Chapter 5: Family
October 26, 2000
Summers Home
Buffy sat with Giles, Joyce and Dawn; the mood quiet and solemn as Buffy finished telling them everything, she had learned about Dawn being made the human vessel for the Key.
"I don't know what to say," Giles admitted. "It's just difficult to wrap one's mind around..." He looked at Dawn as he took a sip of his tea. "And you had no idea?"
"That I was anything other than a Power Ranger?" Dawn replied with a sigh. "No. I wonder if Zordon even knows. After all this likely happened around the time of the move to Sunnydale or maybe even when I was still the Pink Zeo Ranger in Angel Grove." She looked at her mother. "Mom?"
"It's just a lot to take in," Joyce admitted. "First you reveal to me you're a Power Ranger. Then we find out about this Key thing. That you were made the vessel for it. It's just a lot to take in."
"I know," Dawn said as she patted her mother's hand in comfort.
"This woman, this..." Giles reasoned, unsure what to call the attacker whom Buffy had encountered the night before, "whatever she was, she knows you now, Buffy. Should we be thinking about sending Dawn away?"
"You mean back to Angel Grove and to dad?" Buffy asked. "Why? Even when my sister wasn't a Power Ranger, she was a target in Angel Grove. Its why Dad sent her to live with us. Seriously with Dawn being Power Ranger, Giles, and with me being the Slayer, this Key thing is doubly protected." She stood and moved over to her sister and pulled Dawn to her feet. She turned back to Giles. "They made my sister the human vessel because they knew, somehow, that Dawn was a Power Ranger. They knew she would protect it in that role. And they knew that with Dawn being my sister, that I would protect her, while she protected it." She wrapped an arm around her baby sister in support.
"Buffy's right," Dawn agreed.
"Do we tell the others?" Giles asked looking at the sisters.
"No," Dawn said. "At least for now this doesn't leave this room."
"Dawn's right," Buffy agreed. "It's safer for them if they don't know."
"They could figure it out on their own later," Dawn admitted. "Especially if we ask for their help in looking into not only the woman Buffy fought but this Key thing and what she needs it for."
"If she comes after the two of you—" Giles interjected.
"She'll come," Buffy remarked with certainty, her gaze drifting to her sister. "She'll come for us."
"And she won't just have the Slayer to deal with," Dawn added. "She will have the White Zeo Ranger to deal with as well."
October 27, 2000
U.C. Sunnydale
Dawn followed her sister into Buffy's dorm room. With what was going on with their mom, the sisters had agreed it would be easier on them if Buffy moved back home, not only with Dawn's martial arts training, but also in helping Joyce with everything around the house. Buffy picked up a box of her stuff and started for the door, wincing slightly.
"You okay?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah," Buffy replied as she exited out into the corridor. As she set it down with other boxes, she noticed that Xander and Riley were moving a dresser out of her room.
"Okay, just - ow! Thumb!" Xander cried as he bumped his hand against the dresser. "Necessary opposable thumb!"
"Sorry," Riley remarked, and his tone caused Xander to stare at him suspiciously. "Crybaby,"
"Just leave it by the wall there for now," Buffy told her boyfriend and best friend.
"Got it," Riley replied,
Buffy headed back into the room, passing Dawn who had a hugely piled box in her arms.
"Are you sure your okay?" Dawn asked her sister, obviously concerned.
Buffy sighed as she stopped and leaned against the door. "Nothing like gettin' your ass kicked to ... make your ass hurt," she replied.
"We'll get her next time, promise," Dawn said.
"Thanks, Dawnie," Buffy said as she smiled at her baby sister. Sometimes she hated that her sister was a Power Ranger, because it meant Dawn was in the thick of it. But the majority of times she was glad Dawn was a Power Ranger. Because not only did that mean her sister could protect herself, but she could also help her. After all it was nice having backup from another super powered individual.
Dawn smiled as she set the box down and then wrapped her arms around Buffy. "Always, Buffy," she replied. She then picked the box back up and took it out into the hall.
Buffy looked around the dorm room. She saw Giles standing by the head of the bed, vaguely putting things in a box. Tara was in the closet pulling out clothes on their hangers and handing them to Willow, who folded them into a big box. She saw Anya walking out of the room with a lamp.
"But we just helped her move this stuff in a few days ago!" Anya complained before noticing Buffy. "And it was fun!"
"People help each other out, Anya," Giles said. "It's one of our strange customs."
Buffy moved to stand next to the bed. She started folding up her bedspread and sheets. "I notice you're doing the smallest amount of helping that can actually be called helping," she told her Watcher.
"Well, I saw myself in more of a ... patriarchal sort of role. You know, lots of pointing and scowling," Giles paused, glancing at the entrance, then suited actions to his words. "You two, stop that!"
"He started it..." Riley countered.
"He started it," Xander claimed as he tried to release himself from the headlock Riley was giving him. "He called me a bad name. I think it was bad. It might've been Latin."
"Stop it, or you're going to break something," Giles admonished.
Tara watched the exchange with a kind of sweet sadness.
"Or I'm going to break something," Buffy added as the two men stop wrestling.
"Still can't believe you're giving up this cherry corner suite," Xander told his best friend.
"Just a few days after we moved you in," Anya added as she walked back into the room.
"It's no big," Buffy said. "Between Dawn's training and Mom not feeling well, I'm hardly ever here anyway. Might as well save some money, for the semester, at least. That's all."
"I think that's smart," Willow chimed in.
"Still, hard to give up. Got the two entrances, lotta opportunities for bawdy french farce—and everybody loves bawdy—" Xander told them.
"Talking about Dawn," Buffy said as she brought her wrist communicator to her lips. "Dawn?"
