Complement

XVIII - Between The Hammer & The Anvil
(Part A)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Storm warning ~ But there's no fear ~ Lies forming ~ The sacrament lays bare...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was one of those old, very large lion's foot porcelain bathtubs. She lay with her bad bleached blonde hair spread out behind her. The water in the tub was almost to the rim and overflowing with bubbles. Three minions, who resembled human-like, plague-ridden rats with long greasy hair, knelt blindfolded by the side of the tub. They were each holding a tray with various items on them. A loofah, magazines, Mimosas, a box of chocolates, and other such nonsense were on the trays.

Glory had been babbling at them for a while now, while they groveled, struggling to give her the right answers, hoping not to incur the wrath of the exiled God.

"Okay, now I asked for the Key, and you brought me a vampire. A pulseless, impure, follicley-fried vampire. Loofah." She hissed between whining and pouting. They were idiots for the most part, but they had their uses, after all, Jinx did managed to get Ben to slip about the Key being changed into human form by the monks. Although Jinx had almost died because of it, and if it weren't for the fact that Ben had tried to kill him, Glory would have not believed the whole Key-In-Human-Form thing.

All three minions paid closer attention to her the second she had mentioned the Key. The minion named Muck handed her the loofah. Glory lifted one of her legs from the water, resting it on the edge of the tub; she began using the loofah to rub away the dead skin.

"Now, what I think we have here is a failure... FOR YOU TO DO YOUR FRIGGIN' JOBS. Pardon my French. Mimosa." Glory yelled, in a sickly sweet tone. She held out her hand waiting for Slook to hand her the Mimosa, which he did trying to control his own trembling hand and not spill any. Glory took a sip before continuing, "Mmm, vitamins! So, I think you better rack your little Minion brains and tell me everything that you saw when you were spying on Buffy and her wacky pals. Everything. Then I'll figure out who the Key is." Again, in that same sickly sweet voice.

Had Faith or Xander been there to witness the bizarre scene they would have thought that it looked like something out of a really, really, bad cartoon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faith straggled down the stairs to the kitchen and poured herself her usual large cup of sugar and cream with a little coffee. She headed out to the garden where Buffy was. She was surprised to see Buffy already showered and dressed. That's right, she remembered now, Buffy was going to see Dawn's principal today, and she wasn't happy about it.

"Morning," Faith voice was low, husky and slightly hoarse.

'Wonder how that happened? Can we all say B!'

"Morning," Buffy turned towards Faith waiting for a kiss.

Faith leaned down, gave her a quick peck on the mouth and sat down in a chair.

"What was that?" Buffy pouted.

"I didn't want to mess up your lipstick."

"I've got a whole tube of lipstick. Now get over here and give me a real good morning kiss." Buffy purred and Faith growled in response, moving quickly to accommodate Buffy. They had definitely spent way too much time hanging around with vampires, they were starting to act like them, purring and growling.

"Mmmm.... Strawberry. Like strawberry..." Now Faith was the one who was purring.

Buffy couldn't stop the quiver of desire that ran through her at the sound of Faith's purring voice. It was a wonder they ever managed to leave the house at all. Although being out of the house didn't stop them either. They were going to get caught, not just heard, for real one of these days.

"That was much better... Now go sit... Before I forget, I have to go see Dawn's principal... Or I end up being late or looking like I just crawled out of bed with someone... Christ! Stop feeling like that..." Buffy was getting echoes of wave after wave of desire coming from Faith.

"Me! What about you? I'll stop when you stop!" Faith squirmed a little in her chair. "Besides isn't it supposed to be like this in the beginning?" Faith asked genuinely, not even thinking for a minute that Buffy didn't want her, not with the echoes she was getting from her.

"Yup! And I'm not complaining believe me. I'm just pissy that I have to leave. 'Cause sitting in the principal's office is the last thing I want to be doing this morning. Trust me!" Then Buffy started giggling. "We're like bunnies on Viagra!"

