Reward and Reprisal

by Lisa Countryman

© July- October 2001

Please do not archive, link or reproduce without Author's Written Permission

Disclaimers: All characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Weldon and no copyright infringement is intended. Many of the goddess, sacred places, and legends mentioned are based on actual myths. They have been changed to fit the more ‘good versus evil’ setup in the Buffy universe. Actual Pagan deities were not evil hellbitches like Glory.

This is a sequel to ‘Retribution and Reward,’ and it will help if you’ve read it first.

Spoilers: All episodes are fair game.

Disclaimers: I do not own any of these characters, and I am not making any money on them. (If I owned them, BTVS would be called "Willow and Tara’s Wiccan lovenest.")

CHAPTER NINE

Xander pulled up in front of Giles’ house just in time to see a young man approaching the front door.

"Hey, Dawnie, look." Xander pointed at the stranger. "It’s Giles junior."

"I didn’t know anyone that young wore tweed." Dawn giggled.

"Let’s get this mechanical beast of a car parked and go see what’s the what." Xander pulled into a space and began to parallel park.

"Cool." Dawn finished off her ice cream cone while she watched the young man knock on the door.

*****

"Charles, good man. Come in, come in." Lambton opened the door and ushered in his assistant. "Good lord, what happened to you," he added when he saw that Charles was pale and sweating.

"I couldn’t get the ancient Cabala text," Charles said as he came inside. "Oh, hello." He smiled at Giles.

"Rupert Giles." Giles extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Charles Graham." He shook Giles’ hand and then looked back to the professor. "The museum was broken into. Everything is in a shambles."

"Did they take the Koala book?" Buffy asked.

"Cabala," Giles corrected. "It’s an ancient tradition of the mystic that predates Judaism." He looked over at Charles. "Did they take them?"

"They destroyed them," Charles said sadly. "There were early accounts in there that explain mystic rituals that haven’t been seen in thousands of years." He sighed. "And now we’ll never know about them."

"Here now," Lambton scolded gently. "We can’t fret over a few damaged texts."

Giles and Charles gasped in unison.

"I just meant that we can find those rituals in other texts," Lambton quickly amended. "The library in Cairo has an extensive collection of Cabala texts."

"Yes, but that won’t help us now, will it?" Giles took off his glasses and wiped them. They were perfectly clean, but it was a nervous habit he hadn’t been able to break.

"Maybe Willow can pull something off her witchy Internet sites," Buffy offered.

"Witchy?" Charles looked at Buffy as if she had just suggested serving the Queen Mother diet cola during high tea. "You can’t believe in that superstitious nonsense can you?"

"I’ve told you, Charles, you have much to learn," Lambton said as he shook his head. "Ah, youth." He looked over at Giles. "To be naïve and carefree once more."

"Indeed," Giles agreed.

"Well, I’m still young … how come I never got to be carefree?" Buffy grumbled.

"Perhaps you should fetch Willow?" Giles asked.

"Sure, fine, whatever you say." Buffy sulked as she went to get her Wiccan friends from the kitchen.

The front door swung open and Dawn and Xander came into the room.

"Oh, wow, it’s a Giles convention!" Xander stared at the newcomers. "All this tweed in one place. The local … tweed … um, whatever animals you get tweed from … must be workin’ overtime."

"Sheep," Dawn said as she squeezed past Xander. "Tweed is wool, and wool is from sheep."

"Xander, Dawn," Giles rolled his eyes. "This is Doctor Lambton from the museum and his assistant, Charles Graham."

"Pleasure," Lambton said.

"Nice to meet you," Charles chimed in.

"Hi." Dawn waved as she headed for the kitchen and a snack. She had finished her ice cream cone and was now starving again.

"So, um, Giles…" Xander pointed at the two men standing next to the Watcher. "I don’t think the museum likes it when you take samples … and uh, stealing their stuffy English guys? They hate that."

"Doctor Lambton is helping us with our problem," Giles said impatiently. "His assistant was, well, assisting."

"Buffy said the museum was broken into," Willow exclaimed as she rushed into the room. "They destroyed books? Ancient mystic books? That’s just wrong!"

"It’s okay, honey," Tara said as she followed her lover into the room.

"Jenny!" Charles said excitedly. He rushed toward Tara, not noticing that the beautiful blonde was completely taken off guard by his approach. "I waited for your call." He smiled and took Tara’s hand and kissed her knuckles. "Seeing you in person is so much better."

Tara’s eyes almost popped out of her head and she stared at the young man who was now holding her hand and caressing her fingers.

"Tara?" Willow’s eyes widened as she watched the display, and then her green eyes narrowed. "Ahem?" Willow put both hands on her hips.

Tara backed away from the amorous young man. She scooted to Willow’s side and looked over at Giles for an explanation.

"What is it, Jenny?" Charles asked. Confusion covered his face.

"I believe you’re confusing Tara with her … sister," Giles said as he stepped between Tara and Charles. "Jenny is her twin," Giles bluffed lamely.

"Twin?" Charles studied Tara and slowly he noticed the fact that she was holding onto the beautiful redhead’s hand and that the same beautiful redhead looked like she wanted to rip his head off. "Oh, yes. I can see it now. You really don’t look that much alike. Terribly sorry."

Tara nodded mutely. She could feel Jenny’s reaction and it didn’t improve her mood. Jenny’s emotions were bleeding through, and besides a slight feeling of guilt, Jenny’s overwhelming reaction was amusement and ghostly laughter.

"How exactly do you know Jenny?" Willow’s asked as her eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"I rather think that she and I are about to become something of an item," Charles said proudly. "I’m a gentleman, but after our afternoon together, I certainly think she fancies me a great deal." He puffed out his chest, unaware that Willow was shaking with rage.

"Really?" Willow asked coldly. "And what did you do this afternoon?"

"Honey?" Tara tugged Willow’s hand. When the redhead glanced her way Tara gave their interlocked hands a gentle shake. "You’re kinda’ hurting me."

"Baby?" Willow’s eyes widened and her burning anger dissolved in an instant. She looked down and realized that she had been squeezing her lover’s fingers. It was the same hand that Glory had broken and Tara’s fingers were still tender. "Oh, Tara, goddess, I’m so sorry." She cradled the injured hand between both of hers and painted Tara’s fingers with kisses.

"That’s definitely not my Jenny," Charles said as he looked around the house.

"Well, Jenny can get carried away," Giles said bitterly. "I’d hate to see you hurt by a harmless flirtation."

"Your daughter wasn’t toying with me," Charles said defensively. "She and I connected."

"What?" Willow spun and faced Charles.

"I just meant that we talked about a great many things," Charles said as he backed away. He could see that the redhead was quite defensive of Jenny’s honor and he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. "We talked, nothing more."

"That better be all she did," Willow grumbled.

Tara moved past Willow and wrapped her arms around her lover from behind. She pressed her body into Willow’s back and smirked when she felt the redhead immediately relax. "I’m sure sis didn’t do anything she shouldn’t," Tara whispered. ‘At least I hope she didn’t,’ she added in her thoughts.

"Yeah, well, my girlfriend’s body … and … and … stupid Ghost," Willow mumbled under her breath so that only Tara could hear. "Who does she think she is? Stupid Jenny."

"Okay, as intriguing as this episode of ‘the Mystical Dating Game’ is, we need to get back on track." Buffy used to the rare opportunity to correct Giles. "Can you focus please?"

"Yes, we should move forward." Giles met Lambton’s eyes and then looked over at Charles. "The fewer ... untrained people present the better."

"Begging your pardon, but how am I supposed to become trained if I don't get any experience?" Charles was hoping to see Jenny again.

"And you shall have experience," Lambton said. "The museum needs reorganizing after the break-in. I’m putting you in charge."

"But..." Charles looked over at Tara wishing she was Jenny.

"But nothing. Be on your way," Lambton ordered.

"Your eyes are blue," Charles said as he ignored Lambton.

"Um, yeah," Tara said slowly.

"Jenny’s are Brown. I’ve never seen twins with different colored eyes." Charles stared at the blond witch.

"Contacts," Buffy said. "Jenny wears contacts."

"Oh, I rather liked the brown." Charles sighed. "I guess I should be going." He smiled at Tara. "You’ll tell Jenny I was here?" he added sheepishly.

"Yeah, sure," Willow snapped as she pulled away from Tara. She grabbed Charles’ arm and yanked him to the door. "Nice meeting you. It’s been fun." She ripped the door open. "That museum won’t clean itself." She shoved him out the door and waved. "Bu-bye now." She slammed the door shut. "Stupid Jenny, and Mister junior tweed might as well have just drooled all over Tara right here in front of me," she mumbled as she turned back around to face her friends. "What?" she asked defensively.

"Rude much?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

"You know, you probably could have smacked him around a little," Anya said. "He’s so in lust with Tara he probably wouldn’t have even called the police."

"Not me. Jenny, I mean Miss Calendar," Tara said as she blushed.

"We do have a ritual to perform." Giles cleared his throat. "Professor Lambton, the ritual only requires darkness, not any specific phase of the moon, correct?"

"That’s correct." Lambton was nervous. He had read about hundreds of mystical events, but never witnessed any. He didn’t like the idea of his introduction to the mystic being a battle with a hellgod.

"Well then, we have a great deal of work before nightfall." Giles moved over to Tara. "You have the sacred word, so that means you’ll be facing Glory when we cast her into the underworld."

Tara nodded.

"Wait a minute!" Willow panicked. "No, no Tara facing Glory. Bad idea. Very bad idea."

"Honey, I have the sacred word." Tara took Willow’s hand. "It has to be me."

"Then tell me the stupid word." Willow’s lower lip quivered. "Tara, you can’t face her. The last time … you died."

"I was alone then, sweetie." Tara lifted the edge of her lip up into a half grin. "You’ll be with me this time."

"Died?" Lambton asked. "You died? How are you here then?" He was out of his element and suddenly wishing he was still in England.

"Death isn’t nearly permanent as it sounds," Buffy said in a bored tone. "Trust me on this. I’ve been dead twice … once for a really long time."

"Besides, Tara was only pretend dead, to fool Glory," Dawn added.

"It seemed real enough to me." Willow shivered at the memory of seeing Tara’s lifeless body in the dormitory hall.

"I don’t understand," Lambton said as rubbed his forehead. "And frankly, I don’t think I want to, so can we just get on with this?"

"Certainly," Giles said. "We have everything we need, so it should be rather simple." He went and picked up the Horn of Gilgamesh and handed it to Willow. "I had assumed that Tara would use the Eye for protection and Buffy would use the Horn to focus her limited abilities." He cleared his throat nervously and locked eyes with Willow. "I thought you’d be facing down Glory, but if Tara is to take that role, you’ll need the horn to gather your strength to assist Tara while Buffy uses the Eye to increase her strength."

Willow scowled at the stone horn.

"Honey, I’ll be safe. Glory has no clue what we’re doing so I won’t be in any danger." Tara smiled. "I promise. What could go wrong?"

Willow shivered at the question. She pulled Tara into a protective hug.

"That’s a question we don’t ask. Scoobies ask that and all kinds of badness happens," Xander said from the far side of the room. "Tempting fate … not such a good idea."

"Yeah, especially since Glory is the all powerful Inanna," Anya added.

"Gee, thanks," Willow said as she ran her hand down Tara’s back. "Like I needed to be reminded about that."

"I’ll be fine," Tara whispered. "I swear. Glory won’t know what hit her."

*****

"So, as you can see, most shining and fantastic of the divine ones, the Slayer and her friend have the two magical items from the museum," Jinx said as he handed Glory a sheet of paper. "This is the inventory from the museum. It’s clear that the Horn of Gilgamesh and the Eye of Ereshkigal were here until this afternoon."

"Damn Slayer." Glory picked up her couch and flung it across the apartment. "It’s bad enough that she stole my Key and broke it, but now she’s snatching up my sacred tools."

"Technically, they were tools used against you," Dreg said. His eyes widened and he backed away. "But they should have been yours all along … most glorious Glory."

"I should toss you out the window," Glory said as she picked at a chip on her fingernail. "But right now I’m more concerned about getting my things back." She looked over at Jinx. "Remind me to toss him out the window when this is all finished."

"My life’s destiny is to serve your desire," Jinx said as he bowed. He grabbed his Dayplanner and penciled in Dreg’s beating for the next day. "Is nine a.m. tomorrow good for you?"

"Please," Glory scoffed. "After a night of killing the Slayer and her friends, I’ll need to sleep in. Make it noon, after a nice hot bath."

