Chapter 15: Tough Love
May 1, 2001 – Tuesday
U.C. Sunnydale
Buffy, followed by Dawn, entered one of Buffy's college classrooms just as the class let out. The sisters made their way to the front of the room where Professor Lillian was trying to yank a jammed slide cartridge out of a slide projector.
"Um, Professor Lillian?" Buffy said.
Professor Lillian looked up briefly, then back to the projector. "Sitting in the back today, Buffy?"
"No. I'm sorry I missed the lecture." Buffy said. "Was it good? I mean, I'm sure it was ..." Embarrassed, she turned her attention to the slide projector. "Want me to try?"
"Thanks. The cartridge is struck." Professor Lillian said.
"I actually just came by to tell you that I have to drop this class. All my classes. I'm not finishing the semester." Buffy said as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I wish ... but I can't be in school now. I've got to take care of my sister." She motioned behind her toward Dawn, who was out of school that day due to end of the year parent/teacher conferences.
"I thought you might ... I was sorry to hear of your loss." Professor Lillian said.
Buffy nodded as she stopped messing with the projector. "Um, so I have these forms from the Registrar's office that I need you to sign..." She handed him the forms from her shoulder bag.
"Seems like they're trying to make it harder to get out of college than to get in." Professor Lillian said as he signed the forms and handed them back to Buffy.
"Thanks." Buffy said as she looked at him.
"Is there something else?" Professor Lillian asked.
"Oh no. Yes. Actually, yeah. I wanted to tell you how much I loved this class. It's like, in the middle of all this, I'm paranoid that you'll think I don't like poetry." Buffy said as she tried to wrest free the slide cartridge. "I mean, I know I wasn't the best student. But I learned a lot. And I really like poetry." She finally managed to get the cartridge free as it came flying out of the projector, landing on the floor.
"She does." Dawn said. "She has even got me into reading poetry and even writing some for my English classes.
Professor Lillian smiled at the sisters, touched by what they have said. "We'll let the AV guys handle that. I'm glad you like poetry, Buffy. And that you have been a good influence on your sister with it as well."
"You know, I wish I had time for it. But I don't, I just don't right now." Buffy said.
Professor Lillian nodded as he looked at the sisters. "Maybe short poems?"
Buffy smiled. "Yeah, like those Japanese ones, you know, that sound like a sneeze?"
"Haiku." Dawn said.
Buffy nodded. "Right, maybe those. And hopefully I'll be back next semester."
"I hope so," Professor Lillian said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Tara sat on a bench amongst the jubilation of the arts fair. Someone sat beside her and took her hand in hers squeezing it gently. Tara started to smile thinking it was Willow. She turned to face her friend and saw not Willow but Glory.
"This seat taken?" Glory said as she squeezed, securing the grip.
The Magic Box
Willow stood in front of the counter as Giles cut open a package wrapped in twine.
"I hope this isn't another return," he said. "Everyone wants petrified hamsters, then they're never happy with them." He took in Willow's appearance. "Are you all right?"
Willow nodded sadly. "Yeah."
"Ah yes," he scoffed. "Your good mood is both obvious and contagious."
"I had a fight with Tara. It was awful," Willow admitted.
Giles picked picks a piece of merchandise off the counter and walked over to a shelf as Willow followed him. "I'm sorry," he said.
"Me too," Willow agreed.
"You two don't quarrel much, do you?" Giles questioned.
Willow shook her head. "Never. 'Til today."
"Well, it's over now," Giles informed her.
"Over?" Willow said as she began to panic. "How can it be over? I just found her!"
"The quarrel is over," he corrected.
"Oh. Yeah," Willow said in relief.
Giles sensed something at the side door, barely registering it. "And you'll feel better when you make
your apologies. Then you'll know you can fight without the world ending." He casually rests a hand on the doorknob of the side door. "I know it must seem bleak now, but as they say, 'This too..." He opened the door, banging it violently into a monastic lackey who fell into the room. "...shall pass."
Anya joined Willow and Giles staring at him. "Wow!"