"I'm right here," Dawn said as she walked back into the room. "I was just texting Lynn, my scene partner for Drama class."
"Just wanted to make sure you didn't see something," Buffy admitted. "You know, Ranger or Slayer related."
"I would have hollered for you, Buffy, if I had," Dawn replied. "Need some help folding those?"
"Please," Buffy said. She watched as Willow carried a box of clothes out and Tara started filling another box. She bent down to pick up a blanket from the floor, then stopped as her aches made themselves felt again.
"Starting to feel that fight?" Riley asked.
"As I told Dawn when she was showing her concern. Nothing like getting your ass kicked to...make your ass hurt." Buffy said as she threw the blanket out to Dawn and they began to fold.
"And as I told Buffy," Dawn added. "We'll get her next time."
"Because you'll have back up, baby," Xander assured the sisters. "She's messin' with ALL of us."
"Yes, we'll find her weaknesses, and then..." Giles trailed off to mime a throat cutting motion as he looked at the sisters.
"Yeah," Tara agreed. "You learn her source, and, uh, we'll introduce her to her insect reflection." A confused silence met her remark, making her feel once more that she was still finding her place in this group she had been part of for nearly a year. "Um ... that, that was funny if you, um, studied Taglarin mythic rites..." she picked up her box of clothes, lowering her voice before adding, "and are a complete dork," she headed out of the room.
"Then how come Xander didn't laugh?" Riley questioned.
Xander shrugged. "I don't know that Taglarin stuff."
"Oh," Riley said.
Tara smiled at Willow as they passed each other.
"You want to start taking stuff down to the car?" Willow asked her girlfriend.
"I really do," Tara replied as she headed down the hall. "Stupid..." she muttered to herself.
Willow waited to make sure Tara was out of earshot before looking at her friends. "Okay, guys, now remember, you got to be at the Bronze by eight."
Everyone met her face with blank expressions. "Bronze," Dawn prompted. She the only one who seemed to know what Willow was referring to.
"Tomorrow night! Tara's birthday!" Willow added.
"Oh, right! Right," Buffy agreed, remembering.
"We have to bring presents, right? Birth is a present thing?" Anya asked her boyfriend.
"I got something ... picked out, yeah," Xander replied.
"You guys can all still come, right?" Willow asked them. "I mean, I know there's ... this new evil and all, but..."
"No, no. We'll be there," Buffy assured her best friend. "Tara deserves a proper welcome to us, it's long overdue. And personally, I could definitely use a break from all this craziness."
Sunnydale High School – Temporary Home
Later that day Dawn had finally gotten to school for her Drama class. As a result of her late arrival the teacher had her and Lynn rehearse their scenes.
"Lynn, Lynn where thou are't thou?"
"Cut!" the teacher said. "Dawn, did you rehearse this scene at all?"
Dawn smiled and winked at Lynn. "Of course, I did. I just wanted to see if you were on your toes."
The teacher sighed. "Okay. The next scene is where Romeo finds Juliet laying on the floor dead!"
Lynn nodded as she walked to her place as Dawn laid down on the floor. She then strode forward with a grumpy look. She glanced at Dawn. "Oh no! Juliet..." she said, walking causally to the Dawn's side. She drew her plastic sword. "I shall join you..." She muttered, sliding the sword threw her arm, making it look like she stabbed herself.
Lynn lay down on the stage with a believable thump.
"Now for the reason you two chose this play," the teacher told the two girls. "The scene where Romeo confesses his love for Juliet and they kiss."
Lynn and Dawn nodded as they moved to their places. Dawn then ran to Lynn and grabbed the other girl's hands. "We meet again, Romeo—" she said.
Lynn looked Dawn in the eyes. "Oh, my fair Juliet. I promise we will never be apart again..." she said.
"But our families—" Dawn countered.
"Who cares about them...l—love you, Juliet." Lynn said with obvious passion as she smiled at Dawn.
"Very good, Lynn," the teacher said. "I can practically feel the passion."
"I love you too, Romeo." Dawn whispered with sincerity.
Lynn leaned in to kiss Dawn and kissed the other girl passionately.
The teacher watched in awe. It was like sparks where flying above the two girl's heads. It was the best thing she ever saw.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Dawn," Lynn said as she came up to the other teen after the class. "That was like wow."
"I know," Dawn agreed. "Would you like to go out sometime?"
Lynn smiled." Yes," she told Dawn excitedly.
"How about tomorrow night?" Dawn wondered. "A friend of mine is having a birthday party at the Bronze. You can come if you like."
"I'd like that," Lynn replied happily. As she watched the brunette girl walk away, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed.
"The Green Witch Books, this is Barbara Brattin. How can I be of service," came her mother's voice from the other end of the phone.
"Mom," Lynn said. "She asked me out," she told her mother excitedly.
"Are you talking about that girl who you met the other day?" Barbara asked. "The one your aura power showed a green glow surrounding?"
"Yes," Lynn replied with a sigh. "Any idea what the glow means?"
"None, sweetie," Barbara told her. "So, when are you two going out?"
"She invited me to be her date to her friend's birthday party tomorrow evening at the Bronze," Lynn replied.
The Magic Box
"Thank you for coming," Anya said to a customer a few hours later. "We value your patronage." Her voice rose as the customer walked towards the exit. "Please come again for more purchases!"
"We could perhaps be a bit less effusive, Anya?" Giles asked his new assistant. "Let's not frighten the people away."
"I'm just so excited," Anya explained. "They come in; I help them...they give us money in exchange for goods...you give me money for working for you...I have a place in the world now. I'm part of the system. I'm a working gal."
