AN: Obviously this is going to be a lot longer because I want to include every one's story and add Tuscany's in. Tuscany has been a bit of an observer so far but now I'm gonna start bringing her into her own.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Imagine if I did? Scary scary thought!

TABULA RASA (part 1)

"You had a class yesterday," Karen told Tuscany as she stood in front of her desk. Tuscany had her first class today. Well officially it was her second but due to complications like her bursting into song she hadn't shown.

"I didn't think you'd want me going all Oklahoma or sound of music on you," Tuscany shrugged.

"You sang?" Karen leant against her desk. Tuscany felt like a solider being reprimanded for misbehaving.

"Yeah," She paused before adding a bit disgruntled, "Pop number. Plural actually. You?"

"Country western," Karen admitted without shame. In fact Karen seemed to be taking the whole musical out burst in her stride. No hysterical questions. Maybe it was just Karen and her cool attitude but Tuscany suspected there might be something unusual about her new boss.

"Well I still gotta job don't I?" Tuscany knew she had but felt it polite to ask.

Karen dismissed her with a wave of her hand, "Go teach!"

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"Do you think she ... walked around on clouds, wearing like ... Birkenstocks and played a harp? 'Cause those are just not flattering. You know, the clonky sandals, not a harp. I mean, who ... doesn't look good with a harp?" Anya was ranting trying to fill the awkward silence. Her, Xander, Tara and Willow all sat around the table in Xander's kitchen.

There was a pause and every one looked grim.

"What?" Anya whined in defense, " I'm just saying what everyone's thinking, right baby?"

"You are attractive and have many good qualities," Xander replied without paying much attention at all.

"It's totally not stupid to wonder what it was like for Buffy. But it could have been any one of a zillion heavenly dimensions. All we know is that ... it was a good place and she was happy there," Tara tried to sooth everyone.

But she wasn't reaching Willow, "And we took her away from that. We wrecked it for her."

"We didn't wreck. We didn't know," Xander was frustrated with Willow's sulking and the burden on his shoulders was unbearable. Bringing back Buffy had turned out to be the worst mistake.

"We didn't wanna know. We were so selfish. I was so selfish," Willow snapped back.

" Maybe we were. I just feel weird feeling bad that my friend's not dead. It's ... too mind-boggling. So I've decided to simplify the whole thing. Me like Buffy. Buffy's alive, so, me glad," Xander stated honestly.

"Not to be Miss Psycho Pep Squad, but we have got to stop obsessing about what we did and start trying to make things better for Buffy," Not for the first time Tara was the voice of reason.

"I'm with Miss Psycho Pep Squad," Anya whole-heartedly agreed. She didn't think much of the whole guilt trip.

"Ah, we need to spend more time with her, just hang out. Maybe have ... weekly dinners over here, or, uh ... a book club. Short books. Videos," Xander tried to be pro-active.

He was shut down by Willow, "I can fix it. I know a spell."

"No! No more spells!" Tara burst out violently.

"Then what? This isn't something that's gonna be fixed by a video club. I know I messed up; okay, and ... I wanna fix it. The whole situation. Buffy, Dawn and even Tuscany. I can make them happy."

"I can't believe that we are talking about this again. You know how powerful magic is, how dangerous. You could hurt someone, you ... you could hurt yourself," Tara was incredulous.

"I know a spell that will make her forget she was ever in heaven," Willow kept pushing.

"God, what is wrong with you?"

"I'm gonna go get that ... phone you probably don't hear. High-pitched ring, ears like a dog," Xander stuttered, clearly uncomfortable.

"I'm gonna help you with that," Anya said following him out of the room.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I know you used that spell on me," Tara brought the conversation round to what she had been waiting to discuss and confronted Willow.

"Tara, I'm sorry, I…" Willow was shocked.

"Don't! Just ... don't. There's nothing you can say," Tara interrupted.

"Tara, I didn't mean to," Willow was trying desperately to fix things.

"To what? Violate my mind like that? How could you, Willow? How could you after what Glory did to me?" Tara didn't tone down her aggressive attack. She could feel the anger rising and went with it.

"Violate you? I ... I-I didn't ... mean anything like that, I-I, I just wanted us not to fight any more. I love you."

"If you don't wanna fight, you don't fight. You don't use magic to make a fight disappear," Tara sighed wearily.

"But I-I just wanted to make things better. Better for us," Willow couldn't stop stammering but she was finding it so hard to attain words to explain what she had done.

