Love Through Touch

Disclaimer: See Part 1

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Tara jerked awake when she felt something soft brush across her hand. She turned her startled gaze on one of the little girls.

"Sorry, I just wanted to use you as a pillow" the girl muttered moving slowly away. Her movements were tired, and looked stiff.

Tara stopped her and pulled her close "It's okay honey" she gathered her into her lap, and rested the small head on her shoulder "What's your name?"

"Jean" the little girl whispered. She captured a lock of Tara's hair between her fingers and began to slowly twirl it around.

"Are you psychic Jean?" Tara asked. She ran her fingers through the short mop of curly brown hair on the girls head. The unruly 'do' reminded her of Xander.

"Yeah. It makes my head hurt sometimes" Jean muttered looking into Tara's kind blue eyes "and it's scary too. I'd have dreams and, then things would really happen"

"Like you knew about them before they happened?" Tara smiled down at the girls lightly freckled face.

"No. Like I made them happen. I'd dream that there was a cat in my room. Then I'd wake up in the morning and it was there" Jean explained cuddling closer.

"You can bend reality?" Tara frowned. Something about that power jiggled some memory in her mind. She couldn't bring it to the forefront. It was like something was blocking her brain from remembering.

“I guess" Jean looked nervous "Do you still like me?"

"Yeah honey, your A-okay with me" Tara smiled when she realized the confused look on her face was making the child nervous "Hyatt is a good friend of mine. She's an Empath"

"She touches people and she knows things?" Jean asked. She'd never been formally trained. Most of what she knew came from books.

"Yes. But she can tell a little bit more. Will you talk to her?" Tara had a feeling that this little one might be their key out of this hell.

"Will you be there?" Jean wasn't sure she wanted to leave the safety of the witches warm lap.

"You don't even have to move" Tara said as the doctor escorted Hyatt back into the cell.

Hyatt looked exhausted. There was gauze on her left wrist, and several pink spots along her hair line. She was miserable.

"Electro shock" Faith stated from her cell when she saw Hyatt slide down the wall until she was sitting "Does it still burn?"

Hyatt mutely shook her head 'no'.

"Is she okay?" Jean whispered when she to took in the sight of the silent trembling form that was Hyatt.

Tara lifted herself onto her hands and feet. Making herself like a walking chair, she moved next to Hyatt with Jean still firmly in her lap.

"Hyatt are you okay?" Tara whispered holding back tears. She'd never seen Hyatt look this way. Not even after the last confrontation with her father.

She was sitting staring blankly ahead, her face expressionless, her entire body trembling.

"Hyatt I need you. We need you to get out of here" Tara touched her and was surprised at how warm her friends body was. She was on fire, but she wasn't sweating.

"Hyatt! Dammit Hyatt snap out of it" Madison raged next to Faith, even going as far as to bang on the glass.

Hyatt's head snapped to the side at the sound of her old friends voice.

Jean in a moment of bravery leaned forward and rested her hand on Hyatt's bare arm. /Don't give up yet/ she thought.

Hyatt's head snapped around to meet the rich brown eyes.

Tara just looked oddly between them.

Faith's brow rose, and Madison nearly stopped breathing when Hyatt jerked herself away from the touch, slamming up against the glass.

Tara knew her head had to hurt. She'd heard the solid 'thunk' when it connected with the thick glass.

"I didn't mean to scare you" Jean said nervously "I just thought-"

"How old are you?" Hyatt demanded.

Jean's eyes widened and she smiled.

"I'm 8."

"When's your birthday?" Madison chimed in when she realized where Hyatt was headed.

"I don't know. They found me in a dumpster" Jean said bitterly "Like I'm trash. Not good enough to love" her face turned an angry red she grabbed the sides of her head "I didn't do anything wrong I swear" she shook her head continually "I didn't. I don't know why I do it. They all send me away"

Tara was beginning to panic when Hyatt pulled the girl out of her lap and grabbed her hands away from her hair.

"Stop" Hyatt demanded. Her voice strong though she looked weak "What's her name?"

"Jean" Tara supplied.

"Jean look at me" Hyatt demanded.

The little girl began to rock herself "Don't wanna"

"Jean I need your help" Hyatt tried.

"I can't help you I'm too little" Jean argued not opening her eyes, she continued to rock herself.

Hyatt moved her hands down to the childs arms and squeezed slightly.

"Ow!" Jean snapped and looked her dead in the eye "That hurt"

"Don't give up yet" Hyatt stated "Can you answer one question for me?"

