Chapter 21: Tough Love

At the Magic Box in Sunnydale. An older couple browses the shop. Giles sits behind the counter. Willow and Xander sit at the table. Willow reads a school book. Xander studies a comic. Anya stands nearby, observing the Older Couple, scrutinizing them. Xander notices. "Honey, old saying: 'A watched customer never buys.'"

Anya nods, "They would if they were patriotic."

Willow and Xander exchange a look. "Okay, I'm going in." Xander turns to Anya, "Patriotic?"

Anya nods, "Yes. I've recently come to realize there's more to me than just being human. I'm also an American."

Giles nods, "I suppose you are, in a matter of speaking. You were born here. Your mortal self."

Anya smiles, "That's right, foreigner. So I've been reading a lot about the good ol' US of A, embracing the extraordinarily precious ideology that helped to shape and define it."

Willow smiles, "Democracy."

Anya shakes her head, "Capitalism. A free market dependent on the profitable exchange of goods for currency. A system of symbiotic beauty apparently lost on these old people. Look at them." The kindly-looking couple are browsing, having a nice time. "Perusing the shelves, undressing the merchandise with their eyeballs... all ogle, no cash. It's not just annoying, it's un-American."

Giles looks over at the couple, "Yes, appalling. Almost as if they no longer think money can buy happiness."

Anya nods, "Totally. Un-American. And you know what else is un-American? French people."

Willow laughs, "You don't say."

Anya nods, "From what I hear, they don't tip. French old people, that's really the bottom of the barrel, huh?"

Xander shakes his head, "Ahn, how 'bout we try being a bit less prejudiced and a bit more inclusive? He indicates him and Willow. "Not us, just you."

Anya sighs, "Fine… I'm going to make those fogies buy things."

As Anya crosses to the other side of the shop... Buffy and Dawn enter followed by Piper, Phoebe and Paige."

Xander smiles, "Hey, what's up? It's Dawn Giovanni and the Buffster."

Piper laughs, "Buffster?"

Dawn waves, "Hi."

Buffy looks back at her sister, "Xander's nickname for me." She turns back to the rest of the group, "Hey, everybody."

Giles nods, "So what brings you back to Sunnydale… Not that were not happy to see you of course."

Buffy nods, "Glory does. We kind of dealt with our big bad in San Francisco. Now it's time to deal with our big bad in Sunnydale. Anyways we need to speak to Giles alone for a minute."

Giles nods, "Willow, mind watching the till?"

Willow shakes her head, "Not at all."

Giles, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige cross to the back room, Buffy looks at Dawn, "Um, Dawn, why don't you get started on your homework, okay? If you need help..." She looks to Willow, "Wills, could you...?"

Willow gives a comforting nod as Buffy, Piper, Paige, Phoebe and Giles exit.

In the back room… The girls sit on the sofa as Giles hovers nearby, "What's up?"

Buffy sighs, "We've been trying to think of ways to defeat Glory. But there is one problem I wanted to ask you about."

Giles nods, "Of course."

Buffy sighs, "We know the Key is blocking Dawn's powers. Once we defeat Glory do you think we can extract it from her?"

Giles thinks for a moment and nods, "It might be possible to unbind it. I would have to do some research to find out how. It would be helpful if we knew how they bound it to her in the first place."

Buffy nods, "We're going to be in town till this thing with Glory is over with."

Giles nods, "Talking about Glory. We've learned that she found out it's been bound. How she found out we're not sure."

Buffy frowns and stands up quickly, "What?"

Piper looks at Giles, "Are you sure of this?"

Giles nods, "Yes. She has had demons watching us trying to ascertain if one of us..."

Buffy shakes her head, "Maybe it was a mistake to bring Dawn back here. Especially when we don't know how were going to defeat Glory yet."

They all head back in to the front.

Willow, Anya, and Xander are lying in the shape of a triangle on the floor of the Magic Shop. Dawn stands in the middle of them. Willow and Dawn are laughing hysterically.

Buffy frowns, "What is this?" Dawn freezes when she hears Buffy. Willow throws an exaggerated, 'Oops, busted' look to Dawn. "Dawn, I thought I told you to do your homework."

Anya and Xander seem embarrassed; they exit to another part of the shop. Giles follows.

Dawn nods, "I was."

Piper rests her hand on Buffy, "Dawn what was your homework?"

Dawn smiles at Piper, "Math, Aunt Piper."

