The Rosenberg Residence, a few seconds later.
Tara was standing in the nude as she put the phone back down onto its cradle after talking to Althanea. She then walked past the table on weakened knees and put a hand on the wall separating the living room from the foyer, to support herself. She was adjacent from the foot of the staircase that led up to the second floor. Tara felt a shudder as a cool breeze brushed against her skin. She felt her skin erupt in goose bumps as she pushed herself off the wall and cautiously walked on until she stopped at the foot of the stairs- the very same stairs from where she felt a cool and gentle breeze coming down to brush against her skin.
It didn't feel like any normal breeze. Tara felt as if there were hundreds of fingers caressing her body, and that feeling sent a chilling sense of fear through her entire body. Her teeth chattered as she looked up at the top of the stairs while taking a step back. She felt the breeze catch her hair as it gently fluttered, but she could also feel something dark and evil.
And it was coming down from the top of the stairs. Tara nothing there at the top, but she felt something horribly dark standing there. She felt whatever it was glaring down at her with rage and hate.
Tara felt another chill go up to her spine as she crossed her arms over her chest in a bid to get some warmth around her body. Tara covered her breasts as she stepped back further away from the stairs and then rushed to the dining room, and then to the kitchen before placing her hand onto the basement door. She put her hand on the knob and turned it over, unlocking the door with a click. She swung it open and felt a cool breeze rush out of the darkness in front of her. Tara breathed out at the feeling of the freezing cold breeze as thousands of cold fingers seemed to caress her arms, her face, her legs, her abdomen, and her chest. She gasped as she took another step back before she exhaled. She could see her breath condense in the air.
"Be brave," Tara whispered to herself as she closed her eyes and imagined putting a barrier around her body. And once she had, the feeling of the fingers brushing her skin slowly vanished. She still felt the cool of the breeze, but the sensation of being touched by invisible hands was gone. Tara opened her eyes and then took several steps towards the entrance to the basement. She reached to the inside wall while looking at the darkened stairs that led down to the basement.
Tara was feeling for the switch that would turn on the light above the stairs and in the basement. Flipping the switch to the 'on' position, Tara was breathing hard while her eyes widened in stunned silence. The lights did turn on, illuminating the stairs and the area at the bottom of the stairs. The stairs that led to the basement where there were some clean clothes- given that she had put their laundry into the dryer last night before going to sleep.
But now, Tara stood still at the top of the stairs, her body trembling as she stared at the figure standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up at her with a sneer. It was Willow. Tara felt a darkness she had never felt before emanating from the figure she knew was pretending to be Willow as she covered her mouth with one hand while her other arm continued to cover her breasts. She felt evil from the figure below- a figure that had black eyes, black hair, black veins covering her body, the brand that signified her as Acathla's Jailor glowing red on her chest, her body barely covered with a black bikini… and the sneer. The Willow standing at the foot of the stairs had a sneer that was evil… it made Tara's blood freeze while her legs trembled.
Tara felt as if she was a character in a horror movie- one of the characters who would soon die because they encountered the antagonist. Tara felt that she would die if she stepped into the basement… she felt a heavy weight on her shoulders as she stepped back into the kitchen while her heart raced. Tara felt fear. A fear that her Willow would kill her.
And the Willow at the bottom of the stairs tilted her head as Tara grabbed the door to the basement, and was about to close it shut. However, Tara stopped when she was about to slam the door shut… she was afraid. She was very, very afraid. But at the same time, there was a part of her that told her to not give in to her fear. Tara breathed out and saw the air condense around her breath as Willow continued to stare at her from the bottom of the stairs.
"This isn't Willow," Tara closed her eyes and whispered to herself, "not Willow, not Willow, not Willow."
And then Tara heard a loud groan. A croaking groan. She opened her eyes and saw Willow open her lips into an 'O' shape. The groan was coming from her as the house started to shake. Tara grabbed the door while sensing evil flowing around the entire house. It was flowing out from the figure in the basement, and from the second floor down the stairs to the main floor. Tara could feel it flowing towards her; brushing against her skin, making her skin cold and her blood freeze. She felt herself shivering as her fear started to rise.