Giles smiled. "Yes. Well, why don't you start organizing the shipping orders," he suggested.
Anya shook her head. "Oh, no, that's boring. I just want to do the money parts."
"Well, sure I forgot about the party," Buffy remarked to Xander as they entered the shop. "There's kind of a lot going on. And it's not...you know...the most thrilling social event of the season."
"Yeah ... it's a big deal for Will, though," Xander argued. "I mean, you are going to be there?"
"Sure," Cordelia assured him. "Barring monsters…" She looked to Giles. "Hey."
"Hi," Anya called out, leaning over the counter.
Xander met her with a hand outstretched to clasp her cheek. "Gimme sugar. I've come to buy sugar." He kissed her fairly deeply.
"Mmm," Anya uttered when they broke apart. "We value your patronage."
The bell rang again as Dawn entered. "So, Giles, any breakthroughs on the identity of Buffy's Miss Congeniality?" she asked.
"Well, I have narrowed it down somewhat," Giles informed the Ranger and Slayer.
"Your definition of narrow is impressively wide," Buffy remarked as she glanced at the large assortment of books which cluttered the table before him.
"Well, you didn't give me much to go on," Giles told his Slayer. "She looks human, so the mug shots aren't any use, and, you can't be more specific about what she's like?"
Buffy thought for a moment. "She was kind of like Cordelia, actually. If she were on steroids. That were on steroids. I'm pretty sure she dyes her hair."
"Right! That one, of course. Our work is done," Giles commented sarcastically.
"That wasn't very helpful," Dawn added.
"There must be something on her," Buffy said as she sat down at the table.
"The answer is somewhere here," Xander began dramatically. "It's right in front of us and we're too blind to see it!" He added, slamming his hand on the table. Buffy and Dawn glanced at him exasperated. "I'm helping, I'm reading, I'm quiet," he uttered, sitting down and picking up a book.
Giles walked to the stairs which led to the loft of books not for sale. Back at the table, Buffy and Dawn sat at the table. Buffy turned to her sister and friend. "So ... what'd you two get her?"
"Huh?" Xander asked.
"Tara," Buffy reminded her friend. "You said you got a present already."
"Yeah, that was a tangled web of lies, sweetie," he confessed. "I'm not really sure what kind of things she'd...I mean, I don't really know her that well."
"I know," Buffy said with a sigh.
"I mean, she's nice—" he said.
"Yeah, yeah! Nice, nice. I just sort of..." Buffy added.
"I don't necessarily get her...but she's really nice," Xander continued.
"Oh yeah," Buffy agreed. "There's that thing, you know."
"That thing," he said agreeing with Buffy.
"That thing of not understanding…" Buffy told them.
"Half of what she says?" Xander told the sisters. He noticed Dawn rolling her eyes as she grabbed a book out of her backpack so she could start on her homework.
"As for example. A lot of…not understanding. But she's so nice."
"You betchya," Xander said as he turned a page.
"Think there'll be a lot of Wiccans at the party?" Buffy asked. "Big Wiccan crowd?"
"That's sort of her deal. Her and Willow are all...wiccie. Swinging with the wiccan lifestyle," Xander replied.
"Boy," Dawn said as she sighed. "You two are dense. We're in a magic shop and you can't think of anything Tara might like."
"So, what did you get her?" Buffy asked looking at her sister.
"I'm not telling you," Dawn replied. "And don't try asking mom either. It's a surprise and it was pretty hard work obtaining it."
"Come up with anything yet?" Giles asked as he returned to the table.
"Well, candles, maybe, or bath oils of some kind," Xander replied.
"And you are talking about what on earth?" Giles asked them.
"Tara's birthday," Dawn revealed. "They're at a loss."
"You're in a magic shop, and you can't think what Tara would like," Giles remarked as Dawn smirked. He looked at the younger Summers sister. "I take it you said the same thing?"
"Yep," Dawn replied.
"Well, we don't really know...the kind of things witches like. What, are we going to get her some cheesy crystal ball?" Xander countered.
"Bloody well better not," the Watcher replied. "I've got mine already wrapped."
"Uh, are all these magic books?" A blond, youngish guy asked them.
Giles rapidly walked over and took the book out of his hand. "Uh, private collection. Books for sale are against the walls over there."
Blonde guy ignored him. "So, all these books got spells in 'em? Turn people into frogs, things like that?" he asked.
"Yeah, we're building a race of frog people. It's a good time." Xander joked.
"So, uh... You all witches? Hey, don't do a spell on me now." Blonde guy laughed.
"Was there something in particular you were looking for?" Giles asked as he and Anya looked at the blonde guy.
Blonde guy continued to laugh, as the bell above the door rang, and Willow and Tara entered, the former laughing at the latter's previous joke.
"Her insect reflection. That is so good."
"I just thought that'd be funny, you know, if her center of power was," Tara broke off as she stared at the customer.
"What do you know," Blonde guy remarked, all laughter gone. "What's the matter? You don't have a hug for your big brother?"
Tara froze, her previous expression changing to one of alarm. Willow turned to her in surprise. "Brother?"
"Tara didn't say he had a brother?" Donny smiled. "I'm a dirty little secret."
"Willow, this is D—Donny," Tara stuttered.
"Hi," Willow remarked, offering her hand.
Donny shook it. "Nice to meet you."
"And, uh, these are my—my friends," Tara added motioning toward her friends.
"What, uh, all of you hang out?" Donny asked as everyone nodded their hellos. "Wow. That's more people than you met in high school," he remarked, punching Tara lightly on the arm. "Tara wasn't too social back when. I don't think she spoke till she was eight—"
"How did you find—I mean, how come you came?" Tara asked.
