Fic: Falling Star

[BigMac]

Everything Willow has done has now caught up poor poor Tara and Willow is still trying to fix things. Nice update

Tara: Assume Crash
Positions

[ExtraFlameyWT]

Ahhh! Willow! What were you thinking?! Argh... Great update.



-Aimee

*****
"Hey Will, this is me. It doesn't all have to be good and fine. This is the room where you don't have to be brave. I still love you. If you're worried, you can be worried." -Tara to Willow in ep. 603 Afterlife

[LeatherQueen]

Oh god.. Willow's getting in deeper and deeper. And it doesn't even seem like she's hit bottom yet. God... What's it going to take to stop her?



Ack... excellent update. Can't wait to see how you get the girls out of this one.

--------------------------------


"Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind." - Glory


"Futile... like a FOX, baby!" - Tara in The Late Shift by wiccachica

[mollyig]

Again, I think you've used the backstories very effectively. They're like foils to what you're showing us in the present, and hopefully what will come in the future??

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[chronic]

Title: Falling Star - part 13

Author: chronic

Feedback: Advice, criticism and abuse all welcome.

Summary - Alternate W/T story arc for season 6.

Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "All the Way"

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I'm just playing with them for a while…

Song lyrics from "I Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Melanie Doane.

Rating: 15 - Swearing, violence and large amounts of angst.



                --------------------



Flashback:

("Family")



"I can't take my eyes off you,

I can't take my eyes off you."



Tara and Willow clung to each other, several feet above the dance floor. "Um, Will?" Tara whispered.



"Hmm?"



"Look down."



"I know" Willow said.



"Oh, ok." Tara rested her head back on Willow's shoulder. She looked out across the dance floor, everyone seemed too engrossed in their partners to notice two girls floating in the air. She looked over to the tables, and saw that they did have an audience. Anya rolled her eyes, then flashed a grin at her before turning back to Xander. Dawn was staring at them, grinning from ear to ear, and Buffy had a contented smile as she leaned back against Riley.



Her family. She could still hardly believe it. And Buffy had said it BEFORE they found out she wasn't a demon! Tara was amazed. Their first thought on hearing she was a demon wasn't how to get rid of her, but how they could get her to stay. Anya had told her that when she asked what kind of demon Tara was, it hadn't just been curiosity. She'd been trying to come up with ways to control any dangerous aspects of Tara's demonhood, to let her live a normal life.



Her family, her "blood kin" would be nearly home by now. She knew she should hate them for what they had done to her. Growing up, she thought their fear of the demon she would become explained, if not justified, their treatment of her. But it had all been a lie. Her mother had lived and died believing she had evil within her, and it had all been a lie. She wouldn't forgive them, but maybe she would forget them. They were no longer a part of her life. They weren't worth wasting thoughts and feelings on.



Tara felt her feet touch the floor again as the song ended. She lifted her head from Willow's shoulder, and kissed her. Then she took her lover's hand, and went over to join her family. Her "real" family.



                --------------------



Flashback:

("The Gift")



Willow watched anxiously as Tara walked in to the compound. This was her brilliant plan? To send Tara amongst Glory's minions, right under the hell god's nose. Shaking her head, she ran through the gate, in to the warehouse yard.



For a moment she couldn't see Tara in all the activity around the base of the tower, minions and crazy people milling around. Then she saw her, wandering toward a pile of bricks.



She went over the spell in her head one more time. 'It has to work, it just has to.' She looked across the yard, and saw Glory strutting about, surrounded by her fawning worshippers. The god turned, then began heading towards Tara.



'Oh god, this is it.' Willow dropped in to a run. She thought about what would happen if this didn't work. Glory would kill her in a second, probably Tara too. Was it really worth the risk?



Glory had reached Tara, grabbed her arm and spun her round.



'Don't touch her, don't touch her!' Willow screamed silently, the words ringing through her head. Tara and Glory were only yards away now.



"You. What are you doing here?"



"She's with me." Of course it was worth the risk. 'There's no choice' Willow thought as she reached for the hell god's head. 'I have to bring her back.'



                --------------------



The present:



'There's no choice' Willow thought as she rematerialised. 'I have to bring her back.'



She looked around the darkened Magic Box. There had to be something here she could use. Absent mindedly she wiped blood from her lip; her nose had started bleeding again, and began pulling books off the shelves.



                --------------------



The moment Willow disappeared, Buffy and Anya were released and dropped to the floor. Buffy stood and offered Anya her hand, pulling her to her feet. "What did she mean, she'll fix this?" Buffy asked. "I thought you said a healing spell wouldn't work for Tara?"



"It wouldn't" Anya said angrily. "They're unpredictable enough as it is, but Tara… her injuries are too severe."



"So what's she gonna do?"



Anya shook her head. "Something extreme. There's a number of things she could try, but they're all really dangerous, and if they go wrong…" Buffy stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "Well, Tara won't be the only friend we lose" she said quietly.



"Do you really think Will would take that kind of risk...?" Buffy asked. She pulled a face at her own question. "Don't bother answering that. So, these spells, Willow'll need supplies…"



"The Magic Box" Anya said. Together they ran from the room.



                --------------------



Willow found what she was looking for in a store cupboard. Giles had left the books he'd thought too dangerous to sell locked away in there, obviously unwilling to take them to England with him. She'd browsed through this one before, but had found it boring. It was a history, dealing with some of the practises that had made magick users unpopular. As Anya was fond of saying, at least when Willow was around, "there were reasons why witches were persecuted." The book was big on description of some of the more unpleasant spells, but light on detail. Willow hadn't really cared, none of the spells would be useful for fighting demons. But she had a use for one now. She carried the book to the table and quickly read the relevant chapter. These were great acts of destruction and healing, life and death. But there was always a price.



