Title: Come Together
Part 3 of the ABC series
Author: Frau Hunter Ash
Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: hunterash@sti.net Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy : www.hunterash.com
Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon , Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui , and God only knows who else. The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.
F/F romance : the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender, different genders, and may even include 3 at the same time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.
Spoilers: Sometime after Wrecked
Summary: Willow Rosenberg disappeared shortly after Wrecked. Two years later Giles sees a redhead in a London pub who looks very much like his beloved Willow , especially after several drinks. Willow has returned but a lot has changed, especially the young witch and well kept desires surface.
Rating: Strong R to NC-17 for sex.
Pairings: W/G, B/R, B/F, An/C, X/A, T/Tracy
"Faith?" Willow whispered as she and Spike looked up in surprise.
Spike barely caught Willow by her legs as the witch launched herself at the Slayer with a scream of rage. He tackled Willow back to the floor she had been sitting on and quickly caught her wrists as she turned, flailing at him in anger.
"Whoa!" he shouted. "Easy, Red!"
"Hey, when did Willow join your side of the game?" Faith demanded, quickly opening the door to the crypt.
Both Spike and Willow rolled in opposite directions with yelps of pain and surprise as sunlight streamed into the dark tomb. Willow hissed at Faith, still in game face and claws extended .
" Willow ! Calm down!" Spike shouted. "It's not bloody likely she'd show up here if she actually killed Xander !"
" Xander ? Of course I didn't kill Xander you idiots!" Faith yelled back. "If I shut this door, will someone explain things to me?"
" Willow !" Spike growled and the witch suddenly slumped against the wall, sifting back to human. Faith closed the door and the male vampire crossed the tomb quickly as Willow slid down the wall, her eyes barely half open.
"What's wrong with her?" Faith asked, keeping her distance from the red-haired witch. The Slayer knew that Spike couldn't hurt her but apparently Willow didn't have a chip in her vampire brain.
"From the looks of her clothing, she was shot several times tonight and hasn't fed," Spike muttered as he opened Willow 's coat, taking in the bloody clothes and bullet holes in her t-shirt and jeans. "She must have been shot when Giles was hit."
"Giles has been shot? Riley and Xander are dead? What's going on?" Faith demanded.
"Let me take care of her, she's the one with the answers," Spike growled, shifting to his own game face and slicing open his wrist. He held it up to Willow 's lips.
"That is gross," Faith exclaimed with a sour face.
"You want to volunteer to feed her?" Spike demanded.
"Hey, as much as I always thought Willow was probably sexy as hell under that geek look, I have an aversion to vampire fangs," Faith protested. "Especially when the vampire is really pissed off at me."
"Good choice, now shut up and leave us alone for awhile," Spike growled.
"Why? She feeds, gets better and answers questions," Faith snapped. "I don't think I should be outside right now, I have a long story to tell as well."
"Just get the bloody hell out! I might explain later!" Spike shouted as Willow 's fangs sank into his wrist as she began to regain some of her energy from his blood.
"Okay, okay, not a morning person so describes both of you," Faith complained and opened the door to the crypt just enough to slip outside.
"Oh God," Spike moaned as he pulled Willow into his arms, wrapping his body around hers. He felt his body responding as hers jerked against him, arousal hitting both of them as she continued to feed.
* * *
Faith grinned when she heard the moans coming from inside the tomb. She always suspected vampires were a heck of a lot more frisky than they let humans know and from the sounds of it, they were pretty wild about it too.
The Slayer suddenly frowned and ducked behind a nearby tombstone and cautiously peeked around it. Faith uttered a string of curses that would have made a dock worker proud and crawled to the crypt door and slipped inside quickly. She kept her eye at the door.
"Put your clothes back on!" she snapped. "Buffy's outside with two Watcher types and they're heavily armed."
"Bollocks!" Spike cursed and Faith could hear the two vampires scrambling to get their clothing back in order.
"Can we get out of here?" Willow asked, sounding and looking more human except for the bloody clothes. Faith hoped she had a change in the military backpack Willow picked up from the floor.
"No, there's too much sunlight," Spike said, looking over Faith's shoulder. "They'd trap us or we'd be toast before we got twenty feet."
"There wouldn't happen to be a secret basement or something to this place, would there?" Faith asked. "I have a feeling Buffy is more than willing to stake me right now from what little I've gotten out of you two."
"She'd love to ram her stake up your backside, darling," Spike smirked. "Red, can you do a spell or something?"
