Shades of Gray

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Giles and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Josh Wheldon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the author for permission to reproduce this story on any other fan fiction site.
Distribution: The Rainbow Writer's Homepage: http://www.therainbowwriters.com/
Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Spoilers: Season 7.
Feedback: All feedback is welcome.
Pairing: Willow/Tara    Buffy/Other    Faith/Dawn

Part 16

Buffy watched as the bible was passed around the room between all of the major decision makers, noting how the revelation dawned on each of them causing what she thought was a unanimous agreement.

"So all we need now is for someone." She smiled at Willow and Tara. "To find a way to make it fleshy and then we can kill it."

"I'm seeing that look Buffy." Willow smiled brightly. "Tara and I will get right on it, right baby?" She glanced at the other witch who was still looking a little pale.

"Of course." Tara replied though she sounded a little distracted.

"In fact we'll go start hunting right now." Willow stood up and went to the back of Tara's chair to help her out. "I want to do as much as I can on the net in case the DSL does go down."

"Don't work too hard guys." Piper smiled at them as Tara got up.

"Never, though you can bring us up lunch in a few hours." Willow smiled at everyone and led Tara up the stairs to their room closing the door securely.

"Baby what's wrong?" She could tell just from the vibe she was getting downstairs something was very not right.

"It's..." Tara glanced at her lover her expression cloudy until she saw Willow's soft green eyes and her own face relaxed into a smile. "I've seen that quote before or something like it, I mean I know my Father was kinda religious but..." She frowned again thinking of the past.

"It's not that most common a quote is it? So maybe there is something in your big brain that is flagging up." Willow sat down next to her and rubbed her arm. "Try to think baby."

"I think it is quite common." Tara frowned. "It's a very Christmassy quote." She turned around and smiled at her lover. "For the Jewish you would make that rather hard to know." She pointed out lovingly. "Maybe that's why it's so familiar." She frowned again.

"Maybe if we get into some research, distract you from the idea then it will clear up?" Willow tried to be helpful.

"You're probably right." She breathed out and hugged Willow gently. "Thank you for noticing."

"It's my most important job taking care of you." Willow assured her returning the hug. "Where do you want to start? General spell search?"

"Probably best." Tara nodded and pushed up. "I could look through some of my old books." She smiled softly as she looked at the pile of crates in the corner of the room. "Though I'm almost scared to open those boxes."

"Why?" Willow looked over at them herself. Most of Tara's stuff had been moved out of the storage Xander had put it in for Willow after her death so that the blonde could have more of 'home' with her.

"Just you know, thinking of that thing Candice created. It had all my things, my clothes, my stuff." Tara shivered.

"Try not to think about that baby." Willow shivered with her. "It wasn't you, that's all we have to remember, nothing that it did was you." She shivered again moving to her laptop.

"How can I not think about it?" Tara whispered as she pulled open the top box. "It touched everything." She frowned glancing at Willow. "Even you." She breathed out the horrible reality.

"It makes me feel horrible." Willow looked down her body shaking more. "Makes me feel like I hurt you again."

"No baby no." Tara turned and hurried to Willow. She put her arms softly around her lover. "It's just, I feel I let it happen, that I let the First hurt you."

"How could you? You didn't know what it was doing. I should have known, I should have known it wasn't really you." Willow started to cry almost hysterically as the weight of this admission added itself over everything that was going on, everything they were going through falling to crush down on her again.

"Willow, oh sweetie." Tara held her close. "It's okay, you couldn't have known. Candice, she obviously wanted to hurt me, and the First well it's pure evil, it's obvious what it wanted. From what I can guess, the limited research I have done and know, it was really me almost. It was a mimic created..." Her voice suddenly drifted off. "That's it." She whispered almost absently.

"I know it was a shade, I know it was made to be you, like a photocopy, but I should of known. I just so wanted you to forgive me, to want me again." Willow held on not noticing the change in her lover's words.

"Oh I do forgive you Willow." Tara blinked focusing back on her lover, she tipped the redhead's chin upwards. "Willow, I forgive you, for the spell, for the addiction, for everything." She whispered the heartfelt words.

"I won't do it again Tara, I promise, never ever." Willow sniffled looking into forgiving blue eyes.

"Sweetie I know." Tara brushed her thumb over her lover's cheek wiping away the tears. "And if even if you slip or something, this time I promise I won't walk away, I'll stay and I'll try harder to work it out."

"I don't want to slip, I want to be better." Willow breathed in looking at her. "I know how stupid I was, how selfish, I know what I was doing wrong."

"You know now sweetie yes, but you didn't then. It wasn't your fault, you were just taken in by the power." Tara shook her head softly. "It's okay sweetie." She pressed her lips to Willow's damp cheek.

"I won't do it again Tara I promise." Willow vowed with everything she was.

"Shush Willow." Tara shook her head. "I don't need promises, I just need you."

"I need you too." Willow nodded managing a small smile. "I guess we should get researching."

"You look like you need soft snuggling a little more than hard research." Tara whispered honestly.

"But we need to find a spell." Willow protested weakly as she leaned against Tara.

"We will, but what you and I need right now is to hold each other, to forget that which hurt us and remember, touch, feel what we have now." Tara argued gently.

"You're so smart." Willow hugged her tightly.

"No, you're the smart one, I'm the pretty curvy one that can sing." Tara giggled and eased onto the bed beside her lover.

"Beautiful curvy one that can sing, dance and do anything in the world." Willow corrected settling with her.

"You Willow Rosenberg are biased." Tara leaned to drop a kiss on her forehead.

"Oh course I am." Willow laughed. "You're my everything." She closed her eyes feeling the warmth of the kiss.

"Well not your everything, I mean you'd be lost without colored pens and your laptop." Tara hugged her closer chuckling.

"Do you still think I'm quirky?" Willow checked smiling.

"Only in the very best of ways." Tara grinned. "I think you're much more sexy and loving than quirky." She winked a sparkling blue eye.

"I love you." Willow leaned up and kissed her tenderly.

"I love you too, and…" She paused. "I'm proud of you Willow. Giles told me about your time in England, about how much you have learned and how strong you have been. You make me proud every single day Will." She underlined tracing the redhead's jaw line with her fingertips.

"I can't believe we were both in Europe, I mean Italy isn't that far away." Willow closed her eyes feeling the touch soothing her.

"We always said we couldn't stray too far from each other." Tara said warmly.

"We can't." Willow nodded. "And we never will again." Green eyes opened slowly.

"You know Willow, if we do find a spell it's probably going to be massively hard and powerful." Tara's voice grew a little more serious.

"I know, bringing form to the First can't be easy." Willow nodded.  "But we can do it together." She added optimistically.

"That's just what I wanted to talk about." Tara nodded. "Magic." She added turning to look at Willow.

"Yes?" Willow questioned softly.

"I was thinking, we should, you know begin to cast together again. Just little things, but to tie our essences to back to one another." Tara explained her reasoning.

"You mean you still want to do magic with me?" Willow bit her lip almost not believing the offer.

"Willow the fact that you are special and a gifted, powerful witch hasn't changed. The fact that casting with you adds a whole dimension to our relationship hasn't either. You've learn a lot about temperance and power Willow and so have I." Tara showed that she wasn't worried.

"I think it would be good if we did... I did a lot of group work in England. Learning to work with others, how to compliment their gifts instead of overpowering with my own." Willow nodded.

"So you want to, cast together again that is?" Tara checked.

"Yes." Willow was honest.  "I know this is silly but I feel like it's a test, to have your magic accept mine again and not reject it for being dark and bad."

"Willow." Tara chided her gently. "You know your magic isn't bad or dark, you just have allowed that aspect of it a channel and that won't ever close but you can learn not to open it ever again." She smiled softly.

"I know, I know that power has no type, it only has intention." The redhead nodded. "I said it was silly, it's just the fear I have."

"Not bigger than frog fear I hope." Tara smiled lovingly.

"Much smaller." Willow laughed lightly. "Did you want to do something now? Before we start the big research."

"If you're not too tired or anything." Tara nodded.

"I'm not, are you?" Willow checked softly.

"I am a little, but that will be good, because it will test your control, because you will naturally want to add your power to mine, where I was thinking a synchronization spell would be good, which would mean you tempering your powers." The blonde explained her intentions.

"You mean something like the rose spell?" Willow remembered the first time they had tried it.

"I think we should aim for something less pretty and more, you know, useful." Tara smiled at her lover.

"Like what?" Willow questioned not sure what she spell she meant.

"How about..." Tara thought for a moment but then looked at Willow. "We could try the rose spell but with…" She glanced around. "With a daisy." She grinned seeing the small flowers in a pot of water that Willow had brought up with breakfast.

"But I thought you wanted more useful?" Willow questioned. "Something defensive or tactical?"

"We've seen enough of that, let's just go for pretty and well, non dangerous." Tara chuckled and shook her head. "I feel like pretty."

"Okay." Willow agreed sitting up. "In here?" She questioned moving to pluck a daisy from the bunch.

"It's as good a place as any." Tara nodded. "If you're sure?" She added the proviso softly.

"I am, I can do this." Willow nodded moving down onto the floor cross-legged.

"You can." Tara followed carefully and took her place opposite the redhead as she laid the daisy on the floor. She shook out her arms for a second and then reached out across the daisy for Willow's hands.

Willow reached her hands up gripping them to Tara's lightly as she centered herself. Tara let her eyes close and took a breath watching as the world's view slipped away to be replaced with the once familiar swirl of hers and Willow's essences.

Willow did the same, the warm and comforting feeling filling her almost up to bursting as she felt the connection joining between them stronger and more powerful than she had ever felt it before.

Tara slowly opened her eyes looking over to Willow past the now floating daisy.

"You're so..." Willow breathed in so slowly. "Powerful now."

"The difference is noticeable eh?" Tara smiled a little unevenly.

"Don't you think?" Willow questioned knowing her essence must feel different as well.

"You feel the same." Tara smiled more. "Then again, I always told you, you were powerful."

"You did but I never knew... you never let this much out of your own before." Willow admitted.

"Because I didn't think I could handle it, it scared me, you scared me remember." Tara softly whispered.

"It is scary until you are in control." Willow nodded. "Did they do lots to help you feel in control in Italy?"

"They did until..." Tara paused.

"Until?" Willow prompted her.

"Until they had to change my training." Tara clarified in a whisper.

"To get you ready to come here." Willow nodded that she understood.

"Yes." Tara nodded back.

"How am I doing?" She questioned not sure that she wanted to explore exactly what the Italian coven had prepared her for yet.

"Great, I can tell you can feel that I'm dipping slightly because of yesterday, but you're not over riding me, you're balancing me." Tara nodded softly. "Do you want to do the petals?"

"I think we should." Willow nodded. "It's easier when I don't try to force things like I used to, that's what they taught me in England."

"That's right just let it happen naturally, though we'll have to counteract the disturbance from the First while we do this, remember how Ethan threw us off last time, the First is a little more powerful than that. The dampener I have around the houses should effectively block it, but you know just be aware." Tara warned gently.

"Yes, when I used magic to repel it before it bores in." Willow nodded. "Perhaps it would be best to let it invade but then just let it slide by, sorta evasive maneuvers rather than meeting it head on?"

"Maybe." Tara nodded softly and then smiled. "You really have changed haven't you Willow." She said softly.

"I had to," Willow contradicted.

"No, you didn't." Tara shook her head

"I did." Willow contradicted softly. "It was either I change or the world went boom."

"Plenty of witches didn't change, they just kept trying to do the latter." Tara pointed out.

"I know and I did try but I couldn't go through with it." Willow frowned softly. "I knew it wouldn't be what you wanted."

"That's right Willow it wouldn't have been, I wasn't worth ending the world over." Tara shook her head.

"You're worth saving the world for." Willow whispered. "I saved the world from me for you. I know that sounds crazy."

"It doesn't." Tara shook her head. "And its time to do it again, but this time we'll be saving it together."

"I think we're in synch." Willow finally looked at the flower between them. It had every leaf pulled off and they were revolving around in almost as if they were dancing.

"Looks that way." Tara smiled proudly.

"No matter what spell it is we can do it." Willow smiled back.

"I never doubted it." Tara vowed looking into her lover's green eyes.

"You're tired baby, we should rest and research." Willow squeezed her hands softly.

"You're right." Tara nodded. "Shall I get drinks?"

"Okay." Willow nodded and the flower and its petals came to rest on the carpet.

"Willow." Tara slid their hands apart. "You really are special, remember that."

"Just as you are." She smiled back at her love, receiving a gentle kiss on the cheek before the blonde went to get them tea.

Owl watched as Faith rolled the wooden dummy out into the middle of the yard. She could see the way everyone was watching that they had great expectations for her, great expectations for the 'new Slayer.'

"Go on." Faith moved back encouraging her to start.

Owl nodded twisting the staff in her hand, the weight seemed perfect for her hands as she spun it and moved forward. A few quick strikes up the dummy's body reverberated through the back yard as the hard strikes bent into the wood. She twirled throwing some blocks and punches before she twirled the staff over her head, the extensions coming out to make the staff a true battle staff.

