Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the shows characters belong to
Joss Whedon, Fox, UPN etc. I have just borrowed them to write this story.
*Please read this to understand what the hell I'm doing*
Authors Notes: This is a sequel to my short story In The Darkness. I have decided to turn this AU into a series based on season six except of course with Xander and Buffy being together and other adjustments. This story is set also after Tabula Rasa and it's basically moulding everything into shape.
This was originally called the Another Way Series but that is such a crap name so I got out my thesaurus and Contrariety is the result of it. Each episode will appear as a new chapter. It was originally going to be posted as new stories but I decided that would be confusing.
I'm writing these stories after I've watched them on Sky One and that means there should be one a week so that they don't pile up on me. I've seen up to Tabula Rasa so far and Smashed is on the day after tomorrow. Yay!
Reviews are always welcome so please let them role in, even criticisms. You can just say hi if you want to just to let me know someones reading them.
~*~ Contrariety Series: 1 ~*~
Walking The Path
Buffy rested her head on Xanders shoulder. They were travelling back in his car from the bridge where Buffy had almost jumped. He had convinced her that she needed to think about what she has got instead of what she lost. She then realised that she had always had Xander. He had told her that the world needed Buffy to protect them from the evils that exist but are ignorant of. Buffy had realised that she needed Xander.
The car was filled with warm air by the heater. She felt safe and happy with Xander and her insecurities were drifting away. The pain that had been eating away at her had disappeared. Buffy smiled and closed her eyes. She felt so tired and easily gave in to the sleepiness that was overwhelming her.
"Sweet dreams."
***
Xander carried the sleeping slayer in his arms into his apartment. Over the threshold he thought. That brought his mind to his fiancée. As he placed Buffy on the couch he noticed Anya standing by the bedroom door.
"Why's she here?" asked Anya curious to what her husband to be had been up to while she waited for him to return. He had left suddenly without a word about where he was disappearing off to at a late hour. She had been lost in her own world of thoughts.
"Buffys had a rough night and just needs to sleep it off. I think that we need…" Xander stopped talking when he noticed Anya pulling a suitcase out of the bedroom.
"Xander we need to talk." The couple had been on the same wavelength. "I'm leaving for England to tell Giles that I love him."
"What?" Xander was shocked. After his reaction with the question he didn't know what to say. He had actually discovered what it was like to be speechless except for the time that the Gentlemen had stolen everyone in Sunnydales voices, but that didn't count.
"I know but that kiss, I just can't get it out of my mind it was so amazing." Anya stopped for a second to think about it "It was filled with so much more passion then I had felt then in any of ours. You always seemed to be holding back."
He knew why as he was still in love with Buffy. That's why after she had come back he had put off telling people about the engagement then he got all nervous not just because of the commitment but realising that he wouldn't ever be with her. Unless she objected at the wedding or they had an affair. He had panicked during their sing along he would have spilt the beans that he was in love with Buffy, but Anya had sung that she had known it.
"I wasn't really angry at Giles for not going and leaving me the magic shop. I was in denial that I loved him and I wanted him to go so hopefully the feeling would disappear and we could continue as normally as it is possible to do so in Sunnydale.
"With bringing Buffy back too. I really wanted to do that, because if she were here then he would have to stay and train her. Stupid singing made him realise that he was standing in the way. Then again it also help me come to terms with the fact that we're not meant to be together. He's gone now and I have to go after him." She walked over to the counter and picked up the airplane ticket.
"Anya, where did you get the money for the ticket?" he questioned her.
"Oh you know I made loads of money on the Internet plus I retrieved all the wedding deposits as we're not going to get married anymore. Oh and here you go." She removed it and placed the engagement ring in his hand "I'm sorry and I wish I could keep it. It's so pretty and expensive."
Anya picked up the suitcase and wouldn't have walked right out but Xander grabbed her arm to say goodbye,
"You don't need to say sorry. I'm not angry" Xander hugged her " I hope he realises how lucky he is."
"I know you'll be happy. I'm glad that you and Buffy are together." She glanced at the sofa where Buffy lay still asleep then turned to look at Xander one more time before she left. They had loved each other, but the path had now split into two separate directions.
***
Buffy opened her eyes after she heard the door shut. Their talking had woken her up but she thought it would be best if she didn't just stand half way through their break up and walk out. She was now feeling guilty for eavesdropping.
"Hey I see you finally woke up. I thought me and Anya would have made enough noise to wake ya." Buffy sat up straight on the sofa and Xander came and sat next to her.
"I did but I didn't want to disturb the big goodbye."
"I'm glad you're honest." Xander already knew Buffys big secret so she had nothing to fear about him not excepting her life.
"Now it's your turn to spill the beans. You need to explain to me more about who you are." Buffys question went unanswered for a moment, while Xander thought through what his reply would be.
"I'm Xander. The guy you have grown to know and love over the past five and a half years. I'm still regular Joe." Xander paused for a second so to take a deep breath, which meant there was a lot of explaining to do.