Willow nods, "We were acting out a geometry problem. 'Cause I just read this really neat article that said kids learn math better when you tap into their visual learning patterns; you know, using the right brain too, instead of just the left and stuff like that…"

Buffy nods, "Uh-huh."

Willow smiles, "So we made a triangle with our bodies. And that's when I called Xander 'obtuse' and he got all grumpy and then Dawn said we were 'acute' triangle and, well... hilarity ensued."

Buffy looks to her sister and nods, "As long as it was part of her math assignment… I guess there is no harm in a little fun."

Willow smiles, "Hey while you guys are in town. You want to come to the World Culture Fair, if you want, with me and Tara."

Buffy shakes her head, "Nah, I don't think so. Maybe another time."

Willow pouts, "Ok."

Buffy smiles, "What I need everyone to do right now is to tell me where Tara is. She's the only one that's not here."

Willow frowns, "Probably at the fair. We were going to meet up there. Why?"

Buffy nods, "Willow, Piper you're with me. Dawn you stay here. Paige, Phoebe watch her we don't need Glory coming here looking for the Key. The rest of you stay here."

Willow shakes her head, "Buffy what's going on?"

Buffy sighs, "Giles said you guys learned that Glory knows the Key is bound to a human. I want everyone safe. Better to protect you all, and easier to make sure Glory doesn't find out the Key is bound to Dawn."

Willow follows Buffy and Piper out the door.

At the cultural fair Tara sits on a bench waiting for Willow. Tara feels a hand slip under hers. Her fingers interlace with the other as she thinks it's Willow. She turns and sees Glory and her jaw drops.

Glory smiles. "This seat taken?" Glory squeezes, securing the grip. "This is nice. Just hanging out. Just us girls." Tara stares forward into the crowd of people laughing, playing, oblivious. "You like this sort of thing, don't you?" Before Tara can say anything... Glory squeezes Tara's hand so hard that bones are breaking.

Tara gasps, in terrible pain.

Glory soft and horrible, "Don't make a sound." Tara's eyes dart to two big guys in rugby shirts. "Nuh-uh. They won't help you." The couple passes buy. Tara's eyes move to a group of three bicycle cops. "I'd kill them. You know that. There's no one here that can stop me."

Glory indicates people as they pass. Saying to Tara in a soft and terrifying voice, "I'll kill her. And them. And I'll kill him. And him. And her. And it'll be all your fault."

With that she gives Tara's hand another bone crunching squeeze. Tara nearly retches with pain. Her face is blanched of color. But she doesn't call out. Doesn't say a thing. Blood starts to seep from between the clenched hands. Bones apparently have broken the skin as blood slowly drips through the slats onto the grass below.

Glory smiles, "It's kind of funny, isn't it? All these people here and nobody who can do a thing. Not a person who can help you. That's people for you; pretty worthless." She smiles at Tara. "But Keys on the other hand... Keys are worth a very lot."

Tara's eyes widen, an awful realization. She makes a tiny shake of her head but it's too late.

Glory grabs Tara's bleeding hand and brings it up to her lips. She closes her eyes and takes a big lick of the blood, savoring it. Suddenly, her eyes open. She gags! Spitting the blood on the ground! "You lying little tramp. You're not the Key. You're nothing. Just another worthless human being."

Tara shakes her head, "I didn't-"

Glory frowns, "I hate being lied to. It makes me feel so betrayed!" Glory suddenly smiles. "Hey! Do you want to make it all better? If you tell me who the KEY really is I'll let you go. Think about it. You think your hand hurts? Imagine what you'll feel with my fingers wiggling in your brain." Tara looks at her in terror. "It doesn't kill you. What it does is make you feel like you're in a noisy little dark room. Naked, and ashamed. And there are things in the dark that need to hurt you 'cause you're bad. Little pinching things that go in your ears and crawl on the inside of your skull. And you know that if the noise and the crawling would stop, you could remember how to get out. But you never ever will."

Glory says it with the quiet unhappiness of someone who has experienced true madness herself. Tara is speechless with fear. "Who is the Key?"

Tara looks at her, realizing that Glory will surely brain suck her anyway. She thinks of Dawn, of Buffy. Tara closes her eyes, jutting her chin forward proudly as tears spill down her cheeks; her expression indignant, offering her head to Glory: she'll never talk.

Glory sighs, "Fine." Glory reaches out, slides a hand down the side of Tara's face.

Willow and Piper are running as fast as they possibly can, trying to stay caught up with Buffy. Their eyes searching, looking for Tara. Willow spots her and Glory, "Buffy!"