"What?" Jean looked to Tara then back at Hyatt. She wasn't scared at all, somehow these girls made her feel safe.

Hyatt reached under her shirt and pulled out a small chain with a black stone on it "Would you like to wear this?"

Madison started laughing. Cordy decided that both girls had lost their minds. Tara looked on curiously, and Faith just wanted to know why the hell all this mattered.

Jean slowly accepted the silver chain and the black stone. It was still warm from Hyatt's skin and she cradled it in the palm of her hand.

"Why are you giving me this?" she met Hyatt's eyes. There were tears in her own. It was very rare anyone gave her something, especially for no apparent reason.

"Because I think you need it more than I do" Hyatt said. She took the chain back and unclapsed it.

Jean lifted her hair and allowed Hyatt to fasten it around her neck and adjust it a bit so that it fell neatly over her heart. It was then Jean noticed two things.

The buzzing in her head, which was a constant reminder that she was different, stopped. And that the headache that was just as constant, wasn't there anymore.

"What is this?" Jean lifted the smooth rock and studied her. She quinted at it and noticed several signs engraved into it.

"It's a focusing stone. It creates a magic in your body that allows you to focus you power and keep it from running away with you" Tara said realizing what it was. She'd never known that Hyatt had one. Though she would need it to control her reactions at unwanted and unplanned contact with other people.

"I also need a favor" Hyatt said slowly "It's not why I gave you the stone so stop thinking that" she reprimanded when the thought raced through Jean's mind.

"What do you need? I don't have anything to give you" Jean realized she was the only child left in their cell. The other two had gone for testing.

"I need to 'borrow' some of your power" Hyatt explained "We have friends on the outside where we can get word to them. We can get outta here"

"How are you gonna do that?" Jean asked, She'd read about power tranfusions. It wall seemed scary and dangerous to her. She'd always wondered why she had such an interest in magic.

"I just need to touch you" Hyatt said.

"Will it hurt?" Jean frowned and backed up into Tara.

"Never" Hyatt drew an 'X' across her chest "you'll just fall asleep for a while"

Jean looked to Tara for advice. She recieved a reassuring smile.

When she turned back around, Tara's smile fell she she looked pensive.

"Okay"
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It was early evening and Willow was losing hope of finding them that night. They knew they were at the Campus, but she had no clue how to get in.

"Are you sure we can't just take the Elevator down?" Xander asked for the 6th time.

"They'll expect that. And it's in a Frat House" Buffy said for the 6th time.

"We have to find another way in bone-head" Star pouted from her seat next to Willow.

"Hey no being mean to Uncle Xander" Buffy admonished.

"But he's getting us NOWHERE!" Star cried and got out of her seat "I don't like this. I want them back!"

Buffy rushed to lift the little girl into a hug that Star fought away.

"Star" Buffy cried between dodging her flailing arms "We all want them back. But throwing a tantrum isn't gonna help them any"

"I don't think any of this is helping them any"

Star's body when slack, and all eyes turned on the soft voice in the doorway.

"Welcome to the Magic Box are you here to spend money?" Anya greeted brightly.

"Money?" the woman questioned "Maybe some other time. Fatima sent me"

It was so silent everyone's heart could be heard beating.

"Do you have any idea how to find them?" Giles asked. He was seriously worried about both the young women. When Buffy had told him about her vision in the car, he'd panicked as well. He knew Hyatt didn't scare easy, and Tara? unconscious wasn't a good sign either.

"I can break the demon's spell" the woman informed them.

"That's better than nothing" Anya said hopefully "Right?"

"Yeah, An. It's alot better" Willow was almost tempted to smile. Almost. She wanted Tara back safe. And she had a feeling Buffy needed Hyatt back too.

"When you cast next, use a Yemen Pearl" the woman stepped back through the open door.

Mycah entered seconds later.

Every was still staring in astonishment.

"What?" Mycah asked ushering Kole behind her.

"Did you just see-?" Buffy began pointing at the door.

"All I saw was an open door" Mycah said slowly.

"Was there someone here?" Kole asked before rushing to Anya for a hug. After which she made herself comfortable in Willow's lap.

"A woman. She said Fatima sent her. Why wouldn't Fatima come herself?" Giles cleaned his glasses again. He was trying to hide the emotion the girl's appearance rose in him. She looked so much like Hyatt. He wanted both his missing surrogate daughters safely back with their loved ones where they belonged.