"After you died the first time round and I brought you back a kinda bond formed between us formed. They tried to explain it to me but I never understood it one hundred percent. A slayer has never been back from the dead before so a lot of it was theory and I've never been good at theory, I'm more of a practical guy. So I think it was that whenever you needed someone most you would get me. When you were stuck with the fish guys, Teresa with her message from Angel, key guy graduation day, the bad beer, when Riley left you and I'm always telling Spike to back off."
"Spikes kept appearing though for a while." Said Buffy as she thought about telling Xander about her and Spike, but they had never really been in a relationship so there was nothing to tell.
"Yep, 'evil dead' really got a thing for being in the way…" Buffy didn't want to talk about Spike she wanted Xander. Buffy leant in close and kissed Xander.
***
It was still early enough in the morning for everybody to be a sleep. Buffy quietly opened and closed the front door so not to wake anyone. Only super hearing could hear her light footsteps as she made her way up stairs. Buffy was about to go into her bedroom when she thought she heard a quiet voice say her name.
Willow was there with her face looking blotchy from crying. She hadn't seen her look like that ever since Oz left her.
"Oh my god Willow" she hugged her best friend to comfort her. Willow started to cry again.
"She's gone. She's left me and its all my fault." She said but her words were broken up due to her tears.
"Why?" asked Buffy who hadn't noticed any trouble between them. Unless she had been too wrapped up in her own problems to see a break up forming just like with Riley.
"The spell I should have never cast it. I just wanted everything to be normal again. I didn't realise what it would result in. If I had known I would have gone the week without magick instead of cast that stupid memory spell." Buffy realised what she was talking about. It was because of Willow they had forgotten who they were yesterday. She didn't get mad and shout at her. Willow needed a friend not another taurma.
"It's okay. I'm sure Tara will come back she probably just needs some time to think." Buffy did the only thing she could do at the moment and reassure Willow. None of Buffys boyfriends had returned after leaving but she knew this wasn't about her.
"Maybe there's a spell I could cast to bring her back."
"No Willow!" Buffy raised her voice. She wanted to be sympathetic but she had to stop Willow from making it any worse. "You have to let this run naturally. Remember you didn't use magick to make Oz stay and he came back to you."
"I had Tara then."
"Tara and you are meant for each other. She'll come back you have to be patient."
"I don't know if I could last that long it hurts so much to be apart from her." Willow walked away from Buffy and sat on her bed.
"You'll just have to be strong then." The weepy hazel eyes met green eyes "Come on don't sit down. Let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up." Buffy gave Willow her hand hoping that she would take it as a sign that she was going to be strong and that Buffy would look after her. Just like Xander had done for Buffy, he had helped a lot and it was showing already.
***
Xander was driving towards the Magic Box. Anya had asked him to keep an eye on the shop and make sure that he kept the money rolling in. He thought how she must of really cared about Giles if she was willing to leave the shop.
There was someone already waiting outside. It had just begun to rain so his vision was a little blurred. It rarely rained in Sunnydale; he wouldn't be surprised if people ran outside screaming, "the sky is falling". When he was a little closer he realised that it was Tara.
"Hi, isn't Anya opening the shop?" Xander thought about how many people he was going to have to tell that his future wife had left him for the old British guy.
"She's gone too. She's in love with Giles and wants to be with him." He opened the door and they both went inside the shop to get out of the rain.
"Oh I'm sorry." He also realised how many people would apologise for something that wasn't there fault.
"It's okay, I'm really not that bothered I don't think we would have gone through with the wedding anyway." Especially with fact he was about to leave her for Buffy. "We said our goodbye but I found a note on the bed explaining everything just in case she missed me and it told me that she wanted me to look after the shop. There's a list of instructions telling me what to do."
Tara read the instructions that Xander had passed to her. Hinting that he might like some help with shop.
"You can tell Anya wrote it." She smiled when she read the line look after the money.
"Haven't you got work today?" asked Tara.
"No it's Saturday and it's pouring down with rain so we couldn't get much done today anyway. I was thinking we could all run the shop. You know fit into our schedules when we could work it. We can continue with the family fun of running the shop and get into hilarious adventures. You and Will know loads about magick."
Tara went even quieter with the mention of Willows name and looked all awkward. Xander didn't need to be a genius to work out that it wasn't all happy families for the Summers household girlfriends.
"I've left Willow. I just came in here to get my bag."
"What?" Xander couldn't understand what was with all the leaving that was going around. Giles left for England, Anya left him for Giles and now Tara was leaving Willow. "Why?"
"I need my bag. " replied Tara trying to avoid talking about Willow.
"Is it because of the memory spell last night." Tara had seemed so upset with her and during the argument they had had at his apartment.
"Yes. No, it's more then that. I can't trust her anymore she's too addicted to using magick even on me and she knows what I've been through."
"I understand. I would be sensitive about my mind if a hell god had sucked it out." He hadn't been to keen on sporting activities since he almost transformed into a big monster fish.
