Title: The First Seconded

Author: Falcon-Rider falcon_rider@hotmail.com

Rating: PG-13 for Agnst and ect. (Spike will have guilt and feels remorse, more on that will be touched on in later chaps)

Disclaimer: I own nothing 'cept the plot and Nich.

Authors note: Hey I posted YAY! ^_^ *dances with happiness* Hey ppl I just want tosay thanks for the reviews I really enjoy hearing if ppl like or dislike my story. Just so you know this has one big overall arc with mini-arcs along the way… currently im on the council arc and there is a purpose behind it. Have fun reading and I hope you enjoy seeing Willow again! ALSO if you want to be emailed when I post a new part just email me at the above email and put 'The first seconded' as the Subject.

Archiving: Just ask. And place my author name and email with it. ^_^

 TO THE STORY!

****

Part Ten

Seeing Red 2.0

70 days

Willow stared out the window in the main room of Xander's apartment as Giles and Xander conversed behind her. Tears still fell but the sobs that had wracked her body for days were gone. Outside Sunnydale was dark and dreary… to go with her mood it seemed to have had a storm come up over night.

"No. She is staying here," Xander yelled causing Willow to wince and close her eyes. "She belongs here with her friends not in England in the hands of the watchers council or some Coven!"

"Don't be an idiot Xander there is no way to help her here!"

"We can't help her?" Xander snorted. "We're her friends! We can help her through this better than somebody she doesn't even know!"

"Like you did last time?" Giles didn't even bother to remove his glasses. "Her power is nearly unimaginable Xander! What if some evil force decides to take advantage over that fact? Willow is in a terrible state of emotional disarray which could easily be taken advantage of!"

"There is no way I'm letting her leave." Xander replied ignoring all of Giles points. "She is staying and that's-"

"No."

Xander turned toward Willow who was standing. "What?"

Willow's eyes moved tiredly from the floor to meet her best friends. "No." She glanced at Giles. "Xander Giles is right. I have to go to England… there's no way I can be helped here."

"But-"

"Resolve face." Willow stated simply before turning her body toward Giles. "When do we leave?"

"We leave in two hours… you need to pack-"

"No." Willow shook her head. "I'd rather not go… someone can send my things later."

Giles nodded and motioned her toward the door.

A pale hand whipped across the fogged up mirror in front of her and Willow stared at the image of herself. Tired pain filled green eyes with heavy dark shadows beneath them stared back at her as the cleared space began to fog up once more. Willow ran a hand through her wet hair and wrapped a dark blue towel around her body before making her way out of the bathroom and to her dresser.

The red head slipped on some clothes, simple blue jeans and a white tank top with a cartoon kitten on the front. It was one of the shirts Xander had packed into the bag that had been sent after her not long after she had arrived in England.

As Willow pulled her long hair into a ponytail the door to her room opened and Salvina entered the room her soft dark blue robes moving eerily around her. She smiled sweetly at Willow as the red haired with glanced up at her.

"You have visitors Willow."

Willow nodded slowly. Giles was due to come visit that day, he came at least once a week and had been too bus to make it the week before. Though why shed have more than one visitor she didn't know… perhaps Giles had brought Olivia with her?

As Willow walked down the hall toward the lounge her fingers grazed across the enchanted bracelet she wore.

Willow sat at a wooden table in front of an aging man who smiled at her his bright blue eyes twinkling.

"Hello Willow welcome to the Coven. We've been waiting for you to arrive."

"You want to help me." Willow stated more than asked as she stared blankly at her hands that set together in her lap.

"Yes. We do." The man tilted his head as he observed her.

"I've done horrible things… You want to bind my power."

He laughed. His laughter echoed slightly in the room due to the higher ceilings. Willows head shot up and she stared at her.

"Little girl you are wrong… we couldn't bind you're power if we wanted to. It's against the natural order of things." He reached into a drawer searching for something.

"Magic isn't natural."

"No its not, but Magic does have rules… and one of them is on the binding of powers. If we were to bind yours a balance that you're powers are a part of would be broken. So the binding will and could not happen without dangerous consequences."

"Then what will happen to me?" Willow glanced toward a long window that let light into the small room.

A placed a small wooden box on his desk and opened it. Inside was an intricately emblazoned gold band inlayed with red and green crystals.

"This will siphon you're powers away from you and into the world. You will slowly be taught how to use magic once more. You will learn how to use it as any normal apprentice here starts out with the basics." He picked up the bracelet and slipped it onto Willows wrist. It immediately adjusted to fit comfortably around her wrist just small enough so there was no way to remove. "Over time you will regain more and more of your strength till finally the bracelet will just fall off and shatter. Till then you're magic will be limited in quantity."

Salvina opened the door to the lounge and smiled slightly as Willow walked through in front of her.

Willows body froze as she saw who had come to visit her. Giles of course had come but next to him… "Tara?" Willow asked quietly fresh tears began to fall silently down her face.

"Yeah baby, it's really me." Tara replied softly smiling.

The red head moved slowly toward her lost love reaching tentative shaking hand to touch Tara's cheek. Tara reached her own hand up and covered Willows hand and held it in place.

"H-how?" Willow stammered looking Tara over trying to see how it could be her lover.

"It wasn't my time. The powers had a purpose for me," Tara reached out with her free hand to wipe away tears from Willows cheek with her thumb. "I'm so sorry I left baby."

Willow smiled for the first time and nodded as a sob wracked her body. Her legs gave out and Tara caught her in her arms. The pair sunk to the floor together both weeping.

Various conversations in the room were relocated and Giles watched from across the room smiling as he wiped his glasses clean.

****

Author Note: Sorry this was kind of shorter than most… this one and the next part are both kind of short but its because they don't go with the parts before or after them… the next part is kind of a transition piece and this one we have the intro to Willow and whats been going on with her. So I hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! ^_^

To be continued in: 'Did I get them?'

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!! I really enjoy the feedback! ^_^ thanks all that do review, I love you guys!

If you wish to get an email when I update I'll be posting updates at the following yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thestarsthevoicesBSERS/