Chapter Thirteen: Monster or Saint?

Previously in Echoes In The Wind...

"No. What do you mean by vengeance demon? Anya's not a demon," Tara told her, sure of that.

"Faith, do you want to explain while I try to use whatever magic I can to heal some of her wounds?"

"Yeah, Red. I'll explain. Come on, T," Faith said, holding out a hand to help Tara to her feet.

Looking down at her friend, Willow shook her head. "What would I do without you two?" Willow asked Anya, before she started healing her.

"What was she talking about back there? Anya's not a demon, Faith. She's too nice to be a demon," Tara argued, feeling as if her world was crashing in on her.

"You haven't seen her when she's pissed," Faith announced, watching as confusion clouded Tara's blue eyes. "Anya is a vengeance demon. She punishes men for their wrong doings towards women. She used to enjoy doing it, but now that she fell in love and was hurt again, she can't bring herself to find joy in it again."

"But...how? She seems so...normal?"

"Anya? Normal?" Faith asked, looking at Tara as if she had two heads.

"Not so much normal, just not demonic. She doesn't seem cruel enough," Tara argued, trying to understand how someone she trusted was a demon. "Is that why she trusts Willow? Because she's a demon?"

"No. Red isn't a bad person. She's just been through a lot and has a killer temper. I remember she went off on me once when I went through my rough stage and she pushed all the right buttons and nearly got herself killed. She's a good person, with a bad past. The girl you've seen is Red in Dark Willow's body," Faith explained, watching as Tara tried to understand her words.

"I'm so confused," Tara admitted, unsure what Faith was getting at.

"She's saying that I'm not evil, but that's hard to believe considering I've tried to kill your father and you," Willow said as she walked into the room, having heard part of the conversation. Anya stood beside her, leaning slightly on Willow to keep upright.

"Red..." Faith started, prepared to prove Willow wrong, but stopped when she saw the look the dark haired girl gave her.

"I can be a monster. I've been one so many times. I hurt my true love before, and I murdered the man that killed her. I tried to destroy the world. I hurt my ex-girlfriend by stealing some of her life force along with some of Anya's. I'm capable of being the monster you no doubt think I am. I'll own up to it. Why do you think I was cursed to look like this? This is my inner demon. This is the darkness that once controlled me. The darkness that tries to control me still," Willow admitted, staring into Tara's pale blue eyes as she spoke before looking away into Faith's brown eyes. "I'm going to take Anya home so she can rest. Then I'm sending you both back. I won't have something happen to you that changes your destiny."

Turning to walk off, Willow kept her stride slow enough that she wouldn't hurt Anya, but fast enough that she could escape from the pain of hearing Tara's voice filled with such loathe towards her.

"She doesn't hate you," Anya told her, her voice still a little weak and hoarse.

"She doesn't like or trust me either," Willow retorted, not wanting to have this conversation.

"You'll grow on her. You managed to grow on me," Anya admitted, giving Willow a tired smile. "And we had a lot of issues with each other."

Willow smiled at that. "Yeah, I remember that. We weren't really close until after the disastrous wedding from hell. When you got back from wherever you went, things between us weren't as bad," Willow agreed, looking over at Anya.

"I meant here. This you. After you destroyed the shop, I stopped trusting you. I feared you, but being brought here around you, I know you aren't a bad person."

Willow glanced at Anya again. "Thank you, but that's not true. I've killed before, Anya. Twice. I tried to kill everyone I love," Willow told her.

"I've killed thousands of men, and tortured even more. Faith has killed a bunch of people as well. Are we bad people because of that? You killed someone who took your lover from you and then killed the man who put that blackness inside you in the first place. If you're evil, Faith and I must be monsters," Anya argued.

Willow frowned at Anya. "You're not a monster. You were a demon...are a demon. It's what you're suppose to do, and Faith just had a rough time. I knew what I was doing, Anya. I wanted him to suffer. I tortured him before I killed him. I stalked him like he was prey and enjoyed doing it."

Anya shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Do you know how many people I actually enjoyed killing? How many Faith probably enjoyed? It doesn't matter about then. It matters that now you feel remorse."

Not responding, Willow thought over Anya's words for a few minutes in silence. After their meaning and understanding settled in, she turned to look at the vengeance demon beside her. "Thank you."

Anya nodded and used the arm that was around Willow to give her a slight hug. "You're welcome. Now lets get back. I'm tired and need to nap. What I really need is an orgasm. Do you think I could convince Angel or Spike to give me a few orgasms? Spike was really good at it that one time, but Angel might be a better lover since he has more years of experience..."

Shaking her head, Willow tuned Anya out, not wanting to think about Spike and Angel having sex with her. While Anya was talking, Willow quickly teleported them back to her home and helped Anya into bed, promising to send Angel and Spike up to talk to her.

Back at the hospital, Faith frowned at Willow's retreating back before Tara's voice caused her to look away from the former redhead. "What did she mean 'send you back'? Send you back where?"

"The past. Where we belong," Faith explained, turning to look in the direction that Willow had disappeared. "I'm not ready to go back yet."

"How far back are you talking about?" Tara wondered, thinking maybe Willow had brought them from a time when they were her friends.

"Over 90 something years ago. I was in 2003. I think Anya is from 2002," Faith said, looking into Tara's blue eyes. "Right after Willow lost her lover and went insane for a small period of time."

Tara shook her head. "How is that even possible? You two would be dead, or extremely old right now. How are you here?"

"Magic. Strong magic."

A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for all the help with the chapter and the support.