Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)

After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.

Requirements:

- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'
- A little cat fight.
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.

Bonus:

- Little Tara developing telepathy.
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.
- Tara and Dru bonding.
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.
- Anya teaching the others about sex.
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'
- Anya and Darla fighting.
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.
- Dru still having her visions.
- Darla still having super strength
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes.

Author's Note: To Darklight - Faith would be cool, but she's still in prison at this point and the story only has another chapter or two to go.

Chapter 10

"Well?" After a couple of minutes of strained silence, little Tara prompted her gently. "Why did you do it?"

"It's hard to explain, baby."

"No it's not." The five year old's expression was solemn. "All you have to do is tell me the truth."

"I was scared." The red haired Wicca's voice was small. "Of losing you. I couldn't bear the thought of it, so I tried to make things right."

"You shouldn't have done it."

"I know."

"Don't you see?" The little girl sounded far older than her years. "If I'd only stayed because of your spell, it wouldn't be me that stayed, not really."

"I was scared. . ."

"I know you were, but if you hadn't done the spell on me, I wouldn't have had to leave."

"I just wanted to make things right for us. . .for me." Tears began to course down her cheeks.

"Ssh." Little Tara enfolded the older woman in her arms, hugging her tightly. "Don't cry."

The next morning.

"Are you okay, Tara?" Darla, concerned by her friend's silence, asked through a mouthful of toast.

"I guess." Her expression was pensive. "I talked to Willow last night, about . . .you know."

"What did she say?" Anya asked curiously.

"She said she was sorry." The soft reply was almost inaudible. "She really meant it."

"No she didn't."

"I think she did."

"She didn't!" Anya stamped her foot. "She didn't! She didn't! She didn't!" She glared at the other little girl. "You're a traitor!"

"Don't call Tara names." Darla's voice was sharp.

"She is a traitor." Little Anya looked ready to cry. "We're having fun together like this and she doesn't want to any more. You promised."

"I know. . ."

"We said that we weren't going to let them ever turn us back, never ever."

"Never, never, never, never." Drusilla chanted. "Never say never, no never, not ever."

"You don't like us any more!" Anya cried out her accusation at the top of her lungs. "You want to go back."

"I do like you, it's just. . ."

"I wish that Tara was going to stay little." Anya scowled when nothing happened.

"The Anya-fairy can't grant her own wishes." Drusilla pointed out sweetly.

"It's not fair!"

Howling in rage, the little former vengeance demon tore out of the room.

Little Dru shook her head solemnly. "Poor fairy. She's all sad now." Without another word, she turned and followed the other child out of the kitchen.

"Darla?" Tara's voice was timid. "Do you think I'm a traitor?"

She badly wanted to say yes, to chide her friend for even thinking about what they had sworn that they would never do and she knew that if she said yes, Tara would abandon her idea, but she couldn't.

"You're not a traitor." Only her own determination not to cry kept the tears from springing to her eyes.

"You won't hate me?"

"I couldn't." Her tone was sincere. "Not ever." She swallowed hard to get rid of the lump that was forming in her throat. "Just promise me that you'll still be my friend, even after. . ."

"I promise."

"Thank you." She hugged the other little girl tightly. "I gotta go now. I need to find Willow."

"I know." Darla, despite her best efforts, couldn't keep from sniffling.

"Willow?"

The Wicca looked up from her computer, rubbing her strained eyes and smiling at the solemn little girl standing in front of her.

"Hi, baby."

Little Tara pulled out one of the chairs and climbed on it, a serious expression on her small face as she looked up at her.

"Willow, are you really sorry about casting that spell on me?"

"Sorrier than you'll ever know." She swore feverently.

"And you won't do it again?"

"Never?"

"Never ever."

"Okay." Little Tara paused and took a deep breath. "Then I forgive you."

Willow cried out in alarm as the little girl swayed before collapsing. She darted forward to catch the little girl, but the body that fell into her arms was heavier than she had expected.

"Hey." The now adult Tara looked up at her groggily. "I'm back."

TBC.

Author's Note: I know it's been a while since this story was updated, but I've beenin a bit of an updatey mood for the past couple of days - I updated four stories yesterday. Please review.