Sam sucked in a large breath and immediately started coughing. "Gently, gently." Janet helped the blonde haired Major sit up a bit more. "God, Sam, you gave us a scare."
Sam glanced around starting with her CO and ending with Janet after a prolonged look at Tara. "Uh, what happened?"
It was Jack who spoke up, "We heard commotion and came lookin' to find you on the floor having a seizure, and that..." He pointed to a green and gray creature riddled with bullets. "We took care of... it and got Astra..."
"I thought your name was Tara?" Janet met Tara's eyes.
Tara swallowed and continued the story. "You were probably hi-t with a demon's deceleration spray. Uh, you're l-lucky that it wasn't one that you had to be-behead."
Daniel closed took off his glasses, "And I thought Unas and Goa'uld were a handful."
Sam's eyebrows contracted, "There are no such things as demons."
"Y-you should tell that to the V-vampires and Werewolves."
Buffy picked up her phone. "Yep. Where...the what crypt. I'm, no, I didn't know that. I'm so... no, don't, Willow... Damnit." Buffy slammed down the phone, "Giles, assemble the posse."
Kennedy hefted the sword she had been doing drills with onto her shoulder. "We're gonna kick some First ass."
Andrew pumped a fist in the air, "Yeah..." all gazes swung onto him, "Uh, or I could make...the v-victory d-dinner."
Buffy pulled an axe out of her chest 'o weapons. "You have two working hands?" Andrew nodded apprehensively, "Then you fight. This isn't a training run anymore. It'll be him or us, us or him... Let's go."
Faith hung back for a moment, watching as the Slayerettes crowded around Buffy and talked in voices that were mostly scared and a little excited. She didn't jump when she heard Angel's voice behind her, "Did you ever think that she'd be leading this rag-tag bunch into a battle that would decide the fate of the world."
Faith shrugged, "She's done it before."
Angel shook his head, "Not really, when the Mayor..." Angel paused realizing who he was talking to but continued when Faith didn't say a word, "Sure the students knew that they were going to blow up their school and that something weird was going on, but these girls Buffy has taught and been a sort of Watcher to..."
A short laugh came from Faith, "Don't let the council hear you say that, wait, I forgot they and their tea set got blown up as well..." Angel shook his head and walked away.
"You won't win."
Faith glanced over at where the voice came from, it was the Mayor. Faith simply shrugged, "Then we'll die trying, I know I don't want to live in a world where you win... Bad is good, Evil isn't... I learned that the hard way, knife to the gut way." She pushed off the wall and walked right through the First's apparition and towards the blonde slayer and the rest of the slayerettes and Scoobies.
As they all stepped into the crypt a booming voice came from all around them, "You will all die painful horrible deaths."
Bringers came from all over the place. Two or three to each Scoobie and Slayerette, but they were stupid, dumb brutes and the girls (and Giles, Xander, Angel, Althenea, and Andrew) dispatched them with only a minimum of trouble. It was Faith who found the hole. "There's something beyond the crypt."
Buffy shook her head as she polished off the last Bringer in the room, "There always is. C'mon, but be careful."
"Aw, B, didn't know you cared..."
Buffy didn't answer, but moved through the opening warily, she came to a stop, causing Faith to bump into her back and raise an eyebrow, "Oh, that's cliched."
It was Faith who spotted Willow sprawled against the wall to their right. She made her way over to the red head and hauled her up with negligent ease. "Come on Will, we need your witchy goodness right
about now."
A large monster, at least six plus feet towered in the room. The room was just tall enough to hold him and not much more. "Does Death mean something new in this new millennium."
"Been there, done that...twice..." Buffy swung at him, but he evaded her sword with ease.
Willow searched the room frantically. Finally she could feel Tara. She looked over towards the corner and found Tara and the three Air Force officers huddled around Sam. But there was no way she could get past the First to get to the group. She started when she heard her name in her own head, but an internal smile spread across her body. She thought, "Tara?"
Tara thought right back, "That's not him Willow. It's...not him..."
Willow nodded, getting what her soulmate was saying, even if Tara didn't totally. Willow concentrated, "Ihr Goetter, ruft Euch an! Verbergt Euch nicht hinter falschen Gesichtern." The First took a step back as he started to shrink until he was about Buffy's height, practically whiter than Spike, and very bald. Everyone stood there with their mouths slightly agape.