She read through the few details of the spell itself. They were vague, but she could make an educated guess as to the rest of the spell, and some parts she could improvise. She looked around, she would need…



She saw what she needed in a display case. She reached out her hand, and the glass shattered. Reaching in, she took the enchanted object and put it in her bag. She turned back to the book. She had to be realistic, there was a good chance the spell wouldn't work. And if it didn't, Tara would…



She needed a fall back plan, something to resort to if this spell didn't work. The idea came to her immediately. She'd considered it when Joyce first became ill, but had rejected it almost instantly. She shuddered as she thought of the consequences. 'Only as a last resort' she told herself. She pushed away the last of her doubts. She was going to save Tara. Consequences, of any kind, didn't matter.



                --------------------



Amy slouched through the streets, thoroughly pissed off. 'What a day' she thought. All set for some serious action, then the frickin slayer had invaded her house! Not to mention Xander Harris and his man breasts. She shuddered at the memory of being in love with him. Even if she had been under a spell, it still made her ill to think about it. And her door was smashed in! And to cap it all, Willow had freaked out and run off. Well, vanished in to thin air. Amy shook her head, Rosenberg had always been tightly wound, but who'd have thought she lose it so easily? All in all, today had been a crapper.



Still, she'd find something to entertain herself this evening, or someone. An idea hit her. She thought of the preparations for the spell, they were still in her living room. Willow had even written out the incantation. Sure, Amy wasn't as powerful as the redhead, but she was no amateur herself, and she'd been practising longer. She smiled as she sped up, eager to get home. Things were looking up.



                --------------------



Spike sat in front of the TV, flicking through the channels. He glanced at a window, it would be a few hours untill sunset. He heard a noise and leapt to his feet, only to find himself slammed against a wall. As his senses returned, he realised he still couldn't see his attacker. But he was still pinned against the wall.



"Buffy? Not invisible again, are you luv?" Silence.



The door slammed open, but he couldn't even turn his head to look. He heard footsteps, and a figure came to stand in front of him. "What's the problem this time?" His assailant stepped in to view. "Red?" He pushed against the force holding him in place. "Little feisty today, aren't we?"



"Tara's hurt" Willow said, her voice empty of emotion.



Spike looked more closely at the witch. One eye bruised, dried blood on her lip, her face expressionless. Her eyes seemed devoid of feeling. Spike shuddered, they looked more disturbing like this than when they had gone black. He remembered her attempt to take on Glory, and the damage she had done before the god fought back. If she really let lose, he wouldn't stand a chance. "Hey, nothing to do with me" he said hurriedly. "I can't hurt people, remember?"



Willow spoke as if she hadn't heard him. "I know a way to save her, but I don't know if it will work. I need a backup plan."



Spike waited for her to continue, but she stared in to space. She seemed to be struggling with herself, as if she didn't want to continue. "With you so far, pet."



"If my spell doesn't work, I will call you. Telepathically. You will come to the hospital."



She spoke in statements, not questions. She wasn't asking Spike for something, she was telling him how things would be.



"And you will make Tara a vampire."



                --------------------



Anya hurriedly unlocked the door to the Magic Box and ran in, Buffy close behind her. She looked in dismay at the mess, books had been pulled off their shelves, some left on the floor, some piled on the table. She moved to the table, and her gaze was caught by the book on the top of the pile.



Buffy walked over to the counter, and saw one of the display cabinets had been smashed open. "Anya, what's kept in here? Is anything missing?"



Anya looked up, distractedly. "Um, I'd have to check the inventory. Come here."



Buffy crossed to the table and looked over the ex demon's shoulder. "What's that?"



"Its one of the books Giles thought was too dangerous to put on sale. They were locked away…" her voice tailed off as she saw the store cupboard, the door ripped off its hinges.



She shook her head and continued, her voice agitated now. "I think that's what Willow's going to do." She gestured at the page. "How she thinks she can save Tara."



Buffy skimmed through the text, then looked up, shocked. "No way" she whispered. "There's no way Willow would ever do this." Anya just stared at her. In truth, she didn't know any more what Willow would or wouldn't do. "We have to get back to the hospital."



                --------------------



"What? Have you gone absolutely barking?" Spike shouted. There was a loud crack, then he screamed as a bone in his left arm snapped.



"Don't interrupt me" Willow said quietly.



"But…" Spike began. Willow glared at him, but he continued. "You know it won't be her? Not really."



"I'll restore her soul. I can curse her, like I cursed Angel."



"Ok, the important word there is 'curse'. Do you think Angel likes being the way he is? Not to mention that little 'one moment of happiness' loophole. You two are in love. How long do you think she'll keep her soul for?"



"I'll modify the spell." Willow told him. "Restoring the soul is the hard part. The happiness clause is just a detail."



"Oh, right, you'll modify a centuries old gypsy curse. Cos nothing could go wrong with that" Spike said with heavy sarcasm. He groaned as one of his fingers broke.



"I can do it" Willow said, her voice rising. "All you've got to do is bite her. I'd think you'd jump at the chance."



"Yeah, about that" Spike said. "Not to spoil your dreams of you and your newly undead girlfriend, but how am I s'posed to bite her?"



"I'll remove your chip" Willow said, her voice emotionless again.



"Brain surgeon now, are you?"



