Author's Note: Dai5ycake – On the first review I don't believe I said it was rare just that the Watcher's Council generally refused giving training to Potentials. That said I hadn't planned on there being more than one or two anyways. On your second review Sirius trial is in the next chapter.

Chapter 22: Love

Buffy led Faith, Harry and Anya out of the woods. Moving with uninterrupted urgency, they pass through the trees.

"Come on. We have to keep moving," Buffy said.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Harry said as she steadied himself against a tree.

Buffy stopped and went over to her brother. "Do you want me to call Dawn so you can be portaled home?"

"Just give me a second," Harry said. "What happened back there, the sounds of it. The smell ..."

"I know," Buffy said with a sigh as she placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. She looked in his eyes to let him know she was there if he needed her.

Harry smiled as he nodded and they began walking.

"You heard what she said. "One down," Faith said.

"So, we're thinking 'two to go'. Jonathan. And, whatsisface, the other guy," Anya said.

"Andrew," Faith supplied. "Both of them are sitting in jail without a clue that Willow's coming. That's the wrong place for them to be right now. Believe me I know."

"Do you think she's going to kill them?" Harry asked.

"I do," Faith said. "And to tell the truth I don't blame her." Buffy and Harry looked at her as if to ask why. "Do you remember the letter she sent when she said she and Tara had broken up?"

"Yeah," Buffy said. "She admitted she had a problem."

"That's why she tried to give the magics up," Faith said. "I think now that she's back doing magic, she is feeding the problem again."

"Which means we need to get to her before she does anything more," Buffy said. "Anya, can you teleport faster than a witch can Apparate?"

"Yes," Anya said and with that she disappeared in a swirl of mystical energies.

"Do you think she will be alright?" Harry asked. "After all your friend is powerful. I remember what you said when you told Mr. Weasley that she had Apparated Glory. If she's doing that without learning to actually Apparate."

"I know, Harry," Buffy said with a sigh.

"If we can get her off the magic," Faith said. "She is going to need help. Serious help."

"Because she killed someone," Buffy said as Faith nodded. "And you know what that was like. You were able to put it past you. If we can get her to stop, she with time should be able to also."

They exit into a clearing where they had left Xander's car. They could see that Willow had made a pit stop as the car was wrecked.

"I guess I won't be driving back," Faith said.

"Do you have a cell phone?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Faith said as she realized why Buffy was asking, Dawn. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

"Hello?" came Xander's voice.

"Xan, It's Faith. Put Little D on the phone," Faith said.

"Faith?" came Dawn's voice.

Faith handed Buffy her cell phone.

"Dawn," Buffy said. "We need you to open a portal to us. Willow destroyed Xander's car after killing Warren. She's now likely heading for the jail to finish with his buddies. So, we need a portal to you then you need to portal me to the jail and Harry and Faith to the Magic Box.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In a jail cell at the Sunnydale Police Department, Jonathan stood wearily propped up against the cell bars, looking out forlornly into the depressing hallway. Behind him was Andrew, animatedly distracted, examining parts of his own body methodically.

"Dude. Move like, a foot to your left," Andrew said.

"What for?" Jonathan asked.

"I'm trying to hear something," Andrew said.

"Like what?"

Andrew looked around to make sure no one's listening, then harshly whispered, "Signals."

"Oh, for crying out loud. Signals?" Jonathan asked. "Who from, your probe-happy alien friends? Say, maybe we can trade in some cigarettes for tin foil and make you a nice antenna hat..."

"Laugh it up, Fuzzball. I figured it out. Warren never abandoned us. Well, not me, anyway," Andrew said as he continued to examine his body. "This is like his test. If we can just figure out how he's communicating with us, we'll be, you know, worthy."

"You're checking for implants?" Jonathan asked.

"Lex Luthor had a false epidermis escape kit in Superman versus the Amazing Spider-Man Treasury edition ..." Andrew said defensively.

"Okay, first of all, those were sonic disrupters and second of all... you are sadness personified." Jonathan said. "Waiting for Warren? Yeah, maybe he'll bust us out of here on Santa's magic sleigh."

Andrew stopped examining his body. "I'm telling him you said that," he said clearly offended.

"Why wait - I'll tell him myself," Jonathan said as he jerked Andrew's elbow toward him like a microphone and spoke into it. "Come in, Warren, do you read me, your girlfriend's pathetic, over."

Andrew jerks his arm away, pissed. "Shut up, Jerk-athan! See this? This is why we get the jet packs and all you get is left behind."

"So, you admit it," Jonathan said.

"Why not? You were out of the Trio a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and you know why, little feller?" Andrew said. "No respect for the chain of command."

"Yeah, look how far it got you. Checking every hole in your sad little body for transmitters that don't exist."

"Oh, I'll find it if I have to check every hole in my body and yours," Andrew said as he grabbed Jonathan.

"Get off!" Jonathan said.

"Make me!"

Jonathan shoved Andrew back. They glare at one another, across the cell, about to attack when suddenly Anya teleported in.

