Title: Magic is Empowering.

By James Carmody.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or any of the characters, Joss Whedon does, and I won't accept any money for this. This is just for enjoyment.

Pairing: Riley Finn/Willow Rosenberg.

Characters: Willow Danielle Rosenberg, Riley Finn.

Summary: A conversation that's based in love and friendship about the addictive (steroid-like) traits of magic between Willow and Riley leads to so much more danger, and to Willow's dark side coming out during season 4 or 5 or inbetween.

Author's Story Notes: There may be temptation involved, and if so, it'll likely come about in the same manner as telepathy is portrayed in my other stories: by this: [text], same deal with mental prayer. Please tell me what you think.

Chapter 1.): "A Friendly Fight."

Upon recalling her past, Willow remembered that all of her friends who knew of her magic habit were critical of it; even when it helped so many people they continued to rub it in... finally she'd had enough and done the unthinkable: to prove that magic wasn't harmful but helpful, she'd used a spell to disable Tara's ability to consent and they'd engaged in physical intimacy- in effect, as Willow sat down on her bed that she'd just come back to after a stay in a mental hospital... she realized she'd raped her (now) ex!

"Riley Finn was right: I had no business doing spell-casting, not if I don't have the self-control to regulate everything about me... really, who does?" Willow asked herself mentally recalling her fight she'd had with Riley Finn back in UC Sunnydale, a place that was a Heaven for poor Willow.

Years ago:
Riley had just learned of Willow's magic addiction, and he'd tried to convince her to stop, she flat-out refused to listen, claiming that she was helping people and he was being biased- bigoted was the word she'd used, now she knew he was correct.

[Oh, Yahweh] Willow prayed to a Deity she'd practically disowned in her late teens, but she was desperate [why can't I or we see when we're being attacked when everybody else can clearly see what's going on and coming?] Willow prayed, silently, begging for help [It'd make it so much easier to resist temptation.] she continued [maybe that's the idea in the serpent's head... to blind us to our vices before they strike!] she considered, recalling suddenly passages she had forgotten since she was a little Jewish girl in the town Synagogue.

Riley had tried his hardest to make her see that she was making a deal that'd lead her to becoming a slave to a gang of perverted spirits, at that time she was so consumed by love of her neighbors that she just didn't care about herself, now she was older and wiser and she knew she had to get out of this wicked relationship- but doubted that she could overpower her owners- the evil spirits who 'financed' her with 'powers' she probably shouldn't have.

"Magic is empowering..." Willow had said in rebuttal to Riley, trying to maneuver him into seeing that she was now able to help her neighbors out with this gift- not caring where it came from "and thanks to its power, I now can save my neighbors lives." she shook her head sadly, still sitting down in the room she'd set up for spellcasting, with him standing behind her and to the right, slightly. He'd had his arms crossed, a frown on his handsome face, and seemed sad "For instance, I can find enemies for Buffy to face-down before we ever have to deal with them when they're ready and we're not, and I can suppress her enemies while she's dealing with others... how's that wrong in any way?" She asked him.
"I just hope someday you can see what you're doing and why it's so incredibly wrong, Willow... I'll always love you as a friend, but I cannot condone this kind of behavior. Good Day!" he said, and stormed off enraged.
He never told on her, to the best of her knowledge, but she now could see clear as day that she'd screwed up her life badly and now needed serious help: she was a slave to a gang of fallen angels, and neverbefore was she so scared!

Author's Notes End Chapter 1.): Please, tell me what you think.
TBC elsewheres, I hope you enjoyed this!