Feeling the new power from the large weapon she lined up and with one sure strike broke off one of the dummy's arms, with a snapping stroke before she swung the bottom end around breaking off a leg. She pulled back sidestepping as if the figure had attacked her and moving behind it she hugged the staff to her hip striking it around to break through the middle of the wooden creature. Bringing the staff fluidly around her back, her hands even leaving it for a second as it spun on momentum she curled it up and struck the head off the top. The chunk of wood that had been the poor creature's head came to rest at Faith's feet.

"Okay well any questions?" Faith laughed as she looked at the devastation and then at the crowd of SITs. Slowly one hand rose. "Vi." She nodded at her.

"When are we going to kick its ass?" She grinned brightly.

"That's the sprit." Faith walked over the short distance and patted her on the shoulder.

"When are we going to do something pro-active?" Kennedy asked seriously.

"Soon, the witches are working on a spell to make the First have a form so that we can kick its ass good." Faith assured them all. "And when that times comes we're going to need everyone to help us get to it and kill it."

"So we're not redundant now?" Emily asked warily.

"No one was ever redundant." Buffy shook her head stepping into the circle. "You are all still potentials. You are all still important in this fight and it is all of our duties to fight."

"We weren't gonna start shirking Buffy." Felicity smiled at her.

"Good, I know you are all antsy and its hard being here like sitting ducks but we need to be ready when we go on the offensive. I want our attack to be the start and the finish of this war." Buffy nodded.

"So do the witches think they have a chance with this spell?" Kennedy challenged.

"They won't have any trouble." Faith shook her head.

"Do they have a spell?" The question came from someone on the second row.

"Not yet but they are researching, they want to find the best possible one." Buffy assured the young girl. "Trust me everyone, if there are two witches we want doing this it is Willow and Tara."

"But what if they don't?" Kennedy challenged.

"They have spells Kenny, they just want to find the best one." Faith corrected her.

"So come on people." Piper stepped forward. "Go to the weapons chest and choose the one that feels best for you, its time to do some focus work on a weapon. This is going to become 'your' weapon okay, so choose carefully."

All of the potentials milled over to the chest and began the heavy task of trying to find the best weapon for them.

"How are Will and Tara doing?" Piper sidled up close to Buffy.

"I don't know. Good I imagine since they haven't come in yet." Buffy admitted watching everyone getting comfortable with their choice or taking a few moments before changing weapons to find something else.

"I'm not sure Mr. and Mrs. Watcher were convinced I was right with the whole bible thing." The new Slayer pointed out.

"I think they're pissed off they didn't think of it." Buffy smiled at her lover.

"You think?" Piper grinned.

"Wouldn't you be?" Buffy glanced back at the house. "Out done by the new slayer in less than 24 hours?"

"Are you going to tell Felicity she's not well enough to wield that broad sword or am I?" Piper nodded at the well meaning potential tried to get comfortable despite her recent injury.

"Go on, they need your guidance." Buffy encouraged her. "I'll go check on Willow and Tara."

"Okay." Piper nodded and jogged off towards the potential.

Willow blinked as she looked at the screen reading over the text again. She knew it was probably time to take a break as the words were starting to melt together a bit.

"Baby." She didn't look up but tried to call for Tara's attention. "Tara." She looked up when she didn't get a response. "Tara... baby?" She pushed the laptop aside and moved down and over to where Tara was sitting on the floor surrounded by clothes, books and other things from the boxes she was unpacking.

"Oh baby its broke." Willow moved down onto the carpet next to her lover, only then did she see the crack in the glass of the picture frame she was holding. "It's okay love, we can get a new frame." She put her arm around the blonde.

"But it wasn't." Tara shook her head running her fingers over the crack in the pane.

"It is now baby, we'll get a beautiful frame." Willow hugged her a little more.

"But how?" Tara's forehead crumpled.

"How? We'll go to the store or we could get a plain one from the craft shop and you could decoupage it." Willow offered.

"No, I mean how did it get broken." Tara frowned harder her finger pressing down over the crack as if somehow trying to take it away or make it better.

"I don't know baby, it was like that when Xander packed it I think." Willow admitted softly.

"No." The hand Tara held the picture in began to shake.

"Baby?" Willow slid her hand down over her lover's hand.

"It had no right to do this to her, to you, to me." Tara pulled away from Willow and tossed the picture towards the bed only to have it fall short and smack onto the floor the broken glass flipping up out of the frame. "No, Mommy!" Tara scrambled over to the picture trying to pick up the dislodged piece and press it back into the frame.

"Tara, honey, be careful." Willow moved over with her collecting the glass. "We'll fix it." She assured her.

"I let it do this." Tara looked down at the broken frame, a heavy tear falling down to splash onto the photograph.

"Tara." Willow softly pulled the frame out of her hands and laid it on the bed before she reached to take her lover's hands in her own. "You didn't. Tara, you didn't know. If you had known you'd have come back right away. You didn't know baby."

"I did, you don't understand." Tara frowned harder.

"You didn't love." Willow shook her head back.

"I did, I went to Candice, and I played into its hand." Tara shook her head.

"Tara, you had no idea that Candice was working with it. You thought she was your friend, you went to her for help." Willow shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I think... I think I know why she did it." Tara whispered. "Candice that is."

"Why?" Willow whispered back.

"I could be wrong, I could just be paranoid but…" Tara glanced over at the empty boxes and piles of stuff.

"But?" She urged her on.

"You." Tara blinked damp blue eyes at her lover.

"Me?" The redhead had been expecting anything other than that. "Why me?" Willow questioned still not understanding.

"I remembered earlier where I had seen that phrase." Tara tried to explain. "It was scrawled on the back of a photograph. I didn't know what the picture had been of, that is I didn't until about five minutes ago." She pushed up and away moving back to one of the piles. She flipped open the top book which turned out to be a photo album. She eased a picture out of the first page.

Willow watched her trying to understand but not seeing how the pieces fit together. Tara held the photograph out for Willow, knowing that the instant she turned it over she would recognize it as the photograph of them both at Tara's twentieth birthday party, only Tara had been carefully cut out of the picture.

"What... who did this?" Willow looked at it in disbelief.

"Candice did, I was with her when she did." Tara admitted sheepishly. "She said it was best, that I needed to separate myself from you and that this was the symbolic way of doing it." The blonde shivered.

"What did she do with you?" Willow asked her voice soft.

"This is how I know it was you she wanted." Tara replied. "She took both parts of the picture, I'm guessing she needed an image of me for the spell, but why keep this half?" She asked looking at the picture of Willow in the redhead's hand. "She said she was going to destroy it."

"Because it's a symbol." Willow leaned against the bed taking a slow breath. "The First knew without you I was going to self destruct, that I would have no balance."

"The words on the picture that I saw briefly on Candice's dresser said 'to give form where there is none, to create life in a shell. I'm guessing the picture was the me half of that photograph." Tara's head dipped.

"Tara you didn't know what she was doing." Willow moved closer guiding her face up. "You didn't know. It's not your fault."

"But I'm guessing I gave her everything she needed, well apart from the spell, that bit must have come from the First." Tara couldn't shake off the guilt. "I just let her lead me along to give her everything she needed."

"Tara, you gave her nothing that she couldn't have taken. I'm just so glad she didn't hurt you." Willow hugged her tightly.

"If we could find her we could turn the stupid First's damn spell back on it." Tara felt herself get angry.

"Why can't we?" Willow questioned pulling back to look in blue eyes.

"Why cant we what?" Tara blinked unsure what Willow was asking.

"Find her, question her, find out all that she did to help the First so we can know more about it and beat it." Willow pointed out.

"Xander and Anya tried to find her remember, she was gone, well now everyone's gone." Tara shrugged dejectedly.

"Yeah but she has to be somewhere." Willow pointed out. "I can search for her on the web."

"I suppose there's a chance." Tara nodded.

"Its worth it isn't it? To try." Willow nodded back.

"Definitely." Tara smiled weakly.

"But Tara you need to believe me okay, this wasn't your fault." Willow assured her honestly. "You would never have helped it knowingly."

"I made everything so easy for it, by being weak, doing what I always do when I get scared. I shouldn't have run away." Tara shook her head.

"And I shouldn't have made you have no choice but to leave." Willow reminded her. "Tara we can go in circles, it's no one's fault but the First. It planned all of this, it wanted to hurt us."

"It succeeded." Tara said glumly as she looked at the broken photograph frame.

"But baby it didn't." Willow moved to take her hands again. "We're together, in love and it can never split us up again."

"I think I need some painkillers and maybe to lie down again." Tara said weakly reaching up a hand to her head.

"Okay baby." Willow kissed her on the forehead. "Let's get you comfy then I'll get you some headache pills."

Tara somewhat reluctantly pushed up and was about to move towards the bed when someone knocked on the bedroom door.

"Let me get it." Willow encouraged her to lie down before moving to the door. "Buffy." She opened it to see the blonde Slayer.

"Yeah, wow did a bomb go off in here or something." Buffy stepped into the room looking at the various piles.

"Tara was just unpacking some stuff to get her books." Willow smiled tightly. "She has a headache I was getting her some pills." She filled in the Slayer before she got comfortable.

"Oh right, well I just came on you know reconnaissance, seeing how the research was going." She glanced between Willow to Tara, who wouldn't meet her eye contact.

"It's going." Willow nodded. "I have some leads."

"Leads are good." Buffy nodded feeling oddly awkward as the tense atmosphere of the room settled against her.

"How is training?' Willow questioned moving to close the curtains a bit to cut down the light.

"Wanna come get pills?" Buffy glanced at the door.

"I'll be right back baby, do you want juice or milk?" Willow leaned down to kiss Tara on the forehead.

"Juice please." Tara requested softly.

"With a crazy straw." Willow smiled and kissed her lightly moving to pull the quilt up over her. "Be right back."

Buffy crossed to the door and eased it shut as Willow left the room. She didn't wait very long before her questions began.

"Is Tara okay? Is this still back flash from the meditation?" Her voice was full of concern.

"No." Willow wound her arms around her body. "She feels guilty for what the First did, letting it impersonate her or at least she thinks somehow she let it."

"But that's crazy, how was she to know?" Buffy shook her head.

"I know, but she feels like it's all her fault." Willow shook her head sadly.

"Still self effacing old Tara huh?" Buffy sighed.

"I just... I hate this thing. It's hurting everyone I love." Willow growled angrily.

"Easy Will, we're getting there, we're going to beat it." Buffy tried to soothe.

"We have to Buffy." She nodded. "I'm going to try and track down Candice over the net."

"We will, hey that's a great id..." The ringing of the phone cut off Buffy, just as they passed it in the hall. "I didn't think these were working." The Slayer picked it up with a slight frown.

"I didn't think it was either." Willow frowned with her.

"Hello?" She offered holding the phone at a distance from her ear.

"Buffy, its Angel." The response came in the vampire's usual bland voice.

"I recognized the voice but how the hell can you be talking to me on a phone that doesn't work." Buffy put it to her ear.

"Long story, involving Fred, an odd spell and some fuse wire." Angel replied simply. "Giles had called me on the cell, we weren't here, what's the problem?" He outlined the reason for his extraordinary call.

"Giles called you?" Buffy frowned.

"Yes, like I said when we were out," Angel replied obviously slightly confused. "You didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know." Buffy admitted wondering why her Watcher hadn't told her.

"Look has this got anything to do with Faith?" Angel sounded a little tired to have to be mentioning her name.

"No Angel, definitely no, she's been really helpful, talking of which though, why did you send her here?" Buffy took the opportunity to ask.

"Because I was concerned about what was going on there, I wanted you to have all the help you could." Angel filled in vaguely.

"Concerned how and what did you know about what was going on here?" Buffy pushed for details.

"Buffy, a girl showing up in LA as a vegetable after what I'm told is some sort of demon attack peaks my attention that something is wrong in your end of town worry." He said honestly.

"Angel what are you talking about?" Buffy frowned more. She didn't know anything about any girl.

"A Sunnydale girl showed up in an LA hospital Buffy, she's got head injuries as if she was beaten up badly but there is no signs of trauma." Angel filled her in. "They found her comatose on a bus from Sunnydale to LA."

"They did? Angel when was this." Buffy pushed.

"About a month or so before I sent Faith." Angel guessed. "I thought maybe it was something you'd need help with. A friend of mine at the hospital tipped me off."

"Did this 'friend' have any ideas as to what might have cause this?" Buffy felt a tingle in her spine.

"She didn't know, just she said it couldn't be natural if you know what I mean. She didn't even have a bruise but over half her brain was traumatized." Angel filled in sadly.

"Angel I know this is pushing it but you don't have a name do you?" Buffy glanced at Willow.

"Let me see if I wrote it down..." Angel pushed around some papers. "I think it was Karen, Karen Manesh." He didn't find what he was looking for. "Something close to that, why?"

"Nothing it was a wild shot at best." Buffy sighed slightly deflated.

"Oh no wait, here it is." Angel's tone didn't really change. "Candice Marreshi."

"Angel I love you." Buffy's eyes flared.

"Buffy?" Angel stammered obviously thrown by the sudden exclamation.

The blonde Slayer was too busy putting her hand over the mouthpiece and turning to Willow to notice his stammered response.

"Guess who found Candice." She hissed at her best friend.

"Angel?" Willow hissed back and wasn't surprised when Buffy nodded. "Where?"

"Let me get details." Buffy pulled her hand off the mouthpiece. "Angel, are you still there?" She checked.