"Noon it is, most magnificent and effulgent of deities." Jinx snapped his Dayplanner closed.

Dreg tried to swallow but his mouth was completely dry.

"Now then," Jinx began. "Even though they have the tools, they are only mildly effective without the sacred word." He turned to Glory. "How would you like to proceed?"

"The Slayer will need a witch to use the Horn or the Eye against me." Glory walked over to the table and picked through a pile of jewelry. "I feel like a little witchy entertainment, and that little redhead still owes me for all those nasty spells she used on me."

"A brain sucking?" Dreg asked.

"As if." Glory threw a glass at Dreg. "I’m gonna’ tear her into little pieces, maybe do some stomping while I’m at it."

"Of course, most sparkling one," Dreg said with an insincere smile.

"Jinxy, where has the witch been hiding since I killed her little blonde honey?" Glory smiled when she found a necklace she liked.

"Well, your spies have some rather … unpleasant news on that front, magnanimous and forgiving Glorificus," Jinx said solemnly.

"What?" Glory rushed to Jinx’s side in a blur of motion. "I don’t like bad news, Jinxy."

"Of that I am most aware," Jinx said delicately. "It would seem that the dead blonde witch is not nearly as dead as we first believed."

"She’s alive?" Glory crinkled her brow.

"So it would seem." Jinx lowered his head.

Glory squealed and clapped her hands.

"Great Glorificus?" Dreg asked.

"The little nummy witch pulled a fast one on me." Glory continued to laugh. "Where is she?" Her smile widened.

"With the others at the Watcher’s home." Jinx slowly lifted his head.

"Well then, I guess it’s time I gave Willow something to cry about," Glory said with a predatory grin. "I’m gonna’ kill her lover, and I’m gonna make it messy."

"Your skills are legendary," Jinx said reverently. "Will you need weapons?" he asked as he picked up his cell phone and slipped it into a pocket inside his robe.

"No," Glory said darkly. She flexed her fingers and studied them. "This calls for hands-on attention." She chuckled. "See what Willow says when I rip her lover’s spine out and toss it to her."

"I think she’ll scream," Dreg offered.

"Oh, she’ll scream all right." Glory nodded her head. "Especially when she realizes that her precious girlfriend is still alive."

Jinx cringed. He had seen Glory do that particular trick once before. The victim had been a minion who had lost one of the hellgod’s ancient scrolls. Glory had ripped his spine out and left the lower portion dangling out of his back between his shoulder blades. The damage was horrific, but with the upper spine intact, he had lived for a few hours as he bleed to death on the floor of Glory’s apartment. There was still a stain under one of the couches from the encounter.

"Well, let’s go," Glory yelled. "I may have all of eternity, but those witches don’t." She fluffed her hair. "These damn humans age quickly and I want the blonde witch nice and healthy before I rip her into pieces."

"Yes, Glorificus," Dreg and Jinx said in unison as they hurried out the door behind Glory.

*****

"Why did it have to be here?" Buffy asked as she stared at the pile of rubble littering the ground.

"Because, this tower was where Glory died last time." Giles rested his hand on Buffy’s shoulder to calm the frazzled Slayer. "Our chances of sending her to the hell dimension are greatest here." He guided Buffy toward Willow and Tara. The two witches were clearing a large area so they could create a sacred circle.

"Hey, Buffy." Willow was sweating and had to wipe an errant bead of perspiration from her face as she greeted Buffy. "We could really use you in the heavy lifting department." She nodded toward a pile of steel beams a few feet away.

"If the council ever fires me, I can always get a job as a furniture mover." Buffy grabbed a huge beam and carted it away.

"We could use muscles like those on the construction site," Xander said with a smirk.

"Stop looking at her muscles." Anya slapped the back of Xander’s head.

"An, haven’t we discussed this?" Xander rubbed his aching head. "No beating me in public."

"But I can still smack you at home?" Anya asked hopefully.

"Let me rephrase that. No beating me," Xander said grouchily.

"He’s so whupped," Willow whispered.

Tara nodded as she continued to work. She was already exhausted and the idea that she was going to face Glory was just adding to her growing stress.

"Tara, baby?" Willow went to her lover’s side. "What’s up?" She took Tara by the arm.

"I feel … off." Tara looked at Willow and frowned. "And that’s saying a lot considering that in the last few days I’ve died, been possessed by a dead teacher, and then found out that I have to face my worst nightmare of a hell-bitch."

"Tell me the sacred word and I’ll do it," Willow said as she cupped Tara’s chin in her palm. "You’ve been through enough, darling."

"That hobbit guy said it had to be me," Tara reminded her lover.

"Yes, and we can so trust Glory’s evil minion." Willow rolled her eyes.

Tara cringed and grabbed her forehead. She lost her footing and Willow had to grab the blonde to keep her from falling.

"Tara?" Willow looked across the compound for help. "Buffy!"

"Damn it. I am so sick of this crap." As soon as the words crossed Tara’s lips, it was obvious that Tara was no longer speaking.

"Jenny," Willow said hollowly. She backed away, but she kept her hands firmly around the other woman’s arms to steady her.

"That would be me," Jenny said as she opened her eyes. Tara’s blue eyes had shifted to brown. "Sorry."

"What’s up?" Buffy realized what was wrong as soon as she saw the brown eyes looking back at her. "Miss Calendar."

"Tara’s exhausted," Jenny said bluntly. "She isn’t meant to be carting around two souls and it’s overtaxing her mystical and physical resources."

"Well, she can’t do this spell if she’s all exhausted," Willow said in a rush. "She’s not up to it. We have to let her rest, or get rid of Miss Calendar first… no offense," she quickly added.

"None taken," Jenny replied. "But I don’t think we have that option."

"Why not?" Buffy asked. Willow’s plan seemed like a good idea. They could lay low until Tara was rested and then deal with Glory. "Why can’t we do this later?"

"Dear lord," Giles exclaimed. He pointed across the rubble-filled compound.

"Because…" Jenny sighed. "We just ran out of time." She pointed at Glory who was walking toward them flanked by a dozen of her minion. She staggered and her eyes returned to blue. "Now she leaves?"

"Is this a private party or can any god join in the fun?" Glory licked her lips and then winked at Willow. "I’ve got something special in mind for you, Broomhilda."

*****

"Giles!" Buffy grabbed a sword and stepped in front of Willow and Tara and faced Glory. "Don’t they teach manners in hell?" Buffy asked. "You were so not invited."

"I always was a party crasher," Glory said with a shrug.

"We figured that out … Inanna," Willow taunted. "You shouldn’t try to take over other gods’ realms! That’s just wrong."

Glory raised one eyebrow and smiled at Willow. "I’m really gonna enjoy this." She leaned to one side so she could look past Buffy and get a clear view of Tara. "Hey, sweet cheeks, you look a whole lot better than the last time I saw you."

"Leave her alone," Buffy and Willow said in unison.

"Touchy," Glory nodded to her minion. "Kill the others. Leave the Slayer and the witches to me."

"Oh dear," Lambton said. He was standing behind Giles and wasn’t quite sure what to do.

"Can you use a sword?" Giles asked as he held out a heavy, extremely sharp weapon to the other man. It was a mid-sized sword designed to use with one hand, but the handle was big enough to allow both hands on the grip so it could be swung with brutal force.

"I was on the fencing team at Oxford." Lambton took the weapon and felt its weight and balance. "A bit heavy," he commented.

"This isn’t fencing," Giles threw an ax at one of the minion and killed it where it stood. "We fight for our lives, not points."

"You obviously never faced my coach after losing a match point," Lambton joked dryly. "I take it we stab anything that looks like it could use a skin conditioner?" He pointed at a scaly minion who was edging closer.

"Precisely." Giles charged, swinging a battle-ax as he went.

"Into the fray," Lambton yelled. The first minion he met deflected his sword and kicked him in the crouch. "Here now, that’s not aboveboard." He managed to get the sword up before the minion could attack again. Just as he drew back to swing at the creature, a spray of blood covered Lambton’s face.

"Demons don’t fight fair," Giles said as he pushed the minion to the ground and pried an ax from the dead creature’s back. "No time for finesse, just stab and move on."

"Yes, of course," Lambton agreed. He shoved Giles aside and impaled a charging minion in the chest. "Messy work," he added and he pulled the sword out of the dying beast.

"Quite," Giles agreed. He pointed his sword toward Willow. "We have to keep these creatures out of the way while Willow casts her sacred circle."

In the circle, Willow had her own worries.

"I’ve got something really special in mind for you," Glory told Tara with a smile.

"I’m going out on a limb here, and saying… I don’t think I want it." Tara took a step backward.

"Not gonna’ happen." Buffy flipped through the air and landed in front of Glory. "So not gonna happen." Buffy punched the hellgod, sending her flying across the small sacred circle. "Wow, this eye of screeching gal kicks ass."

"Eye of Ereshkigal," Tara whispered.

"It won’t be enough." Glory climbed to her feet and twisted her head to one side. Her neck popped as she twisted her head once in each direction. "Besides, you’ll need witches." Glory smiled. "And I’ve got plans for them." She streaked across the circle in a flash of motion and picked Tara up by the throat and carried her several yards away so Willow could have a good view of what she was about to do.

"Tara!" Willow started to lift her hands toward Glory, but the hell god gave Tara’s neck a rough shake.

"Stay where you are, and no magic," Glory warned. She smiled at Tara. "This is gonna’ hurt. A lot."

Tara fought to get a breath of air, but Glory’s grip was too tight.

"Oh, god," Buffy said as she watched their plans crumble.

CHAPTER TEN

Glory held Tara a few inches off the ground and studied her. She wanted to rip her spine loose at the best possible location. She had to leave enough of the upper spine intact so that Tara wouldn’t just die immediately. The hellgod was proud of how easily she had outsmarted Buffy and her friends, but Tara was not going to give up without a fight.

Tara squeezed her eyes shut and her body was engulfed in a flash of light. When the light dimmed, Glory was now holding Jinx and Tara was standing across the circle where the minion had been watching the unfolding events. Tara looked slightly dazed from the spell.

"The witch," Jinx croaked as he pointed across the circle.

"Nice." Willow smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. She recognized the spell Tara had just used.

"Not nice enough," Glory yelled. She dropped Jinx and shot across the circle to where Tara was standing and grabbed the blonde witch. "I’ve got something for you," Glory said to Willow as she held Tara by the throat. She spun the blonde and plunged her hand into Tara’s back and ripped half of her spine out of her body. "You like?" Glory asked as she showed Willow her handiwork. Tara dropped to the ground screaming in agony.

Buffy was in shock. Her hands dropped to her sides and she froze, not knowing what to do.

Willow yawned.

Anya was helping Xander fight with several of the other minion but stopped when she heard Tara’s screams. "Oh my god! Do something," she yelled.

"I am doing something," Xander said. He punched the minion who had Anya by the hair and turned toward Glory. "Oh, no," he said quietly. He saw Tara convulsing at Glory’s feet.

"Eh, nice theatrics, but you rushed the finish," Willow said clinically. "I give it an eight."

"Willow?" Buffy glared at her best friend.

"Yeah, and there’s so much that blood it really takes away from the effect of seeing the dangling spine," Jinx said.

"What?" Glory glared at her number one minion.

"You’re not the sharpest athame on the altar, are you?" Jinx asked with a smirk.

"Definitely not." Willow moved toward Jinx.

"What the?" Glory picked up Tara and shook her mangled body. "Hello? Dying girlfriend?"

"Glorificus," Tara moaned. "Most wondrous of poetic illuminecence…"

"Jinxy?" Glory asked as she studied the bloody blonde witch she was throttling.

"Well, duh," Willow said smugly. "You’d think a goddess could see through a simple glamour spell."

"Yeah," Jinx said as he took Willow’s hand.

"No," Glory screeched as she dropped Tara’s body.

"Yes," Willow said. She smiled at the scaly minion holding her hand and then a blinding light flashed. Tara was now standing next to Willow as Jinx appeared at Glory’s feet.

"What the…" Buffy’s head whipped from side to side as she looked from the new and uninjured version of Tara back to the broken body of Glory’s henchman. "Oh…" she said with a smile. "You didn’t swap places … you swapped faces."

"Jinxy?" Glory knelt next to her favorite minion.

"So long as I breathe, I serve only you, great Glorificus." Blood oozed from his mouth.