"Yeah B... but more like that little pink bunny with the sunglasses and the bass drum...the ahhh...the battery bunny... I got it...... We're the Energizer Bunnies on Viagra, we just keep on going and going and going and going..." Faith started giggling herself.

Damn if she didn't look like a kid when she did that, and that thought sobered Buffy up and made her think about Dawn and what the principal wanted, the giggle dying on her lips. Faith immediately stopped giggling seeing the worried expression on Buffy's face.

"Worried about seeing the principal B?"

"Yeah. I wish I knew what she wanted. I just feel like this is all way over my head. I worry about messing up with Dawn. If I'm doing the right things. I just don't know anymore. I really wish Mom were here." Suddenly Buffy felt tired and old, the weight on her shoulders had become a thousand times heavier and she was weary.

Before Buffy could even finish processing her own thoughts, Faith had picked her up and settled her down on her lap, cuddling her.

"Don't worry B. It will all work out. We'll work it out together. I know we can. I wish you're Mom were here too. But I know that wherever she is, your Mom knows Dawn is in good hands, loved and safe as long as she's with you."

"And you. She's in good hands, loved and safe with you too Faith." Buffy sat up pulling a little out of Faith's arms and turned so that she could look into her eyes, her expression getting even more serious. "Faith there is something I want to ask you. I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes. Promise me you won't say yes 'cause you think that's what I want you to say."

Buffy had been thinking about this for a while. Had actually started considering the idea the day after they had returned from L.A. It wasn't until yesterday that she had made her decision, and she had a feeling that even her Mom would approve.

"Okay. I promise," Faith's whole demeanor became solemn; instinctively she knew whatever it was that Buffy wanted to ask her was very important to her.

"Being a Slayer you know..." Buffy paused, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to say. Taking a deep breath, she decided just to say it. "Faith if something should happen to me... If I should d..."

"Nothing is going to happen to you Buffy. I won't let it!" Faith didn't want to talk about this. Didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to hear those words come out of Buffy's mouth. The second she realized what Buffy was going to say, she felt like someone had put a vice around her heart and started tightening it. She was unconsciously shaking her head in denial.

"Faith," Buffy said soothingly, capturing her face with her hands to stop her from shaking her head. "Faith believe me, I'm not planning on anything happening to me anytime soon. Anything happening to either of us. I plan on both of us being around a long, long, time. I wanna turn old and gray with you. I want us to both beat the odds. But there isn't just me to worry about anymore, now more then ever that Mom is gone. There is Dawn. And there is you. But the reality is I'm a Slayer, and are are too. You know as well as I do what that means."

"Yeah I do. But it doesn't mean we have to talk about. It's bad enough waking up every morning and wondering if today is the day. It's not so bad anymore, not since you. At least I'm not alone. It makes it easier somehow. I just always figured I would be first. Until you, I never even looked past getting through the day. I lived like there would be no tomorrow. Now all I want is for there always to be a tomorrow. I don't think I can ever go back to being all alone again. I don't think I could survive without you, could survive all alone again..." Faith whispered out the last part.

"Faith you'll never be alone again. There is Dawn, Willow, Tara, Giles, Wesley, Cordy, Gunn, Xander, Anya and Angel, they all love you, care about you. Hell eveike ike cares about you. They would never abandon you, even if I weren't here."

"It's not the same. They're not you B."

"I know baby. And none of them could ever be you... No one could ever even come close... You and Dawn are the two most important people in my life. I don't know what I would do without either of you. Dawn is still a kid, still needs me and you... And if I should die..." Buffy gently placed her fingers over Faith's mouth to stop her from protesting. "We both know it could happen to either of us. If I should die... I want to know if you would take care of Dawn. Raise her for me, if she is still too young to take care of herself. Would you do that? Would you even want to do that Faith?"

"Me? You want me to take care of Dawn? I'm fucked up! What if I went psycho, evil again? B, there are things about me you don't know... ugly things. Things I can't even think about. Things I can't, don't want to remember. Why me? Why not Giles, or one of the Scoobs? Fuck even Angel would be a better choice then me!"