Grabbing the demon by the ear, Giles dragged him across the floor before throwing him into a chair. "Now, what do we have here?" He asked, in Ripper dulcet tones.
"Oh, he's one of those things that work for Glory!" Anya cried.
"Yes," Giles remarked in the same deadly tone. "How helpful."
"I do indeed work for the god," the demonic monk replied looking Giles square in the eye. "Let me go if you do not wish to incur her anger," he threatened.
"Well, she's not here," Giles pointed out. "What a marvelous opportunity for you and me to talk," he added darkly.
"I will not betray Glorificus," the lackey vowed. "I will never talk, no matter what heinous torture—"
"Actually," Giles interrupted, "you're talking quite a lot, just not about the right things. Tell us why you're here."
"No words shall pass my lips that will bring peril to Glorificus," the minion avowed.
Maintaining eye contract, Giles raised his hand in the direction of Willow and Anya. "Girls, get the twine that's on the counter, let's tie him up."
As the girls turned around to fetch the rope; Giles applied additional pressure of his own making, causing the demon to sob.
"No, no!" he cried. "I'll tell you! Anything! Please! Whatever you want! Just, I'll, anything!"
"What happened?" Anya asked as she and Willow turned back.
"He changed his mind," Giles replied darkly.
"I'm ... I'm supposed to watch," the monk confessed. "We're watching the Slayer's people ... while Glory fetches the key."
"Glory knows who the key is?" Willow queried.
"Oh god," Giles murmured as he removed his glasses.
"We've got to call Buffy," Anya decided, turning to fetch the phone.
"Too late. Too late," the demon added. "Glorificus will find the witch, and there's nothing you can do to stop her."
"Witch?" Anya echoed. "What do you mean?"
Giles and Willow reached similar but different horrifying conclusions at the same time. "Lynn," he said while Willow said, "Tara!"
"She's the new ones among you," the monk continued not telling them which one he was referring to. "It wasn't hard to figure out. The glorious one will have found her by now."
Giles turned to the departing two. "Willow, wait! I'll go with-"
"No!" Willow returned hurriedly. "Call Buffy and Dawn, have Dawn called for Lynn. Go look in Tara's room. I'm going to check the fair."
Summers Home
Dawn and Buffy were back at home sitting opposite each other at the dining room table. Dawn was doing her homework as Buffy was folding laundry. Just at that moment they heard the phone ring as Buffy moved to answer it. "Hello? Giles. What?"
U.C. Sunnydale
"Oh, this is nice," Glory remarked, her hand still clasping Tara's. "Just hanging out, just us girls. You like that sort of thing, don't you?" Her hand gripped Tara's tightly, until the latter cried in pain. "Don't ... make a sound," she cautioned. She raised her eyes from her companion to the tourists, students, children and adults at the fair. "Nah," she decided. "They won't help you. I'd kill them. You know that."
The bones in Tara's hand cracked under the pressure, she looked around desperately for someone that might be able to help.
"There's no one here that can stop me," Glory reminded her. She pointed to a few innocent bystanders. "I'll kill her and ... and them, I'll kill him, and her and her, and it'll all be your fault."
'Where were they,' Tara wondered silently, pleading that suddenly, out of nowhere, Dawn, Lynn, Buffy or Willow would come running.
"Kind of funny, isn't it?" Glory laughed. "All these people here and ... no one who can do a thing. Not a person who can help you. But that's people for ya. They're pretty worthless. But keys, on the other hand ... keys are worth a very lot."
The god smiled, raising their clenched hands to her lips, cleaning the blood from the injury.
Summers Home
"Lynn!" Dawn called out. Giles had informed her and Buffy about Lynn or Tara being the ones that Glory thought the Key was bound to. Though it appeared that Glory thought that the human vessel had been created instead of simply having the Key being bound to it.
Blue and White orbing lights appeared a moment later heralding Lynn's arrival. "Dawn?" she said.
"Thank god," Dawn sighed in relief. "You need to find Tara for us."
"Why?" Lynn questioned looking at the sisters.