Faith winced as Buffy kicked in a door of a nearby tomb, went inside and came out again. The blonde Slayer looked almost insane with anger.
"No, I'm too weak and I'm not sure if one of those Watchers isn't magically trained," Willow shook her head, looking around at the single room tomb and then back to the sarcophagus.
Faith, noticing her glance began shaking her head. "Oh no, I don't think so!"
"Buffy's only checking the tombs, she's not doing a thorough job," Spike commented as he walked over to one end and helped Willow move the stone lid around to where it was crossways across the main body of the stone coffin.
"I am not climbing in there!" Faith protested as Willow and Spike crawled over the edges.
"Fine, maybe they'll only send you back to prison," Willow shrugged. "By the way, Buffy thinks you put a stake into Riley's chest after torturing him."
"Riley?" Faith muttered and closed the door to the tomb and quickly jumped into the now very crowded stone coffin. She tried to hold her breath and not scream when she noticed that the sarcophagus was already occupied.
"Easy, luv ," Spike grinned as he and Willow began moving the stone lid back in place. "He doesn't bite like we do."
" Either of you try anything and I'll stake you myself!" Faith warned as Spike's boot shifted and almost clipped her nose and she felt Willow 's arms move around her waist.
"Shut up already," Willow growled.
"Easy for you two, you don't breathe anymore!" Faith mumbled.
"I do and right now you smell good," Willow teased.
They heard the door to the crypt open, cutting off any smart remark Faith might have had. All three of them held their breath, remembering Slayer " spidey sense," Buffy would know a vampire was nearby and just might look closer at their hiding place.
* * *
"Oh God!" Faith cried as the two vampires finally decided it was safe enough and moved the stone lid. She quickly climbed over the edge of the coffin and collapsed on the floor, coughing.
Willow went to the door and checked outside, careful to stay out of the sunlight.
"They're at the far side of the graveyard but Buffy keeps looking back this way," she said.
"Damned Slayer instinct!" Spike growled.
"Oh bugger!" Willow snapped and Spike was by her side in an instant.
"She's coming back!" Spike growled. "Okay, you two back in with the Crypt Keeper, I'll face her."
"Spike, she's out for blood!" Willow protested.
"Yeah, yours not mine," he countered and picked Faith up and dropped her back into the sarcophagus.
Willow jumped in and helped the English vampire move the lid back over her and Faith.
"This is so not funny! I wish I back in prison!" Faith whined.
"Quiet, you just want another chance to snuggle with Willow ," Spike teased and jumped up on the lid and lit a cigarette.
He didn't even flinch when Buffy kicked the door open again and stormed inside, crossbow at hand.
"Hello, Slayer," Spike said easily.
"You?" she snapped.
"Yeah, you woke me up a bit ago," Spike shrugged. "What's the deal? Thought you gave up slaying."
"Someone pulled me out of retirement when they killed my husband and best friend!" Buffy shouted.
Spike jumped down from the main furniture in the crypt with a frown.
"I heard about Riley," he said slowly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about that."
"Sure you are, you're just sorry you weren't able to do it with that chip," Buffy snapped.
"Hey, I thought we parted company on friendly terms," Spike protested. "I couldn't make you happy and if Riley could then I was glad for both of you. Now who else is dead?"
" Xander ," Buffy choked on the young man's name. "Faith broke in, knocked Anya out and put Xander through hell before killing him."
"Faith, that ditz is back? Thought she was locked up," Spike frowned, playing his part as the two Watchers approached the door.
" Willow is a vamp and broke Faith out of prison, its part of some twisted vampire scheme to destroy me," Buffy explained the Watcher version of events. "They destroyed Angel's hotel and no one can find any of them in the rubble yet."
"He's not dead," Spike muttered , putting out his cigarette as the Watchers entered the tomb.
"He's Spike and he's harmless," Buffy explained quickly.
"We know the records, he was helpful in your past," one of the men said slowly. "Will he help now?"
"Hey, I'm right here!" Spike protested. "Talk to me, already."
"Shut up, vampire," the other one snapped, holding up his crossbow.
"Hey, I said he's a friend!" Buffy growled.
"You have unusual friends, Slayer," the first Watcher complained.
"I told you, I'm not the Slayer anymore, this is personal," Buffy countered.
"Hey, can we focus here," Spike demanded. "Explain things, I offer to help, you leave and I go back to sleep, huh?"
