Chapter Six-The Witch and The Slayer

April 2006

The nights were still cool enough for Willow to wear her hooded cloak without appearing out of place. Of course a petite woman walking alone through a cemetery late at night would be out of place in any attire, except in Sunnydale.

With a minor air spell she rose to the top of a crypt on one of Buffy's old favorite routes to wait. The Slayer did not disappoint, strolling through about 45 minutes later, hands in her jacket pockets where she loosely griped a stake.

"Hi Buffy" Willow called out as she descended. No sooner had her feet hit the ground than Buffy has her hand wrapped around Willow's throat, stake at her chest. "Nice to see you Buffy," Willow squeaked as she pulled back her hood. "Are you going to just stake me without saying anything?"

"That would probably be the smartest thing I have done in a long time. But you are still human, I guess, right?" the Slayer asked dripping with sarcasm. "What are you doing here, what do you want?"

With that she shoved the witch backward until she landed butt first on the grass. Buffy strode forward, ever the confident Slayer, until she was standing above her. "Well?"

This was not going as Willow planned. She expected Buffy to be angry with her, but choking her down and throwing her were not really on her agenda. The Light Witch wasn't worried Buffy could actually hurt her, but she didn't want to have to use magick to defend herself. "I came home." Willow stated simply. "I found a way to come back and I wanted to come home. I missed you. I missed everyone. I'm glad to see you are OK. Still slaying, huh?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. That was a mistake.

"Willow, I don't know where you have been or why you are here, but I advise you to leave. If I could think of a way to get the police to arrest you, I would. I can't kill you, but if you try to come to the house, or near Tara, or Dawn, or … anyone, I will hurt you. This is your one chance to make me forget I ever saw you. Take it and run away," Buffy snarled as she turned her back and started to stride away.

"Buffy," Willow called out, "I know I screwed up, big time. If you, or anyone else don't want anything to do with me, well, I can accept that. I just want to know that everyone is Ok. You may find this hard to believe, but I can help protect… anyone."

This time it wasn't just Buffy's hand clamping on the redhead's throat, but her whole body slamming into her. "No one needs anything from you, certainly not your protection. I am here to protect the people I love. That includes protection from you. And those people are doing just fine. That is all you need to know. Go back to wherever you and your dark magick dealer have been hanging out, junkie. Leave us alone."

Before Willow could voice another protest, she found Buffy was flying off of her and hitting the side of the crypt hard. As Willow tried to get her breath back, she counted six vampires in a loose semi-circle around the two of them. Buffy and Willow both got their feet under them at the same time and looked at the one who appeared to be the leader of the vamps and the one who had attacked first.

"Slayer, you have gotten sloppy. You were loud enough to raise the dead," he said with a leer as his minions laughed. "Get it, raise the dead?" He said again.

"Oh, I'm supposed to laugh. Because this night is just full of fun, " Buffy started to rant as she staked the vampire nearest to her in the heart. "My ex-best friend dark magick addict reappears after four years in the middle of the night in a cemetery and wants to talk, and now the smelly undead want to interrupt us."

With a jump kick, spin, and quick thrusts with her stake, two more of the minions drifted to the ground as dust. "And on top of that you want me to laugh at your lame jokes? I think not." She spoke with another spinning kick. This one, however, hit nothing but air. As she came back around, two of the vamps caught her arms and the leader stepped up behind her grabbing her hair, leaning toward her neck, and sniffing. "Slayer blood, yum" he sighed.

"Not tonight I'm afraid." Willow informed him. He looked up like he had forgotten she was there and laughed. "And what are you going to do about it little girl?"

"I was hoping you would ask that," the witch answered as three tree branches answered the call of her magick to position at the backs of the vamps before, with a flick of her wrist, all three found unbeating hearts.

Buffy shook the dust from her jacket and glared. "Don't expect a big thank you. He was right, I wasn't on my game tonight because of you."

"Fine." Willow groaned. "No thank yous. Buffy, I just want the chance to talk to you. I'm not doing dark magick, haven't for a long time. I know you have no reason to believe me, but I've changed. Please don't trust me, I don't deserve it. The problem is I really don't have anywhere else to go. This is my home."