"But you don't get to decide what is better for us, Will. We're in a relationship, we are supposed to decide together," Tara was furious with Willow's superiority issues.

"Okay. I'm ... I realize I, I did it wrong," Willow confessed.

"You did it the way you're doing everything. When things get rough, you ... you don't even consider the options. You just ... you just do a spell. It's not good for you, Willow. And it's not what magic is for," Tara felt like she was explaining it to a small child.

"But I ... I just wanna help people," Willow protested desperately. She had heard the change in Tara's tone.

"Maybe that's how it started, but ... you're helping yourself now, fixing things to your liking. Including me."

"Tara, no!" Willow said in disbelief.

Tara realised she wasn't getting through to her and tears pricked her eyes as she understood what she was going to have to do, "I don't think this is gonna work."

"Hey. It is, i-it's working. Tara, please. I need you, baby. I need you. I don't need magic, I-I don't, I ... let me prove it to you, okay? I, I will go a month without doing any magic. I won't do a single spell. I swear." Willow was trying to negotiate.

"Go a week. One week without magic," Tara compromised knowing in her heart that it was going to be hard for her addicted lover to last that long. The thought was painful.

"Fine. Fine, that's easy!" Willows voice gained confidence but it fell away as she looked at Tara's face.

"Go a week, and then we'll see," Tara stumbled as she took in Willow's pathetic expression and questioning eyes, "I don't know, I just ... think we both need some ... I don't know, space. Oh, I can't believe I'm saying this."

"Are you saying you're gonna leave me?"

Tara couldn't answer so she just gazed at her girlfriend in silence.

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Something felt off. Very distinctly off! Tuscany could feel the vibe radiating around the magic box as she gave Giles a mini lesson in rope tying. He had asked how she had gotten out of the ropes on the very first night they had found her. They hadn't been broken or frayed just worked off her wrists.

So here she sat, tied up secure in a chair, taking in the room. Xander and Anya appeared fine and so did Dawn but everyone else was on edge. Giles looked lost in his thought as he re-examined the knots around her arms.

"¿Está todo bien?" She asked Giles in Spanish.

Are you all right?

"Muy bien," He answered dismissively, "¿Cómo son las cuerdas?"

Fine How are the ropes?

"Muy bien," Tuscany sighed. She turned her attention to Tara looked devastated. Tuscany had an idea what had happened. Her and Willow had argued about magic. Anya had let that much slip before Xander silence her with a shake of his head and a quiet, "Private relationship business stays private, sweetie."

Buffy looked upset too and she stalked back and forward. Anya was behind the register when she slipped suddenly. She stood holding Giles purple wizard hat looking peevish. An evil smile crossed her face. She walked around the desk and placed the hat on Tuscany's head.

"Hey that is taking advantage of an incapacitated woman," Tuscany protested. Anya leant closer and admired a necklace around Tuscany's neck, which she had just noticed. It was the letter T. Xander grew impatient waiting for Willow so he went outside to look for her. There was silence. Tuscany tried to break it by humming a song under her breath.

"I come from the land down under. Where the women glow and the men plunder. Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run… you better take cover."

"What was that?" Dawn asked, forgetting in her curiosity her promise to ignore her half sister.

"A song from the land down under," Tuscany didn't elaborate, "Strangely appropriate I feel."

"Huh?" Dawn asked simply.

"Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder," Tuscany gave Dawn a meaningful look, "You better run… you better take cover."

Dawn read a warning in her sister's eyes. There was something threatening but Dawn felt it wasn't directed at her. Besides it was hard to take a tied up wizard hat wearing woman seriously. Tuscany watched as Dawn contemplated what she had said. Tuscany didn't fully understand her own words. Just that something was brewing and it would be best to be careful. Just then Xander returned with Willow in tow. She was thanking him for the lending of his jacket.

"So what do we got?" Dawn asked Giles.

"Sorry?" Giles was completely distracted.

"What kind of oogly-boogleys? Lizardy types, or um, zombies, or, or vampires, or what?" Dawn persisted. Tuscany tilted her head waiting from her position, tied up upon a chair, for the reason the meeting had been called.

"There are no oogly-boogleys, Dawn," Giles cleaned his glasses and looked around the room at the Scoobies, "I'm glad you're here, um... I have something I really have to tell you all. Um ... I know it feels like we've been through this before."