Buffy turns and sees Glory is about to brain suck Tara. Glory's fingers poised at Tara's temples, holding Tara's head pressed ear to ear to her.

Willow screams, "Tara!"

Buffy takes off leaving Willow and Piper behind as she pushes people out of her way.

Willow begins a spell, "By force of heart, and mindful power, By waning time and waxing hour..."

Glory's fingertips push just a few centimeters into Tara's cranium.

Willow continues to chant as Piper grabs her hand. Willow looks at Piper as she can feel the power flowing through Piper, Charmed Power. Piper smiles. Willow nods taking the offered power as she continues to chant. "I echo Diana, um, when I decree... what is it... what is it..."

Glory's hands plunge deep into Tara's head. Glory writhes in ecstasy.

Willow chants as she feels the power building, "No...NOO! That she I love must now be..." It's too late. "Free. TARA! NOOOOO!"

Through the passing people, Willow sees Glory smiles at her. She then sees Buffy lunging towards Glory… but a Chinese dragon gets between them. After it has passed Buffy looks around seeing that Glory is gone.

Willow goes to Tara, who still sits on the bench. "Tara! Are you okay?"

Tara looks at Willow, "It's dirty. It's all dirty. And all over me. Dirty, dirty, bad. Bad!"

Willow clutches Tara to her as she begins to cry. "Tara, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Tara looks pleadingly at Willow, her eyes trying to communicate something her brain won't help her say. "It's under my skin. Dirt, dirt, dirt..."

Willow rocks Tara, rubbing her back like she was soothing a baby.

Buffy looks to Piper, "Let's get her someplace where we can call for Leo."

Piper nods and helps Willow with Tara. They walk to a segregated area away from any onlookers. "Leo!"

Leo orbs in. "Piper? Buffy? What's going on?

Buffy looks at Willow and Tara, "Tara is hurt. Can you heal her?"

Leo looks to Piper who nods. He walks over to Tara and attempts to heal her but nothing happens, "I'm sorry. Her mind is…"

Buffy nods understanding, "Glory happened. She did that thing where she sucks out a person's mind. She thought Tara was the Key. Can you orb us to Sunnydale Memorial?"

Leo nods and they orb out.

Short time later Tara sits up on an examination table at the hospital. She is wearing a hospital gown, looking scared and pitiful. Her injured hand is in a cast.

Willow sits on the doctor's stool, holding Tara's good hand. She's obviously been crying.

Buffy, Piper, Giles, Xander, and Anya stand near them. The mood is bleak. Everyone listens as Doctor McCarthy talks to them.

Willow looks to the Doctor, "Can't she go home now?"

Doctor McCarthy shakes his head, "Unfortunately, no. Hospital policy dictates we keep her for the night."

Willow nods, "Does she have to? I can take care of her at home."

Tara frowns, "It's poisoned. Why don't I tell you that? It's got to be checked though."

Doctor McCarthy smiles kindly, "Is she your sister?"

Tara nods, "It has to be verified of course. Anyone could tell you that. Of course. Of course."

Willow smiles, "She's my everything."

Buffy puts her hand on Willow's shoulder, "She's my step-sister."

Doctor McCarthy nods, not totally believing Buffy's lie. "Well, you can get her released first thing in the morning. But she's got to spend one night in the psych ward, just for observation. We'll keep an eye on her, do a couple basic tests and then you take her home. Does that sound fair?"

Willow nods blankly.

Buffy sighs, "Yeah that would be fine."

Doctor McCarthy smiles, "Well, you hold tight then, and I'll send a nurse by in a few minutes to pick up Tara." He leaves.

Willow stays near Tara, kissing her head, having a few private moments.

Xander sighs, "Words cannot express how much I hate this place." Giles nods. "And yet the same words I say when I hit my thumb with a hammer keep coming to mind."

Giles sighs, "It's dreadful."

Anya darkly, "It's like Communism."

Buffy sighs, "Wills. I'm so sorry."

Willow looks up at Buffy and nods, "Thank you for trying to get the doctor to let us take her home."

Buffy smiles, "It's no problem, Wills."

Willow nods and looks at Piper, "Thank you also, Piper. I could feel you lending your power to my spell. When we were at the fair, I just wished I could have fired it off before..."

Piper nods, "It's not a problem, Willow.

Tara looks at Buffy and smiles a strange smile. "They kill mice."

Buffy smiles at Tara, "Tara." Buffy tries to hug Tara; Tara remains stiff.

Willow sighs, "I'm so scared."

