Title: Love Squared (8/9)
Author: Cyclone
Feedback: Please be gentle.
Distribution: Gimme credit and a link. Plus, archived at http://fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=62966
Rating: I'm gonna go say R.
Spoilers: Up to Two To Go.
Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein belong to the almighty Joss. I'm just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Sequel to Dancing Around Love. The Scooby Gang comes to grips with the recent events and deals with the Trio.
Author's Note: B/W/T/X, along with hints of X/Amy and Jonathan/Amy.
* * *
"Where _is_ she?" Willow muttered, looking around frantically.
"I don't know," Buffy replied, also scanning the area.
"We have to find her, Buffy," Willow said. "Stop her before she goes too far."
"She already has," Buffy shook her head sadly.
"No," Willow snarled, "she hasn't, not yet. Warren deserved what he got. I'm more worried about that 'power' thing. That's not like Tara."
Buffy held silent for a moment, then asked, "What makes you think she'd go after Andrew?"
"It's what I'd do," Willow said tightly.
Buffy stopped and looked down. She pulled out her vibrating cell phone and flipped it open. "Dawn? Wha-...? Whoa, whoa! Hold on! Slow down!" Her eyes went wide, "Oh, God." Snapping the cell phone shut, she turned to Willow, "We have to get to the hospital."
* * *
Xander stirred and blinked his eyes open.
"Hey, you're awake."
He looked up, "Tara? What... what happened?"
"You were shot, sweetie. How do you feel?"
"Tired," he said. His eyes snapped wide as his memory began working again, "Warren!"
"Don't worry about him," she replied. "We took care of him. You just rest now, okay?"
He nodded, then frowned, "Hey, what happened to your hair?"
She brushed the dark locks aside and said hesitantly, "I just... thought I'd try something new."
"It looks good on you," he said, "but I have to admit. I'm more of a natural color guy myself."
"O-oh."
"Just how long was I out, anyway?"
She smiled, "Not as long as you might think. Look, Xander, there's something I have to go do now. I'll be back, okay?" She leaned down and kissed him.
"Sure."
"Bye, Xander," she said, looking over her shoulder before she opened the door.
"Later, Tare," he called to her back as she stepped out of the room.
He sighed and slumped back into the bed, stifling a yawn. Tara was right. He needed rest.
His eyelids drooped, and he dozed off.
* * *
"Xander!"
"Gah!" he cried out, snapping awake. "Dawn, what's going on?"
"You're all right," she sighed in relief as she hugged him again.
"Uh, why wouldn't I be?"
"Tara, she..." Dawn trailed off, her eyes widening as realization struck. "You don't know."
"Know _what_?"
"Tara's gone berserk," Buffy said quietly, stepping into the room, Willow right behind her. "After you got shot, she... she absorbed the dark magic books from the Magic Box. She killed Warren."
"Oh, God," he slumped back into the bed, stunned.
Dawn looked at them and said, "I'll... I'll be outside." She turned and stepped out, giving the trio privacy.
After a long moment, he turned to Willow, a haunted look in his eyes, "Wills, Buffy can't stop her. She doesn't have the power, you know that."
Buffy turned and watched Willow as she developed an inkling as to where Xander was going with this. Willow's eyes widened as she too realized what he was about to suggest. She backed away and shook her head furiously, "No... Xander... I... I can't. I'll lose control."
He sat up and captured her hand in his. "No, you won't," he said firmly, locking his eyes on hers. "You can do this, Willow. I believe in you."
"But, I..."
"It _has_ to be you, Wills. No one else has the power."
"Xander..."
"He's right, Willow," Buffy said softly. "I _can't_ stop her." She looked up at Willow with sorrow-filled eyes and took her by the shoulders, "You're gonna have to be our big gun again."
"I... I can't..."
Buffy sighed and closed her eyes. "All right," she said. "I understand," she turned and headed for the door, "but someone has to stop her." She turned to look at them and choked out, her eyes shimmering, "You guys know I love you, right?" They nodded, and she left, closing the door behind her.
Willow looked first at the door, then at Xander, then back at the door again, emotions warring on her face.
