Chapter 5

Amends

Sunnydale – May 4th

It was Friday night in Sunnydale, and that meant one thing – the Bronze. The Bronze was the local all-ages nightclub. It was also the unofficial line of last of resort for the Scooby gang. The music of the disaffected, combined with a large dance floor and halfway decent lattes, made it the Gen-X/Y/Z hangout of choice. Being the only such place in Sunnydale also helped.

"If comfort food were a place, it would be the Bronze," Willow said to Tara as they sat on one of the many couches strewn about the edges of the club.

"If places were food, High-School would be broccoli," Tara returned with a smile.

"Absolutely," agreed Willow. "And if broccoli were a person, it would be Buffy!"

"C'mon sweetie," Tara cajoled. "She's just trying to look out for you. Buffy isn't that bad."

"At least you don't have to live with her," said a voice next to them. It was Dawn, Buffy's sister. "I mean, she is so overprotective about everything. God, I wish she'd just go slay something and leave me alone for once."

"Hey Dawny," Willow said. "Good to see you, too." The sarcasm was lost on the teenager as she flopped down next to the two women. "I take it that Buffy is here, too," Willow asked cautiously.

"Yeah, somewhere," said Dawn dismissively, waiving her hand in the general direction of the rest of the club. "Whatcha drinking?"

"Uh, caramel latte," Willow replied.

"Double mocha," offered Tara. "Do you want something?"

"Maybe some water," she said. "Or a soda. Root beer. Or maybe a raspberry Italian Soda."

"Why don't we go up to the counter," Tara suggested, and led Dawn off.

Willow sat alone, sipping her coffee. She sensed more than saw Buffy walk up. She stared pointedly at her coffee, refusing to look up at her friend.

"Hey Will," Buffy said cautiously. "Can I sit down?"

"I guess," said Willow. "It's not like there's a law or anything that says, you know, 'sitting down is too dangerous.' So, I guess if I can do it, the mighty slayer can, too."

"Okay, I deserved that," Buffy said, sitting down. "Look, I'm sorry Willow."

"You are?" asked Willow, hopeful.

"Yes," said Buffy, purposefully. "I know I get overprotective sometimes. I know in my head that you can do this. You're smart; you're powerful. But my heart has a hard time seeing you that way. In my heart, you're just my friend who I care about and I don't want anything bad to happen to." She paused, waiting for Willow to look at her. When she did, Buffy continued. "Willow, I believe in you; I'm sorry if I ever sounded like I didn't."

Willow sniffed. "That's all Hallmarky," she said.

"Totally Hallmarky," Buffy agreed. "One more thing. You and Tara – well, as long as you're happy, I'm happy for you. Okay?"

"So, you're not totally wigged about me being, you know," Willow asked. The revelation of her relationship with Tara had been unexpected by the rest of the Scoobies.

"Well, I was at first. But now I'm totally non-wigged," Buffy responded.

"Totally?"

"One hundred percent non-wiggage." Buffy nodded firmly.

"Well, I'm sorry I called you broccoli," Willow said, apologizing.

"I'm not sure I want to know. Now, how about we forget about all this for awhile and have some fun?"

"Okay," said Willow.

"Did somebody say 'fun'?" came Xander's voice from one side. He and Anya stopped in front of the couch. "Are you two friends again?" he asked in his exaggerated fatherly tone.

"Yes, Xander," they both replied.

"Okay, cause I don't want to have to send you two to your rooms," Xander continued.

"Don't push it Xander," Buffy added.

"Right," he replied. He turned to Anya, "Look sweetie, they're friends again. Isn't that great?"

"That's wonderful," Anya replied. "Are they going to have make-up sex?"

"No!" said Willow and Buffy simultaneously.

"It's just that whenever we get into a fight and then become friends again, we always do," Anya explained.

"Yeah, but you and I are a couple," Xander said, trying to salvage the situation.

"True," Anya agreed. "But we already know that Willow is gay, and when you consider Buffy's track record with men, I just thought that –"

"This is me going now," said Buffy, getting up. "Will?"

"Tara will be right back. I should stay here." Willow replied, slightly red from Anya's remarks.

"Anya, why don't we go dance?" Xander suggested.

"You're just trying to shut me up," Anya replied.

