Part 13 Humanity by Nicholas
Willow awakes at the Summers home, nose bleeding and head aching. Buffy stands beside the bed looking perplexed as to what to do. "Will, thank God your awake."
"Buffy it's my fault! I'm evil, I held the first evil inside me for a long time and-and-and it only left when I tried to reform. They say it's afraid of me and what
power I hold or wanted my additional powers for evil. So then when I find out the truth of it all, I run and do evil. You should've left me out there to self destruct!"
Her eyes shoot black but Buffy bravely puts a hand on her shoulder. "Will you can go all wicked girl on me, you can turn those pretty greens all dark and black, you can throw me in a grave but you know what?" She sees the tenseness leave her friend's face. "I'll still be right here fighting for the Willow we all know and love." She leans forward hugging the now teary- eyed girl firmly.
"That nerdy little girl or the new and improved more likable person I am sort of now?" Willow asks in a mouse like voice.
"I never had a problem with the nerdy Willow, she became my friend and if after all this that is who you truly are, so be it." Tears fall from both their eyes as they
embrace.
- - - -
Faith stands motionless looking at Spike who is unable to speak. "Spike?" Tara asks softly.
"Tara, the white witch, I knew you were coming!" A look of joy spreads across his face as he races to her. "What the bloody hell is she doing with you?" He turns to
Faith accusingly.
"Oh and I thought we were bonding soul-boy." Faith sneers. "It's a long story and I'm not into details."
"There is a slayer force near, not quite a slayer strength but something slayery that isn't you Faith." He describes in a rather mocking tone.
"Yeah I'm the whole package, all slayer, she's the first slayer, the key to beating the first." His eyes get large.
"Is this true?" He looks at Tara hopefully.
"Yes it's true." Tara can't help but smile at him.
"So this means red will be happy now and not have to go for second-rate slayer with Kennedy." He chirps happily.
"She isn't supposed to go there Spike." Faith says dryly wishing she could find a way for Willow to accidentally find Tara and end this charade.
"I suppose there is magic in here keeping my favorite witch inaccessible to the first?" Spike questioned taking a fighting stance.
"That's the plan so don't blow the cover." Faith says getting rather edgy.
"I wouldn't do that to Tara, she showed me kindness when I deserved none." He turns and heads out in a huff.
"I think he likes you Faith." Tara laughs showing her sparkling blue eyes.
"I ain't interested in B's left overs." Faith says sarcastically.
"He's not really her left overs," Tara began. "He was used and frankly abused by her then made a few terrible choices. You both need someone who understands you."
"Yeah just like Red needs you Tara." Faith said walking to the other side of the room putting her hands on her hips indicating this conversation was over.
- - - - -
Late that night a warm familiar force led Willow to the bridge. She recalled Tara singing to her here, their love and how happy they were then. She then looked up
and saw Tara's image. "My Willow," she said softly and tenderly outstretching her hand.
"Tara?" Willow asked timidly, afraid to believe it but so wanting it to be true.
"Yes Willow it's me." Tara smiled.
"How did you get here? They wouldn't let me bring you back, I tried and then when I failed, I messed up everything." Willow stammered in full babble mode.
"That's not important Willow, I can't stay long though. I've been sent to try and help you." She gestures Willow closer and she does move quickly into Tara's open
arms.
Tara hugs her and kisses her. Willow feels something strange but chalks it up to her recent state of mind and tries hard to get comfortable. "Why can't you stay with me?" Willow asks as they sway on the bridge in a dance she only dreamed would ever happen again.
"You have Kennedy Willow, plus I'm not really alive." A cold chill runs through Willow and just as she realizes something's wrong, the face changes back into Kelly. "I only want your essence with me anyhow." She stabs Willow slightly in the chest, pushes her fingers in and begins long drawn out breaths as Willow grows limp with her last conscious thought being, I wish I could keep the real me within.
- - - - - -
Buffy and Dawn are walking on patrol. All seems quiet which has the slayer uneasy. She knows all to well this is not a good sign as her mind drifts back to the storm which coincidentally, she thought, was the last night of her slayer dreams of the first appearing as Tara. She shoved off the thought that nothing is a mere coincidence and continued scanning the night skies for something, anything to kill. "Dawn move!" She shouted as the bringer came up grabbing hold of her. Buffy quickly turned and launched an attack on the creature which quickly ended in his non-existence. "They so need to come up with a better opponent."
"Buffy they have, don't you see? Here we are without any sort of plan and Willow is a mess!" Dawn shouted angrily.
"Dawn don't tell me anything I don't already know!" Buffy hissed back, her own frustrations making their way to the forefront.
"What if Willow is the cause of all this?" Dawn questioned not fully trusting the woman since the bad events in which she was almost killed.
"Dawnie I know you're upset and scared but this is no more Willow's fault than mine." Buffy said defending her friend though inwardly she was no longer sure of anything.
"Buffy?" Dawn looked at her sister who was already sprinting towards a scream that sounded much like Xander's.