* * *
"That child doesn't belong to you."
Amy cringed as another magical attack blasted her meager defenses. The protective barrier around her shrank considerably. Jonathan already lay on the floor, unconscious... again.
"I'm sorry!" she sobbed in fear. "How many times can I say that?!"
The dark witch shook her head, "Shhh... don't apologize. That takes all the _fun_ out of it."
Amy's eyes widened as she shrank back, "Why are you _doing_ this?"
"Because I can."
"Not anymore." The new voice came from behind Tara, and as she turned, Buffy's fist collided with her face, sending her flying. Buffy looked down at Amy, "Amy, run!"
The Madison girl wasted no time, scrambling to her feet and hauling ass, pausing only to pull Jonathan out of the line of fire. Tara rose, glancing at the fleeing witch for a moment, then turned to Buffy.
"You really think you can stop me?"
Buffy shook her head and said honestly, "No, but I have to try."
Tara smiled and flung her hand out, throwing Buffy back and into a wall lined with shelves.
Buffy cried out, more in surprise than pain, then rose to her feet and charged. Tara held up a hand and blasted her back again.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Tara said. "Let's turn it up a notch, shall we? Fulmenos venite!"
The blast of lightning that leaped from Tara's fingertips jolted Buffy's sprawling body.
Suddenly, a strong voice called out in Latin, and the electricity fizzled. Tara turned, "Mr. Giles. Fancy meeting you here."
* * *
Willow ran through the streets of Sunnydale. She could feel Tara's power growing, and she had to stop her. Buffy and Xander were right. She was the only one who had enough power to stop her.
She only hoped she wasn't too late.
* * *
"I'm here to help you, Tara."
"I don't think I'll need any help to kill off a wannabe witch and a geek behind bars... but I'm not about to turn it down. So where'd you get that power you're borrowing?"
"The coven that sent me here," Giles said calmly. "Tara, you can still stop. This isn't you."
"Shut up!" Tara snapped. "The only help I need from you is that extra little juice you're packing."
"Vincire!"
Tara flicked her hand up and incanted under her breath as the binding spell streaked toward her... then looped around and trapped Giles.
"Amateur," Tara snorted.
She walked up and pressed a hand to Giles's chest, absorbing the power he wielded.
Planting a kiss on his forehead, she said, "Thanks for the recharge, Mr. Giles," and walked out.
* * *
Xander struggled out of the hospital bed and onto his feet. "Gotta talk to Tara," he muttered. "Gotta stop her..."
"You think it'll be that easy?" a voice snorted.
He turned and stared in disbelief, "Jesse?"
The image of his long-dead friend smirked, "Whaddaya think's gonna happen, Xandman? You're just gonna walk up to her and tell her you love her, and everything's gonna be peachy keen, she'll be back to her old diabetes-inducing self? Dream on. Doesn't work that way, X-man."
Jesse's image wavered and was replaced by Spike, who smiled, "She's all mine now, you stupid git."
* * *
"Hey!" Willow shouted as she stumbled to a halt near the Magic Box. "You said this was about power?"
Tara turned and cocked an eyebrow, "So I did."
Willow held up her hands, magical energy crackling around them, and said, "Well, show me what you've got... and I'll show you what _real_ power is."
* * *
Xander's eyes narrowed, "Who are you? _What_ are you?"
Spike's form wavered and was replaced by that of the Master. "I..." he began melodramatically, "...am the beginning..." the image shifted again, this time to match a certain hell goddess, who smirked and said cockily, "...and the end, baby."
Glory was replaced by Adam, who paced around and said, "Everything is going according to plan..." Adam faded, and Mayor Wilkins crouched down in front of him, chuckling cheerfully, "...and there's just nothing you can do about it."
Xander closed his eyes and shook his head, "You're wrong."
"Am I?" Angel's -- Angelus's -- voice whispered in his ear. "Am I _really_? That's the way it's _always_ been, White Knight. You're nothing but a useless waste of good blood, and you're just too stubborn to admit it."
* * *
Author's Postscript:
Wow. Been awhile. Alas, 'tis an unfortunate side effect of my random writing patterns.