"Yes, I'm not sure how long Fred's spell will work." He urged her to talk quickly.

"Where is she Angel, can you go see her, talk to her?" Buffy pushed.

"Buffy, didn't you hear me? She's a vegetable." Angel knew it sounded horrible but it was the truth.

"Well yes I heard you say the word but I thought you know maybe you were exaggerating." Buffy winced as the reality became clear. The lead had dried up as soon as it had presented itself.

"No. She's alive, barely but there isn't any higher brain function." Angel underlined. "That's why her putting herself on a bus and getting to LA was such a mystery. That and all of her injuries are internal."

"Angel, are you basically telling me that though this girl may exist in a hospital bed in LA, she's actually dead? The equivalent I mean." Buffy's voice was dim.

"Yes." He affirmed and Buffy's eyes flicked up to Willow's knowing the redhead was listening. "And they can't figure out how she would have been injured so drastically."

"Angel we need you to find out everything you can about her, what she was wearing if she had anything with her, please its important." Buffy said hurried as the line began to crackle and hiss a little.

"Okay, can we reach you on the cell phone?" He hoped she had heard him.

"Anytime." She called as the phone when completely dead.

"What did he say?" Willow jumped on her almost.

"You must have heard most of it Willow." Buffy needlessly put the phone back in its cradle.

"But how? How would she get like that?" Willow asked the million-dollar question.

"No one seems to know, Angel suggested it wasn't physical damage." Buffy encouraged Willow to move with her to where Giles and the research team were working.

"Someone made her a vegetable magically?" Willow thought out loud.

"Is that possible?" Buffy came to a quick stop. "I mean is it allowed?" She asked frowning.

"No it's not allowed, it would be a very bad, bad, no definitely not allowed." Willow shook her head. "But it could be possible."

"What is it Buffy?" Giles called as they blundered in the meeting. "And did I hear the phone?"

"Okay guys, conference time." Buffy nodded pulling up a chair. Willow sat down chewing on her lip and thinking.

"Have you found out something?" Sandra looked at the Slayer.

"I'm going to finish the story before I open the floor to questions okay." Buffy stated glancing around to a circle of nods. "Okay, so here it is..." Buffy gave the facts as clearly and precisely as she could and then looked around. "Anytime now guys wow me with explanations and ideas." She leaned back in her chair.

"I might have one, but…" Tara's voice was quiet and slightly shaky as the tall blonde witch stepped into the doorway. "I don't think anyone is going to like it."

"Tara." Willow was up and on her feet. "Baby, you should be resting." She moved over to her.

"I couldn't." Tara took Willow's hand and then brought her other hand from around her back, bringing with it a book that she held closed around her finger marking a spot.

"Tara what did you find?" Giles encouraged her to tell them not liking the pale color in the witch's cheeks.

"I should have remembered." Tara whispered as she opened the book at the marked page and dropped it heavily on the table. With a slight push of her hand she pressed it down the polished top towards the Englishman. "I really did bring all of this on you." She frowned harder.

"Baby, no." Willow shook her head.

"I did." Tara flashed sad blue eyes at her lover. "The spell Mr. Giles." She encouraged the Watcher to look. Reaching out he pulled the book towards him and slipped his glasses on his nose.

"The Spell of Corporeal Shades." He read the title pulling of his glasses and looking up. "Tara I'm not sure..." He began frowning slightly.

"Its the spell Candice used." Tara said quietly.

"That Candice used." Willow underlined. "Not you."

Tara leaned forward and took the book back from Giles and handed it to Willow.

"Look at the book Will." She released it to the redhead's care and Willow immediately did just that. "It's my book Willow, the book you found the spell to bring Buffy back in, the book that let released the First into this dimension, and the book Candice used to hurt you all." Tara replied her hand shaking as she reached out to take it back. "Its my book." She looked into green eyes.

"That doesn't mean anything." Willow kept the book as she skimmed the text. "This here." She pointed to a line. "And the one who will be, the shell that is to come, must never meet lest the spell be destroyed. You couldn't make this." She argued softly with her.

"Willow is right Tara, the spell, the book, none of this is you." He supported the redhead and encouraged her to hand him the book. She did so immediately.

"Baby, this isn't your fault. Candice could have gotten a copy of this book anywhere to use, the First could have found one for her easily." She moved closer to the blonde.

"Tara is right though." Giles quickly flicked the old tome open and looked at the original spell. "This does explain what has happed to Candice."

"How?" It was Buffy who asked for more information.

"The spell clearly states that the shade must be dissipated by its creator." Giles tapped the text. "Or the created and the creator suffer the same fate." He read aloud.

"When Warren shot the shade... Candice..." Willow looked at him with wide eyes.

"Died." Giles nodded. "Not corporeally, but her essence."

"So that's why no marks on her." Buffy nodded seeing the connection.

"Exactly, though this does suggest that Tara being shot by Warren was in no way a part of the First's plan." Giles pointed out. "Where as I have no doubt its intention was for the shade of Tara to leave and attempt to break Willow, I'd wager it was planning something more physiological as it were."

Willow looked at her the color in her face draining more.

"None of which is particularly relevant now though is it Rupert." Sandra cut in noticing the pair of pale witches.

"What?" Giles blinked. "Oh, no, no, not at all." He coughed lightly.

"All it tells us is that the First is evil but not as smart as it wants to be.' Faith underlined coming in from the kitchen where she had been listening. "And we're going to kick its ass." She vowed to both the witches.

"And we have the spell Candice used to create a person, a body." Dawn added the positive standing at Faith's shoulder. "Which means we have a way to make the First fleshy doesn't it?" She looked around hopefully.

"Do we?" Buffy looked at her Watcher. Giles looked down at the spell reading for what felt like an age.

"Come on G man." Faith moved in and put her hands flat on the table. "Speed it up." She hissed at him.

Pulling off his glasses Giles looked slowly up from the book and then straight at Buffy.

"I believe we do." He said his voice a breathless whisper.

"See there you go, you're book saves us all Tara." Faith stood up. "Now I think you too should have a rest. B can you get them whatever they need to relax and some juice." She tried to urge them towards the stairs.

"But it's not as simple as that." Tara began objecting. "Mr. Giles, we will have to work on the spell, rewrite it a little."

"Tara, I can work on that." Zoë spoke up for the first time. "Get it started, get a framework then you and Willow can tinker."

Blue eyes tracked over to the Canadian almost noticing her presence for the first time.

"You... would you?" She whispered her voice suddenly intensely tired and weak.

"Oh course, I can do this Tara. Let me help." She nodded urging Faith to make them move. Faith put her hands on their backs pressing them towards the stairs.

"I am tired." The blonde admitted as her feet began to shuffle forward.

"I need to get you pills." Willow tried to veer towards the kitchen.

"I got it Will." Buffy got up moving to get them as Faith had asked.

"I'll help." Dawn pushed up and hurried after her sister.

"Let me see the spell, I'll start making option notes." Zoë moved up a few chairs closer to Giles.

"Actually Zoë." Sandra pushed up out of her chair holding the book towards Giles. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like a word with you." She met the Canadian's eyes.

"Okay." Zoë made a small noise with the agreement and stood up waiting for her to lead.

Sandra eased out from her side of the table and led the younger woman out through the house to where Piper and Kennedy were still working the SITS.

"Zoë, I want to talk with you about Italy." The Watcher explained her reasons for bringing her out as she leaned against the railing.

"About what exactly?" Zoë questioned.

"About the work you and Miss. Maclay did there." Sandra answered softly.

"About it how exactly?" Zoë looked at the watcher.

"I was wondering what techniques you were taught, what harnessing methods you use, the reason Miss. Maclay was sent here, what her training entailed." Ms. Webster expanded her questions.

"She was sent here because she's an incredibly balanced witch with great power." Zoë gave the simple but honest answer. "As for my teachings, I'm a mediocre witch with apparently more potential than ability. "

"Please don't misinterpret my reasons for asking Zoë." Sandra softened her tone.

"I'm not. You want to know because you need to know what we can do, how you can factor us all into the fight. I'm telling you the truth." Zoë was honest back. "Tara is an amazing witch, I am not. It's not a self-disparaging comment Ms. Webster. It's a fact. I know I can do more but I can't yet find the way to use the power inside me."

"I appreciate your honesty and openness Zoë, thank you." Sandra gave a soft nod. "And I feel sure that you have ability to match your enthusiasm deep inside you."

"I can do this though, modify the spell, Tara can fine tune it." Zoë added. "They tell me I have a flare for the construction not for the execution."

"I don't doubt your ability." Sandra smiled more. "Ah you see, you are the brains and not necessarily the brawn behind the magic. Both are of equal importance." She patted Zoë's arm lightly.

"And I'm here to fight if needed." Zoë nodded firmly.

"I'd let the fighters to the fighting and the thinkers do the thinking if I were you Zoë." Sandra advised cautiously.

"I should work on the spell." Zoë began to move back to the house.

Sandra watched her leave for a moment and then looked out to where Piper and Kennedy marshaled the workouts. With a soft breath she smiled and then slowly turned walking back into the house, there was a lot to be done.

Buffy closed up the clips on her jacket looking over at Piper who seemed to be trying to decide between a jean jacket and her leather.

"It really doesn't matter what you wear, it might get trashed." She gave the small piece of advice.

"Yeah but come on, look who I'm going with, I have to look good." Piper laughed. "Which do you think?"

"Leather." Buffy pointed at it.

"You sure." Piper slid it on.

"Yeah very sexy." Buffy nodded as she tucked her stake into her coat and then tucked a dagger into her boot.

"I thought I was supposed to look mean and hard and ready to kick ass." Piper struck an imposing pose.

"You do. Sorry, I'm distracted." Buffy admitted.

"Distracted?" Piper crossed to the blonde frowning, "What's wrong baby?"

"Patrol." She looked up. "It's nothing, just getting in the game it's been awhile."

"Would you rather I stay home, cover while you just go out with Faith?" Piper offered softly.

"No, Piper it's not that." Buffy shook her head. "I just don't know what to expect out there."

"Well Giles says that there aren't any vampires or demons out there so, maybe a whole heap of nothing." Piper shrugged. "We could be bored out of our minds."

"Giles could be wrong." Buffy picked up the staff and handed it to Piper. "I know the Watchers mean well but don't trust what they say when it comes to what you're going to fight. It's usually much worse than they make it out to be."

"Hold on, I'm not taking this." Piper looked at the mystical weapon.

"Yes, you are." Buffy pushed it against her chest and then let go knowing Piper would catch it as she moved to the stairs.

"Buffy." Piper pushed after her. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay here? You know I will and I know you're worried about those girls we're not taking with us."

"You need to get out there Piper." Buffy shook her head. "This really isn't about me not trusting you okay. This is patrol." She tried to make her understand.

"Then let me go alone." Piper challenged.

"No." Buffy shook her head. "That is not an option."

"Yes it is, even Giles suggested it." Piper reminded her.

"Giles can be an ass." Buffy pushed up more stairs. "Come on lets get started."

"Buffy." The front door swung open and Kennedy jogged in. "Giles wants to talk to you."

"Why?" Buffy looked at her not happy with the change in plans.

"He says he wants to talk to you." The potential explained.

"Piper, come on." Buffy moved out and towards the other house.

"Piper?" Piper shrugged.

"Chia, Donna, Alice, we're leaving." Owl called the rest of the patrol group to attention.

Buffy turned and was glad to see her finally getting everyone moving. The small troupe moved around to the other house, Kennedy falling in with them.

"Giles what do you want?" Buffy pushed in through the door, asking him instantly.

"We need to talk through some of the changes we have made to the spell." Giles glanced at her. "Hello Owl, ladies." He nodded to them all.

"We're going on patrol." Buffy pointed to the group.

"Yes I know this will only take an hour or so." He explained.

"We don't have an hour." Buffy shook her head.

"Are we going to get this show on the road?" Kennedy hassled.

"We'll discuss the spell when we get back." Buffy nodded that they were and moved back to the door.

"Buffy I am asking you in my discreet way to stay here." Giles pointed out.

"I have to get Faith to go with them then." Buffy relented a little.

"Faith is training the girls here." Giles shook his head. "Buffy Piper is a slayer, she can handle a patrol."

"Giles, kitchen." Buffy pointed at it and stomped in. Giles pushed up and walked slowly to follow her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy hissed at him trying to not let the others hear.

"I'm am trying to get you to concentrate on the spell while Piper takes some of our more skilled potentials on patrol." The watcher replied.

"Yeah her first patrol." Buffy reminded him unnecessarily. "With the First running around."

"She's a slayer Buffy." Giles seemed unmoved.

"Giles, I'm not sending her out there alone. There are three slayers, so there is no reason to do your horrible Watcher send her out to die or fight motto." Buffy shook her head.

"There are three slayers, but we have injured SITs that need watching, those less skilled that are remaining here to train." Giles continued undeterred.

"I'm going with her. Giles the first could be waiting out there with Ubers or more bringers." Buffy pointed out the window.

"We have no way to be sure that the First has any Ubers Buffy, and Piper has shown she can deal with Bringers." Giles folded his arms over his chest.

"You don't know that it doesn't, it sent one after Willow. " Buffy argued.

"It could be one it managed to drag form the Hellmouth before we sealed it." Giles countered.

