Through the shadows she caught quick hints of flesh, but by the time she
could react, her adversary had moved on-always one step ahead.
"Death is and always shall be your gift," hissed the all-too-familiar voice behind her.
Buffy turned. She'd known all along whom she had been chasing. The game was getting old. You'd think that after all this time that the First Slayer would want a little variety.
"This is getting a bit redundant. Really, how many times do you think I need to hear that death is my gift? Been there, done that. So if there's nothing new, I would really appreciate a nice, dreamless sleep for once."
"Silence," the First said, circling. "There is trouble near."
"Like I said, if there's nothing new . . ." Buffy made to walk away, but the First grabbed her. When Buffy turned, however, it was no longer the First Slayer but Tara whom she faced. "Tara? Tara!" Buffy hugged the shy girl. "Where . . . ? How . . . ? We've missed you."
Tara ducked her head with a shy smile.
"Didn't you go-"
"To Heaven? N-no." Tara saw Buffy's look of surprise. "I wasn't supposed to go, yet."
"But Willow, she couldn't bring you back."
"It's complicated."
"The Powers, never very forthcoming, are they?"
Tara smiled faintly.
"What's going on, Tara? The First was here, and now you. Glad as I am to see you, I know this isn't just a casual visit."
"The balance, Buffy, is upset. Willow ssstarted something a-and Warren-"
"Is more dead than anything I've seen for awhile, not that that means much in this place."
"Please, Buffy, I-I need you to listen. Warren isn't finished. A-and Willow, she's left town."
"Willow has barely left her room in the past few months-"
Tara looked over her shoulder then back to Buffy, "D-don't worry. I'm watching her. Warren's things, l-look into them. He isn't finished with us yet."
"Tara, wait!" Buffy reached out, but found herself alone in complete darkness. But she wasn't really alone. Something was there in the dark, but where? She felt a push and then she was falling, diving into the portal. But she wasn't ready this time, it wasn't her choice.
"No, please . . ."
~*~
"NO!"
It was the simple word filled with complete terror that made Spike wake her. She'd been tossing and restless in her sleep for sometime, but until now it hadn't seemed more than aggravated motions of sleep. Buffy was gripping the bed like it was her last hold.
"Buffy, luv," he shook her. "Come on, luv, wake up."
At last she opened her unfocused and dream clouded eyes, "Warren!"
"Buffy!" Spike shook her again.
Finally her eyes focused and she looked at him terrified and in search of protection, "Spike?"
"What is it, pet?"
Eyes and head darting nervously, searching, "Willow, she's . . . And Warren's not . . . The First . . . Tara . . . falling into . . . the portal . . . I don't . . . want to die . . . again . . . Spike?!"
He pulled her into his arms, trembling and sobbing now.
"I need to . . . can't . . . please . . . I can't do it again . . . stop the . . . don't let me . . . go . . . help me . . ."
He rocked her like a child, curled tightly against him. "Shh, Buffy, it's over."
"Death is and always shall be your gift," hissed the all-too-familiar voice behind her.
Buffy turned. She'd known all along whom she had been chasing. The game was getting old. You'd think that after all this time that the First Slayer would want a little variety.
"This is getting a bit redundant. Really, how many times do you think I need to hear that death is my gift? Been there, done that. So if there's nothing new, I would really appreciate a nice, dreamless sleep for once."
"Silence," the First said, circling. "There is trouble near."
"Like I said, if there's nothing new . . ." Buffy made to walk away, but the First grabbed her. When Buffy turned, however, it was no longer the First Slayer but Tara whom she faced. "Tara? Tara!" Buffy hugged the shy girl. "Where . . . ? How . . . ? We've missed you."
Tara ducked her head with a shy smile.
"Didn't you go-"
"To Heaven? N-no." Tara saw Buffy's look of surprise. "I wasn't supposed to go, yet."
"But Willow, she couldn't bring you back."
"It's complicated."
"The Powers, never very forthcoming, are they?"
Tara smiled faintly.
"What's going on, Tara? The First was here, and now you. Glad as I am to see you, I know this isn't just a casual visit."
"The balance, Buffy, is upset. Willow ssstarted something a-and Warren-"
"Is more dead than anything I've seen for awhile, not that that means much in this place."
"Please, Buffy, I-I need you to listen. Warren isn't finished. A-and Willow, she's left town."
"Willow has barely left her room in the past few months-"
Tara looked over her shoulder then back to Buffy, "D-don't worry. I'm watching her. Warren's things, l-look into them. He isn't finished with us yet."
"Tara, wait!" Buffy reached out, but found herself alone in complete darkness. But she wasn't really alone. Something was there in the dark, but where? She felt a push and then she was falling, diving into the portal. But she wasn't ready this time, it wasn't her choice.
"No, please . . ."
~*~
"NO!"
It was the simple word filled with complete terror that made Spike wake her. She'd been tossing and restless in her sleep for sometime, but until now it hadn't seemed more than aggravated motions of sleep. Buffy was gripping the bed like it was her last hold.
"Buffy, luv," he shook her. "Come on, luv, wake up."
At last she opened her unfocused and dream clouded eyes, "Warren!"
"Buffy!" Spike shook her again.
Finally her eyes focused and she looked at him terrified and in search of protection, "Spike?"
"What is it, pet?"
Eyes and head darting nervously, searching, "Willow, she's . . . And Warren's not . . . The First . . . Tara . . . falling into . . . the portal . . . I don't . . . want to die . . . again . . . Spike?!"
He pulled her into his arms, trembling and sobbing now.
"I need to . . . can't . . . please . . . I can't do it again . . . stop the . . . don't let me . . . go . . . help me . . ."
He rocked her like a child, curled tightly against him. "Shh, Buffy, it's over."
