Safe In Her Arms

By The Rainbow Writers

Copyright © 2003

kathleen_wolf@yahoo.com

Part Eighteen

"So ladies." Rack slowly closed the door behind him as he entered the room to find Tara sat down on the couch and Willow stood on the opposite side of the room looking at the floor. "What's this, not all chatty?"

"There's not much to chat about." Willow looked up slowly.

"Really, so the decision has been made has it? Do I get strawberries or cream?" He smirked slowly.

"Neither." Willow kept her voice even and confident. "The rules have changed."

"Oh my little berry." Rack tutted and shook his head moving slowly across the room towards where Tara sat. "You made a promise." He reminded her.

"Yes, but you didn't tell her the truth, a promise made on a false basis is no promise at all." Tara looked up somberly and stared at the magic user.

"Oh really, and just what is the truth my little cream girl?" He looked now at Tara.

"The truth is that you aren't just interested in having one or the other of us under your power." Willow addressed him again. "You need me for something much, much different."

"Oh do I?" Rack chuckled and pulled a chair out and sat down on it slowly. He looked at the two women. "And what do I need you for, tell me strawberry what do I need from you?"

"Rack, I am neither stupid nor afraid anymore." Willow pushed herself up to stand forcing herself to do so in a tall and forceful way. "You might have dragged me here, but it is I who will decide how things go from now on."

Rack laughed loudly and then brought his hands together slowly and applauded Willow's performance.

"Oh very good strawberry, very good." He said over his clapping. "Did you work that little routine out with your little sidekick cream here?" He glanced at Tara and then back at Willow.

"She's not my sidekick." Willow shook her head.

"Oh really, so what is she strawberry, your shot at being a good girl?" Again he briefly appraised Tara. "Hoping her purity would mask your darkness?"

"What would you know of true darkness?" Willow turned away for a moment as the horrible words reverberated through her chest. "You dabble with the things you think are dark but you wouldn't know the dark if it engulfed you."

"Oh you forget I have watched you dance with darkness Willow." Rack's eyes narrowed and he pushed himself up from the chair. "I've seen you hold the fabric of this reality and play with it between your fingers like water. Has cream seen that, has she seen what you can do, has she experienced what it is to watch you embrace everything you are and could be, because I have strawberry and you can't tell me anything about you that I haven't seen for myself."

"Dance?" Willow laughed. "I came to you when I was crawling. When I danced I did so on my own, by my power I raise life from the ground." She held her hand out hating the taste of her own conceited words.

"So tell me Strawberry what is the new deal that you have for me, as you obviously have one?" Rack smiled watching Willow carefully.

"The new deal." Willow stopped and smiled at him. "Much like your old plan, except instead of tasting either of us I become your business partner instead of your slave."

Again Rack laughed and looked at Willow as if he was actually impressed.

"Share the domination I have planned?" He opened up the question as he looked at Willow, the contemplation obvious in his visage. "Would you really abandon your 'recovery' so quickly?"

"I have realized and accepted the simple fact that I can't get away from this without doing some sort of magic." Willow admitted. "So I would rather it is on my terms than on someone else's."

"I always knew you were wiser than those other sheep who come to me." Rack appraised almost proudly. "And what of Cream? Where does your little friend fit in here?" He introduced a strangely quiet Tara back into the conversation.

"She knows that if it is me who taps her I'll make sure she never consciously knows of any of it." Willow felt her own almost alien voice spell out the words of their farce and it made her stomach turn so badly she almost threw up.

"Willow, don't do this." Tara's unsteady voice choked out of her throat. She lifted her head slowly and looked at the hacker with water filled blue eyes. "You've come too far to give in like this. There is another way, there has to be."

"Tara, you know this is the only way." Willow turned and spoke to her with a slightly harsh tone. The only solace she had was that she knew by the flicker in the blue eyes that watched her that Tara understood her tone came from the horror she felt inside and not malice towards the blonde.

"No, there has to be something else." Tara's eye twitched and her lip trembled.

"Oh there is." Rack piped up. "Strawberry and I can have a feast and there won't be anything left of you to remember what happened."

"Back off!" Willow growled at him. "She's mine already and I'm not sharing."

Rack looked at Willow noticing the flame deep in her green eyes.

"She's been yours already hasn't she strawberry?" The man said assessing the pair anew. "Been yours but…" He paused glancing between them again. "But you lost her." He fitted a puzzle piece into place.

"You're quick but not quick enough." Willow smiled at him wanting to slap the look off his face. "She is mine again in an instant and if I don't have her she'll cause us more trouble then you'd ever imagine."

"I am not yours and I will never be yours voluntarily again if you do this Willow. I love you like no one ever in my life but this is unforgivable." Tara looked down to the floor unable to look at the small redhead as she spoke.

"It was never voluntary." Willow looked at the bowed crown of golden hair and felt her heart break all over again. "I used my power to take from you without even thinking, not even once thinking that you would say no if I had asked to, not thinking it was something that you didn't want." She caught Rack watching her intently from the corner and forced herself to switch her tone. "Which is why I can do it again." She looked at their capture, her eyes wild with anger for the situation they were being placed in.

"I forgave you Willow." Tara looked up slowly. "For all of that, I forgive you, but not if you do this, I won't forgive you if you do this again." Tara blinked hot tears onto her cheek.

"You'll learn to accept it when the world has ended and you are still alive and happy." Willow forced herself to turn away her small hands clenched at her sides.

"Listen to her Cream, when the world as we know it ends, you will be glad to be on the winning side." Rack smiled and reached out a hand to touch Tara's thigh.

"Hands off." Willow took a few quick eager steps over and slapped his hand away.

"Possessive?" He pulled his hand back slowly. "I like it Strawberry and I also like your taste in rewards. Perhaps though in time I could at least get you to let me watch your enjoyment of her purity."

"If you're lucky I won't poke you're eyes out for looking at her in the new realm." Willow hissed and grabbed Tara's hand pulling her up to stand. "I'm assuming you have the necessary ingredients to do this?"

"More or less, I have my sheep collecting the last things as we work though you have a little task of your own that needs to be done before we can proceed." His eyes flickered over the two women lingering a little on the grasp that Willow had over Tara's hand noting how she was physically commanding the contact.

"And what would that be?" Willow kept her grip far stronger than she wanted it to be.

"The books." Rack hissed. "Don't play with me Strawberry."

"Oh poor Rack you couldn't even crack open a simple binding spell." Willow laughed at his discomfort. "Well we both know I can but I'm not until I see all of what we need to proceed before me. I don't want unnecessary delays that could compromise our position."

"Fair enough, but also forgive me for confining you to this room until such a time when your presence is required." Rack countered his smile not fading.

"I would expect no less from you." Willow admitted. "But bring us something to eat and drink. I'll need strength for the incantation."

"How about I make your stay altogether more comfortable?" With a flick of his wrist the room shifted into a lushly decorated and furnished one with thick leather couches and an oversized bed on the far wall. There was a large silver trolley with various silver lidded trays and bowls of fresh fruit visible on the lower shelves. The only thing the room lacked was doors and windows. "Better?"

"Much." Willow nodded. "Though I hope to assume that in our confinement we will be given privacy by which I can prepare."

"Of course." Rack vowed easily. "I hope to have news for you soon." He added glancing around the room a final time. "If there is anything you need, just call."

"We will." Willow waved him off and she didn't ease the grip she had on Tara's hand until the man had vanished.

"I'm sorry." Tara pulled her hand free as soon as they were alone and backed away a little from the hacker.

"No, no I'm sorry." Willow turned the frown evident on her face as she let the tears she'd been holding back swell up in her eyes.

"Goddess that was so hard." Watching the tears form in Willow's eyes caused Tara to close the distance she had put between them as quickly as she had made it.

"I didn't mean any of it, I would never ever do anything like that to you…" Willow's voice was quiet and scared. "Never again."

"I…" Tara listened to the hacker's small voice and the fact that her whole body was almost shaking, "I know you wouldn't." She whispered tenderly.

"I couldn't." Willow shook her head lightly as a thick and hard shiver went through her entire body.

"Oh Willow." Tara's voice cracked as she stepped even closer and placed her arms tightly around the smaller girl.

"I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry." Willow sunk exhausted into the blonde's stronger arms.

"This isn't the time for this Will." Tara felt her own arms shaking as she held onto the shattered redhead.

"I'm sorry… but it is the time." Willow held on tighter. "If this doesn't work the world's going to end and I can't have that happen without you knowing how sorry I am." A sob broke out of the redhead as her legs buckled and she slipped down before Tara could hold her up. Still sobbing on her knees she held tightly, pressing her face into the material over Tara's stomach as she mumbled apologies and regrets.

"Will, Will, sweetie shush." Tara looked down at the bowed redhead easing one hand free to stroke over the familiar hair. Incoherently the hacker continued her soul wrenching regrets and worries as she cried.

"Willow." Gently Tara pulled Willow free from her body just enough so she could more elegantly to her knees. "Willow." She whispered again trying to make Willow focus on her face again.

"Baby, I'm so sorry." Willow gasped for breath as her tears were forced to ebb a little.

"I'm sorry too." The blonde apologized.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Willow shook her head.

"Of course I do Willow, I… I shouldn't have left you to fight on your own." Tara said regretfully.

"You had too, I was out of control. I had to go through all the pain and withdrawal." Willow voice was soft and honest. "I had to realize just how horrible I was."

"You were never horrible Willow, you just got lost, and I should have…" Tara bit her lip as a pain she had tried to push aside for a long time flared through her. "I should have looked harder for you."

"You had to find your own way." Willow soothed Tara's pain.

"How could I find my way when you had been it?" Tara asked honestly.

"I want you to be happy." Willow fumbled with her words not quite able to say what she wanted to say as she attempted to watch her words.

"I don't know what happy is anymore." Tara said her voice filled with pain, confusion and fear.

"You're happy with B… Buffy." Willow closed her eyes as she whispered the words that made a fresh silent wave of tears cascade onto he cheeks.

"I'm safe with Buffy." Tara replied gently. "She loves me, she takes me to places that I've never been to before and I love her." She assessed frankly. "But Willow, I only know love like that because of you and how can I be happy when I'm not with the one person who taught me what love is."

"I love you, I will always love you." Willow didn't quite know how to answer so she went with the feelings of her heart.

"But there's Heather?" Tara said trying not to let the pain show in her voice.

"Heather?" Willow couldn't help but smile softly. "Tara, nothing has happened between Heather and I. I love you."

"We can't do this." Tara's brow crumpled as she fought the wave of sobs building inside her. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"No matter what we do someone gets hurt." Willow slumped back a bit defeated. "We do nothing and I lose you." She frowned deeply.

"But I don't want to lose you." Tara breathed the truth in her heart in no more than a whisper.

"Please, please take me back." Willow whispered back unable to keep herself from speaking.

"Willow I…" Tara looked down into green eyes her heart aching inside her so much. She loved Buffy but she loved Willow too. Willow was her first love, the one who had made her feel for the first worth anything for the first time since her mother had died. But Willow had betrayed her, hurt her more than anyone ever had, how could she forgive that, how could she trust her again? But here looking down into those regretful and sincere green eyes how could she not. "I'm not free to take you back." Tara whispered the painful truth.

"Does that mean you want me back?" Willow questioned trying to keep herself from falling apart again.

"If I was free…" Tara made sure she held Willow's gaze. "I think we could at least have tried."

"Do you want to be free? To try?" Willow bit her lip trying to fully understand what was being said.

"I…" Tara felt her thoughts spiraling so fast to admit any of this felt like betraying Buffy and yet part of her couldn't help but admit that Buffy knew that at some point in time that maybe this was going to happen. "I will always love you." Leaning suddenly forward Tara placed her lips over Willow's and kissed her soundly.

Willow was more than shocked as she felt the lips that she had been forced to convince she would never get to kiss again.

"I love you." Willow couldn't stop herself as she leaned forward and pressed their lips together again. "I never stopped loving you.

Tara let the kiss linger for a moment and then pulled back with tears streaming from her blue eyes.

"You still taste of sunshine and candy floss." She sobbed as she fell forward this time into Willow's embrace.

"And you are still so beautiful." Willow held her tightly and rocked her gently.

"I'm sorry for you, losing one person you love is so hard to loose two will be terrible for you." Hannah looked down to her lap and at her hands that she had placed neatly on top of one another. "There are many other ingredients required for a spell that would open up something like a Hellmouth may I suggest, harsh as this may sound, that you turn your attentions to making sure they are all unobtainable."

"With all due respect Hannah, I'm not quite sure you are fully understanding what I'm telling you." Buffy looked at the older woman in slight disbelief. "I don't intend on letting anyone open the Hellmouth or losing Tara and Willow. I need your help to save them."

"And I am not sure you understand." Hannah retorted back at her. "If your spellcaster is so set on his or her course of action then you're two friends are likely to be dead already." Never did Hannah's tone change. "There would be no reason to keep them around after the books have been unsealed."

"If the books were unsealed we'd both be sitting on a pile of molten hell rock." Buffy tried not to snap at the unemotional brunette. "So we still have time to save them."

"You're not listening Miss. Summers, now I understand that the emotions you have for your two friends run deep but their sacrifice need not go to waste. It is logical to deduce that as we are not, as you put it, sitting in a pile of molten hell rock that the caster does not have all the other things they need to complete the spell. It is not likely that the cause is that the books remain unsealed, unless there is some reason or purpose that would be best solved by keeping either witch alive." Hannah pointed out still not changing her demeanor or pose.

"There is a whole lot of purpose." Buffy finally put some bite into her voice. "They have power, they have skills and Willow has been fighting so hard to stay away from that influence it's bound to have pissed someone off."

"It is clear as you say that they have power and skills." Hannah agreed readily. "If very little sense of self preservation."

"Very little sense of what?" Buffy questioned immediately.

"Self preservation." Hannah replied a little annoyed. "You know nothing of the magic art Miss. Summers. This Tara either had great faith in your ability or great love for Willow, or possibly and indeed I suspect both."

"You're right I don't do much with the magicks, that's not my job." Buffy admitted her mind reeling. "Are you saying that Tara knew this would happen if she did the tracer?"

"Imagine for a moment the darkest room." Hannah pictured the scenario trying to explain. "Someone enters carrying a candle, looking for the smallest pin dropped onto the floor. What is the thing visible to everyone?"

"How do I kill him?" Buffy ignored the ramifications that Hannah seemed fixed upon.

"Well that depends." Hannah shrugged. "On who or what he is. If you are lucky he will be human and then you can kill him like you kill any other mortal, all you have to worry about is getting close enough to do it."

"How do I get close enough to do it? I can't even find him." Buffy tried to pick the pretentious ex-witch for information.

"Yes, I was thinking of that particular issue which is what makes me think that your foe is indeed human." Hannah pushed up from her chair and made a short walk to the fireplace. "There are spellcasters, and I use the term loosely, that have the ability to cloak themselves and their surroundings."