" Willow was turned and ran away two years ago," Buffy said. "The Council has kept track of her when they could but she got a hold of Giles a few days ago. She apparently can still do magic and cast a spell on him. Giles got her back into the country and she got Faith out of prison with her magic. Faith killed my husband, Willow blew up the hotel with my ex-boyfriend and her ex-girlfriend in it and now they've killed Xander . The Watchers shot Giles and Willow was about to turn him when I caught up with her. That about covers it."
"Little Tree is a vamp, eh?" Spike asked with a smirk. "God, she'd make a really sexy vampire."
"Spike!" Buffy's voice warned him.
"Hey, I can still dream, can't I?" he shrugged. "Okay, done deal. I'll get to looking among the shadows tonight for your insane gits and let you know."
" Thanks, Spike," Buffy said wearily and Spike wondered when the last time was that she had slept. "Be careful, they want to destroy anything I care about."
"Then I'm safe," he countered. "You haven't ever cared for me."
"Not now, Spike," Buffy growled and moved towards the door.
"Have you checked the rest of the tomb? He might be hiding them," the first Watcher suggested.
"Not likely," Buffy said slowly as Spike lit another cigarette casually. "Faith and Willow wouldn't turn to him, they'd stake him first."
Spike watched as the three hunters left the crypt and finished his cigarette before tapping on the lid. Together he and Willow moved the lid again.
"This is getting boring!" Faith declared as she brushed tomb dust from her clothes. "I heard what Buffy said, what's your version of this fairy tale ?" she demanded from Willow .
"You first," Willow prompted.
"I was asleep in my tiny little cell and several guards rushed me in the middle of the night about four nights ago. I thought it was just another attempt at a rape thing, they had tried it before," Faith explained. "I left one with a broken arm and another with a broken nose, as usual. Then one of them stabbed me with a needle. I woke up on a gurney handcuffed, chained and strapped down in restraints."
"They remembered the last time they tried to take you," Willow smirked.
"Yeah, the two suits said they were from the Watcher Council and that I had been in prison long enough and Sunnydale needed a new Slayer since Buffy retired," Faith continued. "They promised to erase my fingerprints from the National Data system and give me a new identity. They dropped me off in front of the Bronze last night and told me to have a good time and meet them at Xander's apartment at 4 am ."
"Just after they killed Xander ," Willow nodded, tears filling her eyes again. "I never got to tell him I was okay."
"I saw the police cars and figured that it might not be a good idea to come out of the shadows, I saw you sneaking off and followed you," Faith finished. "Your turn."
Willow quickly explained everything, from the night she disappeared to the hour just before Spike found her.
Faith's eyebrows rose in surprise at the complicated plot by the Watcher Council. The dark Slayer smirked as Willow grew tired and she crawled into Spike's arms and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Shut up, Slayer," Spike snapped. "Just friends."
"Didn't sound like it earlier," Faith countered.
"Just sex," Spike shrugged. "Things get hot when two vampires feed."
"Buffy didn't say Giles was dead," Willow muttered. "He's still alive."
"Yeah, probably at hospital and heavily watched," Spike nodded. "We'll get to him tonight somehow."
"You with Giles, huh?" Faith said thoughtfully, watching the red-haired vampire. "I always thought he was sexy."
"Me too," Willow smiled.
"Oh give me a break!" Spike whined and both women laughed. "I'm stuck with both of you for the day, do not go into details about your sex life with that old sot!"
"Spike," Willow said after a moment of heartily laughing with Faith. "You said something Buffy didn't catch, she's so wigged out. You said Angel isn't dead, how do you know?"
"He's my sire," Spike shrugged. "I'd know. He's alive and I'm betting most of the gang is as well if they haven't found bodies by now."
"I hope so, if anything happened to any of them then Giles and I are to blame," Willow whispered. "We knew we were endangering them."
"That's what they choose, pet," Spike reminded her.
"I can't believe Xander is gone," Willow muttered and Spike tightened his arms around her as she began crying again.
Faith took off her jacket and rolled it up into a makeshift pillow and laid down on the stone floor.
* * *
Buffy wasn't surprised to see Spike walking down the hallway of the hospital later that evening. The two Watchers with her obviously bristled.
"How's the old bastard?" Spike asked easily, ignoring the Watchers.
"Barely alive, they aren't sure what's keeping him going," Buffy whimpered as they glanced into ICU unit where Giles lay with multiple machines and tubes surrounding him.