"Well, duh, birthday girl. Uh, we came down in the camper, been all over the campus."
"We?" Tara queried, a quiet dread beginning to seep through her heart.
"Dad, you know, and cousin Beth," Donny answered. "We went all over campus looking. They ought to circle back here in a bit."
"No, we should find them," Tara said a bit urgently. "We could go—" She looked at Willow. "—I should go meet them."
"Yeah, sure—" Willow agreed as they heard another bell ring, and Tara's s father and cousin entered the shop.
"Look what I found!" Donny said to them.
"Uh, Dad, hi," Tara began nervously.
"Well, here's my girl," Mr. Maclay replied.
Tara hugged him awkwardly. "S-such a s-surprise."
"Yes," Donny agreed.
"Cousin Beth," Tara greeted the girl who had entered with her father.
Beth smiled. "Hey," she replied.
"One of your dorm-mates said I might ... find you here," Mr. Maclay remarked, looking around at the shop.
"Oh. Oh, um, these are, these are friends," Tara replied, gesturing at everyone. "Um, this is Mr. Giles, he runs the shop," she added.
Willow looked at her girlfriend surprised at not being introduced.
Giles came forward. "How do you do?"
"Pleasure," Mr. Maclay replied, though his voice belied the emotion of the word. "Well, I—I don't mean to interrupt your plans, I know we've come on you kind of suddenly, but I thought we could have dinner."
"Okay," Tara agreed.
"Why don't I pick you up at six, and we'll do some catching up."
"Yes, sir," Tara uttered softly.
"Forgive me for running out. We're double-parked," Mr Maclay said, preparing to exit the shop.
Donny held up a skull. "Didn't Uncle Jeff have a scar like this? He could have been dug up..."
"Donald," Mr. Maclay interjected before looking back at his daughter. "I'll see you tonight."
"Nice to meet you all," Donny said as they walked out.
"That's so weird. Your ... whole family," Willow commented when they were gone.
Tara tried to smile. "Yeah."
"They seem nice," Willow added.
Tara sought to cover herself. "You know, they-they're okay. Families are always..."
"They make you crazy," Willow finished in understanding.
"Usually." Tara turned as, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the camper van drive out of sight. "You want to get into research mode?"
"Sure," Willow agreed.
Summers Home
Buffy followed by Dawn let them in through the front door just as Riley came down the stairs. "Honey, I'm home..." Buffy quipped.
"Did you have a good day at work?" Riley asked looking at the sisters.
"It's a rat race," Dawn answered before looking at her sister. "I'm going to go see about starting dinner."
Buffy nodded as she watched her sister leave then she turned to Riley as he kissed her. "I squared away the rest of your stuff," he said. "Wouldn't even know you ever left."
"You're like a god. You're the god of boyfriends," Buffy told him happily.
"Nah, I just like it when you owe me favors," Riley said intimately.
"Well, this earns you a very big favor," she replied suggestively. "There could be outfits."
Riley let out a small chuckle. "Be still my heart."
"Hey, Buffy," Dawn called from the kitchen. "We patrolling tonight?"
"Maybe," Buffy returned. She then looked at her boyfriend. "Which reminds me, this demon chick, she's... exciting and new. Don't really know what Dawn and I are up against."
"If we're in trouble here, I could contact Graham, maybe get the government boys on this—" Riley suggested.
"First, I don't want them anywhere near this," Buffy countered. "Secondly I have a Power Ranger for an ally here. Who this demon chick has yet to actually face!"
"Just a suggestion," Riley said as he put his hands up in surrender.
"The less people that are involved, the safer I'll feel." Buffy admitted while trying to look nonchalantly reassuring.
"Every time I think I'm getting close to you..." Riley said as he moved to go. "I got to take off."
"Wait. What—" Buffy said as she turned and looked at him.
"I'll call you later," he replied as he put his hand on the door.
"Riley, I want you to help, I'm not..." Buffy started.
"Yeah," Riley replied. "I know you got a lot on your mind. You decide you want to let me in on any of it, you let me know. I'll come running." He opened the door and walked out into the night.
"Sorry about that," Dawn said as she walked out of the kitchen. "I feel that's all my fault. I put that doubt in his head simply because I was afraid of losing a friend. Because I saw too many people die from monster attacks in Angel Grove."
"I know," Buffy sighed. "But that isn't your fault. It's a genuine concern. And I don't blame you for wanting to keep all of our friends safe."
Tara's Dorm Room
Tara walked to her dorm, intending to reluctantly get ready to see her father. But she knew before she entered the room and encountered his hard stare, that her father would not have been content to leave their reunion at the Magic Box like that. She found him standing at her desk, looking at her stuff.
"The door wasn't locked," he informed her as she closed the door behind her. "I was a little early. I suppose you ... wanted me to see all these ... toys." His tone was one of disgust and regret as he picked up a crystal. "You don't even try to hide it any more. I'd hoped maybe you'd gotten over the whole witchcraft thing. That if we let you go, you'd ... get it out of your system. Then they told me to look for you in ... that store."
"I didn't…I didn't kn—know that you were coming," Tara stuttered.
"Of course, we came. We haven't heard from you in months. Your birthday's getting closer and closer. You know what that means."
"I don't think it's ... it, it won't mean that..."
"You're turning twenty. It's the same age your mother was when she... Do your friends even know?"
"Y-yes." Tara lied.
"Are you lying to me?" Her father saw straight through her lie. "So, they don't know. They think you're human. Tara, you're coming home with us. You know it's the only way."
"Home?" Tara queried.
"This charade has gone on for too long," he told her. "Do you want to put your friends in danger?"