"You don't understand Xander. We had an argument and she used magick to sort it out and made me forget about it. A relationship is made up of trust and I can't be with her if we can't solve our problems out like everyone else. This time it put as all in danger."
"No Tara, I do understand. You're talking to the guy who cast a love spell when his girlfriend split up with him so he could break up with her and the end result was us being chased all around Sunnydale by its female population trying to get a piece of us. Plus I got Buffy turned into a rat. Only last week I did a truth spell, which ended up in the town turning musical and some people spontaneously combusting. At least Willows spells don't put the whole town in trouble."
"You did that to make sure that everything would turn out right between you and Anya." Argued Tara.
"Willow did it to make sure you and her would turn out all right." Tara was arguing with the wrong person. Xander had a counter point for everything.
"It didn't though she just left you." Or maybe not thought Xander. He looked down trying to think of something to say back "I'm sorry that was cold."
"Don't worry, but I think you and Willow should talk again." Xander was getting really good at sorting out everyone's problems. He could be an agony aunt and have his own TV show. "Just try and sort it out with no threats about leaving. She knows you're serious now and she just panicked about you leaving her."
"I don't know Xander." She was still in love with Willow there was no doubt about it. "Let me just think about it a bit more. I'll come back here tonight."
"I'll keep your bag until then to make sure." Said Xander as he held it.
Tara nodded in agreement. She smiled at him just before she left the shop. Xander was left alone again thinking about if he had done the right thing.
"I just hope the rain keeps those pesky customers away."
Part Two
It was a lot later in the afternoon. Xander looked out of the window and noticed that the rain had pretty much died off. He panicked over the fact that he may now get customers. There had been a couple of people earlier but they had just ducked in to hide from the rain. He had read some of the books on the shelves, as he was bored. It was as if his prayers had been answered when he had noticed his brand spanking new girlfriend heading towards the shop.
Xander quickly rushed towards the counter. He wanted it to look like he had had a productive day and he had the slightest idea what he was doing. He opened up one of the books and grabbed a pencil.
"Hey there busy guy got time for Buffy?" she asked. Xanders cunning plan had worked perfectly.
"I guess I could stop for a minute after all it is for you." It was going well for Xander as he noticed the expression on Buffys face that said 'oh he's just so sweet'. Buffy reached over the counter and kissed him. "We've got a sale on you know."
Xander walked around to the other side of the counter. He took Buffy in his arms dipping her down then going in for a very passionate kiss.
"It's a good thing no ones in here as all this lovey dovey stuff would make them want to yak."
"Are you saying there's something wrong with my affection?" questioned Xander.
"No it's just that I haven't felt like this for a while now and I remember when me and Riley were kissing and Dawn started…" Buffy felt it as her foot entered her big mouth. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry forgiveness is my middle name today, well anything is better then Lavelle." Buffy burst out laughing. Xander had never told Buffy the nightmare that is Lavelle the middle name from hell. He really hated his parents.
"Lavelle?" she could barely talk amongst the fit of giggles that she was currently in "Xander I finally know the deep dark secret you have been hiding from us all."
"Fine laugh at my expense." It didn't take more then a second for the laughter to start to get annoying "Okay that's enough laughing at me."
Buffy stopped to Xanders happiness. They stood there silent for a few moments except for Buffy the strange sound she was making in her mouth that was preventing her from laughing again. It had been a while since she had been this happy. Sure she didn't like the fact it was at the expense of her new boyfriend. Maybe being was Xander was making her happy. She'd find away later to make up for it anyway.
Xander tried to make another move on Buffy, but she stopped him. She was going to make up for it later that day not later in that second.
"Willow and Dawn could come in here any second now." They had just gone to another shop to pick up some groceries.
"And the big problem if they see us is?" asked Xander he didn't think they were planning to keep their relationship secret.
"Willow has just broke up with Tara I don't think we should flaunt it that we are together at the moment. She needs help Xander she keeps wanting to use magick to sort all her problems out."
"Don't worry Tara will be around a little later. They can get talking, they get back together and Willow finds out that some things can be put back together naturally." Xander was on a role with his plans today. By the end of it everything would be great and back to the way it should be.
"I just hope it works." Willow and Dawn walked in at that moment. Willow was carrying a paper bag full of food while Dawn helped out by carrying and eating a packet of crisps.
"Hiya." Said Dawn while she munched on a crisp. "Anyone want one?" she offered out her crisps for a second before retracting her kind offer.
"I'm glad you learned to share." Said Buffy giving Dawn a sisterly stare. "Do you want a hand with that Willow?"
"Goody two shoes." Dawn was annoyed with Buffy they were like typical sisters that didn't get on but loved each other sometimes in the only because you have to way. "So are we have a meeting on a monster of the week?"
"Nope. " answered Xander "We've got some sorting out to do."
***
It had taken about an hour for Xander to first explain everything about Anya leaving and then organise their schedules to run the shop. It was goodbye fun and games for a while then they remember how they spent the majority of their free time in there anyway. They realised how much Anya and Giles were needed with their amount of free time and knowledge on how retail.