"Giles what do you expect me to be able to help with the spell?" Buffy looked at him.

"I don't, I expect you to be here to watch over those people here who need you." Giles pointed out.

"You expect me to shove her out there to fight or die." Buffy countered again.

"Buffy, we need to know she's capable." Giles boiled everything down to the basic fact.

"So we let her go out solo and hey if she dies then we know she wasn't capable?" Buffy scowled at him. "I thought you'd learned Giles, I thought you knew that the Council's way wasn't the best."

"In the normal situation of course Buffy." Giles gave a little. "But this isn't normal."

"No it's ten times as dangerous." Buffy pointed out. "Giles I'm not going to watch Piper, I'm going to watch the others. You're right she needs to be out there but she needs a little safety net. She doesn't need to have five other SIT"S lives on her head."

"She's taking the staff that's a safety net." The distant closing of the front door ended his voice prematurely.

"What's going on?" Buffy moved back into the living room.

"Kennedy, Vi and Chia took off." Alice explained. "Piper went after them."

"What? Will these girls ever learn?" Buffy moved to the door.

"Buffy!" Giles called walking back to the door. "Kennedy was only doing as we had asked her to do."

"You set me up." Buffy turned glaring at him. "How dare you? Why is it that you're way is always the best way? Why is it you can do whatever the hell you want because you know best? I'm sick of these games Giles." She snarled at him pulling open the door.

"Close the door Buffy." Sandra ordered her voice steely.

"With all due respect Ms. Webster, kiss my slayer ass." Buffy pulled the door open and moved out slamming it behind her.

"You're slayer lacks discipline Rupert." Sandra shook her head.

"Giles don't let her talk like that." Dawn looked at the older Watcher and then glared at Sandra.

"I'm afraid Sandra is right Dawn, I asked Buffy to stay here." Giles shook her head.

"You also told her to kill me, was she supposed to listen to you then?" Dawn stood up screeching at him. "You're horrible. You're both horrible." She moved back towards the kitchen and back door.

"Dawnster." Xander pushed dup and hurried after the teenager.

"Should we go and get her?" Sandra looked at Giles.

"I know I'm not part of this whole thing but do they teach you Watcher's to be like this?" Zoë asked honestly.

"I beg your pardon?" Giles looked at her.

"We're in a highly tense situation, we are fighting for our lives against a foe that we are not sure we can defeat and the only thing that is going to keep any of us and well the world in one piece is those three slayers." Zoë closed her notebook. "And with all that as fact, all you two seem to be doing is teaching the SITs to deceive them, teaching each of them not to trust the other and on top of that most of the time you talk to them like they are five year olds in your kindergarten class you just found eating paint in the corner."

"Zoë I understand how it could look slightly like that to you from the outside..." Giles objected.

"No, that's exactly how it looks like." She stood up. "And yes I am on the outside so take this opinion with whatever weight you like, but stifling them into submission isn't going to make them behave." She looked at Sandra. "They are slayers, they live and breath fighting and protecting all of us, to be stuffed down and slapped on the ass like a dog who sat on the couch after it was told to stay on the carpet makes them resentful not obedient."

"Once again you're a little out of line." Sandra raised an eyebrow. "You know nothing about what a slayer is."

"And you don't know what it's like to be one." Zoë looked at her. "I don't want to have your job and again this is just an opinion. I'm sure you won't give it much weight." She shrugged and moved to the kitchen. "I'm going to keep working on the spell."

"Well perhaps we should go back to our own houses." Alice looked uncomfortably around.

"No Alice, go and bring the SITs still here into this house, we can keep and eye on you here." Giles contradicted and slowly the young potential moved to obey.

Zoë clutched the notebook in one hand twirling the pen around her other. She'd come out back knowing the perimeter was up but she wasn't even sure if she cared. She needed some air. Sometimes there was only so much she could take of the two stuffy overbearing watchers and everyone bickering.

Taking a deep breath she held her hand out with the pen focusing on it and managing much to her own surprise to lift it a few inches from her palm.

"Guess I'm getting better." She admitted managing to lift it higher as she took another breath. Slowly the pen began to spin in a slow clockwise turn. "Wow." She watched it and concentrated hoping to make it spin more. Obediently the pen moved faster more.

"Okay I'm on a roll." Zoë grinned and tried to make it go the other direction.

The pen wobbled a little stopping and then spun the other way a little unstably.

"Come on." She encouraged it to stabilize. "I can do this."

However instead of stabilizing the pen shook more and then flew upwards out of her hand.

"Shit." Zoë cursed reaching up to try and catch it.

"Oops butterfingers." Stepping out of the dense shrubbery beyond the perimeter a fairly tall, incredibly pretty young woman came into view.

"Holly?" Zoë looked at her completely shocked.

"Hello Zoë." She smiled rather too sweetly.

"What the hell are you doing here? Where is Beth?" Zoë looked into the tree line.

"Oh she's not joined me yet." The young actress shook her head.

"Where is she?" Zoë stepped closer.

"Right now?" The other woman asked.

"Where is she if you're here?" Zoë nodded.

"She's in Manhattan right now." Holly looked down at her nails.

"Oh my God you're not Holly." Zoë felt her blood go cold.

"Not Holly? What makes you say that? Does this light not show my best side?" She flicked strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder.

"How are you doing this? She's not dead." Zoë looked at the First in disbelief.

"Oh aren't I?" Holly raised an eyebrow and pushed up the sleeve of her pretty blue floral shirt to reveal her inner elbows. Zoë looked down at the deep red bruised track marks that bore into her otherwise perfect flesh. "Want to change your mind about anything?" She smirked.

"When?" Zoë tried to hold her dinner down.

"Three weeks ago." Holly shrugged. "100% pure isn't good for anyone."

"Bethany?" Zoë squeaked the name not able to believe that she would have done heroin but not knowing for sure with what she was looking at right now.

"Well you know you have to swing with the lifestyle you live in." Holly shrugged seeming disinterested.

"Show me her." Zoë challenged.

"Why? She left you Zoë." Holly frowned.

"Because I think if she was dead you'd have come as her." Zoë tried to be brave but her voice shook.

"But wouldn't this hurt you more, me the woman she left you for, taunting you." Holly sneered at her.

"No, I don't care about Holly." Zoë shook her head. "Holly was a disaster waiting to happen. I'm sorry she's dead but I don't care about her. Show me Bethany, I don't think you can."

"Perhaps I cant." Holly laughed. "Yet."

"You can't." Zoë underlined more confidently. "Because she's not dead."

"Is that a challenge Zoë?" Holly smirked.

"No." Zoë's answer was a little too quick and sharp. "I mean why would you need to hurt her? She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"But she does have to do with you." Suddenly the missing pen slammed into the ground next to Zoë's foot.

"But I'm nothing." Zoë pointed out honestly.

"Oh you are." Holly agreed quickly.

"I can't even float a pen." Zoë shook her head.

"Maybe not but," Holly's eyes glanced up to the house. "Someone in there thinks a lot of you, believes in you, trusts you."

"I'm the outsider. I'm disposable." Zoë tried to disagree with it.

"Then why don't you dispose of yourself?" Holly shrugged.

"Cause I'm not suicidal." Zoë laughed at the sad attempt. "Is this your best plug at me? Oh go on Zoë off yourself?"

"I didn't for once think of such a thing, I mean more dispose of yourself from this situation." Holly chuckled back. "As in scoot, vamoose, leave."

"Because you'll let me just walk away." Zoë made little walking motions with her fingers.

"Why wouldn't I? You're nothing remember." Holly picked at her nails again.

"Because you're evil incarnate." Zoë offered the reason.

"Wouldn't that suggest I have bigger fish to fry that a pathetic little nothing?" Holly scoffed.

"No that suggest you have to get your kicks somewhere." Zoë smiled. "Including torturing the nothings."

"Oh I like it when people like you show a little foresight A little knowledge. So let me just get this right, you're not going anywhere and you challenged me to bring Beth next time, right? I want to check the details before disappearing off you know." Holly laughed and clapped her hands together.

"No, I didn't challenge you to bring her." Zoë's eyes narrowed. "I challenged you to leave her alone."

"And because I'm evil incarnate I'm going to do that aren't I?" Holly questioned loving the game of words.

"I don't know what you're going to do." Zoë shook her head. "You'll do what suits you, it has nothing to do with me."

"So I can slit your little ex lover's throat and bathe in her blood then can I, can I really?" Holy rubbed her hands gleefully.

"If you touch her, touch one hair on her head I will find a way to destroy you." Zoë moved closer to the apparition. "And you'll wish you'd died like Holly because you wouldn't have known what hit you when I hit you."

"Big words from a nothing." Holly hissed back.

"I'm Canadian, we keep the peace and right now bitch first you're breaking it. Do I have to get my blue hat on and kick your ass around the yard?" Zoë hissed back.

"The truth is nothing, there is ironically nothing you can do to stop me. You or any of your pathetic little friends." Holly stepped back. "Come on out of the perimeter little girl." She beckoned. "Let me show you what I can do."

"Come out of the perimeter?" Zoë stepped right up the boundary. "Oh wait why so you can do something? When right now you can't touch me? You want me to beg for her life? You want me to plea and cry? Would that even make a difference to you?"

"I'd quite enjoy the show." Holly nodded. "Seeing you cry and beg."

"I bet you would and if I thought it would keep her safe I would give you the performance of a lifetime." Zoë admitted. "But it won't."

"True." The First nodded again. "Well I suppose I should be running along, I have a little affair in Manhattan to organize."

"If you go to Manhattan we'll defeat you, you'll give us the opening we need." Zoë challenged.

"Go? Me go to Manhattan." Holly laughed. "Well a holiday would be nice but... I have friends all over the world little nothing." She shook her head. "You might have met a few, wear brown, have no eyes, that kind of thing. Oh and very large sharp daggers."

"I thought those were the ones that the slayers were destroying all the time." Zoë smiled back.

"You can tread on a few dozen ants nothing and there's still a whole hill full waiting." The First began to turn away.

"And we can drop poison in the mound and kill the Queen." Zoë winked at her.

"Yes but by then we will have consumed your English rose." She winked back and then disappeared.

"FUCK YOU!" Zoë screamed at the night that was left in its place.

"Zoë?" Felicity and Alice ran from the house, weapons in hand at the sound of her scream.

"It was here." Zoë tracked back grabbing a sword from one of them. "Fucking son of a bitch." She whacked it into the nearest tree.

"Hey, hey, Maple Leaf what gives?" Suddenly the dark haired Slayer jogged in from the adjacent garden.

"Fucking son of a ten cent Goddamn whore." She hacked at the defenseless tree. "I hate this, I hate this... I hate being nothing."

"Well in a little while you're gonna be wearing that tree branch if you don't calm it down." Faith held her hands out towards the Canadian. "What went on Zoë?"

"It's going to kill her." Zoë went to take another swing and dropped the sword limply. "It's going to kill her and I can't stop it."

"Kill who?" Faith frowned.

"Bethany." Zoë sat down in the grass.

"Zoë?" Tara, dressed in a pair of pale pink pajamas was suddenly at the back door. "Faith?" She added stepping barefoot onto the grass.

"It's okay Tara, the First was just paying Maple Leaf a quick call." She tried to settle the air as she reached down for the long sword.

"Oh Goddess." Tara took a breath in and rather than retreating back hurried across the cool grass to Zoë's side. "Zoë?" She whispered kneeling down.

"It's going to kill her Tara, Holly is dead... it's going to kill her it said it was." Zoë rubbed her hands over her face.

"Holly's dead? But how? The First didn't..." Blue eyes flared in horror.

"Heroin overdose." Zoë shook her head.

"And it said it was going after Beth?" Tara hardly dare ask the horrible question.

"It said it was going to kill her and bathe in her blood." Zoë choked on the words.

"Okay not knowing what the hell you guys are really talking about." Faith leaned on the sword a little. "I'm guessing this Beth chick is the girl who left Zoë for the actress, who I'm guessing is Holly." The dark haired Slayer recapped. "And the First is going to off her."

"Yes." Zoë nodded.

"Tough break." Faith shrugged. "Hell of a way to be taught to stay faithful."

"Get away from me." Zoë snapped at her. "If that's all you can say get away from me."

"What? Woo what the hell did I say." Faith took a step back.

"You think she needs to be taught a lesson by dying?" Zoë looked at her.

"Faith not everyone can just fall in and out of love, it's not as simple as that." Tara tried to soothe.

"I'm not saying it is." Faith defended. "All I'm saying is there's not a damn thing we can do about it, if they're all apart and single these days is there? Its not as if we can call her cell phone and tell her to get her ass in hiding or better still here so we can keep and eye on her." The Slayer went on. "Strikes me this Beth chose her own path when she left Zoë, what can we do about that?"

"I have her number." Zoë looked at the Slayer as she ranted.

"You have Bethany's number?" Tara looked at the other witch whispering the question softly.

"I bought her the cell phone, she won't have changed the number." Zoë shook her head to the idea. "She can't get the union jack faceplate on any other phone in north America."

"Do you want to call her?" The blond witch asked.

"I phone her and tell her what? The biggest nastiest evil showed up as Holly and told me it's coming to kill you?" Zoë laughed sadly.