"I would never hurt them," Tara told him.
"You can't control what's going to happen." Mr. Maclay said. "You have evil inside of you and it will come out. And letting yourself work all this magic is only going to make it worse. Where do you think that power comes from?"
"It ... it doesn't feel evil ... sir."
"Evil never does," he said as he headed for the door. "I don't feel much like eating right now. I'll give you some time, but we need to be gone by morning." He looked back at her. "Your family loves you, Tara, no matter what. How do you think your friends are going to feel when they see your true face?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Hey."
Tara looked up from her previous occupation; staring at the crystal which her father had toyed with while he talked to her. "Hey," she returned to Willow.
"Was dinner fun?" Willow asked her.
Tara nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah," she lied.
"Well, there's Scoobyage afoot. Giles called a meeting about our spankin' new menace."
"Oh. You should go, they don't need me for that. You can fill me in."
"No, no, you got to come. This demon chick is supposed to be really powerful, and I was thinking. Maybe we could try that, that spell, you know, the one to find demons…"
"That didn't work," Tara reminded her.
"Yeah ... but we only tried it once," Willow replied. "I think I got some ingredients wrong."
"Well, I'm tired. We can try it tomorrow," Tara suggested.
"You sure you don't want to—" Willow tried.
Tara cut her off. "My family's here, I can't just... Not everything is about your friends and stuff."
"Sorry," Willow uttered obviously hurt.
Tara changed tack. "No! No, I'm...there's just so much going on. It's just...I'm real tired."
"Okay." Willow allowed.
"I'll see you in the morning and you can fill me in."
"Great. We'll be demon hunters," Willow agreed before leaving.
Tara waited for the door to close then sought out one of her books. She poured through the pages until she came across the right passage, then paused, thinking.
She wanted to tell them the truth. But any courage she might have had to do it had been washed away by the tidal wave that was her family. Her worst fears were telling her she should conceal the truth, at least until she could tell them without her family's interference.
The Magic Box
"Hey. Am I late? Did I miss any exposition?" Willow asked as she entered the shop.
"No, no, no, no, nothing earth-shattering to relate," Giles replied. "I just have a few thoughts, and, uh, wanted to make sure that we were all on the same page."
"How's Tara?" Dawn asked.
"I think her family dinner wore her out," Willow replied. "She begged off, pleading tiredness. I promised to fill her in tomorrow."
"First of all, I want to talk about safety," Giles said. "This creature could be..."
"Will be," Buffy and Dawn corrected.
"Will be coming after Buffy, Dawn and possibly the rest of us as well," Giles continued. "Don't underestimate her."
"Dawn and I are not just talking about traveling in groups," Buffy added. "You see a girl you don't know, you run. Just keep running 'til you drop. And don't drop."
At the rear of the shop, hidden behind the curtain that screened the training room, Tara crouched, watching them. "Blind Cadria," she whispered, "desolate queen, work my will upon them all. Your curse upon them, my obeisance to you." She held up her hand and blew upon it. Red dust flowed out of her palm drifting into the shop floor.
"Now, I think I may have a lead on this monk that Buffy spoke with," Giles continued. "There, there are a few orders that I've read up on..."
The red dust turned yellow, sending out rays, striking all of them, making them flinch.
"I'm sorry, where was I?" Giles asked.
"The monk," Dawn prompted.
"Yes, I'd like us all to start looking at these orders, It's possible whichever one this monk belonged to was wiped out entirely, and I'm sure that wouldn't go unnoticed..."
His voice faded out of hearing to Tara as she quietly left the shop via the back door.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later Buffy and Dawn was stretching in the training room as Willow talked with them.
"He's great...he's so considerate, and he's really understanding about my disturbing lifestyle, but every now and then he's mister snappy," Buffy said. "I never know what sets him off."
"I still blame myself for that," Dawn sighed.
"I don't think it's you, Dawn," Willow admitted. "While yes your concern for his safety probably did raise some flags. I think…" she looked at Buffy, "…that there's always going to be a part of your life he can't get near, Buffy. That's just part of relationships that people have to deal with, even if they feel shut out and the other person is acting all weird and doesn't want them to meet their family."
"Behold the cunning segue," Buffy said. "Tara's being funky?"
Willow sighed. "She's just never been like that before."
"Well…" Dawn said as she looked at her sister, "…families…"
"Dawn's right," Buffy agreed. "Look at Dawn and I. We didn't always get along. Before the divorce Dawn used to be a brat."
"Which I agree with," Dawn added. "I was the baby and as a result I always tried to be mom and dad's favorite." She smiled at Buffy. "Looking back, I think that was silly of me. Mom and Dad had no favorites, they love us both."
"I feel like...it's something more," Willow admitted. "She's different."
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked obviously concerned.
"I don't know," Willow replied blowing it off. "I'm over reacty. Pay me no mind. People in love are always a little crazy."
U.C. Sunnydale
Tara's walk back to her dorm was uneventful and conducted alone, until she encountered her cousin. "Beth, what are you..."
"I was looking for you," Beth replied nervously.
"I'm sorry we didn't get to have dinner," Tara said, "everything was so sudden."
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. See if you needed any help with anything…packing."
Tara's smile fell from her face. "Beth, I'm not, I'm n-not coming back with you."
Beth looked innocently surprised. "You're not?" she sought to confirm.
"I don't think so."
"You ... selfish bitch!" Beth said suddenly.
Tara stepped back, genuinely astonished. "What?"
"I knew it," Beth said. "I knew you were going to do something like this!"