Part 14 Humanity Continued by Marti
Tara lifted her gaze hearing something off in the distance. Something shot through her body like a light, a troubled light. "Willow!" She shouted racing through the door before Faith could stand. "Oh shit," Faith shouted grabbing the phone. "Ms. G, we got problems! Tara ran off
saying Red's name and I heard a scream that sounded like Xander's. I think the cover is blown."
- - - - -
As Buffy and Dawn arrived at the place of the screams Xander was in the water trying to pull something out while Anya struggled with a demon. Buffy dove in immediately pushing by Xander and lifting Willow. Two vampires dove in after her knocking the redhead out of her arms. "Oh my God!" Dawn shrieked as she lifted her frightened gaze and looked right into the eyes of Tara.
Spike, Kennedy and Faith were on the scene now fighting off the hoard of vampires which were trying to hold Buffy under the water as Tara pulled Willow to shore. "Don you get it?" A demon howled. "None of us want the first around, it will destroy the world, we want to live and rule it ourselves! This is the mistake, the slayer should have died, she broke the slayer line!"
"I get it," Tara murmured as she easily, to Dawn's surprise, beheaded a demon who was trying to get Willow away from her. "Work with me if you want the world to be around," Tara again murmured.
Faith dove at the demons knocking them away from Buffy as Tara forgetting all her slayer duties began helping Xander and Anya get Willow out of there. "B hang on man!"
"Bloody hell!" Spike shouted knocking the last one away enabling Faith to yank Buffy free of the water. "Slayer, what if they're right?"
"Then the first gets to rule. I'm a slayer Spike, it's my job to save people not have them killed." They walk off with Buffy coming back to reality.
- - - - - -
Later that night after everyone had got settled in they met in the Summers living room, minus Willow and Tara. "Well now, it's obvious to me some of you have been holding out on us!" Buffy shouted angrily.
"Yes I do agree," Giles said wiping his glasses.
"You get this one Ms. G," Faith said leaning back on the couch.
"Tara is the soul of the first slayer, she was given another chance by the powers that be to fix the wrong that allowed the first to harbor itself in Willow and gain all this power. The first slayer is the only one who has beaten back the first so in the name of humanity I had to keep it a secret. For fear the wrong person would find out and ruin the necessary plans before they even took off." Sonya spoke with confidence not feeling the least bit bad for how she chose to handle this entire situation. She also knew she was lucky it didn't blow up before now or it may have ended in more dire circumstances.
"Why then did you not choose Buffy?" Giles asked knowing he, Dawn and the slayer wanted to know the same thing.
"That's an easy one," Anya piped up. "She's Ms. do it my way and would have defied Sonya here. See I'm agreeing with you for once and am now assuming you knew all along Willow is a portal of sorts."
"An please," Xander said somberly knowing his girlfriend was right.
"Yes I knew but had to play it in a more coy fashion for fear of giving to much away." Sonya looked at her slayer. "Faith did have a hard time keeping this secret but she
followed orders so do not blame her for any of this."
"Just when did Willow become a portal to the first?" Giles enquired growing frustrated.
"This battle is now in the hands of the first slayer, it is She who will decide what to tell and when as I will not do anything to hinder a plan
she may have." Sonya spoke sternly.
"Well then, now that we've got the why and who is at fault out of the way," Spike said smiling wondering why Buffy kept tight lipped at Anya's remark, probably because she knew Anya was right. "It's time we all take a back seat to the big bad first slayer and do what we can to help her rid us of this evil bastard."
"Here here!" Dawn said joyfully.
"We have a problem with that," Kennedy spoke. "She's to preoccupied with Willow."
"Ah I sense anger or jealousy," Dawn said in a mocking tone.
"Well Tara came to me, prepared me, not you," Buffy finally blurted out.
"I think we switched roles here," Faith said laughing. "Now you're the jealous one and I'm the dutiful slayer."
"Buffy, this isn't you," Giles said. "Yes Tara chose you but Faith was also chosen so do relax and lets get over this so we can work together."
Buffy looked around at everyone who seemed at ease with it all. She realized she was being stupid and jealous but couldn't help it. She was thee slayer now Faith
was back and getting all the glory. The deepest inward part of her hoped this facade she was putting on was good enough to fool the first. For she knew she had a job to do and figured this must be it. She'd be the bate, the one to fake out the first, all in the name of humanity and even if it cost her her friends as well as her life.
- - - - -
Meanwhile Tara sat beside the bed where Willow lay motionless, weak, hurt and near death. She held her hand caressing the top of it lightly with her fingers. She had never thought this chance would be given to her again and now there was a possibility it was going to be taken away with Willow's life. Was this her punishment for doing what she was warned not to do?