Author: Cyclone
Feedback: Please be gentle.
Distribution: Gimme credit and a link. Plus, archived at http://fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=62966
Rating: I'm gonna go say R.
Spoilers: Up to Two To Go.
Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein belong to the almighty Joss. I'm just borrowing them for a while.
Summary: Sequel to Dancing Around Love. The Scooby Gang comes to grips with the recent events and deals with the Trio.
Author's Note: B/W/T/X, along with hints of X/Amy and Jonathan/Amy.
* * *
"Where _is_ she?" Willow muttered, looking around frantically.
"I don't know," Buffy replied, also scanning the area.
"We have to find her, Buffy," Willow said. "Stop her before she goes too far."
"She already has," Buffy shook her head sadly.
"No," Willow snarled, "she hasn't, not yet. Warren deserved what he got. I'm more worried about that 'power' thing. That's not like Tara."
Buffy held silent for a moment, then asked, "What makes you think she'd go after Andrew?"
"It's what I'd do," Willow said tightly.
Buffy stopped and looked down. She pulled out her vibrating cell phone and flipped it open. "Dawn? Wha-...? Whoa, whoa! Hold on! Slow down!" Her eyes went wide, "Oh, God." Snapping the cell phone shut, she turned to Willow, "We have to get to the hospital."
* * *
Xander stirred and blinked his eyes open.
"Hey, you're awake."
He looked up, "Tara? What... what happened?"
"You were shot, sweetie. How do you feel?"
"Tired," he said. His eyes snapped wide as his memory began working again, "Warren!"
"Don't worry about him," she replied. "We took care of him. You just rest now, okay?"
He nodded, then frowned, "Hey, what happened to your hair?"
She brushed the dark locks aside and said hesitantly, "I just... thought I'd try something new."
"It looks good on you," he said, "but I have to admit. I'm more of a natural color guy myself."
"O-oh."
"Just how long was I out, anyway?"
She smiled, "Not as long as you might think. Look, Xander, there's something I have to go do now. I'll be back, okay?" She leaned down and kissed him.
"Sure."
"Bye, Xander," she said, looking over her shoulder before she opened the door.
"Later, Tare," he called to her back as she stepped out of the room.
He sighed and slumped back into the bed, stifling a yawn. Tara was right. He needed rest.
His eyelids drooped, and he dozed off.
* * *
"Xander!"
"Gah!" he cried out, snapping awake. "Dawn, what's going on?"
"You're all right," she sighed in relief as she hugged him again.
"Uh, why wouldn't I be?"
"Tara, she..." Dawn trailed off, her eyes widening as realization struck. "You don't know."
"Know _what_?"
"Tara's gone berserk," Buffy said quietly, stepping into the room, Willow right behind her. "After you got shot, she... she absorbed the dark magic books from the Magic Box. She killed Warren."
"Oh, God," he slumped back into the bed, stunned.
Dawn looked at them and said, "I'll... I'll be outside." She turned and stepped out, giving the trio privacy.
After a long moment, he turned to Willow, a haunted look in his eyes, "Wills, Buffy can't stop her. She doesn't have the power, you know that."
Buffy turned and watched Willow as she developed an inkling as to where Xander was going with this. Willow's eyes widened as she too realized what he was about to suggest. She backed away and shook her head furiously, "No... Xander... I... I can't. I'll lose control."
He sat up and captured her hand in his. "No, you won't," he said firmly, locking his eyes on hers. "You can do this, Willow. I believe in you."
"But, I..."
"It _has_ to be you, Wills. No one else has the power."
"Xander..."
"He's right, Willow," Buffy said softly. "I _can't_ stop her." She looked up at Willow with sorrow-filled eyes and took her by the shoulders, "You're gonna have to be our big gun again."
"I... I can't..."
Buffy sighed and closed her eyes. "All right," she said. "I understand," she turned and headed for the door, "but someone has to stop her." She turned to look at them and choked out, her eyes shimmering, "You guys know I love you, right?" They nodded, and she left, closing the door behind her.
Willow looked first at the door, then at Xander, then back at the door again, emotions warring on her face.
* * *
"That child doesn't belong to you."