"Why don't you just jump to the chase?" Buffy interjected harshly. Tuscany narrowed her eyes and stared quizzically at her sister. She wasn't the only one either. Willow subtly checked her pocket.

Tell them you're…" Buffy ranted but she was stopped as the magic shop door flung open and Spike ran in smoking.

"Spike?" Giles wasn't quite sure what he was seeing.

"Holy Moly," Anya breathed.

"You need to give me asylum," Spike panted as he recovered from his run in the sun.

"I'll say," Xander looked the vampire up and down, taking in his interesting outfit.

"No need to get cute," He paused as Tuscany snorted in laughter, "It's a disguise. Happens there's a bloke I'd rather not see just now."

Tuscany didn't stop laughing as he walked further into the shop and took a seat on the counter.

"You're tied to a chair and wearing a large purple wizard hat… I wouldn't laugh at me," Spike finally retaliated. Tuscany stopped giggling immediately and her eyes traveled up trying to see the hat.

"Who you running from?" Dawn asked.

"You meet him," He gestured with his head towards Buffy, "Toothy bloke with the baby-seal breath?"

Buffy just rolled her eyes as Spike continued his vivid description.

"Nasty fellow, him. And ugly too. He's got a mouthful of choppers just waiting to be yanked out and worn as necklaces."

There was a long silence in the magic box. Tuscany began contemplating ways of escape but the ropes were tied too tight. She cursed the moment she suggested teaching Giles the best way for rope tying.

"Well, now that we've recovered from Spike's ... sartorial humor, I'll jump to the chase. Um ... I'm headed back to and I plan to stay ... indefinitely."

Tuscany closed her eyes. She had seen this coming. She could also see the surprised looks on everyone else's face in her mind. Sometimes it takes an outsider looking in to understand.

" Now? Not now, I mean, not after ... everything," Xander stumbled frantically.

"Yes, now," Giles confirmed lowering himself into a seat beside Anya.

"For real this time? 'Cause honest to Pete, a young shopkeeper's heart can only take so much ... I mean, not that I want you to go," Anya was a picture of ecstatic glee and sadness. Interesting contradiction. Dawn was trying to process this new information and so were the two witches. Spike was pretending to be upset and Buffy's face was stoic.

"I can't do this," Buffy finally broke and walked towards the door, "I just, I don't think…"

"Buffy, listen," Willow called after her desperately. Buffy slowly turned back.

"I know this must be awful for you, and I, I'm sorry, I ... I'm so sorry for..." Willow fought to convey what she was trying to say.

Buffy nodded sarcastically, "Sorry. Everybody's sorry."

"That's not fair," Tuscany interrupted sharply. Buffy may have been dealing with her own issues but she had no right to treat these people… her friends… like nothing. It frustrated Tuscany.

"What do you know?" Buffy rounded on her sister and began venting her rage, "You come in here with no problems. The greatest problem for you is picking whether to have toast or cereal or watch that bad soap opera."

Tuscany gritted her teeth and resisted putting Buffy in her place. She was a slayer too. And she had enough issues for most people in the room. Ok she hadn't died but everyone's problems didn't have to be measured according to Buffy's. The world did not revolve around Buffy. The older slayer seemed to catch the look on her sister's face. Both her little sisters faces and she felt herself crumbling inside. These two girls were her responsibility. Whether they wanted to be or not.

She looked at Dawn, with tears in her eyes, not comprehending why her big sister and idol wasn't glad to be back. To be back with her. And Tuscany, with her defiant and angry eyes, trying to live in a world that hadn't asked for her or needed her. It was killing her. Hurting her more than the harshness and brightness of the world. It was these two girls… Young women… and not her friends that were reaching her the most. Making her hurt and feel the most. Them and … but she didn't want to go there. She tried to compose herself and address the group.

"I know that you guys are just trying to help ... but it's just, it's too much. And, and I, I can't take it any more. If you guys ... if you guys understood how it felt ... how it feels. It's like I'm dying, it…" She never finished the sentence. No body heard what she was saying. They were slumped on the ground unconscious.

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"Huh," The first words that came out of Buffy's mouth. But she didn't know she was Buffy. In fact right now she didn't know a lot of things. Like where she was, who she was… who were these strange people. She jumped up cautiously and flipped the light switch. The harsh light filled the room and she watched the people in front of her stir.

Willow gasped and scurried away from Xander. Her face was blank and she didn't register who he was. Xander opened his eyes, took in Willow and smiled seductively.

"Hey," He said smoothly.