" How's Anya and the brat?" Spike asked, keeping up his personae of being friendly but mildly annoying.
" Anya and Jesse went to San Francisco , they're going to stay at a hotel with Dawn until this settles down," Buffy explained.
"Good," Spike said simply, not even asking where in San Francisco , as if it didn't concern him. "You look like hell, Slayer. What say we grab some coffee why these blokes keep an eye on the librarian in there?"
"No, I don't want to leave him," Buffy frowned.
"You could use the break, you're going to go hunting again in an hour, aren't you?" he pointed out.
"How do you know that?"
"I know you, Buffy," Spike laughed. "It's almost 8 o'clock , time for slaying."
"Oh alright," she muttered. "I'll be back, have them page me if anything happens."
"Alright, Buffy," the first Watcher said easily, his eyes flashing hatred towards Spike.
Spike managed to get Buffy to choose a sandwich, fries and a coke and harassed her until she finished it all before he let her sit back and relax.
"Did you talk with Willow ?" he asked casually. "What's she like as a vamp?"
Buffy frowned. "It was really weird, she was nothing like that double from the other realm. She seemed like my Willow ."
"When and how did the damned Watchers come back in your life?" he asked, sipping at a miserable cup of tea.
"The night Riley died," Buffy said softly, her eyes filling with tears. "He got a call that someone had broken into the dojo and went to meet the police there. Apparently it was a trick by Faith to get him there. He was drugged and then tied to a weapons rack and…she…"
"That's okay, don't go into it," Spike said gently.
"I got worried and called the police to find out when Riley would be home. They said they hadn't called. I got there just as the police cruiser did and they found him," Buffy continued. "After hours at the police station answering questions and identifying his body, I got home and found those two from upstairs waiting for me. They said the Council had gotten word of a plot by vampire Willow to totally destroy me and my life and came to warn me."
"Wonder why they didn't just pick up the damned phone?" Spike muttered and Buffy frowned. "And Willow put a spell on Giles so he would help her destroy you and broke Faith out of prison to do this?"
"Yeah," Buffy nodded but was still frowning.
"I gotta say, Buff," Spike said, leaning back in his chair. "That's pretty out there, even for a vampire. Very few of us plan major things like this. Only Angeleus and Dracula play with mind games and world plots."
"Have you heard anything?" Buffy asked, still frowning.
"No, no sign of either Faith or Willow among the living dead," Spike said easily. "You know where to find me."
" Thanks, Spike," Buffy said absently and the vampire left the Slayer with her thoughts and doubts.
* * *
Spike found Willow pacing restlessly and Faith in a corner sharpening a stake.
" What's with you two?" he demanded as he entered Angel's old mansion. They figured it might be the one place where they could hide out. With multiple rooms, shackles if they needed them and one place where Buffy might not think Faith or Willow would turn to.
"She won't shut up about me being a vampire," Willow complained.
"Red there is threatening to either fry me with her magic or bite me," Faith countered.
"Oh you wish! You're just regretting you never made a move on me," Willow snapped.
"Back in your kennels, both of you!" Spike snapped. "Now I remember why I never have two females around at once!"
"Yeah, try a room full of them!" a voice laughed from the shadows at the back entrance.
"Angel!" Willow squeaked and dashed into the tall vampire's arms and then began hugging the entire Los Angeles group, including Tracy . "You're all alive! They said someone blew up your hotel with everyone in it."
"That's the story we forced a local Watcher to tell the Council and the Watchers here," Gunn smirked. "If he wants to keep certain parts of his anatomy, he'll keep quiet. Fred is holding him and keeping an eye on things"
"Oh thank the Goddess," Willow whimpered. "Spike! Giles, tell me!" she turned, demanding answers.
"He's barely hanging on and they don't know why he's alive now," Spike answered.
"I managed to give him some of my blood when he was shot, it won't hold him long," Willow said softly as Angel moved up behind and wrapped his arms around her.
"We'll get to him," he promised. "I'm going to make a miraculous recovery and show up, offering to help Buffy track you and Faith down while you distract the Watchers. Spike will go in, turn Giles and bring him here."
"Spike turns Giles?" Willow questioned with a frown.
"It's better if you're not his Sire," Angel explained. "There's always a slight wall between sire and childe, even with lovers."
"Okay, as long as we get him back!" Willow said firmly. She spotted the vampire bite on Cordelia's neck and grinned. "I take it the soul thing worked?" she teased and was delighted when Cordy flipped her hair back, proudly showing off Angel's mark.