"More that you heard about Holly, you were worried about her, maybe suggesting she come here to see you." Tara offered more believable alternatives.

"Do you think she'd come?" Zoë looked at her. "Can we get her here before it gets her?"

"We can try." Tara nodded. "If we find out exactly where she is, we can work out the easiest safest way of getting her here."

"I should go get her number." Zoë nodded back and pushed up. "Thanks Faith." She looked at the dark haired Slayer.

"For pissing you off?" Faith chuckled.

"For making a suggestion wise ass." Zoë stuck her tongue off as she went by.

"You don't think we've got a hope in hell of getting her here safely do you?" Faith chuckled as she did and looked at Tara.

Tara glanced at the house as the door swung closed after Zoë.

"We need to try." She whispered.

"That's not what I asked." Faith carefully clarified.

"I know, but it's the only answer you're getting." Tara pushed up and began a slow walk to the house.

Part 17

Zoë pressed the end button on the small cell phone and sat down on the edge of the bed shakily. The conversation had been difficult, Holly indeed had overdosed at a party a few weeks before but luckily Beth hadn't attended so she'd been no where near the fatal drugs that had killed the actress, two others at the party and sent a few more to the hospital.

If the witch had been anywhere near the US most of that time she would have probably noticed heard about it, but between being in Italy in combination that no one in Sunnydale was paying much attention to outside news meant the pretty sensationalized event had gone unnoticed in this corner of the world.

Zoë didn't exactly know how she was feeling now. This whole place was like being in a bubble, she'd almost forgot there was a world outside the Hellmouth. Almost forgot that there was an after to all of this hopefully, an after that included the same feelings and disappointments she'd been dealing with for awhile.

"She's coming." She heard the door open a bit and knew from the soft perfume in the air it was Tara. "She's going to fly into LA and then drive here. I told her to only do it in the daytime, she didn't really question."

"How is she?" Tara asked softly.

"Devastated... Freaked out... Confused about what I was not telling her." Zoë admitted. "But she's coming at least. She said nothing unusual had happened since Holly though so maybe the First doesn't know where she is."

"And how are you?" The blonde's voice was softer still.

"This isn't exactly how I dreamed of us seeing each other again." Zoë put the cell phone on the side table and then sat with her hands in her lap. "Her coming because Holly was dead, the world ending, you know?"

"But you do want to see her again?" Tara checked that making the call had been the right thing after all.

"Of course I do, I tried to not let it see how much hurting her would hurt me, how killing her wouldn't get it anything but I couldn't hide what I feel for her. It knew it could hurt me by hurting her more than it could hurt me by hurting me." Zoë tried to remember what had happened in the backyard. "Tara, it was weird. Why did it go to all this trouble to taunt me?"

"I wish I knew." Tara shook her head. "But maybe it has something to do with why you were sent here in the first place. M wouldn't have sent you if there wasn't a specific reason for it being you, even if you did volunteer." The blonde gave her the warmest smile.

"How am I going to explain all of this too her?" Zoë looked at the blonde witch obviously overwhelmed.

"Slowly, carefully and honestly if you want to." Tara replied simply. "If not you could always call her back and tell her to go to M in Italy, she would make sure she was safe."

"What would you do?" Zoë asked her. "If say it was Willow."

"I'd bring her here." Tara said without question. "If only to be with her if it all does go to Hell." She admitted softly. "But it's different for Willow and I, this is you and Beth. I can't say what is right for you."

"I have to at least try to keep her safe." The Canadian sighed. "I can't leave her out there at its mercy, even if she doesn't love me anymore."

"I know." Tara reached out and put her hand on Zoë's. "When should we expect her?"

"She's taking the flight tonight, arriving early tomorrow morning then she'll drive in. So before lunch hopefully?" Zoë frowned. "Maybe I should have gone to get her at the airport?"

"If you like I am sure Giles wouldn't mind you and one of the slayers going to get her." Tara nodded to the idea.

"I don't want to take one away from here and protecting the SIT's." Zoë shook her head. "This fight isn't about Beth and I."

"Zoë no, you can't go by yourself." Tara shook her head. "If you took the bus then you could take some SIT's with you, call it training out on the field." She chuckled softly.

"I guess I should talk to Faith about it." Zoë nodded. "See what she thinks is best."

"In the morning." Tara nodded. "You should try and rest. It's getting late."

"I can't sleep." Zoë shook her head. "I'll work on the spell, I think there is lots we can do with it." She looked around. "Damn I left my notebook in the yard."

"I'll get it." Tara pushed up softly.

"No, Tara you should be with Willow." Zoë shook her head standing up. "I'm fine, rant over, no biggie."

"Zoë stop it." Tara shook her head. "I am quite capable of going out into the yard and picking up your notebook for you. I'm on battery duty as it is at eleven." She glanced at her watch seeing she only had fifteen minutes left before then.

"Okay. I could meet you down on the couch we can bounce ideas while you charge up the shield?" Zoë offered. "And then I can make us coffee."

"Are you really that energetic?" Tara raised an eyebrow.

"Hey we only got attacked once last night." Zoë smiled. "Okay, okay, I'll try to sleep and if I can't I'll come down and see you okay?" She tried a compromise.

"Better." Tara nodded as she slipped out.

The yard was nearly pitch black as Tara slipped out into it, the light from the kitchen window only spread to about half the depth of the long lawn. The white spiral bound notebook that Zoë had been using though was clearly visible off near to the final tripwire boundary. The blonde was glad she had taken the time to slip some shoes and a cardigan over her Pj's as she strolled out to retrieve the book.

"Is Maple leaf okay?" Faith questioned from the outside edge of the trip line.

"Goddess Faith you started me!" Tara looked up and shook her head. "What are you doing out here and over the boundary line too? You might be a slayer but that doesn't mean you take unnecessary risks." She smiled brightly.

"I was just checking out how secure it is, we have a few holes. You must have been teasing Red too much when she did the work." Faith laughed and winked.

"Faith!" Tara blushed and then sobered as Faith's words cleared in her head. "Though do we, show me." She added with a frown.

"Here near the trees, there is a break in the fence line." Faith moved over silently. "We could have hordes of Bringers coming in through it and getting to the house." She turned to Tara and then smiled. "Well if they weren't all busy hunting down the new Slayer."

"You don't think they'll go after Piper do you?" Tara looked up at Faith briefly as she examined the uneven fence posts from a distance.

"Naw, I mean they don't know she's out there alone right? Besides they're probably all keeping an eye on us." Faith shrugged. "So I have to ask, is Zoë the girl you, you know, in Italy?" She made a vague gesture with her hand.

"She's not out there alone Faith, Buffy went after her." Tara shook her head and then stalled a bit at the question. "And…" The blonde glanced at the house. "Yes Zoë is." She replied stepping closer to the fence.

"That's cool, I can see you and the Maple Leaf getting along. She's spunky." Faith grinned. "Wait did you say B went? I thought she was pissed at Giles and stayed in?"

"No, I don't think so..." Tara shook her head. "Though I guess she might have gone back to the other house." She frowned slightly. "Everyone asleep at your place?" She glanced along the houses to look at the third in the row; there was only one bedroom light still on.

"Zonked." Faith nodded. "So how is her spell going? How we gonna kick it's ass?"

"Oh." Tara glanced back to where she had started from realizing she'd left the notebook on the floor. "I don't know. I'll look when I get back inside, but we'll find a way for sure, you know that." Tara smiled as she quickly moved back and grabbed it before walking over to Faith again. "We can't be the weak link that lets you, Buffy and Piper down can we?" She reached out to pat Faith's shoulder.

"Watch the trip wire Blondie." Faith stepped back away from her abruptly and Tara looked down seeing her ankle was nearly pressing it.

"Willow wouldn't like it if I tripped over that, thank you." Tara smiled again. "So what made you check the perimeter?" She asked as she wrapped the cardigan around her a little tighter. "Did the first's visit to Zoë make you a little wiggy?"

"Yeah, I mean why bother with Zoë? She's nothing special, Hell we don't even know why she's here." Faith shrugged again walking down the perimeter line a bit.

"Faith, she might not be the witch Willow and I are, but she is special, very special, you'd know that if you got to know her." Tara watched her move and then walked after her. "M sent her here for a reason, I trust that, we'll work out what that reason is, I know we will."

"You guys sound as bad as me with this M business, who is M?" Faith questioned looking through the dark at Tara.

"You'd hate her Faith." Tara smiled more. "She's the leader of the training center I was at in Italy." She explained. "Heavy with the self control, centering and focus approach." She paused for a moment. "Why don't you come inside, have a coffee with me I'm about to take over charging the shield?"

"Naw, I should finish my perimeter sweep." Faith shook her head.

"Want some company? I have ten minutes to kill." Tara offered smiling brighter.

"Yeah come on, you can tell me more about Zoë." Faith nodded beginning to walk the fence line on the outside.

"What do you want to know?" Tara walked with her. "And do you like toying with danger?" She pointed to the trip wire she was walking the other side of.

"I do." Faith gave her a toothy grin. "Anything, like why you think she's special even if she isn't big witch on the block?"

"Oh come on Faith." Tara laughed softly. "You can see she's special, she's warm and caring."

"Yeah but come on what's that going to do against the First and a shitload of Ubers?" Faith cocked her head to one side.

"Not everything is about muscle Faith." Tara objected softly.

"So what did you see in her?" Faith stopped them at the far end of the yard away from the house.

"What do you mean?" Tara tilted her head slightly leaning against the thick trunk of a tree bordering the yard.

"I mean you and Red were broke up and you went for her, had to be something that caught your eye other than the northern drawl and the fact she can drink like a sailor." Faith chuckled. "Doesn't qualify her as your type."

"I didn't go for her!" Tara objected frowning hard. "It wasn't like that." She stopped. "You know it wasn't. You know 'friend' I should hex you for teasing me." She laughed softly. "Or at least chase you or something."

"I am your friend." Faith underlined. "You can tell me anything, you know that right?"

"Thank you." Tara stopped for a moment and looked at Faith, her words sincere. She could see the way that the Slayer was watching and contemplating, it was obvious the First's most recent visit and Piper being out on patrol was worrying her. "You're not settled are you?" She appraised. "Look we could go for a walk if you like, there's a coffee store just around the corner we can free some coffee. I don't have to take over on the couch for a little while, last I checked Andrew was asleep on there anyway."

"Sure that would be great, if you can get outside without setting this off." Faith winked at her.

"It's not a prison Faith." Tara laughed lifting one leg over the trip wire, before stopping. "Oh sorry I didn't mean that." She apologized quickly.

"It's cool, you'd have liked prison, all those girls." Faith grinned at her walking backwards and leading her away from the trip line.

"Faith, do you always turn everything into something verging on the lurid?" Tara shook her head as she walked down the short gravel path that led from the side of the yard to the road beyond.

"It's expected." Faith laughed as she walked down the back alley with the blonde witch. "And come on if you were in prison we both know you'd be that scary quiet girls that the lifers tell stories to the newbies about. You know 'damn that's Maclay, stay away from her, she killed twenty people and that was just the cops that tired to arrest her, spends most of her time in solitary'. Sorta your Hannibal the Cannibal type, too pretty and smart to be your dumbass criminal."

"Are you trying flattery to make up for dodgy comments?" Tara chuckled speeding up her steps to match the pace that Faith set with her long athletic legs. A trip to the store with the dark Slayer was going to be record quick.

"You think calling you a psychopath is flattery?" Faith asked back laughing.

"I was focusing more on the pretty and smart lines actually." Tara shook her head. "You are terrible you know that don't you?"

"I'm just a pussy cat." Faith purred playfully.

"And the vampires are your mice?" Tara chuckled.

"My playthings yes." Faith smiled.

"Poor mice." Tara laughed softly.

"Well that's how it works, eat or be eaten." Faith shrugged and moved closer. "You're incredibly edible you know that don't you?" She whispered to the blonde as they moved into the empty store parking lot.

"Faith!" Tara squeaked and laughed at what she took as a teasing comment. "Behave."

"Why? We both know you're with Red. I'm not talking long-term relationship since we both know the world is going to end. Don't you want to know what you're missing?" Faith stood right toe to toe with the blonde witch first causing her to stop before she brought her down closer to Tara's.

Her surprise at Faith's blatant come on filled the shy part of Tara's brain with fear and apprehension but all of that was overridden as her body screamed at her to notice that with the close words there was no noticeably warm breath accompanying it.

"Oh Goddess, you're not Faith!" Tara took a step back.

"What? Oh my, I was doing so well." The First pulled back and smiled. "What gave me away? The breathing isn't it. No hot, humid breath to wash over your skin."

"You could never be anything close to human." Tara felt anger and fear mix fast in her blood stream the battle between fight and flight raging.

"I know pathetic isn't it? I'm the greatest evil and I can't recreate human life." The First tutted softly at the reality. "And I mean how I would love to recreate this." She slid her hands down Faith's hips. "I thought Buffy was yummy but this body, this must have fun. You can just feel the life trying to flow through her."

"You're sick." Tara backed up a little hearing shuffling feet on the sidewalk some distance away.

"To be sick you must be alive, I'm not alive Tara. I am evil." Faith's face twisted into a snarl. "I suggest you stay close though Blondie, if you stray then my boys will come for you."