"Like what?" Tara asked wondering if Beth knew what she had done. "You c-can't just
come here—"
"You don't care the slightest bitty bit about your family, do you? Your dad's been worried sick about you every day since you've been gone. There's a house that needs taking care of ... Donny and your dad having to do for themselves while you're down here living god knows what kind of lifestyle. Is it true you've been doing magic?"
Tara looked at Beth, a bit defiant. "Yes," she replied.
"Well then you deserve whatever you get," Beth said. "Come down here, doing spells…I can't wait till your little friends find out the truth about you. They will, you know. No matter how innocent you act, they'll see."
"No, they won't." Tara objected.
"They will. Unless you...do some kind of spell on them," Beth said and that was when she saw the guilty look on her cousin's face. "You did!"
"N-no!" Tara protested.
Beth didn't believe her. "You did something to them. I'm telling your dad."
"No! No, it wasn't anything!" Tara pleaded.
"You think you can just go around cursing people? Your dad's going to pop."
"It was just so they wouldn't see." Tara realized she was busted. "So they wouldn't see the demon part of me. Please don't tell Dad. It's harmless."
"Don't you see how out of control you are? You've been lying to these people for a year, and now you've put a spell on them, is that right? Is that a human thing to do? Now I'm telling your father. If he doesn't force you to come home, and I think he should, I know he's going to tell your friends the truth. If I were you, I'd tell them first. And then I'd tell them goodbye."
With that Beth walked away, leaving Tara with only once choice before her. She turned and began to run back to the Magic Box.
The Magic Box
Willow rose up from her seat to answer a knock at the door thinking it might be Tara. But when she opened it, the apparently empty night street looked back at her. Confused, she turned and closed the door.
Behind her three Lei-Ach demons grinned in anticipation of the big kill which awaited them.
"Do I get paid overtime for this?" Anya asked Giles as she passed by him.
"Certainly not," Giles replied. He looked up from the book he was studying. "Willow, would you close the door?"
Willow turned and looked back at the door and frowned. She was sure she had closed it. "That's weird."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the training room, Buffy and Dawn were in the middle of doing Tai Chi until suddenly Buffy felt her 'spidey-sense' tingle in alertness. "Dawn," she said as she rapidly turned around and blocked an apparently thin air attack.
Some instinct within Dawn kicked in instantly. "It's Morphin' Time," she called out. "Zeo Ranger Six White!" The morphing sequence transformed her just in time to encounter the second block of nothingness, and found herself involved in the fray as well.
"Dawn?" Buffy said looking toward her sister. "Can you detect them?"
"Either it's invisible to the helmet sensors or…" the White Zeo Ranger replied.
Buffy didn't need her sister to finish. She understood the or… "Giles!" she cried out, knowing they needed backup of the magical detecting kind. "Something's in here!"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Giles and Xander rose from the table. Xander was closer as he rushed to the training room door, only to be met with resistance. Suddenly he flew backward, hitting the floor, his hand rising up as if to try and pry something from his throat.
The others rose from their seats, Willow grabbed a chair and struck the area above her best friend. Xander sighed in relief as the feeling of something on his throat faded away. She pulled the chair back and brought it down again, this time hitting Xander.
"It moved," he told his best friend.
Suddenly Willow was thrown back into the bookcase. She landed heavily and was knocked unconscious.
"Where it is?" Anya asked as she retreated behind the counter. "Where is it?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger threw off their demons.
"White Zeo Power Sword!" the White Zeo Ranger called out as the sword was beamed into her hand. She swung the sword and felt it connect with something.
Unseen to either the Ranger or Buffy Spike came in through the back door and smiled at the at the tableau.
"I can't use this," the White Zeo Ranger said letting the sword beam back. "Not without risking hitting you."
Spike looked at the struggling Buffy and sighed as he got bored of watching her struggle and he flew at the demon knocking it away from Buffy as he and it tumble into the corner.
"Where is it?" Buffy said looking around. "It flew off me."
"Maybe it ran into the other room?" the White Zeo Ranger replied. She and her sister turned and ran toward the other room leaving the unseen Spike to fight the demon.
"Uh, you're welcome..." he called after them.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"It's over there!" Xander stated.
"How many are there?" Giles asked.
"I've already been injured this month..." Anya said as Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger entered the room.
"Shut up!" Buffy ordered, as she and the Ranger both sought to detect the third through silence.
It was then the front door opened and Tara entered the shop. "Dawn, behind you!"
"Tara, where is it? Can you see it?" Buffy asked as the Ranger turned around.
"Oh, god." Tara uttered as the demon punched the White Zeo Ranger in the face. She realized that her spell had caused them to not see the demons they were fighting, so she prepared to lift her spell. "Blind Cadria, lift your veil. Give evil form...and break my spell."
The demon growled at Tara and punched her, before turning back to the White Zeo Ranger.
Spike emerged from the back room, his demon dead, as the Maclays entered from the front, just in time to see the Ranger, blind no longer, start in earnest her fight with her second attacker.
"White Zeo Power Sword!" the White Zeo Ranger called out as the sword beamed into her hand.
"Tara!" Mr. Maclay cried in concern, attracting the demon's attention. Giving the White Zeo Ranger the needed distraction to swing with her sword decapitating the last demon.
"What in god's name is that?" Mr. Maclay asked.
"Lei-Ach demon," Spike replied. "Fun little buggers. Big with the marrow-sucking."
"I don't understand," Mr. Maclay said.
"I'm not sure I do either," Buffy uttered, looking at Tara.
"I think I do," the White Zeo Ranger said as she to turned to look at Tara. "You cast a spell didn't you?"
"I'm sorry. I'm s-so sorry," Tara sniffed, as Willow knelt beside her. "I was, I was trying to hide. I didn't want you to see ... what I am."