Buffy nods, "So am I, Wills. So am I."

A nurse comes in and helps Tara into a wheelchair. She is then pushed out of the room by a nurse.

Tara strains to look back at Willow. "Don't... please don't with that treachery. I told the cats. And now I beg my mother, sitting all alone."

Willow waves, "'Bye Tara. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

At the last second, Willow can't let Tara go. She tries to follow her out the door, but Xander catches her in his arms. Holding her. "Will, no. It's just for one night."

Willow nods, "Yeah, I know. But it's a whole night and I don't think I can sleep without her."

Anya smiles, "You can sleep with me… You know, that came out a lot more lesbian than it sounded in my head."

Buffy nods, "Wills, you just have to rest. Right now there's nothing you can do."

Willow looks up, determined. "Yes, there is."

Buffy looks at her, understanding. "No. No way..."

Willow exits into the hallway. Buffy follows. "You can't even think about taking on Glory."

Willow faces Buffy. Strong. "You saw what she did to Tara. I can't let her get away with it."

Buffy sighs, "Willow look. Piper and I both went up against her, two of the Charmed Ones. We're supposed to be the most powerful witches in the world. And I still got my rear handed to me on a platter. It's probably going to take a power of four spell to do any good."

Willow sighs and starts to walk down the hall.

Buffy blocks her way. "You're not going. And I won't let you go."

Willow shakes her head, "It's not your choice, Buffy; it's mine."

Buffy sighs, "This is not the time."

Willow frowns, "When, Buffy? When is? When you feel like it? When it's someone you love like I love Tara? When it's Dawn, is that it Buffy?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No when we have a power of four spell ready to go. That's when we do it. You could even help with that. Maybe you can help Phoebe write the spell. Quicker it gets done the faster we do something about it."

Willow nods, slowly. Then she slumps as if every atom in her body is giving up. "Fine. I'll wait."

Buffy smiles, "Hey you know maybe we can make you an honorary Halliwell and make it a power of five spell?"

Willow laughs, "I doubt it works that way though Buffy. But thanks for the laugh though I needed that."

Buffy smiles, "It's no problem, Wills. We'll take her down as soon as we can. I promise you. All were waiting on now is the spell." Willow turns around and walks off in the opposite direction. "Can I do anything-"

Willow shakes her head, "Just let me be alone."

Buffy watches her go, slowly making her way down the hall.

A bit later at Glory's apartment Glory paces, energetically rifling through some dresses on hangers, considering them and tossing them aside, letting them fall just anywhere. The Minions scurry to pick them up as they drop.

Glory frowns, "Too summery, too power-suit, eugh, way too nineties, and... oh." She stops. Turns, holding the last dress up against her. "What do you think? For just a basic show up and slaughter your enemies thing. "

The minions pause, a little thrown. Glory's waiting.

Jink nods, "The garments themselves merely serve to heighten your magnificence, oh holiest one."

Glory nods, satisfied. "Good point." She goes into the living room, "You know, I think I'm a little buzzed from eating that witch. What a mind she had. Nummy treat."

Murk nods, "...Is your grace not the slightest bit... concerned about..."

Glory shakes her head, "What, about the Slayer? Don't be stupid. I know I'm closing in. The Key's as good as mine. Girl like Buffy's got just so many friends. All I gotta do is rip through 'em, one by one, until I finally..."

Suddenly there's a rumbling. Glory stops. Listens. The sound grows louder, like a constant thunder. The Minions look to Glory. The room begins to shaker ever so slightly. A vase falls from a table and crashes to the ground. The room becomes darker; outside, day has turned to night.

Glory frowns, "Did anybody order an apocalypse?"

Then very quickly; the bolts and locks on the door unlock themselves and the door flies open to show Willow is there. She is floating a goof foot and half about the floor.

Her arms are extended at her sides, palms facing front. Her hair and clothes are blowing behind her as if she stands at the bow of a boat. Her eyes show no pupils, no irises, they are completely black. And they glow. She moves towards Glory.

Willow is incanting all the while, almost inaudible at first, but growing, "Kali, Hera, Kronos, Tonic..." The Minions run in terror, secreting themselves somewhere at the back of the apartment. "Air like nectar thick as Onyx... Cassiel by your second star..."

Glory smiles, "It's the lover… That's so cute." Glory strides towards Willow.

Willow nods, "Hold mine victim, as in tar!"

Suddenly, Glory's stopped cold - caught in the mire of Willow's spell. She pushes forward but it's hard - Something invisible making the air impossibly viscous. Glory snarls like an animal snared in a trap.