"How do I see through the spell?" Buffy watched her move.

"You don't." Hannah replied simply.

"Okay, I'm sorry the first time I came here that I upset you and if you believe me or not that really wasn't my goal." Buffy made herself stay sitting. "But this time I'm here because I'm desperate and I need answers. The only other spellcaster I can trust is half a world away and can't get here until Monday night and we both know that all of this will be over by then. I need answers, not riddles. I need ways to stop this. Please Hannah help me."

"And whether you believe me or not Miss. Summers I want to help you, if only so I can make this a safer place for Heather to live in." Hannah looked down directly at the Slayer. "But everything I have told you so far is true. You cannot see through such a glamour spell because in reality it is little more than a party trick. Little more than dressing up in camouflage gear and hiding in the jungle. To find the spellcaster you need to step through the glamour directly into his realm. All you need to do is find his realm, to do that you need a magic user, or at least someone who has magical sensitivities."

"Meaning you could find it easily but you won't help me." Buffy took a breath trying to digest everything she was hearing. There was something just so familiar about it: Cloaked areas that only witches and freaks could fine, little evil magical men hiding in the shadows. It was as she continued thinking about it that Buffy's mind froze. "His name is Rack. Damn, why didn't I think of this before. He was the guy who supplied Willow with the high class spells for her addiction."

"A magic dealer?" Hannah's attention seemed immediately caught. "That would make sense." She contemplated for a moment. "And would give you more hope that both Willow and Tara are still alive, both of them are more useful alive than dead."

"Use for him to drain them." Buffy growled to herself angry at the state of the world. "I know a way to find him." She thought immediately of how simple it was going to be to beat Spike into submission and use him as a homing device. "Is there anything else I need to know?" She stood up.

"Many things." Hannah stood up swiftly and crossed the room to the door. "But I can tell you them as we walk." She assessed.

"You're coming with?" Buffy questioned more than a bit shocked by the ex-witch's move.

"Believe me Miss. Summers I would like to let you leave this house and never see you again, no offensive, but I don't believe we could ever have a mutually beneficial friendship but I couldn't let you go and live with the guilt of what would then happen. If you are right and this magic dealer is the person you are fighting you will need guidance and assistance, if only for the fact that he will not be alone." Hannah replied still moving out into the hall. "And that is without even contemplating that Pandora has proven to weak for his temptations."

Willow felt her once hard tears dry down to a sniffle after awhile and she was forced to face the reality that while she was engulfed happily in Tara's arms, they were in fact both being held captive by an evil and dangerous man.

"I'm sorry I got you into all of this." She whispered softly.

"You didn't." Tara shook her head. "I know how traceable tracker spells are I knew the risks." The blonde whispered.

"You shouldn't have done it." Willow shook her head. "It was too dangerous, you're too precious."

"Willow you had been taken, we had to find you." Tara contradicted softly.

"I'm going to get you out of here. I won't do magic, I know that won't help any of us but I'm going to do whatever it takes to get you out of here safe." Willow vowed her voice soft but firm.

"Together we can do anything." Tara reminded them softly of what they'd used to say.

"We can." Willow nodded feeling a bit stronger. "It could be awhile before he finds all the ingredients. Do you know of anyone in Sunnydale with Lingallage dust?"

"No, not off the top of my head." Tara gave a slight smirk.

"Then we have time." Willow breathed a sigh of relief.

"We do. Though you do realize we'll have to keep up the act for as much time as we have." Tara's smile dimmed.

"Yeah, but he's bought it so at least we have a base." Willow tried to get her brain working.

"We do." Tara agreed. "Though why he believe you would ever want to be a partner in some crazy power scheme amazes me a bit."

"He doesn't know me, not the real me." Willow frowned. "He knows the crazy black magic slave, I'm not her anymore."

"No you're not." Tara looked deeply into Willows green eyes. "You're Willow Rosenberg, kind, loving, quirky and just a little crazy Willow."

"That he would ever think you wouldn't fight to be free and good and full of light is the stupidest mistake he's ever made." Willow's frown brightened slightly.

"You're looking tired Will, why don't you take the opportunity and rest while he's away. I'll stay up keeping an ear open as it were." Tara offered softly.

"I've been up for awhile and the whole add a lump to the total." Willow was touched by Tara's kindness and thoughtfulness as always. She rubbed the lump on the back of her head noticing that their recent tears hadn't helped her pounding headache.

"You were hit?" Tara's eyes widened in horror at the very idea that the redhead had been injured. "Let me see."

"Something jumped me and knocked me out." Willow moved over on the bed and sat down so Tara could inspect. "I woke up in the other room chained up, but I think I was out for awhile."

"They didn't break the skin." Tara very carefully and tenderly explored the area, her fingertips tracing lightly over the swelling. "But it's a nasty bump. Poor Willow brain." She lightly kissed red hair close to the injury.

"I'd pet a frog if someone would offer me some Tylenol." Willow gave a lopsided smile after the blonde kissed her wound better.

"Oh wait." Tara slipped her hand into her back pocket. "I never thought I would thank the Goddess for my monthly but…" She said pulling out a small blister pack of painkillers.

"You are truly the Goddess of girlfriends." Willow grinned as she took the package from the blonde's and then froze. "I meant that in a general overall award sense, not a me and you, not that me and you as the Goddess of girlfriends isn't true but now in a general sense that is still true in all senses and I'm going to shut up now."

"Willow, Willow shush sweetie." Tara shook her head tenderly. "I get what you meant." She assured her.

"Okay taking pills now." Willow crossed over and grabbed the mineral water that Rack had left behind taking two of the small capsules.

"Now lay down." Tara encouraged. "And I'll take a pain killer if there's one left, you know how I get all crampy a few days before." She gave Willow a lopsided smile.

"You do." Willow popped out another pill and handed Tara the glass.

"Thank you." Tara quickly took the pain killer and eased down into one of the richly decorated chairs.

"You look tired too." Willow leaned back a little on the bed. "We could both have a nap, I could stick a chair up by the door it would give up some warning."

"I am a little tired." Tara admitted. "Mainly because of the worry."

"Then come have a rest." Willow patted the bed and moved to construct her expert early alert chair at the door.

"Are you sure we can afford to take the risk of us both being asleep?" Tara didn't seem convinced.

"He can do less to us when we're asleep then he can when we're awake." Willow admitted in a soft voice as she crossed back to the bed. "The powers he abuses can't be accessed when the higher brain is resting."

"Bring on the zzz's then." Tara eased out of the chair and over to the large bed.

"Blankets for tired worry girl." Willow untucked the thick upper quilt and helped the blonde get comfortable underneath it.

"Willow…" Tara waited until the redhead was also comfy before she turned to look at Willow. "I want you to understand something, something about Buffy."

"What?" Willow turned under the covers and looked at her trying not to frown.

"I love her." Tara replied and she wasn't surprised when Willow nodded. "But she was never you." The Wicca admitted shyly. "It's almost like it was a different me loving you both." Tara knew she wasn't explaining things as well she should be.

"She's very lovable." Willow smiled softly trying for once in all of this to not let her overwhelming jealousy get the better of her. After all if it had been any other woman that Buffy had fallen in love with Willow was sure she would have been holding parties and giving out cigars but it had been Tara, her Tara.

"She is." Tara agreed. "You both are."

"And you are." Willow scrunched the edge of the blanket into her hand.

"I missed you so much Willow." Tara whispered having to let go as the honest thought filled her heart and soul.

"I've missed you so much too." Willow nodded.

"We should rest." The blonde encouraged.

"Let painkillers do their painkiller thing." Willow nodded softly.

"Well, what do we have here, the slayer found a new friend?" Spike stepped out from behind a tree and eyed Buffy and Hannah up and down.

"Spike, this is Miss. Glaive." Buffy didn't even give him the consideration of giving Hannah's first name. "Now go away." She added sternly keeping herself between the vampire and the brunette.

"Oh I see." Spike smiled. "Miss. Maclay to vanilla for you huh?" He couldn't help the jibe. "This one looks slightly more, tried and tested." He noted pulling the lapels of his black leather a little.

"Spike, not funny." Buffy hissed at him with fiery eyes. The very last thing on earth she needed was Spike upsetting Hannah to the point where she couldn't help the Slayer get the two witches back.

"You know this, this undead beast?" Hannah wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Beast? Who you calling a beast?" Spike snapped. "I mean yeah." He growled. "I'm a beast."

"Yes I know him, God help me better than I ever want to admit." Buffy rolled her eyes. "He's harmless though, he has a chip in his head that means he can't hurt anything living." She pointed the useful fact out to Hannah.

"Then he's of no use to us." Hannah dismissed him and turned away causing Spike to huff loudly.

"Hey I'll have you know I often help out." He pouted. "I'm a core Scooby."

"I think he might be because I think he's been to this magic dealer's place." Buffy snapped off a look of disbelief at him. "You were never a core Scooby, tag along maybe."

"We don't need a vampire to help us, I can find any cloaked lair." Hannah shook her head and looked at Buffy.

"Yeah but this vampire." Buffy growled at Spike. "Has been supplying the guy who kidnapped them with kiddy bones haven't you?" Spike at least had the decency to look a little embarrassed.

"Don't know what your talking about love." Spike denied covering his look he shrugged and lit up a cigarette.

"Hannah please be prepared for the fact that if he doesn't start talking I will beat the information out of him. Okay?" She looked at the older brunette before turning to glare hard at the vampire.

"Doesn't bother me." Hannah shook her head.

"Talk about what?" Spike saw the look in Buffy's eyes and got worried.

"I'm enjoying your company more all the time." Buffy admitted as she shifted her weight and smacked Spike across the head with a stunningly quick spin quick.

"OW!" His head snapped painfully back.

Not giving him time once he hit the ground she stepped behind him and pushed him forward on his knees before bracing his arm around his neck to effectively subdue him.

"Now tell Hannah about the bones you dug up and gave to the weird disappearing man." Buffy hissed as she applied more painful pressure.

"Kid bones, an acquaintance wanted them, owed him a favor for a bit of mojo he did for me." Spike said through tight breaths and covered pain.

"You can ask questions and I'll squeeze the answers out of him." Buffy looked at Hannah for guidance.

"How many ingredients have you got for him?" Hannah turned to look at the pair. When the answer wasn't forthcoming Buffy leaned forward a bit digging her knee into his spine as she pulled his arm closer to breaking.

"Bloody Hell Slayer, go easy he's just a strange magic dealer. He wants out of Sunnydale, he just wants to use the bounty the place offers him before he goes." Spike snarled.

"Answer the question." She pulled harder and felt tissue begin to strain to the point of tearing.

"Just the bones and some burber weed, oh and a tugel root." The vampire replied quickly. "But I think he's calling in a few favors. When I dropped the last stuff off there were other people there doing similar things." He added appearing to try and be helpful.

"Why does he need magical help to leave Sunnydale?" Buffy kept the pain she inflicted on him high.

"I don't sit around and chat to him Slayer. His place is too full of magic junkies gives me the shivers you know." He spit back the pain starting to show.

Buffy looked at Hannah to see if there was anything else she needed to know.

"Where was the last drop off?" Hannah asked her eyes narrowing a little.

"Mid town, he's moved though I know that much." Spike's answer came quickly.

"You might as well let it go." Hannah looked at Buffy. Buffy quickly did as she was told and pushed him away stepping protectively back over to the older witch.

"What's the big deal Slayer? Why not just let Rack slip off?" Spike coughed as he straightened himself.

"Cause he kidnapped Willow and Tara." Buffy filled in trying to hide her own worried frown.

"Bloody hell, that was stupid of him." The vampire was shocked "Buffy, I'm sorry." His voice dropped to almost a soft soothing tone he took a step forward.

"Don't!" Buffy backed away. Spike froze and looked up at Buffy silently. "Let's go." Buffy looked at Hannah trying to ignore him.

"Hey wait, I can help!" The peroxide vamp pressed. "You know I can sniff him out, help you get them back."

"We don't need you, she can find him." Buffy motioned to the petite brunette.

"Buffy I swear to you I didn't know he wanted Red and little bird." He tried to catch Buffy's eyes.

"Would you have done anything differently if you'd know?" Buffy asked him with a sad shrug.

"I..." Spike stumbled for words knowing that the Slayer knew as he did that he wouldn't.

"Exactly." Buffy turned away from him and urged Hannah to leave.

"I could watch the little bit for you." He called to her back.

"Dawn is already out of Sunnydale." She informed him without turning.

Without anything more to say Spike watched the two women walk out of sight.

"There's a long story there with him." Buffy tried to make some sort of explanation.

"Isn't there with everyone?" Hannah said simply not sure if she even wanted to hear of the entire sorted tale.

"Those ingredients, what do they suggest he's going to do?" Buffy moved away from the topic easily when she was given the opportunity.

"What I thought he was going to do when you mentioned the books, he'll open up the Hellmouth and form a gateway between it and some demon or magical dimension." Hannah summed up. "From that point on it could be a simple case of sit back and watch the demolition or he could actually want to turn most of the population into mindless slaves."

"Just checking we're still on the road to screwed." Buffy wrapped her arms around herself as they walked.

"Screwed would encompass it completely." Never did Hannah's tone change.

"So what do we need to do to make things unscrewed?" Buffy tried to find a focus and a goal.

"A miracle." Hannah blinked slowly. "Buffy I'm not going to paint anything rose colored here, we have about one chance and that's all."

"What do we need for that chance?" Buffy jumped on it immediately.

"We need for Willow not to have given in." Hannah frowned slightly. "Because if she has then we don't stand a chance. Unless killing your best friend is high on your list of things to do on a Saturday evening."

Buffy stopped walking. She froze directly in her tracks to be exact feeling a bolt of icy pain go through her.

"If she's turned it's not Willow anymore." She whispered in a scared voice.

"I may have meant Tara." Hannah whispered back.

"I know." Buffy shivered more.

"Miss. Summers…" Hannah looked at the Slayer her face framed in pain as if what she were about to say actually caused her anguish and sorrow. "I mean this." She said seriously. "If Willow has turned, then I would almost guarantee you that she has taken Tara as a trophy."

"If Willow goes 100% dark, Tara is dead." Buffy conceded the point in an eerily calm voice. "I've been through this before Hannah, I've dealt with someone who I loved going completely and truly evil and trying to kill things I love."

"I'm sorry." Hannah gave a heart-felt apology. "I wish we had the time to full deal with this possible consequence but we don't."

"Best case scenario?" Buffy pushed for some ray of hope.

"Willow has stayed firm, her and Tara have found a way to delay and they are waiting for their knight in shining armor." Hannah gave a rare smile.

"To do what though?" Buffy smiled back at her option.

"Now that is the question." Turning again Hannah led the way with a faster pace.

