CH.2: The dead do not rest

"I didn't do anything wrong," Tara noted as she paced back and forth…her hands were clutched before her.

"Will you stop your pacing…it is making me anxious. I had died a hero's death…I should not be here why am I here?" Anya was just as confused…and Tara wanted to comfort her but the two of them had never been that close.

"Hell…that is just great…I really screwed up bad this time." Jonathan was looking out at their destination with dread and resignation and Tara knew there was only place to get answers. Heading over she stood before this Caleb.

"E-Excuse me but…why am I going to h-hell?" Tara looked at the man and he had a sympathetic look on his face.

"You have sinned child…everyone on this cruise has sinned. You have sinned because you loved a girl and you tampered with the bringing back of a soul who was in fact in heaven. Yes you have sinned the worst of everyone on this cruise. You are right where you belong." He smiled that smile and she felt a deep sadness inside.

"Now wait just a second…are you telling me that my Xander will be coming here as well?" Anya did not want that Tara could see the love still there even after the wedding was called off.

"Oh yes…in fact even Buffy Summers is due down here for her crimes-." Caleb was drawing quite a crowd, as he likely expected but Tara saw Jonathan rush over and actually press a finger into the guy's chest.

"Buffy is not evil…she is the definition of good. She fights all that is evil and defends those in need of it. She has lost much in her life and died twice doing what she thought was right…no it was right. You wear clothing that makes you holy but you are just some demon in disguise…who are you really?"

Tara smiled seeing Jonathan come to Buffy's defense. Buffy had been a bit awkward around her and Willow when she found out they were dating and ok so they weren't close friends but she remembered when Buffy defended her when her family came to take her away. Buffy was a true leader and she imagined she was looking out for Willow in her time of need.

"And who do we have here…ah yes the sacrifice…the one who hardly anyone knew actually existed. There is much evil in you…so much despair and you even shot at your fellow students once…you should feel right at home here." Caleb wore a sinister smile and Tara moved in closing the distance and held up her hands as they began to glow.

"Back off…I don't know who you are but…you need to stop this." Tara had dealt with enough bullies and this guy was really starting to creep her out. Everyone made mistakes that didn't entitle them to this harassment before going to the hell and gloom.

"Do you wish to see my true face? I am the proverbial big bad, the essence that has existed long before you were a conscious thought in your parents head….or your parents in your grandparents head even further back still. I am the First…the ultimate evil and while your Slayer pal got rid of me it doesn't mean I won't rise again. In here…I grow stronger by the day ready to rise and exact my revenge."

Tara continued backing up with Jonathan behind her. Normally Willow was all magical frontage but here she was the only one with real power. She imagined once they got closer she would be sealed away from her Wicca powers but now she was going to use all she could. "Go ahead and s-show us your real face."

"Oh such brave words…very well I shall show you and everyone just what I am." He held up his arms and darkness enveloped them all.

"That is just a parlor trick…right…I mean I've seen demons do worse. We're not scared…none of us are." Anya held herself and Tara could see the ex-demon…or was she still one shiver. She had placed thousands of curses on men and women for centuries and yet here she appeared more vulnerable than ever.

"I need to focus…light and harmony hand in hand…I can do this." Tara was starting to remember some spells in time of darkness and now was the time to implement it. All around her people were screaming in fear or hurrying inside hoping to shelter themselves.

"Light of holy warrior of depth

Show us some passage in our time of need

Let our fears wash away

Tempt us not for we are your champions

Our hearts are pure our souls are cleansed

Reach out to us now…let the healing begin."

Tara began to breath in and out grounding herself as the energy transformed her. Her blondish like hair flew about her face and her palms began to emit a blinding light pushing outwards. She had done something similar once while lost in the woods having wondered off after having a fight with her father. People began to come out and the veil of darkness shuddered before resolving itself back into the form of Caleb.

"Your powers are starting to annoy me! How is it you can even work that magic…the dead are supposed to be powerless!" Caleb was fuming, well the First was. He was seething where he stood and his flesh was starting to wear down.

"I-I don't know it just…well it feels right." Tara nearly fell over but Anya and Jonathan were there to catch her.

"It would appear your darkness was just a show after all…I knew it." Anya shot him a look and the First appeared visibly shaken.

"You can only delay the inevitable so long witch…your journey is at its end and everyone here will be better off preparing themselves then holding onto false hope." He held up the bible and then he vanished.

"That was amazing Tara…I mean wow…I didn't know you had it in you. You always were so quiet and Willow was all magiky and boom you light up the place and you even reveal the true face of the person pushing us along the way and revealing to us our destination." Anya spoke excitedly and Tara could only manage a half smile as the spell had drained her.

"I don't think I'll be doing that spell again," Tara was helped over to a bench and she sank down closing her eyes.

"I don't think that will be the last we'll see of him," Jonathan noted, his arms folded in consternation.

"The First never rests…never fades into the darkness…he always is." Tara lifted her head then and looked over seeing a very beautiful woman with fair skin and short cut hair. She had a sad face though and her hands were folded before her.

"Ms. Calendar!" Jonathan recognized her right away. Tara had no idea who she was and she gave Jonathan a questioning look.

"Oh right you didn't attend Sunnydale High with the rest of us. This is Ms. Calendar…she was a teacher and was dating Mr. Giles the Librarian till she was killed one night…by a vampire. It was a sad day because she was a favorite among us…lesser popular kids. She was very smart and knew how to handle computers. The day she was killed I wept for a long time."

Tara looked at the woman again and saw softness in her eyes when Jonathan spoke. The part about the vampire though sounded horrible. Tara would hate to become a vampire and she shivered in dread at how gross it would be living on blood and not being able to enjoy the beach.

"My last days on earth were not the most pleasant…especially when Angelus came and killed me. You might know him as Angel…however he was different that night. How is Rupert doing?" She changed the subject and Tara smiled.

"He is doing quite well…last I checked…" Tara felt her voice weaken as she had been killed as well.

"Giles is doing great…I mean he and Olivia are broken up so nothing hanky panky has been going on with him for a while. I was married to him once but it was all on account of Willow's spell." Anya once again spoke without thinking and Tara would've stopped her but she was too tired.

"It is alright…I am glad that Rupert has moved on with his life. What we had was short and sweet and if given a second chance I would do what I should've done and marry him." She smiled and went to take a seat beside her.

"We all have regrets…I guess that is what happens to the dead…too much time on their hands." Jonathan figured as he looked around at all the dead people and demons who dwelled about the deck.

"N-No…I won't accept that. This First as it calls itself wants us to do this…h-he wants us to dwell on our past mistakes, our triumphs and before we know it we are in hell. We need to get control of this cruise, turn away before it is too late." Tara would not let her body rot in a place of damnation.

"Ok who died and made you leader? I think we should attack the first, yeah he isn't that tough I mean Buffy beat him." Anya looked around at them but saw no one was exactly thrilled by this idea, Tara did not blame them but appreciated Anya joining in on the conversation.

"I think one of us can get in and steer us clear of our destination. I can't do it but I can buy whoever does some time." Tara looked around noticing that both Anya and Jenny weren't too intrigued on the stealth like mission.

"I guess that leaves me…I'm your guy." Jonathan figured he had already died twice…what would they do if they caught him kill him again? He just hoped he could pull off the moves he did in his fantasy world.

Authors note: In the next chapter Jonathan goes solo as he tries to get to the cabin and change their fate, their destination. Will Jonathan finally get the chance to be the hero?