"We're going to tell them that everyone else was killed, I'll play the grief stricken friend and would-be lover," Angel explained as he nuzzled Willow 's neck playfully. "Thank you for the spell thing," he whispered.
"You're welcome," she smiled. "Gods, I'm tired."
"She didn't sleep much today and fed very little," Spike commented.
"Well, we brought extra in an ice chest for the three vamps," Gunn informed them.
"Cool, mate!" Spike grinned.
"We also brought food for us human types," Tara joked, her arm around Tracy 's shoulder and Willow was obviously relieved that the couple appeared happy.
The group was shortly gathered around a large dining table, the vampires drinking from mugs and the humans munching on sandwiches and chips. They had worked hard for over an hour putting up boards and black plastic over the windows where the original boards had been knocked out or removed by vandals.
Cordelia had even brought clean bedding for her and Angel's bed.
Faith felt out of place at first but quickly settled into the repairs around the mansion. It was easier since most of the Los Angeles group didn't really know her except Wesley and Angel. Angel was very forgiving.
Wesley and Willow were a little more unforgiving for past deeds, including torture, and Faith attempting to kill them but they basically ignored her. Faith finally ignored them and stopped trying to bait Willow .
The dark Slayer wasn't stupid and no longer suicidal, she knew pushing a unchipped vampire, even one with a soul, could lead to getting hurt. Especially if that vampire knew magic.
Faith also found any excuse to get near Gunn and talk with the handsome and strong young man. In turn, Gunn was more than happy to give the beautiful young Slayer his attention.
After dinner everyone settled in for planning and arguing until they realized they were going around in circles.
"Look, we're not going to get near the hospital tonight," Angel finally said. "I suggest we get some rest, the day lovers among us can go out magically disguised tomorrow and see if they can get near Giles and what the hell the Council is up to."
"I still don't know why they want Buffy," Willow complained. "They're going to extraordinary means to isolate her. Why? She was already retired, it can't be because they want to isolate her from the other Slayers."
"Other Slayers?" Faith's head popped up suddenly from her beer. "What other Slayers?"
"Forgot that part, did I?" Willow smirked. "Sorry. You and Buffy aren't the only Slayers. Though, according to Council records, you two are the best."
Faith frowned. "We're not the only ones? All those years knowing we were going to die before getting to drink legally and we weren't the only ones?"
"Yes, that's why they don't tell the Slayer that there are others," Willow nodded. "Goddess, I miss Giles."
"They expect us to do their dangerous work for them, with no pay, and they're doing it to lots of us?" Faith shouted, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Yes," Willow nodded. "There are at least 40 Slayers in the States, 2 in England , 2 in Scotland , 1 in Ireland , and about 40 scattered around Europe . I didn't get to see the Asian, African or South American numbers."
Faith got up from the table and stormed into another room. Cordelia and Tara jumped visibly when things began crashing.
"Don't worry, she's just trashing the trashed furniture," Willow muttered, running a hand over her face.
"You need to rest," Wesley commented.
"I'll talk to the Slayer," Gunn volunteered, leaving the table.
"I can't sleep without Giles," Willow complained, dropping her face into her hands. She looked up in surprise a moment later when she felt familiar energy near her and Tara touching her shoulder.
"Come to bed, we'll keep you company and you can tell me what you've been through," Tara said softly. "I need to understand."
Willow appeared to think about it a moment and then nodded. "I'm not sure how much I can explain since I don't understand it really myself," she warned. "Are you okay with this?" she asked Tracy .
"Yeah, she needs to know what happened to you after all this time," Tracy nodded. " Tara could sense you were in pain."
"Yeah," Willow nodded and let Tara pull her to her feet.
"Night all," Tara called as she and her new lover led Willow up the stairs and to one of the bedrooms.
Willow looked at Tara and Tracy with a questioning look when she saw her backpack on a chair along with their luggage.
"We planned this," Tara admitted. "I need some alone time with you, Tracy wants to hold me as I listen to you and we talked it over with Angel, he thinks it's a good idea for all of us."
"I followed that," Willow muttered with a smile. "You lost the stutter somewhere."
Tara blushed nicely and Willow felt a familiar warmth spreading through her body at the sight. She had missed the witch, especially their friendship and gentle magic together.
"Let me get changed," Willow suggested and grabbed her backpack and headed down the hall to the bathroom, giving the lovers a chance to change as well.