The First spoke, "Damn you Witch..." Suddenly Willow was being slowly pulled along the floor towards and then past The First. With the First's distraction Tara gestured that they should move to where everyone else was. They surprisingly made it, and everyone formed ranks around the Officers and their injured, while Tara moved up to the front between Buffy and Faith. "You think I really care what I look like when I take over the world?" Fire suddenly encircled the naturally red haired witch. "Ah, that's much better. Now, I don't think we've been properly introduced, I'm the First Really Evil Dude, but please, call me Fred." With a thought everyone in the room was thrown against the wall where they had come in.
Willow started to try to break through the barrier, her eyes going black. Fred smirked as he heard Tara's teeth grinding. "Well, say it all ready Tara my darling, tell her that she shouldn't use the black arts, that it'll feed me, and here she was doing so well. Althenea you must be so devastated." Fred cackled, "Too bad it's already too late... for all of you. Who do you think brought me here...her..."
Buffy took a step forward, "No, Willow doesn't have that much power."
Fred looked at the short blonde, "Only The Slayer could say something as short sited as that. You think you're the only one with power in your little scared doggie group."
Buffy flew back again the room and crashed into the wall with an audible oof. Faith stepped forward, "You wanna try that with me baldy?"
A laugh bubbled out of Fred, "You do have balls. More than the blonde, but then, I did have an affinity for brunettes." Faith was hoisted into the air by her throat and for a few seconds struggled for oxygen. After those seconds she went totally limp. Fred let her fall to the ground. She was surrounded by the Slayerettes and the empty place at the front of the group was taken back by Buffy, sword still in hand.
Fred laughed...evilly, "The witch is the only one who can save you, and you can't get to her."
Tara frowned as she looked around, "There has to be a catch, there is a-always a c-catch..."
Fred raised an eyebrow, "This one is smart, there is indeed a catch. Her soulmate can step through the fire unscathed, but only her soulmate." Fred smirked evilly, "And well, looks like we have a lot to choose from don't we..." Fred put his... hand... on his chin, "Is it a current... severely unreturned love, spunky, young as hell Kennedy..." Fred paused dramatically, "Or, maybe it's a former crush. Xander
Harris, yellow crayons and all, or, maybe there is no sex involved, like that lame TV show...Princess Hoo-Hah something or other, maybe it's her best friend Buffy Summers. Or, last but not least, maybe it's Tara, the one who literally... well, mostly literally... came back from the dead for Willow. Of course, you all are not even sure if she is actually Tara or another version of me. It's up to you. Or, you could always try to win without Willow." Fred smirked again, "If I'm destroyed, the barrier will fall... clock is
ticking people... who's it gonna be? Am I going to have to choose for you? Because you're going to choose, I think I'd choose..." Fred tilted his head to one side, "Alexander. Kind of cute, unassuming, bet
he has good genes to pass on even though he's kinda homely."
"Hey."
Fred rolled his eyes, "I'm evil remember? But back to my grandstanding. Will someone fry? Or will good triumph over The First Evil."
Tara took a step towards the flames but Buffy held her back, "No. Let Kennedy... or Xander, let them go."
Tara pushed Buffy back and whirled to face her. "What goes through your mind Buffy... huh... you think that you know love. You wouldn't know your soulmate if he tried to kill you." Tara poked Buffy between the breasts, "I came back from a place that was so beautiful, so peaceful, maybe you know what I'm talking about? Heaven? But I came back... I'm not even one hundred percent sure WHY I came back, but you know what. For all the death, destruction, sickness, and general crappiness and suckiness of this plane of existence, I don't mind one bit, because my soulmate is here. So, no one is going to get fried, I'm going to go get... my everything, my always, my girl, and we're gonna kick..." she glanced over her shoulder, "Fred's ass."
With that Tara whirled back around and stormed towards Willow's fiery cage. Buffy blinked, "She didn't stutter...and wow, slightly acerbic"
Dawn quietly spoke, "Don't you remember, her heart doesn't stutter."
Daniel looked over Sam at Janet, "Should we tell her that it wasn't quite Heaven?"
Janet shook her head, "Some things are better left unsaid Daniel." He nodded, but jumped when Sam started to go into convulsions again. Janet grit her teeth as she re-arranged herself so that Sam's head was on her lap. "Come on, don't give into some... mystical crap Samantha Carter." Sam slowly stopped shaking but didn't regain consciousness.
Althenea spoke in a quiet tone to Giles, "Rupert, do you think this is wise. There is nothing in this world that can make the power that the coven felt. Not even Willow, Tara has to be a part of The First Evil..."
Giles looked from the Slayers and company to where Tara was taking a deep breath and staring through the fire at Willow. "I think..." Giles shook his head, "I think that if anyone would come back to this..." he looked around, "...sad excuse of existence for love, it would be Tara."