"Bringers." Tara whispered despite herself taking a step forward closer to the apparition.

"I wanted to talk to you, they're here to finish the conversation." The First nodded.

"How many?" Tara swallowed.

"More than you can magic through." The First confirmed for her. "So be a good girl and chat with me, it might buy you some time."

"Haven't I told you everything you want to know yet?" Tara's self hatred was obvious. Her she had been babbling on about Zoë, about two of the Slayers being away from the houses and that M was in Italy.

"No, not everything." The mimic smiled.

"Okay I'm officially complaining." Andrew's voice was a quiet whine and when no one answered him it grew louder. "Hello has everyone forgotten me?"

"Andrew what is your problem?" Willow came to the top of the stairs.

"You'll do, where's the blonde one?" Andrew motioned for her to come to the couch. "I'm so over due for a rest."

"Tara went to check on Dawn. She didn't come back?" Willow came down the stairs.

"Typical forget me." Andrew huffed. "She probably went over there and fell asleep or something. Fell asleep in a bed I might add."

"Stay there." Willow pulled on her shoes and a jacket. She moved to the door and jogged over to the other house pushing her way into it without any hesitation. "Tara?"

"Hey there Red, what's up?" Faith looked up from a game of poker she was playing with Xander at the dining room table.

"Where is Tara?" Willow looked at them obviously growing more panicked.

"Can't help you with that one Red sorry." Faith shook her head just as Zoë came out of the kitchen with a drink and a heat pack.

"Hi Willow." She smiled softly at the redhead.

"Do you know where Tara is?" She checked with the new arrival immediately.

"She was going to pick up my notebook from the backyard and then go take over for Andrew." Zoë explained seeing the serious expression.

"Hey guys we're back." Kennedy announced as she pushed the door open. "Safe and sound."

"Faith, something wrong." Willow turned to the dark Slayer ignoring the SIT's arrival.

"Faith, what are you doing here?" The dark haired potential stopped and looked from Willow to Faith as the Slayer pushed up off her chair.

"What do you mean?" Faith stared at her.

"Because hello just bitching at from across the car park at the store, way to ignore us." Kennedy huffed.

"What?" Willow looked at Kennedy. "You saw Faith at the store?"

"Yeah I figured her and Tara had gone to liberate more coffee." Kennedy felt the hair rise up on her neck. "But they were in this serious conversation so we just came home."

"It's the First." Willow felt her body shake a little. "We have to get to her."

"Stay here Willow." Faith hurried to the door. "Kennedy with me."

"No." Willow shook her head not stopping her move to push past the silent SIT's to the doorway.

"Red come on, having one of you super witches out is bad enough." Faith tried to reason.

"I'm not letting her get hurt." Willow pulled the door open and moved out pushing her body into a quick run.

"Red! Fuck this." Faith took off after her realizing that reasoning wasn't going to help her case. Willow ran to the end line and knowing where all the trip wires and sensors were jumped them heading into the street. "Red, slow down." Faith pushed hard and caught her.

"It's not hurting her." Willow was a wave of flowing red hair as she stalked down the street.

"It can't." Faith reminded as they rounded the corner and they could see the store in the distance. "It has no form."

"But they can." She saw the dozen Bringers that circled Tara and the second Faith.

"Oh fuck." Faith cursed seeing the group.

"Tara!" Willow starting running closer, throwing out her hands and tossing one side of the containment Bringers across the tarmac.

"Willow!" Tara's head whirled around as four bringers jumped from their positions running for Willow and Faith.

Faith kicked two back with a jump flare kick and knocked the third with her fist but the forth ran past her towards Willow.

"Tara." Willow called again waiting until the Bringer came charging at her and then she tucked and rolled clumsily but effectively out of the way.

"Gotta go." The First winked at Tara and disappeared just as a Bringer ran forward and backhanded her to the ground, Zoë's notebook flying out of her hand.

"WILLOW! FAITH!" Piper's voice called out from behind them as the new Slayer rushed into the fight.

"Get to Tara." Willow reached up and struck her bringer with a punch sending him away from her.

In a flash the newest Slayer ran past Faith and Willow towards Tara's prone form, a Bringer towering over the blonde already.

"Oh no you don't." Leaping, she hit the Bringer in the side pushing it well away from Tara.

From out of no where, Buffy ran up and drove her sword into the Bringer that Willow was fighting before she kept going on towards the other minions.

"Piper, behind you." She warned as she threw a flying kick at another one.

"Got it." Piper spun and flashed her fist out knocking it away. Buffy didn't second guess as she moved to slice the sword into one then another Bringer.

"Baby?" Willow reached Tara and knelt down with her. "Are you okay?" She began to pull her lover up to her feet.

"I was so stupid." Tara groaned and got up, bleeding a little from a graze on her knee.

"It was Faith, how?" Willow asked stupidly as the Slayers finished with the rest of the Bringers.

"Because she died." Tara pulled her cardigan around her feeling so exposed.

"We should get back, this could be a diversion." Faith pointed out reaching down to pick up Zoë's notebook from where Tara had dropped it during the fight.

"I'm sorry." Tara dropped her head.

"It's okay." Willow shook her head. "Let's get back home where everyone is safe."

Leaning heavily against Willow, Tara didn't really think as the three Slayers walked them quickly towards the houses to check on everyone else.

"Looks like we got lucky." Faith moved over the intact tripwire to see Zoë and some of SIT's on the front lawn looking worried.

"Is everything okay?" China pushed up from her place.

"Will, get Tara inside." Buffy urged the redhead. Willow nodded and keeping a firm grip on the blonde moved her towards the main house.

"We had a Bringer swarm." Faith explained lightly to the confused crowd. "But we killed them all."

"Come on people lets get some rest." Buffy clapped her hands and watched the girls disperse.

"Tara really I don't believe it's necessary to make apology pancakes for all three houses." Giles poured two cups of tea as the blonde worked in the kitchen.

"I need to do this." Tara shook her head. "I should have checked, I should have made the logical assumption that the First would use Faith's form against us."

"Tara, please." Giles shook his head. "I think its fair to say no one even contemplated the First doing that before last night."

"Faith thought I was an ass." Tara eased a pancake out of the pan and put it on the pile.

"No, I didn't." Faith appeared in the back door and shook her head. "I thought you got duped like the rest of us, easy mistake."

"You're up early Faith." Giles noted. "I believe this plateful is for you and your household." He nodded to a plate stacked high with pancakes.

"Great." Faith moved over and slid the plate over. "How you doing?" She looked at Tara.

"I was stupid, I'm suffering from post stupid Tara disorder." Tara poured more batter in the pan frowning.

"Yeah well I know I felt stupid when the Mayor showed up and rattled my chain." Faith stuffed pancake into her mouth. "But hey we got to ambush some Bringers so it's cool."

"Cool in a careless idiot got herself into trouble kind of way." Tara flipped her pancake forcefully.

"No, my beautiful girl is never an idiot." Willow came sweeping in and hugged her from behind.

"I was." Tara shook her head. "And I'm sorry." She added slipping away from Willow and hurrying off up to the upstairs bathroom.

"Can you watch the pancakes?" Willow blurted out and hurried up after her. She didn't even wait for either Faith or Giles to move to the stove as she backtracked the hall and went up the stairs as quickly as she could. "Tara?" She followed her to the bathroom and found herself bashing into the unexpectedly locked door. "Tara?" She jiggled the doorknob. "Tara, honey, unlock the door."

"I'll be down in a while." The blonde replied through the barrier.

"Honey, please." Willow knocked again and there came a soft click from the other side of the door. "Tara, what's going on?" She pushed in slowly.

"I let everyone down again." Tara looked up with sad eyes. "Every time I think I'm better, start believing in me…" She frowned. "I get it wrong."

"You are not wrong." Willow shook her head. "Tara baby, it had already came to Zoë, you didn't have any reason to think it wasn't Faith and no one ever thought about it taking her form."

"But I should have just thought about it more, worked out the little things." Tara put her hand flat against the mirror.

"Love it was dark, it was late, you were tired." Willow put her hand on Tara's back.

"I still should have checked." Tara back tensed instantly beneath the redhead's fingers.

"Love look at me." Willow urged her to turn around.

"Why?" Tara didn't turn.

"Because I want you to look at me and see that I don't think you did anything wrong. No one does, this is what the First does, it tricks us. All of us at one time or another." Willow assured her and Tara turned slowly. "Remember it made Owl jump the trip wire, it made Spike kill people, it tried to tell me to kill myself, it made Faith freak out." She summed up.

"I still let you down." Tara whispered shaking her head.

"Tara you're here with me this morning, you didn't let me down." The redhead shook her head firmly. "No one got hurt and we killed a lot of Bringers."

"You were great." Tara smiled just a little.

"So were you." Willow reached forward and hugged her.

"I grazed my knee." Tara leaned her head down onto Willow's shoulder.

"Why don't we clean it and put a bandage on baby?" Willow hugged her tighter.

"I don't think it needs that." Tara shook her head.

"I could kiss it better." Willow breathed out.

"It might be too sore for that." Tara frowned.

"I could kiss other places better than." Willow rubbed her hand up and down her lover's back.

"Please." Tara nodded bringing her hand up to play with long red hair.

Willow slipped her hand around; guiding Tara's face up so she could move her lips down over her lover's kissing her tenderly. Tara's eyes dipped closed as she felt the tension in her shoulders drop slightly her worry melting at the touch of her lover's lips.

Willow concentrated on the soft contact, feeling the way their lips fit together. Tara let her fingers trace back over red hair to rest on Willow's neck as she pressed her body a little closer to the other woman's.

"I love you." Willow whispered parting their lips for a moment a she enjoyed the light massage at her neck. Feeling desire rising inside her she pressed her open mouth back to Tara's. Tara dropped one hand low guiding it lightly around Willow's waist. A little surprised at the change from the light tender kiss her lover had begun kissing her with, to this still tender but desire driven one. "We should go back to our room." The redhead breathed out pressing closer.

"I have to finish pancakes." Tara pulled her head back, drawing in a quick breath.

"They can feed themselves." Willow leaned forward kissing her. "I need you."

"But Willow the house is full and people will be awake." Tara objected weakly feeling her body flare with need as Willow breathed the last three words onto her lips.

"We can be quiet or loud and they can all be horrified, I don't care." The redhead kissed her again. "Tara, please."

"Need me." Tara whispered kissing her hotly.

"Need..." Willow breathed out after the kiss it hitching in her throat. "You."

"Bedroom." Tara slipped her hand into Willow's. Willow smiled broadly as she felt herself pulled across the hall until they were able to safely lock the door behind them. "Tell me more about this need." Tara asked softly as she stepped away from the now locked door.

"I need to make love to you." Willow stepped to follow her.

"Really?" Tara didn't stop until she was at the bed, and then she lowered herself onto the mattress on her back, her hand reaching out to Willow.

"I do." Willow moved over slipping up over her on the bed. "I need to kiss you."

She leaned her lips down.

Lifting her head off the pillow Tara pressed her mouth to Willow's in a long sensual kiss. The sheer pleasure the kiss brought made Willow press down her body over the blonde's. Tara pressed up in response, her legs sliding a little open so that Willow dropped the short distance to nestle between them.

"I need you so much." Willow settled in place arching her hips down.

"You have me." Tara assured her. "I'm sorry last night I was so distant." She added moving her arms around her lover's body rubbing lightly over Willow's ass.

"It's okay, I know you were upset." Willow shook her head arching more at the touch.

"But upset doesn't have to mean shut Willow out, I think it should mean let Willow help." Tara replied.

"You did, we snuggled and feel asleep." Willow leaned down to kiss her neck.

"You do realize this means I'm more or less confined to a day on the couch. Andrew's not going to be a pretty sight if I don't offer." Tara's hips flexed up as Willow's lips touched her throat.

"I can stay with you." Willow whispered as she kissed up the tender flesh.

"You can try and teach me that baseball game again." Tara laughed as her hips dancing a little from side to side, pushing up to Willow's.

"I'm not that good." Willow laughed lightly though her body pressed back to each jump.

"You are good, the only thing I'm better than you at on that machine is fishing, though why that should be I really don't know." Tara laughed softly back let her fingers wander down to the edge of Willow's shorts on her thighs.

"You know how to..." Willow groaned as Tara's hand moved. "Charm the fish."

"Luring them with my charms huh." Tara teased her fingers up the tight fitting sleep shorts to graze over the back of Willow's thighs.

"Mmmmm or maybe that's me." Willow tipped her head back a bit. "I'm distracted by your charms."

"No, you're not." Tara shook her head rubbing her hands lightly back and forth stopping at the soft crease of Willow's curved butt cheeks each sweep.

"Aren't I?" Her voice visibly hitched.

"No you're distracted by me generally." Tara chuckled again.

"Because I'm in love with you." Willow pressed harder with her hips.

"Mmmmm." Tara's reply was postponed as the blonde moaned lightly in pleasure at the tighter contact. "I'm in love with you too." She breathed out hotly.

"I love you so much." Willow reached up trailing her fingers down Tara's cheek. Tara turned her head and softly kissed her lover's fingers.

"I know." She admitted her voice full of conviction.

Willow breathed out as she leaned down kissing her again deeply, her tongue playing over full lips. Very slowly Tara eased her lips open, her body pressing up her hand sliding up to cup Willow's ass.