"If he's using dark mojo he's not going to let me walk in and just snap his neck." Buffy moved quickly to catch up with her.

"No he's not." Hannah agreed happy to see that the Slayer was at least thinking ahead. "Which is why we need to have him far too busy with something else to notice you."

"Something else like what?" Buffy questioned.

"Something else…" Hannah stopped and looked at Buffy squarely. "Like me."

"Whoa!" Buffy moved around to block the small witch's path. "I know I'm a bit slayer thick sometimes but I do very firmly know you gave up the mojo. How on earth are you going to distract him? And oh wait on top of that, he has two of the three most powerful witches that are in Sunnydale, why on earth would I give him the third?"

"I have no intentions of either using magic, nor letting him drain the power that is resident within me." Hannah shook her head. "But to him I am interesting, to him you are a nothing more than a bug." She pointed out.

"So you're going to distract him while I get close enough to make the kill?" Buffy summed up what she was being told.

"So to get you close enough to him to do anything we have to have what I believe is called in such instances 'bait'. Yes, that sums it up." Hannah nodded to her own alliteration.

"How are you going to distract him?" Buffy questioned.

"Miss. Summers." Hannah tried a smile though this one came nowhere near her eyes. "To a magic dealer I give off an aura that is as blinding as yours is to a high level demon. I won't have to 'do' anything, I just have to be there."

"So you're like the prettiest girl at the party?" Buffy smiled knowing to herself that though dangerous it would work.

"For once in my life yes, I will be the belle of the ball." Hannah smiled at the irony.

"Won't he know the minute I enter his shift?" Buffy tried to put everything in order in her brain. She hated that she had to even consider putting Hannah in danger but it was the only hope.

"This outing isn't to find out where he is, it's to find out where he isn't which might sound a little backward but its necessary. He leaves a magical trace wherever his magic den is when he moves it. By examining that I can deduce how powerful he is and things like that. With that done we can go back to the house, and I can get you the things you will need." Hannah explained as they walked again. "As you have no magical trace if he can't see you Rack won't know you are there at all." She continued. "All we have to do is make you as invisible physically as you are magically."

"Sounds completely logical." Buffy nodded.

"It is." Hannah agreed, "The complication if any will be Willow."

"If Willow is turned she'll know you right off and know exactly why you are there." Buffy tried to show she wasn't completely stupid.

"Yes and worse than that, it won't matter how we try and cloak you. She would recognize you because you're bond is too strong."

"I couldn't hide from Will." Buffy admitted.

"So we have to do a bit of planning, and a whole lot of hoping." The older woman stated.

"There is only one way he'll make Willow turn." Buffy blinked as the reality struck her in the chest.

"Which would be?" Hannah queried genuinely interested.

"If he hurts Tara." Buffy let the words out with a slow breath. "She'll have a spell done before she even thinks about it."

"Unfortunately from what I have heard about Miss. Maclay, she is everything a dealer like Rack would desire. I believe our only hope there will be if he is too consumed by his other more destructive tasks to be concerned with draining an innocent." Hannah tried not to be too negative but the truth was they could not walk into this without knowing exactly how bad things could be.

"We have an equation with a lot of ifs and I am not great with the math." Buffy began walking again at a breakneck pace with the brunette.

Willow felt her tired aching body wake up slowly into an even better dream then the one she'd been having. Familiar arms held onto her tightly as a warm body snuggled into her side with light sleepy breaths tickling her neck. It was with a certain amount of anxiety that she realized she wasn't asleep and this wasn't a dream.

Sometime during their recovery nap their bodies had done what had always been so natural to them and the two witches were now tangled together so it was hard to tell where one of them began and the other ended.

"Mmmmm Will, Miss. Kitty probably needs letting out." Tara mumbled softly as she buried herself more into the pillows, the arm wrapped around Willow's stomach flexed slightly as if preparing to release the redhead momentarily.

"I'm sure she's okay." Willow patted the hand over her trying to selfishly preserve the closeness between them just a bit longer.

"You're just a comforter hog." Tara breathed in her sleep. "I promise to let you have some back when you get back."

"Just sleep baby, you need your energy." Willow swallowed realizing how unfair this was to both of them. Tara thought she was dreaming and well she was just being selfish and evil. "I'll let Miss. Kitty out." She added softly trying to will her unmoving body to get out of bed.

"Oh it's okay little miss cold toes." Tara's sleepy tone became slightly more animated as the blonde moved a little and drew her hand slowly back from around the redhead. The movement was obviously just a fraction to extreme for the Wicca though as suddenly her blue eyes snapped open and her dream state was shattered. "Willow?" She said her voice rushed and panicked.

"Hi." Willow smiled softly then frowned as she saw the blonde's startled state.

"I..." registering where the two of them lay in placement to each other Tara made a clumsy move back out of the way. "Sorry." She whispered.

"No, it's okay." Willow shook her head still frowning. "I was trying not to wake you up, you were sleeping so soundly."

"I was dreaming..." The blonde admitted for a moment obviously thoughts of the dream re-emerged and the startled look nearly melted into a smile but all too soon Tara's face clouded again.

"Dreams are okay, nothing wrong with dreams." Willow added softly trying to figure out the blonde's fluctuating expressions.

"Unless they're of world ending apocalypses and you're a slayer." Tara tried humor.

"Yes, but then you have your two best witches to figure it out and help you save the day." Willow easily followed the lead given to her.

"Wicca and techno whiz." Tara redefined with a smile.

"The original Scooby hacker." Willow smiled back. "I have the badge and everything."

"The original and best, you're so smart Will." Tara gave the redhead a proud smile forgetting the moment of awkwardness before.

"If I was really smart I'd have thought a way out of this by now." Willow admitted looking around. "But together we can beat anything." She looked back at the blonde.

"We can." She agreed. "And this is working as a plan for now."

"As long as you know..." Willow reached up and touched her cheek. "I won't let him hurt you and anything I say to him is total lies if it's about being all world ruler girl." Subtly Tara moved her face back out of Willow's reach.

"I don't think you should." She began looking down.

"Oh... sorry." Willow locked her jaw trying to hide the profound frown that leapt onto her face. Slowly she turned her body away under the covers closing her eyes tight for a moment.

"No sorries." Tara shook her head looking instantly back up again. "It's not that I don't want you to." She admitted in a quiet voice looking at Willow's thin shoulders through the blanket. "Because I do." She added even quieter.

"But you can't." Willow tried to show the blonde that she understood.

"I can't hurt Buffy, she deserves so much more than that." Tara underlined gently.

"I don't want to hurt Buffy either." Willow dug her hands into the thick blanket and pulled it closer to her chin.

"I know." Tara stated feeling the familiar sting of anguish in her heart. "I'm sorry Willow." She whispered.

"You did what you had to do." Willow whispered back, remembering a recent conversation with Iris. "Never be sorry for that."

"You want food?" Tara asked quietly. "There's probably something yummy under those silver lids."

"I'm not hungry but you should eat." Willow couldn't bear the idea of eating as her stomach tied in knots within her body.

"I'm not hungry either." The blonde shook her head. "Will I..." Tara began but was interrupted by a swirl of gray mist and the appearance of Rack in the room. He stood smiling and looked over to the bed.

"How dare you?" Willow glared at him instantly reacting with anger towards the only outlet she could.

"How dare I?" Rack laughed at her. "I dare strawberry because you are in my domain." He met her anger quickly and without missing a beat.

"Watch yourself or you might find your domain under my foot when all this is done." Willow growled at him.

"You know I like this you strawberry, I might have to think of a better name for you." He glanced down at his coat for a moment and then backed up.

"Then call me Pandora." Willow pushed herself out of bed motioning for Tara to stay put. "And leave the tired aimless girl who first came to you behind." She knew why she chose the name but she knew he wouldn't see the true meaning. It was a secret that would give her power to do this.

"Were you feeling a little hungry, Pandora?" Rack glanced briefly at Tara and then back at Willow making it obvious what he implied.

"I have hunger for a great many things." Willow sneered at him and crossed over to the trays lifting one lid to inspect the array of arranged fruit beneath. "So what do you want?" She forced herself to casually pick up a small square of watermelon.

"I just came to check everything was comfortable for you." Rack smiled sweetly. "I'm not one to care for comfort so I thought my provisions may be a little inadequate, so to speak."

"Are you comfortable?" Willow looked at Tara.

"I... I think so." Tara sounded a little bemused and Rack smiled at her from his place.

"Am I comfortable?" She kept her green eyes on the blonde unable to look at the evil warlock in case she lost her control and made him dissolve or something equally horrible.

"I believe so." Tara replied again somewhat vacantly.

"Mmmmm Pandora." Rack took a few steps towards the redhead and lowered his voice.

"Yes?" Willow moved stiffly back to look at him.

"You wouldn't have already been tasting your reward would you?" He smirked.

"Would I do that?" Willow chewed on the piece of watermelon slowly, the acid in the juice burning her throat.

"Well who would know right?" He replied with a carefree shrug.

"I only take what she gives me freely." Willow glanced back at the bed.

At this comment Rack laughed loudly, the noise of it filling the room so that it seemed as if the seems of the walls would burst open.

"Gives you freely?" He barked. "She hates you strawberry, what you are, what you can do. Look at her, drowning in her purity her innocence. What would she ever give you freely?" He challenged deliberately using his former title for her.

"What she thinks will be enough to keep her alive by the end of this." Willow put her hands behind her back hiding her clenched hands from him. "What she shields from me is far greater power than what she lets me taste but I am not foolish enough to loose sight of the true goal."

"You think she cares if she lives or dies?" Rack shook his head and tutted slightly. "She would probably kill herself rather than willingly be tainted by you." These words again made the deal smile.

"But if faced with her own death or the death of her lover." Willow whispered the words out in a hard voice. "She will give me what I want tied in ribbons if I so ask."

"You see Pandora, you and her are so different. Where as you and I, we are alike." His tone was almost proud.

"I would love to give you the credit for what I am Rack." Willow shook her head. "But everything I am is of my own design."

"And I wouldn't change you." With that he disappeared again.

Willow stood there stark still for a second. The color of anger slowly drained out of her face and left her with only a shallow pale hue. Her bottom lip trembled as she stared empty into the space he'd once occupied.

"He's lying." Tara whispered from her place on the bed though her voice was small and fragile.

"No, he's not." Willow's eyes finally broke from their stare as she moved over and sat on the far edge of the bed. "I think I'm going to throw up." She admitted in a weak voice.

Instantly the blonde moved out of the bed and hurried to the redhead's side, looking first at her face and then around for something to offer her.

"He is." She stressed as she looked.

"Don't." Willow whispered with more sadness than anger. "You know he's right, I did all this. I have no one to blame but myself."

"I…" Tara bit her lip slightly. "You're not like him Willow." She tried again.

"No, I'm not." Willow shook her head and frowned. "But I'm no better than him." She felt her eyes well with tears.

"You are!" Tara's answer was swift and direct.

"Did you think I was when I did the spell on you?" Willow turned to look at her ex-lover blinking tears onto her cheeks.

"Don't do this Willow." Tara warned softly shaking her head. "You're not ready to hear what I thought when I found out about the spell." She added her voice soft.

"Why didn't you fight for me? Why didn't you drag me back from it? Why did you just leave it to eat away at me?" Willow stared into the carpet as she asked the question through silent tears.

Of all the things she may have possibly expected Willow to say, what just left the redhead's mouth was not even a considered option.

"You think I didn't fight for you?" Tara asked the volume in her voice taken away by surprise. "Willow how long before you cast the spell on me did you tell me to sit back and keep my mouth shut about your magic abuse?" The Wicca questioned. "How many times did I try and talk to you about it? There was only one person that could pull you out of the place you had gotten Will and all the love in the world couldn't get you out of there. I know that because I love you with all of my world." She stated sadly.

"You don't." Willow pushed herself on shaky legs to stand.

"I do."

"Not your whole world, because if you did then you wouldn't be with anyone else." She shook her head to the blonde's words. "You'd be just like me, languishing alone feeling broken and helpless."

"If I didn't love you so much right now Willow I would slap you across the face." Tara seethed quietly as she looked at her ex-lover.

"I wish you would." Willow whispered as she slumped down into a chair and pulled her legs up too her.

"Why? So you could feel some pain out side instead of it all being inside?" Tara questioned trying to keep the pain in her heart from making her silent.

"So I could start to make this up to you." Willow whispered again burying her face in her hands.

Tara crossed over to Willow slowly and sunk down onto her knees in front of the redhead.

"Willow, listen to me." She began her voice shaking slightly. "You can't do that." She pointed out.

"Then I might as well be dead." Willow sobbed into her hands.

"No, no Willow listen." Tara shook her head and reached out gently taking a light hold around Willow's wrists. "You can't make up for what's done, that's been done, we can't change it."

The hacker fought with her for a heartbeat before giving in and letting her hands be moved.

"What you can do is just what you're doing, fighting so hard to turn away from the darkness that fought you. If giving up magic is the price we have to pay to get you back Willow, it's more than worth it." She said lovingly. "I'd give up magic if it meant we got you back." She added looking into tear filled green eyes.

"You don't have to give up magic." Willow shook her head. "It's part of you, you have balance."

"I have magical balance yes." Tara agreed. "But as being without you proved, I don't have other kinds of balance."

"You have Buffy." Willow filled in without any anger in her voice only sad honest.

"Buffy doesn't balance me Willow, I know that and I think deep down she does to. In fact I'm not sure that it is deep down. Do you know one of the first things she said to me?" The Wicca replied gently.

"What?" Willow's bottom lip trembled.

"I won't ever stand in the way of you and Willow." Tara recalled Buffy's words carefully.

"She should, I hurt you." Willow's voice was thick with tears. "She should kick my butt up and down the street."

"Your addiction hurt me." Tara clarified. "Though I think to be honest if you don't watch your step with me in the next forty years or so Buffy will jump on you and give you her best, wise up with your girlfriend chat."

"I don't understand?" Willow couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "Why would Buffy..." She hesitated assuming she'd heard Tara wrong.

"Is this your way of telling me that forever isn't on the agenda?" Tara smiled but her voice wavered slightly.

"But I thought..." Willow swallowed. "You're with Buffy."

"And if you'd rather it stay that way then yes, I'm with Buffy though I don't know for how long." Tara admitted honestly.

"Does Buffy know?" Willow frowned suddenly not thinking of herself but of her best friend who she knew would be devastated.

"Does Buffy know what?" Tara frowned.

"That it's not for forever." Willow felt her head spin, it seemed like things were going in circles.

"Buffy knows the only reason I'm not with you is because I can't be with you." Tara tried to explain. "I think she knew if that ever changed then things would have to be readdressed. God why is it when I am talking about this that I feel so horrible, like I used, am using Buffy when its not like that at all." Tara pressed three fingertips into her forehead and pushed back from Willow up onto her feet and walked away from the redhead.

