Title: Half of my soul and all of my heart
Author: ladydewinter
Email: ladydewinter@gmx.net
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/K first, but I don't really like them...so W/T eventually :-) And this is becoming B/S as well, it seems.
Setting: The story takes place roughly after The Killer in Me, so spoilers up to then. And if you have no idea about Season Three of Angel you'll be spoilt as well...so don't come running to me *lol*
Disclaimer: Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Anya et. al belong to Joss Whedon and ME and - hey you know whom they belong to. The story however is mine. Oh, the title is taken from a book called "Magic's Promise" by Mercedes Lackey. And there may be quotes from the show included in this story - I haven't really marked them, but if it sounds familiar - I mean it as an homage, I don't wanna violate any copyright, really. Please don't sue me!
Feedback: I can't stop to thank you all for the nice feedback I get - I'm so glad you like this story. And I'm glad I started writing it. So let me say it once more, with feeling: THANKS!
Distribution: If you want it, you can have it, just let me know where it ends up.
Summary: Again, after the dream...lots of talking...
***
When Buffy came back home from work today, she met Willow at the front door. In fact, she had the feeling her best friend had been waiting there for her. "Hey Buffy," she greeted her.
"Hey! How are you? How's your head?"
"I'm fine, and so's my head." She smiled. "And what about you? How - how are things with Faith?"
"With Faith?" Buffy sighed slightly. "Actually - I don't know. Surprisingly good, I guess. I mean, when - after you did your spell, and it looked as if she wasn't in jail any longer, I was kinda scared or - I didn't know how to react really. But now that she's here, and after we had this dr-" she managed to stop in time, "this talk - I know she's changed. It's - you know, after all she's a Slayer. And I don't mean that's good for me to know in a fight. It feels good to know she's here. I know we can trust her. Are you afraid or something?"
"Afraid? No, I'm sure - I think we can trust her. I just wanted to know how you feel about her being here and all." Willow sounded a bit - funny.
"Oh." Buffy believed she understood. "Are you jealous? Because you needn't."
"I'm not - okay, maybe I am jealous. But it's not what you think."
"What do you mean?" It seemed as if she had been wrong.
"It's not that I'm jealous of Faith. I'm long past that." Willow smiled at her best friend. "It's the Slayer - Slayer thing. Your - I don't know, your connection. I never knew what it was like to know someone who shares something like that. Not when Faith was here for the first time. But now..." she trailed off.
"Tara," Buffy said quietly.
"Sometimes I feel so lost. It was - we always knew how to find each other. And when things like yesterday happen I - it's worse. I miss her so much, I don't think you-"
"Probably not." She knew she was saying the truth - that was something no one else could really understand. She desperately wanted to tell her about the dream, about Tara. But she knew she couldn't let Willow be hurt even more, so she did the next best thing - she hugged her. "I promise, it will get better. I don't know when, but it will. We'll all be alright."
At that moment, they heard people fighting in the house. They looked at each other, sighed and as Buffy opened the door, Willow said, "I just hope it'll all be over soon. I don't think I can stand this chaos any longer."
***
It was just one more fight about the bathroom. Buffy couldn't believe it. "I don't understand you, girls. How old are you? If you have to fight, can't you choose something more - important to fight about?" She sounded exhausted, and she was. "Now, let's just - forget it, right? Where's Giles?"
"He and Anya left to get some more books," Faith answered her. She had come to join them all when she had heard Buffy had come back. "Anya said, she had an idea how-" she interrupted herself, remembering none of the others was supposed to know.
Willow looked at her curiously. "An idea how?" she asked.
"Nothing," Faith told her. "It's - nothing, except..." she searched for something to say that actually made sense. And she found it. "Don't you think that another Slayer will have been chosen now that other one is dead?"
Buffy frowned. She hadn't thought about that. "You're right. Willow, could you do another spell to check-"
"Sure," Willow said. "But - don't you think it should be one of the potentials? Shouldn't we know by now? How do we know, anyhow? Without the council, I mean?"
