CHAPTER SEVEN: the danger in past dealings

Buffy stared in shock at the figure standing before her and unconsciously stepped in front of Tara. "What are you?" Buffy asked her voice trembling at the sight of her former watcher.

"I'm disappointed in you Buffy, have you forgotten everything I've taut you?" The figure asked in broken English.

"B-Buffy?" Tara asked not seeing anyone but feeling a large collaboration of power rising around them. "Buffy what is it?"

"Tara, stay behind me." Buffy whispered stepping forward. She tensed as the figure stroked his goatee in thought. A move she was all too familiar with. The figure grinned as Buffy paled.

"I-I don't see anything." Tara said again, looking around frantically for the source of the power.

"Protecting your friend I see," he sighed then narrowed in on Tara. "I'm disappointed, I had hoped you would have taken my teachings more seriously." Buffy snarled her lip as the figure approached her and Tara. "Bringing the innocents into the slaughter?" he frowned "It's a shame really" He eyed Tara up and down. "And such a pretty little creature, it's almost a shame to have to kill her..." he shrugged. "Well almost."

"I don't know what you are." Buffy said flatly regaining her composure and allowing the anger she was feeling to flow freely. "But what I do know is one, you are not Merrick and two you will not touch her."

"Tsk, tsk." He chided circling the two. "I always knew you were a little on the slow side." He said turning his attention to Buffy. "And to be quite honest after I kill you I will do as I please," Buffy growled.

"Big talk for someone who is dead." Buffy snarled as she took a defensive position and began to circle with the image of her dead watcher.

"Ahhh…of course," the man said lightly and winked. "And you know all about death don't you Buffy?" Buffy winced and froze as it felt like something was slammed into her. "You killed me…or don't you remember." Without warning the memory of his death began to unfold.

The scene began out fuzzy but quickly cleared as everything took form. At first came the feelings, the same feelings she had felt all those years ago. Then the sights, as things began to materialize, then the sounds. Sounds of a broken carousel in the background and her own thundering heartbeat. And finally the smell of blood, his blood of him dieing. She closed her eyes trying to block it out but it was useless. She was powerless to watch as the scene played out, watch again as the vampire slammed a stake into her watcher's chest.

"Buffy!" Tara stepped forward wrapping her arms around Buffy as the slayer's legs began to buckle. She grabbed hold of her more tightly as the far away look on Buffy's face began to deepen and her body went lax. "Buffy!...Buffy!" Thinking quickly she tried casting a barrier spell to help Buffy get a head start on whatever this thing was, help her get hold. But as she felt the spell dissipate into nothingness she was forced to think of another option.

His voice lightened a note and his figure changed to that of a woman. "And me Buffy." Buffy opened her eyes to see Kendra standing in place of her former watcher. "You let them kill me." Another memory buzzed through her mind. A scene she had not witnessed. This time she watched as the former slayer was ambushed within the old Library while she had gone looking for Angelus. "You killed me Buffy." She said simply, calmly. Buffy cringed as she witnessed the brief fight before seeing the light drain out of the dark warrior's eyes as her life was taken by Drusilla. The voice shifted again this time an octave higher.

"And me Buffy." She cringed as she heard the echoing sound of a neck being snapped.

"Ms. Calendar…" the slayer barely choked out. The image of Giles's girlfriend killed off at the hands of Angel being all too clear. The chase, her running down the hall, and him breaking her neck like it was nothing.

"Had you not been so foolish with your feelings it would have never have ended like this for me." The teacher spoke calmly. "Mr. Giles and I could be happily married right now. If you had only listened." Buffy crumpled down to her knees head in her hands crying as Tara was no longer able to hold her up.

"B-Buffy, listen to me!" Tara said not sure what was going on but trying to get through to the slayer "We need to get out of here." She lifted the slayer to a standing position again and stood in front of her touching her face. "I d-don't know what you're seeing. B-But I can feel it. And it's strong." She shook Buffy as the slayer continued to stare horrified at something she couldn't see. When she still got no response she grabbed the slayers face forcing her to look at her. "Please, Buffy…" Tara said trying to get through. "You need to fight this thing. Whatever it is, it's just trying to mess with you." Buffy shook again violently causing Tara to wrap her arms around the slayer preventing her from falling down. "Buffy! Please try to fight this I need you to fight this." She said tears welling in her eyes. "Please Buffy…I need you…" she didn't know what else to do. She couldn't leave and wouldn't leave her there and magic was doing absolutely nothing. She had already tried a few other spells but they had all evaporated like the first. "Please." She whispered resting her forehead against the slayer's. "Please Buffy!"