"Why would I want anyone else to take care of one of the two most precious people in my life? And if you don't already know it you are the other most precious person in my life. You won't go all evil again! I know that! I trust in that! I trust you! And yes I know there are things you haven't told me. I can only guess at those things, but I am pretty sure what type of things they are. I can figure out what happened to you when you were just a child." Buffy saw the panic, shame and fear rise up in Faith's eyes, felt it inside of her in one of those echoes.

"None of it was your fault. You have nothing to be ashamed of. No child should ever have to go through that. It makes me cry inside to think of what was done to you." That haunted look that Buffy had never wanted ever to see again in Faith's eyes was there again. She could taste Faith's fear, bitter, and strong in the back of her throat, and she knew Faith was afraid that she would ask her to talk about what happened, and afraid that once she found out, she would leave. Buffy knew that like other children that had been subjected to this type of abuse, Faith blamed herself, held herself responsible for what had happened.

"B... Please... dt ast ask... I can't..."

"Sssh... It okay, you don't have to tell me. You don't have to talk about it. If or when you're ready you can tell me, talk to me about it if you want to." Buffy gathered Faith back into her arms, holding her tightly, offering Faith her strength to lean upon. She tried to control her own rage at the person who had done this to . She wanted to rip their fucking heart out. She waited until Faith stopped trembling, and her breathing became calm again, before continuing softly, "You wanted to know why I would pick you to raise Dawn if I should die. Why I would want the strongest, bravest, most loving, caring, tender, gentle, good, most beautiful soul I have ever had the honor to know take care of my sister? Someone I know who would take care of Dawn, protect Dawn at the expense of their own life, someone who would love Dawn like she was their own sister, love Dawn like I love her. Is that what you want to know Faith? It's because you are that person Faith. You are all those things."

Faith started shaking her head in denial of all that Buffy said.

"Yes you areou aou are! I know it, Faith!"

"No. No I'm not! I can't be those things. I can't... I've done too many bad, evil things."

Buffy's heart broke a little for Faith. She knew it wasn't just what happened between them that Faith was referring to, this all went so much deeper.

"Too late Faith, because you already are, I know you are. Are you forgetting I can feel you. I can feel what you feel. You are a part of me, just like I'm a part of you. There is a part of you that lives inside of me, is with me always, just like there is a part of me that lives inside of you, will be with you always. I know what's in your heart, I know what's in your soul. There's a light that shines from you Faith that is so bright that it is almost blinding. If I can't be here to take care of Dawn, then I can't think of anyone else better then you to do it for me, if you wanted to. I'm sure if I asked Dawn she would pick you too. The question is... Do you want to, Faith?"

Faith was crying and didn't even realize it until Buffy gently wiped away the tears. "Do you want to, Faith?" she asked her softly again.

"How could I not want to B? You and Dawn are the only family I've ever had. How could I not want to take care of my family?" Faith paused; Buffy believed in her, she had to learn to believe in herself. She could do this, she could protect Dawn, she could make sure that nothing ever hurt her, could have the childhood that Faith was never allowed to have herself. Determination, showed in her eyes, was in her voice when she swore to Buffy, "I promise you I will take care of her, t het her, love her the way you would, like she was my own sister. 'Cause in my heart that's exactly what Dawn is. I'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to Dawn ever no matter what. Not now! Not ever!"

"I know you will Faith. You already do that now... and I know you will if something should ever happen to me. Thank you." Buffy lay her head down on h'sh's shoulder, putting her arms around her, feeling Faith's surround her back. She felt as if a two-ton weight had been lifted from her shoulders, knowing that her sister would be loved, protected, and safe no matter what happened. And knowing that Faith would have someone who would love her unconditionally, someone to help her, someone who would never leave her all alone again, and a reason for Faith eep eep on living should something happen to her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lounging on the couch in one of those small tight dresses she was so fond of, Glory stared at the three minions who were standing in front of her. Instead of the look of frustration, the three minions had grown used to, there was a look of confidence, and a smile played around her lips. They thought she looked almost serene. This was the 'God' they were used to. This was the God they wanted back, wanted to restore to power.