Willow suddenly felt very shy again when she entered the bedroom; shy and awkward.
Tara and Tracy were already in the large bed and had two sleeping bags spread out for the bedding. Tara was in the middle of the bed with Tracy on the far edge.
"Come on, Will," Tara said gently. "I won't bite if you don't."
Willow 's eyes widened at the teasing and she felt herself blushing as Tracy laughed.
"Don't believe her, she does bite!" Tracy giggled.
"Oh god," Willow muttered and crawled into the bed, trying not to touch Tara .
The witch had other ideas and pulled Willow into her arms.
Willow , emotionally drained and tired, broke into tears.
Tara held her and Tracy held them both. After a few moments Tracy blew out the candle.
It was several minutes before Willow began talking softly.
What Tara and Tracy heard was something Giles hadn't even gotten out of his new lover. The terror and fear of waking up as a vampire, knowing that the demon was in control and unable to fight against it.
Willow's description of her soul being yanked back into her body and forcing the demon to the background and the terror of realizing that it was still there, always waiting for a chance to come to the front and take control. It was enough to send chills down Tracy 's back. She and Tara had seen a lot with Angel's group but she hadn't really thought about the human being trapped inside the enemies they fought.
Tara shivered at Willow 's details of being kept just on the edge of a blood frenzy by her Watchers as they forced her to learn how to control her magic abilities. Although she didn't talk about it much, they could hear the agony in Willow 's voice when she talked about missing everyone and how much pain it caused to realize the Scooby Gang thought she had run away.
Being kept in isolation, chained most of the time, and surrounded by uncaring and hostile trainers had nearly driven the new vampire insane, Willow admitted. Only the hope of getting some kind of freedom and reaching out to her friends again had kept Willow going.
"I…uh…I almost didn't make it," Willow admitted, her voice shaking along with her hands as Tara gently stroked her hair.
"What happened, Will," Tara encouraged her ex to talk. It hurt to realize she had moved on and had given up on Willow but it also helped to know that Willow hadn't left them willingly.
"I…they didn't chain me one night and I… uh…I almost stepped into the sun," Willow admitted. "I didn't know if I could face another year without any of you. They caught me and tied me down to a cot with chains for three days and didn't feed me."
"Oh Goddess, Willow," Tara whimpered.
"When I came out of it, I found a serving girl in my arms, dead," Willow continued. "They said I had killed her in a blood frenzy. I hadn't, I found that out later but I thought I had and I went insane for three months."
Tracy suddenly lost any residual anger she had towards Willow for being Tara 's ex and causing her lover any pain in the past. She squeezed Willow , trying to reassure the young vampire.
"What happened?" Tara asked.
"They said if I learned the magic, it would never happen again," Willow explained. "I learned. They also told me that Giles was in London and was now a Watcher again and not reaching out to anyone."
"He was mourning you," Tara nodded. "I always knew he loved you but he wouldn't say anything and I was just so happy to be with you that I never mentioned it."
"The Watchers realized my feelings for him and taunted me that you had moved on and had forgotten about me," Willow said almost in a whisper. "They used Giles as bait to get me to cooperate. They said they'd kill him if I didn't obey."
"If Tara hadn't moved to LA and got together with me, would you have come back for her?" Tracy had to ask.
"No," Willow shook her head gently in Tara 's arms. "I knew we were done before I was turned that night. Hell, maybe I was looking to get killed. I just didn't want Tara thinking I would abandon all of you like the Council made you think I did."
"You still love her," Tracy said calmly.
"Yes, and I always will, but not like Giles. Do you understand?" Willow asked, her eyes filling with tears again. "I don't want to hurt either of you."
Tara smiled gently in the moonlight and caressed Willow 's cool cheek.
"I do, I feel the same about you, Will," Tara nodded. "I love Tracy more than life. I care for you and love you but I'm not IN love with you."
"Yes, exactly," Willow nodded.
"So, you trained and became their servant and they let you go?" Tracy asked, bringing the conversation around again.
"Sort of," Willow said slowly. "I was finally allowed out at night with a chaperone. It wasn't until I passed all sorts of tests: magic, Watcher and vampiric , that they agreed I was ready for the world again. They always kept me weak, barely able to use magic so I couldn't turn against them. They treated me like a captive vampire, never like a human. Most of the time they never even used my name. I was always 'vampire.'"
Tara winced at the bitterness in her ex-lover's voice.