"T-Tara…" Buffy said, the woman's voice finally breaking through the horrors of the past. She shook her head trying to ignore the haunting figure in the background of the schools councilor Mr. Platt. The only teacher she had ever really admired. She tried not to shudder as his throat was ripped out. "H-How does it know all these things?" Tara pulled her into a firm hug trying to sooth the slayers shudders and prevent her from falling away again.

"I d-don't know how Buffy." She sighed, "But we'll figure it out alright. It just r-right now we need to get out of here…" Tara said firmly feeling the darkness rising to an all time high. Buffy nodded, tears streaming down her face freely as she closed her eyes desperately trying to block out the crescendo of cries from all the people she was unable to save and focus on the comforting voice trying to keep her grounded.

"P-Please Tara I-I…" Buffy began to struggle again over the static and squeezed her eyes shut trying to stay balanced. "I-I-I…" she tried to focus on Tara's encouraging words then stopped, as all but one of the haunting voices plaguing her ceased. The one that remained rang true and cut Buffy to the quick.

"You deserve to die." Buffy's eyes shot open at hearing the foreign sound of her own voice. "I mean haven't you caused enough pain already?" Tara tightened her hold on Buffy feeling her stiffen considerably. Buffy watched in horror and mentally fell away again as the mirror image of herself paced before her eyes. The figure as she watched on she noticed was a few years younger though. Her legs weakend again as she saw that the figure was holding the same sword she had slammed through Angel's stomach two years ago. The same sword that she had damned him to hell with. "Really you would think by now you would have just given up?" with slow purposeful strides the figure was moving closer to where they stood. "All those people dead because of you." The figure laughed as Buffy was unable to speak. "Wow, all that guilt must really just eat you up inside huh?" the cries and voices started up again.

"Shut up!" she screamed not able to stand it anymore. "Shut up, shut up shut up!" she covered her ears.

"That's not going to save you." The voices said inside of Buffy's head in unison. "Nothing's going to save you." It smiled. "Not from yourself at least." The figure made a few slashing motions "Hmmm…" it glanced back to Buffy and laughed. "I wonder how that had to feel?" the lone voice said twirling the sword a few times testing the weight. "Being cut down like a piece of meat." Buffy cringed as the memory of sending Angelus…no, Angel to hell resurfaced in detail. The figure ran a finger down the edge of the blade and slit her finger on the tip. She smiled at Buffy as the blood began to pool. "Bet it felt good…" Buffy watched unable to speak as the wound healed almost instantly. The figure looked down at the unmarred flesh of her hand. "Though it's kind of hard to tell." The figure turned to lock identical hazel eyes with Buffy's "good thing there's a way to test the theory huh?" Buffy's eyes widened as the figure drew the sword back, waste level.

"Buffy try to stay with me here." Tara said knowing that she was loosing the slayer again. Buffy, snapping back turned her attention back to the Wicca who was still supporting her. That's when she realized Tara was still holding her up her head turned to the carbon copy from hell and unaware of the blade inches from her back. Without thinking she shoved Tara to the ground and out of the way just as the sword plunged into her own stomach. Her voice was momentarily stolen as the cold metal passed through her flesh.

"T-Tara…" Buffy gasped feeling as the wound bled down her shirt and onto the ground but not seeing any sign of the sword. Instinctively she glanced around for any sign of the haunting figure while she put pressure to the opening where the sword had embedded itself within her. Satisfied that whatever it was had gone and not feeling anything nearby to threaten Tara she allowed the darkness to overcome her and she hit the ground loosing consciousness.

Tara looked up surprised at the force in which Buffy had shoved her down then up to Buffy. What she saw made her freeze. Buffy stood there blood running down her shirt. She glanced her way once then fell to the ground.