"There you two are. Listen to me," Anya said. "We have to get you out of here now or you'll both be killed." She walked over to the bars as she called out, "Guard!"

"What's going on?" Jonathan asked.

"Guard!" Anya called out again.

"Stop that!" Andrew said. "I don't trust her. Do you trust her? This is major uncool..."

"Anya, you gotta break this down for us a little, or..." Jonathan said.

Anya whirled on the two of them, angry. "Warren shot Faith. Warren shot Tara. Faith's alive. Tara's dead. Willow found out and being the most powerful Wicca in the western hemisphere, she went for the payback. With interest."

"Wh-what about Warren?" Andrew asked though he was sure he didn't want to know the answer.

"She killed him," Anya said. "Ripped him apart and bloodied up the forest doing it. Now she's coming here and you two are next."

"Oh my God..." Andrew sobbed. "Warren." He reached out to steady himself and managed to sit down.

"Oh my God - me. GUARD!" Jonathan said.

"But we didn't do anything..." Andrew said.

"GUARD!" Jonathan shouted.

A grumpy-looking guard at that moment approached the cell, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "All right, all right, what do you..." he said and then he noticed Anya and knew she should be in there with them. "Who the hell are you?"

"Something's coming. Something bad. You have to let these men out or I guarantee you there will be hell to pay," Anya said.

"Okay, and, uh...what exactly's coming?" the guard asked.

"One of the many things in this world you are not prepared to deal with," Anya answered.

"That a fact?" the guard asked clearly amused.

"Yes. And we're out of time. Just believe me when I tell you..." Anya said just as a green portal snapped into existence and Buffy stepped out.

"Good," Buffy said. "Come on in the portal." She hustled Jonathan, Andrew and Anya through the portal before following them.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Andrew, Jonathan, Buffy and Anya exit the portal into the Magic Box to find Xander, Dawn, Harry and Faith waiting for them.

"Can you still sense Willow?" Buffy asked as she pushed Andrew and Jonathan to the table at the back of the stores.

"No," Anya said. "I can't. And that means whatever she's feeling, it's gone way beyond simple vengeance."

"Whatever we've got here, better grab it fast. This is going to be one of the first places Willow would think to look for us," Buffy said looking at Anya.

"Then what are we doing here?" Andrew asked as everyone turned to look at him, annoyed. "You know - I could summon a demon to kill her."

"And I could smack you so hard your eyeballs switch sockets," Xander replied.

"No more are dying today," Faith said.

"Sit down," Buffy said. "Anya do you have anything. Dawn, Harry and I haven't learned really enough …"

"She drained the place," Xander said as he held up blank-faced book. "Took everything."

"Not everything," Anya said as she walked behind the counter. She rummaged through the drawers before finally pulling out a key and a small box. She put the key in the lock and after opening the box she pulled out a book.

"What is it?" Xander asked.

"Book of protection spells. Anti-Magic. Our last resort," Anya said. She looked at Buffy, Dawn and Harry. "This book is older than anything the Wizarding World has."

"Think you can work this stuff?" Xander asked.

"I don't know," Anya said as she opened the book. "The good news is the text is intact. Bad news is I can't read a word of it. It's like in, ancient Sumerian or something."

"May I," Dawn said as Buffy looked at her. "Giles gave me a book on ancient Summerian. I think he was wanting to train me to be a Watcher. But he knew what you would say." Anya handed her the book and she smiled. "I can read it."

"Good," Buffy and Faith said simultaneously.

"Buffy, Faith, say this works. And we stop Willow from working the hoodoo for a minute. What then?" Xander asked.

"We talk to her," Faith answered.

"Great. And say what?" Xander asked.

Buffy and Faith looked at each other, neither of them had the answers for Xander's question.

"Whatever she's going to do, she starts with these two," Buffy said. "They're the line she cannot cross."

"Buffy," Dawn said. "I just had a thought. Will hasn't seen my portal she wouldn't know what it means yet. What if I sent you and Faith to her while I try and work the spell?"

Buffy and Faith looked at each and nod. It was a good plan.

"Okay here is how it's going down," Buffy said. "Faith and I go to try and talk with Willow. Xander, Anya you will get these two as far away as you can. Harry, you help Dawn in case we have to lure Willow back here."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Inside Rack's Faith and Buffy exit the portal that Dawn had opened. They looked around, the first thing they saw was the desiccated, mummified corpse of Rack. It was hanging upside-down as if in zero gravity.

Willow stepped out of the shadows smiling at the Slayers.

"You need to back down and think a minute, Will," Buffy said.

"You need help, Red," Faith added.

"Doing fine on my own, thanks," Willow said.

"I know what you want to do, Willow, but listen to me: the forces inside you are incredibly powerful. They're strong, but you're stronger. Just remember - you're still Willow," Buffy said.

"Let me tell you something about Willow: she's a loser. And she always has been. Everyone picked on Willow in junior high, high school, up until college with her stupid mousy ways and now - Willow's a junkie," Willow said.

