Part 14
The gang was all together in the Summer's living room
"So Giles, what's the big plan?" Xander asked stuffing a hand full of popcorn in his mouth
"Yes…uh, very well" Giles stood up and looked around hesitantly "where's Tara?"
"Resting" Willow answered despondently "she was pretty beaten after the fight"
"That's because she might have bitched out, but she's still human" Buffy offered with a mouth full of popcorn, then took a big a gulp on her coke "she got pretty wasted from fighting those demons" she concluded
"I don't get it" Xander shook his head confused "why didn't she use magic to fight them?"
"Because Tara's powers come from white magic" explained Giles "and as she is under the influence of evil…"
"To use her powers, she would have to channel dark magic" Willow concluded his line of thought
"Precisely" he nodded
"So she chose not to?" Faith asked furrowing her brows
"That's what I believe" Giles answered nodding again "despite her weird behavior, part of Tara is still resisting the darkness"
"So you think we can somehow stimulate this part…" Willow clarified understanding where he was going
"Uh-huh" he nodded positively
"But how?" the redhead asked lifting an intrigued eyebrow
"Well…" he removed his glasses and started pacing "the fact that she jumped into a direct confrontation with a group of demons just to protect a little boy made me think" he explained gesticulating like a teacher giving a lecture "if she did that to protect a stranger, what would she be capable of to protect someone she loved?" he stopped and looked at the group's faces watching their reaction
"Are you planning on staking Willow out as a sacrificial lamb?" Anya blurted out
"What?" Buffy and Xander shouted at the same time and looked at a very shocked redhead
"No" Giles shouted indignantly "there will be no staking out or…or sacrifice for that matter"
"But you're planning on using me as bait, aren't you?" Willow asked suspiciously
"Not you…" he ducked his head and tucked his glasses back on "Ariel"
"You have got to be kidding" Faith practically jumped from her seat and stood next to a wide eyed redhead
"Come on, Giles in name of everything that's sane and rational I have to ask" Xander asked pausing for dramatic effect "have you lost your mind?" the older man sighed and rubbed his forehead nervously
"I assure you it will be perfectly safe" he stopped and looked directed at Willow's eyes "I would never risk my granddaughter's safety…but we have to shake Tara to the core"
"Then use Red" Faith threw both arms in the air "she's her soul mate, isn't she?"
"I know Willow holds Tara's heart" he offered looking at a teary redhead "but …there's no greater love than the love of a mother protecting her child"
"That would be her ultimate choice" a voice came from nowhere startling the gang; soon after, a glowing light appeared revealing the keeper "are you aware of the risks?"
"Risks…what risks?" Willow looked frantically between Giles and Klaus
"Testing her love for her child, would be considered the final step of Tara's transformation" explained the blond man "if she chooses to ignore her daughter's safety, there will be no turning back for her"
"What is he talking about, Giles?" Buffy asked exasperatedly; she was as confused as everybody else
"Tara will be placed before a choice" informed her former watcher "she can either choose to walk the path of light or the path of darkness…if she saves Ariel"
"She will get back to normal" Willow completed and Giles nodded
"If not…" Xander questioned
"We lose her forever" Giles answered sadly and turned to look at Willow once again "it's up to you Willow" he said directly to the redhead "Ariel is your child, Tara is your future wife…it's your decision" Willow was feeling lightheaded; the future of her family lay on her hands now; she looked around and saw her friends looking at her expectantly; she was the one calling the shots
"You guarantee Ariel won't be in any real danger?" she asked; her breathing was elaborated her chest was heavy
"I promise" Giles crossed his heart "we'll plan it very carefully"
"We could lose Tara forever" she considered aloud felling her heart sink to the sound of her own words
"Part of her is already gone" Klaus said gently
"We can do it, Will" Buffy came closer and touched her friend's arm "we are a family, remember?" the redhead looked upset
"We are together" Xander said joining his two best friends "the Scooby gang" he offered good-naturedly, producing a sad smile on the redhead's face. She looked around and saw the support and strength she needed in her friends' faces, she released a big sigh and nodded
"Let's do it" she stated firmly
A few hours later it was pretty late and the house was very quiet, Giles entered the kitchen for a glass of water and saw a dim light coming from the living room; worried, he decided to check who would be up that late in the night. He entered the room very quietly and saw Willow sitting on the couch, a small table lamp lightening the room enough for him to see that she was crying
"Willow, are you alright?" he asked concerned
"Honestly?" she asked sniffing "I'm lost and confused"
"Would you like to talk about it?" he offered honestly, she nodded and dried some tears; he sat next to her and listened carefully
"I feel like my spirit is dying" she looked at him and saw that she had his full attention "I know I can trust you guys and that you'd rather die than let any harm happen to Ariel or me…but I'm scared, cause I'm not so sure about Tara anymore, I mean, she's different and not herself right now…what if" she sighed as if gathering strength to voice her thoughts "what if she chooses darkness? What if she chooses to ignore Ariel? We'll loose her, Giles…I'll loose her" tears were cascading down the redhead's face she was about to collapse "I can't lose her…not again…I can't live without her" she fell into the watcher's arms sobbing uncontrollably
"Shh…it's ok" he tried to sooth her "everything is going to be okay…we'll bring her back, I promise" he rocked her back and forth until she cried herself to sleep unaware of the invisible presence watching over them
"Do you think she'll take it?" Klaus asked to an older keeper standing next to him
"Yes, she will…she's a fighter" he answered softly
"But you remember what was bound to happen if Tara had died six years ago, don't you?" Klaus asked concernedly
"Things are going to be different now…it's Tara's Destiny"
"I just feel sorry for them" the blond keeper looked sympathetically for the two people asleep on the couch