"Tara, what?" Willow asked her.
"What do you mean, what you are?" Buffy asked.
"Demon," Mr. Maclay answered. "The women in our family...have demon in them. Her mother had it. That's where the magic comes from. We came to take her home before...well, before things like...this started happening."
Willow looked astonished at her girlfriend love, no idea what to do. "Tara, you're not...How could you not say something to me...to me..."
"You're right, Dawn, she cast a spell on us, to keep us from seeing…" Giles said as he turned to look at Tara, "…your demon side. That's why we couldn't see our attackers."
"And why I had believed helmet sensors didn't register them," the White Zeo Ranger added. "By blinding us, it made me unable to see what the sensors were actually reporting."
"Nearly got us killed," Buffy added.
"I'll go," Tara replied, scrambling to her feet. "I'm very sorry."
"The camper's outside," Mr. Maclay added helpfully.
"Wait! Go?" Willow queried. "She just did a spell that went wrong. Buffy, Dawn, it was just a mistake."
"That's not the point and it's not your concern. She belongs with us. We know how to control her ... problem," Mr. Maclay informed them.
"Tara, look at me?" Willow asked softly as Tara looked up at her. "I trusted you more than anyone in my life. Was all of that a lie?"
"No," Tara replied.
"Do you want to leave?" Willow asked.
"It's not your decision, young lady," Mr. Maclay interrupted harshly.
"I know that!" Willow replied sharply. "Do you want to leave?" she repeated to Tara more softly.
Eyes brimming, Tara shook her head ever so slightly.
"You're going to do what's right, Tara," her father directed. "Now, I'm taking you out of here before somebody does get killed. The girl belongs with her family. I hope that's clear to the rest of you."
"It is," Buffy replied as she glanced toward the White Zeo Ranger. "You want her, Mr. Maclay? You can go ahead and take her." She turned around to face him, hands on her hips. "You just got to go through me."
"What?" Tara's father queried incredulously.
"You heard me," Buffy replied. "You want to take Tara out of here against her will? You got to come through me."
"And me," the White Zeo Ranger replied, coming to stand beside her. "I assume you know what I am?"
"Yes," he replied.
"You are not going to mess with us," the White Zeo Ranger told the man. "You see Tara is a friend of mine. I trust her so much, that she knows my true identity. The same is true with everyone in this room with the exception of you, your son and your niece."
"Is this a joke? I'm not going to be threatened by two little girls, even if one of them is a Power Ranger."
"And you're not just dealing with, uh, 'two little girls,'" Giles added, coming to stand behind the Ranger and Buffy. He placed a hand on their shoulders.
"You're dealing with all of us," Xander added.
"Except me," Spike countered.
"Except Spike," Xander corrected.
"I don't care what happens," Spike told them.
"This is insane! You people have no right to interfere with Tara's affairs. We... are her blood kin! Who the hell are you?" Mr. Maclay asked.
"We're family," the White Zeo Ranger and Buffy replied in unison, making Tara smile.
"Dad," Donny drawled. "You going to let 'em just... Tara, if you don't get in that car, I swear by god I will beat you down."
The White Zeo Ranger stepped forward and rested her Power Sword against Donny's chest. "And I swear, you're going to break something trying."
Donny eyed the sword that rested against his chest and he took a step back from the Power Ranger.
"Well. I hope you'll all be happy hanging out with a disgusting demon," Beth remarked.
Anya raised her hand. "Excuse me. What kind?"
"What?" Beth asked.
"What kind of demon is she? There's a lot of different kinds. Some are very, very evil. And some have been considered to be useful members of society."
"Well, I-I…what does it matter?" Beth countered.
"Evil is evil," Mr. Maclay added.
"Well, let's just narrow it down," Anya decided.
"Uh huh…" Spike groaned. "Why don't I make this simple?" He tapped Tara on the shoulder, making her turn to him. When she did, he punched her, making her reel back and clutch at her injured nose, just as his chip kicked in, making him clutch at his head. "Ow!"
"Hey!" Willow cried, then suddenly realizing began again. "Hey..."
"He hit my nose!" Tara cried to Willow as she held her hand to her nose.
"And it hurt! Him, I mean," Willow added.
"And that only works on humans," Buffy revealed to the shocked Maclays.
"There's no demon in there," Spike added, his pain subsiding. "That's just a family legend, am I right? Just a bit of spin to keep the ladies in line." He smirked. "Oh, you're a piece of work. I like you."
"I'm not a demon?" Tara sought to confirm.
Willow smiled. "You're not a demon," she assured her girlfriend.
"He hurt my nose," Tara added, smiling at Willow.
"Yeah, you're welcome," Spike replied, smirking at Tara.
"Mr. Maclay, I would say your business here is finished," the White Zeo Ranger announced. "And if I see you in Sunnydale again…" She left the threat open ended, not that she probably would ever make good on it. Not that Tara's father knew that.
"Tara," her father called her to face him. "For eighteen years your family has taken care of you and supported you. If you want to turn your back-"
Tara stopped him. "Dad...just go."
The Maclays turned and headed for the door. Her father paused on the threshold. "Magic," he uttered in disgust.
Beth gave her cousin a dirty look. "Are you happy now?"
Tara smiled as she watched them go, her feelings clear to her new family.
"Power Down!" the White Zeo Ranger called out as she de-morphed. When Dawn looked like herself, she looked at Tara and smiled. She then looked at each member of the Scoobies and she like Tara realized that each of them was her family as well. She had been accepted just as Tara had. "I'm going to have Zordon beam me a wrist communicator for each of you," she said. "I think its past time my family has them. That way if you ever need me…"
They all nodded as Tara walked over to Dawn and pulled the younger Summers sister into her arms and held her tightly.