Tara continued to stare at Willow… she started to feel a dark energy surrounding her, trying to break into her mind. Tara wanted to run away, she wanted to give into the fear and run while the groan from the figure below started to get louder until it was a roar.
Tara put her hands over her ears as she crumbled onto her knees. The roar was so loud that Tara felt as if it was trying to vibrate her very soul. She opened her eyes and stared at Willow who placed her feet on the first step. She then started to walk up the stairs towards her while continuing to roar. Tara was afraid… the fear threatened to take her over. She wanted to run… she wanted to get away from this evil while at the same time she was telling herself that this 'thing' wasn't Willow.
But she wanted to run.
She watched as 'Willow' took another step up towards her.
And Tara wanted to run.
She wanted to get out of there screaming for her life. It would be so easy. And then she remembered it was Willow who saved her life from the succubus, it was Willow who saved her life from the demons in the white rags when they met for the very first time. Tara gripped the edge of the door as fear started to take over her body, while she pulled herself back up to her trembling feet.
She still wanted to run.
And Willow was already halfway up the stairs. However, her footsteps sounding far away to Tara as she stared at the being who took on the form of her girlfriend.
It would be so easy to run away, Tara thought to herself.
"But I've run away too many times," she whispered as she stared at 'Willow' who stopped and tilted her head while still on the stairs. Tara didn't want to run anymore. She ran from home… from her abusive father, brother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She ran from them all. She never stayed to fight them… she never stood up for herself by telling her family that she wasn't a demon, that her magic was a gift from her mother… a gift from the women on her mother's side of her family. Tara realized that she never stood up for herself when she needed to the most.
She needed to stand for herself here and now.
But she still wanted to run. There was a part of her screaming to run out the door and never come back.
The fear was threatening to take over. She could feel dark energy swirling around her from Willow… and it felt cold. Freezing cold. She could feel the finger pushing against the protective barrier against her body… she could feel the fingers straining to brush her skin.
"You are not Willow!" yelled Tara as her hair started to flutter from a breeze while staring at 'Willow', "you are not her! I am not afraid of you, and…" Tara gasped for air when the 'Willow' smiled before releasing a roar that brought forth a gust of cold air that pushed back Tara from the door. She stumbled back and hit the kitchen counter behind her with her bare back. She looked up and saw that 'Willow' was almost at the door as every part of her senses and body were itching to run away.
To get as far as possible from Willow. From Sunnydale. The cold wind continued to push her back even after Willow closed her lips and was now smiling. But Tara, against all her senses, pushed on towards Willow.
"You are not her!" she exclaimed glaring at the dark-haired woman, "You will never be her. She…"
"I am already here, Tara," 'Willow' said in a tone that chilled Tara to the bone, "feel that? The fear telling your body to run?"
"I'm still here," Tara panted as she clenched her fists before yelling out in rage at her own weaknesses. "I'm still here!"
"For how long?" 'Willow' said, a tinge of hate in her voice, "the Willow you knew? The one you love? Well, she's gone. She's going to be gone actually. And there's nothing you can do."
"You…."
"Shhhhh," 'Willow' said placing a finger to her own lips as she walked through the door and stopped, all the while her eyes were fixed on Tara, "there really is nothing you can do. Nothing anyone can do. I am coming, Tara. I am coming to show all of you what Hell really is. I will open the mouth of Hell, and bring forth the pits to this world. And all for Acathla. I am his Jailer and you will be the first on my rack!" And Willow laughed before she vanished. Along with her, the cold wind and the sense Tara felt of dark energy surrounded her lifted. She felt the warmth on her body as she stood in place and thought about what 'Willow' said. Shaking her head, Tara rushed down the stairs to the basement and put on some clean clothes. She then ran back up to the kitchen after putting on a shirt and jeans and headed for the stairs leading to the second floor. Rushing up the stairs while her heart was still beating, Tara turned left and ran to the room she shared with Willow.
Stopping at the door, Tara encountered the feeling of terror once again. She felt evil emanating from the other side of the door, from the room she shared with Willow. She took in a deep breath and then exhaled, only to be her breath condensing in the air once again. Tara looked around for the 'Willow' she saw earlier in the basement- but there was no sign of that version of her lover. She turned back to the door and placed a hand on the door knob, and then pulled it back with a hiss.
