Chapter 4
(PATROL)
Willow and Buffy were on the last sweep of the night; things had been quiet and neither woman was in the mood to patrol. "Will, why don't you at least slow down on the magic for awhile? I mean Tara would take you back in a flash if you showed her you were trying."
"I'll find a way, she knows I love her and I know she does me." Willow smiles remembering the comfort she felt in Tara's arms but felt another comfort in the magic; one of belonging and power which was something she thought she'd never come to know.
Buffy stopped abruptly straining all her senses in each direction. "Faith-" she shook her head. "Faith is here somewhere I can feel her."
Willow's eyes flickered black, "reveal!" She saw Faith sitting on a sofa next to Tara and her hair went black, the veins popping out in her face. "Tara, she's got Tara!"
(TARA'S APARTMENT)
Tara's eyes fluttered open; she'd slept a few hours and found Faith still sitting there browsing through the undoubtedly boring TV stations. "I'm sorry," she stuttered.
"No problem," Faith said feeling an energy in the air. It seemed to crackle and pop with rage as it drew closer. "Something's coming Blondie." She stood up as Tara tuned in to try and see knowing right away that it was Willow.
Before she could speak, the door was burst through with slayer strength and Buffy was on Faith like a savage beast. Faith quickly retaliated with punches and kicks to easily match those of the blond slayer. "You act like a robot B," she said with a smirk on her face only angering Buffy more.
"She may but I sure don't!" Willow hissed in a deep cold voice as she shot Faith across the room with a strong energy.
"Willow no," Tara shouted angrily.
"What you gonna do Tara, shoot your lover down with energy for this bitch!" Buffy shouted with venom in her voice.
"Damn, something's fucked up here." Faith said staring Willow in the eyes, unshaken by the Wicca's new appearance.
"She is mine bitch, do you understand?" Willow asked in a calm but seething voice.
"Red's gone psycho-butch I see." Faith chuckled not about to let Willow get to her.
"Get out now!" Tara shouted, she hated feeling angry but it was now at a boiling point.
"You heard her, get out or lose a functional body part." Buffy said in her little slayer drabble voice.
"No, you and Willow get out now!" Tara shouted as white energy crackled from her hands knocking Buffy backwards.
"I bet you won't send that at me will you Tara." Willow spoke softly her black eyes dancing at the witch.
"Willow please stop it, please leave."
"This isn't over Faith and if you touch her." Willow didn't finish her sentence, just teleported herself and the slayer from the room.
Tears began to fall from Tara's eyes. "Hey Blondie for what it's worth I'm sorry. Those two are not the same, something is messed up here and thanks for sticking up for me there. Nobody has ever done that but the mayor and he was a bad guy." Faith looked at her sincerely pulling her into a hug and for some reason Tara began to relax.
"I wonder if you all really ever knew her, if I even knew her." Tara spoke somberly.
"Lets get some rest and we'll talk this out with G tomorrow." Faith ushers Tara to her room sitting with her until she falls asleep. 'What's up with you slayer. Why is she making you go all soft?' She shook her head out of thought and quietly headed to her own room for some sleep.
(GILES' APPARTMENT)
Tara and Faith arrived at Giles' apartment around noon the following day. He was seated in a chair with his glasses halfway down his face in deep thought. "Hey G-man we don't have a year to crack this case lets get moving." Faith said sitting on the sofa next to Tara.
Dawn brought out a pitcher of ice tea and sandwiches. "What's she doing here?" Faith asked curiously not knowing if this was such a good idea.
"Buffy is coming to me in dreams is what I'm doing here." Dawn quipped remembering the early morning dream.
She was standing outside the front door looking at the newly rising sun, which Joyce had always told her had signified a new day with better things. She looked up at the night sky and saw her sister clad in white. "Dawnie," Buffy said ever so softly. "I can not give you details but please be strong, Tara is going to need you, Faith is going to need Tara and the world is so going to need Faith." Dawn shook her head taking a large swallow of her tea as she finished telling them how, after saying this, Buffy disappeared and she awoke in her bed; looking out the window to the sun just rising.
"Well from what I saw last night, Red is a mad woman and B, well she's not B," Faith added quietly.
"Do tell us what happened." Giles leaned back in his chair sipping his tea as if it were some how going to help him figure things out.
"I made a mistake," Tara began. "They came in the apartment and they well Willow was using her m-m-magic and Buffy was sticking up for her and I had enough so I used the magic to knock Buffy down and Willow tried to goad me into using it on her."
"Tara, never fall into those games," Giles began but Faith cut him off.
"The magic or whatever that came from her hands was pure white; Willow looked like some demonic creature to be slain." She looked at Tara realizing her wording wasn't quite so hot. "I'm sorry T, I'm not good with words ya know but I didn't mean to sound bad or anything."
"Tara maybe you should try once more to have a heart to heart with Willow, Lord knows if anyone can get through to her its you." Giles suggested hopefully as he took note of Faith's new demeanor.
"I-I-I I can try but I just don't know. I think she views me as her property rather than an equal partner in a relationship." Tara hung her head.
"I think we need to start by trying to find out when Willow started getting like this and why," Anya said surprising everyone as she stood just inside the door. "Xander is in denial of it all; more hurt at what may happen to his friends but I'm willing to help seeing as I was dragged into the mess by Willow."
"It's settled then. Tara see if you can get through to Willow, Dawn and Anya will research with me. Faith I think you can find a way to handle yourself productively." Giles stood and headed for the kitchen.
"Well it's a plan then," Faith said looking at Tara. "Give me a shout if you need anything T."