Tara took a deep breath and looked across at Willow who mouthed something. Tara frowned, not getting what Willow was trying to say. The red head mouthed it again, 'It's you'. Tara smiled a little and blushed a little, held up her first and second finger crossed, and took another deep breath.
"Tick tock, tick tock. This is time sensitive little witchy, go now or I won't be so Q anymore..."
Tara rolled her eyes and Willow smiled. Tara muttered as she stepped forward, "I'm her soulmate, I'm her soulmate, I'm her soulmate..."
She didn't feel anything, and suddenly, she was on the other side of the field with Willow right there. The fire didn't fall away though. Instead it almost seemed to get taller and stronger, and started to close in.
Fred threw the Slayers and everyone else against one of the walls, "Do you think I'm stupid, now there is NO way I can be stopped."
Willow started to hit the fire barrier with one of her hands, but Tara stopped her. "No. You'll only get hurt."
They both watched as Buffy, Faith, Dawn, Althenea, Angel, Giles and what was left of the Slayerettes tried to protect the military officers. "What are we supposed to do."
Tara took a deep breath and stepped behind Willow. She threaded her arms through Willow's armpits and grasped Willow's hands in her own. "We can do this. You give the power, I'll give the control sweetie."
Willow leaned back against Tara's body, "Ooh, like the TV show Charmed, I did a Phoebe, or I guess a Cordy, ooh, I think I like it being a Phoebe, I touched a book and suddenly I knew where to find you you know. But we're like that, the power of three, well, except we're two...and don't have Brenda from 90210, you know, that was a good show. Well, until they split up Kelly and Brandon, and addicted everyone to drugs, and started killing them off, and Amber Theisin was good on Saved by The Bell, but her as a bad act...much more cheery than drug addicted. Shoulda been canceled after... I'm rambling, I-I'm sorry..."
Tara smiled and kissed Willow's temple, "I love your rambling."
Willow tilted her head backwards and caught Tara's lips with her own. "And I love you Tara Maclay."
With that Willow took a deep breath and let all the walls in her mind fall. The fire started glowing a blue color and both Willow and Tara could feel the heat lessening. "It's working..."
Tara kissed Willow's neck, "Shhh darling, you might be simply pumping, but I need to channel..."
Willow smirked for a moment before she remembered to look a little abashed at where her mind had dove with Tara's comment, "Sorry..."
Suddenly the fire was simply gone and both sets of eyes focused on Fred. He was advancing towards Buffy. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. "What the hell..."
He started sliding backwards without taking a step. In Willow's ear Tara whispered, "Like the soda machine, in reverse..."
Everyone looked up when Willow laughed a practically bubbly laugh. The two witches rotated Fred so that he faced them. He was doing some concentrating of his own, and suddenly Willow almost fell to the ground. Tara took a tighter hold on her soulmate and spoke, "Fight it Willow... you can win."
"No... no... I'm good, I'm..." she growled, "fucking good..." Tara had to hide a grin at the language Willow used to proclaim her goodness. As Buffy and the rest watched, her eyes went to all black and back to their natural color more than once.
Xander spoke up from the peanut gallery, "Think yellow crayon."
Tara gritted her teeth, "Y-you're n-not h-helping Alexander Harris. Damn you Willow, I am n-not loosing you now. Fight HIM!"
Willow groaned after a minute and spoke softly, "How about you fight, I control..."
Tara frowned for a second, "Hold tight Will. We can do this..."
Willow mumbled, "Easy for you to say..."
Tara smiled a little, "N-not really..."
"I have an idea..."
Both women focused on Fred's nether region. To the surprise of everyone involved, including the slayers and co who were trying to beat up on Fred the old fashioned way, it seemed to work a bit.
Behind everyone Sam finally came around again. "Ugh..."
Janet put a restraining hand on Sam, "Don't move okay..."
Sam looked around, "What's happening?"
It was Daniel who spoke up, "They are fighting with the... I believe they called it... the First Evil, or Fred, or something?"
Jack shook his head, "I get the feeling they do this every day..."
Sam adjusted her body and pulled something out from under her. "Would this help?"
Janet closed her eyes, "You brought a Zat off the base..."
"So court martial me, oh, wait." Sam pushed herself so that she was reclined against Janet and mostly sitting up and took aim. "Lord let this work on... whatever... that is..."
Sam shot the first and second bolts in rapid succession. She had to re-aim as Fred started coming towards the group of four military officers. He raised his hand, but it was stopped in mid swing as the third bolt from the Zat'nik'ital hit him and he disintegrated into nothing.
Willow closed her eyes. They still sat on the ground, not quite having enough energy to get up yet, "We averted the apocalypse again..."