"So it's her. Under our noses all this time. I like the detail work those monks did. Quirks, foibles, passions.'s a's all so cute, so human, ya know?" Her smile grew a little larger. The three minions nodded and smiled back at her. "Pretty convincing really. but not convincing enough."

She pondered about it for a minute, her smile turning a little evil. She stood slowly, and looked at each minion, being sure to lock eyes with each one for a second or two. Glory knew they were just waiting for her orders, but she wanted to savor the moment, she was so close to getting everything she wanted. So close to beating that damn little blond Slayer and her inept gang. Oh she couldn't wait to see that little bitch's face.

"You all know your assignments." She paused relishing the taste of the words as they fell from her lips. Her smile growing larger, almost impossibly so, "I think it's time to collect the Key."

She twirled around, a soft giggle coming from her, heading out the door. The three minions, Murk, Slook, and Jinx owedowed her out single file.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...The sinner ~ Will testify ~ They'll suffer ~ When sacrificed on high...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were getting ready to go to the World Culture Fair that the college was having. Tara was in the closet searching for jackets for them. Willow sat down on the bed, bending to put on her shoes. She had paused in their conversation and was thinking again abouffy\ffy's reaction to how they had been trying to help Dawn with a geometry problem. Buffy was totally stressing over the fact that Dawn had been skipping school, Willow understood that, but she still felt Buffy had overreacted to the whole situation. Who said learning couldn't be educational and fun, that was all she had been trying to do. Breaking away from her internal musing she picked up her conversation with Tara where they had left off.

"It wasn't anything, really; Buffy was just being kinda crabby at Dawn about her schoolwork." Was she trying to convince herself or Tara that this was all that was really bothering her?

"Well, it's understandable..." Tara turned around closing the closet door and tossed two jackets on the bed.

"Sure it is! I'd totally be blowing off classes if I was in Dawnie's shoes." Willow almost sounded convincing.

Tara smiled at her shaking her head knowing better. Willow blow off classes, right, she thought, about as likely as the moon being made out of cheese. "Sweetie, you wouldn't blow off class if your head was on fire. And I meant Buffy."

"Buffy what?"

"Understandable. About the crabby; I mean she has to look after Dawn now."

"Yeah, but not in a Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Girls way, I mean she'll just make Dawn even more rebellious..." Willow said as she put on her jacket.

"I had to deal with my brother's problems after, I mean... you really can't know what it's like to..." Tara was almost hesitant; she knew what Buffy was going through. Went through many of the same things after her Mother had died and she had to take care of her brother, and her Father. But she didn't want to hurt Willow's feelings, losing a parent was something no one could really understand until it happened to them.

"I know that," Willow's tone was defensive; there was a touch of bitterness in it too. Just a little but it didn't escape Tara's notice. She made a sound that was almost of displeasure, she frowned, not really at Willow, and sat on the bed next to her.

"I- I didn't mean..." Tara stuttered a little, something she hadn't done with Willow in a long time. She was getting a bad feeling about this.

"No, I just, I mean I know I can't know what you went through, I just..." Willow laughed, but it was a false laugh and they both knew it. "It's no big Wil Willow finished, but her tone was saying something else, there was a hint of... Tara wasn't sure but she thought it might be anger.

"I made you mad." Tara was nervous, worried, and that bad feeling was growing stronger.

"No, no..."

"All I meant was that..."

Willow took a deep breath pausing before she spoke. "...It's okay, the whole Buffy thing just... Forget it."

Tara wanted to let it go but she just couldn't. "No, please, if I... I mean, tell me if I said something wrong. Otherwise I know I'll say it again, probably often and in public."

Willow was thinking to herself she should let it go, but she didn't, this wasn't just about Buffy and what happened today, it had grown into more. Though, neither of them knew what.

"No, I was snippy gal, it's just... I know I can't, on some level..." Willow sighed, "...it's like my opinion isn't worth anything because I haven't been through..." She ped ped and sighed again, "I didn't lose my mom, so I don't know..."