"With magick" she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll teleport it out." She moved closer. "Think about it Spike. You help me, you get to be a vampire again. You don't help me, I'll break every bone in your body and throw you outside." She spoke in a quiet, even tone that left Spike certain this wasn't a threat. It was a promise.



If he turned Tara, Buffy would kill him, there was no question of that. Of course, if he left straight away he could make it out of the country. He doubted the slayer would bother tracking him down. He could travel, maybe go back to England. And he'd be a vampire again, a killer. He could live his unlife the way he was supposed to.



Without Buffy. He'd never see her again. He had no idea what their relationship was, but he enjoyed it. He loved her. And she loved him, he could tell. Not that pathetic human idea of love, all roses and chocolates. Real love, love in the dark. He'd have to leave her.



He could say no. Willow would kill him, of course. But Buffy would know that he had died for her. Perhaps then she'd stop denying what was between them. Who was more important to him, Buffy or himself?



"You call, I come to the hospital" he said. Willow nodded, turned and left. When the door was shut, Spike was released. He fell to the ground, clutching his broken arm.



                --------------------



Xander parked the car in the hospital car park, then he and Dawn got out. On the way she'd told him about the crystal, and how she now had a new memory. Anya had already assumed the crystal must have been destroyed, and this explained how. It didn't explain why Dawn had the crystal in the first place, but Xander decided that was a conversation that could wait.



He was disturbed that Willow had also used magic on Dawn. Still, her description of the spell ending and the returning memory meant that none of the other Scoobies had been affected, they'd have noticed if they had. He'd have been relieved, but he knew the only reason Will hadn't cast on them was because she hadn't needed to.



He looked over at Dawn, she was pale and only just holding back tears. Together they set off for the hospital entrance.



                --------------------



Buffy sat in the front seat of the taxi, staring out of the window. She still couldn't believe Willow could do something like this, even to save Tara. She winced at an unpleasant memory, as she told her friends "I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn." She really had been ready to let the world end, rather than sacrifice her sister. Maybe she could see why Willow would do something like this. But she couldn't let her do it.



"Can't this thing go any faster?" Anya yelled from the back seat.



"Hey lady, I'm already over the limit" the driver complained.



"Go faster" she said, waving a handfull of notes in the air. The driver glanced at the money in the rear view mirror, and put his foot down hard.



                --------------------



Willow walked up to the hospital entrance. She hadn't wanted to risk teleporting again, that spell was really taking it out of her. She cast a glamour again, and strode through the doors. The staff and patients all ignored her as she walked through the reception area.



Tara a vampire. The idea almost made her sick. But it was better than Tara dead. That thought made her want to curl up and die. And it would be Tara, once she'd restored her soul. She have to kill Spike, of course. She couldn't let him go, once his chip was removed. Still, all that was just plan B. And plan A would work. She would make it work. She shook her bag, feeling the weight of the object inside.



                --------------------



Amy grimaced at her broken door. Still, soon she wouldn't have to worry about it. 'Where shall I live?' she wondered. There were some big houses on the other side of town, maybe she'd take one of them. She went to the living room, everything she needed was still there. She placed the candles in their proper places, and lit them. She picked up Willow's notes, and read through the spell. Then, stepping in to the circle of candles, she began to chant the incantation.



                --------------------



The taxi screeched to a halt in front of the hospital. "Go, go! Anya shouted, and Buffy ran ahead. She turned and began counting money. "Oh, what the hell!" she exclaimed and threw the lot at the driver. "Its only money." She turned and ran after Buffy.



                --------------------



Dawn sat by the bed, holding Tara's hand. Xander stood in the doorway, watching sadly.



"Everyone leaves" Dawn said, her voice almost a whisper. Tara had always been her favourite surrogate mother. So quiet, but she'd always been the strong one. Stronger than Buffy, in her own way. But now she lay here, only the rising and falling of her chest showing she was alive. Tears began to roll down Dawn's cheeks. Tara wasn't here because of illness, or an accident. She was here because of the woman she loved more than anything else in the world.



She turned as Xander made a strangled noise. He flew backwards, as if gripped by some force, and smashed in to the corridor wall. He slumped to the floor, dazed.



Willow strode past the crumpled heap of her best friend and in to Tara's room. Dawn jumped up and backed away. "Willow, what, what are you doing?" she asked, terrified. The witch said nothing, she just looked down at Tara's still form. Dawn kept backing away till she felt the wall against her back



                --------------------



Buffy ran down the corridor as fast as she could. A number of orderlies shouted at her, but she knew none of them could catch her. She rounded a corner, and saw Xander slumped against the wall. She dropped beside him. "Xander!"



He shook his head to clear it, then winced at the pain that stabbed through him. "Will, in there" he said groggily. Buffy stood and ran in to the room. When she saw Dawn backed in to a corner, clearly terrified of Willow, her blood boiled. She ran round the redhead, and took her sister in her arms. "You don't come near her!" she yelled.



Willow said nothing. She gazed sadly at Tara, then looked up at the Summers girls. She raised her hand. Buffy tried to move forward, but found that a barrier had sprung up trapping her and Dawn in the corner. She slammed her fist against it. "Dammit Will, let me out! We have to talk!" she shouted.



Willow ignored her. Instead, she turned and raised her hand again, erecting a barrier in the doorway.



                --------------------



"Xander!" Anya called as she ran in to the corridor. She helped him up, then collapsed against him. "Remind me never to run again" she said.