"Buffy!" Tara screamed finding her voice. She scrambled over to where the slayer had fallen and turned her over. There was so much blood it was already beginning to trickle on the ground. "Buffy…" Tara sputtered as she put her hand over the wound trying to slow the flow. It wasn't helping. She closed her eyes a spell coming to mind. "Concealatorund" she whispered between shaking breaths. She opened her eyes and watched as small wisps of blue light left her hand and traced the wound. She breathed in relief as the blood flow ceased. Sighing she touched her hand to Buffy's head where a thin sheet of cold sweat was beginning to accumulate, "Hold on sweetie." She said grabbing hold of the Slayer's hands. "We need to get you out of here." Taking a deep breath she forced herself to calm down and prayed for the spell she was about to perform to also work. She closed her eyes and began to chant tears running down her face.

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"Shouldn't they be back already?" Willow asked beginning to grow worried. "And if what that book said was true…"

"Willow try to stay calm." The watcher said quickly as he waited for the line to connect to L.A. "As for Buffy…" the line connected. "Lucinda hello it's Giles." The watcher said into the phone.

"Hello, well that was fast, what is it?" the older woman said lightly.

"Yes well I think I may have found something." He reached for the book. "Um… I came across something in one of the Books you had sent me and it's a bit worrisome." He paused. "I was hoping perhaps you could clarify the meaning…" he proceeded to read the entry. When he had finished the line was silent for a while.

"Giles, where are Buffy and Tara?" the woman asked seriously. Giles frowned.

"At the moment on patrol why?" he asked. "Do you think they are in trouble?"

"I don't know, perhaps it's nothing…" she shivered getting a sickening feeling. "But I have a feeling…."

"GILES!" Willow screeched pulling the Watcher from his conversation. Giles quickly looked over to what Willow was staring at. On the table lay a bloodied version of Buffy and Tara.

"Good lord!" He sucked in a breath. "Lucinda let me call you back." Giles said hanging up the phone and hurried around the counter. "What happened!?" he said to Willow as he examined first Tara then Buffy. Both girls out cold but still alive.

"I-I don't know" the red head said tears starting to well in her eyes at the sight of her best friend. "I turned around and they were just laying on the table…and the blood…Giles there is so much blood."

"Yes Willow I know." He said frantically, checking Tara over for any signs of wounds. Not seeing any he set Tara down gently and moved to Buffy, lifting her shirt up to where the majority of blood seemed to be present. "Willow bring me the first aid kit immediately!" He could feel his throat tighten as he observed the damage. The incision was deep and cut all the way through, he could tell Tara must have done something to help the healing process along but it needed to be stitched. He looked over at Tara thanking whatever gods had sent her. With a wound like this, had she not been there, Buffy would have died. That he didn't doubt.

"Here." Willow said handing him the first aid. He took it and pulled out the antiseptic. "Is there anything I can do?" Willow asked regaining some of her composure reminding herself that this isn't the first time she had seen Buffy hurt.

"Make sure Tara is okay." He said beginning to wipe away some of the dried blood and applying aneceptic to the wound. "I think she probably used up whatever strength she had left teleporting them back here and is just exhausted but check just the same. With all the blood it was hard to tell." He said while turning Buffy over to clean the other side of the incision. Willow nodded and began to check Tara over. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary she turned back to Giles.

"No she seems to be okay aside from being out." She paused not sure if she wanted to know the answer. "Giles…is Buffy going to be okay?" Giles looked at the red head pain written across his features.

"At the moment it's hard to tell, she's lost a lot of blood." He pulled a needle and thread out from the box. "Thankfully the wound seemed to have missed all of Buffy's main organs. But the quicker we get her stitched the better off she is going to be." He made quick work of threading the needle and looked back up at Willow. "Call Joyce and tell her what has happened." He said knowing the older Summers would want to know what is happening. "Ask her if she'll be able to come pick Buffy up to take home and if perhaps Tara can maybe stay with her as well." He said preparing to push the needle through Buffy's skin and draw the two sides together. "I don't know where Tara is staying and she'd probably feel more comfortable if she woke up in the presence of someone she knew." Willow nodded her head understanding and went to make the call.

Okay chapter seven is up. Feedback is always motivational. Don't be shy. You know you want to, and besides I'm not getting paid for this ya know.