Untitled Document

Beyond Death's Gifts

by Phoenixstitch

All disclaimers in Part 1.


Part 3

Willow and Tara had left the warehouse after saying quick goodbyes to Xander and Anya. They would met up later either at the hospital, Xander's, or Buffy's depending on what was happening. The two young women, holding on to each other for support because they were both still shaky and exhausted, made their way back through the early morning streets trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. That wasn't easy considering that they were filthy, and covered in bruises, and cuts from the battle. They had to go back to the Magic Box to collect their things, and the belongings of the others. Everything important had been left behind, except for the weapons they had taken with them.

The aftermath of any battle was hard, but this one was the worst yet, Willow thought as she inserted her key in the doorlock of the shop, and opened it. Idly, she noticed that the lights were still on. Xander was supposed to shut them off—he had forgot like they all had in their haste to follow Tara to see if she would led them to Glory's new hideout. She'd yell at him later, she thought.

The bell above the door jingled cheerfully as they pushed it open. Cheerful was not her mood, and she restrained herself from zapping it into pieces. Coming inside, the smell of incense bombarded her already overloaded senses. Usually the rich mixed fragrances were welcoming scents, bringing pleasant memories. Today it was a hard reminder of the magicks that had been used. Even her powers had not been enough to stop the gate from opening—they had failed—Buffy was deadshe was real deaddead.

Willow stumbled coming down the steps into the main area of the shop as everything began to hit her. Barely making it to the study table she collasped in the first chair she came to, her grief hitting her full force at last. She had cried at the scene, but now in the privacy of the quiet shop she could let it all out. She felt Tara begin to put her arms around her to comfort her—no, DON'T!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!', her mind screamed. And she tore Tara off, and shoved her violently away, not caring where her lover landed. Willow was beyond caring about anything now. Right now she couldn't bear to be touched, to be comforted. She wanted no comfort from anyone right now. She just wanted to feel rather than be numb to it as she had been, to feel the pain, the hurt, her failure at not being able to do more.

Willow's grief was raw, black, nasty, angry, and terrible. It began to bubble up towards the surface seeking outlets for its release. Tara looking on scooted hurriedly away across the polished wooden floor on her rear trying to find somewhere to hide. Ducking behind the counter she hoped she was safe. Peeking around the corner she saw that Willow was covered in a black transparent haze with thick serpent like red, purple, and gold energies swirling up and down her body twisting in the blasting winds generated by her power. Her eyes were pupilless, black, bottomless depths as she looked towards her daring her to stop her. She was being transformed into something even as she watched. With a sinking feeling Tara knew her friend wanted this to happen, and was fully giving into whatever was happening.

Tara was afraid like she had never been afraid before trying to figure out how to get away from the terrible being Willow was becoming. The gentle blond witch's eyes were huge, and her mouth opened in a silent scream as she beheld the true hidden power her friend possessed watching wild energies crackled out from her small form out of control. Glory had been scary, but what the red headed witch was doing was many times worse, and she had no idea how to stop her. Whatever Willow was now was beyond Tara's capacity to understand, or cope with. Even love has it's limits, and she didn't think love was going to be able to reach the sheer pain that this being was giving off. She needed help to bring Willow back to herself. Unfortunately, Xander was with Anya at the hospital, Giles maybe was too. She dismissed Dawn and Spike from consideration, and didn't think they wouldn't be any help, and Buffy was gone.

She really didn't have any ideas what to do.

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Xander waited outside the emergency room while they treated Anya. He was pacing back and forth because he was still to keyed up and worried about Anya, and everyone else that had survived. Until he knew they were all taken care of and safe he was not going to allow himself to think or grieve for Buffy. He had his head down and almost ran into Giles who had come to look for him.

"Hey watch it," Xander said instinctively, drawing back before he recognized the older man. "Ohh, it's you, Giles. How did you get here?" he asked, stopping his pacing to talk.

"With Buffy," he told the young man, and Xander's face fell.

"I see. They took her to themorgue?" Xander finally managed to ask uncomfortably, having a hard time with the word, and the concept of her being really gone still.

Giles, nodded, equally as uncomfortably. "Yes, I had to do the paperwork.her father still can't be reached. I tried. I can't understand what the devil is wrong with that bloody manfirst his ex wife, and now his daughterall I can get out of his secretary is that she'll give him the message. Bloody cold bitch. Bloody hell, doesn't he care?" Giles said, trying not to break down, and keep his emotions under control for just a little longer.

Xander didn't have answer for him either. Buffy had never talked about her father much since he had known her. He got the impression once Buffy's parents had divorced, the man had also divorced his children too. A card and some flowers had come from his office for Joyce's funeral, but there had been no calls to Buffy or Dawn from their father. What kind of business was the man in that put him that much out of reach from the modern world? Even the far reaches of civilization had phones now. Xander realized that he didn't even have a clue what the man did for a living. Buffy had never said.