"You're not using her, you could never use anyone Tara." Willow shook her head. "You're right, she knows you're still in love with me." The redhead added softly. "She's always known that."

"My head hurts." Tara huddled in the corner and leaned her head against the chilled plaster wall.

"Lay down then." Willow uncurled herself as concern for Tara's pain override everything inside her. "Rest." She moved over to the blonde slowly motioning to the bed. "I can ask Rack for a heat pack or something, they usually help your headaches."

"This isn't a normal headache." The Wicca replied her voice slightly distracted.

"What's wrong?" Willow's hand shook as she moved over closer.

"I'm n-n-n-not sure." Tara stuttered as she became more acutely aware of the pain in her head.

"Come lie down." Willow put her hand on Tara's back to lead her back to the bed.

"In facts its not in my h-h-head." Tara tried to shut off some of the flaring pain sensors but her body felt bombarded and completely overloaded.

"I know what it is." Willow looked around frowning as she settled the almost oblivious blonde on the bed. "What do you need to do a protection aura?" The redhead questioned curling the covers around her.

"A p-p-protection aura, nothing can attack us h-h-here Rack needs you safe." Unconsciously Tara began to rock gently in an attempt to sooth the pain.

"It's not Rack, it's this place." Willow whispered rubbing her hand over Tara's arm trying to comfort her. "It's too much dark for your light, you can't balance it with out being strained or giving in." She kept her voice soft. "Tell me what you need for the spell and I'll get it for you, then you can protect yourself."

"N-N-N-No magic Willow. Not involving you or around you, its not fair on you." Tara's voice was weaker.

"It's not magic, it's just an aura." Willow shook her head. "It'll make me feel better when you feel better." She racked her brain to try and remember what was needed. "Is it sage or saganut?"

"I suppose we could ask…" Tara began but was again interrupted by the appearance of someone in the room, this time it was one of Rack's minion.

"What did you need Pandora?" The young man asked his wild darting eyes barely managing to fix on the redhead. His hands constantly rubbed against the warm thighs of his dirty blue jeans.

"Three white candles, an amethyst, two ounces of sage..." Willow listed what she could remember. "A burning bowl, a half ounce of ground newt, an obsidian dagger and vanilla incense."

"Father has said that he understands that the reward my be having some problems." The minion glanced up briefly. "He offers a solution."

"The reward is having her time of the moon." Willow cut the minion off. "And is unable to forgo the cycle less we offend the Goddess she prays too and lose her purity."

"The father has forbidden any magic, spell casting or warding." The minion replied.

"What else am I going to manage with those pitiful ingredients?" Willow laughed at the young man. "She needs them to ease her cramps, nothing more."

"Willow its okay..." Tara rocked gently.

"No, it's not okay." Willow stood up angrily. "I demand the ingredients now." She looked firmly at the spaced boy. "Rack knows I can do more with words than with those supermarket cast offs."

With a nod the minion left as quickly as he had arrived.

"I can't have you in pain." Willow bent back down by Tara and held her hand.

Part Nineteen

Heather had paced the house at least fifty time and had just began another lap as she heard the soft sound of a key and the front door opening.

"Hannah?" She yelled out immediately retracing her way to the front hall.

"You're home?" Hannah's voice was slightly distant as the slight woman eased the door closed.

"Of course I'm home, I told you I'd be back by five, and here it is nine thirty and no you. No note either, where have you been?" Heather stopped in the hall staring at her sister.

"Nine thirty?" The news obviously shocked the older sister who glanced at her watch frowning.

"Nine thirty." Heather underlined with a slight tinge of worry and anger in her voice. "I've been crawling the walls."

"Sorry." Hannah stripped off her coat and hung it up.

"Where have you been?" Heather moved forward and asked again.

"We need to sit down Heather." Hannah eventually looked up.

"Why?" Heather took a step back instantly. "We haven't needed to sit down in years." The phrasing made her skin raise with goose bumps.

"Please." Hannah asked of her sister motioning to the living room.

"It's okay if you slipped." Heather paced into the living room. "You've been really good for along long time, longer than they figured you would I'm sure. As long as it wasn't big maybe they won't see the signature."

Hannah actually managed a brief and gentle smile, touched by her sister's worry.

"I haven't." She assured her.

"Great, I knew you wouldn't." Heather plopped down in a chair and looked at her sister. "What is it?"

"Willow and Tara are in trouble." She said very softly keeping her sister's eyes.

"What? But I just saw Tara this morning." Heather flushed with panic. "I know Willow stood me up but I never thought it would be anything other than she decided it was a bad idea."

"I think we can safely guess she didn't stand you up Heather." Hannah explained. "We have quite a bad situation." She chose her words carefully.

Heather just looked at her silently waiting for her to finish explaining before she lost her mind. Slowly and carefully the older Glaive explained the situation so far.

"Buffy needs me." She added before Heather could say anything. "I'm the only one who can help."

"She wants you to do magic." Heather read into the situation immediately. "You can't!"

"I won't be doing any magic Head." Hannah shook her head softly.

"Then what?" Heather swallowed and Hannah stopped knowing the truth wasn't going to sit any better than the first idea.

"I'm just bait." She admitted.

"Bait?" Heather's face fell. "No." She shook her head and stood up. "If Buffy needs bait I'll go be bait, I'm not having you near anything magical."

"You don't have what he wants or needs." Hannah shook her head. "And I wouldn't let you." She added as a soft reminder.

"And I won't let you." Heather spelled out the standoff shaking slightly. "Willow's told me about the type of people Buffy runs into. I'm not having you anywhere near any of them."

"I have to do this." Hannah stressed. "We're not just talking about Willow and Tara's safety."

"No, you don't!" Heather snapped. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't." Hannah shook her head again. "Heather if there was don't you think I would have thought of it?"

"How much more is there?" Heather slumped back down on the chair.

"If we don't get Willow and Tara back, if they release the seals of the book, Rack will open the Hellmouth. Quite possibly thousands or more will die." Hannah explained sadly.

"Why does she need you as bait?" Heather questioned feeling her stomach sick further as she realized the entire world would be in peril if the Hellmouth opened.

"She needs a way into his realm." Hannah explained simply. "I'm going to give the invisibility amulet but she needs his to be preoccupied."

"So not only do I have to agree to this, I have to help you by opening up the safe for you?" Heather looked down into her hands.

"There is no other way Heather."

"You could call the coven, one among them should be able to do this." Heather attempted a solution.

"It would take them to long to decide whether or not they would help. Time isn't something we have sis." Hannah shook her head.

"How is she going to beat him?" Heather ran her hands over the arm of the chair.

"The old fashioned way, he's only a man." Hannah looked down she didn't relish the fact this had to end with the death of a mortal no matter how evil.

"This is the end." Heather's voice was dull as she stalked across the room and angrily shoved a china case over to block the doorway and revealed the safe behind it.

"The end?" Hannah looked up frowning.

"This is the end, to magic, to Hellmouth, to whatever other shit the devil wants to drag out at us. It ends." She twirled the numbers into the locks with a remarkably steady hand. "Everything goes, you can give it to Buffy, Tara, the goodwill I don't care. I'm not keeping any of it in the house anymore." She pulled open the heavy reinforced door.

"Heather, I wish there was another way."

"We don't even know if it still works you know? You made it for a child not a slayer." She began throwing books and other papers out of the opening to spray across the floor.

"I know. I explained to Buffy that even if it did work that the effects would be short." She watched her sister cause general mayhem in the corner of the room.

"Her signature is different then mine, it might not work at all." Heather bit her lip and pulled out a shelf in the side of the safe. "Here." She reluctantly gave her the box.

"We will be checking it of course." Hannah took it. "I want you to leave Sunnydale." She added as she looked down at the box.

"I think you've asked enough of me for today Hannah." Heather whispered as she bent down to tidy up the mess she'd made in her anger.

"If it doesn't work, you have to be out of Sunnydale. Heather!" Hannah snapped when her sister just continued to tidy. "You have to leave." She said sternly.

"I have to clean up, take Tru for a walk and then maybe have a bath." Heather didn't look up. "I don't have to leave, this is my home."

"I promised Molly I would take care of you. You have to leave." Hannah's voice turned steely.

"What is Rack that you need to bait him?" Heather questioned without emotion as she shuffled and sorted papers.

"He's a magic dealer. A dark magic dealer." Hannah explained trying to calm her own emotions. "Drains people of their power and feeds it back to them channeled."

"Like Coloma?" Heather flicked her eyes up for the first time.

"Yes, just like her." Hannah nodded solemnly.

"Fine, let me clean up and get Tru and I'll leave." Heather forced a heavy sigh from her body.

"Thank you." Hannah whispered breathing a sigh of relief that her sister had conceded.

"How do I know when to come back?" Heather looked up hugging a thick tome to her body.

"I'll call you." Hannah noted, moving to the door. "I'll wait till you go. Should I make tea?" She offered rather pathetically.

"No go now, Buffy must be waiting." Heather shook her head. "And if he's like Coloma you can't waste time."

"It'll work Heady, it'll be okay." Hannah tried to sound assured as she moved to the door. "I love you."

"What way should I leave town? Which way is he?" She pushed herself up.

"Just hit the main road and drive."

"Take care of yourself." Heather added with a frown.

"Heather." Hannah spoke softly. "Remember your promise." She looked up to meet her sister's eyes.

"I'll make sure it's a nice hotel and lock the door." Heather nodded.

"They have to have milkshakes." Hannah tried a smile.

"I'll ask before I check in." Heather managed a soft smile back at her sister.

"Get out of here kidling." Hannah smiled broader as she moved to the hall.

"Give me a minute, give me a minute." The younger Glaive forced herself to joke back as she waved absently. With a soft thud the door slid shut behind Hannah.

Heather stared at it for a minute her heart thumping in her chest. She could hardly believe she had let her sister leave but she knew she'd only done it to keep her safe. Quickly she moved back over dropping down to her knees amongst the still scattered papers and shuffled through them till she uncovered a slim blue book.

"I'm sorry Hannah." She whispered as she stood up with the book flipping it open and crossing into the kitchen. Absently she sorted through the spice rack until she found the bottle she wanted. With it and the book she moved back into the living room and she pushed everything off the coffee table except the white candle that had been in the central spray of flowers there.

She shifted through the pages purposely until she found what she wanted. Hannah had unfortunately given everything away when she'd drawn the parallel between Rack and Coloma.

"If you're anything like that bitch..." Heather put the book down on the table and used a heavy statue to hold it open for her. "You'll know exactly what she knew." She poured a mound of dried sage into her hand. "All Glaive women are born with power." She lit the candle and held her cupped palm over the flame as she began to recite the spell from the book.

Heather found it hard to continue the words as the heat burn the underside of her hand. Her arm muscles contracted and strained as she forced herself to hold her hand there and when the herbs within her palm ignited with the last of her words she was surprised that the pain went away. With a slow breath she extinguished the candle and stood up tall as she moved straight to the door.

"Help me find you Rack." She whispered to the wind as she opened the door and walked outside feeling light-headed and sick to her stomach.

"Mmmmm Strawberry." With a slight distortion Rank appeared in the plush room with a small bowl of ingredients. He looked over to the bed where Tara was curled up and Willow knelt by the bedside.

"Do you have what I need?" Willow looked up at him her hand still rubbing Tara's forehead.

"Did you think you would get spell ingredients in here without me noticing?" Rack asked of the redhead.

"No, you're acting as if I'm trying to hide them." Willow reluctantly pushed herself away from Tara. "But unless you want the Goddess she has pledged eternal duty too blocking us from her power, I need to tend to her cramps."

"Yes my assistant explained the rewards problem." Rack glanced at the bed again before looking fully at Willow.

"Is there anything in that bowl I would need to conjure a spell that I could not do with words alone?" Willow challenged him. "Please Rack, this is me. The only thing I cannot do is conjure her pain relief without tainting her purity."

"We could let Cream do the spell herself and I could show you a little of what I have planned." Rack smiled at the redhead.

"That's fine." Willow nodded knowing that in all the scenarios this played right into their hand. After all it would let Tara do the spell and she'd be out of the room for a bit while she did it. "She does this presentation to her Goddess every month, I'll be glad when we're rid of it." She held her hand out for the bowl.

"I'll have two of my people watch her." Rack waved his hand slightly and two young women walked in through the back wall he held out the bowl at the same time.

"If either of them come within two feet of her..." Willow glared between them. "I will not be kind." She took the bowel.

"Of course my fiery one." Rack smiled. "Then come with me." He offered her his hand.

"Tara, do the spell that you need to feel better." She ignored him for a moment, leaning down to the blonde so that they couldn't see her face. "Please quickly, I'll distract him." She whispered to the blonde.

"Don't let him do anything to you." Tara whispered softly.

"I won't, I promise." Willow held herself back from leaning in to kiss Tara's cheek before she moved back over to Rack. "Show me." She didn't take his hand.

Heather wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this up. She'd been wandering around the back alleys of Sunnydale now for a while. Her stomach was knotted within her body and her vision was blurry.

'Please I need you.' She forced her mind to send out the request over and over. It was a surprise to her when the air around her went cold suddenly and as she took another step forward she ended up in a dimly lit dirty room.

"You know I had to leave a very important guest for a moment to deal with you." Rack's voice chided humorlessly as he opened the door to an inner room.

"Are you who I'm looking for?" Heather swallowed her throat dry as the door opened and the others in the room with her seemed to all perk up until he addressed her.

"Well you come looking for something and you're not even sure what you want?" Rack shook his head.

"I want what someone offered me many years ago and I was too afraid to take." Heather blinked and stepped closer to him. "Coloma said I was worthy."

Rack looked Heather up and down slowly seeming to ponder things for a long moment.

"You know you are throwing a signature out that is very powerful, but untapped." He noted with a small hint of excitement. "Not a wise thing to do in a town like this."

"My..." Heather stopped herself trying to find the best words in her disordered mind. "My Mistress would not allow me to use my power."

"But you watched her feats for years and wished you could be the one to wield her power?" Rack offered the explanation.

"Yes, yes." Heather nodded. "How did you know?"

"I know something." Rack stepped a little closer fixing his eyes on her. "You want to know what I know little girl?" He brought his face closer to Heather's and breathed across her skin lightly.

"What?" Heather's voice was small.

"I know you're lying." He whispered in the tiniest voice his grin predatory.

"About what?" Heather blinked at him without panicking.

"You're a servant to no one, the power you have is virginal and the spell you cast…" He lifted his head a little and sniffed the air. "A little over an hour ago was your first. You are either very stupid or very desperate and I find myself wondering which."

"The answer is..." Heather whispered back stepped shakily closer to him as her hand shifted in the pocket of her coat.

"Heather, what are you doing here?" Willow stepped out of the back trying to hide her overall panicked shock with anger. "I told you to stay at home and wait for me."