"I don't know. I don't even know if there aren't more potentials. Perhaps there are some more, and we just haven't found them yet."
"More?" her best friend sounded horrified at that thought. And why wouldn't she be?
"I told you, I don't know. And - with that imbalance of power - I think it might be that there won't be a third Slayer anymore. I mean, as the powers protecting the Slayers are all weak and confused. Just do your spell, okay? Do you need any help?"
"No help. Just some blood."
"Oh, sure. Call me if you need me, right?" Willow just nodded and went to her room. Buffy herself went to her own and sat down on the bed. Faith followed her. "They are making me crazy. I think they might be able to destroy the First simply by annoying it to death or something."
Faith grinned. "Yeah, that may be a possibility we haven't thought of yet."
"So, Anya and Giles have an idea?" Buffy asked her.
"It looked like it. Anya said she just needed to make sure. And she seemed pretty happy about the whole thing. She told us Willow -" Faith looked up and saw Willow standing in the door. "Willow."
"What about me?" she sounded suspicious.
"Nothing," Buffy said. "I figure you need my blood?" She went to her and took the small knife Willow was holding.
"Yeah," she said thoughtfully. "Put it in here. What did Anya tell you?" If she had told them about her dream she...
"Um...she told me about what happened last summer. As I didn't know. About the black eyes and stuff." Please, let me get away with that, Faith thought.
And it seemed as if Willow was buying it. "Oh. I - I understand. I'll be back in my room if you need me." With that, she turned around and left them alone again.
Buffy sighed with relief, but stood up to close the door. "So, what did she tell you?"
"She said that Willow had that dream as well - the 'main dream', so to speak. So I guess the other Willow was her. But I'm not sure. And as she didn't tell Anya about a second Tara, it looks as if she didn't see her."
Buffy didn't say anything. "What is it, B?"
"Why did she tell Anya? About the dream, I mean?" she sounded a bit hurt.
"You jealous? Don't be. I think Anya met her in the kitchen one night, just after she had the dream... I figure she even would have told... Andrew or someone, had he been the first person she met then. And Anya also said that she thought Willow and Tara were soulmates - that she had suspected there could be a possibility like this...to bring her back." Faith stopped.
"Soulmates, huh?" Buffy said.
Then the two of them just sat there, remembering the dream. When there was a knock at the door, they both were startled. It was Willow.
"Buffy, I checked. And - so far it seems you were right. I couldn't find a third Slayer. So it looks like you're the only ones left." She smiled. "Oh, and I checked the dead one as well - with the computer I mean - and I didn't find anything special or - surprising. She - she was quite a good student, but it seems she didn't go to college or did anything, that is, after she finished High School. That would be after you -"
"After she was called," Buffy finished the sentence. "Thanks, Will."
"That's what I'm here for." She looked at Buffy and Faith, and then said, "I'll be in my room...have to do some reading."
"Okay. We'll be downstairs." Buffy quickly glanced at Faith, who nodded in agreement. They were both hungry, and they would be able to talk to Anya and Giles as soon as they came back.
***
Downstairs, Buffy left Faith alone in the kitchen. She needed to talk to Spike, tell him what happened, what maybe would happen. Faith wondered what the whole thing between Buffy and Spike was. She still wasn't really sure she could believe it. She never would have, if Buffy hadn't told her herself. She just couldn't imagine her with him. Buffy having sex - as in not-making-love...it was a creepy thought. That meant that Buffy was more like her than she thought, well, okay, that wasn't true. She always had known they were more alike than Buffy liked to think.
But the sex thing had been then - now it was different. She had the feeling Buffy knew it herself, but didn't dare to acknowledge it - she really cared about Spike. And the reason she was telling him about the dream right now - well, it was obvious. At least to Faith. She trusted him, and what was it they always said? Trust led to love and love let to making it.
Faith knew she was being silly. But when was the last time she had been thinking thoughts like that - silly thoughts about her friends? Never, she had decided. Hell, she had never had any friends. But now - it really looked as if Buffy would give her a second chance...and even Red didn't ssem as hostile a she once had. She smiled, almost happily. And when she realized that, she knew they would be able to fight the First and survive it. It was as simple as that - if she could be happy in this situation - if she could be happy at all - evrything seemed possible. And now that they seemed to have a real chance of bringing Tara back...