Supporting each other, they moved towards the room, only to rebound of the barrier in the doorway. Exhausted and off balance, they stumbled and almost fell. Xander moved to the doorway, placing his hands against the invisible barrier. He stared in to the room. Buffy and Dawn stood in the corner, while Willow stood, almost unmoving, in the middle of the room. "Will?" he called. No answer.



"Xander, we have to get in there!" Anya said. "Willow's going to do something, to try and save Tara."



"A spell?" he asked.



"That's not what I'd call it" Anya said angrily. "I'd call it a blood sacrifice." Across the room, they saw Dawn stiffen at this, and Buffy put her arm round her sister. Clearly sound had no trouble crossing the barrier.



"To save Tara's life" Anya continued. "Willow's going to take someone else's."



"What? No way!" Xander couldn't believe it.



"Look" Anya whispered, a look of horror on her face as she pointed in to the room. Xander turned, and his jaw dropped as Willow opened the bag she was carrying, and took out a long bladed dagger.



                --------------------



"As I will it, so shall it be!" Amy cried triumphantly. She grinned as the golden sphere faded in to being, then began to grow.



                --------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------
Things fall apart, they fall so hard - Tara, "Entropy"

[mollyig]

My oh my, you're piling on the angst and anxiety. Great work.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[chronic]

Title: Falling Star - part 14

Author: chronic

Feedback: Advice, criticism and abuse all welcome.

Summary - Alternate W/T story arc for season 6.

Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "All the Way"

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I'm just playing with them for a while…

Rating: 15 - violence and death.



                --------------------



Flashback:

(After "Life Serial")



Willow loved waking up in Tara's arms. Every morning when she returned to the waking world, the first sensation she had was of those arms holding her, and for a few seconds, that was all that existed. Then the rest of the world would fade back in to Willow's mind. When she was younger, Willow had hated those first seconds of each day, before she remembered who she was, but now she cherished them. They made it so clear that with Tara holding her, nothing else mattered.



                --------------------



"How were lectures?" Willow asked as they met for lunch.



"Couldn't concentrate" Tara said. "I had someone on my mind."



"Anyone I know?"



"You might. She's a really cute redhead, about so tall…" She held her hand up level with Willow's head.



"If you're not talking about me you are in sooo much trouble…" Tara interrupted her with a kiss. "So, where do you wanna go for lunch?"



"Mmm, junk food craving" Tara said. "The fried chicken place?"



Willow put a hand to her belly. "I'll be happy if I never see fried chicken again."



Tara giggled. The other night they had eaten a whole bucket of chicken after a full meal to appease Buffy. "Doublemeat Palace?"



"Eurgh!" Willow spat. "That place is, what's that word Giles uses? Manky."



Tara quirked an eyebrow. "I assume that means horrible?"



"Probably. I didn't like to ask." She looked up. "Ooh, ice cream!" she shouted excitedly, and began running for the van. Tara rolled her eyes and ran after her.



                --------------------



The lovers walked arm in arm across campus, licking their ice creams. "So, Buffy seems happier" Willow said.



"I guess. The money Giles gave her really helped. I'm surprised she's helping out at the shop though, after what happened with the repeato-time-thingy."



"Well, its only for tomorrow, and we're all doing it. You wanna dress up?"



Tara stared in to her girlfriend's eyes. "No."



"Ok then. Probably a good thing. This one time, we all got our costumes from this shop and…"



                --------------------



"So, are you two wearing costumes tomorrow?" Xander asked. Tara shook her head. "Oh come on, you gotta wear costumes on Halloween. You could dress up as witches, y'know, pointy hats, broomsti…" The icy glares of the two Wiccas shut him up.



"Come on you lot, haven't you got homes to go to?" Giles began turning out the lights, and soon only light from outside illuminated the Magic Box. Anya came from behind the counter and joined them as they filed out the door. "I'll see you all tomorrow" Giles said. They nodded, then said their goodbyes.



                --------------------



Willow and Tara skipped home, arm in arm. "Stop, stop!" Willow panted, out of breathe. She stopped and dragged Tara to a halt. "Walking now."



Tara unlinked their arms, then put hers across Willow's shoulders. She looked up slightly, then tilted her head further back. "Wow, look at the stars."



"Ooh, can you see the big pineapple?" Tara grinned. "What's your favourite star?" Will asked, mock seriously.



"Hmm, that one" Tara said, pointing at a particularly bright star.



"That's the North Star" Willow told her. "I like that one too. People used to use it to navigate. As long as sailors and explorers could see it, they could always find their way home."



"I changed my mind" Tara said. "You're my star."



Willow smiled, and leaned over to kiss her lover.



                --------------------



The present:



Willow kissed her lover gently, then straightened up. "It'll be ok baby" she whispered.



Dawn stared wide eyed at the knife in Willow's hand. "She, she's not, she wouldn't…"

Her sister put her arms around her, but said nothing.



"Willow, you can't do this!" Xander called. She acted as if she hadn't heard him. Willow lay the knife on Tara's chest, so the handle rested over her heart. Holding her hands over the knife, she began to chant. Green mist began to swirl beneath her palms



                --------------------



Amy watched as the sphere grew ever larger. It passed through the walls and ceiling, and she felt the connections form between her and every object in the room. She laughed as she made an arm chair spin round, then flip over.



The sphere became bigger than the house, and began to encompass the buildings on either side. She felt connections between herself and the people in those buildings. She closed her eyes, and took control of Mr Neilson from next door. In her mind's eye she could see his astonished family staring at him as he began jumping up and down. The children ran from the room terrified as his wife began spinning round on the spot.