As Heather looked up obviously shocked to hear Willow's voice, Rack side stepped a little and gripped the hand that Heather slipped into her pocket. He pulled it roughly out of the fabric and held it aloft. Her fingers were white knuckled around the hilt of a short dagger.

"You know this little would be assassin?" Rack looked at Willow deliberately holding Heather's wrist so tight that it hurt.

"She's not an assassin." Willow swallowed down her emotions knowing if she didn't do the best acting of her life... well she couldn't think of the consequences, she just had to do. "She's being childish and possessive again." She walked over towards the brunette. "What did I tell you? I see other people that doesn't make you any less important." It made Willow want to cry as she reached up to cup Heather's cheeks and black pupil filled eyes stared back at her. "Let go of the knife." She urged softly.

"I had to find you, had to save you." Heather held the green eyes before her and found she couldn't keep her thoughts straight. It was as if with the spell power seeping through her Willow's suggestion of what was going on made sense even though if she knew somehow it wasn't real.

"Well Pandora, I'm impressed. You have lots of young attractive virginal witches running to your side in moments of crisis." Rack smiled twisting Heather's wrist a little when she still hadn't released the knife.

"Well I have slightly more expensive and rare tastes." Willow nodded to him. "It's okay now, I'm here." She reached up to her hand and wasn't surprised, though she was relieved when Heather let her take the knife.

"So this little girl is yours as well as cream?" Rack released his own grip on the slim wrist and stepped back a little.

"She gets so worked up." Willow nodded as she pulled Heather into a hug. The hard and fast thump of Heather's heart made her more than worried. "My little Orchid here is quite the jealous bunny." She forced out a tight light laugh as she moved back and checked as best she could that other than the spell Heather hadn't injured herself.

"I think your bunny would have teeth if she could." Rack noted.

"But she doesn't." Willow smiled and brushed Heather's hair behind her ears. "Do you Orchid?"

"I don't feel well Willow." Heather's voice was tiny as she blinked a few times quickly.

"The untouched ones are so fragile, just like china." Willow turned to Rack. "Can I lie her down in my room?"

"Your room is turning into quite the harem Pandora." Rack noted with a grin.

"Do you mind?" Willow put her arm around the taller woman's waist.

"Let me relieve the pressure, by taking one off your hands." Rack licked his lips slowly.

"These are the two most precious in my garden. If any others follow you can have one of them." Willow shook his head to his request.

"This one may belong to you but Cream isn't yours Pandora even if you wish she were." Rack made the observation. "In fact this could all work out perfectly." The taller man said thoughtfully he tapped his lip slowly.

"How so?" Willow questioned.

"Well you have your orchid and as Cream is how should we say, a free agent right now, she could be my reward." Rack's smile was wide and worrying. "A reward each, now that sounds fair."

Willow felt her skin begin to crawl and she had to hold her breath so that she didn't slip and do something very nasty to the man before her.

"But Rack..." She hissed trying to retain her composure as Heather leaned heavier on her. "You've had you're reward. You have me and you get the Hellmouth."

"Oh now don't think me so selfish." Rack admonished. "I would let you taste her when ever you wanted and I would not be so stupid to think that you would be mine in all of this Pandora."

"Do you agree not to touch her until after I have my first taste?" Willow tried to find some way to stall him as the words curdled her insides.

"You are so much like me." Rack praised her. "Very well Pandora you can have the first taste, before I feast on her until the dawn of the new world."

'THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!' Willow's mind screamed back as she began to help Heather walk to her prison.

Buffy came out of the back training room with a sword in one hand and an axe in the other when she heard the door chimes go.

"I figured either you'd be prepared for a blonde with an axe or you'd be a burglar and maybe this would suggest go elsewhere." Buffy watched the frail witch come in and set a box on the table.

"I'm gland you went with my suggestion of wearing all one color." She appraised the Slayer's entire black outfit.

"I'm really easy to suggest to." Buffy smiled and put down the weapons. "You do the mojo and I do the killing. I'll take all suggestions on the mojo."

"I have the amulet." Hannah looked briefly to the box.

"And your sister is out of town?" Buffy checked worried for the younger woman.

"She left with the dog just after I left."

"Good." Buffy looked at the box. "So what does it do?"

"It sounds storybook but it makes you invisible." Hannah hoped the Slayer of giving her the benefit of listening. "I made it for Heather when she was younger so she could be the best hide and go seek player."

"Trust me Iris, I've seen enough stuff out of books to not be shocked by a bit of invisibility." Buffy admitted. "Any side effects? I got turned invisible once and it started to degrade my nuclear chemistry or something."

"Please, its Hannah." Hannah corrected. "And no, no side effects."

"Great Hannah." Buffy corrected her own intention to use 'Iris' again.

"The only slight problem as I mentioned earlier." Hannah pointed out.

"I'm not a tall dark brunette named Heather Glaive." Buffy smiled.

"Exactly, but I feel confident about its ability to shield at least most of you." The ex-witch offered.

"It'll work." Buffy moved over to her. "Do we need a test run or is it a once in a lifetime shot?"

"To get its best its a once in a lifetime thing or at least a once a day thing, it needs to recharge you see. Not even Heather could play for more than a few hours." She tried humor weakly.

"Well then I won't play with the other children, I'll just go in and kill him." Buffy nodded that she understood.

"Miss Summers, I know that this was mentioned before now, but if Willow has..." Hannah reluctantly reminded.

"Hannah I might not like it and I sure as well don't want to think about it but I know." Buffy locked her jaw. "Whoever we find on the dark side has to be destroyed."

"Do you need me to take any…" She glanced at the weapons Buffy had put down. "Weapon?"

"Are there any your comfortable with?" Buffy eyed her suspiciously.

"As they are all fashioned with the aim of ending life, not particularly." Hannah replied honestly.

"Then leave the weapons to me." Buffy moved over and slipped the sword into a holder and slung the belt around her waist. "I swear I'm really good with them, so don't worry."

"Good enough to strike against you friend?" Hannah hated pushing the point.

"Look…" Buffy stopped what she was doing her voice firm. "I've had to do this before okay. In fact I had to do it to the first person I ever loved and trust me I did what I had to do."

"I'm sorry, I just had to..." Hannah stopped and took a breath. "It's just I couldn't." She gave a word of explanation. "With Molly."

"Molly wasn't evil." Buffy shook her head her voice softer. "Tara explained it to me, she wasn't evil. She just wasn't herself."

"I can't talk about this Buffy." For the first time the older Glaive sister used Buffy's first name. "We need to go."

"We do." Buffy picked up the axe nodding that she was ready.

Tara looked up as she felt rather than heard Willow approaching. That she was half dragging and half leading the very zombie like Heather Glaive towards her was a complete shock she hadn't expected.

"Sshhh it's okay stay resting." Willow helped ease Heather down onto the other side of the bed. "We just have a new visitor."

"Heather? What's Heather doing here?" Tara frowned as the young woman was eased into a resting position.

"I don't know." Willow shook her head. "She stumbled in her all hopped up on some spell and she tried to knife Rack."

"Goddess, is she okay?" Tara moved softly aside.

"Her hearts going like a jackhammer and she said she felt sick." Willow put her hand on Heather's pale forehead. "She's really hot. I know this will sound stupid but I know how she managed to do a spell."

"If she has lived her life with Hannah, she's bound to have latent power." Tara assumed that had to be the answer.

"Yes, but latent white magic power." Willow hurried to put the blanket over the brunette as she shivered. "If Hannah is all dark witchy spectacular it only makes sense that's Heather is like you right?"

"All magic in its base form is light magic." Tara replied thoughtfully. "You and Hannah, you…" She paused trying to make it sound somehow better. "Tainted yours."

"Will she have tainted hers now?" Willow leaned over the unconscious woman worried.

"Its possible." She admitted breathing in sharply when she saw Willow's hand balled up in the sheet. "If she used anything of Hannah's."

"Rack called her virginal." Willow tried to find something to hold onto. "Virginal like you, that would mean it hasn't wouldn't it?"

"That mans that she hasn't cast a spell that actually uses her power." Tara turned the woman's hand over. "She just broadcasted it." She said with a soft sigh.

"That's good right?" Willow checked trying to quell the anger inside her that just wanted to rip this facade world down by the seams.

"It's the same as pulling a rabbit out of a hat." Tara assured her own heart and breathing steadying a little. "Its not magic, just a show that you can do magic."

"I convinced him she was with me and just jealous." Willow filled Tara in. "I had to do something when she pulled the knife on him."

"You did?" For the first time worry seeped back into Tara's voice.

"What else could I do? He was going to drain her and kill her." Willow heard the concern and turned fully to the blonde. "I told him her name was Orchid."

"No, I meant are you sure he was convinced." Tara began to feel slightly queasy.

"I'm sure." Willow nodded moving over to sit down. "How are you feeling?" She noted concerned. "Did the spell help?"

"I…" Tara rubbed her forehead. "Yes it did but..." The blonde shook her head softly.

"But?" Willow pushed up and moved over to her.

"Something's not right Will." Tara frowned harder.

"Not right how?" Willow pushed.

"With Rack, the way he's trusting you." Tara replied her mind not working sharply enough to figure his motives out.

"He thinks he's going to be able to double cross me." Willow shared what she'd figured out. "He wants to use me as long as he needs to then he's going to put you or now either of you in jeopardy so I fold for him."

"You can't let him use us, either of us against you Willow." Tara urged desperately.

"I can't let him hurt you." Willow shook her head.

"You can't give in to him." Tara stressed. "You wont know what you are doing Will."

"I won't give into him." Willow shook her head.

"If the magic takes over, then you could, you could turn into something that you could never be." Tara's voice trembled in her throat.

Willow slowly turned away and paced to the corner of the room.

"Tara, I won't give into him." She turned back her eyes sad but resolved. "Sam told me about some shamans who were using dark magicks and when they did too big a spell it consumed them. I won't give into him but I'll make sure that he can never hurt anyone again."

"Do you think she loves you?" Tara suddenly changed the subject as she glanced to the unconscious Heather.

"Heather?" Willow looked over and smiled softly. "No, not more than a friend."

"Then why is she here?" Tara looked between the two women.

"Well I guess she…" The redhead stopped as she realized what must be going on. "No... Buffy... no." She felt a panic begin to rage inside her. "Buffy went to Hannah." The hacker looked visibly shaken.

"What?" Tara looked at Willow waiting for her to explain.

"Who's the only spell caster in town that Buffy knows Tara?" Willow felt pieces slot together in her head. "She needs to find us but she can't cause she can't sense Rack's realm."

"Hannah." She glanced at the younger Glaive. "But she wouldn't. Buffy knows everything about Hannah Will, she wouldn't ask her to risk everything." She quickly underlined.

"You risked it for me?" Willow spoke softly. "I know Buffy would risk it for you." She looked to the bed. "And Heather would risk it for her sister."

"But Hannah can't cast either, that would be like you casting." Tara pointed out horrified.

"Think like the slayer, think like the slayer." Willow sat down and kneaded her fingers into her forehead. "She can't know that Heather is here, it makes no sense. It would be like sending Xander in as bait, he has no skills." She massaged her forehead more.

"She must have acted on her own." Tara suggested softly. "A little like I did." She admitted with a soft but sad smile.

"Which means that Buffy and Hannah are off getting ready for the big cavalry show." Willow looked up and swallowed. "Bait." She repeated her own word again. "Buffy's going to use Hannah as bait. Her power will read to Rack like a buffet."

"Which will bring him out, but how will Buffy get to him? He's not just going to let her walk up to him wielding a large sword."

"Hide and seek." Heather mumbled from the bed.

"Heather?" Tara said softly turning to the other woman.

"Hide and seek." Heather mumbled again trying to hold onto the voices she heard within the nauseating swirls of bright lights.

"Willow?" Tara called the redhead over to question her friend as she reached out and smooth one hand over Heather's sweaty hair.

"We don't understand Heather." Willow moved over quickly and took the brunette's hand.

"Hide and seek. Hannah made me an amulet so I'd win." Heather held tighter to Willow's hand. "The whole world is spinning."

"An amulet?" Tara gave Willow a blank look.

"Oh yes do tell us about the amulet Little Girl." A familiar voice echoed around the room that suddenly shifted.

The fine trimming melted away leaving Tara and Heather laid on a stone slab of a bed, which was far more like an altar in appearance. The walls returned to gray and cold stone and Rack appeared in the room with at least ten of his minions.

"Cold." Heather shivered and her dark eyes blinked open in a panic.

"Its about to get a lot hotter." The dealer smiled looking between the three women. "You know Strawberry you are not a bad little actress." He walked forward a little looking at Willow pointing at her with his finger that moved in time with his words.

"I won't let you hurt them." Willow turned away putting herself between the two groupings.

"Where as Cream here, she really is the pure innocent little witch she appears to be. Which I also have to say is very rare in this world." He glanced past Willow towards Tara. "And girlie girl there, well I'm not sure what she is but she's a meal eh?" He grinned sickly.

"If you touch her, her sister will pull you apart." Willow warned him in a growl. "After I finish with you."

"How are you going to stop me?" Rack stopped and looked at Willow directly. "Oh now her sister, Hannah isn't it? Now her I would like to meet." He looked thoughtfully for a moment. "You can't stop me Strawberry." He shook his head. "You so much as try and pitch me on my ass and the darkness claims your soul forever." He chuckled.

"I'd rather lose myself to death then let you touch either of them." Willow stood firm.

"This all really has got so out of hand." He began pacing again. "All I need is you to release your seal on this book. Oh and I could be guessing this…" He looked around for a moment. "I reckon Cream has to do it too because before the whole darkness thing rumor has it you two were... Well you know." Rack winked. "Close."

"I'm going to so..." Willow clenched her hands at her sides.

"Tip from one who knows strawberry, if you're gonna fuck with their minds then make sure you do something worth them forgetting." He grinned again.

"Stop this!" Tara snapped from her place on the stone slab. She stood up, her blue eyes blazing. "It's obvious what you're trying to do Rack but it won't work." The blonde glowered at the dealer. "Willow might have done the wrong thing, she hurt the people she loves the most but she stopped and she's not giving in just because you taunt her."

"Oh you've got this little puppy trained real good." Rack ignored Tara's presence and continued looking at Willow. "Didn't mind it did she? Quite liked the power you had over her even if she didn't admit it I'd guess."

"You're words mean nothing." Willow made her hands relax. Tara glanced proudly at her ex lover as she watched the redhead's small hands uncurl. "I am ashamed and ripped apart with pain for what I did to her. You can't make me feel worse, it's impossible."

"I can make that pain go away Strawberry." Rack changed tactics.

"No, no you can't." Willow shook her head. "You could hide it, make it not be important but it will always be there waiting for that day that I'm too weak to ignore it anymore."