Tara. She remembered how mean she had been to her when they had met at the Bronze. Why had she? Okay, stupid question, next question, she told herself. She had seen how much in love they were, and being herself, she had been jealous. What she had seen as well was how much at ease Willow was then. And then the dream...
Faith was interrupted in her thoughts when suddenly the back door opened and Anya and Giles entered. "I don't know what it is with me - why do you always have to threaten them, why can't I be the reward for the telling?" Judging from Giles's expression, she had repeated many variations on that theme on their way back, so Faith decided to relieve him. "Did you find anything useful?" she asked.
"Yes," Giles shot her a grateful glance. "Yes, I believe we did."
"Actually, I found it, but you don't hear me complaining," Anya said.
"I wish we wouldn't hear you," Giles murmured.
Anya ignored him. "Where's Buffy?" she asked.
"Down in the basement, with Spike," Faith told her. "He - she wanted to tell him about all of this."
"You think they'll mind if we interrupted?" Anya didn't wait for an answer, but walked quickly towards the basement access and down the stairs. Giles and Faith followed her after exchanging slightly exasperated looks.
"Did you find something?" Buffy stood up from the bed she had been sitting on with Spike, as they joined them.
"Yes, we did. And it doesn't even sound too difficult." Anya smiled. "I'm glad it isn't, I would like to have her back."
After Giles and Anya had told them about the ritual, Buffy asked, "That's it? No major mojo?"
"No, at least that's what Anya's demon friend told us." Giles waited for a moment. "And I think he's right. I've heard about this before, I even heard about several successful crossings."
"So all we have to do is wait now, right?" Faith wanted to know.
"Yeah - wait for our dreams to come. Oh, and we might go out for patrolling and slaying. If you like?"
"Sounds great," Faith grinned.
"So off, slaying we go."
***
Author: ladydewinter
Email: ladydewinter@gmx.net
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/K first, but I don't really like them...so W/T eventually :-) And this is becoming B/S as well, it seems.
Setting: The story takes place roughly after The Killer in Me, so spoilers up to then. And if you have no idea about Season Three of Angel you'll be spoilt as well...so don't come running to me *lol*
Disclaimer: Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Anya et. al belong to Joss Whedon and ME and - hey you know whom they belong to. The story however is mine. Oh, the title is taken from a book called "Magic's Promise" by Mercedes Lackey. And there may be quotes from the show included in this story - I haven't really marked them, but if it sounds familiar - I mean it as an homage, I don't wanna violate any copyright, really. Please don't sue me!
Feedback: I can't stop to thank you all for the nice feedback I get - I'm so glad you like this story. And I'm glad I started writing it. So let me say it once more, with feeling: THANKS!
Distribution: If you want it, you can have it, just let me know where it ends up.
Summary: Again, after the dream...lots of talking...
***
When Buffy came back home from work today, she met Willow at the front door. In fact, she had the feeling her best friend had been waiting there for her. "Hey Buffy," she greeted her.
"Hey! How are you? How's your head?"
"I'm fine, and so's my head." She smiled. "And what about you? How - how are things with Faith?"
"With Faith?" Buffy sighed slightly. "Actually - I don't know. Surprisingly good, I guess. I mean, when - after you did your spell, and it looked as if she wasn't in jail any longer, I was kinda scared or - I didn't know how to react really. But now that she's here, and after we had this dr-" she managed to stop in time, "this talk - I know she's changed. It's - you know, after all she's a Slayer. And I don't mean that's good for me to know in a fight. It feels good to know she's here. I know we can trust her. Are you afraid or something?"
"Afraid? No, I'm sure - I think we can trust her. I just wanted to know how you feel about her being here and all." Willow sounded a bit - funny.
"Oh." Buffy believed she understood. "Are you jealous? Because you needn't."