"You’ve been a good little minion. It’s time to stop serving, Jinxy," Glory said sadly. She touched his cheek and then reached down and snapped his neck. She settled his dead body into a more comfortable position and then looked over at Tara. "You killed my favorite minion, you little witch!"

"Actually, you killed him," Buffy taunted. "You snapped him like a dry twig. Looked like it hurt, too."

"She did it." Glory stared at Tara and hatred filled her eyes. Of all of her servants, Jinxy had always been her favorite. She had even considered having a shaman replace his missing eye. "You won’t die as pleasantly."

"Thicken," Willow said as her hand shot out. The spell worked even better than when Willow had used it in the past. The Horn of Gilgamesh enhanced Willow’s power to the point that the spell froze Glory like a statue.

Glory’s body vibrated and the bubble of energy around her warped. The thickened air shattered and Glory let out a frustrated scream.

"That can’t be good," Anya said. She was hiding behind some rubble watching as Glory became enraged.

"Little help here?" Xander was busy fending off three of the minion.

"Oh." Anya picked up a brick and hurled it at one of the minion. It hit the robed creature and knocked it to the ground. "Now hush, this is just getting good." She watched as Willow and Tara held hands and faced Glory.

"Ready?" Willow asked her lover.

"Yeah…" Tara wavered. She lost her balance and had to use Willow’s hand to remain standing. "Uh oh," Tara said quietly.

"What ‘uh oh?’ Now is not the time for ‘uh oh.’ Tara?" Willow shot Buffy a quick look and nodded toward Glory. As the Slayer went to engage Glory, Willow focused on Tara. "Baby?"

Tara closed her eyes and swallowed. When she opened her eyes, one was blue and one was brown.

"Uh oh," Willow said with a squeak.

Glory looked at Buffy as if the Slayer were a bothersome bug to be swatted.

"Hey, Glory, how does it feel knowing you broke your favorite toy?" Buffy kicked the goddess and followed up with a right cross. "Must really suck to be you." She caught Glory’s jaw with a well-placed roundhouse kick.

"You’re pissing me off." Glory grabbed Buffy’s leg and hurled her through the air.

"I have that effect on people." Buffy shrugged. "It’s a gift really." She ran toward Glory and punched her in the stomach. "What’s the matter? Not used to actually feeling pain?" Buffy had the Eye of Ereshkigal safety tucked into her pocket, and it was magnifying her strength. She kicked at the goddess, but Glory rolled out of the way.

"It stings a little." Glory stood and brushed some dirt from her arm. "Like a teeny tiny fly."

"That’s some fly." Buffy raised an eyebrow and pointed at Glory’s dress. There was a drop of blood on the fabric.

"You made me bleed!" Glory was furious. "On my new dress!" She grabbed a twisted metal beam and lunged at Buffy.

"And that’s way worse than killing your hobbit guy." Buffy rolled out of the way. "Willow? Anytime you wanna’ do the thing with the thing would be nice." Buffy jumped as Glory swung the beam at her feet. "I’m thinking now?"

"He was not a hobbit!" Glory flung the beam at Buffy.

"Ack!" Buffy caught the beam, but its weight knocked her off-balance and she fell onto her back with the metal pinning her to the ground. "Yo, Tara… now? Please?"

"Begging won’t help," Glory said as she stood over Buffy.

"Yeah, well … couldn’t hurt." Buffy strained to lift the beam.

"Oh, it’s gonna’ hurt." Glory stepped onto the beam and pressed the metal into Buffy’s body.

"Tara, baby?" Willow cupped her lover’s chin in her hand.

"I’m here…" Tara spoke with difficulty, deliberately as if each word took a great deal of effort. "Jenny’s with me," she added.

"Can you do the spell?" Willow looked over at Buffy and gasped. "Buffy!" She pointed one hand at Glory and held the other out to Tara. The blonde witch grabbed Willow’s hand and they focused on Glory.

"Incendo!" they said in unison. A huge ball of flame appeared and shot over and covered Glory.

"Hey! Watch the hair," Buffy screamed. She wiggled out from under the metal beam as Glory staggered backward.

"Sorry," Willow said meekly.

"Oops," Tara added.

"Our bad," Jenny chimed in with Tara’s voice.

"I’m not flammable," Glory said in a bored tone. The flames died down and Glory stood facing Buffy.

"No, but your clothes are." Buffy waggled her eyebrows.

"Infidel!" Glory tried to cover her nakedness. "I am a goddess. I’m gonna’ rip your eyes out for this!" She started toward Buffy, but then paused and a confused look covered her face.

"What’s the matter? Your godly speed go bye bye?" Willow asked. She still held Tara’s hand. "Did I forget to mention … my thicken spell pretty much got rid of your speedy skills."

Buffy moved to the opposite side of the sacred circle. "Willow?" she asked.

Willow nodded and moved away from Tara. They positioned themselves at opposite sides of the circle.

Across the compound, Xander stabbed the last minion near him. He looked over at the sacred circle and his eyes bulged. "Anya, you were so wrong. Now it’s getting interesting." He stared at the naked goddess.

"You dare ogle me?" Glory spun and faced Xander.

"Godly hearing, Xander. That’ll get your ass kicked every time." She hit her boyfriend. "And stop staring. You’re not supposed to look at anyone like that except me."

Glory started to move toward Xander so she could rip his eyes out.

"Stay!" Willow ordered. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the Horn of Gilgamesh. Glory was trapped at the edge of the circle

"It’s time," Tara said. "Buffy?"

"Oh! I like this part!" Buffy grabbed Glory and yanked her to the center of the circle. "This is where you get your ass—"

"You were saying?" Glory asked as she twisted in Buffy’s grip and tossed the Slayer onto the ground. She straddled the blonde and grabbed her throat.

"You come without permission and we command that you be cast out," Willow said. "Your guilt is exposed and you must heed this call."

"Our anger is righteous and you cannot hide," Tara chanted. "You are naked before us and you must heed this call."

"What they said," Buffy croaked as she fought to speak. She lifted her hips and tossed Glory off of her chest. "Magic word?" Buffy looked over at Tara.

"No!" Glory turned toward Tara. "You can’t possibly…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Damn nerd minion." She ran toward Tara.

Buffy tried to grab the hellgodess from behind but Glory batted her hands away.

Willow ran toward her lover, but it was obvious Glory was going to get to Tara before Willow could stop her.

"Use the word," Giles muttered as he struggled with two minion. He could see the sacred circle, but he couldn’t call out because he was biting down on Dreg’s hand. "Bloody hell, use the word," he said through clenched teeth.

"What word?" Lambton asked. He grabbed Dreg’s ears and yanked him away from Giles.

"Not the ears!" Dreg squealed. "Not my beautiful ears!" he yelled as his left ear ripped loose.

"Oh dear lord!" Lambton dropped the bloodied ear and jumped back.

"Nice try, sweet cheeks," Glory said as she reached for Tara’s neck.

"Abracadabra," Tara said calmly. She stood her ground as Glory staggered backwards.

"No," Glory shook her head from side to side.

"That’s the freaking ‘top secret’ magic word?" Buffy glared at Tara. "The crappy magician at my seventh birthday party knew that magic word."

"Your shame has been exposed. You must return. Abracadabra," Tara said as she tried to ignore Buffy’s childish whining. "As I command, so mote it be."

"As I command, so mote it be," Willow repeated.

Buffy stared at Glory with a smug smirk. She blinked when nothing happened.

Tara cleared her throat.

"Oh!" Buffy glared at Glory. "As I command, so mote it be." She smiled and looked over at Tara proudly.

An eerie red glow appeared in sky and formed a flat red energy field. It was ten meters above the ground and began slowly lowering toward the earth.

"You still haven’t won," Glory said as she fell to the ground on her knees.

The wave of energy moved closer. As it came within ten feet of the ground, a power surge knocked Buffy and the two witches off their feet as well.

"So are Tara and Willow and Buffy gonna’ have to all get naked to fight Glory?" Xander asked.

"Close you eyes," Anya ordered. "Now!"

"An!" Xander whined. "How can I fight evil with my eyes closed?" He was staring at Glory’s godly assets with a goofy grin covering his face.

"Maybe you’d better figure out how you can have sex after I castrate you instead," Anya suggested politely.

"My eyes are closed." Xander covered both eyes with his hands. "I’m not even thinking of peeking." He bit his lip. "So… what’s happening?"

"Shut up, Xander." Anya slapped him in the back of the head.

"Where the hell are my minion?" Glory yelled. She was flat on her back and the red glowing energy wave was pressing her onto the ground.

"Willow?" Buffy was sprawled on the ground. She was also being pressed by the energy, as were Willow and Tara. Only Tara seemed to be able to move at all.

"Maybe it’s a test?" Willow whimpered. "I hope there aren’t any snakes. That last snake left a nasty taste in my mouth for a week." She struggled to sit up but each time she tried to get her muscles to respond, the weight on her chest seemed to double.

Tara could see that Willow and Buffy were both tiring. The Slayer and the redheaded witch were already covered in sweat and panting.

‘Make them stop struggling,’ Jenny said in Tara’s mind.

"How?" Tara asked out loud.

Glory was growling as she fought the glowing energy field. Every time she would try to sit up, the glow brightened.

‘Go to them,’ Jenny said in Tara’s thoughts.

"Oh, sure, just go to them," Tara said grouchily. She was on her side with the energy field pressing her face into the dirt. She was certain that she would have an ear full of grit by the time the night was over.

‘Tara, let the energy flow through you. This isn’t a contest with the universe,’ Jenny reminded Tara.

"Oh, well, there’s that," Tara whispered. She inhaled deeply and tried to relax. After a few breaths she moved her arm but as soon as she stopped focusing her breathing, the energy slapped her outstretched arm to the ground.

‘Focus,’ Jenny said gently.

‘Focus? You’re telling me to focus? Why don’t you try focusing on my molded plastic ass!’ Tara said in her mind.

‘Feisty little thing, aren’t you.’ Jenny laughed in Tara’s mind. ‘Use that anger to harness the flow.’

‘Great, I’m possessed by a freakin’ Jedi master.’ Tara took a deep breath and re-centered her mind. She closed her eyes and pictured the energy washing through her body. Her arms and legs felt lighter. She opened her eyes and saw that Willow was now struggling to breathe. "Willow!" Tara was now more determined than ever. She kept her focus and crawled over to Willow. "Baby?" Tara draped her arm over Willow’s chest and rested her palm over her lover’s frantically beating heart.

"Tar…" Willow was pale and she had to fight just to get any air to her starving lungs.

"Stop fighting," Tara whispered as she pressed her lips to Willow’s ear. "Let the energy pass through you. Don’t try to push it away, love."

"How?" Willow’s eyes were squeezed tightly shut as her entire body felt like it was being put through a winepress.

"Stop thinking." Tara crawled even closer to her lover and leaned over and kissed her. It was not a passionate kiss; it was a gentle merging of hearts that grounded Willow’s soul as much as it calmed her body. "Just breathe." Tara pressed her lips to Willow’s and exhaled. She filled Willow’s lungs with a slow and steady breath. "Don’t fight," Tara whispered. Her hand was resting on Willow’s chest and she could feel that the redhead’s heart was still pounding wildly.

Willow nodded and her breathing slowed. She inhaled deeply and her body was able to relax as soon as her lungs weren’t aching from the lack of oxygen.

"That’s it, baby." Tara smiled down at her lover.

Willow’s eyes opened and she gave Tara a weak smile. Her body hummed as bursts of energy surged through her body. She slowly turned her head and saw that Glory was convulsing on the ground several yards away. "Buffy?" Willow asked weakly. She struggled to move her head so she could see her friend across the circle. Buffy looked almost as bad as Glory did. "We have to help her," Willow said frantically. She tried to sit up and was instantly thrown back against the hard ground. Her eyes widened and her lungs were crushed.

"Don’t struggle," Tara reminded her lover. She looked over at Buffy and took a deep breath. "I’ll help her." She kissed Willow, conveying all of her love and devotion. "Please don’t try to move, baby." Tara struggled to climb past Willow. Every movement took tremendous concentration. She had to focus on her breathing and on letting the energy pass through her body, but she also had to crawl. It was draining her resources, and only Jenny’s added presence made it possible. Jenny’s mind was able to help keep Tara’s attention divided between the two tasks.

‘She doesn’t look good,’ Jenny told Tara as they made their way toward Buffy.

‘She’ll be fine,’ Tara answered in her mind. ‘I won’t let Willow lose her again.’