October 28, 2000
The Bronze
Dawn stole glances at Tara as they walked with their family, for her those by blood and by choice and for Tara all of them by choice. She noticed how happy Tara was now to be out from under her biological family's foot.
One thing Dawn had done for Tara's birthday was to approach the owner of the Bronze as the White Zeo Ranger and told him that she would like to borrow the club for the night for a private birthday party. Seeing how it was a Power Ranger who was asking, he consented.
As the party started Tara couldn't help but smile as she received a crystal ball from Giles amongst other birthday gifts. They only one she had yet to receive was Dawn's.
"May I have this dance," Dawn said as she approached Tara.
"Sure," Tara replied, taking Dawn's hand and letting the younger woman lead her to the floor.
Dawn smiled as she let Tara lead as they swung around the dance floor. "Even if you had been a demon," she told her friend. "We…I still would have fought for you. Kept you here. You are one of my best friends. You know if I could have done it over again, the reveal. If would have revealed my identity to you first."
"You would have?" Tara said surprised.
"I would," Dawn said as she smiled. She noticed Willow tap her on the shoulder and she smiled at the redhead. "One more minute, Will. And then you can have her. I have yet to give her present after all."
Willow nodded as she walked back to the edge of the dance floor.
Dawn smiled as she brought her wrist communicator up to her lips. "Alpha, two to transport if you please." She and Tara disappeared in beam of white light.
Power Chamber
Dawn and Tara materialized in the middle of the room.
"Zordon," Dawn said as she turned Tara to face the tube on which Zordon's face was projected. "I would like you to meet Tara Maclay. A very good witch, and a very good friend."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Tara," Zordon said as five beams of light appeared in the room and Tommy Oliver, Katherine Hillard, Adam Park, Tanya Sloan and Rocky Desantos appeared.
"And this is Tommy, Kat, Adam, Tanya and Rocky," Dawn said introducing each of the Power Rangers to Tara. "Guys this is my friend, Tara."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Tara," Tommy said as he, followed by each of the other Rangers shook Tara's hand.
Tara smiled as she looked at each of the Rangers.
"Alpha," Dawn said as the robot walked over to her and handed her a wrist communicator. She smiled as she presented it to Tara. "Yours."
Tara looked at it and then smiled as she took the wrist communicator and strapped it to her wrist. "Thank you, Dawn. This is the best birthday gift ever."
"Unlike the rest of the communicators that Dawn requested for her friends and Mr. Giles," Zordon said, "which only include communicator function between each of them. Your wrist communicator like Dawn's sister, Buffy, allows for you to teleport here and even communicate with each of us. Dawn has even said that should she ever choose to step down as a Ranger, that she wants you to be her successor."
"Really?" Tara said shocked. "I thought you would have chosen Buffy.
"I did choose Buffy," Dawn said. "It's one thing for her to be a Ranger. It's another thing for her to have the support of a Ranger. And who knows maybe Zordon will make her one anyways. Of course this is all contingent first on if I eventually step down and second if you accept when I do."
Tara smiled as she looked around the Power Chamber. She couldn't imagine a better birthday present than to be let in on such a huge secret and for Dawn to choose her to someday maybe be a Power Ranger herself. "I'd have to think on it when the time came. But I have to say I think I'd like that."
"I'm glad," Dawn said. "I think it's time we get back. I'm sure, Willow would like that dance."
"You are probably right," Tara agreed as she embraced her friend and the two of them disappeared in a beam of white light.
The Bronze
Dawn and Tara appeared back where they had disappeared from.
"Thank you, Dawn, that was the best birthday present I've gotten," Tara told her friend.
"Your welcome," Dawn replied as she waved Willow over. "She's all yours," she told the redheaded witch.
"Sorry, I'm late," Lynn said as she walked up to Dawn.
"It's okay," Dawn told the other girl. "I just finished giving Tara her birthday gift anyways."
"Would you like to dance?" Lynn wondered.
"I would love to," Dawn replied as Lynn led her out onto the dance floor. She smiled and waved when she saw Riley was with Buffy.
"That her?" Buffy mouthed as Dawn nodded.
Lynn smiled as she and Dawn came to a stop next to Willow and Tara just as a slow song came on and they began to slow dance holding each other close.
"Good birthday?" Dawn heard Willow ask Tara.
Tara glanced over at Dawn and smiled. "Best birthday," she replied.
Lynn slowly danced with Dawn away from Willow and Tara. Unseen by anyone Dawn and Lynn began to float off the floor on a cloud of white orbs.
Author's Note: The episode Fool for Love is being skipped. Most of the episode was Spike telling Buffy about past Slayers he killed, I didn't think it would be too entertaining in this story. So, the next episode to be done will be Shadow.
First Lynn is Dawn's OC pairing. Second yes Lynn is part Whitelighter, on her mother's side. Yes her mother is a witch, her father is mortal (and as of last chapter an ex-Initiative ex-Army officer. Her maternal grandfather was a Whitelighter. So yes you can say that it is a very minor crossover with Charmed. No we will not see the Charmed Ones in this story. They very likely don't exist, especially since Angel Grove replaced San Francisco in this story.
Next while I wanted to wait and see how popular this story was before starting a sequel. I have already started a second story in this series. It will take place between seasons 5 and 6 and take place during Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. And yes Dawn will get new powers during that story. If I then continued into season 6, Dawn will be a Turbo Ranger instead of Zeo. I'm thinking if I get that far in this series, I don't think Power Rangers in Space will happen till after the end of the story. That way I don't have to come up with a new power for Dawn when the Turbo Powers are destroyed.