"I'm not - okay, maybe I am jealous. But it's not what you think."
"What do you mean?" It seemed as if she had been wrong.
"It's not that I'm jealous of Faith. I'm long past that." Willow smiled at her best friend. "It's the Slayer - Slayer thing. Your - I don't know, your connection. I never knew what it was like to know someone who shares something like that. Not when Faith was here for the first time. But now..." she trailed off.
"Tara," Buffy said quietly.
"Sometimes I feel so lost. It was - we always knew how to find each other. And when things like yesterday happen I - it's worse. I miss her so much, I don't think you-"
"Probably not." She knew she was saying the truth - that was something no one else could really understand. She desperately wanted to tell her about the dream, about Tara. But she knew she couldn't let Willow be hurt even more, so she did the next best thing - she hugged her. "I promise, it will get better. I don't know when, but it will. We'll all be alright."
At that moment, they heard people fighting in the house. They looked at each other, sighed and as Buffy opened the door, Willow said, "I just hope it'll all be over soon. I don't think I can stand this chaos any longer."
***
It was just one more fight about the bathroom. Buffy couldn't believe it. "I don't understand you, girls. How old are you? If you have to fight, can't you choose something more - important to fight about?" She sounded exhausted, and she was. "Now, let's just - forget it, right? Where's Giles?"
"He and Anya left to get some more books," Faith answered her. She had come to join them all when she had heard Buffy had come back. "Anya said, she had an idea how-" she interrupted herself, remembering none of the others was supposed to know.
Willow looked at her curiously. "An idea how?" she asked.
"Nothing," Faith told her. "It's - nothing, except..." she searched for something to say that actually made sense. And she found it. "Don't you think that another Slayer will have been chosen now that other one is dead?"
Buffy frowned. She hadn't thought about that. "You're right. Willow, could you do another spell to check-"
"Sure," Willow said. "But - don't you think it should be one of the potentials? Shouldn't we know by now? How do we know, anyhow? Without the council, I mean?"
"I don't know. I don't even know if there aren't more potentials. Perhaps there are some more, and we just haven't found them yet."
"More?" her best friend sounded horrified at that thought. And why wouldn't she be?
"I told you, I don't know. And - with that imbalance of power - I think it might be that there won't be a third Slayer anymore. I mean, as the powers protecting the Slayers are all weak and confused. Just do your spell, okay? Do you need any help?"
"No help. Just some blood."
"Oh, sure. Call me if you need me, right?" Willow just nodded and went to her room. Buffy herself went to her own and sat down on the bed. Faith followed her. "They are making me crazy. I think they might be able to destroy the First simply by annoying it to death or something."
Faith grinned. "Yeah, that may be a possibility we haven't thought of yet."
"So, Anya and Giles have an idea?" Buffy asked her.
"It looked like it. Anya said she just needed to make sure. And she seemed pretty happy about the whole thing. She told us Willow -" Faith looked up and saw Willow standing in the door. "Willow."
"What about me?" she sounded suspicious.
"Nothing," Buffy said. "I figure you need my blood?" She went to her and took the small knife Willow was holding.
"Yeah," she said thoughtfully. "Put it in here. What did Anya tell you?" If she had told them about her dream she...
"Um...she told me about what happened last summer. As I didn't know. About the black eyes and stuff." Please, let me get away with that, Faith thought.
And it seemed as if Willow was buying it. "Oh. I - I understand. I'll be back in my room if you need me." With that, she turned around and left them alone again.
Buffy sighed with relief, but stood up to close the door. "So, what did she tell you?"
"She said that Willow had that dream as well - the 'main dream', so to speak. So I guess the other Willow was her. But I'm not sure. And as she didn't tell Anya about a second Tara, it looks as if she didn't see her."
Buffy didn't say anything. "What is it, B?"
"Why did she tell Anya? About the dream, I mean?" she sounded a bit hurt.
"You jealous? Don't be. I think Anya met her in the kitchen one night, just after she had the dream... I figure she even would have told... Andrew or someone, had he been the first person she met then. And Anya also said that she thought Willow and Tara were soulmates - that she had suspected there could be a possibility like this...to bring her back." Faith stopped.