"Well I'm not the expert, I mean, I only lost one..." Tara paused and began again uncertainly, almost afraid to ask. "Do I act like I'm the big Knowledge Woman?"

Without even realizing it, they had moved away from each other on the bed. There was a good foot between them now as they looked at each other.

"No..." Willow's voice was weak and her 'No' was not convincing. And Tara knew it, and Willow knew, she knew it.

"Is that no spelled Y-E-S?"

"S-O-R-T of... it's just... I mean I just feel like the junior partner sometimes, you've been doing everything longer than me, you've been out longer, and practicing witchcraft way longer..."

Tara frowned at Willow a little hesitant to saythinthing else but did anyway. "...Oh but you're way beyond me there. In just a few... I mean it frightens me how powerful you're getting." Willow frowned at her and Tara knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"That's a weird word."

Tara smiled nervously at Willow and purposely picked the wrong word when she replied. "Getting?"

"It frightens you? I frighten you?"

She should have listened to her instincts, listened to her feeling. She knew better after all these y, Ta, Tara jumped up from the bed. "That's so not what I mean. I meant impresses, impressive..."

"Well I took Psyche 101.....meanmean, I took it from an evil government scientist who was skewered by her Frankenstein-like creation right before the final...... but I know what a Freudian slip is." Willow was upset, she saw that Tara was as well, but she had to know. She had to ask her, she stumbled over her words a little. "D-D-Don't you trust me?"

"With my life!" Tara answered Willow quickly. But she knew that was not what Willow was asking her. Why didn't she just listen to her feeling, she berated herself silently again.

"That's not what I mean."

"Can't we just go the fair?" Tara was silently praying that Willow would say yes, but she already knew she wouldn't.

"I'm not feeling real multicultural right now. Wh... What is it about me that you don't trust?" Willow stood up, she was getting more upset by the second, but she couldn't let this go. The old Willow might have, but she wasn't that Willow anymore.

"It's not that. I worry. Sometimes... you're changing so much, so fast, I don't know... where you're heading..."

"Where I'm heading?" Willow was confused. This conversation was so far removed from where they had started. How did that happen she wondered, what was going on here?

"I'm saying everything wrong," she wasn't good at this, had never been good at expressing herself, explaining what it was that she wanted to say.

"I think you're being pretty clear. It isn't the witch thing... this is about the other changes in my life." There was so much vulnerability in Willow's voice, and right now that was how she felt.

"I trust you. I just..." Tara paused as she dropped her eyes from Willow's, and looked at the ground. "I trust you. I just... I don't know where Igonngonna fit in. In your life, when..."

Willow cut Tara off, her stance, tone confrontational. She didn't miss the look of surprise on Tara face. "When I change back? Yeah, this is just a college thing, just a little experimentation before I get over the thrill and head back to boys' town." Willow paused, again a little afraid to ask, a little afraid of the answer Tara will give her. "You think that?"

"Should I?"

"You know, I'm really sorry I didn't establish my lesbo street creed before I got into this relationship. But you're the only woman I've efallfallen in love with, so how on earth could you possibly take me seriously?" Willow's tone was bitter, she was angry, she was hurt, confused, so many emotions she couldn't handle them all.

Willow turned and started walking towards the door.

"Willow, please..." Tara pleaded.

"Have fun at the fair," Willow said not turning around, she opened the door and walked out.

Tara watched her receding back, and felt like the whole world had just dropped out from under her feet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside of the house, two of Glory's minions watched Buffy and her sister through the window. Buffy was folding towels, while Dawn was sitting at the dining room table doing homework. Dawn's expression changed from sullen to wary as she looked at her sister. Buffy was going on about charts and schedules, Dawn couldn't believe how excited her sister was about the whole chart idea thing. Dawn was angry, upset, with her sister, with the world in general, she leaned back and crossed her arms. Buffy stopped folding the towels and looked at Dawn.

"I'm just trying to give you a normal life."

"Well, good luck."