At the invitation Willow's tongue slid just a little inside her lover's warm mouth, skimming over smooth teeth as she pressed back into Tara's hand. This time her long fingers pressing into warm skin. Opening her lips a little further Tara slid out her tongue encouraging Willow deeper, and when she'd gotten what she wanted Tara closed her lips and sucked lightly on Willow's tongue her hands tightening on the redhead's small shapely butt cheeks.

A moan came back as Willow's body pressed back against Tara's hips. Releasing her lovers tongue, Tara breathed heavily for a moment. She began a slow hard circle up against Willow's body. Willow moaned again as she pressed back down into the move.

"I want you Willow." Tara let her breath come hot and heavy.

"I so want you." Willow panted back.

"Oh yes." Tara increased the speed of her rotating.

"You feel so amazing." Willow pressed with her.

"Do I?" Tara asked her voice full of surprise and passion.

"You always do." Willow vowed leaning down to kiss her neck again.

"Always?" Tara squeezed Willow's ass at the same time.

"Always." Willow licked up around the blonde's earlobe.

"Ohhh Willow." Tara groaned turning her head for Willow to lavish her ear. Willow licked around again before she sucked lightly on the lobe. "Mmmmm." Tara closed her mouth and moaned in soft delight pressing her hips tighter urging the redhead to lick and suck harder. "Touch me." Tara panted softly.

Willow continued to tease her ear as she moved her hand over sliding it up under her lover's shirt to rest her full palm over one warm breast, massaging the ample swell.

"Oh yes." Tara whispered her pleasure at the move.

"I love the way you feel." Willow whispered hotly into her ear as her thumb ran over her hard nipple.

"I love the way you make me feel." Tara admitted her upper body arching.

"How do I make you feel?" Willow breathed hotly.

"Hungry, hot, aching inside." Tara whispered loving as she could close her eyes so that her skin was alight with Willow's touch and her ears were filled with their passionate words.

"Mmmmm." Willow groaned pressing down harder with her hips as she licked down her lover's neck, pressing up the material of her shirt. Soon she had it high enough to close her lips over the nipple she was teasing.

"And how do I make you feel?" Tara groaned and rolled her hips up.

"Like I want to kiss every inch of you." Willow licked her tongue around and around the peak.

"Even though sometimes I'm...." Tara began but was stopped by a wave of pleasure.

"Beautiful." She sucked again and then swirled her tongue. "Sexy."

"You're biased." Tara groaned louder, whimpering slightly as her body melted a little more.

"Mmmmm no, it's the truth." Willow moved to suck and lick the other nipple.

"We should have got undressed." Tara chuckled as much as her excitement would let her.

"Too late now." Willow kissed over the blonde's creamy stomach.

"You're just going to drive me crazy and undress me as you go are you?" Tara moaned her body arching against the redhead's lips.

"Maybe." Willow teased moving her hands to the tie at the top of the blonde's skirt.

"Maybe?" Tara repeated the word, her voice a hot whisper.

"Maybe I won't undress you." She kissed lower pressing her mouth against the material that covered between Tara's legs.

"Oooooohhhhh!" Tara pressed her hips up against Willow's mouth.

"Mmmmm." Willow began pushing the skirt up more. "You had to wear the complicated skirt didn't you?'

"I wasn't thinking." Tara shivered with anticipation as she felt her legs fully exposed. Willow smiled as she pushed it up further and pressed her lips down to the blonde's panties. "Sorry love, next time... Ahhhhhhh!" Tara groaned again mid apology. "I can put on the wrap around when we're done." She relaxed again against the mattress.

"Mmmmm too late." Willow pressed her tongue against the material swirling it over Tara's center.

"You know you know exactly how to touch me." Tara wiggled a little.

"Because I love you." Willow pressed a bit harder as the material soaked through with sweet wetness.

"Do you know how difficult snuggling on the sofa with you is going to be after you have done this?" Tara moaned again pressing her hips directly up and down against Willow.

"But that makes it fun." Willow peeled back the ruined material breathing in the intoxicating scent of her lover before she pressed her lips back, sliding her tongue along the edges of swollen lips.

"Vixen." Tara pressed her head back and her hips up, breathing harder as the direct contact made her tingle.

"Vixen?" Willow placed slow kisses up one side and then the other, sucking lightly on the edge of excited flesh.

"Yes, teasing me, with all this lovely licking and touching, and then admitted you're going to be deliberately sexy all day long." Tara pointed out her breathing more erratic.

"Mmmmm yes." Willow slowly dragged the tip of her tongue down the full length of her body.

"Ohhh baby!" Tara arched harder, her body coming up on her heels a bit.

Willow moaned and pressed in more as she repeated the long move. She did this a few times before she finally pressed in fully, just catching the tip of her tongue off Tara's center.

"AhhhhhHHmmmmmmmWillow." Tara bit her lip lightly, her hips pressing up higher.

"Yes baby?" Willow breathed out against hot flesh.

"More please, don't stop kissing me, touching me." Tara panted desperately. Willow slid her tongue in quickly, directly sliding in wide licks over the sensitive spot. "Yes, oh Goddess Willow yes." She curled one hand lightly in the bed sheet.

Willow eagerly continued in the same spot not wanting to tease anymore. Moving her other hand Tara drew it over Willow's hair, lightly, not putting any pressure on it at all, just caressing over it with soft long strokes. Feeling her need for more pressure Willow closed her lips sucking down on the hard flesh under her lips.

Unable to resist tightening her grip on her lover's head just slightly, Tara pushed her hips up higher pulling them around in a soft circle, moaning low and heavy. Willow kept up the hard pressure letting Tara move against her.

"Oh please Willow, a little harder." Tara breathed out.

Willow grunted her agreement as she sucked harder, using her fingers to spread open wet lips so she could press her lips closer. Tara's smooth hip circling changed into a more staggered push against Willow mouth making Willow fight to keep her lips in place, flicking the flesh she'd caught with her tongue.

"Goddess baby I'm..." Tara's back arched harder.

A groan of encouragement sounded as Willow was forced to release her lips to breath but she slid her fingers around flicking over the flesh she released.

"AHHHHH! Willow, Willow, Willow, baby, aaaaaaahhhh!" Tara's hips dropped suddenly and then pushed up over and over in a hard fast staggered rhythm.

Willow hung on panting as she licked her tongue over her fingers as Tara's body moved. Unable to talk anymore Tara just moaned and whimpered her immense pleasure as her body let go. Jumping and jerking erratically Tara wouldn't have been able to tell you how her exploding body had been responding to the hard orgasm, before slowly she found her body settling down back onto the mattress. Tara panted exhaustedly as Willow slowed her tongue and then finally moved up.

"So I'm a vixen?" The redhead grinned kissing her on the cheek.

"Oh my beautiful Willow, yes, yes you are." Tara panted still.

"I don't think you were supposed to agree." The redhead laughed lightly.

"How could I not, you can be such a tease." Tara managed to lift one hand to run over Willow's cheek.

"Mmmmm true." Willow leaned her head on Tara's shoulder listening to her heart.

"Still beating?" Tara checked laughing softly.

"Fast." Willow nodded resting her hand on Tara's stomach. "But I love the sound of it."

"Well I can't think why it would be fast." Tara chuckled weakly, she closed her eyes feeling the aftershocks spiking through her body.

"I can." Willow smirked to herself resting her chin lightly on one breast. "You still thinking wrap around skirt?" She winked as blue eyes opened again.

"Could you keep your hands out of it all day?" Tara challenged cheekily.

"Nope." Willow shook her head being honest.

"Then don't you think I should wear jeans instead maybe?" Tara offered the next choice.

"Baby you know what you're like in jeans." Willow teased. "Will you be able to last the whole day?"

"What are you suggesting/" Tara slapped her lover's thigh lightly, pulling Willow's leg up her body a bit so she could leave her hand there.

"You're a vixen too." Willow laughed snuggling into the blonde's body.

"Willow!" The blonde blushed. "I am not."

"You are too missy aroused with the jeans seam." The redhead grinned.

"So what should I wear?" Tara smiled knowing that her lover knew her too well to argue.

"Nothing." Willow leaned up and kissed her.

"I'll be on the couch!" Tara objected her blue eyes sparkling.

"Mmmmm your wrap around." Willow smiled and settled her cheek against Tara's breast again.

"Sweetie, why does it feel like you're settling down for a nap?" Tara asked snuggling herself into the mattress and sliding her hand over Willow's arm.

"My happy place." Willow snuggled closer and closed her eyes.

"It is early, and we didn't sleep so great." Tara reasoned that it would be okay to stay there, at least for a little while.

"Exactly." Willow squeezed her slightly and closed her eyes.

Faith led everyone through a group series of moves and poses, testing everyone's general muscle strength and balance.

"Come on." She urged them when they started to tire. "Just a couple more." She kept doing front kicks and made sure they followed.

"Are you sure you slayers aren't robots?" Felicity tried to keep up the pace but was floundering as her wound hampered her.

"Yeah you know like transformers, robots in disguise." Beatrix laughed softly.

"Yeah we are. But hey we have something awesome for lunch so come on then more." Faith encouraged them all.

"Lunch, great I'm starved." Chia grinned dropping out of anything that remotely resembled a ready stance.

"Not yet, I want ten more front punches." Faith called them all to keep going.

"Slave driver." Felicity mumbled but winked at the dark haired Slayer.

"Pick it up Flick." Faith urged them.

"Hey I'm injured." She pointed to the bulky dressing laughing softly.

"See this." Faith held up two fingers and rubbed them together. "World's smallest violin just for you, you might be injured but I want all you got. Either that or you're on injured list and no more sword fun for you."

"She's got your number Flick!" Beatrix laughed

Felicity turned and poked her tongue out at the other SIT when suddenly the air was filled with an ear splitting explosion. A plume of black smoke mushroomed up into the air from a short way off in the distance. The noise was tripled in its sound by the eerie quiet of the deserted city.

"In the house, double time, double time." Faith began waving at them all to hurry indoors as she looked to the distance. She kept her eyes on the tree line waiting for another surprise attack but everything after the initial bang was eerily quiet.

"B! We got action." She yelled to the blonde as she followed the SIT's in.

"What the Hell was that?" Buffy questioned as she came running.

"Did the apocalypse start already?" Anya poked her head out of the kitchen. "Why didn't anyone tell me we were to expect it today?"

"I don't know but we better go check it out." Faith nodded moving to pick up the shotgun she'd taken out of the hotel. "Birdy gets house watch, where is she?"

"If it helps, I'm not picking up anything wiggy in the magical dimension." Tara looked up from her place on the couch. "Are you sweetie?" She glanced at Willow who was beside her.

"Nothing." Willow agreed.

"Could have been anything, maybe a minor explosion? Something mechanical that needs to be maintained but since no one is here." Xander offered a harmless reason.

"Sorry guys, was just working on staff maneuvers." Piper ran in carrying the still extended war staff.

"B and I are going to go check it out, you got house watch. Keep that with you."

Faith nodded at her handing Buffy a sword. "Ready?"

"Shouldn't some of us come with you?" Kennedy argued as she came in after Piper to hear the plan.

"We don't know what this is." Faith shook her head. "Could be a ruse to flush SIT's out. We're just doing some recon, then we'll be back."

"Exactly so stay over at your house for protection in case, it's better that we keep the main group assembled and at their posts." Buffy backed up Faith's reasoning. With a reluctant nod Kennedy moved back outside towards her post. "If things get crazy, don't try to be a hero." She crossed over to Piper and briefly put her hand on her arm.

"You got it." She winked at her lover.

"Let's go." Faith was at the door and stuffed some extra shells in her pockets before she cocked the shotgun she was carrying.

"Is that a shotgun?" Buffy said hurrying to grab a double-headed axe instead of the sword Faith had given her.

"Yeah, if this isn't Bringer I want something universally intimidating." Faith grinned.

"I'm not even going to ask." Buffy shook her head and hurried out of the door.

"What's going on?" Zoë came almost tumbling down the stairs a few moments later. "I was meditating then something... what's going on?" She questioned Willow and Tara looking panicked.

"Zoë." Tara took Willow's hand without thinking about it. "We don't know, Faith and Buffy have gone to find out."

"We were out in the yard and there was this big explosion." Beatrix filled in. "Plumes of black smoke, it was kinda cool."

"Oh God." Zoë irrationally went to look out the front window. "It's got to be her. She should be here already." The Canadian panicked more as she looked at the clock on the mantle. "I have to go look for her." She stated to everyone and then moved to the door.

"Zoë, Zoë wait." Tara pushed up from her place.

"Hey sorry there Zoë, but no go." Piper moved swiftly to stand effectively barricading the door with her tall, strong frame.

"Beth is out there, get out of my way." Zoë looked at her standing about eye to eye with the tall Slayer and not showing that she felt one ounce of intimidation.

"Sit down Zoë." Piper's voice dropped a little as she pulled herself up to stand a tiny bit taller. "If Beth's out there or has anything to do with it, Buffy and Faith will find her."

"Get out of my way." Zoë stared back at her harder. "You're 'I'm a big Slayer stare' isn't going to work on me."

"Zoë, I get it okay, you're worried." Owl tried the calm approach. "I would be too in your shoes, but think about it. Buffy and Faith are out their looking for her and they are the two people I'd want out there fighting for anyone I loved."

