Finally, Willow slipped into a deep sleep that lasted 48 hours. Despite the Watchers saying they expected it, the gang and especially Buffy and Tara were worried.

"How are you feeling?" Tara asked softly. Willow was amused when Tara looked over at a sleeping Giles in a chair and frowned. "Giles!" she called and the ex-Watcher continued sleeping. Tara picked up a box of Kleenex and threw it at him.

"What?" he demanded, sitting up quickly. His eyes focused on Willow looking at him and blinked several times. "Willow?"

"I take it I haven't been myself?" Willow attempted to joke as Tara raised the hospital bed up a little further.

"No," Willow shook her head with a frown. "Don't think I have the strength for anything. Don't wanna."

"Willow, I need you to promise me, solemn oath, that you won't work any magick without Tara or my consent," Giles said firmly.

Willow wanted to hug Tara back but found she had no energy to even raise her arms. A few moments later Buffy dashed through the door and joined in the hug as Giles released their lover.

"We can help with her physical recovery," Etheridge offered. "Just enough energy to get her back on her feet faster so you can start on the emotional and mental recovery."

"Of course," Etheridge agreed, watching the three young women. "Giles, the Council has authorized me to approach you and Ms. Summers about coming back to the Council. We've had some changes since you left and would like to offer you the chance to return."

"It means that Ms. Summers would be tested on her Slayer skills," Etheridge said easily. "Not that archaic test that caused your separation but physical testing of her skills and reflexes, much like was done when Faith was here."

"Look around you, Giles," Etheridge urged. "You were lucky with that Initiative mess. You could have used our support and our resources."

"If she's as smart as she seems to be, she'll jump at the chance," Etheridge said, oozing confidence.

"Besides training, what would the Council insist on?" Giles asked, knowing there were always hidden loopholes and small print when it came to the Council.

"No civilian involvement in the Slayer duties," Etheridge said. "Your group has gotten hurt and into trouble more times than the Council can count. You'll be allowed to continue as her Watcher on probation, another Watcher will be brought in to further her training. The Council feels you have reached the end of your teaching skills."

"Why you arrogant little puppy," Giles growled, clenching his fists and stepping forward a step.

"Further," Etheridge continued, as if Giles hadn't said a word or made a move. "Both Tara Maclay and Willow Rosenberg will return with me to England to further their magickal studies and train to be Watchers. If the Council agrees, they can return in a few years as Ms. Summers' Watchers."

"Out of the question," Giles hissed, trying to keep his voice down and not attract the attention of the girls in question. "They'll never agree to being separated from Buffy for any length of time. You've surely seen the depth of their connection. How can you even suggest that?"

"It is felt, and I agree, that the three of them are too close," Etheridge commented. "You can see it's unhealthy and doomed to failure. By separating them and letting the witches stay together, everyone benefits."

"She'll be able to focus on her Slaying and her Slayer skills and not on this unhealthy fascination with the other two," Etheridge said, his voice flat.

Giles felt his hackles rising. He glanced over at the three young women and saw Buffy glance at him, her eyes blazing with anger.

//Damn, Slayer senses!// he thought but mentally shrugged. She had heard too much already and it wouldn't help to stop the conversation now.

"You feel because the three of them are involved that it's unhealthy, correct?" Giles asked, still keeping his voice low, at the same level as before.

"Of course," Etheridge agreed. "We've never seen a triad work before, especially with a Slayer and someone as powerful as those other two."

"Just because you haven't seen it before doesn't mean that it can't work," Giles complained. "You've seen how they balance each other."

"Damnit, I won't even consider separating them, ever!" Giles declared. "Buffy took a werewolf bite for Willow; Willow took the werewolf curse for Buffy; Tara brought Willow back from the brink of death by the power of love alone; Tara risked her life to save Buffy and Willow from Dracula; Willow almost died for Buffy again; Buffy walked into Dracula's mansion to save Willow. No, there's no negotiating and no argument, they stay together and the Council can go to hell."

Etheridge looked up in surprise and realized all three women had somehow heard the conversation.

"Slayer senses," Buffy grinned. "And Willow here has the hearing of a wolf. Tara, well, we dropped our mental shields, joined together and let her hear through our ears what you two were talking about."