Amy cringed as another magical attack blasted her meager defenses. The protective barrier around her shrank considerably. Jonathan already lay on the floor, unconscious... again.
"I'm sorry!" she sobbed in fear. "How many times can I say that?!"
The dark witch shook her head, "Shhh... don't apologize. That takes all the _fun_ out of it."
Amy's eyes widened as she shrank back, "Why are you _doing_ this?"
"Because I can."
"Not anymore." The new voice came from behind Tara, and as she turned, Buffy's fist collided with her face, sending her flying. Buffy looked down at Amy, "Amy, run!"
The Madison girl wasted no time, scrambling to her feet and hauling ass, pausing only to pull Jonathan out of the line of fire. Tara rose, glancing at the fleeing witch for a moment, then turned to Buffy.
"You really think you can stop me?"
Buffy shook her head and said honestly, "No, but I have to try."
Tara smiled and flung her hand out, throwing Buffy back and into a wall lined with shelves.
Buffy cried out, more in surprise than pain, then rose to her feet and charged. Tara held up a hand and blasted her back again.
"Persistent, aren't you?" Tara said. "Let's turn it up a notch, shall we? Fulmenos venite!"
The blast of lightning that leaped from Tara's fingertips jolted Buffy's sprawling body.
Suddenly, a strong voice called out in Latin, and the electricity fizzled. Tara turned, "Mr. Giles. Fancy meeting you here."
* * *
Willow ran through the streets of Sunnydale. She could feel Tara's power growing, and she had to stop her. Buffy and Xander were right. She was the only one who had enough power to stop her.
She only hoped she wasn't too late.
* * *
"I'm here to help you, Tara."
"I don't think I'll need any help to kill off a wannabe witch and a geek behind bars... but I'm not about to turn it down. So where'd you get that power you're borrowing?"
"The coven that sent me here," Giles said calmly. "Tara, you can still stop. This isn't you."
"Shut up!" Tara snapped. "The only help I need from you is that extra little juice you're packing."
"Vincire!"
Tara flicked her hand up and incanted under her breath as the binding spell streaked toward her... then looped around and trapped Giles.
"Amateur," Tara snorted.
She walked up and pressed a hand to Giles's chest, absorbing the power he wielded.
Planting a kiss on his forehead, she said, "Thanks for the recharge, Mr. Giles," and walked out.
* * *
Xander struggled out of the hospital bed and onto his feet. "Gotta talk to Tara," he muttered. "Gotta stop her..."
"You think it'll be that easy?" a voice snorted.
He turned and stared in disbelief, "Jesse?"
The image of his long-dead friend smirked, "Whaddaya think's gonna happen, Xandman? You're just gonna walk up to her and tell her you love her, and everything's gonna be peachy keen, she'll be back to her old diabetes-inducing self? Dream on. Doesn't work that way, X-man."
Jesse's image wavered and was replaced by Spike, who smiled, "She's all mine now, you stupid git."
* * *
"Hey!" Willow shouted as she stumbled to a halt near the Magic Box. "You said this was about power?"
Tara turned and cocked an eyebrow, "So I did."
Willow held up her hands, magical energy crackling around them, and said, "Well, show me what you've got... and I'll show you what _real_ power is."
* * *
Xander's eyes narrowed, "Who are you? _What_ are you?"
Spike's form wavered and was replaced by that of the Master. "I..." he began melodramatically, "...am the beginning..." the image shifted again, this time to match a certain hell goddess, who smirked and said cockily, "...and the end, baby."
Glory was replaced by Adam, who paced around and said, "Everything is going according to plan..." Adam faded, and Mayor Wilkins crouched down in front of him, chuckling cheerfully, "...and there's just nothing you can do about it."
Xander closed his eyes and shook his head, "You're wrong."
"Am I?" Angel's -- Angelus's -- voice whispered in his ear. "Am I _really_? That's the way it's _always_ been, White Knight. You're nothing but a useless waste of good blood, and you're just too stubborn to admit it."
* * *
Author's Postscript:
Wow. Been awhile. Alas, 'tis an unfortunate side effect of my random writing patterns.