"Owl, I said get out of my way." The Canadian's eyes narrowed and Owl flashed a quick look at Tara hating the idea that this might get physical. The last thing she wanted to have to do was risk-injuring Zoë if she got too forceful about leaving.

"No one is leaving." Owl underlined gently.

"You're wasting my time!" Zoë flashed her hand and before the Slayer or any of the witches could react, Owl felt a tight grip slide around her body constricting her tightly before she was pushed over out of the hallway and to the other end of the living room against the far wall. Not even watching what she had done the Canadian opened the door and ran out of it

"Fuck me." Piper cursed hard and struggled for a few seconds before she had full control over her gross motor functions. "I thought she was a crappy kinda witch?" She scowled at Tara and Willow as she scrambled towards the door and wrenched it open. By the time Piper managed that task, Zoë was in one of the cars near the front of the house and had peeled off showing that race car driving was another of her hidden talents as the vehicle turned the corner accelerating into the turn.

"Oh you can't leave." Anya piped up helpfully making Piper look back at her. "Faith and Buffy would be very pissed if you left and Bringers came and ate us."

"Bringers aren't cannibals, and I'm not going anywhere." Piper growled and slammed the door shut turning back to look at Willow and Tara. She blew up into her hair.

"Can she find her?" Willow looked at Tara.

"Could you find me?" Tara replied softly, not wanting to think too much about Zoë's display of magic.

"Yes." The redhead nodded.

"That's your answer." Tara nodded and urged Willow to come back to the couch with her.

Faith leveled the shotgun as they approached the street where the plume of smoke rose. It hadn't taken them long to track the location of the explosion and the fact that it was only ten blocks away made the dark Slayer very uneasy. In about the middle of the street there was a car wash and impeded into the side brick wall of the building was a car. The flames from the wreckage explaining the continuing plume of smoke they were following.

"Don't look good." She moved closer to the flame-engulfed car trying to look inside but not able to see anything through the burnt window. "Out of town plates." She pointed to the back.

"Tell me I'm imagining that is a Bringers dagger." Buffy pointed with the axe head to a spot by the burning wreck where a glimmer of flame sparkled off metallic blade in the gutter.

"You're not." Faith shook her head. She moved as close as she could, straining to see inside. "Definitely someone in there, but they're dead." She relayed frowning at the burning outline slummed in the front seat. "Probably the impact." She looked to where the front of the car was crumpled violently.

"Trying to get away?" Buffy looked at the skid marks on the road. "Or did something force it into that wall?"

"Could be both." Faith shrugged. "Far as we know Bringers don't drive so I go with forced off while trying to bolt."

"Are you thinking who I'm thinking?" Buffy attempted to get closer to the burning shell but was forced back from the heat.

"Yeah, and I'm also thinking we should swing by the hospital and get some sedative." Faith was harshly honest. "Because Maple Leaf is going to go postal."

"And thus begins the huge guilt trip because I refused to let her and a group of us go get Bethany." Buffy shook her head.

"B, this is the exact reason we couldn't. She got ran off the road by Bringers, screams big honking set up." Faith tried to make her see the truth. "First must have sent a shit load of them to intercept her, probably expecting us to be here."

"She was an innocent Faith, from what I gather a pretty little English girl, without much of a clue about how big and bad the real world is." Buffy scowled slightly, not at Faith but at her own inner turmoil.

"I'm not saying I'm happy B, I'm fucking pissed off." Faith picked up the hot blade and threw it into the brush.

"We should get back to the house, there's nothing to see here." Buffy turned

"Yeah." Faith sighed swinging the gun over her shoulder.

"You gonna tell her or am I?" Buffy sighed as they began their retreat.

"I think we should get Tara to do it." Faith answered honestly. "They know each other more, she's going to need all the support she can get."

"Good point." Buffy nodded. "Then we keep her away from any and all black magic books and sharp objects, agreed?"

"Agreed." Faith sighed again. "Fuck every time we get a break it beats us down."

"In a funny way, this means were getting somewhere though, right?" Buffy's heart felt heavy as they walked on.

"And whatever Zoë was doing she must have been doing good or it wouldn't bother messing with her." Faith added.

"Exactly." Buffy nodded. "Its clever Faith." She frowned hard as she made the appraisal.

"Which means we got to patch Maple Leaf together and get her to finish. Tara said she was good with the spell work." Faith pushed on their out loud tactical thinking.

"Yeah, you're right." Buffy nodded. "God how mercenary are we sounding?" She glanced at Faith with troubled hazel eyes.

"Look B I know it's shit but I promise we'll find her the best crazy house if we have to when it's over, right now whatever it is she can do we need her to still do it." Faith was blunt. "Bottom line we don't beat this what she's lost won't matter."

"We're going to beat it." Buffy shook her head. "Come on lets go get the worse day of Zoë's life started, she deserves to know." She picked up their pace.

Piper dropped her ready stance when she saw the two Slayers coming up the front walk. Glancing at the clock she wasn't sure if them returning so quickly was a good sign or a bad one. She hung back as Faith pulled open the door and with Buffy slipped inside.

"You okay?" She asked instantly checking Buffy over quickly but obviously for any injuries.

"I'm not hurt." Buffy shook her head. "Where's Zoë?" She asked looking at the witches on the couch.

"Ah yeah well I was just about to do my I didn't do as good as you report." Piper frowned at her lover.

"We found Beth's car." Faith filled in plopping down on the sofa obviously upset.

"Oh Goddess no." Tara looked at her shaking her head as the reason for Faith's mood became clear.

"Looks like the Bringers forced her off the road into a wall." Faith looked down.

"The explosion was the car." Buffy clarified somewhat unnecessarily. "It drove into the side of Quickie Car Wash at a high speed."

"And she didn't..." Tara felt herself go pale.

"It's still on fire, when it stops we can try to get her out and well bury her." Faith offered and leaned back defeated.

"Oh Goddess." Tara pushed off the couch and started to pace the room as her own emotions struggled to stay in check. Willow went very pale as she sat there in disbelief.

"You guys are sure right?" Piper checked needing to know that there was no other option.

"Out of town plates, Bringers knife nearby, burning body in the car." Faith nodded. "As sure as we can be."

"Zoë will be back soon, we need to..." Piper stopped and frowned, accepting now the reality of what they needed to deal with. "Wait didn't you see her?" She asked confused. If Beth had been in the car, then that is directly where Zoë would have headed according to the witches.

"What do you mean Zoë will be back soon? Where the fuck did she go to?" Faith stood up angrily.

"See prior reference to me not going as well as you guys." Owl pointed out. "She left, to find Beth is it?" She looked to see Tara nod she'd gotten the girl's name right.

"It's not Owl's fault, she used magic." Anya pointed out.

"Magic?" Buffy stared at Willow.

"She..." Willow made some motions with her hands. "She moved Piper out of her way, it was all too fast for her to do anything to stop Zoë. We didn't know what she was doing 'till she was in the jeep and gone."

"Great!" Buffy hissed quietly.

"I'm sorry Buffy." Owl apologized quickly.

"We need to get to her, the Bringers are going to be out there waiting for her." Faith moved back to the door.

"Right." Buffy clapped her hands together.

"I want to go, she left on my watch." Piper pointed out.

"I should go too." Tara broke from her pacing.

"No." Willow stood up objecting immediately.

"Look just I'll go, I can take the bike." Piper offered trying to stop all the confusion.

"Buffy, you stay here keep the witches in place. Birdy and I will go." Faith outlined a plan.

"Go, go where?" The front door slid slowly open as Zoë stepped into the house asking the question immediately.

"Zoë." Buffy breathed out seeing her.

"Zoë." Tara said softly moving across the room towards her.

"Everyone this is Beth." Zoë pulled back a bit to reveal a small petite blonde woman hovering in the door. The view of Beth made everyone including Tara stop in place. "Bethany Wallace." She elaborated guiding her inside before turning back to pick up the luggage.

"Bethany but..." Tara frowned in confusion for just a second before hurrying forward lightly taking the smaller woman's hand. "I'm Tara." She smiled as sweetly as she could manage.

"I… I've heard about you." The soft-spoken English accent just barely breathed out from soft bow lips.

"Yeah this is Tara." Zoë smiled. "That's her fiancée Willow and Buffy Summer, Faith, Piper but well everyone calls her Owl, Anya." She went around the room.

"I'm afraid I won't remember any of your names until I've hear them a few more times." The small woman said apologetically.

"That's okay, there's so many of us." Willow assured her instantly.

"Do you... do you all live here?" Beth looked around a little bemused.

"I have a lot to explain." Zoë admitted. "Why don't I show you my room and you can get settled?" She smiled hoping everyone would stay quiet for a moment.

"Oh, yes okay." Beth nodded. "It was nice, meeting you all and everything." She smiled at the group.

"Is everything okay?" Zoë made the quick check when everyone just stared at her.

"Everything's fine Maple Leaf." Faith nodded breaking the stale air. "Go get her settled in."

Zoë nodded and picked up the suitcase leading Beth back outside.

"I'm learning more and more not to underestimate the power of those with the mojo." Owl admitted showing her shock as she put her arm around Buffy.

"Everyone seemed very…" Beth paused quietly as Zoë opened the door to the other house for them and led her inside. "Serious."

"I have a lot to tell you." Zoë admitted again leading the blonde up to where she was bunking. "But it's sorta going to make us all sound insane so I think maybe we need to get you settled and rested okay?"

"Whatever you say." Beth nodded standing in the door way to Zoë's room, looking tiny. She'd dropped at least twenty pounds since the Canadian spellcaster had last seen her and her long blonde hair had been cut short into her neck and around her ears.

"Do you want anything?" Zoë asked quietly moving to bring her suitcase and other bag in and closed the door behind them.

"To rest, you know how traveling disagrees with me." Beth pulled the three quarter length black leather jacket she wore closer around her.

"I could get you some tea and a heat pack." Zoë moved over and encouraged her to give up the jacket before she guided her towards the bed. Beth shrugged off the over sized coat to reveal a soft brown peasant top underneath to go with the soft brown suede pants "So tea?" Zoë checked before she guided her over pulling down the top blanket so that she could crawl inside and get warm.

"I don't want to cause a problem, be a pain, you know?" The English girl frowned.

"Beth, you're not. You're exhausted, let me take care of you." The Canadian offered softly.

"Thank you." Beth replied in a whisper as she pushed off small flat shoes and slipped between the sheets.

"It's going to be okay now." Zoë tucked her in and rubbed her hand over her ex's. "I promise."

Tara delicately knocked on the door not wanting to awake the person possibly sleeping behind it as she balanced the lunch tray in front of her. Zoë had said she'd already tried to bring up lunch, but there was just something inside Tara's breeding that made her have to try again before everything was packed away after the mini slayers had filled up for a few hours.

"Hello?" The soft English voice called from behind the door.

"Hello Beth, it's Tara. I was hoping to persuade you with some lunch." Tara offered trying to sound friendly.

"Actually I'm not hungry, but thank you." Beth pulled open the door and stood leaning on it as she looked out to the taller blonde.

"I could leave this up here for you, in case you want to nibble at it. With everyone running around it might make give you a better chance to settle in." Tara tried again seeing how thin the English girl was, much thinner than any of the pictures Zoë had shown her.

"I wouldn't want to spoil good food, I would imagine that with all these people here you have a tough time keeping them all fed." Beth smiled a little.

"No, Faith went on a big grocery run, we're fully stocked." Tara assured her.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but why is Zoë here? Why are any of you here, when quite frankly it seems that no one else is?" Beth moved a few things so that Tara could put the tray down.

"Zoë hasn't explained that?" Tara tried to keep her smile.

"Zoë's not really spoken to me, just offered me drinks and snacks." The small blonde sighed.

"Oh." Tara turned to see the fallen look. She watched for a minute observing the woman's slumped shoulders and distant eyes. "I think she's just a little overwhelmed to actually have you here. She's missed you... a lot." She added softly.

"I missed her too." Beth put her hands together softly and wandered across the bedroom to the window, looking out of it frowning gently at the sight of Faith working with a small group of girls on the back lawn. "But I knew she'd never go if I was still with her."

"Never go?" Tara brain perked up at the wording.

"Her mother wanted her to travel, especially to this center in Italy, but we were happy, she wasn't ever going to even think of leaving me to pursue some crazy traveling notion." Beth sunk down on a small chair by the window.

"Did she tell you what the center was for?" The blonde witch sat on the edge of the bed on the far end.

"No, Zee used to just say it was something she didn't need, that it wasn't a part of her she needed to focus on." Beth shook her head again. "Her mother said it wasn't something she could ignore."

"I know what it's like to let someone you love go to try and help them." Tara nodded softly.

"Oh I didn't mean to make me sound all selfless, I wasn't, I did leave Zoë to go with Holly on her filming tour, but... it wasn't what Zoë thought, not initially." Beth frowned.

"I'm sorry about Holly." Tara admitted trying to be sensitive.

"So am I." Beth's head dropped lower and her eyes filled with tears. Tara felt an uncomfortable silence fill the air for a long few moments. "How is Zoë?" Beth asked quietly, breaking the stillness.

"She's..." Tara looked up trying to weigh her words. "Doing her be