They were hers now, she could make them do anything. She felt the power at her command, there was nothing she couldn't do. Amy smiled. Sunnydale was hers.



The sphere continued to grow, swallowing house after house.



                --------------------



Willow still stood by the bed, the mist swirling under her hands.



"Buffy, what are we gonna do?" Dawn asked, her voice trembling with panic.



Buffy slammed her fist against the barrier that imprisoned them. "We have to get out of this!" she shouted.



Xander had given up shouting at Willow, and was now slamming himself against the barrier in the doorway.



"Xander, that won't do any good!" Anya yelled.



"We have to get in there!" He stopped, defeated. "She's really gonna sacrifice one of them?" he asked. "I can't believe it."



Anya came and stood by him. "Tara said Willow was lost, and I think she's right. Willow's trying to fix everything. I think she actually believes she can do anything, as long as its for the right reasons." Anya's mouth twisted in disgust. "Traditionally witches liked their sacrifices young and innocent. But then Buffy's got all that slayer strength, that's bound to help the spell. It could be either of them." Xander stared at her in open mouthed horror. "Of course, there's nothing to stop her pulling one of us in there" she continued.



Xander began pushing at the barrier again. "Willow!"



                --------------------               



Amy laughed as her sphere of control expanded. It now covered her entire street, and was still growing. This was easy, she didn't see why someone hadn't done it before. There were over a hundred people in the sphere now, and she could take control of any she chose.



The sphere stopped growing.



Amy frowned. There was no reason why it should have stopped. She intended to take the whole town, and the spell should have expanded until she stopped it. She flinched as she felt pain lance through her mind. Something was wrong. The connections were breaking down. She could feel people shaking off her control. The magick supporting the sphere was beginning to fail. Desperately she tried to push more power in to the spell, but she had no more to give.



The walls of the sphere began to churn, the golden shimmer becoming a fog. She tried to end the spell, but it was too late. The sphere began to collapse in on itself, shrinking at incredible speed. As each connection was severed, Amy shuddered in pain. She could feel the sphere falling in on her. As if it could help, she wrapped her arms around her head and screamed as the walls crashed in to her.



The sphere shrunk to a pinprick of golden light. The energy of the spell, trapped inside, tried to find a way out.



The fireball blossomed out, tearing the house apart. Flames roared as the ceiling collapsed, burying what was left.



                --------------------



The green mist began to flow in to the dagger. Willow picked it up and held it to her eyes, she saw that the blade shone with a faint green glow. It had worked! She breathed a sigh of relief; she wouldn't have to resort to using Spike. She could save Tara and have her stay human. She moved away from the bed.



Xander watched Willow raise the knife, her preparations obviously complete. He pushed against the barrier, desperate now.



Buffy pushed Dawn behind her. If Willow wanted her, she'd have to lower the barrier first. Buffy tried not to think that Willow could easily pin her against the wall if she wanted.



Dawn peered over Buffy's shoulder. "Willow, you can't do this!" she yelled, practically in tears. "Its not what Tara would want!"



That got through to her. "You think I want to do this?" Willow screamed. "I don't have any choice! I have to bring her back!"



Suddenly, Xander fell to the floor as the barrier he was pushing against disappeared. Dawn reached out, and found that the barrier around her was also gone. Willow raised the dagger, ready to strike.



                --------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------
There's so much to work through, trust has to build again on both sides,
you have to learn if we're even the same people you were, if we can fit in each other's lives,
it's a long and important process and can we just skip it, and can you just be kissing me now?
- Tara, "Entropy"

[CaptMurdock]

Eeeee-yikes!



The juxtaposition of the flashbacks with present time is terrific!



"Manky?" Don't know if I've ever heard that word, particularly from Giles...



Keeping an eye out for updates!

[xita]

This is much farther than I ever wanted Tara to go. It's an uncomfortable read and frankly I don't see how you are going to make this all right, it's not going to be easy that's for sure. Willow's kind of gone too far.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Everything is turning out so dark..."

"No, it's okay. Lost is good. Willow and I always know how to find each other!"

[chronic]

Title: Falling Star - part 15

Author: chronic

Feedback: Advice, criticism and abuse all welcome.

Summary - Alternate W/T story arc for season 6.

Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "All the Way"

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, I'm just playing with them for a while…

Rating: 15 pretty dark, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, I promise.



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Flashback:

("All The Way")

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"You know what, can, can we not do this now? I'm tired."



"Okay. Let's just forget it ever happened. Forget."



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The present:

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As she saw Xander fall forward, Anya rushed to the door. She grabbed the doorframe to stop herself before she tripped over her prone boyfriend. She stared in to the room to see Willow standing, knife raised. Beyond her Dawn was trying to push herself further in to the corner, while Buffy moved in front of her. Willow's eyes had turned jet black.



Anya had always thought Willow was way too casual with magick, not taking proper care. But she'd never thought something like this would happen. She shivered as she felt Willow draw all her power to her; that was why the barriers had fallen. The witch was ready to cast her spell, and there was nothing they could do to stop her. "Willow!" she yelled.



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Three days later:

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"I still can't believe it. Any of it" Buffy said. She pulled her legs up to her chest, pushing herself further in to the corner of the couch. She felt drained.



"I know, me neither" Xander told her. He leaned back in to the armchair, and sighed, looking uncomfortable. "So, are you going to the funeral?"



Buffy looked down. "I, I guess. I mean, she wasn't evil or anything. I don't hate her. She just made a mistake."