"You can't win you know." He shook his head.

"Especially as this is all about to end." Hannah's firm voice suddenly announced as the frail witch appeared through the wall. "This wasn't quite how we had planned all this but seeing as the stakes have changed so has the game play."

"Hannah." Willow turned recognized her voice.

"Oh my bait has arrived." Rack took a deep breath in tasting the charged air. "Hmm and what a temptation you are." He smiled. "But as you can see I am prepared." The dealer's minions formed a tight circle around him.

"I won't let her have you either, she's fought too hard too long to fail because of you." Willow growled at him.

"You're amulet can't get to me." He hissed confidently.

"Like I said Rack" Hannah turned slowly to look at those in the room she slowed her gaze as it fell on Willow, looking up slowly to reveal pitch black eyes. "Things have changed."

Rack looked up at Hannah, led to study her from the look of shock and horror on Willow's face. He let out a long hard laugh.

"What h-h-have you done?" Willow questioned the older spell caster unable to hold the dark eyes.

"What I needed to." Hannah replied hollowly. "There is always a winning side Pandora and I like to be on it."

"Will?" There was complete fear in Tara's voice.

"Hannah, no don't do this again." Heather wept at her sister.

"I won't let you hurt them either." Willow moved back closer to the stone altar. "None of you, NONE OF YOU TOUCHES THEM!" She screamed petrified by what she was up against.

Rack's laughter continued as the frail dark witch moved forward.

"Move your pathetic minions." She snarled in Rack's direction. "I don't want to kill one of them by channeling my power through them to merge with you." She scolded him.

"Hannah don't! We can beat him together, you don't need the darkness." Willow pleaded with her mentor.

"Pandora if you are quiet I can make some place for you, continue that insistent whining I will be forced to kill you." Hannah snapped at the redhead.

"MOVE!" She shouted in the face of a wide-eyed teenage boy who instantly moved to the side a little. "God look at you, you're all pathetic." She shook her head. "How do you put up with them" She looked at Rack whose smirk was a little less sure. "BOO!" She shouted in another minions ear suddenly as she drew up along side her the petrified woman scampered away.

"Hannah don't do this." Heather pushed forward only to have Willow hold her back.

"Okay so lets play divide up the spoils of war." Hannah stopped and backed up slowly from the path she had cleared to Rack's side. "You want Pandora yes?" She glanced at Rack as she moved closer to the redhead. "Which would mean I get Tara."

"The Orchid is your sister yes?" Rack conceded and Hannah patted her finger on her lip.

"Yes, I know exactly what to do with her." Hannah arched her eyebrow high.

"What?" Rack moved over closer to the older witch.

"Well killing her would give me nothing," Hannah replied with a shrug. "So keeping her alive would be the best option and letting her watch everything little thing we do to her beloved little world."

"And hope she comes to her senses?" Rack questioned.

"She will either come to her senses or die insane." The witch shifted her black stare to Tara. "But you my pure one, what to do with you?"

"What about the Slayer?" Rack added in impatiently.

"The Slayer?" Hannah laughed. "You think I got this far with the Slayer alive?"

"Oh Goddess no." Tara visible crumpled clutching her hands around her stomach.

"Oh you are so evil." Rack smiled appreciatively.

"Goddess." Hannah turned back to look at Tara. "Mmmmm I think I like you calling me that."

"You wouldn't want to live like this Hannah." Willow tried to stifle the tears that welled and seeped out her eyes. "I'll make sure someone takes care of Heather." She stepped forward a bit clenching her hands.

"What's that you say Strawberry?" Rack asked of Willow and Hannah fell silent briefly, curling her black nailed hands together.

"I am not your strawberry." Willow growled as she began to ease her tensed arms out to her side fighting the fact that she had nothing left to turn to but this. "I am Tara's, I will always be Tara's and I will only be Tara's till the day I die." She began to uncurl her fingers.

"WILLOW NO!" The Slayer's voice arced through the room as there was a brief flash of silver and then a plume of red from Racks mid-rift.

"Buffy?" Willow's form relaxed and she was too shocked to even notice the evil magic dealer's form splitting in two as the Slayer chopped him in half.

"Cutting it very fine there Miss summers." Hannah smiled as she unclasped her hands and shook out her long hair.

"Well it's a big sword and he kept hanging close to you." Buffy gave a big smile as she let it drop. "Hi guys, everyone okay?" She smiled at them.

"Buffy?" Tara squeaked as she looked at the space that she took to be her.

"Oh now I feel stupid smiling my big we win smile." Buffy moved her hand up and pulled the necklace off and slowly her form clouded back into view. "Hi."

"You're okay." Tara ran forward into Buffy's arms and the Slayer caught her in mid run and held her tight.

"I'm fine are you guys okay?" She questioned again.

"You're not?" Willow leaned back but felt Rack's world dissolving as soon they were only in a dirty back alley, she straightened herself up as she looked at Hannah. The frail witch shook her head and smiled gently at Willow.

"Contacts." She pointed to her eyes. "And nail varnish. Thanks to Dawn's questionable tastes though I did chip my pinkie." She pointed to the small pink patch of nail showing.

"That was so close I almost." Willow breathed out heavily.

"I'm sorry." Hannah apologized. "But we had to get Buffy close enough."

"Willow you didn't." Buffy reminded softly. "You did great." She smiled proudly at her best friend.

"We all did great, though I want words with my kid sister." Hannah looked over to Heather who was looking a little less peaky.

"I couldn't let you go through that again." She answered softly.

"How do you think we knew to prepare for worse case scenario?" Hannah said softly looking at her sister lovingly. "You left Trudeau at the house."

"You're sneaky." Heather managed a soft smile.

"Actually I was cold." Hannah revealed their reason for returning to the Glaive household at all.

"The need for a sweater changed the whole plan." Buffy filled in for the rest of the Scoobies.

"I don't care what changed it." Tara admitted readily. "I'm just glad its over." She moved and picked up the old books that lay on the dirty sidewalk.

"Time for ice cream." Buffy picked her sword back up.

"At home." Tara pushed gently.

"At home." Buffy nodded.

Tara listened with one ear to the conversation that Buffy was having on the phone with Xander. It was obvious that Dawn was throwing in some smart comments but generally the mood was light and the missing Scoobies pleased to hear that another apocalypse had been avoided. She switched off a bit more as she heard Buffy arranging that they should return around noon the next day. She turned and looked at Willow who was curled up on the couch with a blanket tucked carefully around and under her feet.

"I think when Hannah gets Heather home those two are going to have a little chat." Tara appraised softly pulling her jogging top down over her knees.

"I think so." Willow agreed her voice soft as well. "Though I think Heather's not quite up for a long one. Though she'd make a good Scooby, charging in like that with a hope and a prayer."

"I might be wrong Will but I don't think fighting demons and charging in after lost causes is really Heather's ideal day to day way of life." Tara gave her honest assessment of the lecturer.

"I guess only a chosen few are crazy enough." Willow laughed lightly.

"Yeah." Tara nodded and shivered tightly as chill ran up her spine.

"Come on blanket edge you're cold." Willow picked up the waves of the material around her feet and gently put it over the blonde.

"Thank you." Tara moved a little closer to the redhead amazed at the temperature difference between the two of them.

"Do you mind if I crash on the couch tonight, I really don't feel like going home." Willow admitted in a quiet voice as she glanced out into the dark night sky.

"There are beds." Tara replied gently. "Dawnie's if you didn't want ours." She didn't even think to adapt her terminology.

"Yeah that's great." Willow swallowed and took a slow breath. "About what happened while we were... you know..." She tried to begin.

"Yes?" Tara looked up through tired blue eyes.

"I'm... I'm glad we got a chance to talk about it." Willow licked her lips trying to focus her mind. "And I understand."

"Do you?" Tara asked. "I'm not sure I do." She admitted in a whisper.

"You know I love you Tara." Willow glanced to the kitchen confirming the slayer was still occupied. "You know I'll always love you and I know that what I did was unforgivable. I also know that Buffy makes you happy, and I won't mess that up."

"I don't think we can talk about this right now Willow, we're all too tired." The Wicca commented honestly.

"You guys look comfy. Do you want hot chocolate?" Buffy poked her head into the living room. "The rest of the gang will be back tomorrow night for celebratory stuff but Anya said something about now that the world isn't ending that the wedding is still on so we're back on the schedule."

"Actually…" Tara said moving away from Willow as she stood up somewhat gracelessly. "I think I need just to go to bed."

"Okay." Buffy nodded watching Tara carefully. She noticed that the blonde didn't just look tired she looked completely exhausted. "Wills you want chocolate?"

"I can't turn down hot yummy chocolaty goodness." Willow did her best to smile while trying not to look at Tara's retreat.

"Great, be ready in a jiffy." Buffy disappeared back into the kitchen.

Willow hadn't moved by the time Buffy returned with the two steamy cups of hot chocolate. With ease she slipped into the spot Tara had vacated.

"You did really good Willow." Buffy commented with a soft smile.

"Not so much, I was about to blow it big time." Willow wrapped her small hands around the mug ignoring the fact it was slightly too hot to hold.

"Almost is the key word there Will and only then cause you didn't think you had any other choices." Buffy conceded. "Hannah did a good evil woman impression, if I hadn't of been in on the plan I would have taken a shot at her way before that."

"She did, didn't she?" Willow agreed. "Just seeing her like that mad my skin crawl." She paused her voice going softer. "I'm really sorry I put you all through that with me."

"We've all done stuff we regret." Buffy admitted. "The main thing is you're better now and I could tell by the look in your eye you're not ever going to do that again."

"I'm not." Willow stated clearly. "My magic days are gone, over, never more." She smiled in a very Willow way.

"Good. The Scooby's need their expert hacker back." Buffy reached over and patted Willow's leg that was under the blanket.

"So you said that the wedding's back on?" Willow changed the subject as she relaxed into the cushions.

"Yep, Saturday at ten. Apparently the demons and in-laws start arriving on Thursday." Buffy made a face. "Xander and I have tux fittings on Tuesday."

"That means Tara must have hers then too." Willow put in thoughtfully.

"Has Anya told you what you and Dawn are in yet?" Buffy laughed.

"We get red, apparently." Willow scrunched up her nose. "The red hair didn't put her off."

"Red?" Buffy laughed louder. "Is it just me or is this wedding trying to compete with the Hellmouth for event of the year?"

"Hey don't laugh, your cummerbunds and bow ties are going to match." Willow laughed at Buffy's light-hearted comment.

"Well at least now Giles will be here." Buffy admitted with a laugh.

"Do they know that?" Willow quizzed.

"Hey maybe that will mean he'll actually walk down Anya down the aisle and Tara will get a dress." She shook her head to Willow's question. "I totally forgot to tell her."

"Oh no, Anya has stated that she doesn't want anyone other than Tara giving her away." Willow shook her head. "The only other person mentioned for the role was D'Hofrin."

"I hope I don't have to stake anyone at the ceremony." Buffy admitted.

"Unless its Spike." Willow grinned.

"Anya didn't invite Spike did she?" Buffy groaned.

"Since when did he need an invitation?" Willow reasoned with a shrug.

"I'll have to get the tailor to have a spot for my stake in my cummerbund." Buffy formed an idea.

"Do you think its gonna work?" Willow asked worried for her best friend.

"Yeah sure, just a little pocket and I can carry it..." Buffy stopped. "Oh you meant Xander and Anya. Yeah sure, they're happy."

"Yeah." Willow didn't sound convinced.

"I hope they are, I mean it would be so nice to see them happy." Buffy held onto her cup with both hands.

"I suppose I should head to bed." Willow said after a long moment of silence. "Tara said I could have Dawn's bed but if it's a bother I could..."

"Oh course not Will." Buffy shook her head. "Make yourself at home." The Slayer pushed up. "I should probably do the sleep thing too."

"We saved the world again." Willow smiled as she moved out from under the blanket and carried her cup to the bottom of the stairs.

"One more for the good guys." Buffy smiled thoughtfully and followed her upstairs.

Part Twenty

Buffy paced the living room a bit agitated as Giles peacefully went about adding sugar and milk to his tea.

"So the flight was okay?" She questioned seeing the tight lines of exhaustion around his eyes.

"As pleasant as sitting on a plane for that length of time can be." Giles smiled softly. "What's the matter Buffy you don't seem as relaxed as I thought you would be. "The crisis being over and everything." He noted.

"Just allot of things." Buffy forced herself to sit down. "The wedding, you're back in Sunnydale, all that stuff."

"I'm not back Buffy, I'm just visiting." Giles sat down also looking at the Slayer carefully. "So don't let me get in the way of anything else. Though before you say it, yes I will take one of the books back with me to avoid this happening again."

"Whew that's good to hear." Buffy smiled.

"I take it that was a comment about the books." The Englishman raised his eyes slightly.

"Of course it was the books Giles. Hannah said that the best thing to do is split them up completely. We were trying to figure out something to do with the third." Buffy rolled her eyes.

"You're looking well Buffy, all things considered." Giles noted as he leaned back into the couch. "How is Dawn?"

"Driving me crazy." Buffy smiled softly. "Just wait till she introduces you to Elliot."

"Hmm I think I can wait for that." He admitted with a 'Giles' smile. "Will he be coming to the wedding?"

"Yep." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Even if Dawn and Willow are in the most hideous dresses ever."

"Are they that bad?" The Englishman asked seriously.

"Remember her comment about blood larva sacks?" Buffy questioned to see him nod. "Well let's just say she didn't go far from the idea of that."

"Oh." Was his succinct reply. "And how is Tara?" He asked carefully.

"She's good, a bit shook up." Buffy admitted. "Kidnappings never help you feel better do they."

"They don't." The Watcher agreed. "It's good to see you Buffy." He said honestly, his smile was almost fatherly.

"It's good to see you too." Buffy agreed with a soft heartfelt smile.

Tara curled up on the couch and repositioned the large fluffy pink love heart hot water bottle on her stomach and nuzzled her head into the large fluffy cushion she had pushed into the corner. She flicked the TV off and instead opted for silence.

"Do you need a reheat?" Buffy had silently came down the stairs and leaned against the doorframe to the living room.

"No, it's still doing its fight against the chill." Tara moved her head and smiled at Buffy gently. "How goes the tidy up?"

"Well I've found a carpet in Dawn's room." Buffy laughed and moved over towards her.

"I am going to stop being a wimp in a while and help you out." The Wicca explained as she made a space for the blonde beside her.

"You rest." Buffy shook her head." We just need enough room for the bride's side to get ready." She sunk into the offered space watching the blonde carefully. Tara had been so distracted since they'd destroyed Rack, something Buffy was trying to chalk up to post traumatic experience but she couldn't help thinking it was something else.

"Sorry I'm being Little Miss. Washout." Tara apologized gently.