"Something your Council will go absolutely batty over," Giles grinned. "You see, the girls can connect to each other mentally. They can see, talk and sense what the other two are seeing and such."

"Mr. Giles, you must explain this," Etheridge demanded. "No Slayer has ever connected like this with anyone other than a vampire."

"Just remember one thing," Buffy added, standing up and glaring at the Watcher Elder. "I'm an adult and I decide who, what and where. There will be no discussion about Tara and or Willow leaving."

Etheridge and Giles moved away from the door, heading for the kitchen to talk over tea, like typical Englishmen.

Willow was grateful when Buffy ran the female Watcher out of the room and pulled the red-haired witch into her arms.

"Why is the Watcher Council here and why do they want me and Tara?" Willow asked in a weak voice.

Willow frowned and thought for several moments. Tara whimpered at the sight of her lover struggling to even think clearly.

"I remember Xander hitting me," she whispered. "I was tied to a bed and Dracula kept…it felt incredible."

"Wills," Buffy said softly but Willow wouldn't raise her head. "Wills, we know Dracula was feeding you magickal energy and how powerful it was. He was also feeding on you, keeping you weak and under his control."

"We're not mad, Will," the other witch said softly. "Buffy couldn't resist him either until we all combined our energy."

The two other lovers waited patiently. They had talked for hours with Giles and the Watchers on how to handle Willow's mental state when she became aware of her surroundings. The advice was to let her remember slowly and be prepared for anything.

"I couldn't let Tara go," Willow remembered and looked up into Tara's blue eyes, almost desperately.

"The energy, it hurt so bad when it was gone," Willow said softly, dropping her eyes again. "It felt like I couldn't live without it."

"You almost couldn't," Buffy nodded. "You've had a rough time, Willow. That energy he was feeding you was black magick and he got you addicted."

Willow's frown deepened and she began to take in the IV bags, the tubes, wires and monitors surrounding her hospital bed. She also noticed how weak and thin she was.

"Over a week," Tara answered softly as Willow's eyes widened in surprise. "It's been hell, Willow. We've been t-taking care of you while your body was g-getting over the addiction."

"It was much like detoxifying from a narcotic," Etheridge answered from the doorway. "I'm Robert Etheridge, Watcher Elder, sent to help oversee your recovery."

"Tell me," Willow demanded, her eyes showing a higher level of energy than before. "They're afraid of something."

"Am I a danger to my lovers and family?" Willow demanded. "Is that why you want me and Tara in England and under your thumb?"

"Yes to both," Etheridge answered calmly. "Giles has been explaining the unique connection the three of you have with each other and I've re-evaluated that original idea. Now I think the three of you do need to remain together. The fact still is that you need training desperately."

"You are addicted to magick and black magick is the easiest magick to access," Etheridge explained as he walked into the room with Giles behind him. "You want the truth, Ms. Rosenberg?"

Willow nodded firmly as Buffy and Tara exchanged worried glances across her bed.

"You have more potential, magically, than the Council has seen in centuries," Etheridge said flatly, watching Willow's reaction.

"No, not me," she protested. "Most of my spells go wrong and I haven't studied that long."

"Nevertheless," Etheridge continued. "You have the potential and have tapped some of that. Healing your crushed hand and damaged heart, healing Giles' back injury, sealing Angelus' soul, all of that is high level magick."

"No, only do good stuff," Willow protested. "That's the motto of the Scooby Gang."

"You've already worked black magick with that lycanthropic spell," Etheridge pointed out.

"You still called on the Dark Forces to work the spell," Etheridge snapped. "Don't pretend you didn't know the consequences."

"And you knew if you continued to use magick that you would be tempted with darkness," Etheridge growled.

"Yes," Willow nodded. "I also resisted Dracula's demand that I give up the light in my life, Tara. I resisted the darkness."

"And you've been willing to die for your friends and lovers," Etheridge admitted. "That speaks well of your strength and willpower. What happened to you this week is that we kept you alive while your body craved and then rejected the Black Magick Dracula gave you. If you begin using magick again, the odds are that you'll fall next time."