"We can help," Faith said.

'The only thing Willow was ever good for..." Willow said and for a second the grief hits her, "…the only thing going for me - were those moments – just moments - when Tara would look at me and I was wonderful. And that will never happen again."

Buffy wasn't sure that was true. She looked at her best friend. She had known for several years now she was actually bisexual. When she had realized it fully, after Riley had left, she had found that she had always been attracted to Willow. At first Willow had proclaimed to be straight. Then Willow came out of the closet their first year in college, a whole year before Riley left Sunnydale. Buffy would have followed her heart when Riley left but Willow had already been in a relationship with Tara by that point.

"I know losing Tara hurt," Buffy said. "But you don't want to go down this road."

"Why not?" Willow asked.

"Because you lose everything. Your friends, yourself... you let this control you and the world goes away. The love that you could feel, right now, would go away," Buffy pleaded.

Willow looked at her friend, really looked at her. She wondered what it was Buffy was trying to say.

Faith too looked at Buffy as she began to realize what Buffy had and smiled. Could Buffy give Willow back what the redhead had lost?

"I know you're in pain. I can't imagine the pain you're in," Buffy said. "I know you want to do something to ease that pain. But this isn't the way, Willow."

"Don't call me that," Willow said.

"Why not? You were Willow to me when I first met you at Sunnydale High. Cordelia attacked you and I couldn't understand why she'd do that to someone who was obviously so sweet and terrific. You were Willow when you helped me with my homework. You were Willow when you introduced me to your friends and took me into your circle. You were Willow when we talked together about Angel and nobody else understood or cared about him. We've been through so much since I came to Sunnydale. There was what happened to Jessie. Then there was the robot demon, then there was Halloween."

Willow looked at Buffy as she remembered the outfit Buffy had wanted her to wear for Halloween.

October 31, 1997

Willow emerged from the bathroom in the costume Buffy had picked out for her. Total rocker babe - black halter top, leather mini-skirt, boots.

"Wow," Buffy said as Willow, who was embarrassed by the outfit, grabbed her ghost costume and immediately turned back for the bathroom. Buffy grabbed the ghost costume from her best friend. "Will. You're a dish! I mean, really!"

July 4, 2002

"Then there was your evil vampire doppelganger and then Oz left. Through all of that who was by your side?" Buffy asked.

"You," Willow said. Oh, Xander had been there to comfort her also when Oz left. But Buffy had been there for her more for Buffy knew more than Xander could the hurt of losing your first love.

"I love you," Buffy said.

"Shut up," Willow whimpered. More magic arced from her towards her friend but the fizzling energy barely slowed the blonde woman down. Willow stared at her hands in panic.

"I love you," Buffy said again. She noticed that Faith was holding back. She realized that Faith had realized what she had. She smiled at her sister Slayer in thanks for letting her handle this.

"You love me?!" Another invisible blow and Buffy doubled over. When she straightened up again, her blouse was ripped and bloody scratches had appeared on her torso.

"I love you," Buffy said.

Willow fired off a bolt of energy at Buffy knocking her to the ground. She looked at Buffy, her face etched with sorrow.

Buffy stood. "I... love you."

"Stop saying that!" This time the magic was so feeble it died out before it even reached Buffy.

Buffy grunted from the impact but this time she didn't go down. "I love you, Will," she said. "I can't give you the exact same thing that Tara did. But I can give you my love for the rest of our lives together. I love you, Willow."

As Buffy reached her friend, Willow began sobbing and pummeling Buffy with her fists.

"I love you," said Buffy. She stood silently and let the assault fall on her body.

When the attack proved futile, Willow sank to the ground and began crying. Great jagged sobs tore their way out of her body while Buffy held her tightly in her arms.

Gradually, she was able to distinguish words from amidst the choked outpour. " I loved her; I really did. I cried when she left me. When she returned, I was so glad to have her back. And then he KILLED her! If it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't have been there trying to make it work. She wouldn't have been in front of that window. It was my fault! It's my fault she's dead!"

"No, no, never. It's not your fault, Will. It was Warren's. Tara doesn't blame you. If what she felt was as great as what I feel, then she couldn't possibly blame you." Buffy glanced at the woman in her arms. Her breath caught and she felt tears sting her own eyes.

The dark hair had faded away. In its place was the familiar red hair Buffy had grown to know and love. The coarse veins that had covered Willow's face like the routes on a roadmap had also disappeared. "I love you, forever, baby."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the days afterwards Buffy had found that Jonathan and Andrew had escaped from Xander and Anya. It didn't bother her much though as long as they were out of Faith's hair. She then had Dawn open a portal to England and she went to talk to Dumbledore about training Willow properly. He agreed once Buffy had told him what had happened that Willow should be trained. So, when Buffy returned to Sunnydale, she sent Willow to Hogwarts.

Author's Note: I kind of backed myself into a corner with the Dark Willow arc. I was slowly beginning to realize it when I got toward the end of this chapter. It's why I ended it the way I did with Buffy professing her love to Willow.