Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Sophie.
"Don't get too excited" said Tara, laughing. "Willow hasn't done anything yet."
"But she's going to" said Sophie. "Isn't she?" Tara just smirked and continued with the story.
"After Giles disappeared, Lorne came and found Willow in the clearing.."
"What was that?" asked the demon, feigning ignorance. "Strange weather we're having."
"Yeah" said Willow with a small smile. "It looks like the winds are changing."
"Change is good" said Lorne.
"But it's not easy" Willow sighed. "I know what I have to do, but going back means facing my past, and I've been running from it for so long.." Suddenly, Lorne bonked Willow on the head with his staff. "Ouch!" she yelped, rubbing her head. "What was that for?"
"It doesn't matter" Lorne smirked. "It's in the past."
"But it still hurts.." Willow grumbled.
"Yes, the past can hurt" Lorne agreed. "But the way I see it, Willow-tree, you can either run from it, or learn from it.." He swung his staff again, but this time Willow saw it coming and dodged out of the way."See?" Lorne grinned. "So, what are you going to do?"
"Well first" Willow smirked, snatching the staff from the demon's hand and taking off at a run, "I'm gonna take your stick!"
"No!" cried Lorne, chasing after her. "Not my staff! Give it back!" Willow chuckled and tossed the staff aside as she continued to run into the distance. "Where are you going?" Lorne yelled as he stooped to retrieve the abandoned staff.
"I'm going back!" Willow called to him as she ran.
"Good!" Lorne laughed, knowing his job was done. "Go on, get outta here!"
Meanwhile, back in their rainforest home, Xander and Anya were curled up together, sleeping. Tara crept over to them, gently poking Anya's arm.
"Hey. Hey, wake up." Anya stirred, only to scream when she saw Tara bending over her. The noise woke Xander, and he began to scream too. "Whoa, whoa!" cried Tara, taking a few steps back. "It's okay guys, it's only me!"
"Neverdo that again!" Anya snapped. "Wiccas, oy!"
"Have either of you seen Willow?" Tara asked.
"We thought she was with you" Xander frowned.
"She was" Tara sighed. "But we had a fight, and I lost her.."
"You won't find her here" said a voice. Tara, Anya, and Xander looked up to see Lorne grinning down at them. "The Queen has returned home."
"She's gone back" said Tara quietly. "I can't believe it, she's gone back." She didn't know whether to smile or cry, torn between joy that Willow was embracing her destiny and worry that her new love had taken off on her own.
"Gone back where?" Anya frowned, confused, and looked up into the tree again, only to find that Lorne was gone. "Who was that green guy?"
"Willow's gone to challenge Wilkins" said Tara.
"Who's cow needs a milkin'?" said a confused Xander, mishearing.
"No, Wilkins, Willow's uncle" Tara tried to clarify.
"The green guy's her uncle?" asked Anya.
"No!" Tara snapped, trying not to lose patience with the two. "Willow's gone back to her childhood home to challenge her uncle and take her rightful place as Queen."
"Ohhh" said Xander and Anya in unison.
Not too much later, Willow reached the edge of the desolate, dying, and mostly deserted Sunnylands. She paused for a moment, looking out at Sunny Rock looming in the distance. She took a deep breath and was just about to continue on, when Tara's voice stopped her.
"Willow, wait!" she called, running up to the other witch's side, joining her in looking over their once happy home. "It's awful, isn't it?"
"I didn't want to believe you.." said Willow sadly.
"What made you come back?" Tara asked.
"I finally got some sense knocked into me" Willow smiled, rubbing her head, "And I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my Kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"
"I will" said Tara, closing her hand over Willow's and kissing her cheek.
"It'll be dangerous" Willow warned her.
"Danger?" Tara grinned, mimicking Willow's words from their childhood. "I laugh in the face of danger, ha ha ha!"
"I don't see anything fun about this" said a familiar, sarcastic voice from behind them.
"Anya!" Willow smiled, turning to see her friends. "Xander! What are you doing here?"
"At your service, my liege" Xander grinned, bowing.
"We're really gonna fight your uncle for this?" said Anya, unimpressed.
"Yes, Anya" said Willow. "This is my home."
"Talk about a fixer-upper" Anya mumbled. Xander frowned at her. "Oh, but if it's important to you Willow, we'll be with you to the end."
"Thanks guys" Willow smiled.
The four crept towards Sunny Rock, ducking behind a boulder to avoid being seen by Darla, Spike, and Drusilla, who were patrolling around it.
"Vampires!" Anya hissed. "I hate vampires, almost as much as bunnies. Any idea how we're gonna get past them, Willow?"
"Live bait" Willow whispered.
"Good idea.. wait, what?" Anya yelped.
"Please, Anya" said Willow. "I need you and Xander to create a diversion."
"What do you expect us to do?" Anya frowned, hands on hips. "Dress Xander up in drag and do the hula?"
"Hee hee" Sophie giggled.