It was hot. Very hot.
Tara mumbled a spell that turned the knob, and she then pushed the warm wooden door open. She looked in at the bed and saw Willow lying on her back. Her eyes were closed shut, her bare chest was still moving up and down, but her aura was being corrupted. Tara could see that the darkness emanating from the brand on Willow's chest had taken over half of her aura. And it continued to grow. Tara guessed that once Willow's aura was covered in darkness, then the being she saw in the basement- the evil part of Willow born in Hell would take over.
Tara tried to step into the room while the veins on Willow's shoulders, neck, and her torso were turning black. She wanted to do anything she could to stop the spread of the darkness taking over Willow, but Tara was pushed back against the wall. It was as if she hit an invisible barrier, and was then pushed back violently.
And as the door slammed shut on its own; Tara heard laughter. Willow's laughter. Tara looked down the hallway and saw no-one there. She turned back to the door while crossing her arms over her body to keep herself warm as a gust of cold air brushed past her.
"I'm not running, Willow," Tara whispered at the door as she waited for Althanea, "I'm right here. We'll help you. I'll help you. You're not alone."
The Summer Residence at that same time.
It was about nine in the morning by the time Dawn snapped her eyes open. She was lying on her side and facing the window, the streams of sunlight coming through the gap in her curtains, landing on the left side of her head lying on the pastel colored pillow. She closed her eyes again and then opened them before rapidly blinking to get the cobwebs out of her eyes.
Yawning as she turned around, now facing the ceiling while her back lay flat on the bed, Dawn raised her arms over her head and stretched her body. She felt a tingling sensation go through as she yawned once again before slowly sitting up and looking around her room. Sighing as she turned on the bed, her feet now dangling on the floor, the young girl saw most of her pastel colored blanket crumpled on the floor while a smaller part of it remained on the bed.
Dawn then sighed and looked up at her posters and the stuffed animals around her room through groggy eyes. As she hopped off, Dawn heard footsteps rushing past her door, and then were other footsteps heading for her door.
"Dawnie," Joyce said as she opened the door slightly and peeked her head in to look in at Dawn in her pajama's. "come on, sweetie. Breakfast's ready." Dawn yawned again and nodded her head. The door then closed shut while Dawn sighed again and walked over to her mirror. She looked at her own reflection and then shook her head; she dreaded this day. She didn't know why, but she dreaded the day.
Dawn then walked over to her closet and opened the doors, took out a change of clothes, and then gathered them in her arms before opening the door to her room. While she was heading to the washroom to freshen up, Buffy was already in the kitchen while Faith, who was wearing a simple tank top and shorts shuffled out of the basement after walking up the stairs and mumbled good morning at Buffy.
"Hey!" Buffy yelled before laughing at Faith rubbing her forehead and shuffling towards the coffee pot. As for the blonde Slayer, she rushed over to the fridge and took out some milk and juice, to put get to the stack of pancakes, piles of bacon, and some eggs. In the meantime, Joyce walked into the kitchen and pleasantly said, "good morning" to Faith. The dark-haired Slayer grunted a good morning before she took a sip of the black liquid that was just poured into a cup.
"Oooooooh," Faith groaned as she leaned back against the counter, the mug in her hands, while she closed her eyes. She felt the warm liquid travel down her throat, and as it did, it seemed to warm up her entire body. Fait then opened her eyes and tilted her head at Buffy and Joyce looked back at her questioningly at the groan she made. "This is good coffee," Faith said pointing a finger at the cup before pushing herself off the edge of the counter near the sink. She walked towards the island and sat next to Buffy who was in a red blouse and jeans with her hair in a ponytail- ready to take on the day.
"What time did you sleep, Faith," Buffy mumbled as Faith glared at her while reaching out for a pancake. The dark-haired slayer then looked away and yawned again while Buffy dropped three pancakes on her own plate and then reached out for the bacon. At the same time, Buffy was glancing at Faith who reached out for the Orange juice and then poured it into a cup without saying a word. Buffy looked back at the eggs as she leaned over to the dish of the bright yellow food, and then scooped some up into her spoon. At that same time, Joyce sat down across from her.
But Faith still hadn't said a word as she reached for the pancakes.