"Tara, you're allowed." Buffy leaned forward a bit and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Willow explained how all the bad mojo was unbalancing you."

Tara let her eyes drift close as Buffy's lips brushed against her forehead.

"Your lips are cold." She said softly with a thin smile keeping her eyes closed.

"Are they?" Buffy smiled and moved to kiss her again. "We should do something about that."

"We should." Tara agreed, lifting her head a little and kissing Buffy lightly in return. "Though expecting a watcher, a teenager and a best friend any moment it might not be the best time to do too much. A mocha would help." Tara opened her blue eyes. "I could get you one."

"Nope one more kiss would do it." Buffy kissed the blonde's forehead lightly. "And besides you're off limits remember. So the gang is not my biggest worry." She tapped the water bottle lightly.

Tara nodded briefly and then pressed her lips against Buffy's, closing her eyes against and she eased her lips open. Buffy kissed her back without any urging enjoying the contact between them. Tara let their lips linger together for a long time before easing back slowly, she looked into the Slayer's eyes deeply.

"I love you." She spelled out carefully.

"I love you too." Buffy whispered back softly.

"Buffy there's something we need to talk..." Tara began as she eased herself into a more comfortable position.

"BUFFY! TARA! Look who picked me up from school." The front door flew open and Dawn rushed in dragging Giles behind her.

"Tall Englishman, yeah I know him Dawn." Buffy turned and laughed at her sister.

"No but he's like here." Dawn flung herself into Giles's arms for what must have been the fourth time since he'd picked her up. "Tara look, Giles." She beamed.

"Mr Giles." She said warmly as she took a slight breath and refocused her mind she smiled at Giles.

"Tara." The Watcher's reply was just as tender.

"We passed Willow on the way, we were going to offer her a lift but she was with that lecturer." Dawn said with a bright grin.

"She was with Heather?" Tara looked at Dawn frowning slightly.

"Yeah, all deeply chat chatty." Dawn made a chatting motion with her hand. "Did you see the car Giles' got?" The teenager changed the subject and turned her conversation to her sister. "I'm hungry, what's for supper Buffy?" She added onto her question.

Giles hung somewhat awkwardly in the doorway for a moment before moving to sit in an armchair.

"Come on you can help me with the carrots." Buffy thoughtfully dragged Dawn through to the kitchen.

"Buffy was right Tara you're looking very tired." The watcher made the observation kindly.

"Oh I'm fine." Tara brushed it aside hugging the hot water bottle slightly. She mentally kicked herself for reacting to Dawn's comment about Willow and Heather.

"You know Tara it's quite all right if you are not fine." He put forward watching the blonde "You have been through a great deal."

"I am tried." Tara gave in a little, it was hard not to with Giles, he was so genuine and caring.

"I take it that this Heather is the same Heather that is Hannah's sister." Giles enquired. "Goodness that sounded rather like a Willow statement."

"All together too much babble." Tara agreed with a slight smile. "She is. Heather Glaive, she's a mathematics lecturer though I am sure Buffy has told you all this already."

"We've not really had too much time for a chat." He admitted. "So are they a couple?" He asked unable to think of a subtler way of poising the question.

"No." Tara shook her head quickly. "That is, I don't think either of them see each other as more than friends." She clarified.

"Well friendship is good." The Watcher sat back a little.

"Yes." Tara forced herself to agree.

"And you and Willow, are you managing to be friends?" He dropped his voice to something even gentler.

"Oh yes." Tara smiled softly and Giles just nodded quietly.

Heather looked up into the chilly wind for a minute as they slowly winded their way through the residential streets.

"I'm sorry I almost screwed up the whole plan." Heather added softly to break the momentary silence.

"It's okay, you must have been so frightened." Willow shook her head at the apology.

"It was weird, not really scary, just very weird." Heather admitted. "Hannah made it scary. Apparently if I had of picked the spell two pages in I would have turned myself into a gryphon."

Willow laughed softly though they both knew it wasn't actually funny.

"How is Hannah? She was amazing." The redhead noted.

"I thought it would be really bad for her... the whole shock and everything but..." Heather smiled as she admitted what she couldn't deny. "She seems calmer, almost more content."

"Wow, looks like something that openly blew the rest of us out of the water helped ground your big sis." Willow was pleased. "I'm glad she's ok. That you both are."

"Glaive sisters always find a way." Heather admitted a little dimmer. "How are you and Tara?" She questioned softly.

"Me and Tara?" Willow asked quickly completely misreading the question.

"I was only in the horrible place a little while, I can't imagine how sick it made you feel after almost two days." Heather explained. "Though I could be mad at you still for standing me up Miss. Rosenberg."

"Oh." Willow quickly covered her surprise and alarm at the original question. "I think Tara's okay, and I'm well I got used to that feeling." She shivered tightly. "As far as the date goes, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done that, ever."

"How about we just do like we've been doing? With the running and the odd movie and stuff and not worry about it?" Heather put the idea forward gently hoping Willow would understand. The redhead stopped and looked at Heather taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Heather." Willow said frowning slightly.

"Sorry?" Heather stopped with her.

"The date thing, it was a bad idea, I'm sorry for even thinking about it. I'd understand if you didn't even want to continue the running and everything." Willow explained looking down.

"I think maybe we were both feeling a bit pressured into something neither of us had really thought about." Heather reached out and rubbed Willow's arm. "But that doesn't mean you're getting out of running and everything."

"Friends yeah?" Willow perked up a little.

"Perfect." Heather nodded with a bright smile.

Willow puttered around the kitchen making tea for Giles who was seated at the island.

"I'm glad you made it back." She commented happily. "I mean not for the apocalypse but for the wedding."

"I'm glad there was something to come back too and I am talking about the apocalypse and not the wedding." Giles replied with some genuine humor.

"Well what would a wedding be without an apocalypse." Willow laughed and placed the cup and saucer in front of him.

"Considering the guest list I browsed through last night, I am not sure that an apocalypse can be written off during the reception." He smiled as he watched Willow work.

"Buffy's sharpening stuff just in case." Willow giggled and sat down. It always surprised her young Giles always made her feel like it was high school again and she was sixteen. Which was a far cry from all the 'adult' things that she was dealing with her life.

"It's good to see you laughing again Willow." Giles watched her again.

"More a nervous giggle." Willow admitted settling down somewhat.

"That could be alarming, I never mean to make you feel nervous." Giles admitted.

"You always make me feel nervous." Willow tried to explain. "Not in a bad way." She jumped in quickly. "But in that if I'm doing something stupid or childish you're the first one to let me have it and I deserve that."

"From what Buffy and Tara tell me you have been anything but childish and foolish recently. You've made me proud of you with your recovery." He admitted. "It's very hard to come back from where you were."

"I should have never got there in the first place." Willow sighed. "Hannah has helped a lot."

"She could offer you a level of help no one else could." Giles assessed openly.

"I just wish I had her help before I screwed up everything." Willow wilted a bit more. "Did you want a sandwich or anything?"

"No, thank you." Giles shook his head. "Dawn seems to have forgiven you."

"Slowly, but yeah. I think having Tara around has helped her lots." Willow spoke honestly though as she said the blonde's name she stirred her coffee a little faster.

"Undoubtedly, she has Dawn has invested a lot of her emotions in Tara."

Giles observed. "But then, everyone has." He followed up quickly.

"Yeah." Willow nodded slightly. "A lot of things have changed."

"Have they?" Giles challenged but his voice remained as smooth and as even as ever.

"It's good though, because they are happy together. I mean you see that right, happy? Together happy?" Willow looked up and quizzed.

"I see Buffy more emotionally alive than I have seen her in a long, long time. I see Dawn more content and happier than since her mother passed away. I see you making exceptional progress from a place where I honestly wondered if we could get you back from. I see Xander and Anya blissfully preparing to be together for the rest of their lives." Giles commented honestly.

"And Tara?" Willow couldn't help but ask when he seemed to leave the blonde out.

"What do you see when you look at her?" Giles asked pointedly but still gently.

"I see Tara." Willow tried to hold his eyes. "I see the woman I love."

"That's what I see too. Tara, the same young woman who this time last year was your everything." Giles nodded slowly.

"But she's not mine anymore." Willow stared back into her cup. "She's Buffy's."

"Yes." Giles replied but there was no sense of commitment in his tone.

Xander carefully moved out the back emergency exit of the church and was surprised to find his best friend already hiding out there.

"I thought the groom was supposed to get claustrophobic, not the maid of honor." He joked as he leaned against the railing next to the redhead.

"I... sorry." She apologized rather pathetically.

"Will, it's okay." Xander smiled. "I mean who wouldn't find militant Anya and her pre-rehearsal run down stifling." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I was putting it down to fear myself." Willow tried to smile convincingly.

"Well she is sorta scary waving that binder around with that insane look in her eye." Xander grinned back. "Thank God it'll all be over this time tomorrow and we can just get on with the until you die bit."

"Not that we are hurrying to the death bit." Willow underlined with a crooked smile.

"No way, want to live long long time." Xander nudged her. "I have to see you walk down the aisle."

"Me?" Willow almost chocked.

"Yes you, remember fairy bride Willow." Xander nudge her again. "You used to make me put that old bow tie of your dads on and pretend we were getting married while you ran around in your Halloween fairy wings."

"I've sort of given up on fairy tales Xander." Willow said with a sigh.

"You'll fall in love again Will, I promise." Xander tried to be supportive.

"The problem is Xander." Willow took a tight breath. "I've not fallen out of love yet." She sagged over the railings

"I know." He leaned over with her sighing. "Whatcha gonna do?" He questioned carefully.

"No, Xander you don't know." Willow looked up her green eyes glistening. "Did you see her in there? In that little pink dress, her hair all princess like." Willow took a staggered breath. "I had to come out here just to breathe." Willow smoothed her hand over her forehead.

"I wish I had answers Willow." Xander shook his head.

"It's driving me mad Xander." Willow admitted. "Before the apocalypse I was starting to cope." She explained. "But now…" She shook her head and sagged again.

"Because now you've beat the big black mojo?" He tried to understand why things had changed.

"Because now..." Willow took a breath and forced herself to look at her best friend. "Now she forgives me." She felt her lip tremble.

"Oh." Xander made the noise and then caught himself. "Oh." He started to understand. "What about Buffy?" His eyes went wide.

"I don't know." Willow frowned obviously deeply troubled.

"Does Tara want to break up with her?" Xander knew Willow probably didn't have that answer either but it forced its way out of his troubled mind.

"Xander we're talking about Tara, Tara never wants to do anything that will hurt someone." Willow replied sadly.

"Does she still love Buffy?" Xander leaned heavier against the railing for support.

"I think so." Willow frowned. "I don't know, I don't know if she knows."

"Wow, I got to honestly admit in all the scenarios I never really accounted for the Tara dumping Buffy one." He rubbed his hand through his hair.

"I can't let her do that." Willow dropped down and actually sat on the floor. "They both deserve to be happy."

"Wow and I thought having demons and my family in the same room was bad." Xander sat down with her sulking.

The rehearsal went surprisingly well and even though the majority of the gathering slipped straight off to go to the nearest bar, the core group managed to stay together, with Anya flapping the instant she realized that Xander was nowhere to be found.

"You're his best man, you're supposed to know where he is!" Anya screeched at Buffy her hands planted firmly on her small hips as she yelled at the Slayer.

"You didn't tell me I had to put a leash on him." Buffy snapped back. "I'll go look." She stalked off towards the back of the church.

Tara reached out and picked up the glass that Xander had just delivered to her.

"You don't look any less worried, the rehearsal went well." Tara said though it was slightly awkwardly. She wasn't that sure why Xander had whisked her off so quickly when everyone had became distracted discussing the flower arrangements.

"I'm not worried about the wedding, more the guests." Xander sat down beside her and stared up at the large stained glass of the wall in front of them in the back vestibule.

"I thought the demons were mixing well." Tara said honestly.

"They're doing okay." He nodded. "More my best friends I was worried about." He gave her a soft loving look.

"Buffy and Will are doing so much better Xander." She commented to him trying to make him feel better.

"Which totals three by the way before you think I just mean Buffy and Willow." He corrected her.

"Oh." Tara looked down.

"Not discarding Dawn but she's got her own little sis category." He added the fact to avoid confusion.

"I'm just a little tired." She admitted her head still not looking up.

"I... talked to Willow before the rehearsal." He started in his well-known caring Xander voice.

"How is she?" Tara asked quickly. "I've not seen her much."

"I think she's keeping a low profile." Xander admitted. "She doesn't want this to be hard on you." He deliberately didn't directly answer her first question.

"You know don't you?" Tara said suddenly dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Don't be upset with Willow, I have this tell me all power over her." His voice dropped lower too.

"I can't be upset with Willow." Tara shook her head.

"Are you still in love with Buffy?" Xander gave voice to the big question.

"I don't think I can do this." Tara's voice wavered she had to put her glass down, her hand shaking too much to hold it.

"Tara, I mean this in the nicest way okay?" He reached out to steady her hand. "But you have to do something. It's killing you, even I can see that and it's driving Willow mad." He let her hand go not wanting to scare her by making her feel boxed in. "And I know when Buffy clues in she's going to add a lot of other emotions to the list." He took a deep breath. "Not that I'm the boy with all of the answers or anything, but I know you. You don't want to hurt anyone, Willow doesn't want to hurt anyone and neither does Buffy. Which leads to a lot of hurting anyway."

"Willow is my always Xander." Tara said very slowly as she looked up at him through watery blue eyes.

"You can be with her after what she did?" Xander asked the hardest question.

"You know Xander." Tara breathed as steadily as she could. "The stupid thing about that question is that I could be with her again the second after I left her because I never stopped loving her but I truly believed that the only way she could change was if I was not with her. The problem I have now is that I was right." Tara said sadly. "She has changed, really changed and now I don't know what to do."

"You have to follow your heart." Xander frowned and leaned back looking up at the window again.

"But it's Buffy and Willow's heart I treasure the most." Tara replied.

"I know." Xander conceded as he reached his arm around the blonde holding her lightly.

Xander stood in front of the long mirror and adjusted his tie over and over again. A quick glance to the clock on the side table told him it was hours before the wedding but he'd felt the urge to be dressed and ready all the same. He sighed heavily at his own reflection as he thought about the day. Sure he was overwhelmingly happy, he was marrying the girl that he loved. Ex-demon or not, he loved her and they were bravely going to face the world together but part of him was still worried about the other Scooby's.

"You really didn't have to get me a matching outfit Xander." Giles said by way of announcement as he walked into the room, wearing just the smart black trousers and starched white shirt.

"It suits you." Xander turned to him and smiled. "Something about starchy shirts and the English."

"I'm not sure I should thank you for that sentence." Giles actually smiled.

"Giles, if I asked you about something would you keep the topic of that conversation a secret?" Xander took off the tie and undid the top two buttons of his shirt wanting to feel more comfortable while he still could.