Tara squeaked softly when Willow's eyes changed to black again. She and Buffy looked up to see Etheridge standing stock still - his eyes wide with surprise and a touch of fear.

After a moment she fell back against the bed, her eyes shifting back to green as she closed them. She was breathing deeply and the heart monitor was showing a rapid increase in her heart rate.

"How dare you?" he shouted and Giles held him back as Willow opened her eyes again.

"Don't get self righteous with me, Watcher," Willow snapped. "You didn't tell Giles what you really have planned for me, so don't get all indignant now."

"Willow, what are you talking about?" Giles demanded as Etheridge suddenly glanced away and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"They plan on magickally short-circuiting my abilities," Willow said bitterly. "Kinda like Spike's chip, anytime I try and use magick I'll zap myself."

"She's too dangerous, damnit!" Etheridge shouted. Giles moved to position himself next to Buffy as the female Watcher, Jennifer Bryant, entered, alarmed.

Willow whimpered softly but was too weak to even raise her arms to protect herself.

"Stand aside, Giles," Etheridge ordered as Bryant's eyes shifted from brown to black. "Let's us do this or our only option is to eliminate the threat."

"You touch Willow and I'll rip your throats out," Buffy promised. "Have you asked what she wants?"

"That doesn't matter!" Etheridge yelled. "She's a danger and it's your job as the Slayer to eliminate threats to mankind."

"It's my job as Slayer to fight the forces of darkness," Buffy countered. "I remember, individual choices don't matter to any of you."

Everyone turned to see Tara standing on the other side of Willow's bed with her hands over the red-head's body, a cocoon of silver light surrounding Willow and the bed.

"Leave us alone!" Tara ordered as Willow's head dropped forward, her energy gone.

"Yes you will," Buffy countered. "You told Giles you wanted me back as long as I begged. Well, guess what? I'm not begging and neither is Giles. Tell your witch friend there to back off with the energy thing or she'll try it with my stake in her throat."

"I'm not your Slayer, remember?" Buffy countered, stake in hand, poised for throwing.

"Mrs. Bryant," Etheridge said softly and the woman's eyes shifted back to brown.

"Now, I've been thinking," Buffy continued. "The way I figure it is that without a Slayer, you guys are out of a job or trying to invent one. You need a Slayer and you want me back but to save your egos, you want me to think that you're doing us a favor."

"I must say!" Mrs. Bryant began to protest and she looked down at the stake sticking out of the floor between her feet.

"No interruptions," Buffy ordered. "No tests, no begging and no changing of my Watcher. Giles will be reinstated as my Watcher…"

"…retroactively and with full pay," Buffy continued. "No taking Willow or Tara away from us and no more talk about zapping Willow's powers. We'll figure it out as we go along and we've got each other to keep each other in line. Willow knows the dangers and we'll learn them."

"And where are they now? Hello!" Buffy demanded sarcastically. "You're talking about two very powerful witches, a 1000 year old ex-demon with inside knowledge on other demons and evil stuff, a police detective and two FBI agents, pretty good team, I think."

"Xander is the heart of the group and has never backed down from a fight," Buffy countered. "And he's logged more field time than anyone else in your Watchers."

"Wow, soldier-type speak," Tara muttered to Willow, pleased to see her lover manage a small smile as she opened her eyes.

"I'm not your Slayer until I agree I am," Buffy snapped. "And I don't give a damn about your orders. In the future you won't be giving orders but suggestions; we work as partners with the Council, not its puppets. You share information and hot tips and we'll take care of the problems, deal?"

"Once again I point out that I'm the oldest living Slayer you've ever had," Buffy smirked. "I stayed this way because I had friends working with me and because I'm rather stubborn and don't always do what the Council wants."

"You train young girls to be Slayers until they die and you get another one," Buffy continued, glaring at Giles for a moment. "Well, I'm not a young girl any more. I'm an adult and so are Willow and Tara and the rest of us. You'll start treating us like adults and not the teenagers you think you can order around."

"This is much like a government or military operation," Etheridge said slowly. "The job of the Slayer is designed to take orders from the Council, to be the weapon, not the leader."

