Chapter 8B: The Witch

Willow was trying to read Buffy's mood but she couldn't find anything definitive in her stoney expression. Buffy's body was coiled tight, almost defensively. That, she could read very clearly. While it might still be a question if she should think Buffy was a threat, it was fairly obvious that Buffy thought Willow was.

"Hey," Willow said in a small voice.

Xander patted Willow on her thigh in encouragement and swung Willow's duffle bag over his shoulder. Before either could object, Xander had all but run out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"That was subtle," Willow joked, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Did Giles fill you in on what is happening?"

Willow's sliver of optimism deflated with her curt reply. "The Coven has been trying to track some more Potentials and guide them to Sunnydale. Look, I—"

"Don't apologize. It doesn't change anything."

Willow knew she meant it. "I just miss my friend," she confessed. She expected another cold response. Instead, Buffy's face almost contorted in a combination of pain and anger..

"And think that I don't? When you brought me back, my friend was gone. You tried to kill Giles and put Dawn in a coma. How could you let it get that far?"

"I didn't know I was too far until it was too late. I just…kept wanting more and someone needed to protect us. It started that way, I promise. I couldn't handle—I didn't want to lose anyone else. I couldn't save you and—"

"I had to jump to save Dawn!"

"But what if I could have come up with something before that?" Willow exclaimed frantically. "Glory was stronger than me."

"Of course she was, Willow. She was a God. I could barely stop her!"

"She gutted out Tara's brain. Every light in her eyes, went dark.. Then, you died because of her and there was nothing I could do! I couldn't be that powerless again."

The words settled between them. Buffy's expression softened, remembering vaguely the state Glory had left Tara in and how Willow had gone after Glory afterwards. She remembered Willow's pain and understood her sense of helplessness about the situation. Buffy did believe Willow's initial intentions were genuine but couldn't forgive where it had led them.

"But Willow," she reminded her gently. "You hurt Tara."

Willow grasped the irony of hurting the one person she wanted to protect.

"I don't know you anymore and I don't trust you. Let's just do what we need to and then you and then you can come back here," Buffy continued.

It felt like the air had been knocked out of Willow's lungs. The underlying implication of Buffy's statement being that she didn't want her in Sunnydale made the grief and anxiety Willow was feeling change into angry indignation. Buffy couldn't even ask her how she was. It was clear Buffy had decided what side of this situation she wanted to be on.

"Who is Ni-al?" she asked, without thinking, an obvious sharp annoyed tone in her voice.

Buffy's eyes grew pitch black and, in a blur of movement, she had pinned Willow up against the side wall. She understood instantly that Buffy wasn't looking back at her. A low menacing growl was coming from her chest when she tried to push Buffy off, but it was like shoving at a brick wall.

"How do you know that name?"

"The First," she choked out.

A cold smirk curved Buffy's lips and Willow could feel her hands warm as she gathered white magic to defend herself. Knowing she couldn't really hurt Buffy, she pushed the energy out to escape Buffy's bruising grip. She knew it was a considerably strong blast but the white light just absorbed into Buffy's body. They both looked down at Willow's hands. Willow in confusion and Buffy in amusement.

She released Willow and took a step back as Willow slunk to the floor trying to catch her breath. "Ni-al was the first witch I didn't trust."

"How did you do that?" Willow gasped.

"I killed Ni-al and the only way to kill a witch is to be immune to magic. Without it, I found that you are cowards hiding behind a power you do not understand."

Buffy blinked for a few long moments, then her eyes turned back to the green that Willow recognized. The hatred that was shining in those black eyes was gone. Buffy didn't hate her, that thing inside her did. In that moment, Willow understood.

She had hurt Buffy. While the hatred may not have been hers, the pain was.

"What happened to you?" Willow asked, more to herself then to Buffy.

Buffy did not appear to feel guilty for what had just happened. Instead, she went towards the door. She stopped before turning the knob, but didn't face Willow. "We are done here. I wouldn't suggest making us upset again."

With that, Buffy left a panting Willow on the floor. The red-head was trying to process what had just happened and the blond Slayer had barely made it out the door before the tears came down her face.

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Spike was missing.

When Faith had come home later that night, Spike was passed out on the couch. Dawn had tried to explain to her how Finley thought that Spike had attacked her. It still wasn't adding up to her. Finley had seemed nice enough, so Dawn wasn't sure why Finley was lying about someone so important to both her and Buffy.