"Giles learned from one of Glory's minions that either you or Tara were in danger, that Glory thought one of you had the Key," Buffy informed the Witchlighter.
"Which means since its not me she's after that it's Tara," Lynn said in understanding. She closed her eyes and sensed Tara's location.
U.C. Sunnydale
Glory frowned and spat. "You lying little tramp!" she cried in disgust. "You're not the key, you're nothing! Just another worthless human being!"
"I didn't—" Tara protested, but the god was in full flow.
"I hate being lied to," Glory continued. "It makes me feel so betrayed." She brightened suddenly. "Hey! You want to make it all better?"
Tara could only stare back at her in fear of what was to come.
"If you tell me who the key really is ... I'll let you go," Glory remarked, giving her hand another squeeze.
Tara whimpered in with pain, but resisted still.
"Think about it." Glory added. "You think your hand hurts? Imagine what you'd feel with my fingers wiggling in your brain. It doesn't kill you. What it does ... is make you feel like you're in a noisy little dark room ... naked and ashamed ... and there are things in the dark that need to hurt you because you're bad ... little pinching things that go in your ears ... and crawl on the inside of your skull. And you know ... that if the noise and the crawling would stop ... that you could remember how to get out. But you never, ever will."
Tara gasped, unable to do anything but sit and listen, as Glory squeezed her hand a third time.
"Who ... is ... the key?" Glory asked.
Tara forced her tears away, determined to be strong. She looked the hell god in the eye, her refusal silent, but crystal clear.
"Fine," Glory remarked. "Let's get crazy."
The hell god raised her other hand to caress her companion's face. Tara tried to pull away, but to no avail.
Summers Home
Lynn opened her eyes and looked at the sisters. "She's at U.C. Sunnydale."
Dawn reached behind her back pulling out her morpher. "It's Morphin' Time!" she called out. "Zeo Ranger Six, White!"
U.C. Sunnydale
Willow ran through the crowd of students as fast as she possibly could. Her eyes wild, looking for Tara when she spotted Lynn, Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger running up to her. "Tara?"
"She's here, Willow," Lynn said. "When Buffy and Dawn got the call they called for me. I sensed her location as being here."
The four of them took off through the crowd. They saw Tara sitting next to Glory, about ten yards away.
"Tara!" Willow yelled as they ran towards Tara, pushing people out of their way.
"Buffy! Dawn!" Lynn said as she took Willow's hand in hers. Buffy and the White Zeo Ranger took off running at full speed.
"By force of heart, and mindful power, by waning time and waxing hour ..." Willow and Lynn began to chant just as Glory's fingertips pushed a few centimeters into Tara's head. "I echo Diana when I decree..."
Glory's hands plunged deep into Tara's head as Glory writhed in ecstasy.
"No…No!" Willow cried.
"That she must now be ..." Lynn and Willow chanted, "… free."
"Tara! No!" Willow screamed.
The White Zeo Ranger and Buffy lunged toward Glory as a Chinese dragon came between them. When it passed, Glory was gone.
Willow let go of Lynn's hand and ran to Tara, who still sat on the bench.
"I'm sorry, Will." Buffy said as Lynn ran up next to her. "We tried to get to her."
"It's okay, Buffy, Dawnie," Willow said. She looked briefly at Lynn as if to say thank you for helping her with the spell. "Tara! Are you okay?"
"It's dirty. It's all dirty. And all over me. Dirty, dirty, bad. Bad!" Tara answered.
Lynn held her hands over Tara trying to heal her, but nothing happened. She frowned in confusion. "It's not working."
"What?" Willow asked in shock.
"She's not healing," Lynn answered. "I should be able to heal at least her hand. But something is blocking me."
Willow nodded in understanding, that whatever Glory had done to Tara was also blocking Lynn's Whitelighter powers. She clutched Tara to her as she began to cry. "Tara, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."
Tara looked pleadingly at Willow. "It's under my skin. Dirt, dirt, dirt..."
Willow rocked Tara, rubbing her back like she was soothing a baby.