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The present:

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'This isn't real. It can't be, no way.' Xander's thoughts were in a whirl as he began pushing himself off the floor, ready to jump Willow. His best friend. Who was holding a knife, ready to kill someone.



He got to his feet and began running towards her, expecting any minute to be pushed back, or run in to an invisible wall. But nothing stopped him. He was feet away from her, reaching to grab the knife. 'How can this be happening?' He had always trusted Willow, always looked to her for advice. She always had the answer, when he usually had trouble understanding the question. But how could she believe this was the right thing to do?



He looked in to her eyes, and a jolt went through him. They'd been wrong about Willow's intentions, but now he saw what she was about to do. And he knew he would never reach her in time. "Willow!"



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Three days later:

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Buffy shook herself, trying to dispel the cold that had gathered round her. "Poor Amy."



"What are the police saying?"



"Explosion caused by a gas leak. But it seems fairly certain she was trying that spell, the control spell. Anya said that almost no one could handle it, that the people who tried, well…"



Xander nodded. He decided to change the subject. "So, how's Dawn doing?"



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The present:

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Dawn felt her knees give way, and she slid down the wall. She stared up in to the face of the woman who had always been a friend, who cared for her like a mother, who had bought her sister back to her. Who held a knife, raised, ready to stab down. The blade glowed with an eerie green light, and green energy crackled around it.



She stared up in to Willow's eyes, trying to see if she was still in there. The Willow she knew could never do this. But the eyes she stared in to were black, and told her nothing.



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Three days later:

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"She's dealing. I think she's ashamed that she thought Will would hurt her."



Xander looked away, unwilling to look Buffy in the eye. "I think we all thought she was going to hurt someone."



Buffy stared at her shoes. "I know."



Xander broke the uncomfortable silence. "So how come Dawn had the crystal?"



Buffy took a deep breath. "She's been stealing. From shops, from us." Xander shook his head "I, I think its more attention seeking than anything else."



"So how do we deal with this?"



"I have to deal with this. I'm her family. But I think its over. I mean, I just asked her about the crystal, and she told me everything. She was pretty upset. So she's going to return everything she's taken, and pay for the stuff she can't give back." She shifted in her seat, then cleared her throat. "We're, um, we're gonna come and see Anya later on."



Xander's eyes widened. "Oh boy, that will not be pretty." He saw the concern in Buffy's face. "I'll have a word with her before." Buffy didn't look reassured. "It'll be ok."



Buffy nodded, trying to look convinced. She clutched the cross she wore; the one Angel had given her. She'd been wearing it ever since Dawn had given it back. 'How did things ever get this bad? How could I let them?'



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The present:

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As she realised Willow had dropped the barriers, Buffy leapt at her friend, determined to take the knife from her. As she moved through the air, Willow turned to face her. Buffy flinched, expecting at any moment for Willow to fling her away, or use some other spell on her. But she just stared at her, as microsecond by microsecond, Buffy came closer.



The girls locked gazes. Buffy stared deep in to black eyes, and she saw. No matter what she did, how powerful she became, she would always be Willow. It was true, she would do anything for Tara, anything to bring her back, even take a life. But she was still Willow, and there was only life she could ever take.



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Three days later:

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"Its my fault, all of this" Buffy said quietly.



"What, how do you figure that?" Xander asked, concerned. Buffy seemed to have gotten over the worst of her feelings of inadequacy, starting to take charge again. Blaming herself was a step in the wrong direction.



"Willow was just trying to take care of everyone. To do my job. Because I wasn't."



"Buff, no one expected you to be fine after what you went through."



Buffy stood, agitated. "That's no excuse! I, I've been neglecting Dawn. She only took things because she wanted me to notice her. I haven't been patrolling as much as I should. I've been…" Her voice stuck in her throat. She couldn't tell him, not about Spike.



She hadn't seen the vampire for several days, and he hadn't come looking for her either. She was grateful for that. She knew that their next meeting had to be their last.



"I've been avoiding my responsibilities, letting you guys do them. Because of me, Willow… she felt she had no choice but to…" her voice cracked as she tried to say what she felt.



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The present:

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Willow watched, almost disinterestedly, as Buffy leapt towards her. Their gazes met, and she saw her best friend's determination. Buffy knew what she was about to do, and would do anything to stop her. But it was too late. This was the only way to save Tara, so it was what she had to do.



She heard a chorus of voices yelling her name. She didn't want to leave them, but she had no choice. She reversed her grip on the dagger, held it with both hands, and plunged it in to her heart.



A burst a green light shot from the dagger, across the room and in to Tara.



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Three days later:

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"Buffy, you can't blame yourself" Xander protested. "Yeah, ok, you have been letting things slide, and Willow took on more than she could handle. But things were wrong before that. She was using magic all the time, she did things… she hurt Tara. I know she didn't mean to, but she nearly killed her. And even after that, she kept on turning to magic, trying to make everything right."



"She had no one else to turn to" Buffy said sadly. "We couldn't help her."



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Willow stood, slowly, and looked around. She was still in the hospital room, but everything seemed frozen in time. She turned and saw herself, frozen like a statue. Xander stood a few feet away, leaning forward as he struggled to reach her in time. Buffy was actually frozen in mid leap, a few feet off the ground.



Willow stepped away from her body. Looking at the entire room, she could see that things were moving, just incredibly slowly. Time had slowed down, but it hadn't stopped.



She walked over to the bed, and stared down at Tara's body. It was surrounded by a faint green glow. She looked back and saw a streak of green energy that went from the hilt of the dagger, across the room to Tara. Her life force, she assumed.



"So, this is your solution?"



