Chapter 4

Girl interrupted

Tara looked at Giles as he and the rest of the Scooby gang walked toward her.

They all stared at her in disbelief, the dramatic changes in her features baffled and startled them for how could such a kind and caring person look so evil and miserable all at the same time? Giles gave her look a once over and then shook his head in despair. Not only a few hours after her rampage, had he went to Buffy's house to find Willow's dead body and Dawn crying, not too far away from it, in the corner. I didn't want to leave her alone, he remembered Dawn say as he went to help her up. He called the paramedics and found out that Buffy was rushed off earlier that day. He and Dawn rushed to the Sunnydale hospital and met Xander there. Giles found out that the doctors had removed the bullet but Buffy was in critical condition. When they were allowed, the doctor gave the go ahead for visitation. Giles had no moment to spare as he used his mojo to heal Buffy's gunshot wound. And then he, Buffy Xander, Dawn and later Anya went to find Tara and after minutes they did.

Buffy turned to Giles and said, "Giles, what happened?"

"I…Tara was going to kill Warren and I stopped her. It's nothing really, just a binding spell that will contain her and her powers. It puts her in a kind of stasis for the time… you cut your hair."

"Yeah I did."

"I'm sorry it's just I didn't notice until now."

Buffy and Giles continued on and suddenly Giles stopped to say on last thing to Tara.

"I'm truly sorry about Willow."

Tara turned and gave a spiteful look at Giles and said, "This won't hold me forever."

Giles could only nod and continue walking with Buffy. Then out of nowhere Warren shouted," Giles! Oh thank God! Please help me! You can't just leave me like this!"

Giles stopped dead in his tracks and turned to meet Willow's killer.

"On the contrary Warren, I can and will but with a little twist. And by the way, hasn't anyone ever told you not to go around shooting people then asking for mercy? Well here is a little reminder that were not here to help you, you son of a bitch!" With a flick of his wrist Warren's mouth was sewn shut in a quick snap of stitches that appeared.

After Buffy and Giles walked away Dawn quietly asked Xander," Do you think Tara will be okay?"

"Honestly Dawn, I don't think she'll ever be okay. I'm not feeling so hot, I mean, here I am within striking range of my best friend's killer and I am here to protect him. Call me crazy but do you think we're backing the wrong side?"

"Well Xander, I understand the urge to get a few punches in but we're talking about Tara and as far as I know or care, I just don't want to lose her to this."

Meanwhile Giles and Buffy continued their conversation.

"Giles what is going on? I wake up in a hospital to hear you tell me that Willow is dead and that Tara is on a killing spree. How did all this happen?"

"Warren shot you and accidentally shot Tara in his rush to get out of your back yard. The bullet went through the window and hit Willow."

"Yeah, but Giles how did you find out about Tara?"

"Well Buffy, there is an extremely powerful coven in Devin, and a seer in the coven sensed a powerful darkness rising in Sunnydale."

"Tara."

"At first I thought it was Willow but then they told me about Tara."

"Does the council know?"

"The Council hadn't a clue."

"How are we going to get her back now?"

"Well the coven is trying to find a way to extract her powers without killing her, but Buffy you've got to understand that Tara has done terrible things to people and her friends. How is she ever going to be able to live with herself?"

Just then Taras' voice filled the room. "I wouldn't worry about that, Tara doesn't live here anymore." She had all of the Scooby gang in an invisible grip. Xander, Anya, and Dawn were floating unconscious in mid-air.