"I'm bored" said Dawn as she let her head fall back "You'd think in a magick shop their would be something to do."
"Like your homework." Hinted Buffy in a none inconspicuous tone of voice.
"We need some big old demon to research or a new vampire trying to take over the town. There's normally some new big bad by this time of year." Complained Dawn.
"And you can get yourself into trouble again." Last week she was to become a demon bride and the week before that a vampire. Buffy of course would run in and save her.
"That's exaggerating I'm not in danger every week." Xander and Willow looked at each other as they noticed that the sisters were about to have another of their arguments.
"Yes you do."
"Do not." Their quarrel had already reached the two-word sentence stage. Buffy was about to say something back when the little bell rang indicating that someone had just entered the Magic Box.
Xander was happy for customers. Willow had confused feeling for the person who had walked in. Tara pulled her ash blond hair behind one ear with her hand. She stopped half way towards the table and gave a slight wave.
"Tara." Willow whispered the name beneath her breath. She was surprised to see her already.
"Hi Tara." Dawn was pleased to see her again. She had been in a mood last night that she was leaving and felt a little guilty for not saying goodbye properly. "Don't you want to sit down?"
"No it's okay." Tara was feeling awkward again like she did in the beginning when she felt like a true outsider. "I was thinking we could go in the back and talk Willow."
"Sure fine." She replied while still being surprised to her face again. Willow stood up and walked into the back room with Tara who shut the door behind her.
Dawn quickly ran up to the door and put her ear against it so that she could hear how things were going on in there. Buffy told her to get away from there though after a second time telling Dawn to give them privacy she walked away from it. Dawn was more then a few meters away before Buffy jumped in and started eavesdropping.
"I've got slayer hearing I'll hear them better. Now shush!" Buffy waved her right hand at them telling them to be quiet. She just hoped she heard nothing but good things from inside the training room.
***
The room was filled with an awkward silence for a minute while each of them waited for the other to start. They had sat down on the sofa that was in there and Willow finally started them off.
"I'm sorry." Said Willow knowing that it had to come in there somewhere she thought it might be the best way to start. "If I could go back in time I would stop me from casting the memory spells."
"You can't though. It did happen and it's something we going to have to work though together without the use of the supernatural."
"I could go back in time though and tell myself not to do it." Willow thought that she had seen it somewhere. She should have thought of it earlier. She knew that she was becoming a very powerful witch and she could bring Buffy back.
"Don't joke about it Willow." Tara hadn't realised that Willow was serious about it.
"It would sort everything out and this conversation would have never happened…" She stopped when she had noticed that Tara was now standing up and staring at her.
"Willow!" There were tears forming in her eyes. "I thought I had given you enough time to realise that by continuously using magick is not going to sort out our problems. Let's face it your addicted."
"No I'm not." Willow shouted at her "If you loved me you'd understand." It was a second before Willow realised what she had said.
"It's getting worse. You're having withdrawal symptoms from not casting any spells and you feel threatened if anyone tries to take it away from you." Tara didn't know what to do she couldn't be with Willow if she was going to be like this all the time but she couldn't leave her to delve into it more and more. She needed help but she didn't know how to help, as nothing seemed to get through to her. "Willow I'm worried about you. You don't seem to understand it anymore and the power it seems to be turning you. I'm actually scared to be with you."
Tara left Willow there to think about what she had said to her. The words were a warning. She opened the door and noticed that Buffy, Dawn and Xander were nearby. They had heard her and Willow talking.
"You have to get through to her I can't. I've tried too many times. It's her friends that she needs." She walked away from them grabbing her bag in the way out. She felt like it was a waste of time returning. She did it for Willow because she loved her, Tara reminded herself that.
Everyone watched her leave. Willow had come out of the training room and looked at her disappear. She lost her again. She wiped her tears away before they had chance to run down her face. Willow ran up the steps to the higher level of the shop.
"Willow, what are you doing?" Buffy shouted the question at her. She sure her appear cradling a book in her arms.
"I'm going to get her back." Willow ran down the steps and slammed the book on the table. She began looking through it.
"Willow kinda in the words of a yellow Springfieldian nuclear safety expert 'magick the cause and not the solutions to all your life's problems'." Xander only heard her mutter something under her breath then before she slammed the book shut.
"It's the wrong book." Willow started to dash back up the steps to find the book but was stopped by Buffy grabbing her leg and bringing back to the ground "Why are you trying to stop me? Don't you want me to be happy?"
"Stop and think Will. You blew it. You were given a second chance and that's so blown up I can't see the remains." Said Xander. He had never seen the girl that had been his best friend for most of his life in this state before. She was desperate and it wasn't to get Tara back it was to use magick. He was worried that there was nothing they could do to help her.
"It's just…" Willow stopped and just started to cry and shake on the ground.
"We better get her home." Said Buffy.
"You're right." Buffy got Willow back to her feet and Xander grabbed his car keys. Dawn took the brown paper bag. Xander locked up the shop and they all left together. It had been a dramatic day for all the couples and nothing would be the same.