‘Well, yeah, but if you die saving her, how is that gonna’ help Willow?’ Jenny asked. ‘Slow down and remember what you told Willow. We have to focus on breathing, and while we’re at it. Let this damn energy pass through us, okay?’

Tara reached out her hand as she continued to crawl toward Buffy. The back of her hand was blistering.

‘The energy is gathering inside you because you spoke the magic word,’ Jenny explained. ‘We need to hurry. If we don’t dissipate this forcefield soon, you’re gonna’ end up fried.’

‘I’m gonna’ end up fried?’ Tara asked. ‘What happened to "we’re?" I thought we were an us?"

"Yeah, well, let’s face it … I’m already dead,’ Jenny pointed out as they continued toward Buffy.

Tara had no response for her astral hitchhiker. She focused on Buffy who was only a few feet away. "Buffy?" she called out. She grunted as she dragged her body the final few feet.

"Uh…" Buffy couldn’t even form a single word. Her eyes shifted toward the sound of Tara’s voice, but Buffy’s body was too exhausted to move.

"Shh," Tara murmured as she wrapped her body around Buffy from the side. "Relax. Stop fighting," Tara whispered. She rested her forehead against the side of Buffy’s face. "Breathe," she added as her own exhaustion wore her down.

"Crushing me," Buffy managed to grunt out. She was the Slayer, and fighting was all she knew. Right now she felt like her entire body was being assaulted and if she stopped fighting the force, she knew her body would end up crushed into a very messy pile of Slayer jelly.

"You can’t fight this," Tara explained. She pressed her hand over Buffy’s heart. "Not with Slayer strength."

Buffy grunted as she continued fighting the glowing red energy.

"Let go," Tara insisted gently. She shifted Buffy’s body to one side and spooned her from behind. "Focus on my body." Tara inhaled deeply and she kept her right hand over Buffy’s heart. "Feel me taking air into my body. Breathe with me," Tara said in soothing tones.

Buffy squeezed her eyes closed and tried to ignore her body as it screamed for her to fight. Her Slayer instincts wanted to battle the forcefield, but the gentle press of Tara’s body against her back was lulling Buffy’s body into submission.

"That’s it," Tara whispered into Buffy’s hair. She could feel her friend relaxing slightly. "Breathe with me." Tara slowly drew in a breath and then exhaled. Her breath warmed Buffy’s neck.

‘We have to hurry,’ Jenny said in Tara’s thoughts.

‘I know,’ Tara replied curtly.

Buffy felt the weight on her begin to lessen as she let her body fall into rhythm with Tara’s breathing. The beautiful blonde’s voice was calming and Buffy couldn’t resist the lure of Tara’s solace.

"That’s it." Tara’s voice was deep and rich and she smiled as she felt the Slayer finally surrender.

Buffy’s body went limp as the Slayer gave herself over to Tara’s protection.

"Just focus on drawing air into your body," Tara murmured. "Pull the energy in with each breath. Let it wash through you." She pulled slowly away but Buffy’s hand reached up and held Tara’s arm in place.

Buffy shook her head. She didn’t know if she could resist the urge to struggle. Somehow being wrapped in Tara’s arms made her feel like nothing could touch her. A brief flash of envy passed through Buffy as she realized that Willow got to sleep snuggled in these safe arms every night.

"I have to finish it," Tara said as she untangled herself from Buffy.

"What?" Buffy tried to roll toward Tara but as soon as she tried to move, she lost her focus and was slammed into the ground again. She cringed and went back to breathing as Tara had instructed her.

Tara looked back to check on Willow. She smiled when she saw her lover’s green eyes focused on her.

‘I love you,’ Willow mouthed silently. Her heart was bursting with pride. She had watched in awe as had Tara calmed Buffy, and now, all Willow wanted was to be in Tara’s arms again.

‘I love you too,’ Tara replied silently. She took a deep breath and turned toward Glory. ‘Okay, let’s do this,’ she told Jenny inside in mind.

‘Okay,’ Jenny responded. She had no clever quip, no smart remark, because she knew how dangerous the rest of the ritual was.

Tara crawled toward Glory. Her body ached and she knew that her knees were probably rubbed raw from crawling over the rough gravel surface, but that didn’t matter.

Glory was still fighting with all of her godly power. She wasn’t going to give up. She felt Tara’s presence before she even heard the witch. She turned her head and smiled cruelly.

"Bring it on," Glory croaked.

"I use the ancient word to cast thee out." Tara locked eyes with Glory. "Abracadabra," she said firmly. Her head jerked back as she was hit with a jolt of energy from the forcefield.

Glory screamed and her body lifted into the air. Her body arched like a tightly strung archer’s bow and she hovered inches from the ground.

"Leave our world." Tara’s voice shook as she fought to get the words out. "Return to your prison. I command it by the sacred word. Abracadabra."

Glory screamed in agony, but she was not alone. Tara’s body was engulfed in the same fiery forcefield and it lifted Tara into the air as well.

"No," Willow tried to move toward her lover, but she was too weak to even move her own hand.

Tara’s screams echoed in an unholy duet with Glory’s cries. After one final blast of energy, both Tara and Glory dropped to the ground. Their bodies landed clumsily and settled on the cold earth like broken rag dolls.

"They’re dead," Anya said as she ran up to Giles. The Watcher was doubled over trying to catch his breath. All of the minion were now defeated, but no one could enter the sacred circle to help Tara or the others.

"No," Giles said quietly. "Not yet."

A ball of blue light lifted from Tara’s chest. It hovered over the prone witch’s chest and was joined by a green orb of light that slowly rose from Tara’s body. The two lights blended briefly and then pulled apart and slowly

floated toward Glory’s body.

A red orb lifted out of Glory’s body and hung in the air above the hellgoddess.

"That’s their essence," Lambton said as he pointed at the orbs.

Giles nodded.

The energy field that had been pressing onto the sacred circle brightened and then exploded. The orbs came together and began to rotate around each other.

"Tara!" Willow realized that she could now move. She stumbled to her feet and staggered over to her unconscious lover. "Baby?" She dropped to her knees and lifted Tara into her arms.

"Giles?" Buffy called out as she ran to Willow’s side and dropped down next to Tara.

"The ritual is finished," Giles said as he walked toward Buffy. His eyes were locked on the orbs hovering overhead.

"Hello? We have floating evil lights and Tara is out cold," Buffy yelled. "How can it be finished."

"Glory’s essence has been cast out," Giles explained.

"Why isn’t Tara waking up?" Willow asked. "And why is her blue Tinkerbell light … up there … and not in here?" Willow rubbed Tara’s chest. She recognized the blue orb of light as Tara.

"That is the rather … unfortunate side of this spell," Lambton explained.

"What is going on?" Xander moved his hands off his face and moved toward his friends.

"Don’t you dare look at Glory’s body!" Anya ran after her lover.

"Giles?" Buffy asked. Her eyes were locked on Tara. "When does she wake up?" Buffy rested her hand over the top of Willow’s on Tara’s chest as if both women were trying to call the blonde witch’s soul back to her body.

"Getting Glory’s essence to leave this plane is only the first part of defeating her." Giles stopped and took a deep breath.

"What the hell is the second part?" Willow demanded. She looked over at Giles and her lips pursed into an angry frown.

Bolts of energy shot out of the red orb. Everyone ducked as the blue and green spheres returned fire with energy flashes of their own.

"Round two?" Buffy asked calmly.

Giles nodded.

"Glorifucus won’t return to her prison voluntarily," Lambton said as he covered his head with both hands. Sparks scattered in the air above him. "She has to be dragged back to the other side."

"How long will that take?" Willow asked as she watched the flashes of colored lightning shoot back and forth between the orbs. "When is Tara coming back?"

"I believe that it’s a one-way journey." Lambton’s eyes reflected his sadness. "I’m dreadfully sorry."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Tara floated into the air and looked down at her body. She had a sense of clinical detachment as she watched Jenny’s essence rise from her body as well.

"Glory’s coming," Tara told Jenny as soon as the ghost settled into a comfortable position floating next to her.

"And she ain’t gonna’ be in a good mood." Jenny shivered.

"Is she ever in a good mood?" Tara looked over and stared at Willow. The redhead seemed to be moving in slow motion. "What’s wrong with her?"

"I think time moves differently there," Jenny explained. "Head’s up." She pointed her translucent hand toward Glory’s body. The hellgoddess slowly rose from her body. "By the way … I think we have to drag her through the gates of hell," Jenny said in a rush.

"And you’re just telling me this … now?" Tara glared at Jenny.

"All right, blondie witch … you think you can take me?" Glory was now fully dressed and she hovered over her body and shoved both hands at Tara. Bolts of energy shot out and hit Tara. "Let’s see what you’ve got."

Tara cringed in pain as the red bolts hit her. She grabbed Jenny’s hand they pointed at the hellgod and sent out energy beams of their own.

"Ouch!" Glory was knocked back by the bolt and she was not happy about it. "And just who the hell are you?" She took a shot at Jenny but the ghost easily levitated out of the way.

"Screw this," Jenny said as she pulled Tara toward Glory. "Let’s just grab the bitch."

"We can do that?" Tara squeaked.

"We can try." Jenny was used to traveling without a body, so she was able to quickly maneuver over to Glory and put the hellgoddess into an awkward headlock.

"Got her!" Tara clumsily grabbed Glory from behind.

"Hey!" Glory was still stunned from the bolt of energy, but she was recovering quickly. "You can’t double team me! That’s against the rules."

"Like you know anything about following rules." Jenny held onto Glory as the goddess spun like a whirling rodeo bull. "Hold her. As long as we’re touching her, she can’t use her energy against us," Jenny told Tara.

"And then what?" Tara asked.

"Amateurs." Glory stopped spinning and the three hovered over the sacred circle. "One little problem, witch … see, you have no idea how to get me where you want me, and they don’t exactly print road maps to the underworld."

"That might be a problem," Jenny said smugly. She nodded into the air and pulled Glory and Tara away from the ground. "Except … I’ve already been there."

"Underworld?" Tara looked back toward the ground and saw Willow. The redhead was cradling Tara’s body. "Willow…" Tara felt herself being pulled higher into the sky and she watched as Willow and the others seemed to become smaller.

"Hold on," Jenny warned. "It’s gets bumpy from here on out." A white vortex opened and the three were drawn into it.

Tara screamed as they were sucked through a tube full of flashing lights. She screamed louder, but couldn’t hear her own voice. The tunnel was filled with deafening rumbled like thunder on steroids. After being slammed into the walls several times, the three were tossed out the other side and landed on a marble floor inside a huge room lined with stark gray stone. There were a few torches on the walls, but other than that, the room was empty.

"Ouch." Tara rolled to one side and rubbed her behind. "If we’re in spirit form, how come my butt hurts?" She looked over and saw Glory crawling to her feet. "Jenny! She’s loose."

"She can’t leave here," Jenny grumbled. The former teacher stood and then helped Tara up. "This is the holding area."

"Who are you and why do you know so much about this place?" Glory walked over to Jenny and studied her. "I like to know who it is I’m ripping into little pieces." She flexed her hands and smiled.

Tara gulped, but she stood her ground. She was terrified, but she wouldn’t leave Jenny to face the hellgoddess alone.

Jenny laughed.

Tara’s eyes widened and she grabbed Jenny’s hand.

"Glory’s powers don’t work here," Jenny explained.

"Who are you?" Glory yelled. "And while I’m at it … shut up!"

"Me?" Jenny walked up to Glory. "I’m a teacher." She smiled. "Look over there." Jenny lifted her chin motioning behind Glory. As soon as the hellgoddess shifted her gaze, Jenny punched her in the jaw.

"Ouch!" Glory spun back around and rubbed her jaw.

"See? I just taught you not to trust me." Jenny laughed and crossed her arms over her chest.

Glory screamed and her entire body shook with rage.

"I see you haven’t changed, Glorifcus," a deep, rich voice said from the back of the room.

Tara spun and saw a hideous monster with metal implements sticking out of his body. He was grey skinned, and parts of his wardrobe seems to be metal, parts seemed to be part leather, and parts seemed to be extensions of his skin.

"Skip," Glory said in a bored tone. "You still working here?"

"Skip?" Jenny covered her mouth and coughed to cover a snicker.

"It’s been along time, but I knew we’d get you back where you belong," Skip walked closer. "Two champions? That’s highly irregular."

"We’re not champions," Tara stammered. She shook her head from side to side. "We were just bringing her here and now … oh goddess, I really don’t want to fight you in mortal combat." Her eyes widened as she stared at Skip’s bulging muscles and the sharp metal talons on his leather gloves.