Buffy couldn't miss the sarcasm in Dawn's voice. She looked at Dawn and waited for Dawn to return her gaze. They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"What? What am I doing wrong now?" Dawn rolled her eyes at her sister, something she had unconsciously picked up from Buffy. They would never admit it but they were a lot alike the Summers' sisters.

"This is for real, Dawn."

"No, it isn't. I'm not real, so why would my exciting graph of chores be real? Who cares if a Key gets an education anyway?" Dawn slammed hchoochoolbook closed, and shoved it defiantly towards Buffy. Angry she folded her arms again.

Buffy pushed the schoolbook back at her. "It's not a graph. It's a chart. And you are real."

"Yeah? Those Monks put grades K through Eight in my head. Can't we just wait and see if they drop Nine in there too?"

Buffy slammed her hand down on the table, 'That's it!' she thought. Dawn jumped and winced, surprised.

"Dammit, Dawn, this is serious!"

"Why? shoushould I care about any of this?"

"Because they'll take you away!" Buffy yelled it at Dawn, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

Dawn stared in shock at Buffy, while Buffy tried to compose herself. She didn't want Dawn to see how scared she was, didn't want to scare her. There was enough for Dawn to worry about with Glory still on the loose, she was only fourteen, more then anything else in the world Buffy wanted her sister to have some semblance of a real childhood, unlike herself.

Dawn unfolded her arms, she was trembling a little, and she was scared.

"Take me away? What do you mean?"

Buffy consciously kept her voice soft and calm when she answered her sister, but a little fear made its way through anyway. "They'll take you away from me. That's what your principal told me when you weren't in the room. If I can't make you go to school, I won't be found fit to be your legal guardian."

There was a minute or two of silence between the two sisters as they stared at each other. Buffy started folding the towels again, needing something to do with her hands.

"Where would I go?"

"I don't... Dad, maybe? Or foster care? I didn't... I didn't really want to ask." Buffy answered her still keeping her voice soft.

"You could've told me that."

"I just did."

Buffy locked eyes with her sister, Dawn's eyes were pleading with her silently for a way out of all of this. Buffy shrugged, she was helpless, she was scared, she didn't know how to fix this, how to make it better. For the first time since being called, bea Sla Slayer didn't give her an edge, an advantage, in fact it could make things worse.

Buffy sat down across from Dawn. Even though only the length of the table separated them, they were very far apart, each caught up in their own nightmare.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faith came in the house and found them still sitting at the table. She took one look at both of their faces, the cheerful greeting dying on her lips. Something was seriously wrong.

"What? What happened? What's wrong?"

"Principal Stevens told Buffy they could take me away from her. Send me to Dad's or a foster home." Dawn's voice was trembling.

"LIKE FUCKING HELL THEY WILL!"

Buffy and Dawn looked at Faith in surprise, Faith's anger, her panic, her fear, pulling them out of their own. They watched as she started pacing around the table, ranting, throwing her hands up, mumbling under her breath. They had learned this was something Faith did when she was upset. They let her, knowing that until she vented, Faith wouldn't listen to anything.

In the middle of this, Buffy couldn't help but think how adorable Faith looked when she did this. Faith was just as upset over this as both Buffy and Dawn were, and if Buffy didn't already know she had made the right decision in asking Faith to take care of Dawn if something happened to her, she would have now. And Buffy loved her even more for it.

Dawn watched Faith pacing in circles, ranting, getting a little bit dizzy. As she watched her, a calm came over her, and the fear started to slip away. Dawn believed without a doubt that between Buffy and Faith, no one would ever be able to take her away from them. And Dawn loved them both even more for it.

Faith kept pacing and ranting.

'No one! No one will take away my family! No fucking way! Think F! T! Think! You can beat the system! You beat the system, the social workers all those years living with Mom and Johnny! Fooled them all! Know what they want to hear! They can't take Dawn away! Won't let them! Kill them first! Okay so I won't kill them. They can't have her! NO WAY! I love them both too much! Think! Calm down and think!'

