Willow Takes Charge

The door banged open and a redheaded nurse ran in. "What is it? What's-" He stopped when he looked at Tara, who was now sitting upright in bed. "Your…your eyes."

"What, you don't like them?" Tara cackled. Her voice was deep.

"H-help," the nurse murmured.

"Now, does it look like we need help?" She lifted her hand and the lamp hurtled at the nurse's head where it shattered, sending shards of glass and metal flying. The man collapsed, a large gouge in the back of his head.

"T-Tara, h…how could you?" Willow's breath came in quick gasps. Though there was now no light on in the room, there was a meager but sufficient amount spilling in through the thin, rectangular window on the door. She could still make out Tara in the gloom.

The un-Tara voice replied, "I said I'm not Tara!" The window shattered with a loud bang, shards of glass flying into the room, and something hit Willow over the head. As she collapsed to the ground, she saw the door open, a shadow walked out, and then it closed, letting the darkness claim her.

Willow awoke some time later to the persistent shakes of the Asian nurse.

"Here, let's get you up on the bed," she said kindly.

"I don't," the room did a quick spin, "have time." She collapsed onto the bed. "I'm just a… just a bit dizzy."

"Well, no wonder," the nurse said, "you were hit with this chair." She held up a small wooden chair, the same one Willow had sat in earlier. "You're going to have quite a bump."

The woman edged closer. Through Willow's blurry eyes, she noticed the woman's face change. Maybe she was just seeing things...

"You're such a sweet girl," the nurse whispered, bending over Willow. "I wonder how you taste."

...or not.

The woman bared her fangs and lunged at Willow's neck.

"She's taken, you sick pervert," said Xander, sticking the chair leg through the nurse's back.

The nurse exploded in a cloud of dust, which settled quietly over Willow.

"Xander! Oh, thank god!" exclaimed Willow, coughing from the dusty deluge.

"Let's go," he said, placing the chair against the wall.

"Where?" she asked, following him.

"To see the Buffster."

"Will!" exclaimed Buffy as they walked in. "How ya been?"

Willow stood next to Buffy who lay propped up on the medical bed with a bunch of pillows. Xander was at the foot of the bed.

"Long story," Xander butted in.

"Tara was shot, she died, I brought her back, and now she's possessed by a demon that's on some demony rampage," Willow explained.

"Apparently, not that long," Xander murmured. "So, let's get this straight. Tara died…and you brought her back. Like Buff?"

"Not quite..." Willow's face scrunched up.

"Well, tell us then!" laughed Buffy.

"Maybe later… I'm more worried about stopping this demon. And, how are you Buffy? Xander said you were shot too."

"I was shot. Bullet removed. I'll live. I'm the Slayer, remember? I heal at Slayer speed."

"Speaking of which," Xander turned to Willow. "If Tara was shot, how is it she's walking around? I mean, Buff isn't even up to par yet, even with her Slayerness."

"I'm not sure," Willow replied, "But I think the demon may have healed her." Xander nodded. "Or, it's walking around trying to do something before the body… well… dies." Xander nodded again. "I was kinda hopin' for the first one."

"Well, Will, what do you think we should do?" Buffy asked, grabbing Willow's hand.

"I was kinda hoping you'd know," Willow said with a small smile. "I-I mean, don't feel like you have to! I have my own ideas…"

"Well, like what? Gonna do a spell?" Buffy asked.

"Um… in a way," Willow looked away and started rubbing her arm.

"What way?" Xander asked.

"In the way that I'm not doing it." She gave a nervous smile.

"Well, who will?" said Xander cautiously.

"Amy."

"What?!" Buffy and Xander blurted at the same time.

"You do remember that she's… well… evil?!" Xander said sarcastically.

"Let's just say I know how to get her to comply."

"Will, are you sure?" Buffy asked, concern on her face.

"Yes, I'm positive. And, Buffy; maybe you could call Giles, see what kind of demon this could be. After that, if you're feeling better, meet me at the Magic Box. I have a feeling that's where we'll find our demon." Willow walked out the door, leaving the two of them staring.

Amy walked slowly down the sidewalk, a slight breeze blowing through her mahogany hair. In her hand was an open and partially eaten string cheese. She was out enjoying the day.

People she didn't know, and probably never would, walked by, eyes scanning the storefronts to her left for something to buy. She was heading for the Magic Box, the building directly ahead of her.

She hoped Willow would be there. Maybe she could get under that naïve witch's skin again, bring out the oh-so-fun dark side.

"Bind!" she heard behind her, and then a gel-like substance wrapped around her waist, lifting her in the air so she couldn't move. She revolved in the air to face Willow, who smiled up at her.

"Hello, Amy."