*The End*
*Please read this to understand what the hell I'm doing*
Authors Notes: This is a sequel to my short story In The Darkness. I have decided to turn this AU into a series based on season six except of course with Xander and Buffy being together and other adjustments. This story is set also after Tabula Rasa and it's basically moulding everything into shape.
This was originally called the Another Way Series but that is such a crap name so I got out my thesaurus and Contrariety is the result of it. Each episode will appear as a new chapter. It was originally going to be posted as new stories but I decided that would be confusing.
I'm writing these stories after I've watched them on Sky One and that means there should be one a week so that they don't pile up on me. I've seen up to Tabula Rasa so far and Smashed is on the day after tomorrow. Yay!
Reviews are always welcome so please let them role in, even criticisms. You can just say hi if you want to just to let me know someones reading them.
~*~ Contrariety Series: 1 ~*~
Walking The Path
Buffy rested her head on Xanders shoulder. They were travelling back in his car from the bridge where Buffy had almost jumped. He had convinced her that she needed to think about what she has got instead of what she lost. She then realised that she had always had Xander. He had told her that the world needed Buffy to protect them from the evils that exist but are ignorant of. Buffy had realised that she needed Xander.
The car was filled with warm air by the heater. She felt safe and happy with Xander and her insecurities were drifting away. The pain that had been eating away at her had disappeared. Buffy smiled and closed her eyes. She felt so tired and easily gave in to the sleepiness that was overwhelming her.
"Sweet dreams."
***
Xander carried the sleeping slayer in his arms into his apartment. Over the threshold he thought. That brought his mind to his fiancée. As he placed Buffy on the couch he noticed Anya standing by the bedroom door.
"Why's she here?" asked Anya curious to what her husband to be had been up to while she waited for him to return. He had left suddenly without a word about where he was disappearing off to at a late hour. She had been lost in her own world of thoughts.
"Buffys had a rough night and just needs to sleep it off. I think that we need…" Xander stopped talking when he noticed Anya pulling a suitcase out of the bedroom.
"Xander we need to talk." The couple had been on the same wavelength. "I'm leaving for England to tell Giles that I love him."
"What?" Xander was shocked. After his reaction with the question he didn't know what to say. He had actually discovered what it was like to be speechless except for the time that the Gentlemen had stolen everyone in Sunnydales voices, but that didn't count.
"I know but that kiss, I just can't get it out of my mind it was so amazing." Anya stopped for a second to think about it "It was filled with so much more passion then I had felt then in any of ours. You always seemed to be holding back."
He knew why as he was still in love with Buffy. That's why after she had come back he had put off telling people about the engagement then he got all nervous not just because of the commitment but realising that he wouldn't ever be with her. Unless she objected at the wedding or they had an affair. He had panicked during their sing along he would have spilt the beans that he was in love with Buffy, but Anya had sung that she had known it.
"I wasn't really angry at Giles for not going and leaving me the magic shop. I was in denial that I loved him and I wanted him to go so hopefully the feeling would disappear and we could continue as normally as it is possible to do so in Sunnydale.
"With bringing Buffy back too. I really wanted to do that, because if she were here then he would have to stay and train her. Stupid singing made him realise that he was standing in the way. Then again it also help me come to terms with the fact that we're not meant to be together. He's gone now and I have to go after him." She walked over to the counter and picked up the airplane ticket.
"Anya, where did you get the money for the ticket?" he questioned her.
"Oh you know I made loads of money on the Internet plus I retrieved all the wedding deposits as we're not going to get married anymore. Oh and here you go." She removed it and placed the engagement ring in his hand "I'm sorry and I wish I could keep it. It's so pretty and expensive."
Anya picked up the suitcase and wouldn't have walked right out but Xander grabbed her arm to say goodbye,
"You don't need to say sorry. I'm not angry" Xander hugged her " I hope he realises how lucky he is."
"I know you'll be happy. I'm glad that you and Buffy are together." She glanced at the sofa where Buffy lay still asleep then turned to look at Xander one more time before she left. They had loved each other, but the path had now split into two separate directions.
***
Buffy opened her eyes after she heard the door shut. Their talking had woken her up but she thought it would be best if she didn't just stand half way through their break up and walk out. She was now feeling guilty for eavesdropping.
"Hey I see you finally woke up. I thought me and Anya would have made enough noise to wake ya." Buffy sat up straight on the sofa and Xander came and sat next to her.
"I did but I didn't want to disturb the big goodbye."
"I'm glad you're honest." Xander already knew Buffys big secret so she had nothing to fear about him not excepting her life.
"Now it's your turn to spill the beans. You need to explain to me more about who you are." Buffys question went unanswered for a moment, while Xander thought through what his reply would be.
"I'm Xander. The guy you have grown to know and love over the past five and a half years. I'm still regular Joe." Xander paused for a second so to take a deep breath, which meant there was a lot of explaining to do.