"Soulmates, huh?" Buffy said.
Then the two of them just sat there, remembering the dream. When there was a knock at the door, they both were startled. It was Willow.
"Buffy, I checked. And - so far it seems you were right. I couldn't find a third Slayer. So it looks like you're the only ones left." She smiled. "Oh, and I checked the dead one as well - with the computer I mean - and I didn't find anything special or - surprising. She - she was quite a good student, but it seems she didn't go to college or did anything, that is, after she finished High School. That would be after you -"
"After she was called," Buffy finished the sentence. "Thanks, Will."
"That's what I'm here for." She looked at Buffy and Faith, and then said, "I'll be in my room...have to do some reading."
"Okay. We'll be downstairs." Buffy quickly glanced at Faith, who nodded in agreement. They were both hungry, and they would be able to talk to Anya and Giles as soon as they came back.
***
Downstairs, Buffy left Faith alone in the kitchen. She needed to talk to Spike, tell him what happened, what maybe would happen. Faith wondered what the whole thing between Buffy and Spike was. She still wasn't really sure she could believe it. She never would have, if Buffy hadn't told her herself. She just couldn't imagine her with him. Buffy having sex - as in not-making-love...it was a creepy thought. That meant that Buffy was more like her than she thought, well, okay, that wasn't true. She always had known they were more alike than Buffy liked to think.
But the sex thing had been then - now it was different. She had the feeling Buffy knew it herself, but didn't dare to acknowledge it - she really cared about Spike. And the reason she was telling him about the dream right now - well, it was obvious. At least to Faith. She trusted him, and what was it they always said? Trust led to love and love let to making it.
Faith knew she was being silly. But when was the last time she had been thinking thoughts like that - silly thoughts about her friends? Never, she had decided. Hell, she had never had any friends. But now - it really looked as if Buffy would give her a second chance...and even Red didn't ssem as hostile a she once had. She smiled, almost happily. And when she realized that, she knew they would be able to fight the First and survive it. It was as simple as that - if she could be happy in this situation - if she could be happy at all - evrything seemed possible. And now that they seemed to have a real chance of bringing Tara back...
Tara. She remembered how mean she had been to her when they had met at the Bronze. Why had she? Okay, stupid question, next question, she told herself. She had seen how much in love they were, and being herself, she had been jealous. What she had seen as well was how much at ease Willow was then. And then the dream...
Faith was interrupted in her thoughts when suddenly the back door opened and Anya and Giles entered. "I don't know what it is with me - why do you always have to threaten them, why can't I be the reward for the telling?" Judging from Giles's expression, she had repeated many variations on that theme on their way back, so Faith decided to relieve him. "Did you find anything useful?" she asked.
"Yes," Giles shot her a grateful glance. "Yes, I believe we did."
"Actually, I found it, but you don't hear me complaining," Anya said.
"I wish we wouldn't hear you," Giles murmured.
Anya ignored him. "Where's Buffy?" she asked.
"Down in the basement, with Spike," Faith told her. "He - she wanted to tell him about all of this."
"You think they'll mind if we interrupted?" Anya didn't wait for an answer, but walked quickly towards the basement access and down the stairs. Giles and Faith followed her after exchanging slightly exasperated looks.
"Did you find something?" Buffy stood up from the bed she had been sitting on with Spike, as they joined them.
"Yes, we did. And it doesn't even sound too difficult." Anya smiled. "I'm glad it isn't, I would like to have her back."
After Giles and Anya had told them about the ritual, Buffy asked, "That's it? No major mojo?"
"No, at least that's what Anya's demon friend told us." Giles waited for a moment. "And I think he's right. I've heard about this before, I even heard about several successful crossings."
"So all we have to do is wait now, right?" Faith wanted to know.
"Yeah - wait for our dreams to come. Oh, and we might go out for patrolling and slaying. If you like?"
"Sounds great," Faith grinned.
"So off, slaying we go."
***