Sunnydale Hospital
Hours later, it was a somber group that gathered at the hospital, clustered around Tara's room, in silent, collective grief and shock. Tara sat on an examination table, looking scared and pitiful.
"Can't she go home now?" Willow asked as she sat on the doctor's stool, holding Tara's hand.
Doctor McCarthy shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Hospital policy dictates we keep her for the night."
"Does she have to?" Willow pleaded. "I can take care of her at home."
Clothed in as hospital gown, Tara spoke vacantly her judgement on the matter. "It's poisoned. Why don't I tell you that? It, it has to be checked, though."
"She your sister?" Doctor McCarthy asked.
"She's ours," Dawn spoke up suddenly motioning toward herself and Buffy.
"It has to be verified of course. Anyone could tell you that. Of course. Of course." Tara said.
Doctor McCarthy looked to the sisters, not sure if he believed Dawn or not. "Well, you can get her released first thing in the morning," he revealed. "But she's got to spend one night in the psych ward, just for observation. We'll keep an eye on her, do a couple basic tests and then you take her home. Does that sound fair?" Willow nodded reluctantly. "Well, you hold tight then, and I'll send a nurse by in a few minutes to pick up Tara." He turned and exited the room.
Willow stayed near Tara, kissing her head, having a few private moments.
"Man, words cannot express how much I hate this place," Xander remarked as they watched the physician walk past them. "And yet the same words I say when I hit my thumb with a hammer keep coming to mind."
"It's dreadful," Dawn agreed.
"It's like communism," Anya added as the sisters moved over next to Willow.
"Will, I'm so sorry." Buffy said as she pulled Willow into her arms.
Tara looked at Buffy and smiled a strange smile. "They kill mice," she remarked.
"Tara." Buffy tried to hug Tara, who remained stiff. "Dawn and I can stay as long as you need us, Will."
Willow nodded to show her gratitude. "I'm so scared," she confessed.
Dawn moved over to Willow and placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "I'm sorry too, Will."
Willow looked up at Dawn and smiled sadly.
"Pretty." Tara said as she looked at Dawn. "Pretty green swirly shimmer."
Everyone, except Dawn and Buffy, looked at Tara as if to say what?
Dawn sighed. "She sees the Key," she reminded them. "It seems when the monks shoved it in me, they made it so people in Tara's condition can see it instead of me." She looked at Tara. "Yes Tara, pretty."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
A short time later Tara was pushed out of the room in a wheelchair by a nurse. She strained to look back at Willow. "Don't ... please don't with that treachery," she said.
Willow watched helplessly, trying to keep her grief and worry hidden as the nurse clasped the wheelchair to walk her girl out.
"I told the cats," Tara continued. "And now I beg my mother, sitting all alone."
"'Bye Tara," Willow uttered softly. "I'll see you tomorrow. I love you." She watched Tara travel down the corridor. After a moment, Tara turned, her hand stretched out. Before Willow knew it, she was starting to run after Tara.
Xander stepped in front of Willow. "Will. No. It's just for one night."
"Yeah, I know," Willow took a deep unnecessary breath, "but ... it's a whole night. I don't think I can sleep without her."
"You can sleep with me," Anya volunteered, causing everyone to stare at her. "You know, that came out a lot more lesbian than it sounded in my head."
Buffy and Dawn stepped forward. "Spike, you just have to rest," Buffy insisted. "Okay? Right now, there's nothing you can do."
Willow's face froze in mid agreement. "Yes, there is," she replied, walking to the door.
Buffy and Dawn glanced at each other in understanding. "No," Dawn said.
"No way," Buffy added as she and Dawn chased after the redheaded witch. "You cannot even think about taking on Glory."
"You saw what she did to Tara," Willow remarked. "I can't let the evil bitch get away with it."
"No," Buffy objected. "You have to let her get away with it. Even Dawn and I together are no match for her, you know that."
"But maybe I am," Willow remarked.
Dawn grabbed Willow's arm. "You're not. And neither Buffy or I will let you go."
"This is not either of your choices," Willow pointed out. "It's mine."