Skip laughed and rubbed his cheek. "You think you have to fight me?" Skip asked as he moved closer to Tara. "Don’t you work of the Powers That Be?"

"Um, if I say yes … are you gonna’ … um, fight me?" Tara looked over at Jenny for rescue.

"He’s the good guy," Jenny explained.

"Oh." Both of Tara’s eyebrows rose high onto her forehead. "Sorry I just assumed…"

"It’s an honest mistake." Skip waved a leather-clad hand at Tara.

"Excuse me, I am the goddess." Glory sighed and put her hands on her hips. "I should be getting all of the attention."

"I’ll be giving you attention for a very long time." Skip smiled at the goddess.

"If blondie here can chain me." Glory folded her arms over her chest and smirked. "You really think that’s gonna’ happen?"

"I think she’s stronger than you realize." Skip rested a hand on Tara’s shoulder. "Besides, Glorificus isn’t nearly as tough as she looks," he reassured Tara.

"W-what do I h-have to do?" Tara asked.

Skip slowly turned and brought Tara around with him. He pointed at the wall and a door appeared.

Tara could see a rocky landscape through the doorway. It had huge craters that were spewing flame and lava into the air and there was a huge boulder off to one side with metal shackles bolted to its surface. The rock surface behind and under the shackles was stained with layers of blood.

"What?" Tara looked at Skip and shook her head. "You want me … to go in there?"

"Not just go in there, sweet cheeks." Glory walked over to the door and held out her arms. "You get to stay for eternity." She smiled and raised one eyebrow. "Still wanna’ fight the good fight?"

"Stay? Skip, what the hell is the bimbo goddess talking about?" Jenny moved to Tara’s side and took the blonde witch’s hand.

"The porthole is on a timer." Skip pointed to the wall and shelf appeared with a large hourglass full of black sand on the center of its surface. "You must shackle Glorificus to the detention stone before the last grain of sand falls."

"Yeah, all you have to do is drag little ol’ me over to that rock and chain me up," Glory said smugly. "Course, I can fight you, slow you down, beat the crap out of you…"

"The doorway closes in 60 seconds," Skip explained. "Then you, the champion, will have eternity to capture Glorificus."

"But then … you know?" Jenny asked. "The door opens, right?"

"This porthole will only open once." Skip pointed at the entrance. "You can see through it right now, but it’s not open yet. By only allowing it to open only once, we can assure that Glorificus won’t get loose again." He rubbed his neck. "When she was called Inanna, she managed to escape from an earlier prison." He frowned. "I got my pay docked for three centuries, and I was demoted. I’m not letting that happen again."

"So … what? You toss a champion into hell?" Jenny grabbed Skip’s arm and shook him. "Can’t you set the timer for longer?"

Skip shook his head.

"I’ll go," Jenny said. "I’m already dead. I should do it."

"You’re a ghost?" Glory was horrified. "Fighting a ghost is even more mundane than brawling with a freakin’ Slayer! How much more am I expected to endure?"

"Eternity," Skip answered.

"Did Skippy forget to mention … while you’re here killing time, time is killing your body," Glory said. "Just give it up and I promise that I won’t kill you. I won’t even maim you. I swear." She smiled brightly. "Okay then. Let’s you and me get outa’ here." She glared at Jenny. "But the ghost stays. I do have a reputation, you know."

"If I get her chained before the 60 seconds is up … then do I run back out this door-thingy?" Tara asked Skip.

"No." Skip smiled at the young blonde’s self-confidence. "You have to get to that vortex just past the detention stone." He pointed a blue swirling blue circle. "It closes as soon as the door does. Jump into while it’s open and it’ll send you back to your body."

"And that deal works for me too," Glory pointed out. "I’ve already stranded three champions in cages just like this. Skip always forgets to mention that there are places just like this one with champions trapped for eternity … champions who couldn’t stop me from escaping out the other side."

Skip nodded. "They dove into the lava pools after a few hundred years. They’re probably still there somewhere."

"Minus their flesh," Glory added brightly.

"Tara, I’m doing this." Jenny pulled Tara around to face her. "You’ve got a life. You have Willow."

"We’ll do it together," Tara said firmly. She nodded toward Glory and ran toward the hellgoddess.

"You can’t do that!" Glory screamed as Tara jumped her.

"Well, shit!" Jenny said grumpily. "Thanks for the warning." She ran over and grabbed Glory by the hair. "Let do it."

Tara twisted Glory’s arm behind her back and shoved the goddess through the porthole. She was surprised when she passed directly through the porthole without feeling anything, but she took it in stride as she yanked Glory toward the detention stone.

"You can’t gang up on me!" Glory yelled as she tried to plant her feet against the rocky ground.

"Actually, they can," Skip yelled through the porthole. "But they’ll both be trapped in…" he glanced over at the hourglass that now had grains of the black sand falling through it’s opening. "Fifty-six seconds."

"Move," Jenny yelled. She sprinted toward the detention stone dragging Glory along with her.

It was obvious that Glory was not going to overpower Tara and Jenny so the goddess changed tactics. She went limp and let the two drag her toward the shackles. When they were almost there, Glory swung her body around and tripped Jenny. Glory spun out of Tara grasp and ran toward the exit porthole.

"You are not going back to my world," Tara yelled as she grabbed Glory by the hair and yanked her to a stop. She grabbed a rock and hit Glory in the back of the head. "Now shut up. You’re not leaving." Tara shifted her grip, squeezed Glory around the throat, and hefted the goddess off of her feet. "And if I have to stay here forever just to make sure that you leave my friends alone, I will."

"What about your precious witch?" Glory asked as she flailed her arms trying to break free.

Tara stopped and then she looked over to the exit porthole. She knew if she let Glory go, they could both make it out in time. "No," Tara said. "I’m not letting you go back."

"We can do this," Jenny said as she picked up Glory’s legs. They ran toward the detention stone as Glory screamed and bucked wildly.

"We better, or Willow is never gonna’ forgive me." Tara stopped in front of the shackles and struggled to get Glory’s hands in place.

"It’s bad enough that two of you are acting as the ONE freakin’ sworn champion, but I don’t even get my powers?" Glory ripped her arm free and punched Tara in the jaw. "Well, at least that still works."

"Yeah, it does." Jenny slammed her fist into Glory’s nose. "Ouch," Jenny winced as pain shot through her knuckles but she punched the goddess again.

"Wow." Tara’s eyes opened wide. Glory was stunned and her head lolled to one side. She lifted the goddess’s hand up and locked it in place.

"Hurry," Jenny said as she locked one of Glory’s feet to the shackle.

"No!" Glory yelled. "You’re nobody. You can’t do this!"

"Get her arm," Tara said between clinched teeth. She was fighting to get Glory’s other hand secured.

"Kinda’ working on the leg here," Jenny pointed out as Glory kicked her in the belly. "Ouch!" Jenny glared at Glory.

"Okay," Tara said. She took a deep breath and head-butted the goddess. "Ouch!" Tara swooned. "Oh, ouch. That never happens to Buffy."

"I’m not complaining," Jenny said as she snapped the shackle in place on Glory’s leg and then stood and helped Tara secure Glory’s other hand. "Done, now let’s get you the hell out of here." She grabbed Tara and ran toward the exit porthole. "And I do mean hell."

Tara stumbled, dazed by the head-butt.

"Oh, no. You’re not giving up on me." Jenny shook the blonde witch. "Come on."

Tara focused on the exit porthole. It was beginning to shrink.

"I said move," Jenny yelled.

Tara nodded as they ran toward the porthole.

"We’re not both gonna’ fit," Jenny said. They were now sprinting toward the opening. "You have to go, Tara. Go back to Willow." Jenny began to push Tara in front of her.

"Wrong," Tara said. She wrapped her arm around Jenny and dove into the opening. They shouldn’t have both fit, the opening was now barely big enough for one person, but they did. They hit the opening together and they both screamed. The edges of the porthole were as hot as molten metal and it singed them as they squeezed through. They tumbled through the air and were blinded by white-hot fire all around them. Tara felt like her lungs were burning. She tried not to breathe, but her body insisted and when she took in a gasp of air, the heat seemed to scorch her from the inside. It was like drowning in boiling oil. Tara’s last thought as everything went black was that she wanted to hold Willow in her arms just one more time.

*****

"Is she dead?" Anya asked.

"No!" Willow yelled. "She’s fine. She’s just fine, aren’t you, baby." Willow looked down and caressed Tara’s cheek. The blonde hadn’t moved since her essence had shot off into the sky with Glory and Jenny’s, but Willow refused to give up hope. "She’s gonna’ be just fine. I know it."

"This is denial." Anya shook her head sadly. "I read about this."

"An, honey, shh." Xander wrapped his arm around Anya’s waist and pulled her away. "Now would be the time for quiet reflection."

"Glory’s breathing’s slowing," Buffy said. She was poked the goddess’ body.

"So has Tara’s," Giles whispered. "I fear she hasn’t got much time."

"She’s fine," Willow said angrily. She leaned down and kissed Tara’s temple. "Aren’t you, baby?"

"Maybe we should … you know … take Glory and Tara somewhere else," Xander suggested. "I mean, two chicks, unconscious … one of them gloriously naked, no pun intended … this is, well, prison time comes to mind."

"You’re looking at her," Anya said dangerously. "And you like her body! You said she’s glorious."

"What? Her name is Glory," Xander whined.

As Xander was trying to hide from his girlfriend, Tara’s body began to shake. Willow tried to hold her, but the blonde witch convulsed uncontrollably.

"Baby?" Tears welled up in Willow’s eyes. "Oh, goddess." She looked up at Giles. "Do something. Please."

Tara inhaled sharply and she arched her back and sat up in Willow’s arms. Her eyes opened, but they were frightened and unfocused. "No!" Tara closed her eyes and rolled to one side crawled to her knees and pushed her lover away.

"Tara, it’s me," Willow whispered. She wrapped her arm over her lover’s back and tried to steady her.

"Uh, I … No," Tara whimpered. She doubled over and retched.

"Okay … gross!" Xander backed away from Tara as she continued coughing and retching.

Tara opened her mouth and liquid flame erupted. She continued to retch and bits of fire sputtered from her lips.

"Giles?" Buffy grabbed her Watcher and pulled him closer. "What is that?"

"Easy. I’m here," Willow whispered. She steadied Tara and gently stroked her back. "It’s some kind of test." She watched as the liquid flame crackled and flared on the ground. It pooled briefly and then erupted in a bright flash and then disappeared.

"That is not a test," Buffy said. She was frightened. "I’ve seen tests. That is no test."

"Looks like a test to me," Anya commented. "At least there aren’t any snakes." She smiled brightly.

"Snakes … ew." Xander shivered. "Though, I don’t know if barf o’ flame is any better. Talk about heartburn."

"Willow?" Tara whispered. She leaned against the redhead.

"I’m here, right here." Willow leaned down and looked into Tara’s eyes. "Hey." She smiled crookedly.

"Are you real?" Tara reached up and touched Willow’s cheek.

Confusion bathed Willow’s face. "Well, yeah."

"Goddess." Tara grabbed Willow and shoved her backwards onto the ground and climbed into her arms. "Don’t leave me. Don’t let go. Please don’t let go," Tara begged.

"I … I won’t." Willow ran her hands down Tara’s back. "Shh, I’m here, love," she added when she heard Tara sobbing.

"We’re all here." Buffy reached out and patted Tara’s back.

Glory’s body began convulsing.

"Oh, man … Glory’s back." Xander squealed and ran for the nearest pile of rubble.

"That’s my man." Anya sighed. "If you need someone to scream like a little girl, he’s your guy."

"That was a manly scream," Xander said indignantly.

"How is she back?" Buffy ran over to Glory’s body. "I thought Tara got rid of her."

"Crap!" Glory said as she sat up. She cringed and rubbed her throat. "Hey, Buffy." She doubled over and held up one hand toward the Slayer. "Just a sec." She rolled over and began retching up the same liquid flame that Tara had just experienced.

"Okay, that is so not Glory." Buffy raised an eyebrow at Giles.

"Jenny?" Giles hurried closer.

"That would be me," Jenny said with Glory’s voice. She leaned over and flames flowed from her mouth. She gagged and then shifted her weight and settled into a sitting position. "I really hate that part." She waved at the spreading river of flame.

"That looks rather painful." Giles knelt next to Jenny and took her hand. He looked into her eyes and smiled. He would recognize her soul anywhere. "Oh, dear," he added quickly. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped around her. "What happened?"