She'd been told time and time again to do her job and only that, that she wouldn't remember the love she and Willow shared and that if she, by some odd turn of events, did remember it, she had to not act on it because it would surely have disastrous consequences. "I love you so much Willow. I know you are in there somewhere, they can take all the magical forces from you but they can not touch that part of you that is really you. The part that just wants to be Willow and be loved." She leans down kissing Willow's cheek then the tip of her nose. "Willow someone is waiting to love you no matter the cost if you would just come back to me."
Tears spilled from her eyes like a raging river as she gently touched her lover, the woman she never dreamed she'd touch again. "Tara," a voice said from the door. "I've got a plan but you must do your job and trust that Willow will make it."
Tara looked up into the eyes of Buffy. "Buffy I'm the first slayer yes but I have my soul now, the soul that always put Willow first. I don't know if I can do this."
"You have to Tara!" Buffy spoke forcefully. "Willow would not want the entire world to be wiped out! She would want you to save it above her love for you."
"Really?" Tara retorted in a tone that surprised even her. "Is that why she tried to end it just because I wasn't here?"
Buffy looked down at her shoes. "Tara please, I have this plan and see-" Tara rose before she realized it feeling a power swell through her every fiber; a power that pushed her to take control and fight, the full power of the first slayer.
She shoved Buffy against the wall with ease. "What did I tell you slayer, it is not enough! Power and law are not enough to defeat the first evil! I am the demon of the first slayer, I am the demon who was forced into little girls for years, I know how to defeat the first and it isn't with trickery nor jealous acting plans!"
Willow's eyes were open now as was Buffy's mouth. "With the soul of Tara was my original home, my power combined with the pure loving heart of Tara Maclay will defeat the first no matter the consequences because if I don't you all will surely die!"
"Why didn't I get the demon!" Buffy shouted back angry that part of the slayer line skipped over her.
"Don't you see Buffy? You had the power of the demon then you died as did Faith till you stabbed her and she briefly died. When the watchers tried the ritual to get me to come they were shown by the shadow men they had no power as I did not come. We did not want another active slayer and this is why I was able to come to you in the dreams."
"Is this the ritual the watchers perform to get a person to potential slayer status that Giles told me of?" Buffy questioned interested now.
"That is rubbish, the shadow men were always in charge. The watchers really have no power but that of training a slayer. The shadow men are the ones with the power to put me in little girls. The slayer was here since the demons tried to take over the earth many moons ago; it was I who defeated the first and restored order to the world; it is every slayer after my self's job to maintain that order. Xander broke the chain when he brought you back; Willow is a portal because she tried to use dark magic to keep something that is indeed on the brink of good and evil for the slayer. She did it for you, you were acting in love rather than duty thus Willow opened herself
up to a weakness for the slayer."
Buffy looked shocked as Tara turned and smiled at Willow lovingly showing Buffy exactly what she'd meant. Love will defeat the first but how far will Tara's love for humanity have to push her Buffy wondered, will Tara be able to handle the possible consequences of what may have to be done by the soul of the slayer? "So you don't need any help then?" Buffy asked tentatively.
"Of course Buffy," Tara said warmly. "You and Faith have the strength of the slayer, I-I-I have," she looked around for help.
"The heart and spirit of the slayer," Willow offered.
Part 15, Humanity continued by AnyaRocks
Willow and Tara were snuggled in the bed when morning came. "Tara, I never thought this day would come. Now I have you back and I'm never letting go. It almost killed me Tara and in turn I almost killed everyone else." Tara pulls Willow close kissing her tenderly.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone Willow but I'm here now and we will be together. I just don't like this forceful slayer side of me. Telling Buffy love was the key then being so rude to her."
"Tara you have to do whatever it is you have to do." Willow kisses her as a knock interrupts them.
"Hey you two, it's time to eat," Dawn's voice beamed happily.
- - - - -
Later that evening, Tara, Sonya, Giles, Buffy and Faith walked outside to talk. "How is Willow?" Sonia asked.
"She appears to be ok, a little quiet but she won't last long without her essence." Tara confirmed thinking hard, wondering how in fact Willow still had her essence while being glad whomever helped her keep it was somehow enabling the secret to be kept.
"Yes I have a plan for that but this will leave a slayer out of commission for the big battle." Giles said hoping for a volunteer.
"We may not have that long," Tara said bluntly. "She seems to do better when I'm there but,"
"I say we get Red back to us now, fix the wrong that was done then worry about stopping the first." Faith said decisively.
"I agree," Buffy said. "If we try to do everything at once we just may not have enough man or woman power, as the case may be, to do it all."
"It will be tricky but I think you're right," Sonya said.
"Then we get some sleep and go to work, lets see if we can rid all of humanity from that bastard who calls itself the first once and for all." Faith said smiling at Tara assuredly.
"I will figure out how to do it all at once." Tara chimed in. "We don't have the time to wait. I need the slayers to be in battle, Sonya to be with Willow," she gave Sonya a look that said it was already under control.
"Sounds like a plan then," Faith said being willing to do whatever was needed of her. "I just wanna stop this mess and I hope we all make it out alive."