They watched as her pacing slowed down, and Faith stopped flinging her hands around, as the mumbling became less and less. She finally stopped and stood at the head of the table. Her hands on her hips, looking a lot like the cocky Slayer that Buffy had first met, only now were there had been indifference in her expression, there was a calm confidence and love. She gave the sisters her infamous, Shit-Eating-Five-by-Five grin.

"Don't worry Gamin... For once, something good can come out of my fucked up childhood. I know my way inside and out, all around this whole social working, school system shit. We'll work it all out. It will be a cold day in hell before the fucking system beats me. A cold day in hell before anyone fucking takes you away from me and B!"

"Faith!" The sisters yelled together.

"What?" She yelled back, knowing damn well what they were going to say. She had cursed on purpose hoping to ease the tension a little.

"Cursing!" The sisters said in almost perfect sync.

All three laughed, and they knew that between the three of them they could handle this. No one, nothing, could separate them, together they could get through anything, together they were strong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was sitting in the magic shop alone. She was feeling afraid, sad, angry, confused and very alone. Their first fight had gotten so out of both of their control. Both saying the wrong things, both jumping to conclusions, and neither one saying what was really bothering them.

Willow sighed wearily, she knew one thing for certain, she loved Tara with all her heart and soul and she would do anything to keep her. She started to think about everything they had said. She saw that her feelings of being a Jr. Partner when it came to the connection that Tara shared with Buffy was a lot like what she had felt when she was threatened by the Slayer connection that Buffy and Faith shared. That was the crux of it, wasn't it?

Who was she afraid of losing? Tara? Buffy? Or both? She had been feeling left out, insecure, and helpless. Helpless because she didn't know what to do for Buffy and Dawn to make things better. Willow hadn't felt helpless in a very long time. She didn't know what to say to either Buffy or Dawn, didn't know what to do. Other than to mutter I'm sorry, she hadn't a clue as to what to say, to do. What she began to realize was that it was the helplessness that really made her feel this way, the inability to help out her friends when they needed her most. It was all confusing to her. But she knew one thing, her reaction to this was wrong. She should have talked to Tara about how she was feeling, and not have let it build up until it all came out in the wrong way.

The whole frightened-of-her thing just blew her away though. But the more she thought about it the more she could understand it. How many times had she heard stories of women or men who experimented while they were in college? If she remembered correctly it was called a one-off. It seemed to be happening more, now that being gay was in a very odd way, chic. She couldn't blame Tara for being a little afraid, it hurt her though to think that Tara doubted her love for her for even one second. She wondered though if it was simply that or was Tara truly afraid that Willow would leave her as her powers grew, if Tara's own powers didn't grow to be equal with hers.

They both should have talked to each other. They both had let their own insecurities keep them from speaking about their fears, what it was they weren't getting from each other, what it was that they needed from each other. They both had made mistakes. Willow looked at the door, and made her decision.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tara was sitting alone on a bench at the fair, a woman walked by and smiled at her seeing the sad expression on her face. The two witches would have been surprised to know that their thoughts almost echoed each other's exactly. Tara watched as the happy, smiling students walked past her with a blank expression on her face. There was music playing brightly in the background but Tara didn't hear it. She didn't notice that the sun was out and warm upon her skin. She vaguely registered the numerous booths that were set up with food, art and music from all different cultures. A large Chinese Dragon puppet was weaving through the crowd a little ways off in the distance she barely spared it a glance. There was an air of happy chaos on the quad. All she could think about was the fight, and how sad, scared and all alone she felt and how much she missed Willow.

She blinked, looking at the hand that slid into hers gently squeezing. Her first thought was Willow had found her. She started to look up, turning her head towards Willow, a smile beginning to form on her face, which quickly turned to fear and shock.

'OH GOD NO!'

Glory smiled at her, and Tara was frozen in place, the fear written across her face and Glory was loving it.

"This seat taken?" Glory asked in that irritating voice of hers. She tightened her hold on Tara's hand, ensuring she couldn't escape.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...The burning sermons purge their evil words ~ Between the Hammer and the Anvil...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow got up from where she was sitting. Her expression blank, she wandered over towards Giles by the counter who was cutting open a package tied in twine. When Giles asked her if she was all right she tried to lie but he wasn't buying it.