"Hey?" Willow was uncertain. Of… Of everything… especially the strange man hitting on her. There were laws against sexually harassment. Well she thought there were. She wasn't sure! Wasn't sure of anything.

Anya was yawning and Giles stretched and followed suit. They both froze, noticed each other and jerked away. Tara sat up slowly her eyes darting back and forward. Tuscany's head rose of her chest. The purple wizard hat still perched there, determined not to go away. She quickly realised she was tied up and wondered which one of these sicko's had bound her.

Spike stretched out on the counter in his sleep. He was having a good dream. Till he fell off and awoke contacting with the ground. He shrieked. Dawn sat up swiftly at the noise. Realising she knew nobody in the room panic rose and she huddled down like a frightened animal. It was dark outside and the now strangers stared warily at each other.

Surprisingly it was Dawn who spoke first, "who are you people."

Buffy saw the small girl in trouble and, completely oblivious to the fact this female was her little sister, moved toward her.

"Don't worry," Buffy said kneeling down.

"Please don't hurt me," Dawn pleaded quietly.

"Oh, it's okay. I don't know anyone here either," Buffy confessed.

"Yeah? Who are you?" Dawn's voice shook with nerves.

"I, uh..." Buffy stammered and her eyes searched the room as if hoping it would inspire some memories.

"Okay, who are you freaks?" Xander cried stumbling to his feet. He stared accusingly at the people in the room. Everyone was on their feet now except for Tuscany. Her eyes were narrowed and her face showed clearly that she was running over the events in her mind.

"You don't know me?" Willow demanded incredulously.

"Not a clue," Xander dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

"But you were just all like, 'oh, hey.'" Willow tilted her head.

Xander placed his hands on his hips, "Yeah, 'cause I thought you were a girl and I'd remember, but..."

Willow grabbed her breasts, "Well, I am a girl!" She began indignantly, "I'm ... not sure ... who I am exactly, but..."

"Okay, why was I on the ground? And why are you all staring at me? Is this some kind of psych test? Am I getting paid for this?" Xander was becoming frantic.

"Chill out," Tuscany spoke for the first time. All heads turned towards her. She noticed all eyes on her and lowered her head muttering, "Psycho bastard."

"It's not just you. Does anyone remember anything?" Giles took control.

Everyone shock their heads.

"Well, maybe we all got ... terribly drunk and this is some sort of, uh, blackout," Giles had a weak smile. Tuscany raised an eyebrow. Tara looked confused.

"I don't think I drink," Dawn said slowly.

"Nah you look like a real booze head," Tuscany was being facetious.

"You're really a cynical one aren't you," Buffy snapped. Tuscany shut up.

"I-I don't see any booze. I don't feel any head bumps. I don't see Allen Funt," Anya gazed expectantly around the room.

"Who?" Giles questioned.

"Okay. I'm not panicking. I'm not. I'm not. Stop looking at me like I'm panicking!" Xander was obviously panicking.

"Hey, hey, take it easy, guy. Okay, no one's hurt, right? And, and none of us look all hatchety-murdery, so ... we're probably safe. Here. Wherever here is," Buffy tried to calm him down.

"Speak for your self," Tuscany sounded off, "I seem to be the only one tied up. I think you kidnapped me and planned to do... uh… experiments or kinky sex stuff."

"Oh right," Spike scoffed, "And the teenager and frantic boy over there led the attack."

"Hey I'm the one that's tied up," Tuscany protested.

"You know what I think? I think you're the bad guy and you were trying to rob us or something and we incapacitated you and tied you up," Spike said triumphantly.

"Then we all had a friendly nap together?" Tuscany laughed.

"Hey hey," Buffy interceded, "We don't know what happened and until we do YOU are staying tied up. Besides call me insane but I feel like you don't belong here with us."

"Look at this stuff on these shelves. Weird jars of weird stuff," Willow interrupted, "Weird books with weird covers, like Magic for Beginners. Oh!"

"This is a magic shop. A-a-a real magic shop," Tara stepped forward.

"Well, maybe that's it. Maybe something magic happened," Buffy surmised.

There was silence as they all turned to stare at Tuscany with the purple witch's hat. Tuscany looked up and took in what she could see of the hat. Then gazed back at the people in the room and figured out what they were thinking.

"Bugger off," She swore, "I'm Australian not Wiccan."

"Magic! Magic's all balderdash and chicanery. I'm afraid we don't know a bloody thing. Except I seem to be British, don't I? Uh, and a man. With ... glasses. Well, that narrows it down considerably," Giles smiled.