"This is not the time," Buffy continued.
Angrily, Willow wrenched her arm free. "When? When is? When you two feels like it? When it's someone you two love as much as I love Tara? Dawn, when it's Buffy? Buffy, when it's Dawn? Is that it?"
"When we have a chance," Buffy replied. "We'll fight her, when we have a chance. You wouldn't last five minutes with her, Will. She's a god."
"Fine. I'll wait," Willow conceded.
"It's the only way," Buffy finished, relieved.
"Yeah," Willow murmured, before turning to walk away.
"Can we do anything?" Dawn asked her friend.
"Just let me be alone," Willow replied, heading down the corridor.
Dawn and Buffy watched Willow go.
The Magic Box
The Magic Box front door banged open, the bell almost flying off its hinges as Willow sprinted inside. She ran for the stairs leading to the upper mezzanine. She cleared from some of the bookshelves the equipment which she would need; a jeweled dagger, vials.
Finally, she retrieved a very old leather-bound volume, placing it on the floor before her. She swung the axe she had grabbed at the lock which clasped the leaves together.
The metallic device broke, and the book flew open, its' pages drifting by as if disturbed by a breeze.
Glory's Apartment
"You know, I think I'm a little buzzed from eating that witch!" Glory remarked as she walked down the stairs in her apartment, her feet a little unsteady. "What a mind she has. Mmm, nummy treat."
"Is your grace not the slightest bit concerned about—" Jinx began, but he was cut off.
"What, about the Slayer or the Power Ranger?" Glory scoffed. "Don't be stupid. I know I'm closing in. The key's as good as mine. Girl like Buffy's got just so many friends. All I got to do is rip through them one by one until I finally..."
Her voice abruptly stopped as the walls of the apartment began to shudder. Confused the hell god and the demons watched as ornaments fell to the floor and shattered, while the lights suddenly darkened.
"Did anybody order an apocalypse?" Glory asked.
The door flew open, revealing Willow, floating above the floor from the force of her enchantments. "Kali, Hera, Kronos, Tonic..." she chanted, travelling into the room. "Air like nectar, thick as onyx...Cassiel by your second star..."
"Uhh. It's the lover," Glory remarked, unaffected. "That's so cute."
"Hold mine victim as in tar," Willow finished.
Air around the hell god and her minions shimmered, freezing them in place.
"I ... owe ... you ... pain!" Willow growled out. Blue lightning stretched out from her hands towards the god.
Glory screamed in agony.
Summers Home
Lynn orbed in to find Dawn and Buffy just sitting down to dinner. "Willow is at Glory's apartment," she informed them.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"She went after Glory," Lynn said. "I can feel her, her thirst for vengeance. If she continues, I will lose her as a charge."
Dawn and Buffy looked at each other and stood up. "It's Morphin' Time!" Dawn called out. "Zeo Ranger Six, White!"
Glory's Apartment
"Shatter," Willow commanded.
Around her the mirrors broke, their glass flying towards the hell god, tearing her dress, but unable to harm her.
"Is that it?" Glory scoffed. "Is that the best you can do? You think I care about all this, the apartment, the clothes?" She pulled her dress away. "Now, sucking on your girlfriend's mind?" she remarked. "That was something to treasure."
"I haven't finished yet," Willow bit out just as a black bag arrived at her feet.
"What's this? Bag of tricks?" Glory mused.
A bundle of daggers flew up out of the bag.
"Bag of knives," Willow enchanted as the blades flew towards the god. Glory used her hands to send them away. "Spirit of serpents now appear."
The god took hold of a table and threw the piece of furniture at the witch, knocking her down.
"Hissing, writhing, striking near," Willow finished the spell.
The requested creature materialized out of the carpeted floor, wrapping itself around the hell god's legs.
Glory shook her foot, causing the snakes to disappear. She walked toward Willow. "Now this is getting weak." Willow gasped as the god grabbed her by the neck. "And so are you, honey," she remarked. "Aren't ya?"
Willow spat in her face.
Glory took Willow's arm and dragged her across the floor, retrieving a dagger on her way.