"What if Giles hadn't accepted you as a vampire?" Tracy asked softly.
"I would have called Angel and had him warn and protect Buffy and I would have walked into the sun," Willow said bluntly.
" Willow !" Tara snapped in shock.
"Tired," Willow mumbled, curling up. "I was so tired, scared and alone. Vampires don't die from stakes, they die from loneliness."
After a moment the two human lovers realized Willow was asleep.
"You know, I've never been so glad to have lead a boring life until I met you, lover," Tracy joked softly as Tara nodded.
"I thought my family was totally bizarre and then I moved to Sunnydale and met Willow and then things got really weird," Tara agreed.
"You loved her a lot," Tracy commented.
"Yes," Tara agreed, gently stroking Willow 's hair. "Things went wrong when she brought Buffy back and something got lost that night."
"We have to get your Giles back for her," Tracy said firmly as she closed her eyes, holding tightly to both Tara and Willow .
"Yes," Tara agreed, loving the feel of Tracy and Willow next to her.
* * *
Spike smirked when Faith and Gunn came down the stairs together later that day and not even a 'look of death' could stop the blonde vampire from teasing Gunn about his taste in women. This promptly led to a three way bitch session until Angel stumbled out of his room and shouted at all of them to shut up.
Spike grumbled but didn't push it as Faith reached in the ice chest for a coke and tossed one to Gunn.
"The witches already out and about?" she asked, throwing herself in a chair.
"Yeah, they left about an hour ago," Spike nodded as he lit another cigarette. "So how was sex in prison?"
"Not bad, how is being a neutered undead?" Faith snapped back.
"Not bad," Spike grinned. "I may not be able kill anyone but I can still take down a Slayer."
"What?" Faith frowned.
Spike smirked. "You should know how Buffy likes it after a good fight!"
Gunn, suddenly wishing he were anywhere else but between the Slayer and the vampire, saw Faith go very pale as the blood drained from her face and a few more pieces of Faith's puzzle fell into place for the young fighter.
"No way!" Faith whispered. "She'd never touch you!"
"Oh she did more than touch!" Spike smirked. "Didn't you know, Gunn? The Slayers had a thing for each other until jailbird there went nuts and tried to kill everyone."
Gunn quickly grabbed Faith as she launched herself at the vampire and Spike laughed. Even with his obvious strength, it was difficult to hang onto an enraged Faith until Angel shouted at them again from the balcony.
" Damnit , Spike! Quit teasing the girl!"
"Bollocks!" Spike growled, "Stuck in here until night fall with the likes of all of you is hell!"
"We can fix that!" Faith shouted, "A quick toss out the door and you won't have to worry about the company!"
"Will you all knock it off?!" Willow shouted, walking up beside Angel, obviously just waking up. "I'll put a goddamn 'mute' spell on all of you!"
Almost instantly everyone was quiet and Willow grinned up at Angel.
"Usually works," she muttered. "Tara and Tracy out playing spy?" she asked the other vampire.
"I assume so," Angel nodded, watching the three below them settling in on opposing sides of the large room. "I want to know why the Council wants Buffy, it can't be to keep her from learning about the other Slayers. She was already out of it."
"I know and I feel incredibly stupid," Willow nodded, leaning on her elbows on the railing. "They used Giles and me to get to her, they knew I'd turn against them and I fell for it."
"Don't beat yourself up, they just knew you extremely well," Angel said gently. "They knew you'd try and protect Buffy, no matter what the cost."
"It may have cost Giles his life and, if so, mine," Willow said softly.
"Don't even think about that!" Angel warned. "Even if we lose Giles, I don't want you thinking of following him!"
"I love him, Angel, and I don't have a life anymore," Willow grumbled.
"Then you make one again," Angel snapped. "That's how you survive as an intelligent and thinking vampire. You move on and build a new life in a new place. You've got your friends back and they need you and I need you."
"Thanks," Willow smiled and leaned over, playfully bumping into him.
"Hey, hands off my vamp!" Cordy's voice teased from a bedroom doorway.
"Not a problem, Cordy , he's all yours," Willow smiled, knowing that Cordelia was half teasing. Now that she was finally able to be with Angel, she wasn't going to let anyone else get near him for long. Willow knew Cordy's methods and mind set and merely grinned.
"It's getting dark," Angel commented. "Let's figure out how to get your mate back."
"Oh goddess, please help us," Willow pleaded softly.
Next: Desperados