"No, I want to dance with you," Xander said, his sincerity belied by the rolling of his eyes.

"Okay," Anya said, and promptly led him off.

"How he ended up with that girl, I'll never know," Buffy said.

"Xander's got a special magnetic field that only attracts the oddest women," Willow said. "Remember Mummy Girl?"

"How could I forget? Or the Praying Mantis?"

"Ick! I guess it's really no surprise that he should end up with an ex-demon." Willow took a big sip of her coffee.

"I'm just surprised he waited until she was an ex-demon," Buffy said.

"Are you two friends again?" Dawn asked, walking up to the couch.

"Yes," said Willow and Buffy simultaneously.

"Good," said Dawn. "Anybody want to play pool?"

"I'll play," said Buffy. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Willow and Tara replied. Buffy and Dawn headed off towards the pool tables.

After a few moments silence, Tara ventured into the subject of Willow and Buffy. "So how'd it go?" she asked.

"Buffy apologized," said Willow. "She was really very nice about it."

"Good," said Tara. "Did she say anything about me?" Tara asked.

"She's totally non-wigged," Willow replied.

"Cool," Tara said, but with more relief in her voice than she intended.

"Why don't we dance?" Willow suggested. The two women drained their coffee mugs and headed for the dance floor, the world of Sunnydale once more put right.

* * *

"So, I take it you're friends again," said Giles the next morning. "That's good. The shop was growing a bit tense."

"Glad you approve," replied Buffy. "We'd hate for all our personal conflicts to affect business," she added archly.

"I didn't mean it that way," he said, apologetically.

"I know, I just figured I'd give you a hard time about it," Buffy said, smiling.

"Well I meant it that way," supplied Anya from behind the counter. Buffy and Giles ignored her.

"When will the tester arrive?" Buffy asked.

"Tuesday, as far as I know," he responded. "I'm not really sure, to tell you the truth. I only know that I am to expect her by Wednesday morning, and offer her all required assistance."

"I didn't think the watchers could order you around anymore."

"Well, they can't in an official capacity," he replied ruefully. "However, they would certainly be able to make my life somewhat miserable if I were not at least somewhat cooperative."

"We'll all be cooperative along with you."

"Found it!" Willow's voice came drifting down from the loft area of the shop. She descended down the ladder with a large, ancient tome in her hands. She held it up for Giles' inspection. "The Confessions of Saint Jerome," she read from the title.

Giles picked up the book and turned to the page where she had inserted a slip of paper as a bookmark. He read a moment to himself. "Yes," he said, nodding. " 'If you can understand the core aspects of a spell, you can cast it with no more than a thought. The words of the spell are merely the shaping of one's thoughts, the balancing of power in one's own mind. If you understand the spell to its core, you can balance your mind and power without the ritual of invocation, and release it with a single word.

" 'That explains why the easiest of spells can be accomplished with a single word by anyone, because the balance of mind and power is simple and easily achieved. The measure of a spell caster is first to master complex spells inherently, evoking their essence with little time or preparation. But more importantly is the ability to mix spells into a single invocation, accomplishing multiple tasks at once. This requires a mastery of the spells being invoked, an internal balance of mind and power, and exceptional talent. For it is true that many of the best educated magicians in France are unable to do this, for they lack a fundamental spark inside themselves that makes it possible.

" 'If any witch or warlock, magician or wizard, mage or sorcerer wishes to truly test themselves, they must try this. They must dispense with what they know and have learned and instead rely on what they have come to feel. For if you truly know a spell, you can cast it from just thought and feeling. But if you lack the spark, you will forever be destined to lengthy ritual.'

"Well, that's quite an explanation. Who'd ever though that a crazy French monk could encapsulate a thought so articulately?"

"So, that's what I need to do, right?" Willow asked. "I need to try that, if I'm going to get an advantage in the trials."

Giles rubbed his brow. "I think we need to take this one step at a time, Willow. The point of this exercise was to have you understand the principle and to be able to find it among the texts. It was not to suggest a new course of practice."

"I know, I was just thinking, that's all."

Giles softened a bit. "I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, Willow," he said. "I'm just saying we need to take these things one step at a time. Perhaps we'll try it tomorrow."

"Okay," Willow agreed. "Tomorrow's the day."