"No!" Willow cried.
The hell god pushed her against the wall, pining her in place. "Know what they used to do to witches? Crucify them." She raised the dagger above Willow.
Suddenly a hand grabbed her wrist. "They used to bow down to gods," Buffy remarked.
The White Zeo Ranger kicked Glory in the abdomen, causing Willow to be freed.
Buffy twisted Glory's hand aside, punching her. "Things change." Using her grip, she threw the god aside.
The White Zeo Ranger executed a cartwheel to kick Glory in the face. Then Buffy and the Ranger punched Glory again and again, but this time the god was ready for them, and blocked them.
Buffy flipped to kick Glory again, then the Ranger threw another punch and then another.
Glory grabbed the White Zeo Ranger's arm, wrenched it behind the Ranger's back, and threw her over a sofa.
"That witch barely slowed me down," Glory revealed, turning toward Buffy and glaring at her.
Buffy kicked the piece of furniture into the god, pinning her against the wall. Then she reached a hand to the White Zeo Ranger and Willow.
Glory pushed the sofa away, ready to renew the duel.
"Thicken," Willow enchanted, and the air held the god once more.
Glory watched her prey disappear in a beam of white light. "This isn't over!" she cried.
May 2, 2001 – Wednesday
U.C. Sunnydale
The next day, as the sun reached its zenith; Buffy, Dawn, Willow and Tara sat amidst suitcases and boxes filled with Tara's belongings.
"Chicken salad?" Buffy asked, holding out the first of the lunch orders.
"Right here," Willow replied.
"Eggplant, that's me," Buffy continued as she took out her own. "And ... salami with ...ew, peanut butter?" She turned to her sister in disgust. "Dawn."
"What?" Dawn said, as if there was anything wrong with her order.
"What's Tara got?" Willow asked.
"Oh, I ... got her tuna," Dawn replied. "Does she like...?" She unwrapped the sandwich, revealing it to their companion. "Tara?"
"Plastic and their six sisters," Tara remarked. "Six sick sisters." She turned, suddenly anxious. "Willow?"
"It's okay," Willow assured her softly. "Let's just start slow today. Buffy, could I have that?" she motioned toward the applesauce.
"Sure," Buffy replied, handing Willow the cup.
"Okay, baby." Willow opened the applesauce and gently spooned into her girlfriend's mouth. "There we go." Tara ate it tentatively. Yeah, that's my girl," she praised. "It's okay. I'm right here."
"Can I help?" Dawn asked.
Willow handed the cup and spoon over to Dawn, who carefully copied Willow's actions.
"What are you going to need?" Buffy asked.
Willow watched Tara eat. "I don't know," she replied. "They gave me a lot of stuff to ... keep her calm." She dropped her tone to lower decibel level. "They said I might have to restrain her at night. But ... sometimes she's fine. She looks at me, and ... she's fine."
"I'm sorry Buffy and I couldn't-" Dawn began, but Willow shook her head.
"It's okay," Willow replied. "I can do this. I'm going to take care of her. Even if she never..." she trailed off, unable to voice the thought. "She's my girl."
"We understand," Buffy replied as she and Dawn glanced at each other.
"I know you both do," Willow remarked. She turned to Tara. "Hear that, baby? You're my always," she kissed Tara's forehead tenderly, causing her to smile.
Abruptly the wall before them smashed, stone bricks collapsing inward, causing the Dawn and Buffy to jump from their seats in horror.
"I told you this wasn't over," Glory said darkly.
"No," Tara cried. "The place is cracking! It's cracking! Cracking, no, no, no!"
Dawn turned to Tara. "No, Tara, it's okay."
Tara turned to Dawn, suddenly struck. "Oh, look at that, look at that. The light!" Dawn and Buffy froze, helpless, fearing to believe what was happening. "Oh, it's so pure! Such pure green energy!" she cried. The object of her joy turned to face the god in terror. "Oh, it's so beautiful," she uttered.
Glory smiled as Dawn and Buffy glared at her. The veil of truth descended upon the god.