"Is this the kind of conversation you should have had with your father a long time ago?" Giles asked eyeing the younger man suspiciously.

"Funny." Xander laughed for a moment. "Do you think having dated Anya anything like that is a mystery?"

"Well you could have just been a very good actor." Giles joked.

"Actually it's about Buffy." Xander filled in. "Well Buffy, Willow and Tara."

"What about them?" Giles leaned against a wall still looking at Xander.

"I've got Will's side and Tara's, but I'm not sure that Buffy has a side yet..." Xander fidgeted with the tie in his hand. "Because she loves Tara, but I mean we all know how big the whole Willow and Tara together thing was."

"Indeed." Giles nodded slowly. He pulled off his glasses and cleaned them with a handkerchief that he pulled from his trouser pocket. "Though your choice of the past tense is interesting."

"Have you noticed how the past tense isn't so past tense anymore?" Xander queried and wasn't surprised to see the Watcher nod. "Do you think I should talk to Buffy?"

"As I have noticed that though she is undoubtedly happy with Buffy, Tara is looking more and more tired with each passing day." Giles listened as Xander asked. "I'm not sure."

"Tara loves her Giles and Buffy loves Tara. If you'd been here to see her when they first got together, it was like night and day." Xander filled in. "But Tara has always loved Willow and now that Willow's proved she's not the big bad and she won't be again..."

"I suppose the question we should be asking is who in the long run would be better for who." Giles pointed out thoughtfully. "Looking beyond the unavoidable instant heartache."

"How are we supposed to answer that?" Xander laughed sadly. "I mean Tara stays with Buffy and Willow goes mad, not to mention Tara feels horrible. Tara goes back to Willow and Buffy could do something stupid like sleeping with Spike again... and oh my God you didn't know that I am such an ass." Xander put his hand to his forehead.

"Surprising as this might be Xander, though I didn't know that it does not surprise me." Giles soothed as best as he could. "Buffy had lost touch with her own humanity," He went on to explain.

"And Tara gave it back to her, if she loses Tara then who knows what she'll do." Xander tried to move past his slip. "And if that happens Tara won't forgive herself either."

"Which is exactly why I think that Tara cannot, indeed will not end her relationship with Buffy." Giles assessed with a slight frown.

"Which is exactly why I have to let her go." Buffy appeared in the doorway still in her bathroom after finishing her shower and makeup.

"Buffy?" Giles snapped upright and turned to the sound of the Slayer's voice.

"This might be an expensive apartment Xander but the walls aren't very thick." She smiled sadly at the two of them.

"Buffy, I'm sorry." Xander frowned knowing she'd heard everything.

"It's okay." She shook her head. Giles said nothing he merely looked down and cleaned his glasses over and over. "I think a part of me always knew she couldn't be mind for very long. I mean the universe doesn't put much stock in me and happiness does it?"

"She can continue to make you happy." Giles put in softly. "Just not in the same way."

"This is the last time I will ever mention this to you two..." Buffy moved over to the window. "But even though that part was amazing, it wasn't about that, it was more than that." Giles looked at Xander stilling him before he could interject. "I'm glad you know about Spike, now I can stop feeling guilty every time I look at you." Buffy turned around. "And I know you're right Giles, I know deep down you're right but this hurts right now. So I just need some time." She flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Of course." Giles nodded.

"And you have a wedding to get ready for." She patted Xander on the shoulder.

"Anya wants to know how you're doing, and how ready you...." Tara said pushing open the door to the room where Willow was dressing only to have her voice literally dry up in her throat as she caught sight of the petite redhead stood in front of the mirror. She was dressed in the deep red figure hugging dress that some how managed not to clash with her pinned up red hair which was decorated with pearls and whips of white satin ribbon. "Goddess." She breathed standing awe struck. Her hand moving up to the red bow tie at her throat.

"Almost." Willow took a deep breath as she turned trying not to let her jaw drop when she saw the long black tailed coat that hung around the blonde's curvy body. "You look..." She bit her lip as she appraised the smartly tailored tuxedo. "Very handsome." She settled on the words her voice a bit squeaky.

"I..." Tara tried hard to shift her gaze but didn't manage. "Willow you look…" She shook her head softly.

"I look silly but that's okay cause everyone will be looking at gorgeous you." Willow smiled.

"You don't." She stepped forward and torched a red curl that hung down in front of Willow's ear. "You look beautiful." She whispered.

"Thank you." Willow blushed softly. "So do you." She reached out and carefully straightened Tara's tie even though it didn't really need it.

Unable to stop herself Tara moved her hands and placed them on Willow bare shoulders her thumbs pressing gently round in small circles on the pale flesh.

Willow's hands shifted from their neutral position on the tie and softly brushed the tendrils of Tara's shiny blonde hair back over her shoulder. She couldn't pull her hands away as her fingers lightly rested above the crisp white collar of the shirt.

"Anya's more or less at screaming pitch because she thinks she's lost both of you." Dawn's voice called out as her footsteps could be heard sounding on the stairs.

Willow slowly drew herself back, not able to break the contact between their eyes until Dawn pushed into the room.

"No, we're both ready." Tara cleared her throat and turned to look at the teenager who looked princess like in her red dress.

"Good then come down and quickly." The teenager encouraged far to flustered to catch the atmosphere she'd disturbed.

When the Slayer had emerged onto the moonlit balcony off to the side of the reception hall it had only taken seeing long blonde hair for her to realize that she'd found who she was looking for. Much to Anya's dismay once the speeches had been finished she'd ditched the coat and tie, pulling out the long white button down to get some semblance of femininity.

"I thought I might find you out here." She announced herself softly as she moved over to the bench Tara occupied.

"Buffy." Tara instantly reached out her hand towards the Slayer, still immaculately dressed in her tails and tie. Though after the long day the Wicca looked pale and tired.

"You can only do the chicken dance so many times." Buffy took her hand and sat down.

"I gave up after the first time." Tara admitted.

"You look tired." Buffy appraised softly.

"I think I was tired by the time I had the shirt fastened." Tara joked softly.

"I bet you won't be that tired the day we marry you to Willow." Buffy bit her lip as she forced the words out softly and looked into the night sky.

"The day I what?" Tara pulled her hand from Buffy's, looking at the Slayer bemused.

"One of the first things I ever said to you..." Buffy looked down from the sky smiling lovingly at Tara. "Was that I would never stand between you and Willow, and that's just what I've been doing."

"No Buffy." Tara shook her head as she felt tears fill her blue eyes.

"Not the whole time." Buffy conceded. "Just the past few days."

"I'm sorry." Tara's blonde head dropped forward, tears splashing onto her black dress pants.

"Listen to me Tara Maclay." Buffy shifted over crouching down so the blonde had to look at her. "Along time ago you told me that if we were ever sorry for this, for us, we'd never stop being sorry and I have never once been sorry. I'm not sorry now either, not even knowing that I have to let you go." She reached up and cupped Tara's face. "And I have to let you go, for both of us. Because you need to know if what you feel for her really has mended and I need to know that I loved you enough. I need to know that I'm better than the pain and the fear."

"You…" Tara sniffled as she slowly looked up and leaned into Buffy's hands, closing her eyes and letting tears spill down her cheeks over Buffy's fingers. "Are better than anything this world or any other can ever throw a you." Tara sobbed through the words.

"And it was you Tara that made me see that." Buffy felt hot tears burn in her eyes.

"Please don't hate me." Tara's voice broke as she watched Buffy's eyes fill.

"How could I hate you?" Buffy shook her head.

"I love you." Tara completely broke down sobbing hard as she pressed herself into Buffy's unsuspecting arms.

"I know you do." The Slayer held the blonde tightly. "And I love you and I'm not going to stop. Ever..." She kissed into blonde hair. "Just I'll be doing it differently that I have been."

"I... I need to be alone Buffy." Tara pulled back and wiped at her wet cheeks.

"Just for tonight." Buffy seemed to make a request of her own. "I still need you." She admitted in a whisper.

"Just give me a few minutes." Tara nodded. "I promise the last dance will be yours."

"Don't get cold." Buffy nodded and held the Wiccan's blue eyes a moment longer before pushing up to stand.

"How could I with so much love to keep me warm?" Tara actually smiled.

"It is warm." Buffy smiled back and slowly made her way inside.

The dance hall was bright and noisy but the Slayer hardly noticed as she concentrated on putting on foot in front of the other.

"Buffy! Buffy!" Willow had noticed the Slayer slip outside, and more than alarmed in the mark difference in her best friend as she moved back inside and through the crowd. She hurried to catch up and walk along side the blonde who hadn't even seemed to hear her calls.

"Willow." Buffy turned when she didn't have a choice and smiled a sad smile when she saw the worried redhead racing after her.

"Are you okay?" Willow frowned when she saw the tell tale signs of pain and sadness etched on Buffy's face.

"Come dance with me." Buffy felt the idea hit her suddenly as the DJ changed the music and a softer slower song began to echo through the room. She held out her hand.

Without thinking Willow closed her hand around Buffy's and effectively moved into her best friend's arms as they moved to the dance floor.

"You know I love you don't you Willow?" Buffy closed her eyes as she held onto the slimmer woman, her voice just barely audible over the music. "You know that you are my best friend in the whole world and there is nothing I want more than for you to be happy."

"Even though I've been acting like an ass so recently." Willow confirmed that she did know. "Which makes you the best friend anyone could ever want."

"You've done some really stupid things Will." Buffy kept up with their gentle sway even as her heart broke. "And if you ever try to hurt her again like that, or anything close... I will stop you." There was a sad honesty in her voice.

"You should." Willow agreed. "But I won't, I swear I won't." She babbled. "I won't hurt you or her Buffy I swear." Willow felt the sadness and tears build inside her.

"The hardest thing in this life is to live it." Buffy whispered her own ill-fated words from so long ago. "And I can't live in a world where I stood in the way of true love Willow. I have done a lot of things that make me ashamed, but if I do that then I know I came back wrong Will."

"What?" Willow whispered though her voice was slightly broken as she had begun to cry as soon as the Slayer had whispered her final words to Dawn. She tried to catch up with what Buffy was saying.

"Tara never stopped loving you, I've always known that." Buffy tried to get the words out as her throat tighten.

"I don't understand." Willow's voice shook, she pulled back out of Buffy's arms to look into her best friend's eyes.

"If she's stays with me Willow she's always left with a question." Buffy stopped dancing and stood there amongst the other couples holding green eyes. "A question she's had to live with since the day she left you to find your way in all this mess and if I don't let her go she'll never have her answer."

"I don't deserve this." Willow shook her head biting her lip.

"She will probably never tell you this herself but she didn't leave you because of the spells Willow." Buffy took a deep breath.

"What?" Willow scrunched up her nose confused.

"She left you because she asked you to promise something and you broke that promise." Buffy wasn't sure if the hacker could ever understand. "She asked you to put her above everything else Willow and if you don't do it this time I guarantee you it's over."

"I'll get it right this time Buffy I swear to you." Willow took short shallow breaths as she made the promise.

"This is hopefully the last time we'll ever talk about this Willow..." Buffy reached up and held onto the hacker's hand and the redhead nodded. She stood motionless for a long moment just looking at her best friend. "But if you break your promise to me..." The Slayer could hardly believe what she was saying to the hacker, her Willow, her harmless best friend. "You better just go all the way and recruit all the minions of hell you can find to protect you." She kept her voice even and blinked her eyes closed slowly letting the feeling pass.

"Now... she's out on the patio." Buffy smiled at Willow with the brightest emotion she could find. "I think she might need a handkerchief."

The last few hours had passed by somewhat of a blur to the Wiccan. Xander and Anya had managed to slip away and the party had raged on without them for a good three hours though now it was waning. Willow had taken Dawn home and she and Tara had an arrangement to meet for coffee at eleven am the following morning, not that that was Tara's focus at this moment.

Her blues eyes scanned the dwindling crowd as the DJ gave his closing banter and prepared the final song.

Tara didn't even listen to the first cords of the ballad as she moved quickly and easily across the room over to where, alone and draped in Xander's long since abandoned black jacket Buffy sat. Silently she held out her hand.

A soft smile graced Buffy's features as she took the hand offered and let it lead her. Still silently Tara led the Slayer gracefully onto the middle of the nearly empty dance floor and closed her arms around her, closing her eyes as she felt Buffy nestle her head into her shoulder.

It was all so natural to the Slayer that she could hardly believe that she was letting this happen but despite herself she couldn't fight against it.

Tara had been moving both her body and Buffy's slowly to the music lost so much that it wasn't until the words of the second verse hit her ears that she felt her insides melt

"And I'd do anything for you

In spite of it all

I've learned so much from you

You made me strong

But don't you ever think that I don't love you

That for one minute I forgot you

But sometimes things don't work out right

And you just have to say goodbye

I hope you find someone to please you

Someone who'll care and never leave you

But if that someone ever hurts you

You just might need a friend to turn to

And I'd do anything for you

I'll give you up

If that's what I should do

To make you happy"

With silent tears cascading down her face, Tara clung even tighter to the woman in her arms. Nothing more could be said between them, nothing about the past changed, nor about the future guaranteed but this much they both know was true.

"I'd do anything for you." She whispered barely finding the words.

The songs melody drifted away but Buffy and Tara swayed on to the melody playing in their hearts even as the hall emptied around them.

"Thank you for loving me." Buffy whispered long after the staff had started clearing up the table around them.

"I always will." Tara replied slowly their sway till they stood motionless together. "Thank you for loving me."

"Easiest thing I've ever done." Buffy admitted looking into deep blue eyes. "You know if you need me... I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." She checked softly.

"Me either." Tara made sure the Slayer knew the reverse was true too.

"I'd remind you I'm still... that if you and Willow don't...." Buffy stopped herself and shook her head sadly. "If I thought that you two wouldn't make it I wouldn't do this." She conceded bravely.

"And if I thought for one moment that she would let you down, let us down," Tara said softly. "I wouldn't be doing this either. Buffy, I know its not going to be easy, seeing Willow and I together." She pointed out. "But please, don't let it ruin anything." She moved one hand and pushed Buffy's hair behind her left ear.

"I won't lie, I'm going to wish it was me." Buffy frowned a little blinking. "But it'll be okay." She nodded softly.

"You do realize the next girl you bring home, is going to have to pass the Tara test." Tara laughed sadly as she examined Buffy's face committing every detail to memory.

"She's going to have a very high standard to live up too." Buffy laughed with her briefly.

"This isn't going to help but I have to say it Buffy." Tara took a slight breath. "Whoever she is she's going to be the luckiest girl in the world."

With that the Wicca leaned down and closed her lips over Buffy's, her arms tightening around the slim body in her arms as they shared a tender kiss that promised Buffy love for the rest of eternity but in the same moment bid her a sweet but final goodbye.