CHAPTER 10: Revelations

Buffy rushed to the downstairs bathroom, Dawn right behind her, flipping the light switch on as an afterthought. She studied her image in the mirror. She couldn't see anything but the faintest lines - the same lines she'd seen since the day before her release from the hospital.

"I don't see anything -"

"What?"

Buffy faced Dawn, both of them confused and staring at each other. Dawn reached up and carefully touched the raised skin, half-expecting the flesh to be a mirage. Buffy flinched and backed away.

"There. I can feel them," Dawn said quietly.

"But how -"

Comprehension snuck up and they stepped away from each other as they both said, "Willow."

They rushed up the stairs as quietly as possible, into Buffy's room. Dawn lifted Buffy's pillow; another small bunch of flowers - and possibly herbs - lay there.

"What -"

Dawn grabbed them and went to the bedroom window, tossing them into the night. She brushed her hands and shut the window, locking it. When she turned around, Buffy was leaving the room. She followed her into the bathroom. Sprigs of fresh flowers adorned the room. No lavender, but plenty of the similar blooms that they'd found on their beds.

Buffy caught sight of herself in the mirror - there was a shimmer, her face appearing like a transparent copy of itself floated before her. She could see the faint lines from before, but the scars Dawn saw - and felt - were there as well.

The images reminded her of the reveal spell she'd performed... God it seemed like ages ago. The false memories hazing as she'd watched Dawn's face disappear from family photos.

"They're n-not that bad..." Dawn said quietly, biting her lip.

Buffy's face tightened, her anger slowly growing.

"Buffy -"

"She should've asked us," Buffy said, her hands fisting.

"Well, yeah, but -"

Buffy brushed past, heading across the hall and through the Wiccans' bedroom door before Dawn could voice an objection. She turned on the light, crossing her arms in a stance that could be patented as the Summers' Stance.

Willow groaned and turned, checking her clock before looking Buffy's way. She realized something was wrong and sat half-way up, propping herself on her elbow. "Buffy?" she said, rubbing her eyes. "Wha's wrong?"

"When were you planning on telling us about the spells, Willow?"

"What spells?" the red-head asked.

"The ones hiding my face!"

Willow paused, looked down to a slowly waking Tara and tried to get out of bed as quickly as possible. "Buffy, let's go talk about this downst-"

"No!" Buffy pulled away from Willow's touch, one hand resting on her hip while she used the other to point. "Don't you understand how not okay this is, Wil? How could you think for one second -"

"We didn't do anything other than a diminishing spell," Tara said groggily, yawning and sitting up. "I promise it's harmless, Buff."

"Didn't you think to ask before you did anything to me? To Dawn?"

"Willow did, d-didn't you, Wil?" Tara asked. Her big eyes searched the guilty features of her lover, the pain of deception sneaking into her heart. "Willow, you asked, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did."

"No you didn't! I would remember if -"

"No." All eyes moved to Tara, her breath hitching as she tried to keep tears at bay. "No, Willow, please tell me you didn't."

"Tara, baby -"

"No!" Tara growled, pushing herself out of the bed. She looked around the room. Dawn realized what she was looking for.

"Under your pillow," she said softly.

Tara stopped and blinked at Dawn, then turned wide, watering eyes to her pillow.

"Baby, please -" Willow took a step back, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She was shaking, her voice tight and scared.

"Am I going to find something under my pillow, Wil?"

"Tara... I ..."

Tara's lips quivered and she shook her head. She looked at it a moment, before slowly reaching forward. She yanked the pillow away, fast, like a band-aid. There lay Tara's own bouquet, small but effective. A sprig of growth.

"How... could you do this?" Tara asked. The pillow fell from her hand, hitting the floor with a soft thud. She looked to Willow, pain etched in her features. "How could you do this to me? After what I went through with Glory?"

"Let me explain. Let me make this right," Willow plead, stepping towards Tara. Tara shook her head, moving away. "Baby, please, I love -"

"Don't. You. DARE. Say that. To me." Tears slipped down pale cheeks. Tara's breath hitched again and she crossed her arms to try and contain the pain in her chest. She bent slightly forward, nauseated. "I can't believe you'd do this to us. To your family..."

"T-tara... please, baby, I can ch-change. I c-can do what-whatever you want."

"No." Tara moved into the corner, her head shaking. Willow came closer, crying, fear and pain on her face. "No, Willow, NO! Stop! Just stop!" She straightened up, crying openly now. "You made a promise, and you broke it, Willow. Y-you need help."