After Faith had grilled Dawn with questions that she didn't know the answers for, they had gone back to the living room to find that Spike was gone. Their first thought and hope was that a drunken Spike had slipped past them to drown his sorrows some more.

Then they considered that there was a Turok Han running loose and a young Slayer roaming the streets that they weren't sure they could trust. So Dawn and Faith had decided to go back out to look for him. His old crypt seemed like a good place to start.

"Why the befuddled face?" Dawn asked Faith, poking her side playfully.

"Kinda still wigged out by that vampire," she confessed. "I wouldn't even have you out here, but I can't leave you alone at the house."

"The turkey vamp?"

"Turok Hans, yeah. Makes me all tingly-in a non-sexy way."

She even shivered dramatically for measure. Dawn shoved her hands in her hoodie and stopped walking. "I've been thinking. Finley is my age and so was Buffy when she was chosen or whatever…."

"That's why I'm trying to whip you into shape. I get that you want to train some more."

Dawn huffed, stomping her foot, and fixing a stern look at Faith. "I'm serious. I'm getting a serious vibe about what going on and I want to help. I just don't know how—or if I can."

"I think we all feel that way, Dawn."

"But you're a Slayer."

"I'm just a Slayer and this seems way above my pay grade. And Buffy is being all broody and secret having like Angel."

"She's different," Dawn whispered, slightly ashamed to say it out loud. "I think it's confusing for her too. She's trying to be old Buffy but I think….I don't know. I think too much has changed for that."

Faith contemplated telling Dawn about the conversation that she and Buffy had earlier. "Dawn—"

"It's OK. I get it. She was with mom, you know. I'd be mad too," she said sadly.

"I don't think she's mad," Faith tried to comfort her.

"I mean, at Willow."

Faith shrugged. "She forgave me. And Spike. Maybe she will come around."

"Well I won't. She killed Tara."

"You forgave me," Faith pointed out.

Dawn thought about it for a moment. "I didn't know anyone you killed and I don't like Angel. I wasn't like, super upset when you shot him."

Faith let out a loud laugh. "That's dark.."

"It's just-it's different," Dawn said sheepishly.

Faith sighed. "You've known Willow longer. She made a mistake. Do you have any idea where I'd be if Angel hadn't bought me here? I don't like Willow either, but I never did. She was all salty because I popped Xander's cherry. I mean—"

"Please. I hang around Anya. I've heard much worse," Dawn chuckled, waving her hand dismissively.

"Just give her a chance," Faith pleaded with the young girl.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I feel like this just tells me that I have bad taste in friends."

"Debatable. I'm awesome."

Faith could tell Dawn had a lot on her mind. She knew Dawn was stronger than Buffy gave her credit for. On the other hand, Faith also couldn't help but feel protective of the teenager. Dawn didn't talk about Tara much and Faith hadn't realized how close the two had been. She had only met Tara once, in Buffy's body, and it hadn't been a good encounter.

"Tara didn't treat me like a kid. After my mom….after she died, Tara and Willow really stepped in. Tara took care of me and I knew Willow wasn't OK. They'd have fights about magic and stuff but, the next day, it was like Willow undid it. I didn't know how to speak up. I was scared and maybe if I had-"

"I know but you can't think like that."

"You don't know. Have you ever even loved anyone like-" Dawn took a shaky breath and immediately felt guilty. She could tell she hurt Faith's feelings. "Sorry. That was mean."

Faith took a deep breath. "I don't think anyone loved me. So no….before I came here the only person I ever cared for and cared for me was the Mayor. He loved me and Buffy killed him. He was the one person who ever had my back and saw me as more than just a worthless piece of shit. I've learned to be OK with that and so will you. Just give it time."

Dawn, fully appreciative of the fact that Faith doesn't open up much, gave her a watery smile. "You don't treat me like a kid either."

"I don't do kid gloves."

"And I did like you before you tried to kill me."

"That's usually how it goes. Might be why I've always had trouble making friends. And technically I never tried to kill you. I get a pass since you didn't really exist."

In front of them, the bushes moved. Faith pulled a stake from her back waistband and handed it to Dawn. "Ready for the big leagues?"

"What if it's Spike?"

"Spike doesn't hide in bushes, Dawn."

Dawn's face fell is disappointment and Faith pressed the stake harder into her hand. "We will find him. Lesson the first-pummel your enemies with your frustrations."