"After you died the first time round and I brought you back a kinda bond formed between us formed. They tried to explain it to me but I never understood it one hundred percent. A slayer has never been back from the dead before so a lot of it was theory and I've never been good at theory, I'm more of a practical guy. So I think it was that whenever you needed someone most you would get me. When you were stuck with the fish guys, Teresa with her message from Angel, key guy graduation day, the bad beer, when Riley left you and I'm always telling Spike to back off."
"Spikes kept appearing though for a while." Said Buffy as she thought about telling Xander about her and Spike, but they had never really been in a relationship so there was nothing to tell.
"Yep, 'evil dead' really got a thing for being in the way…" Buffy didn't want to talk about Spike she wanted Xander. Buffy leant in close and kissed Xander.
***
It was still early enough in the morning for everybody to be a sleep. Buffy quietly opened and closed the front door so not to wake anyone. Only super hearing could hear her light footsteps as she made her way up stairs. Buffy was about to go into her bedroom when she thought she heard a quiet voice say her name.
Willow was there with her face looking blotchy from crying. She hadn't seen her look like that ever since Oz left her.
"Oh my god Willow" she hugged her best friend to comfort her. Willow started to cry again.
"She's gone. She's left me and its all my fault." She said but her words were broken up due to her tears.
"Why?" asked Buffy who hadn't noticed any trouble between them. Unless she had been too wrapped up in her own problems to see a break up forming just like with Riley.
"The spell I should have never cast it. I just wanted everything to be normal again. I didn't realise what it would result in. If I had known I would have gone the week without magick instead of cast that stupid memory spell." Buffy realised what she was talking about. It was because of Willow they had forgotten who they were yesterday. She didn't get mad and shout at her. Willow needed a friend not another taurma.
"It's okay. I'm sure Tara will come back she probably just needs some time to think." Buffy did the only thing she could do at the moment and reassure Willow. None of Buffys boyfriends had returned after leaving but she knew this wasn't about her.
"Maybe there's a spell I could cast to bring her back."
"No Willow!" Buffy raised her voice. She wanted to be sympathetic but she had to stop Willow from making it any worse. "You have to let this run naturally. Remember you didn't use magick to make Oz stay and he came back to you."
"I had Tara then."
"Tara and you are meant for each other. She'll come back you have to be patient."
"I don't know if I could last that long it hurts so much to be apart from her." Willow walked away from Buffy and sat on her bed.
"You'll just have to be strong then." The weepy hazel eyes met green eyes "Come on don't sit down. Let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up." Buffy gave Willow her hand hoping that she would take it as a sign that she was going to be strong and that Buffy would look after her. Just like Xander had done for Buffy, he had helped a lot and it was showing already.
***
Xander was driving towards the Magic Box. Anya had asked him to keep an eye on the shop and make sure that he kept the money rolling in. He thought how she must of really cared about Giles if she was willing to leave the shop.
There was someone already waiting outside. It had just begun to rain so his vision was a little blurred. It rarely rained in Sunnydale; he wouldn't be surprised if people ran outside screaming, "the sky is falling". When he was a little closer he realised that it was Tara.
"Hi, isn't Anya opening the shop?" Xander thought about how many people he was going to have to tell that his future wife had left him for the old British guy.
"She's gone too. She's in love with Giles and wants to be with him." He opened the door and they both went inside the shop to get out of the rain.
"Oh I'm sorry." He also realised how many people would apologise for something that wasn't there fault.
"It's okay, I'm really not that bothered I don't think we would have gone through with the wedding anyway." Especially with fact he was about to leave her for Buffy. "We said our goodbye but I found a note on the bed explaining everything just in case she missed me and it told me that she wanted me to look after the shop. There's a list of instructions telling me what to do."
Tara read the instructions that Xander had passed to her. Hinting that he might like some help with shop.
"You can tell Anya wrote it." She smiled when she read the line look after the money.
"Haven't you got work today?" asked Tara.
"No it's Saturday and it's pouring down with rain so we couldn't get much done today anyway. I was thinking we could all run the shop. You know fit into our schedules when we could work it. We can continue with the family fun of running the shop and get into hilarious adventures. You and Will know loads about magick."
Tara went even quieter with the mention of Willows name and looked all awkward. Xander didn't need to be a genius to work out that it wasn't all happy families for the Summers household girlfriends.
"I've left Willow. I just came in here to get my bag."
"What?" Xander couldn't understand what was with all the leaving that was going around. Giles left for England, Anya left him for Giles and now Tara was leaving Willow. "Why?"
"I need my bag. " replied Tara trying to avoid talking about Willow.
"Is it because of the memory spell last night." Tara had seemed so upset with her and during the argument they had had at his apartment.
"Yes. No, it's more then that. I can't trust her anymore she's too addicted to using magick even on me and she knows what I've been through."
"I understand. I would be sensitive about my mind if a hell god had sucked it out." He hadn't been to keen on sporting activities since he almost transformed into a big monster fish.
"You don't understand Xander. We had an argument and she used magick to sort it out and made me forget about it. A relationship is made up of trust and I can't be with her if we can't solve our problems out like everyone else. This time it put as all in danger."