"We kicked Glory’s ass," Jenny said proudly. She looked over at Tara and frowned. "And we sorta’ got our butts kicked a little on the return trip."

"What happened to her?" Willow sat up and settled Tara across her lap. The blonde clung to Willow’s waist, refusing to break contact. "I’m here," she reassured Tara. "What’s with the fire and why is she so … so … well, like this?" Willow stroked Tara’s hair.

"Time moves differently on the other side," Jenny said as she held her hand out to Giles and he helped her stand up. "We just spent the last few hours having our mystic skin boiled off."

"She was only unconscious for a few minutes," Willow said in a near panic. She hugged Tara closer.

"Time moves faster there," Buffy said quietly. She remembered her own experience; days could feel like decades.

"What do you mean, boiling?" Giles whispered.

"The trip back was kinda’ rough." Jenny cleared her throat. "She’s still alive, so she’s tied to the physical and she experienced the pain as if it was real. We basically swam through an ocean of fire to get here … and we repeatedly drowned."

"What about you?" Giles asked.

"I’m dead, Rupert." Jenny shook her head. "I’m not connected with the physical pain the way she is." She looked at her new body. "Well, I wasn’t. Who knows what will happen now."

"Is she okay?" Willow asked. She ran her hands over Tara face, but the blonde wouldn’t open her eyes.

"Stay," Tara pleaded. She buried her face against Willow’s body.

"I’m here," Willow promised. She squeezed Tara’s shoulders.

"She needs to connect with her physical body," Jenny explained. "Willow, show her that she’s here and not back there with the pain."

"How much more does she have to go through?" Willow asked angrily.

"We should go," Giles said. He caught Buffy’s attention and nodded toward Tara.

"I’ll help with Tara," Buffy said. She knelt next to Willow. "Hey, Tara, I’m just gonna’ help you up."

"Willow," Tara’s voice was raw and full of anguish.

"I’m right here," Willow swore. "Buffy’s here too and she’s gonna’ help me carry you, baby."

"Come on, I’ve got ya’," Buffy said as she carefully lifted Tara from the ground. "Easy, Willow’s right here," she added when the blonde witch clung to Willow’s arm in a death grip. She settled Tara’s weight into her arms and headed for Giles’ car.

"Was it like this for you, Buffy?" Willow asked as she slid into the back seat next to Tara. "When you were in hell?"

"Um, I can’t really remember much," Buffy lied. The last thing she wanted was for Willow to find out the truth. Buffy’s friends had wanted to rescue her from death and had inadvertently pulled the Slayer out of heaven. Only Spike knew the truth.

"You were in shock when you came back," Willow said as she ran her fingers through Tara’s hair. "It must have just been awful."

"It was." Tara nodded. She was draped over Willow’s chest and not about to let go.

A crestfallen expression covered Willow’s face. She had been talking about Buffy’s experience. She hugged Tara closer.

"Okay, first things first. I need some clothes," Jenny said as she jumped into the front seat. "Hey, can I drive?"

"No." Giles climbed into the car and buckled his seat belt. "My car still hasn’t survived your last adventure."

"Crybaby," Jenny grumbled. She looked over the seat and frowned. "How’s she doin’?"

"Better." Tara lifted her head and smiled at Jenny. "Though your new face is wigging me out."

"Yeah, but have you seen my boobs?" Jenny smiled and opened the jacket. "They’re huge!"

"Miss Calendar!" Buffy turned away.

Willow and Tara were too stunned to do more than stare.

"Oh, oops." Jenny pulled the jacket closed. "Did you see them, Rupert?" Jenny asked suggestively.

"I’ve seen all of that body I care to," he replied stiffly.

Jenny raised one eyebrow at him. "I guess we’ve got a lot to talk about," she said after a moment.

"Indeed." Giles sighed and continued down the road.

They met the others at Buffy’s house. Jenny changed into some of Buffy’s clothes while Willow made sure that Tara was safely tucked into bed.

"Not exactly my style, but it’ll do." Jenny bounded down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt.

"You’re sure she’s Jenny?" Dawn moved behind Buffy and clung to her arm.

"Glory’s gone," Buffy promised. "That’s definitely Miss Calendar."

"How long is she gonna’ be here?" Dawn asked.

"We don’t know," Giles said. He stood in the doorway to the kitchen, staring at Jenny. "Doctor Lambton went back to the museum to go through his collection. I doubt he’ll find anything."

"Way to keep up the positive thoughts," Jenny quipped.

"The truth is, you could be lost at any second," Giles said.

"So why are we wasting our time fighting?" Jenny countered.

"I, well…" Giles cleared his throat.

"Ya’ know what, I’m gonna’ go up and check on Tara." Buffy hurried from the room dragging Dawn along with her. "Dawn will help."

"Huh?" Dawn stumbled along with a confused expression.

"Not very subtle, is she?" Jenny moved across the room and caressed Giles cheek. He jerked away. "Rupert?"

"You’re in Glory’s body," he said as he backed away.

"I’m still me," Jenny said quietly. "Rupert, I’ve missed you so much." She sighed and looked out the window. "I’d invite you for a walk in the moonlight, but well, this is Sunnydale."

"Yes, vampires do take the romance out of late night stroll." Giles rubbed his forehead. "I can’t do this, Jenny."

"Look into my eyes, Rupert." Jenny stepped closer to him. "What do you see?"

"I see … I see the hellgoddess who caused Buffy death," he said angrily. "You expect me to just forget what I’ve seen? Glory was evil incarnate. Bloody hell, Jenny! You want me to see the woman I love? Well, I can’t. This is not the woman I love." He pointed at her body.

"Great. Just great." Jenny spun and ran her hands through her hair. "I should have known you’d be too caught up in appearances to see the real me." She grabbed a coat off the couch and stomped toward the door.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Giles demanded.

"Out!" Jenny swung the door open and then slammed it shut as she ran from the house.

"Are you daft?" Giles ripped the door open. "Do you want to be killed by a vampire?" He growled in frustration and screamed into the darkness. "Again!"

"What’s all the screaming?" Buffy asked tentatively. She had heard loud voices and came to investigate.

"Jenny is insane." Giles was standing in the threshold, not sure if he should go after Jenny or give her some space.

"And how exactly is that new?" Buffy trotted down the stairs and stood next to Giles.

"She went out," Giles said angrily.

"Out? Out … as in outside in Sunnydale after dark?" Buffy glared at him. "And you let her?"

"Let? This is Jenny we’re talking about," he pointed out.

"Oh, yeah." Buffy sighed. "I’ll tail her an’ keep her outta’ trouble."

"Thank you." Giles blushed.

"It’s all in a night’s job." Buffy smirked as she ran out the door. "Oh, take Tara some cocoa. Willow says it cures everything."

"Maybe I should make Jenny drink a few gallons," Giles muttered as he wandered toward the kitchen.

*****

Tara was nestled on Willow’s chest in their bed. The blonde sighed contentedly and let her hand make its way up to the redhead’s bare collarbone.

"Feeling better?" Willow asked. She shifted her weight and ran her hands down Tara’s back.

"Yeah." Tara sat up, grimacing at the aches in every part of her body. She looked down at her arms and ran her fingers along her skin. The pain was fading, but she wondered how she could experience so much pain without any outward sign of injury. She turned her hand over and saw a welt.

"That happened when you were doing the lighting tinkerbell thing," Willow said. She picked up Tara’s hand and kissed around the tender flesh.

"Oh." Tara studied the rest of her arm.

"Does it hurt?" Willow asked.

"It’s not so bad," Tara said unconvincingly.

"Liar," Willow teased. She kissed Tara’s cheek. "It’s okay. You don’t have to be brave in this room. You can be scared here. I still love you." Willow said, echoing a similar statement that Tara had once made.

"It hurt a lot," Tara admitted. She bit her lip. "A lot." She shivered and then swallowed as a wave of fear flashed over her. "But it’s better now. Really," she added with a weak smile.

"I love you." Willow’s voice cracked.

"I know." Tara smiled and pulled Willow closer and kissed her sweetly. "Let’s go away," she whispered.

"Leave?" Willow asked quietly. She wasn’t surprised, but it saddened her that she would have to leave Buffy and the others.

"Not forever, silly." Tara cupped Willow’s chin in her hand. "We have a job to do here, and I won’t abandon our friends." Her eyes darkened and a wicked grin transformed her features. She looked sensual, sexy and hungry. "I want to have our handfasting." She waggled her eyebrows. "It’s about time you made an honest woman of me."

"Oh…" Willow felt her temperature rise at least a dozen degrees.

"Will you go away with me?" Tara moved her face forward and nudged Willow with her lips. "Will you trust me to plan our wedding?" She pressed a whisper soft kiss on Willow’s lips. "Will you follow me wherever I take you?" she asked in a husky whisper. Her love for Willow was pushing away the pain and replacing it with much more pleasant sensations.

Willow nodded. Her eyes were hooded and she didn’t trust her voice.

"Anywhere?" Tara asked. She gave Willow a slow, deep kiss. "Will you trust me?"

"Anywhere," Willow answered with a whimper. She pulled Tara into a blistering kiss.

"Hot cocoa, good for what ails you," Giles said as he backed into the room with a tray. He turned just as Willow and Tara broke apart and gave him guilty stares like two deer caught in headlights … two deer who had been caught making out. "I take it … you’re feeling better?" He smirked.

"Um, a little," Tara said.

"She … she was, we were, we … yes, she’s feeling better." Willow blushed to the roots of her hair.

"Hot cocoa?" Giles brought the tray over and held it out. He was British, and that meant blindly ignoring embarrassing situations when you walked in on them.

"Cocoa! Good idea!" Willow grabbed two mugs. She had a bit of that same ignore-the-embarrassment-gene hidden somewhere in her DNA.

"I thought Jenny was bringing it," Tara said as she took a mug and sipped the steaming beverage. She pushed down a shiver that the hot drink inspired. She could still feel the burning sensation of inhaling the liquid hell-fire.

"Yes, well, Jenny needed a moment alone." Giles stared down at the tray.

"What happened?" Willow asked gently.

For a long moment Giles was silent. Finally, he pushed aside his embarrassment. Willow could certainly understand his predicament better than anyone else. "She’s wearing Glory’s face," he said quietly. "It’s rather disconcerting."

"More disconcerting than her being dead?" Willow asked bluntly.

"Of course not." Giles looked into Willow’s eyes. "Losing her was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with … well, except for losing…"

"We got Buffy back," Willow said with a proud smile. "And now, we have Jenny."

"I don’t think it’s permanent," Tara said meekly.

"How long is she here for?" Giles demanded.

"She doesn’t belong here at all," Tara said hesitantly. "She died a natural death."

"But she’s back now," Willow said desperately. "She’s got a healthy body, and that skank Glory won’t be coming back for it … so what would it hurt?"

"Willow, honey…" Tara put her cocoa on the nightstand and then took Willow’s mug from her and did the same.

"She’s alive now." Willow was on the verge of tears. "She never should have died. Angel … Angelus … it was just wrong. We can fix it."

"Honey, we can’t keep altering the natural order." Tara took both of Willow’s hands in hers. "Buffy was unique. She was killed by mystical energy," Tara explained. She didn’t add that she still had doubts about the morality of bringing back the Slayer "When I used the Egyptian spell to escape Glory, I intentionally put my soul aside with the purpose of coming back."

Giles remained silent as Tara tried to explain. It was tearing his heart in half, but he knew the blonde witch was right.

"But Jenny’s back," Willow said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Maybe the Powers That Be are letting her have a little more time," Tara said. "To thank her for all her help with Glory." She wiped the tear from Willow’s cheek. "But, baby, she doesn’t belong here."

"Why not?" Willow squeezed her eyes closed and sniffled.

"Her time is past." Tara lifted Willow’s chin. "Honey? Look at me." She waited until Willow opened her eyes. "She needs to move on. She’s been tied to all of the people she loves when she should have been letting go. She already passed up two chances to be reborn."

Giles gasped. "Why would she do that?"

"Because, that would mean forgetting everyone she loves." Tara smiled fondly at the man who she loved like a father. "I think she needed to tell you goodbye."

"So, I tell her goodbye and then what?" he asked angrily. "She dies? Well, I won’t do it. I won’t tell her goodbye." He knew Tara was right, but his heart was clutching at straws.

"She’s here for as long as they say," Tara said as gently as she could. "Whether or not the two of you have closure doesn’t matter. This is her last chance."

