Chapter Twelve

Bad blood

A/N So this chapter will have some unseen anecdotes, so I'm thinking of doing a story with all the anecdotes played out so stay tuned. Yes, I will clear everything up and this will end nicely I promise, the next chapter will be the last for this season and will be some really nice, cute short scenes between characters and will make everyone feel better after the previous one I'm sure.

Sunnydale, the world without shrimp 2002

The tiny gang army stood in the street, any car coming down that road would just stop for the spectacle seemingly taking place. Willow hung in the air like the grim reaper over his victims, lurking because she had no other place to be. The dark purple electric swarm containing what was left of the enemy, was sitting ajar, on the side rejected, ignored as Dawn stood proudly. She stood with her head held high as she made her confessions to the devil.

"Willow. Remember last summer." She started, the memories rising to the forefront of her mind as she felt Tara tears behind her. "When Buffy was gone and you and Tara took care of me, remember that one day you guys sat me down and asked me if you wanted to move away and start a new life." Willow drifted further down, looking into Dawn, trying to remember. It seemed like all her life she'd wished for this much power, to make them see, but with it she'd lost her humanity, her life, her memories. They were in there somewhere just needed to be brought back. Her overwhelming desire for control over her life had led her to forget.

Suddenly a flash of the scene fell into view, she saw herself, her bright red hair, some jeans, Tara was there too, her hair piled up as usual. Not like now though, now her hair was down around her shoulders, blood scratching her forehead, tears splashing her face. In her mind they were sitting around the coffee table in the living room, sitting forward on her knees, her elbows leaning with her palms outstretched, Tara behind her, lightly stroking her back. Dawn was sitting before them, a slightly nervous look plastering her face. But that was before, when she couldn't control her life and she had to just make do. But they'd been happy? No, that's not the point. We had no power then.

Dawn could see the black tear falling, the tear stain left behind as she forgot the love they'd felt and crept back into her power crazed rampage. Dark Willow held her hands up drawing power from the sky as it started to rain, the clouds circling her as the storm grew, lightning suddenly flashing down all around them. Buffy grabbed Dawn, pulling her away from Willow as they retreated. Arms around her waist holding her away, she clutched out and reached for the sky, crying out.

"No, Willow. I love you. Don't do this, I need you, just like I need Buffy, I need you and Tara together, a team. You guys are family." Dawn strained out as she struggled against Buffy's firm hold. Tears streaming down her soft face, she was fifteen and yet still a child. Her eyes clogging now, she took one last glance at the black Willow, finally succumbing to Buffy's immense force.

The porch roof was slamming hard with the rain, the noise overwhelming. They were huddled as Willow brought the hell bubble forward twisting it over in her palms, the electricity trickling with water now spun with heavy energy. The little people inside looked sick and bruised with hell, the evil digging into their skin gradually disintegrating them. Xander stepped forward, leaving Anya's side, he swiped away Dawn's tears, rubbing them into her cheeks as he whispered close. "I'll fix this." He said calmly as he peered up into the sky.

"Willow?" He shouted. His voice buckling, the strain of sound against the ongoing slash of weather.

"How dare you try and speak to me." She boomed back, her small frame nothing against the looming black shadow she appeared to be summoning. She'd decided he was helpless. Lost. She didn't remember saying she'd always find Tara. It was lost in the realm of forgotten, an abstract concept. Tara remembered. She remembered Buffy's birthday, they were all locked in the house, she'd been brave then, told Anya to back off. That had taken guts, I'd do anything for her.

"Willow doesn't live here anymore." Willow jutted out, her palm casting Xander's flailing body aside, he didn't move. None of her spells worked, she physically couldn't cast him aside, he had too much power over her. His love leaked, the way he cared and protected Buffy, promises made to Dawn, his love and loss of Anya. And how much he couldn't see her go to ruin. She was running in the name of vengeance and here was a little boy stopping her.

"Willow..." He said softly, as the looming shadow retreated, backing away from them, rearing its ugly head one final time before falling. The hell bubble still glowed high in the storm, but as the rain fell upon him, Xander told his story. "You've been my best friend my whole life. And now you've gotten a taste of evil magic and its taken you away from me." He stepped closer. "So if you wanna kill me, I'm just fine with that. But no matter what you do, I'll still love you."

He smiled, remembering all the things she'd do when they were little, one tiny thought sticking in his mind like a splinter, the sore thumb of anecdotes. "The first day of kindergarten, you cried because you broke the yellow crayon and you were too afraid to tell anyone. Now, that was a long time ago, you've come pretty far since then you know. Broken a blue crayon too. But even this dark-haired, scary Willow is my best friend. So if I'm gonna die, I'll die loving you." He didn't think death was too much of an exaggeration, clearly it was much more than death that Willow wanted to do to Andrew and Jonathon.