"No Tara, I do understand. You're talking to the guy who cast a love spell when his girlfriend split up with him so he could break up with her and the end result was us being chased all around Sunnydale by its female population trying to get a piece of us. Plus I got Buffy turned into a rat. Only last week I did a truth spell, which ended up in the town turning musical and some people spontaneously combusting. At least Willows spells don't put the whole town in trouble."
"You did that to make sure that everything would turn out right between you and Anya." Argued Tara.
"Willow did it to make sure you and her would turn out all right." Tara was arguing with the wrong person. Xander had a counter point for everything.
"It didn't though she just left you." Or maybe not thought Xander. He looked down trying to think of something to say back "I'm sorry that was cold."
"Don't worry, but I think you and Willow should talk again." Xander was getting really good at sorting out everyone's problems. He could be an agony aunt and have his own TV show. "Just try and sort it out with no threats about leaving. She knows you're serious now and she just panicked about you leaving her."
"I don't know Xander." She was still in love with Willow there was no doubt about it. "Let me just think about it a bit more. I'll come back here tonight."
"I'll keep your bag until then to make sure." Said Xander as he held it.
Tara nodded in agreement. She smiled at him just before she left the shop. Xander was left alone again thinking about if he had done the right thing.
"I just hope the rain keeps those pesky customers away."
Part Two
It was a lot later in the afternoon. Xander looked out of the window and noticed that the rain had pretty much died off. He panicked over the fact that he may now get customers. There had been a couple of people earlier but they had just ducked in to hide from the rain. He had read some of the books on the shelves, as he was bored. It was as if his prayers had been answered when he had noticed his brand spanking new girlfriend heading towards the shop.
Xander quickly rushed towards the counter. He wanted it to look like he had had a productive day and he had the slightest idea what he was doing. He opened up one of the books and grabbed a pencil.
"Hey there busy guy got time for Buffy?" she asked. Xanders cunning plan had worked perfectly.
"I guess I could stop for a minute after all it is for you." It was going well for Xander as he noticed the expression on Buffys face that said 'oh he's just so sweet'. Buffy reached over the counter and kissed him. "We've got a sale on you know."
Xander walked around to the other side of the counter. He took Buffy in his arms dipping her down then going in for a very passionate kiss.
"It's a good thing no ones in here as all this lovey dovey stuff would make them want to yak."
"Are you saying there's something wrong with my affection?" questioned Xander.
"No it's just that I haven't felt like this for a while now and I remember when me and Riley were kissing and Dawn started…" Buffy felt it as her foot entered her big mouth. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry forgiveness is my middle name today, well anything is better then Lavelle." Buffy burst out laughing. Xander had never told Buffy the nightmare that is Lavelle the middle name from hell. He really hated his parents.
"Lavelle?" she could barely talk amongst the fit of giggles that she was currently in "Xander I finally know the deep dark secret you have been hiding from us all."
"Fine laugh at my expense." It didn't take more then a second for the laughter to start to get annoying "Okay that's enough laughing at me."
Buffy stopped to Xanders happiness. They stood there silent for a few moments except for Buffy the strange sound she was making in her mouth that was preventing her from laughing again. It had been a while since she had been this happy. Sure she didn't like the fact it was at the expense of her new boyfriend. Maybe being was Xander was making her happy. She'd find away later to make up for it anyway.
Xander tried to make another move on Buffy, but she stopped him. She was going to make up for it later that day not later in that second.
"Willow and Dawn could come in here any second now." They had just gone to another shop to pick up some groceries.
"And the big problem if they see us is?" asked Xander he didn't think they were planning to keep their relationship secret.
"Willow has just broke up with Tara I don't think we should flaunt it that we are together at the moment. She needs help Xander she keeps wanting to use magick to sort all her problems out."
"Don't worry Tara will be around a little later. They can get talking, they get back together and Willow finds out that some things can be put back together naturally." Xander was on a role with his plans today. By the end of it everything would be great and back to the way it should be.
"I just hope it works." Willow and Dawn walked in at that moment. Willow was carrying a paper bag full of food while Dawn helped out by carrying and eating a packet of crisps.
"Hiya." Said Dawn while she munched on a crisp. "Anyone want one?" she offered out her crisps for a second before retracting her kind offer.
"I'm glad you learned to share." Said Buffy giving Dawn a sisterly stare. "Do you want a hand with that Willow?"
"Goody two shoes." Dawn was annoyed with Buffy they were like typical sisters that didn't get on but loved each other sometimes in the only because you have to way. "So are we have a meeting on a monster of the week?"
"Nope. " answered Xander "We've got some sorting out to do."
***
It had taken about an hour for Xander to first explain everything about Anya leaving and then organise their schedules to run the shop. It was goodbye fun and games for a while then they remember how they spent the majority of their free time in there anyway. They realised how much Anya and Giles were needed with their amount of free time and knowledge on how retail.