Willow looked up sharply, to see Tara facing her from across the bed.



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Three days later:

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"How is Tara?"



"Physically, the doctors said she'll be fine. There's no sign of any brain damage. They couldn't explain it."



Xander gave a small smile. "I guess they get that a lot in Sunnydale."



"Whether she'll deal with this… I just don't know" Buffy said. "I think… something happened, before she woke up. But she won't speak about it."



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Willow and Tara stood facing each other across the bed, both staring down at Tara's body. "Astral projection?" Willow asked in a small voice.



"Something like that." Willow had never heard Tara's voice so cold and empty.



"But, how come we can see each other?"



Tara waved her hand at the green energy flickering across the room. "Your life energy. For a few seconds its connecting us." She bought her arm back to her side again. "It won't last. The energy will pass to me. I'll wake up, and you…"



"I, I had to" Willow said desperately, trying to explain. "It was the only way!" Her voice cracked "I couldn't let you die."



"But you expect me to let you?" Tara demanded angrily. "I don't have to accept it, you know." She looked up defiantly. "I could force the energy back to you. You would live."



Willow reached out to her. "Tara, no…"



Tara ignored the offered hands. "What happened?" she asked, gesturing at her body, lying on the bed.



Willow swallowed, nervously. "I, um, I…" she could barely bring herself to say it. "I cast spells on you. The crystal I used must have been smashed, the spells all ended at once."



Tara nodded, remembering the waves of energy that had crashed in to her mind. "It hurt" she said quietly.



Willow began to cry. "Tara, I'm so sorry…"



"Willow…" Tara shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. "We had this conversation at Amy's. About you using magick to solve any problem." She gestured around her at the frozen room. "Did you even think about a non - magickal solution?"



Willow struggled to speak. "The, the doctors said…"



"That I couldn't be cured?" Willow nodded. "Then I couldn't be cured. Willow, you go can't breaking natural laws. Sometimes you have to face the consequences of your actions."



Willow looked away, unable to look Tara in the eye. She hadn't had to deal with any consequences for a long time. If she had a problem, she solved it with magick. If the solution caused problems, magick could deal with those too. "But it was my fault! I hurt you! I kil…, kil…" She couldn't say it.



"Yes, y-you did." As Tara's self control began to waver, Willow realised that that was the first time Tara's projection had stammered.



"Tara! I know I was wrong! I, please, I…" She looked down at Tara's body, on the bed. "I couldn't go on without you. Not knowing it was my fault."



Tara looked across at Willow. She couldn't live without her either, she knew that. She knew a possible way out of their immediate problem, but what about the future? 'Can we really be together, after this?' She sighed. "The thing about life or death situations, they force you to make decisions."



Willow gasped as Tara stepped through the bed and came to stand next to her. "Maybe I should hate you for what you've done." Willow's jaw dropped in horror. "Maybe I could forgive you. Maybe we'll get through this. I don't know."



Willow looked down. More than anything, she wanted to look up, to reach out for Tara. But she couldn't. She didn't know which would be harder to face, Tara leaving her, or Tara forgiving her for the things she'd done.



Tara reached out and took Willow's hand. "I know what I want to happen."



Willow looked up in amazement. "We'll get through this, we will, I swear I'll never do magick again, I love you…"



"Willow" Tara cut across the babble. "We'll deal with everything in time, but first things first." She gestured at the frozen room around them.



Willow felt sick, before she remembered she was in an astral body, and couldn't be. In her desperation over losing Tara, she'd forgotten where they were. She looked at the stream of life force flowing between their bodies.



"Its ok" Tara said, taking Willow's other hand and standing. "We'll share."



"How?" Willow asked, also standing.



Tara, still holding both of Willow's hands, closed her eyes. The stream of energy split in two. One rushed in to Tara, the other back in to Willow. The room began to move again, at first in slow motion, then getting faster and faster. Willow felt herself being pulled away, away from Tara. "Tara!"



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The present:

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Buffy screamed as Willow stabbed herself. She landed beside her, and caught Willow as she dropped to the floor. "Oh my god, Will!" she screamed. She reached for the knife, she knew it was too late, but she had to do something, anything. Her hand passed through thin air.



By now Xander had joined her, and they both stared at Willow's chest. The knife was gone, and there was no sign of a wound. "What the…?"



Willow's eyes snapped open. "Tara!"



Everyone spun round as Tara answered. "Willow!" They stared in amazement as she leapt off the bed and took her lover in her arms. Willow buried her face in Tara's shoulder.



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Three days later:

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"I still don't get how two people can live off one person's life force" Xander said.



"Well, neither of them are at full strength, but they'll get better. Tara said it wouldn't work normally, but with all of Willow's power, there was enough to save them both."



"So Willow's not as powerful as she was?"



"I guess. She hasn't done any magic since. She said she never will again." Buffy looked away, feeling guilty. She wanted to trust Willow, but… "I think that's for the best."



Xander nodded. "They're staying together?"



"Yeah. I don't think they're real snuggly at the moment, but Willow's gonna have it really tough, and there's no way Tara would make her do it alone."



"Do you think they'll get through this?"



"I honestly don't know" Buffy said. "But they're gonna try."



"I hope they make it."



Buffy managed a smile. "Me too. Those two belong together."



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Flash forward:

(Five years later)

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Tara woke and rolled over, to find the other side of the bed empty. She listened hard, and heard hurried footsteps. "Willow, what are you doing?" she called from the bed.



Willow rushed in, buttoning her jacket and grabbing her bag. "Work. I over slept, I'm gonna be late!"



