Usual disclaimers apply.

Chapter 16: An Enemy Steps Forth

If you're confused by what the heck Tara's going on about, fear not, my crazy storyline will be explained soon.

There was no longer darkness – light filled the cold room Tara had entered. The concrete walls with no windows made Tara think she must be deep under the foundations of the house. She had been going down without realising.

The pulling feeling had gone, only a terrifying emptiness filled her, consumed her. It came from the creatures all around her. In front of her, stopping her from going any further were huge 10-inch thick bars running from ceiling to floor. And inside were what looked like demons.

/ All together, in the same cage? So many, so many different demons, and they don't fight? /

Something was beyond wrong.

/ It's like they don't see each other. /

The demons saw her though; they began to get up and move closer to the bars, blindly trying to reach for Tara who was protected by the metal bars.

/ But they're drawn to me.... /

Tara gasped as her brain began to put two and two together.

/ Buffy said there were fewer demons than normal in Sunnydale... why would someone keep them all like this here? What is going on? I have to talk to Buffy. /

She turned and ran back into the darkness, which seemed inviting now. She ran, not caring about the noise she made until she found the stairs. She clambered up as best she could in the dim light and back into the room where she had heard Willow speaking. Tara looked around quickly, locating the window she had come through. It was still open, untouched, and she rushed towards it. She had only one thing in mind: Get. To. Buffy. Now.

Soon she was out of the house and sprinting breathlessly down the road trying to find her way out and back into the centre of Sunnydale where she had come room.
"What IS that noise? I knew there was someone in there!" Senna exclaimed angrily, getting up and marching towards the room. She opened the door just in time to see Tara scrambling out of the window in the far corner.

"What is it?" Willow asked.

"An eavesdropper – you didn't lead anyone here did you? Normally it's impossibe for anyone to find it because it's hidden like Racks place."

"No one, I'm sure no one followed me."

Senna closed the door and moved across to the other side of the room to look out of the window at the front of the house.

"There she goes." She pointed at Tara making a hasty retreat.

Willow followed her to see.

/ Tara? /

"Do you know her?" Senna asked severely. "She is a witch like yourself."

/ Geez, this woman knows more than I thought. What the heck is Tara doing here? /

"Yes." Senna's face darkened as Willow admitted this, "but she will tell no one." Willows voice growing defiant, almost like Senna's. "I will make sure she doesn't."

"Good. Follow her. Think about what I said."

"I already told you! I don't want –"

"Think about it. I have offered you something amazing. Now go."

Willow left, following the path that Willow had taken back into town.
"Who does she think she is, ordering me around!?" Willow muttered when she got outside.

/ Someone even more powerful than you. Keep your mouth shut. Talk and explain to Tara. Then tell Buffy, they'll understand. Even if I don't want a part in what she's doing I want to help her, and I think Buffy could do that. /
Senna smiled. It was all going perfectly. The witch's refusal meant nothing.

/ She thinks I'm going to help her. How amusing. She'll go home and pretend not to think of me again. Then she'll realise that I'm the only one who understands, that her friends could never be a part of what she's become. She'll come running back to me, asking for a share in my power. /

/But I'll be the one in control. She's just my pawn, and she'll be very useful when the time comes. /

/ And her stupid friends won't even believe her. That witch she ran after – they can't interfere. And then, they'll all belong to me. /

She fingered the old book she had been showing Willow a few minutes earlier, before she had heard Tara exiting.

/ This spell is going to bring me to greatness, nothing can stop me. /

Unfortunately she had made one single mistake in her supposedly flawless plan. She didn't realise that one of Willows 'stupid friends' was the Slayer.
Spike was shocked. Shocked into a joyous silence while he realised what she had said. But only for a second.

Then his mouth was on hers, his arms holding her possessively to him. Nothing mattered; in fact there was nothing, except her in this moment.

She struggled at first, just so she didn't feel guilty, and finally submitted entirely to him.

Their lips brushing, arms clasped around each other, hands touching wherever they could.

Buffy had never felt anything like it, not even with Angel. She felt free somehow, and being with him was even better than before.

Soon they were on the floor, making up for the intimacy they had missed in the last few weeks.
Tara finally reached the Summers residence, her heart in her mouth from the excessive exercise she had done in getting there.

The backdoor had been left unlocked and she let herself in.

"Buffy? Buffy! Anyone here."

No one was there. So Tara set herself down on the sofa in the living while she caught her breath. The second Buffy got back she could explain everything.

Spike held Buffy in his arms on the cold floor of his crypt. He reached up and pulled a blanket off his chair to cover their naked bodies. She sighed gently in his arms and snuggled closer, dozing slightly in a light sleep.

He kissed her cheek and wrapped them in the blanket, holding her closer as they rested together.

Embo: giggle don't tell me that! Think of all the terrible things I'm going to do now you're addicted! Ok, I'm kidding, I'm pleased really. Well, I'm updating and continuing the B/S interaction and I'm going to try and do something with Tara and Willow.... If that storyline isn't as believable just bare with me because B/S is my speciality.

Serenity: I make apologies for the shortness of my chapters – I do try to make them longer! I just like posting lots of little bits as opposed to huge rambling bits that make no sense....

Zanthinegirl: I went and got inspired didn't I! And now you probably know the story better than I do, I really ought to go back and read it – but reading my own fanfics makes me cringe! And as to the conflict, I enjoy it too – especially when they make-up afterwards.

Lucky-112: Really glad you liked the speech! I was so afraid it was going to sound cheesy/ stupid or just plain outta character... but I think Spike had some stuff he wanted to shout about. About the flashback - I might do some more where relevant. They just make me feel like I'm sticking to the essence of the show much better whilst weaving in my own ideas. And I'm glad you liked the messages, but if they get too long and annoying then I'll do them every few chapters. I do them because I just can't send an email to every reviewer without it taking me even longer to update on a horribly slow computer!

Kelly: Aw, that's got to be one of my cutest reviews. I'm getting on with it!

Karen: Yeah! That's why I wrote it – because S6 was sooooo wrong in splitting those two up in my opinion! Does she love him? Well... let's just see how it goes... :D And apologies for breaking your heart hands you sticking tape hope that helps!

Bridge: Thing with Senna is she was only gonna appear in a couple of chapters as a ruse to make Buffy jealous, and then disappear! When I decided to continue the story I picked on her to be the next big bad.... so she was never meant to come this far! I guess there's a bit of me in here, sorta like my alter ego. I would go back and change her name so it wasn't me, because it is a tad weird, but.... I can't be bothered, and unless it upsets you, I'm leaving it as it is. And as for messing up Buffy and Spikes relationship? She can try.... I mean Buffy died and they're still trying to make a go of it! I'd like to quote the Princess Bride as an indicator of whether she's gonna destroy their relationship: "Death cannot stop true love, all it can do is delay it for a while." Buffy will become more honest, just give her some time, she's got some things to work through first.

RoboShiflo: Glad to see my favourite reviewer is back! You're the one that started this madness in the first place, I never would have continued! And now look where we are! I've got so many ideas; it just takes me a while to sort them out in a legible way.