"I had a fight with Tara. It was awful."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"You two don't quarrel much, do you?"

"Never. 'Til today."

"Well, it's over now."

"Over? How can it be over? I just found her!" Willow panicked.

"The quarrel is over," Giles said in a calm voice, when he saw the panic spreading across Willow's face and heard it in her voice.

"Oh. Yeah."

As they talked, Giles picked up the merchandise and moved through the swinging doors, and placed the stuff on a shelf. Willow followed him. He looked intently for a second at the side door. The Ripper part of him could sense that there was something at the side door although it barely registered with him, the Giles part. He continued speaking to Willow in a calm, even tone.

"And you'll feel better when you make your apologies. Then you'll know you can fight without the world ending." Giles casually rested his hand on the doorknob while he continued speaking, "I know it must seem bleak now, but as they say, This too..." As his voice trailed off, Giles yanked open the door swiftly. One of Glory's minions fell through the door. Just as quickly, Giles slammed the door halfway, cracking the minion's skull with it. He pulled the door open again letting the minion fall face first onto the floor, and finished his sentence, "...shall pass."

Anya had run in during the commotione ane and Willow stared at Giles a little bit awed. "Wow!"

Giles grabbed the minion Slook, and dragged him into the open area of the shop. Taking a hold of the minion by the hair, he shoved him into a chair.

"Now, what do we have here?"

"He's one of those things that work for Glory," Anya told both Willow and Giles.

"Yes. How helpful."

The minion looked Giles square in the eyes before he spoke, "I do indeed work for the God. Let me go if you do not wish to incur her anger."

"But she's not here. What a marvelous opportunity for you and me to talk." There was something a little different about Giles, Willow thought as she looked at him. Was Giles letting a little bit of Ripper show through?

"I will never betray Glorificus. I will never talk, no matter what heinous torture..."

"Actually, you're talking quite a lot. But not about the right things. Tell us why you were here." Giles voice was hard, calm and determined. Now Willow was certain they were seeing a little bit of who Giles had been when he was called Ripper.

"No words shall pass my lips that would bring peril to Glorificus."

Giles held the minion's gaze while he directed a command to Willow and Anya, "Quickly you two, on the counter... get the twine. Let's tie him up."

Willow and Anya moved to the counter quickly and gathered up the twine. They were startled when they heard a loud crunching noise, followed by an anguished gasp and sob. They turned around and were amazed to see the minion on his knees; he was pale, sweaty, and trembling at Giles feet.

Desperately Slook said to Giles, "Don't... I'll tell you anything. Please. Whatever you want to know. Just... I'll... anything..."

"What happened?" Anya was confused, so was Willow for that matter. Did Giles do something while their backs were turned?

"He changed mindmind," Giles tone was almost casual, sheepish. He was once again just Giles; all traces of Ripper were gone.

"I'm... I'm supposed to watch. We're watching the Slayer's people," Slook hesitated, trying to compose himself; it didn't work, "while Glory fetches the Key."

The room become deathly silent, none of them wanted to register or understand what the minion had just said.

"Glory knows who the Key is?" Willow asked, panicked. They were all panicked.

"Oh God."

'Not my daughter. Oh God NO!'

"We've got to call Buffy."

"Too late. Too late. Glorificus will find the witch and there's nothing you can do to stop her."

"Witch. What do you mean..." Anya looked at him puzzled.

'TARA! OHGODNONONONO!'

"Tara!" Willow turned and started heading for the door. Tara, she had to get to Tara!

"Willow, wait. I'll go with..."

"No. Call Buffy. Go look in Tara's room. I'm going to check the Fair." Willow yelled firmly heading out the door, and then she was gone, trying her best to shove down the panic that threatened to overwhelm her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...Force rises ~ False rituals ~ Baptizes ~ The body and the soul...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Continued in Chapter XVIII – Between The Hammer & The Anvil (Part B)