After The End Of The End

"Get away from her, you prick!" A female voice called from somewhere higher, weight crashing into the back of Ace and Willow. {Buffy!} She mentally cried in joy, seeing Tara calm and rush forward. Both of their joy was short, when Willow hit the ground with Aces weight on top of her, a sharp, familiar pain tearing through her. She gasped in shock more than pain - this pain was horribly familiar. Buffy yanked Ace off her, tossing him into a wall. Tara stopped her when she tried to go to him, a menacing look on her face. 

"Go to Willow.. I've got this." The slayer stared at her for a second before nodding. 

***

Tara turned her glare to the man cowering against the wall. She felt no pity for this man. He may look human, but by now, he was a monster. Tara knew he'd never stop, and he had hurt Willow. He might come after her again. {No. He won't have the chance.} Tara decided firmly, raising a hand to end it. Magic wasn't supposed to be used for harm, but if she didn't get rid of this man, he would kill more people, possibly worse. Suddenly, she was flung across the room, slamming into Buffy and knocking her away from Willow. Ace got up, but this time, he ignored Willow and went for her. 

"Did you really think a simple binding spell would hold me? I just needed time to ruin your weak hold." Tara stood back up, glaring at him. Buffy got up beside her, but Ace just scoffed and flung her away with a wave of his hand. "It isn't nice to interrupt a party you weren't invited to, Slayer." Buffy got up with a grimace, and Tara felt anger rush through her when she saw a gash on her head, the anger rising more when she saw Willow again, covered in her own blood. Tara looked back to Ace, yelling in anger and throwing an invisible punch that hit him in the jaw. He stumbled backwards briefly, but just flung his own attack. When Tara dodged a ball of black magic, something punched her side, sending her to the ground again. Coughing, Tara started to get up, only to be hit again. Ace stalked over to her after fending off angry scoobies with a triumphant smirk, raising a ball of crackling magic to throw at her. 

***

Willow felt someone kneel beside her, groaning when she felt hands press on the wound that poured blood quickly through the stab mark, the knife still buried in her flesh. {For goddesses sake.. Why do i keep getting stabbed?} 

"Shit shit shit shit.." Buffy gasped, trying to stop the bleeding. When she looked up, Willow followed her gaze, her heart dropping. Tara had fallen to the ground and was coughing, getting hit by something when she tried to get back up. The other scoobies tried to attack Ace, who was advancing on her, but evidently got thrown away without more than a glance. Willow pushed at Buffys hands, 

"Go. Help Tara.." She wheezed, replacing Buffys hands with her own. Buffy stared at her for a moment, unsure what to do. Finally, Buffy got up, glancing at her again and rushing at Ace when she nodded weakly. Willow watched as she dodged one of Aces magical hits, only to be hit with another. After Buffy hit the ground, struggling to get up with a gash on her head that most likely signified a concussion, Ace refocused on Tara, deciding the other threats were gone. Willow saw crackles form at his fingertips, and felt the ripple of black magic fill the air, and took a hand away from her wound. She lifted her wrist to her mouth, grabbing the bracelet tightly in her teeth and tearing it off. Weakly, she waved her hand in Aces direction. It was meant to fling him away from Tara, but in her state, it only distracted him enough for his attack to crumble and disappear. He looked at her, then at the bracelet, clenching his teeth in anger. 

"You really think you're strong enough to defeat me right now?" Willow watched behind him calmly, her vision spotting every other second. "You aren't even strong enough to stand - or even sit - up! Do you really think you have the power to kill me?" Willow smiled weakly, 

"No.. But she does." Ace spun around. Tara had stood back up, her eyes focused on his chest. Before he could even do or say anything, she snapped, stopping his heart in an instant. He fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes open wide. Tara looked at Willow next. Willow smiled weakly at her. Tara cried out her name as she went limp.