"Isn't there any other family?" Xander asked, trying to remember if any relatives had showed up at Joyce's funeral. He could recall any. All the mourners had been friends or business acquaintances of the family.

"Unfortunately, no. I checked the records carefully hoping that there might be a cousin, or aunt, or just someone that Dawn could go to in case Buffy had problems with her guardianship. There is no one, but Mr. Summers," Giles told him bitterly.

"Bummer."

"Extremely, for Dawn's sake. We also have no guarantee that he even knows of her. We have no idea how well the monk's spell worked. Until then we will have to just muddle through. I told Detective Kent that Dawn was in Los Angeles with Cordelia, and that we would break the news to her ourselves," Giles told him, pulling him over to the side so they could sit down, and talk without being overheard.

"Good thinking. But we'll have to warn Cordy what's up, and then someone has to tell Angeloh god, I am not so looking forward to that. It'll destroy him," Xander said in slow realization. Spike's breakdown had been hard enough to take, Angel's would be much, much worse.

"I know. I think that it needs to be done person and person, either you, or Willow need to go."

"I can't Anya needs me. She's got several broken ribs, and a broken ankle. They are keeping her overnight for observation. I need to be here. And there's still Dawn to consider too. Spike is not my first choice of a guardian for her. Right now he's it though. If Willow has to go to LA then I'm going to have to go check on them. And what about the shop?"

Giles sighed, "I bloody well could care less about that. With Anya hurt, there is no one left to run it if you and Willow are busy as Tara is too afraid of people. For the time being the shop is going to stay closed," Giles decided, and they both looked up to see a female middle aged, dark haired doctor coming their way.

"Mr. Harris?" she asked, motioning him to follow her.

"Yes, is Anya okay?" he asked getting up with Giles trailing along next to him, the doctor looked back and forth between them, "it's okay, he's my dad," Xander reassured her, and Giles just looked heavenward.

"Fine, whatever," the doctor responded. "Miss Jenkins is doing quite well considering her injuries. There was no harm to the baby," she said, and saw both men look shocked.

"Babywhat baby?" Xander managed to sputter, finding himself on the verge of fainting.

"Ohh, I assumed you knew she was six weeks pregnant. You are the father, aren't you?" she asked, with a questioning eyebrow.

"Well yes, at least I think I am. Baby, I'm going to have a baby?" he said in sheer wonder, and turned and hugged Giles, "Giles, I'm going to be a fatherohh wow," he said, tears coming to his eyes. "Can I see her now?"

"Yes, but I did want to tell you you could take her home as long as she stays in bed for the next couple of days and rests. She needs to stay off her feet, and give her ribs time to heal. I emphasized to her no working, no lifting, just laying back and taking it easy. She kept going on about her job, and how important it was. I do hope you will contact her employer and let him know she does need some sick time off. The man sounds like a slaver driver," she told them, and Xander had to kept from laughing.

"Slaver driver? Me? I do say that was bloody rude of her making people think that," Giles protested, causing the doctor to look at him oddly.

"Anyway, Mr. Harris, we'll be sending her home with crutches and her medications. If she has any problem either call or bring her back."

"That's great, that's wonderful. Thank you, doctor," he told her, trying to rein in his excitement.

"Right, she's in room 6. Just go to the charge nurse, and she'll get her discharged," she told them and then left to go finish making her rounds.

"Damn, I wish I had brought our car. It's still at the shop," Xander said trying to think how he was going to get Anya home.

"So is mine as well. Maybe Willow is there and can bring one of them here. I'll give the shop a ring and see if anyone is there," Giles told him.

"Good plan. You go check, and I'll get her checked out." Xander replied, and they parted ways to accomplish their tasks.

Giles called the shop and was about ready to give up when Tara finally answered the phone. Her voice sounded weak, and very far away. "Tara, what in heavens name is wrong now?' he asked, not wanting to have another crisis so soon.

"It's Willow, something is wrong with hershe's out of control."

"Out of control? Now what bloody hell? Tara, please listen carefullywhat is wrong with Willow, can you give me a clue? Is she sick? Is it something magical, or demony?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level and calm.

"It's magical, her magic inside—angry magic because she's really upset over Buffy. So far she's just standing there, but she's scaring me, and she's giving off really bad energies."

"Has she hurt you?"

"Not yet, but she shoved me away before she started changing. I'm back behind the counter. Can you do somethingcalm her downshe won't listen to me," she begged him, the raw fear coming across loud and clear.

"Okay, remain calm, and stay where you are. We'll be there as soon as we can. We're waiting on Anya to be released from the hospital. I'll tell Xander, and I'll call a cab and come on ahead," he reassured the frightened woman.

"Thanks, Mr. Giles," she replied gratefully, looking around the corner of the counter to check on Willow. The angry energies were still going, but they seem to be lessening in strength. "Please hurry, " she added, and then hung up the phone. And she cringed back against the wood frame of the counter, and hoped that help would arrive very, very soon as she watched Willow spot her and start to walk her way.

To be Continued?

End Part 3