Title : Finding Hope
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )
Rating : R
Pairing : WR/TM
Timeline : Season Six
Summary : A visit to Rack goes horribly wrong,
and Willow decides to make it her mission to
help other addicts.

Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me
a line if you're interested.

Second, due to health issues, and taking care
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to
write much. But over the last several years
I've managed to slowly write on a number
of stories.

What I've decided to do is go ahead and
publish what I've managed to put together.
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a
different version. Just warning everyone.

So I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong
to Joss Whedon.

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Prologue
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It was too much. Her skin burned, itched, felt
close to burstings. Power grew in her body,
rippling and swirling through her veins, filling
them until they pressed up through the skin.

" Stop... " She breathed.

A demon appeared in her vision of stars. She
had to get away. Had to run. She thrashed
against the ceiling, but Rack held her tightly
to it, and her vision cleared.

Raspy laughter grew in volume, and suddenly she
fell to the floor. Pain exploded throughout her
body. A cracking in her left leg dimly telling
her she had broken bones.

Amy started to scream, and she managed to tilt
her head to the side. Her right eye widened in
horror at the sight of her demon on top of her
friend. The long claws tearing into the former
rat with long splatters of blood.

" No..."

She struggled to get her arms under her, but the
pain and magic was against her. She fought on,
Rack's continuing laughter, sobbering her fast.

Her left arm crumbled. The shoulder popping. Her
sight darkened for a second. She breathed deeply
and managed to stay conscious.

In desperation, she reached out with her protesting
magic and shot pure fire at the demon. It threw it's
head back in a howl, dying in a cloud of ash.

" Amy? "

" Too late, Strawberry. " Rack chuckled. " She's a
corpse. "

' My fault. ' Willow realized. ' If I had listened
to Tara, none of this would've happened. '

" Oh well, it's how it happen's sometimes. " Rack
shrugged.

" Shut up. " Willow pushed herself onto her back
with a groan.

" Now, now, Strawberry. Don't be that way. " Rack
lightly scolded.

" Don't call me that. "

She used her right arm to heave herself into a
sitting position. She had to get out of there,
and to a hospital.

" Hmmm, and what? You're going to go back to
your little girlfriend? You're boring little
life? " Rack mocked.

" What about it? "

Magic danced around his fingers. The dealer
smirking knowingly at her. " You've had a
taste of real power. No one willingly walks
away from it. "

" I can. " Willow whispered around silent
tears.

Rack's scarred face stretched into a dark
smirk. " I'd like to test that theory. "

A jolt of magic slammed her violently into
the floor. More powerful than anything he'd
hit her with before. Her left elbow snapped,
and three of her finger on her right hand made
crackling sounds.

Another jolt hit, and then she realized she was
screaming.

00000

" Can you hear me? "

She struggled against the agony of her body.
The memories of what happened at Rack's were
muddled, she dimly had some knowledge of
striking out, or her magic yanking her away
from Sunnydale...

" My name is Miss. Harkin. I run a coven in
Devon, England. I'm a close friend of Rupert
Giles. You teleported into our dining room
a short time ago. "

Oh, not good.

"...don't tell... Giles. " She gasped out.

" Child, if he doesn't call in a favor I owe
him I can't rehibilitate you. It's not allowed.
The most we can do for you is healing your
injuries and getting you through your
withdrawal's. "

" ...no. "

" As you wish. "

Maybe it was a mistake, but somehow forcing the
coven to help her seemed almost as bad as her
addiction. No, she would rather muddle through on
her own, than taint the tenant's of the wiccan
religion.

She sank back into a wave of agony. Not quite
unconscious. Something told her it was going
to be a long night.

00000

Willow folded the last of her two extra pairs
of jeans. Along with a single package of socks
and underwear, they went into the black, Jansport
Cathedral Backpack.

Next she packed three t-shirts. Two sets of boxers
and tank tops for sleeping. But other than the
dark brown cordary jacket she left out to wear,
she couldn't take any more clothes with her.

Instead the rest of the space was packed with
toiletries. A thick address book with almost a
hundred magical users across the world. All
properly taught, and firm white magic
practictioners.

Miss. Harkin had given it to her in hopes of
her finding someone to teach her. Shaman,
druid, wiccan, etc.

Still, it wasn't a matter of calling them up
and asking. She had to go to them and let them
meet her. Examine her aura, her magic, and see
if their belief's would allow for them to
rehibilate her.

She knew it would be a long, exhaustng road.
One rife with dangers. Not to mention great
frustration.

Willow packed the book of shadows she'd
started into the bag, and the three books the
coven leader had given her. Despite what Gile's
friend had said, she had taught Willow the
basic's. Going so far as to give her several
books to continue her lessons on the road.

" Leaving already? "

Willow zipped up her bag. Taking a moment to
pull on her jacket, before shrugging on the
backpack.

" There's nothing left to learn here, a-and
I don't want to get you in trouble with me
being all dark magicy. " Willow explained,
picking up her cane.

Miss. Harkin frowned at her in disapproval.
Whether from her leaving while still hobbling
around, or from indicating she getting her
in trouble she didn't know.

" You need more time to recover child. You're
barely able to walk. A strong enough wind is
going to knock you over with that leg of your's. "
Miss. Harkin tsked.

Willow waved her off, limping from the room.
" Maybe, but I can't hang around here for the
next six months. I have too much to do. You said
yourself you doubted many of the groups in the
black book would be willing to help me, and there
are a hundred names. If I manage one name a day,
that's one hundred days. "

" Fine, but don't forget most of those groups
will be teleporting you. So may get three, or
four names a day, if you're rejected. "

" Maybe. " Willow admitted.

" Well, if you're determined, I won't stop you.
My sister's are ready to teleport you to your
first stop. " Miss. Harking sighed. " And Willow,
do try and stay out of trouble. "

Willow rolled her eyes at the middle aged women.
It wasn't her fault. The stupid, arm munching
horse was completely responisble for everything.
But would the other woman believe her, no.

" All horses should be banished to the ends of
the Earth. "

" What was that? "

" Nothing. " Willow smiled innocently.

" Good luck, Willow, and Blessed be. "

" Blessed Be, Miss. Harkin. Thank you. For
everything. "

00000

To Be Continued