"You know, there isn't supposed to be a plural of apocalypse..." Tara rubbed her eyes, "...especially when its the five or six plural...o-one or t-two maybe..."
Willow smiled, "Part of the job..." Her smiled faded a little, "You didn't have to come back Tara...I...I heard what you said about heaven."
Tara looked up at the stone ceiling, "I... I saw, or talked to, or something with my Mom, and my Grandmother, and two of my Aunts... but I didn't s-see you... and that made it a dark ugly place..."
Willow smiled contentedly, "What in the world am I going to do now..."
Tara swallowed, "You have to d-do what makes y-you ha-happy..."
"Deja Vu." Willow laughed and laughed until she had tears streaming down her face. She finally composed her self enough to take a gasping breath and simply smiled. She turned over so she was chest to chest with Tara, and placed one of her hands on Tara's face, "Oh my love, only you would ask that silly silly question again. You have now been firmly confirmed as my soulmate, you stepped through fire for me, and yet all you want is my happiness." Willow leaned forward and kissed Tara firmly. "You're my other half..." Willow smirked, "Better half even... cuter too, even with that..." Willow shuddered, an action that she hadn't even done during the battle with The First. "...awful color hair."
Tara smiled as she slowly started to get up. As Willow and Tara detangled themselves Faith held out a hand to each of them and hauled the duo up forcibly. "Nice save..."
Tara gripped one of Faith's arms, "You look hurt..."
Faith pried her arm away from Tara, "Nah, Five by Five..."
From the back of the room came Sam's voice, "I haven't heard that in the longest time..."
Everyone looked at her, it was Willow who asked the question, "What does it mean?"
"It's radio jargon, it uh... confirms that the radioed transmission was received clear and loud. Rated one to five, uh... the first number for clearness and the second, the second's for loudness."
Everyone kind of looked at each other, "Oh, that's actually kinda lame..."
Faith glared back at Sam who simply shrugged, "That would be why I never told anyone where it came from..." She shook her head.
Kennedy spoke up, "Guess you'll have to get a new lame saying huh... Don't run with scissors, Catch ya on the Other side?"
Faith looked Kennedy up and down, "Watch it little girl, I could take you with both hands tied behind my back."
Kennedy scoffed, "Please, I've been doing this since I was eight..."
Faith laughed, "Try six."
Kennedy's intended reply was stopped by that, "Really?"
Faith nodded towards Buffy, "Oh yeah, don't learn from this amateur, I could teach you twice what she knows..."
Kennedy put a hand on Faith's arm and stuck her tongue out, "Teach me oh wise Slayer..." Faith gave a laugh, and both women smirked and left the room.
Willow whispered in Tara's ear, "Two down."
Willow frowned and Tara took hold of her hand and led her over to Sam and Janet. Daniel and Jack had already left the crypt with Jack mumbling, and Daniel trying to placate him. "Thank you... Major Carter
is it?"
Sam nodded and shook Tara and Willow's hands. "Sam, and I should be thanking you. You got me..." There was a poke in her side, "...us out of a tight spot."
Tara shook her head, "You can do something for me though..."
"Name it..."
Tara gripped Willow's hand tighter, "Never let anything be left unsaid."
Sam and Janet's eyes met for a moment before they looked back at Willow and Tara. Janet finally smiled and shook her head, "We'll try..." She cleared her throat, "We... I think we need to get going. Have no fear, we'll keep mum on all this... end of the world stuff... mostly since no one would believe us."
Tara spoke, "Wait a moment." She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out two keys, she threw them at Sam, who caught them with negligent ease. "I don't think I'll be going back there for a little bit... you two can... get some rest... I-I mean, M-Major Fraiser was d-dead right?"
Tara smirked and Janet smiled and inclined her head. "Thank you... we'll be out by tomorrow though..." She stared up at Sam, "I have a lot to get back to," she paused, "If they'll let me." But even with Janet's last statement there was a spring in her step as she and Sam walked out into the sunrise.
Tara smiled and whispered back to Willow, "Three down... and it solves two of our problems..."
Willow looked a bit confused.
Buffy folded her hands over her chest, "Now, what are we going to do with you four..."
Rona was the first to speak up, "I will be getting on home if you don't mind. If, and when Faith dies, I'll be ready... but..." she smiled softly, "I'd rather not be called over for any more apocalypses..."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Amanda?"
"Home."
Molly and Vi nodded their heads. "How about one last group dinner?"
"Mmm...am I invited? I did help you save the world...again."
Buffy looked over at Angel, "If you eat blood, you do it in the kitchen..."
Angel held his hands up, "I promise..."