"Faith?" Buffy called out again glancing and nudging her fellow Slayer with her elbow.
"I heard you," Faith mumbled. She cut a pancake into half, and then placed some pieces of bacon and some scrambled eggs into the half from rolling it with her hands. "Just tired," Faith said before she took a bite of the pancake roll before taking a deep breath. She then put the roll down on the plate and glanced over at Buffy, and then at Joyce, and back to Buffy again, "had a bad dream last night."
"What about?" Joyce asked as she took some pancakes just as Dawn skipped into the room with a smile on her face. Faith smiled at the young girl as she sat up straight while Dawn rushed around the island and hugged Joyce while kissing her cheek. Dawn then rushed over to the smiling Faith and hugged her tight before rushing back to her seat across from Buffy who stared at Dawn with eyes wide open.
"Hey," Buffy whined when she didn't get a hug, "what am I? Spoilt milk?"
Dawn just simply stuck her tongue out at Buffy while Joyce poured the young girl some orange juice, and then placed some pancakes, bacon, and eggs on her plate. Buffy narrowed her eyes at her grinning sister while Faith chuckled as Dawn took a bite. Shaking her head after the interference from her sister, Buffy turned her head and stared at Faith while asking what it was she wanted to say.
"You know, before we were so cruelly interrupted," Buffy said as she glanced at Dawn who swallowed her food and the stuck her tongue out once again. Buffy stuck her tongue out at Dawn before turning back to Faith who was about to open her mouth to speak. However, as the dark-haired Slayer said she had a bad dream, the phone started to ring.
"It was Joyce who rushed to pick up the phone in the kitchen and then lifted it to her ear. She listened while the others looked on, her face etched with worry.
"Mom?" Buffy asked as Joyce, in a very worried voice, told whoever was on the other line that she would let Buffy and Faith know. Buffy then turned to a concerned Faith, who looked back at her and then the both of them- Dawn too, turned to Joyce who put the phone back in its cradle. She turned around and said, "that was Althanea, something's happened to Willow."
"What?" Dawn asked with concern as Buffy and Faith got off their seats.
"Mom? What happened?" Buffy asked as she imagined the worst thing that could possibly happen to Willow; the return of Borzan. But that was impossible, or so Buffy thought as she and Faith rounded the island and strode to Joyce, "what happened to Willow?"
"Tara called, she sounded panicked," Joyce said, "you and Faith head out to Willow's place and…"
"She'll need all of us," Dawn countered.
"We don't know if it's an attack on her, Dawn," Joyce said while thinking that there was no way she was sending Dawn to a situation where no one was sure what was happening. She then turned to Buffy and Faith, "Faith, take the car keys. You and Buffy should go to Willow's house and…."
"Hey, I can drive," Buffy whined in disbelief.
"You don't know how to drive, B," Faith said before sticking her tongue out at the blonde. Buffy then sighed before she and Faith rushed off. And all Dawn and Joyce could do was watch them head out the door.
Glory's Apartment, now.
Glory felt something cold brush against her skin as she lay on her bed with boxes, both unopened and opened, of shoes all around her. She shot straight up and stared at her arms while her minions, who had been in the room as well, kneeled down and hung their head while showering her with compliments. But Glory ignored them and turned her head to look out the window, past the babbling man and woman lying on the floor.
She then twisted her body and hopped off the bed while feeling a dark energy surrounding her. Glory heard one of her deformed minions call out to her asking if they could help with anything. But Glory ignored them. For the first time in her imprisoned life, she was nervous.
The energy she felt was from hell… it didn't feel like it was from her hell dimension, but it felt close enough. It was something she knew of and wondered if one of the demons that locked her into this part-human body was on Earth to finish the job. But she felt something else, the power leaking out into the atmosphere was weak. She could feel it slowly getting stronger though. Which meant that if she acted now, then whatever was putting out this much power could be destroyed.
And then she could continue the search for the Key without any worry.
"Great Glorificus, how may we…."
"We're going on a hunt," Glory smiled as she pinpointed the area the feeling that permeated her was coming from. She then turned around and glared at her minions, "it's possible that one of my jailers have come. And it's time for some well-deserved payback."
TBC.