"I'm not a machine, I'm not a toy, and I'm not a trained animal or robot you can turn off and on," Buffy growled. "I don't want to lead your stupid Council; I just want some respect for me and my friends, along with some cooperation. No secrets, no testing, no keeping information back from us that might be helpful and no replacing Giles."

"This is most unorthodox," Mrs. Bryant complained, crossing her arms and looking irritable.

"No," Buffy said firmly. "What Willow needs is to be addressed by her name, to stay with Tara and me, not to see any more doctors, tubes or hospitals. We will handle it together."

"I'll present your requests to the Council and let you know their decision," Etheridge said slowly and unhappily.

"They aren't requests, Etheridge," Buffy corrected. "Every one of them is be agreed upon or you can pack up and go back to merry old England."

"No, none," Buffy said firmly and began counting off on her fingers. "Let's see, the highlights: Giles, back pay and reinstated as my Watcher; no replacement Watchers; no holding back of info; no testing of me or anyone else; no removing Tara or Willow; no zapping of Willow's powers; Xander, Anya and Brad stay; I get treated like an adult. Did I miss anything?" Buffy asked the others. "Half Watcher pay for everyone else, it's murder replacing ripped and bloody clothing, smashed doors, demon gore covered books, stuff like that."

"I'll let you know," Etheridge grimaced and motioned Mrs. Bryant out of the room.

The girls and Giles were surprised when Xander and Anya rushed through the door after the Watchers had left.

"Yes, I think she was marvelous," Giles agreed and turned to the witches, wanting to confront Willow about using magick on Etheridge only to discover she was asleep.

"That little bit wore her out," Tara said softly, wiping away the blood as it poured from Willow's nose.

Willow slept soundly for another eight hours before waking up to find Giles sitting next to the bed, watching her.

"No, it was precautionary after that flash of magick you did," Giles said calmly, his voice neutral and not scolding.

"Sorry about that, I just felt this incredible feeling of danger from them," Willow whispered, her voice raw.

"I understand," Giles nodded, leaning over to unbuckle the other restraint. "It does disturb me though; you had just sworn not to use magick to me."

"And I acted instinctively," Willow said just as calmly. "I don't know how to answer that, Giles. It's like the werewolf curse, I took it to save Buffy but I used black magick to do it. I sensed danger and used magick to protect myself after promising I wouldn't. I can't say I wouldn't do it again either."

"I have another idea," Giles said thoughtfully. "Do you think with Tara's help that you could heal your body from what you've been through this week?"

"Like you said, I don't trust the Council not to harm you or try to stop you from using magick," Giles began explaining. "I think they might try and take you while you're still weakened."

"When do we get a break from someone trying to kidnap me?" Willow demanded, her voice frustrated.

"I suggest that the three of you spend tomorrow night at the cell; we need you healthy to go through that," Giles continued. "After the full moons, maybe a road trip for the three of you?"

"Road trip?" Buffy's voice joined them. The witch and ex Watcher looked up to see Buffy and Tara walking in, looking sleepy. "We felt Wills' energy change."

Willow brightened at the sight of her mates but whimpered when she couldn't even raise her arms to hold them. Giles stepped aside with a smile to let Tara in on his side of the bed while Buffy grabbed Willow's hand on the other.

"I would like Willow healed in time for the full moon tomorrow night, using Tara and Willow's magick," Giles explained. "After the full moon, I want the three of you out of town until I settle the Watchers down and they give up this idea of burning Willow's magick out."

"It'll leave the three of you rather tired, I expect," Giles commented. "Let me make arrangements with Xander, Anya, Joyce and Brad. I'll have them prepare the crypt for your three-day stay. Once you do the healing, we'll sneak you out of the house and to the crypt."

"All three of us will be zapped?" Buffy frowned, hating the idea of being helpless.

"After werewolf duty, we hit the road?" Buffy asked, her frown turning into a smile. "I think we need that."

"Actually, I was thinking that all of you need that if you don't mind taking Anya and Xander with you. He can't work as a security guard with his arm in a cast and I can run the store," Giles suggested. "Joyce and I are going to settle in and start planning the wedding and getting rid of the Council."

"You'll find a small RV waiting for you after the third full moon," Giles promised. "Part of my back pay."

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