"And I sent her away because I can’t stand seeing and hearing Glory." Giles dropped his head in shame.

"Maybe we can help," Tara offered.

"How?" Willow asked.

"Glamour spells aren’t very complicated," Tara said with a smirk. "And after sharing a soul with Jenny, I should be able to call her image up."

"Yeah! We could give Jenny back her face!" Willow wiggled excitedly. "Get rid of Glory’s skank body. I vote for that."

"I dare say magic is the last thing you should be doing, Tara." Giles frowned at her. She was pale and had dark rings under her eyes.

"Glamour spells are easy," Tara insisted. Her tone was serious. "This is important."

"You’ll be careful?" Giles asked.

Tara nodded.

"We’ll be very careful," Willow promised.

"Now all we have to do is get Jenny to come back." Giles sighed. He glanced toward the door and hoped Jenny was all right.

*****

Two vampires leaned against an abandoned building in the shadows. They saw Jenny walking at a fast pace and they smiled at each other.

"Looks like dinner delivered itself," the shorter vampire said with a smirk. He stepped onto the sidewalk and blocked Jenny’s path. "Hello, pretty."

Jenny’s head shot up and she stared at the creature blocking her way. She backed up and then heard movement behind her.

"Going somewhere?" the taller vampire said.

"I really don’t need this." Jenny sighed and then glared at the shorter vampire. She took a step forward into the light from a burning barrel of garbage.

"Oh … I didn’t recognize you," the shorter vampire stammered. "We were just leaving." He ducked past Jenny and grabbed his friend and ran.

"Hey!" the other vampire said. He looked at Jenny and his eyes widened. "Oh, shit." He sprinted down the street.

Jenny slowly turned and watched in silence as the vampires ran away. One eyebrow rose on her forehead and she sighed. "I guess no one wants to see this face," she whispered.

"That would be a good thing," Buffy said as she stepped out from behind a building.

"Buffy!" Jenny squealed and jerked away from the Slayer. "You scared the crap outa’ me."

"Kinda’ like Glory’s face did to them." Buffy pointed down the street. "If those vamps hadn’t obviously had a run in with Glory, you’d be in a world of trouble right now."

Jenny rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Doesn’t that bother you?" Buffy jogged to catch up with Jenny. "You in such a big hurry to be dead again?" The Slayer almost laughed at the irony. Buffy had spent many nights wishing Willow had never resurrected her.

"No." Jenny stopped and looked down at her feet. "He can’t even look at me, Buffy."

"I know," Buffy said. She rested her hand on Jenny’s shoulder. "But you need to go back. It’s not safe out here."

"Do you miss it?" Jenny asked. She took Buffy by both shoulders and stared into her eyes. "The other side?"

"Uh, well, why would I miss hell?" Buffy’s voice was a squeak.

"You don’t lie very well," Jenny said. "You never have. I always knew your ‘dog ate my homework’ excuses were bogus."

"Well, in my defense, dog demons did once eat my research paper." Buffy tried to change the topic.

"Does Willow know?" Jenny nodded down the street towards Buffy’s house.

"Well, she didn’t actually see the demon dog, but she saw the slimy stains afterwards." Buffy followed Jenny as she walked down the sidewalk.

"Does she know she pulled you outa’ somewhere nice?" Jenny continued down the street.

"She can never know," Buffy said quietly.

"Fair enough," Jenny said. "So, you freaked out by my new body?"

"Pretty freaked," Buffy admitted. "Though I am managing to keep from ripping your head off. That’s a plus."

"Big plus," Jenny agreed. She wondered how angry Giles was and whether he would ever get used Glory’s body.

*****

"No," Jenny said flatly. "You’re not doing a glamour spell."

"But … don’t you want your own body?" Willow’s eyes widened in disbelief. She took Tara’s hand looked to her for support.

Giles was too shocked to even speak.

"Of course I do," Jenny said angrily. She spun toward Giles and saw the pain and confusion in his eyes. "Rupert, not the puppy eyes."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Giles said as he took off his glasses and cleaned them.

"You’re doing the clean your already clean glasses thing," Jenny pointed out.

"Stop doing that!" Giles yelled. "You always have to be right. Wasn’t being right about Angel enough?"

"I didn’t want to be right about him," Jenny said gently.

Giles rubbed his forehead. He stared at the floor, unable to meet Jenny’s eyes.

"Why don’t you want to do the spell?" Tara asked uncertainly.

"Because, you’ve done enough," Jenny said. She smiled at Tara. "You’re still exhausted from everything that’s happened. I can’t let you put yourself at risk for me again."

Willow bit her lip and studied Tara. For a glamour to have a lasting effect, Willow and Tara would both have to cast powerful spells. Willow wasn’t sure she wanted Tara taxing herself.

"Jenny, do this for me," Tara whispered. She slowly walked over to Jenny. "Seeing you, like this, is … really making me nervous." Tara crossed her arms over her chest. She was still a few feet away from Jenny and couldn’t make herself go any closer. Seeing Glory’s face was simply too traumatic.

"Are you sure you’re up to it?" Jenny asked.

Tara nodded, but she had her own doubts.

"Okay," Jenny said quietly.

Willow swallowed hard and moved alongside Tara. She took her lover’s hand and sighed. "Okay," she said with forced cheer. She hated the idea of Tara being put into harm’s way yet again.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Anya and Xander came into Buffy’s kitchen and stopped when they saw that the Slayer was alone.

"Where is everyone?" Anya asked.

"Hello? Aren’t I part of everyone?" Buffy pushed her bowl of cold cereal away.

"What Anya means … is how is Tara and what’s going on with Ms. Calendar … because, we’re concerned." Xander wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. "See? This is us being concerned."

Buffy raised one eyebrow.

"So where is everyone?" Anya sat down and rested her elbows on the table.

"Upstairs," Buffy said with a sigh. "Everyone is upstairs."

"What are they doing?" Anya failed to notice Buffy’s sarcasm.

"Gettin’ all glamorous or something." Buffy took her bowl to the sink and rinsed it.

"Glamorous?" Anya furrowed her brow. "Oh! A glamour spell? Are they gonna’ get rid of Glory’s face? Good idea."

"They can do that?" Xander asked.

"Well, you saw Tara do the face swap with that hobbit," Buffy pointed out. "This’ll be like that, just no switching. It’ll be a replacing."

"Is Tara up for that?" Anya asked. "She was pretty worn out, and if they want this glamour to last, that’ll take a lot of energy."

"I’m sure Willow’s lookin’ out for our tired Tara." Xander bit his lip and gave Buffy a questioning glance.

"Absolutely. Willow won’t let anything happen to Tara." Buffy looked toward the door and wondered what was happening upstairs.

*****

"Well?" Willow asked. She was standing behind Tara trying to look over the blonde’s shoulder.

"This should work," Tara said. "We just have to jazz it up a little." She pointed to the thick, leather bound book she was cradling.

"Jazz up … how?" Willow asked skeptically.

"Um, maybe some dragon’s blood?" Tara suggested. She bit her lip and looked over at Jenny. "We’ve got some in our supplies on the dresser."

"That should work," Jenny said slowly.

"Should? I don’t like should! I want definitely." Willow spun Tara around and met her eyes. "I want definitely when it comes to your safety."

"I’ll be fine." Tara rolled her eyes. She looked over at Jenny. "So … dragon’s blood?"

Jenny nodded.

"You’ll be careful?" Giles was leaning against the wall watching.

"Yes, you big worry wart." Jenny went over to the dresser and dug through the magical supplies. "Oh, cool. This is pure resin." She held up the bottle of dragon’s blood.

"Two crystals should do it," Tara said as went to Jenny’s side. "And I am so ready for that body to be gone." She cringed as she looked into Glory’s features.

"Let’s make it three." Jenny opened the bottle and shook four large chunks of the resin into her hand. "Or four." She wanted to be certain the glamour held.

"Honey…" Willow’s voice was full of concern.

"Come on, let’s sit." Tara motioned toward a sacred circle she had drawn on the floor with white sand. "You can sit next to me," she offered. "I’ll even let you hold my hand." She waggled her eyebrows and grabbed Willow’s hand.

"Dork." Willow rolled her eyes and smiled. "We both have to hold your hands for the ritual."

"Yeah, but it made you smile." Tara guided Willow to the circle and they sat.

"Rupert…" Jenny went to his side and paused. "You need to go," she said gently.

"Yes, of course." He pushed off the wall and cleared his throat. "I’ll wait downstairs.

*****

Two hours later, Giles was a nervous wreck. He paced the living room and continually looked up the stairs.

"It’s been hours," Buffy complained. "How glamorous are they trying to make her?"

"Yeah, when Tara did the thing with the thing when she tricked Glory she just zapped and swapped faces." Xander grabbed the last few potato chips from a nearby bowl.

"It’s takes time to make the glamour hold," Anya explained. "Plus, I’d imagine they want her to actually look like Jenny looked. That’ll take some doing."

"Is this dangerous?" Buffy asked.

"Not usually," Anya said. "Just tiring."

"And Tara’s already exhausted." Buffy moved toward the stairs.

"You definitely have a crush," Anya said with a smirk.

"Who has a crush?" Jenny asked from the top of the stairs. She looked exactly as she had the last time Giles had seen her alive.

"Jenny?" Giles sprinted to the stairs and then staggered to a stop. "You look … you look … Jenny." His smile lit the entire room.

"That would be me." She walked down the stairs with a roguish swagger. "You just gonna’ stare all day?"

"Thank the lord." Giles leapt up the stairs and pulled her into a fierce hug. "It really is you," he whispered. "I kept telling myself that this wasn’t real, but now…" He cleared his throat and sniffled. "Jenny."

"She’s old," Anya said as she studied Jenny. "I mean, they were doing a glamour spell. Why didn’t they make her young?"

"She’s perfect," Giles said as he cradled Jenny in his arms.

"Good to see you again," Xander said. "Well, see you with your own face and not…" He tilted his head to one side as he tried to think of the right words. "Well, good to see you again Miss Calendar."

"Thanks, Mr. Harris." Jenny turned in Giles’ arms and smiled at Xander.

"It’s very good to see her in her own body." Willow paused at the top of the stairs.

"How’s Tara?" Buffy asked.

"She’s tired, but good." Willow shifted her gaze back up the stairs at the mention of her lover. "She’s splashing some water on her face … doin’ the girlie freshening up thing." Willow tried to keep the mood light. The truth was, Tara had told Willow she needed a few minutes alone to compose herself. Willow hadn’t wanted to leave Tara unattended, but the blonde had insisted.

"See, Xander? Tara is the femme." Anya smirked smugly. "You owe me twenty dollars." She held out her hand expectantly. "I told you Willow’s the big ol’ butch."

"You wanna’ explain that?" Willow asked as she moved down the stairs and went to Xander’s side. "That sounds suspiciously like you were betting on something quite personal and private about my girlfriend and I." She gave him a withering glare, but she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling.

"I … I … Anya, private talk," he said as he backed away from Willow. "It was harmless. I swear."

"Please." Anya rolled her eyes. "After vamp-Willow, we all know who’s the butch in that couple."

Jenny smiled and led Giles down the stairs and into the kitchen while Willow continued tormenting Xander.

"Nothing fazes them," Jenny commented.

"After years on the hellmouth, one more resurrection isn’t as shocking as one might assume." Giles studied Jenny as if trying to memorize each detail.

"It’s not permanent," Jenny whispered.

"That will faze them more than your unexpected return," Giles said. He didn’t add that his own heart was already aching at the thought of losing her again.

"I’m sorry, Rupert." Jenny wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his embrace. "I know this is hard."

"We’ll just have to make the most of it," he whispered. He smiled shyly.

"Oh, yeah." Jenny guided him down for a sweet, tender kiss.

*****

Tara closed the toilet lid and sat down as she pressed a cold washcloth to her face. She was exhausted. The glamour spell had taken four tries before they could get Jenny’s appearance to stabilize. They had used the dragon’s blood to enhance the effects, but the smoke from the incense always made Tara’s eyes ache.

She rested her face on the sink and sighed as she fumbled to rinse the washcloth without lifting her head. She managed to squeeze out the excess water and then sat up and held the cool cloth to her face. She smiled despite her pounding headache. Jenny was in her own borrowed body and Tara and Willow could get on with their lives. She eased back the cloth and frowned when she saw that the pale green material was streaked with red.