"I'm bored" said Dawn as she let her head fall back "You'd think in a magick shop their would be something to do."
"Like your homework." Hinted Buffy in a none inconspicuous tone of voice.
"We need some big old demon to research or a new vampire trying to take over the town. There's normally some new big bad by this time of year." Complained Dawn.
"And you can get yourself into trouble again." Last week she was to become a demon bride and the week before that a vampire. Buffy of course would run in and save her.
"That's exaggerating I'm not in danger every week." Xander and Willow looked at each other as they noticed that the sisters were about to have another of their arguments.
"Yes you do."
"Do not." Their quarrel had already reached the two-word sentence stage. Buffy was about to say something back when the little bell rang indicating that someone had just entered the Magic Box.
Xander was happy for customers. Willow had confused feeling for the person who had walked in. Tara pulled her ash blond hair behind one ear with her hand. She stopped half way towards the table and gave a slight wave.
"Tara." Willow whispered the name beneath her breath. She was surprised to see her already.
"Hi Tara." Dawn was pleased to see her again. She had been in a mood last night that she was leaving and felt a little guilty for not saying goodbye properly. "Don't you want to sit down?"
"No it's okay." Tara was feeling awkward again like she did in the beginning when she felt like a true outsider. "I was thinking we could go in the back and talk Willow."
"Sure fine." She replied while still being surprised to her face again. Willow stood up and walked into the back room with Tara who shut the door behind her.
Dawn quickly ran up to the door and put her ear against it so that she could hear how things were going on in there. Buffy told her to get away from there though after a second time telling Dawn to give them privacy she walked away from it. Dawn was more then a few meters away before Buffy jumped in and started eavesdropping.
"I've got slayer hearing I'll hear them better. Now shush!" Buffy waved her right hand at them telling them to be quiet. She just hoped she heard nothing but good things from inside the training room.
***
The room was filled with an awkward silence for a minute while each of them waited for the other to start. They had sat down on the sofa that was in there and Willow finally started them off.
"I'm sorry." Said Willow knowing that it had to come in there somewhere she thought it might be the best way to start. "If I could go back in time I would stop me from casting the memory spells."
"You can't though. It did happen and it's something we going to have to work though together without the use of the supernatural."
"I could go back in time though and tell myself not to do it." Willow thought that she had seen it somewhere. She should have thought of it earlier. She knew that she was becoming a very powerful witch and she could bring Buffy back.
"Don't joke about it Willow." Tara hadn't realised that Willow was serious about it.
"It would sort everything out and this conversation would have never happened…" She stopped when she had noticed that Tara was now standing up and staring at her.
"Willow!" There were tears forming in her eyes. "I thought I had given you enough time to realise that by continuously using magick is not going to sort out our problems. Let's face it your addicted."
"No I'm not." Willow shouted at her "If you loved me you'd understand." It was a second before Willow realised what she had said.
"It's getting worse. You're having withdrawal symptoms from not casting any spells and you feel threatened if anyone tries to take it away from you." Tara didn't know what to do she couldn't be with Willow if she was going to be like this all the time but she couldn't leave her to delve into it more and more. She needed help but she didn't know how to help, as nothing seemed to get through to her. "Willow I'm worried about you. You don't seem to understand it anymore and the power it seems to be turning you. I'm actually scared to be with you."
Tara left Willow there to think about what she had said to her. The words were a warning. She opened the door and noticed that Buffy, Dawn and Xander were nearby. They had heard her and Willow talking.
"You have to get through to her I can't. I've tried too many times. It's her friends that she needs." She walked away from them grabbing her bag in the way out. She felt like it was a waste of time returning. She did it for Willow because she loved her, Tara reminded herself that.
Everyone watched her leave. Willow had come out of the training room and looked at her disappear. She lost her again. She wiped her tears away before they had chance to run down her face. Willow ran up the steps to the higher level of the shop.
"Willow, what are you doing?" Buffy shouted the question at her. She sure her appear cradling a book in her arms.
"I'm going to get her back." Willow ran down the steps and slammed the book on the table. She began looking through it.
"Willow kinda in the words of a yellow Springfieldian nuclear safety expert 'magick the cause and not the solutions to all your life's problems'." Xander only heard her mutter something under her breath then before she slammed the book shut.
"It's the wrong book." Willow started to dash back up the steps to find the book but was stopped by Buffy grabbing her leg and bringing back to the ground "Why are you trying to stop me? Don't you want me to be happy?"
"Stop and think Will. You blew it. You were given a second chance and that's so blown up I can't see the remains." Said Xander. He had never seen the girl that had been his best friend for most of his life in this state before. She was desperate and it wasn't to get Tara back it was to use magick. He was worried that there was nothing they could do to help her.
"It's just…" Willow stopped and just started to cry and shake on the ground.
"We better get her home." Said Buffy.
"You're right." Buffy got Willow back to her feet and Xander grabbed his car keys. Dawn took the brown paper bag. Xander locked up the shop and they all left together. It had been a dramatic day for all the couples and nothing would be the same.
*The End*