"Uh, sweetie? Its Saturday."



"What? Willow glanced at the calendar on the wall. Sat…" She sat down on the bed, looking embarrassed. "Oh, ok. Just a little over eager, I guess."



Tara propped herself up on one arm, put the other round Willow's shoulder. Willow leaned back in to the embrace. "Baby, its not a crime to love your job." She smiled mischievously. "Its just, really really weird."



"Oh, cos you just hate running the Magic shop."



Tara grinned. "It's a hard job, but someone's gotta do it."



"So" Willow said, kicking her shoes off and shrugging out of her jacket. "Saturday, no school today, no kids to teach. What d'ya wanna do?" Tara raised her eyebrows. "After that, I mean. We could go visit Buffy and Kali?"



"Maybe next week. Dawn and Sarah are coming over today, remember?"



"Of course they are!" Will shook her head. "What would I do without you?"



"I guess we'll never know."



Willow turned so she could kiss her lover. "Still, I'll phone Buffy later. I wonder how she's taking to being a Watcher."



"At least the tweed's optional" Tara said. "But she's not really a Watcher, is she?"



"Well, not really, but there's never been an ex-slayer before. Well, not one who's still alive. But who could be a better choice to teach the slayer?"



Tara chuckled. "I certainly don't think Giles is up to all the training any more. But I've never seen him happier. He didn't think the council would let him or Buffy anywhere near the next slayer, and instead they insisted he be her watcher." She shook her head at the suprises life sometimes throws. "Do you think Buffy and Kali are getting on ok?"



Willow couldn't help grinning. "I think they'll get on great. I know Buffy had a hard time sometimes, looking after Dawn, but I think she misses it. It'll be good for her, to have someone to take care of."



"Its good to take care of someone" Tara said, putting both arms round Willow. "Its good to be taken care of."



Willow leaned in to the embrace. She stared across the room, in to the dolls eye crystal, sitting on the shelf. It caught the sunlight streaming in the window, and seemed to glow. She closed her eyes, and let her mind drift over her memories. For a long time, she'd refused to have anything to do with magick. She'd even insisted Tara put the crystal somewhere she couldn't get it. Even if she wasn't as powerful as she had been, she could still be dangerous if she used magick. Perhaps more so, as she would be less able to control any mistakes she made.



The thing that had scared her most was that she couldn't pinpoint the moment where she'd gone wrong. Obviously, using the forget spell on Tara was wrong, but when had she started thinking that something like that was ok? That you could do anything, if your intentions were good? If she couldn't tell when past decisions were bad, how could she make them now? So she'd made a decision, and the irony wasn't lost on her. No more magick. It had been hard at first, but everyone had helped, especially Tara. Essentially Tara. She knew she would never have made it without her.



She hugged Tara a little tighter, and felt the squeeze returned. She hated to admit it, but she didn't understand how someone could give so much love. How someone could forgive her, after what she'd done. But she had.



Just over a year after giving up magick, Tara had suggested she try it again. Willow had rejected the idea, till Tara explained what she meant. She would teach Willow the right way to use magick, with care, and respect. The way her mother had taught her. Four years later, and Willow was beginning to use magick again. Only this time, she used it when she needed to. Not because it was the easiest solution, or for the thrill casting gave her. And she understood that being able to use magick did not make her all-powerful. Nor did being the cleverest person she knew. You can't make a person's decisions for them.



These things seemed so obvious now. She could barely believe she had thought that way. She really had been lost. But Tara had shown her the way back, and helped her to walk it. She came back to the present as Tara pulled out of the embrace.



"So, Dawn's coming over for lunch, we've got a few hours till then" Tara said, a smirk on her face.



"Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something to do" Willow replied as her lover's fingers began unbuttoning her blouse. She shrugged of the garment, then wrapped her arms around Tara, and together they lay down.



Magic wasn't teleporting and levitating things, Willow knew that now. Real magic was this. What she and Tara shared. Forever.





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The End

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There's so much to work through, trust has to build again on both sides,
you have to learn if we're even the same people you were, if we can fit in each other's lives,
it's a long and important process and can we just skip it, and can you just be kissing me now?
- Tara, "Entropy"

[mollyig]

She didn't know which would be harder to face, Tara leaving her, or Tara forgiving her for the things she'd done.



Finally, Willow saw how wrong she had been.



You brought us on an angsty journey, but the happy, older and wiser Willow and Tara at the end was a nice ending.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[mariacomet]

Just catching up on the story. You used the transitioning between scenes really effectively. I like how far you pushed Willow and that it was all based on two things - her arrogance that she was the only one that could help and her legitmate desire to help. I really liked the end too, where we got to see that not only did they work through everything but W/T got to live happily ever after.



Thanks for writing this. Great job.

[ExtraFlameyWT]

Quote:

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Magic wasn't teleporting and levitating things, Willow knew that now. Real magic was this. What she and Tara shared. Forever.

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I loved that ending! GREAT story, chronic!



I hope to read another one from you soon... *hint hint*



-Aimee

*****
"Pope John Paul today confirmed his opposition to gay marriages, said they're unnatural. Gay marriage is unnatural. Then he put on a pointy hat, his dress, and returned to never having sex at all." -Bill Maher

[willowphile410]

That was a fantastic fic, chronic. Just the happy ending we all need. I second Aimee's motion...I hope you write another one soon. Thanks.

"coffee, kisses and gay love"...the only things in this world to live for...

[MiniShrink]

Beautiful ending, and I particularly liked the flashbacks.