Title: Buffy and the Unfinished Dimension

Chapter Title: Avoidence

Rating: T

Chapter Summery: Some people just can't take a hint.

Chapter 3

Downstairs, Riley was trying to reach Buffy, who kept avoiding him. Since they were confined to the house and the small yards, she quickly ran out of room to run, and he caught up with her.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Riley asked as soon as he made his way toward her.

"I don't know, just felt like the right thing to do." She replied back, trying to make it seem like nothing.

"Well, I want to know which one of us you picked." He said

"I haven't picked yet." She said

"Yes you have, you told me before the battle that you did" He said

"Maybe I lied." She tried to make him think

"No, you didn't, and I'm pretty sure it isn't me." He said

"What would make you think that." She asked

"Maybe, the fact that you've been avoiding me since you got here."

"Well, maybe I picked you before you died, and now it's just awkward!" she lied

"Buffy, I know you too well to…" He started

"I need to go see Tara." She half lied, she did want to go see Tara, bet it's not something that had to be dealt with now. She just wanted to see if she knew about Kennedy yet. And, through Riley's protests, she managed to go and see Tara, who looked like she was about to cry. Buffy decided that Tara probably wanted to be left alone,

"Um… Buffy… don't go, I've been thinking, and I think I might have found a way to kill people, as in actually kill them, if we can summon the Scythe thing that you and willow used when you blew the Hellmouth in, since it's been blessed, it might be able to kill people and send their souls to another place." Tara said

"Okay, we would need a slayer and a witch to do that, so the more the merrier. We'll need Faith, Kendra, Amanda, Willow, Jonathan, Ms. Calendar, you and I to pull it off." Buffy replied

"I'll start pulling a ritual together." Tara said, before leaving as she left, Jonathan passed her and went to talk to Buffy

"So… I hear that you're starting to do way better on the Magic's." Buffy said

"Yeah, I'm not as good as Willow, Tara, or Ms. Calendar, but I'm still pretty good." He replied

"Ms. Calendar's getting good with the magic's?" Buffy asked

"Yeah, she's real good at spells with electricity and the other elements. She's pretty good with defensive spells too." Jonathan said

Buffy and Jonathan just stood on the porch, watching the fires and explosions. When you ignore the screaming, it looked kind of like fireworks.

"I should probably check and see if Tara's done with the ritual yet." Buffy said as she went inside.

Buffy walked up to her old room to see if Tara was there, when she got there, she saw that it had been changed into some sort of an arsenal, and that Willow was there, crying. Buffy figured that it had something to do with Tara, and Kennedy.

"What's wrong Will?" Buffy asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"I'm starting to know how you feel" Willow said

For a while they just sat there, with Willow trying not to cry in front of Buffy, and Buffy trying to comfort her, even though she was having the same problem. Buffy and Willow finally decided that they should go and help Tara, if she wasn't done yet. They finally found her, where Joyce's old room was, she looked like she was almost done.

"Willow!" Tara said, and she fell to the floor, "what are you doing here?"

"We just came here to see if you were done with the ritual." Willow said, trying not to look at Tara

"I'm perfectly capable of coming up with this spell on my own, thank you!" Tara said, sounding extremely hurt

"I-I-I didn't mean it like that!" Willow said, through tears

"Okay! You two either need to work this out, or stay in separate!" Buffy shouted, stalking off.

"You know, she's right… we need to work through this, because if we don't, the spell that I'm making won't work right." Tara said

"I can still help you know." Willow said

"I know," Tara said, "but I just think that… until you're sure, we shouldn't do any spells."

"We can still do magic together, even if we're not… together." Willow said

"Willow, maybe you should just go, I've got a ritual to finish." Tara said

Willow left, extremely hurt. Tara felt bad, but she did what had to be done, she didn't want Willow to feel forced to pick her. She also didn't want to be distracted while she worked on the ritual, she didn't know too much about this scythe, just what they said about it in the house, but she knew that it was important. She knew that she needed to test it. She figured that she would use one of her favorite magic books, it isn't extremely valuable, and it'll help her learn more offensive spells, she knew that it would be extremely difficult to make it to Sunnydale High with only defensive spells.

Ms. Calendar opened the door to see Tara, working on the ritual.

"Do you need any help?" Ms. Calendar asked

"Yes, please," Tara replied, sounding a little pathetic

Tara and Ms. Calendar worked through it and finally… it was time to try to summon the book. Tara through the powder onto the magical circle and said her ritual words, and then Ms. Calendar did the same. There was a swirl of light, then a bright flash, and then the book appeared in the magical circle. Tara checked, and none of the pages were missing, it was perfectly intact, Tara was now filled with hope.

"This is going to work!" Tara said filled with joy

"Last time I came up with the ritual to save the day, I was killed." Ms. Calendar said

"It's not going to happen this time." Tara said, suddenly more serious, everyone here is a little sensitive when it comes to death. Riley finally caught up with Buffy, this time she was more composed, and was ready to tell him the truth.

"Buffy, stop avoiding me, we need to talk about this now." Riley said

"You want to know who I chose… well, I chose Angel, and now, I may never see him again." Buffy said

"Well, maybe, if we get stuck here, you should choose me." Riley said

"I'm not just going to choose you out of convenience!" Buffy said, felling slightly offended

"Is there any way that you would pick me?" Riley asked

"No! I've already made my decision!" Buffy shouted

Riley left, feeling defeated, while Buffy was left, feeling the same way. Maybe he was right, maybe… if they can't make it home, she should just pick him. It's not like she'd be seeing Angel if they didn't. What was she thinking! She had to be crazy! She didn't know what she should do, but she knew that she should wait, keep her strength, and see if they make it back to their dimension.

Tara came into the room, apparently excited. "Buffy, I think that we can call the scythe now!"

"Good, it's time we fight." Buffy said