"Tall, dark, amazingly polite. Told us to use a Ye-haw pearl" Xander said standing "And may I say. Wow. Family resemblance"

"Ye-haw?" Mycah frowned.

"A Yemen Pearl" Willow corrected "She said to use a Yemen pearl when I cast the tracking spell next"

"I don't know who it could be. Are you sure it wasn't Lucita?" Mycah asked.

"It wasn't her. This woman was human, in the way she had a tan" Willow said quickly.

"And you managed to notice that the whole 20 seconds she was in here?" Buffy sat down cradling, a now sleeping restlessly, Star in her lap.

"I'm observant" Willow defended.

"Or really horny" Anya said under her breath.

"Oh shut -" Willow began.

A faint silver light lit up the room and everyone sat frozen in their seats. Mycah forced herself to move away from a particuarly bright spot.

Several moments later Hyatt appeared through the light looking tired and dizzy.

"Hyatt? Oh my goddess are you two okay? Where's Tara?" Willow rushed.

"I...I can't stay like this long. I'm using borrowed power. You know where we are?" Hyatt's voice reverberated around the room when she spoke.

"Yes, your on UC Sunnydale Campus. Do you know a way in?" Buffy asked a soft look on her face. Even this small glimpse gave her hope.

"They say there isn't a way. But we got in so there has to be. I know it's in an obvious place. Well trafficked" Hyatt said shimmering and weaving slightly.

"Are you okay sweetie?" Buffy asked the softly sadness in her voice coming out.

"We're in hell. Tara's faring better than me. Thank the goddess for that. We have a plan but we need your help" Hyatt began to blink "She's getting weaker"

"Who? How do we get in?" Willow rushed.

"She's a friend. Tracking spell. Where ever it ends, we're there" Hyatt said. The astrial projection of her looked behind her into the store, but was seeing something different.

"What's wrong?" Buffy and Mycah said in unison.

"Mycah?" Hyatt turned back around "We're....we don't have much time. Shift change is at 9:24. You have a 3 minute slot to get to the main computer lab. Some loud tech said it's in a cave or something. Check the woods around the Pre-school" the projection flickered again.

"How will you know we're there? How will we know where you are?" Buffy begged. She didn't want to lose hope. But she knew this was a one time chance.

"You'll know. I'll know. Just 'feel' for us" Hyatt said before disappearing completely.

"Where's that Yemen Pearl" Willow yelled from where she was digging through the assembled stone merchandise.

"I know" Anya said moving quickly to get up, still holding Kole in her arms.

The located it quickly.

"Let's do this" Willow said with her resolve face firmly in place.
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"What the hell are you doing?" Cash demanded when she saw Hyatt quickly remove her fingers from the temples of her sleeping charge.

"Making sure she has good dreams. She deserves that much don't ya think?" Hyatt smart mouthed.

"I really don't like you. You think your all high and mighty" Cash pulled open the cage and pulled her out roughly.

Hyatt screamed. Without the focusing stone, controlling the burning sensation from her pure hatred was hard. But Jean needed the stone more, and they'd be out of this soon.

"Oh did that hurt?" Cash asked before slapping Hyatt to the ground.

Faith lunged against the glass barrier, actually putting a large dent in it.

"I see that muscle relaxers are wearing off. I'll see that you get more" Cash turned and called for two burly gaurds "I want these two brought to Exam 6. I have a few 'test' I want to run"

Madison tried to fight them as well when they entered for Faith. She was giving them a rough enough time, and with Madison's help Faith got loose. Angered the gaurd back handed the young woman.

She flew backwards and hit the wall hard enough to knock her out.

Cordelia flew into a rage. She pressed the palms of her hands to the glass and felt the anger rise inside her.

The gaurd who'd struck Madison grabbed his chest and began to scream out in pain. He fell to the ground writhing in pain.

Cash looked the part demon in the eye and dragged Hyatt away screaming back at the remaining guard "FIND THE DAMN SLAYER, and don't forget to blindfold that annoying one!"

"What kind of demon are you?" Tara sobbed. She hoped Madison would be okay. That Hyatt would be okay. She knew Faith was fine as long as they couldn't catch her.

"I don't know. I'm still waiting to sprout some horns and a tail" Cordelia looked down at her own hands. They looked no different from moments before. She looked at the glass. It was blackened in a hand shape where she'd touched it.

"Maybe a Vengance demon?" Tara smiled slightly.

"It could happen" Cordy shrugged "Now let's just hope Faithy doesn't desert us"
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