When she finished, she found herself staring at her feet with tears welling up in my eyes. Half expecting another attack she was surprised when the Slayer said, "Fine, let me think about it. But in the meantime you stay away. Stay away from the house, and Dawn and especially Tara."

"Ok Buffy. Can I find you in a few days? " The Slayer nodded and looked hard at her, like she was really seeing the girl she had known for so long for the first time that night before she turned to walk away.

She had gotten about 10 yards away when Willow found she couldn't stop herself from calling out "Tara, I saw her with a child. She had a daughter, right? A girl, not a boy, right?" What's her name?" Buffy kept walking, but Willow heard her clearly say, "Isobel."

Isobel Rebecca Maclay! Get down here right now. "Uh oh, full name, you are in trouble." Dawn called out to the young girl. "Your Mama sounds mad. Better get down there."

The sound of little feet in footie pajamas scurrying down the stairs was followed by a quiet, "Mama? I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't use the magick, but they were so pretty, and you said you really liked them, and I really liked them too, and I thought Aunt Dawn and Aunt Buffy would like pretty flowers and then there was so many pretty flowers, and I couldn't make them stop, and, Mama?" Isobel's voice had a little quiver.

Her feet scraped across the floor as she came into the living room and saw her Mama sitting on the couch, which, like the coffee table, recliner, TV, shelves and every other surface was covered with roses and rose petals. Which were very pretty. Unlike the look on her Mama's face, which was always pretty, but right now was not happy.

"I'm sorry, Mama." She started again, when Tara held up her hand. "Come here." Tara directed.

Isobel walked slowly to the couch and stopped by her Mama's knee. Tara saw that Isobel's chin was shaking and she saw tears in her daughters deep blue eyes.

Tara promptly scooped her up and cradled her in her lap, hugging Isobel to her chest. "Oh darling girl," Tara sighed, "The flowers are beautiful. But you know where the most beautiful flowers are?" Isobel shook her head no and hugged her Mama tighter. "The most beautiful flowers are in the garden. The ones we tend and water and watch grow. That is the only magick pretty flowers need. Sun and rain and us to watch over them, Ok?"

You know from your magick lessons not to do this, right?" Tara tried to be stern.

"I know Mama. It's just sometimes so hard. Are you mad at me?" Isobel's asked with a quiet voice.

"No, I'm not mad at you. But no magick without me. Do you understand?" Tara responded as firmly as she could. "Yes, Mama." Isobel said flinging her small arms around Tara's neck and hugging her tight.

"Ok, time to get ready for preschool, go get dressed." Tara sent her off with a smack on her bottom that made the young girl giggle.

"God. She sounds just like her. The babble, the laugh." Buffy commented as she came out of the kitchen and sat down on the couch next to Tara.

Tara looked up surprised as she replied, "You haven't mentioned her in a while. What brings that up?"

"Oh, nothing specific I guess. " Buffy knew now was not the time to tell Tara about seeing Willow in the graveyard the previous night.

"Just listening while you unsuccessfully attempt to discipline the smartest, cutest kid in the world." Buffy laughed.

"That bad, huh?" Tara laughed back and then sighed as Buffy patted her knee and went back into the kitchen.

Tara leaned back and let her head fall against the top of the couch as she thought about what Buffy had said. She was right of course. Isobel sounded just like Willow. But more than that, she looked just like a miniature Willow, with her small stature, pixie face and bright red hair.

She was seemingly all Willow, except for her deep blue eyes. Those she shared entirely with her Mama.

Why the cruel Powers That Be had decreed that the daughter she loved more than life itself should remind her with every glance of that which she had lost, she could never understand. But Isobel was her daughter, and she would raise her with all the love she had in her heart, and all the respect for Wicca and magick she could impart.

Because it was clear that Isobel was powerful, probably would be more powerful than Willow ever was, or is, or was, she thought. Tara sighed again as she thought about the game she used to play with herself, especially when she couldn't sleep. The where is Willow game. Is she alive? Is she dead? Did she leave town, the state or the universe? Does she even care about us? Will she ever come back? What will I do if she does return? Would I tell her about Isobel? Does she already know? Would I tell Isobel about Willow? With too many questions she had stopped playing the game. Better to focus on the present and her future. Protect and raise her daughter. Finish graduate school, find a good job and help Buffy and Dawn.

Nothing else mattered, or so she tried to convince herself.