Chapter 10

Shock. That's what is was, shock. And hurt. And anger. Maybe rage would be a better word. Yes, rage is better.

It had been a great surprise when she'd seen them at the airport. They'd all come to pick her up from her school trip to Colorado. She'd been glad Buffy and Giles were back.

Then she'd noticed they were "together". It had made sense, hadn't made her feel anything negative to them. Not yet anyway.

But then they'd all returned to Rovello drive. Xander had entered first, followed by Dawn and Willow, with Xander and Buffy bring up the rear. Being so happy to see her friends, so happy they weren't mad at her, she hadn't noticed the tension in any of them.

Until Dawn had entered the dining room and stood by the kitchen door, at Giles' request. She'd started noticing then, the tension from everyone. She'd started picking up on the magic surrounding the house, surrounding the occupants, especially the new couple.

And then she'd entered the dining room. Her stuff! All of it! She'd been so sure no one would find most of it. But they had. They'd invaded her privacy, her trust!

And it'd all went down hill from there. She'd rounded on them, her magic surging through her, darkening everything of her.

Willow wasn't playing any more. She'd instantly rounded on Xander, knocking him, with a dark bolt of magic, into the living room, unconscious.

Then Tara. She loved Tara, would never hurt Tara. She'd frozen Tara in place.

Next was Dawn. Sweet little Dawn. She'd used Dawn's own mystical make-up against her.

That's when it'd gotten worse. Buffy and Giles, seeing the threat to Dawn, began attacking Willow, who'd been unprepared.

And now, now she was flying through the air, only to collide with the dining room wall and fall to the floor. Who knew Giles had such magic?

She did, now. And she wanted some of it. But she knew she wasn't going to get it.

Willow didn't hear the words they were saying. She attacked them, cutting at them with magic, hurtling objects–knives, stakes, crossbow bolts– at them. But nothing hit them. It landed a foot on the floor.

Enraged, she conjured her own shield and sent it hurtling at theirs. The two shields connected and shattered. Triumphantly, she flung more magic at them, attempting to do to them what they did the demons. But Buffy and Giles had only been effected for a moment.

But why? How? It didn't matter. All the mattered was–wait, what was happening to her? Willow looked down at herself and saw a sword sticking out of her stomach. She looked at Buffy.

Buffy and Giles were wondering what was going on with Willow when they entered the house. Surely she wasn't that blind?

She didn't prove them wrong. Having been prepared, Giles motioned for Dawn, Tara and Xander that it was time to put their plans into action. He'd wanted to keep Dawn away entirely, but she'd protested, saying Willow'd know something was up. So Dawn had stayed.

Buffy was worried. Would anyone be hurt badly? Would someone die? She used her new senses to check the surrounding area, the house and property inside the magical shields. She could see the beginning of Willow's power bouncing off the shields, and the power she was trying to summon from the outside, rebounding.

It was just as they'd thought. Buffy and Giles hoped Xander was ok, but knew they didn't have time to worry.

The minor shields he'd put up failed under the weight of Willow's attack, causing Giles to silently hiss as the magic snapped. He used an advanced shield on himself and Buffy. Thanks to the training they'd done in England, it wasn't a strain as he attacked Willow magically, while keeping up a shield.

Buffy waited, knowing her time was coming to use the sword. She wondered how the three of them were talking back and forth, but realized it was something they weren't consciously doing.

Giles almost growled as the shield rammed his own. He should have suspected that. No matter, another shield was up before any damage was done. He hoped Buffy would finish the fight soon; as much as he wanted Willow back, she didn't deserve to feel the wrath of Ripper, but she was oh-so-close.

Just when he felt the last of his control slipping, Buffy did what she had been training to do. She lunged and thrust the sword, saying the incantation all the while.

Willow felt strange. Her eyes widened in realization.

Her magic! They were taking her magic!

Well, she wouldn't let them.

She tried to concentrate enough to do a spell.

But nothing worked.

All her magic! It was gone! And the knowledge!

Buffy looked at Willow, watching as a Slayer could, seeing the magics, light, dark and Slayer, transfer from the sword into Willow.

It was done. Ripper backed down as the shield was released, seeing all were safe. Especially Buffy.

From the kitchen doorway, Dawn stared. Thanks to Willow, the mystical energy that was she, had been stirred up, messing with the way Dawn's senses worked. For some reason, she knew that in a few minutes, she'd be back to normal. And that was comforting.

Dawn watched, the auras of Buffy, Giles and Willow dominating the room. She felt like she was on drugs. There were streaks of aura from others who'd ever been in the house. Mostly she saw the colors of the ones who lived in the house. And her mom, despite Joyce being dead. Such pretty and strange colors.

All but Willow. There were ugly colors surrounding her. Tara felt sick to her stomach. She could see auras, why hadn't see ever seen her lovers?

Because Willow hadn't wanted her to. The realization hurt. But not as much as seeing the troubles her friends had went through. She saw everything, all the pain, the suffering, everything they'd ever gone through. And the past year, most of it was caused by Willow.

Could she ever be forgiven?

That was question that ran through Willow's mind before she fell into unconscious, the magic completely drained from her. Only a bit of magic lingered, but it was only in her long enough to heal her as the sword was pulled from her stomach.

It wasn't a long fight, not long at all. But it was violent. And powerful. Meaningful. Buffy felt Giles lower the shields around the house, letting out the residual dark energies that had wafted of Willow.

They had work to do. Giles looked at what used to be Willow Rosenberg. He knew she'd never be he same. He also knew they had little time. Luckily for them, they had magic.

AN: I'm cutting it short because I'm evil and I don't want to give anyone more of a headache. I know I jumped around, but it was just written like that. I didn't want to change it. I kind of like it. Doubt I'll do it for a whole chapter again though.