Willow speaks in a strange and warbling voice, like a fairy tale's wicked witch. "I. Owe. You. Pain."

And on the word "pain," Willow's empty eyes glow brighter. She raises both arms, aiming ten fingertips straight at Glory. Energy blasts from her fingertips.

Glory gets engulfed in the wave of unholy energy. Glory screams.

At the Summers House…

Buffy, Phoebe, Paige, Piper and Dawn are in the living room.

Dawn looks devastated. Buffy tries to protect her by down-playing what has happened to Tara.

Dawn sighs, "So, what'd the doctors say? Is Tara... like those guys in the mental ward, or, is it different somehow?"

Buffy shakes her head, "They said there's no way of knowing right now."

Dawn nods, "'Cause... none of those guys got better. I mean, none of them."

Buffy softly, "Dawn honey... Tara might not either."

Buffy tries to comfort Dawn as Dawn buries her head in her hands, starting to cry.

Dawn shakes her head, "It's all my fault."

Buffy looks at her sisters.

Piper sighs, "It's not your fault."

Dawn nods, "How's Willow?"

Buffy nods, "She was looking to go all paybacky on Glory for a minute there, but I cooled her down a little." She shrugs. "Actually, a lot."

Phoebe nods, "She's not gonna do anything rash, then."

Buffy nods, "I explained how Piper and I had gone up against her and lost. And how we agreed we probably needed the power of four for Glory."

Phoebe nods, "Uh huh."

Buffy frowns, "What?"

Phoebe sighs, "Do you know what Piper, Paige and I would likely be doing if it had been you instead of Tara? We likely would be going after Glory ourselves with just the power of three."

Buffy frowns as she realizes Phoebe is right, "Its suicide."

Buffy looks between each of her sisters who nods.

Dawn sighs, "Mom, think. If Glory'd done that to me..."

Buffy stands motionless a moment, thinking. It hits her. And without a word, she bolts out of the house...

Back at Glory's apartment. It has been trashed, curtains pulled down, furniture broken. Willow stands in the middle of it, her face streaked by tears, her eyes glowing. "Shatter!"

Across the room, a large mirror shatters on the wall, its shards falling on Glory, raining down around her.

Glory laughs, "Is that it? Is that the best you can do?" Despite her laughing, she looks like she's taken a few blows. Her dress is torn, she staggers just a little... "You think I care about all this? The apartment, the clothes..." As she says this she stands up straight and rips off her dress, revealing a full black slip. "I don't give a rat's ass when it comes right down to it."

Glory backhands Willow, flinging her across the room.

Willow lands on a chair which takes on her momentum, catapulting across the floor, and tipping over onto Willow.

Glory smiles, "Sucking on your girlfriend's mind, now that was something to treasure."

Willow frees herself, stands, and never takes her eyes off Glory. A leather bag sledes across the floor, fast, by itself. It stops in front of Willow. Unties itself and opens up like a flower.

Glory smirks, "What's this? Bag of tricks?"

Suddenly a dozen knives fly straight up out of the bag, into the air, pointing at Glory.

Willow grim, "Bag of knives."

Suddenly the entire dozen knives all fly straight forward at Glory simultaneously.

Glory stands her ground, and, faster than the eye can follow, bats the knives out of the way. She laughs, lifts a table and chucks it at Willow with incredible force.

Willow, cries out, in pain as the table hits her. She goes down. But manages to return the volley, "Spirit of serpents now appear. Hissing, writhing, striking near."

The carpet Glory stands upon suddenly rises up from all four corners. The corners begin twisting themselves around Glory like a huge snake.

Glory sighs, "Now this is getting weak..." As she says this, Glory simply walks through the twisting carpet. It evaporates as she passes.

Willow, injured, watches as Glory approaches. Glory comes closer to Willow, clutches her face in one hand, taking a good look at her prey. "And so are you, honey."

Willow's eyes have turned back to normal. She is indeed weakened.

Glory smiles, "Aren't you?"

Willow spits on Glory's face.

Glory doesn't move, lets the spittle slowly drip off. "You're going to regret that."

Glory grabs Willow by one wrist and drags her across the room with ease.

Willow slides along the floor like a wounded animal. "No..."

Glory scoops up a knife from the floor without breaking stride. She lifts Willow up, holding her against the wall by her wrist. "You know what they used to do to witches, Lover?"

Glory raises the knife high into frame, ready to plunge it into Willow. Willow can watch but she can't move. "Crucify 'em."