Willow's aching body fell into its usual size, she was back to floating gently above the concrete. A pained confusion on her face, she didn't remember these things, she didn't recognise what he was saying. She was lost and needed rescuing. Words weren't enough. The hell bubble descended, releasing its victims as the memory of revenge left Willow's mind. Andrew and Jonathon spilled out onto the road, pale glints barely visible in their eyes, they were ok. Bruised but ok. Not wanting to hang around for their deaths, and the van long destroyed by rain and electricity, they ran. Past parked spectators and the odd ice cream van.

Tara rushed out from under the porch, the rain had stopped now, the sky clearing into a blue shade of happiness. Fluffy clouds returning to guard the heavens and birds chirped. But Willow was trapped. Her addiction spun out of control, she was stuck in a phase semi-conscious, drunk on magic. Tara's instincts had kicked in, Willow was lost, in need of finding and that job was reserved for her. Xander had stopped her from her revenge mission, but it wasn't enough, she needed pulling out of her trapping.

Running past Xander she stood in front of her love, she was crying. But she barely registered her eyes' watery complexion, she was focussing, digging for the moment that had defined them, the moment where their love had been the most important thing, a sacrifice she'd made without magic. Nothing tainted.

"I'm under your spell,
floating like the sea,
drifting far away from me.

I know you've been through hell,
Willow leave it be,
tell me you don't love me.

You make me complete."

Tara sang, closing her eyes, it didn't matter that everyone was watching. In her head she was in that moment at the Bronze, her twentieth birthday, the day she found her new family. The day she'd been freed from the tower holding her high above anyone else. But she was also on that bridge singing her heart out because she'd found the one she'd always love, she was asleep curled up in bed, the safety net of their tucked away room. She was staring up at the stars pointing out the exact locations of shapes she'd made up years and years before, stuck in her tower, finally sharing her past. She was in the kitchen handing Dawn juice and watching Willow's face as she poured a lake of syrup over her funny-shaped pancakes, still in coconut pyjamas.

The memories left her in tears, they stained Willow's shoulder soaking through thick denim into flesh. She was draped over Willow's dark form like you would hold a huge cross. The church kind. The energy sparking life back into her wandering eyes, as she gripped Tara's shaking body.

"You're a dummy." Willow said lightly, her feet tapping down onto the breaking cement, her eyes a dazzling green again as she held her focus. The magic she'd done had reversed her image, now she was back to coconut-pyjama Willow. The magical connection they shared was enough for Tara to bleed the memories back into Willow through true tears.

Tara looked up, she saw the glint of red and then Willow's tan face smiling back at her. At first she thought perhaps she'd died and this was a dream Willow, angelic and pure. But when she lifted her hand to her forehead, the blood was still drying and the road was still cracking underneath them.

"Will?" She said quietly in disbelief. Willow clutched the back of Tara's head, holding strands of her honey-blonde hair as her head lifted slowly from the shoulder she was resting on.

"Yes sweetie it's me." She replied cupping Tara's sopping cheek, as she leaned in and pressed their lips together, in a gentle passionate kiss that had the others glancing in their direction.

"Woo!" Xander wolf whistled, smiling at his best friends. The happiness between them was as full as the blush starting to fill Tara's cheek as she leaned into Willow's neck. Her hair shielding her face as Willow turned towards her friends. She was grinning widely, reassuring the gang that she was back, she was home. Before rolling her eyes at Xander. Buffy was holding up Dawn, Anya kneeling over Giles, making sure he was ok. Warren's body was laying still in their neighbour's flower bed. The army of robots were scattered across the street in disarray. Xander was standing a couple feet behind Willow and Tara and despite appearances everyone seemed to be peace.

Willow finally turned back towards Tara, letting out a shaky, strained breath. She spoke in soft tongue, "you saved me, you found me when I was so lost, like I promised I would. It's because there are moments, just fleeting moments when you look at me and I feel wonderful. How do you do that?"

Tara held her head high and without a single stutter, because love doesn't stutter. She realised in that moment that throughout that entire day, she hadn't stuttered once, she had been so shaky, so emotional, upset. But her words had come out just fine. She'd been so wrapped up in worry about Willow and at a loss to herself that the energy she put into making words was on autopilot. Her heart really didn't stutter. "Magic." She said, repeating Willow's words from shared memories. She had her Willow back and it was wonderful.

"I love you Tara Maclay." Willow stated proudly, stroking the odd index finger down the side of her scalding cheek.