"I don't like this," Dawn leaned closer to Buffy.

"It's okay, don't worry. We'll take care of each other," Buffy assured her.

"We'll all get our memory back, and it'll all be right as rain," Giles consoled them.

"Oh, listen to Mary Poppins. He's got his crust all stiff and upper with that Nancy-boy accent. You Englishmen are always so…" Spike paused, "Bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! I'm English!"

"Mary poppins indeed," Tuscany muttered.

"Welcome to the nancy tribe," Giles cleaned his glasses.

"You don't suppose you and I ... we're not related, are we?" Spike looked unnerved.

"There is a ruggedly handsome resemblance," Anya examined the pair. Giles blushed with pride.

"And you do inspire a, um ... particular feeling of ... familiarity and ... disappointment," Giles said as the pair sized each other up, "older brother?"

"Father. Oh god how I must hate you," Spike gazed at him in disgust.

"What did I do?" Giles was stunned.

"There's always something. And what's with the trollop?" Spike pointed at Anya.

"Hey!" Anya cried.

"Her?" Giles looked doubtful.

"I saw you two, sleeping together."

"Resting together," Giles put up a defensive hand.

Anya noticed the shiny ring on her finger, "Look! It's ok. We're engaged. It's a lovely ring."

"Great! A tarty step mum whose half old daddy's age," Spike said cynically.

"Tarty?"

"Old? You little twerp I'm young enough to still get carded."

"Carded! Driver's licenses!" Willow exclaimed excitedly.

"I would check but I can't reach you know," Tuscany sulked.

"It's me! 'Alexander Harris.' Cute picture. Hey, I exist!"

Tuscany was looking around the room. She wasn't really paying attention to what was going on in the room. Willow and Tara had worked out their names and so had Randy. Him and Rupert were fighting. Dawn and Joan had decided they were sisters and were hugging. Tuscany didn't know her name but she felt powerful. She was looking at the magic books on the walls and something was adding up. She didn't belong among these people. Randy was telling Rupert that he never showed him affection.

"What's your name," Tara asked meekly. Tuscany realised she was talking about her.

"Don't get to close. She may put a spell on you," Giles warned.

"I thought you didn't believe in magic?" Randy questioned.

"Well I'm starting to add things up and I thinking it's possible."

"She can't be a witch," Willow professed, "Witches are old and ugly with warts."

"Common misconception," Tuscany answered with out thinking.

"There she admitted she was a witch," Xander pointed his finger.

"So burn me at a stake," Tuscany retorted.

"I bet she had something to do with the memory loss," Anya concluded.

"Well I find this all funny. And I don't really belong… I think. And I feel pretty powerful. So yeah I probably am a witch," Tuscany nodded thoughtfully before hastily adding, "but a good witch."

"Yeah we tied you up because you're Glenda of the munchkins," Spike laughed.

"Bite me Randy!"

"Well, we need to figure out what's going on. We need to get help," Buffy took command.

"Looks like Joan fancies herself the boss," Spike sighed. It felt familiar somehow.

"We have a kid here," Buffy gestured at Dawn.

"A teenager," Dawn corrected.

"A teenager," Buffy conceded, "And we have no idea what's wrong with us. I think a hospital's our best bet."

Everyone in the room nodded.

"Uh, yes, let's, um, let's head out," Giles agreed.

"Any suggestions on how we're gonna get there?" Buffy asked as Willow and Xander offered their arms to each other and looked confused.

"Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic midlife-crisis transport. Something red, shiny, shaped like a penis," Spike laughed and put his arm around Giles.

"Hey what about me?" Tuscany yelled after them, "I lost my memory too!"

"Hey witchy-poo, we ain't taking you anywhere after you removed our memory so nicely," Xander told her.

Buffy walked up to the witch," You're staying here. When we get our memories back we'll deal with you."

"If it's a magic problem the hospital isn't going to be much help," Tuscany told her.

Buffy leant close so she was nose to nose with the woman, "You think you can come in here where you don't belong and turn everything upside down with no consequence… you're very wrong."

'I don't even know my name… what kinda threat do you think I am?"

"You're T," Buffy pressed her finger hard against the necklace. And with that she walked to the door. Everyone had been waiting so Buffy pushed past she flung open the door. Two vampires stood on the threshold.

Everyone screamed!

AN: nothing to say please review!

MD666