The knife blade comes whistling down - then stops. Glory's wrist is held fast. She looks up to see Buffy.

Buffy smiles, "True that they did. But now you're messing with a Charmed One."

Buffy thinks for a moment and remembers the spell she, Piper, Paige and Phoebe used to protect themselves from the Seer. She hopes with Willow saying it and a slight modification it might work.

Buffy twists Glory's wrist straight back, making her drop the knife with a small cry of pain.

Buffy lets loose with a solid roundhouse kick, tagging Glory square in the head and sending her whole body whipping sideways. Buffy grasps Willow's hand as they back towards the door. "Wills say this with me. 'The Power of Two will set us free."

Buffy hopes even though Willow is not a Halliwell that their friendship will make it work anyways.

Willow nods as she and Buffy continue to back up. They chant together, "The power of two will set us free. The power of two will set us free."

Suddenly a shield pops up around them as they quickly exit the house.

Glory frowns as she can no longer get at Willow and Buffy, "This isn't over... Do you hear me? It isn't over!"

The next day Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Tara, Phoebe, Piper and Paige are in Tara's Room

Suitcases and boxes filled with Tara's belongings lie on the floor, some closed, some still awaiting more stuff. Tara sits crossed-legged on the bed wearing flannel pajamas and a blank expression. Willow, Buffy, and Dawn sit on the edges of the bed, around her. Willow looks exhausted. Piper, Paige and Phoebe in chairs nearby.

Willow looks to Buffy, "That was a Charmed spell we did last night wasn't it?"

Buffy nods as she opens a bag of sandwiches. "I had hoped it would work just the two of us, and you not being a Charmed One. I didn't know what else to do short of beating Glory back and hoping for an opening to get you out of there."

Willow nods, "Not that I'm not glad it worked. But why did it work?"

Piper smiles, "I suspect because of your friendship. You two share a bond as strong as we share now. You were for all intense and purposes Buffy's sister when she had none. The magic latched on to that bond and through it worked the magic."

Buffy nods, "So who's up for chicken salad?"

Willow smiles, "Right here."

Buffy nods and hands her the sandwich, "Eggplant, that's me. And, what is this, peanut butter and... ew, salami, Dawn?"

Dawn takes the sandwich from her. "Yeah, Mom, like eggplant is normal. It's what - half-egg, half-plant? 'Cause that's just unnatural."

Willow holds up her chicken sandwich. "What's Tara got?"

Dawn smiles, "I got her tuna. Does she like... Tara, you like Tuna?"

Tara looks at Willow, "Plastic and their six sisters. Six sick sisters. Willow?"

Buffy hands the rest of the sandwiches to Phoebe, Paige and Piper.

Willow nods, "We'll just start a little slow today, okay? Buffy, can I have that?" She indicates some applesauce. Buffy hands it to her. Willow looks to Tara. "Okay, Darling..."

Willow opens the jar and fills a spoon. Then gently, tenderly, she feeds Tara. Like a child. "There we go. Yeah, that's my girl. It's okay. I'm right here."

Tara smiles. Willow fills another spoonful.

Dawn nods, "Can I help?"

Willow lets Dawn feed Tara as she talks to Buffy.

Buffy nods, "What are you gonna need?"

Willow shakes her head, "I don't know... They gave me a lot of stuff to keep her calm. They said I might need to restrain her at night, but... Sometimes she's fine, she looks at me and she's fine."

Buffy nods, "I'm sorry I couldn't reach her in time..."

Willow smiles and nods, "It's okay. I can do this. I'm gonna take care of her. Even if she never... She's my girl."

Buffy nods in understanding as she looks at her sisters and daughter, "I understand."

Willow nods, "I know you do."

Willow and Buffy lock eyes. Then Willow returns her attention to Tara and whispers just for her, "Hear that, baby? You're my always."

Willow kisses Tara's forehead and suddenly the entire wall gets ripped out right behind her.

As every looks at the opening in the wall they see Glory smiling. "I told you this wasn't over."

Tara shakes her head, "No! The place is cracking, cracking. No, no, no..."

Dawn smiles, "Tara, it's okay. It's okay."

Tara looks at Dawn and suddenly is fixated, as if seeing a rainbow for the first time, "Look at that... the light, it's so pure..." She points at Dawn, "Such a pure green energy. It's so beautiful."

Glory's eyes light on Dawn. Dawn looks to her mom and aunts.

Buffy looks at Glory. But she knows it's too late. Glory knows that Key is bound to Dawn.