She carefully stood and looked into the mirror and saw twin droplets of blood coming from her nose. She dabbed her face with the cloth and looked toward the door. If Willow found out, she would worry. Tara decided she didn’t need to tell her lover about the minor inconvenience. Besides, after Willow had used a teleportation spell, headaches and bloody noses had plagued the redhead for weeks. There was no need to worry Willow.

*****

Buffy was sitting at the dining room table with Dawn. The two sisters were doing their ritual ‘writing out of the bills.’

"Hey." Buffy smiled when she saw Giles and Jenny approach the table. They looked perfect together.

"Wow. Tara and Willow did a great job," Dawn compliment.

"Well, they had a great subject to work with." Jenny did a pirouette and then bowed.

"Yes, quite lovely," Giles agreed. "We’re going back to my apartment to do some research." Giles smiled at Jenny’s antics.

"Okay." Buffy leaned back in her chair and stared at Jenny.

"You’ll call us if you find anything out?" Willow asked from the couch. She stood and went to the table. "Tara’s concerned, and I’d like to be able to give her some good news."

"We will," Jenny promised. "Thank Tara for her concern." She smiled. "And you too," she added with a wry grin. "Because I know you’re thinking of a dozen ways things might still go wrong."

"I am not," Willow said. She blushed. "Okay, maybe ten ways, but a dozen? That would just be silly and bordering on neurotic."

Anya went to her purse on the couch and dug through it. When she found what she wanted, she her cleared her throat.

"Yes, Anya?" Giles asked tolerantly.

"Here," Anya said as she tossed a small box toward the table. It landed on the smooth surface and slid to a stop in front of Giles. "For the research," Anya said with a smile.

Giles’ eyes widened as he looked at the Trojan three pack like it was a venomous snake. "We really are going to do research," he said as blushed deep crimson.

"Yeah, well, I don’t want that research spawning any little librarian hell babies. There’s no telling what Glory’s body might produce." Anya turned and went back to the couch and flopped into the cushions. "She might look like Jenny, but it is still Glory’s body."

Dawn’s eyes were locking on the package of condoms. She lifted her gaze to Giles and then looked back at the condoms. "Ew." She stood and cleared her throat. "I’m going to my room. I’m too young to deal with the idea of Giles needing … those."

Buffy smirked as her sister bolted from the room.

"I don’t need those," Giles said defensively. "We are going to do research, read up on possession and other such research activities."

"Right," Jenny drew the word out and smiled sweetly at Giles and then reached over and grabbed the box and stuffed it into her back pocket. "Research." She patted Giles on the arm and went over to the couch.

Buffy snickered and tried not to think about Giles ever needing that particular form of protection. She much preferred to think of him with a sword for protection while fighting demons.

"Finally someone else gets to be the embarrassing focus of the naughty comments." Willow crossed her arms over her chest. She had a huge grin on her face.

"Got anymore of those?" Jenny whispered into Anya’s ear.

"Really?" Anya raised both eyebrows and gave Giles an appraising glance.

Jenny smiled sensually and nodded.

Anya leaned across the couch to her purse and grabbed a second box and handed them to Jenny. She looked over her shoulder at Giles and snorted. "Research, my ass."

*****

Willow made her way back upstairs after waiting for exactly two hours and ten minutes. She had decided that two hours was plenty of time for Tara to pull her self together and ten minutes was all the extra time anyone could possibly expect a nervous girlfriend to wait. She paused at the door to the bedroom they shared. It had been Joyce’s room, but with enough Wiccan decorations Willow sometimes forgot that fact. She heard Tara talking and smiled. The blonde often had extended one-sided conversations with Miss Kitty Fantastico. Willow smirked and decided she would sneak into the room and catch the kitten-witch sideshow.

"I love you too," Tara said.

Willow furrowed her brow. She could see Tara sitting on the bed talking on the phone.

"I will." Tara twirled her finger in the phone cord. "No, I won’t say a word to Willow. She doesn’t suspect a thing."

‘Well, I do now,’ Willow thought as she crossed her arms over her chest. ‘What are you planning, missy?’ She smirked and leaned casually against the doorframe.

"She’ll like it," Tara said into the phone. "Well, after she gets over the terror." She giggled.

Willow cleared her throat.

Tara squealed and spun around. "Willow!" Tara’s bit her lip and a guilty expression covered her face.

"Terror?" Willow asked. She didn’t move from the doorframe. "Don’t you get enough of that every night on patrol?"

"Willow…" Tara swallowed with an audible gulp. "I have to go. Bye," she said into the phone and hung up. "Honey." Tara smiled and stood up. "Hi."

Willow continued leaning against the doorframe. She didn’t move except to raise one eyebrow.

"I can’t tell you," Tara said plaintively.

Willow’s second eyebrow rose to join the first.

"No grilling me! Stop that." Tara was beginning to crumble.

Willow’s eyebrows lowered, but she remained silent.

"Okay! I give up. Just stop," Tara pleaded.

"You gonna’ tell me what it is I don’t suspect?" Willow asked.

"Um, well, if I do it’ll ruin the surprise." Tara edged closer to her lover.

"Uh huh?" Willow smirked.

"Honey," Tara whined. She took Willow’s hand and held it between both of hers. "It’s a good thing and I can’t tell you anything."

"So … who did you just say ‘I love you’ to?" Willow asked.

Tara’s eyes shot open wide.

"Should I be jealous?" Willow tugged her hand playfully away from Tara.

Tara shook her head.

"So?" Willow asked.

Confusion covered Tara’s face.

"Who was it?" Willow clarified as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh." Tara blushed. "A friend." She felt Willow pulling away again. "You promised to trust me with this," Tara admitted.

It was Willow’s turn to look confused.

"You said you’d trust me to plan everything." Tara pulled Willow’s hand back and caressed her fingers.

"Plan?" Willow smiled as she remembered Tara’s comments about planning their handfasting. "Oh!" She bounced on her toes. "What is it? What do you have planned? Where are we going? When? Who’s gonna’ be there?"

Tara smiled tolerantly.

"Oh. These would be the questions you can’t answer and still have the whole surprise part of the planning be a surprise." Willow frowned and bit her lip. "But if it’s a surprise, I won’t know anything about it," she added in a pitiful whine.

"Hence the surprise part of the surprise." Tara pulled Willow into her arms. "Trust me, darling."

"Okay," Willow whined. "But you mentioned terror, and I don’t like terrifying surprises. Well, not unless they’re TARA-fying, but I don’t think that’s what you meant."

"You’ll like it." Tara pulled slightly away and cupped Willow’s face in her hands.

"Can you at least tell me when? I mean, I’m gonna’ need to buy a new outfit, right?" Willow tilted her head into Tara’s hand and murmured. "So, what kind of clothes will I need? Warm? Cool? Formal?"

"I’m not telling you anything," Tara insisted. "I’ll pack for you." She grinned and waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh, sure, you’re all smiles now cuz you think you outsmarted me, but I really do need to know when this is gonna’ happen." Willow rested her hands on Tara’s hips.

"Okay," Tara relented. She leaned closer and pressed her lips to Willow’s ear. "We’ll be going…" She nudged Willow’s throat and nibbled on the tender flesh. "Somewhere." She gently bit Willow’s ear and then breathed into her ear. "And we’ll be leaving … soon."

"You are so gonna’ get it," Willow said. The threat lost most of its impact as Willow twisted her head to one side so Tara could move her kisses lower.

"I hope so," Tara said as she bit Willow’s shoulder. She smiled at the small hickey that she had applied earlier in the day before they were interrupted. Both she and Willow had a sprinkling of the marks, though they usually kept them in places that didn’t show when they were in public.

"One more hour of neck kisses and then I’m gonna’ force you to stop," Willow said dreamily. "And I mean it." She began backing toward the bed.

"So no more questions?" Tara followed willingly as she unbuttoned Willow’s blouse.

"No, of course not," Willow said innocently. She smirked as a plan formed. She would wait until Tara was completely aroused and then blackmail her for information. She giggled as she thought of that particular scenario. ‘She’ll crack,’ Willow thought smugly. She reached out and yanked Tara’s blouse out of her skirt.

"Don’t even think of trying to get me all hot and bothered and then asking me about the surprise," Tara said as she gave Willow a playful shove onto the soft bed.

"Ah!" Willow was shocked.

Tara crawled on top of Willow and kissed her.

"How do you do that?" Willow asked when Tara lifted her head.

"I just put my lips to yours and let it happen," Tara explained with a completely serious expression. She saw Willow’s lip press into a frustrated line and it was too much. Tara burst into laughter. "I’ve got you’re number, darling. You always try the ‘leave Tara hanging until she tells me her secrets’ trick."

"Not always," Willow said as she bit her lip.

"Just when I have surprises … like your birthday, Christmas, our anniversary … shall I go on?" Tara batted her eyelashes.

"You are so gonna’ get it." Willow shifted and flipped Tara onto the bed. She proceeded to thoroughly give it to Tara.

*****

Giles was awake and staring out the window. The sun would be up soon, and for once, he wasn’t coming back from a night of vampire hunting. Sure, he had helped defeat a hellgod, but usually that would have just been one of many unpleasant tasks in the night of a Scooby. He smiled and looked down at Jenny. She was snuggled against him, and the activities they had shared during the evening had certainly not been unpleasant. He scooted back so he could look at Jenny without crossing his eyes.

Jenny shifted to her weight and murmured. Her arm was draped over Giles’ chest, and she wasn’t happy that he had moved. "Come back here," she whispered.

"You always were a demanding woman," he said fondly.

"Didn’t bother you last night," Jenny said huskily. She stretched like a cat, rubbing her bare skin against her him.

"No, no it didn’t." He was grinning like a teenager in love for the first time.

"So, uh, is it gonna’ bother you this morning?" Jenny finally opened her eyes. She inhaled deeply and shifted her body so she was looking down on him.

Giles cleared his throat. "Most certainly not."

"Just remember that when I get demanding outside the bedroom." She leaned down and kissed him.

"Jenny?" He eased her slightly away. "Don’t you think we should discuss it?" his eyes were troubled.

"It?" Jenny asked innocently. Her hand snaked down his body and found something interesting to occupy her. "You mean this?" she asked as she explored.

"No," he said with some difficulty. "Though that does have its merits."

"Really?" She smiled when she watched his eyes drift shut.

"Jenny, stop," he said as he grabbed her hand. "We have to talk about your leaving."

"Wouldn’t you rather talk about my coming?" she asked wickedly.

"This is important," he said gently. "And if you keep distracting me, we’ll never get around to it."

"We will," Jenny promised. "Now, shut up and distract me." She smirked playfully.

"My work is never done," he said with a sigh. He caressed her cheek. "I love you, Jenny. My soul had a huge hole after you left. There was so much we never said. My heart broke every time I thought of you … of all I should have said. I’ll always be grateful for this chance to tell you." He blushed. "And show you."

"I love you too." She sniffled. "Damn you, Rupert. You made me cry."

"Then I shall endeavor to make it up to you." He rolled over and pinned her to the bed. "For as long as we have, whatever time we have left, I’ll never take you for granted again."

"Sweet talker." Jenny was fighting back a wave of tears. "I’ll bet you say that to all the ghosts."

"Only the ones who hold my soul." He leaned down and kissed her sweetly.

"Damn you," she whispered into the kiss. "Makin’ me cry," she added as she ran her hand through his hair. "No more tears."

"Only ones of joy," Giles promised.

"Were you always a poet?" she asked sadly.

"I am British," he pointed out.

"You are so British. I’m surprised they don’t call the flag the ‘Union Giles." Jenny laughed and pulled him into her arms and tried not to think about what might happen. She didn’t want to think about anything except being with him, and she certainly didn’t want to think about leaving him. That would happen soon enough, and her worrying about it wouldn’t give her one second longer with him.

*****

Xander was busy reading a comic book when Buffy came into the shop. He saw the Slayer and let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank god you’re here." Xander tossed his Spiderman comic aside and stood. "Please tell me there’s some horrible evil afoot."

"Not that I know of," Buffy said slowly. She smirked at her friend and looked around the shop. "Why?"

"Because," Xander said desperately. "With Miss Calendar back … Giles is … swaggering. Swaggering in that ‘I’m getting some lovin’’ kind of way. It’s disturbing."

"It nice he’s happy." Buffy sat on the oak table and swung her legs. "Besides, this is Giles we’re talkin’ about. He doesn’t even know how to swagger."

Jenny came out of the storage room laughing. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Come on, Rupert. Leave Anya’s inventory alone. You gave the store to her." Jenny turned and saw Buffy. "Hi." She smiled and hurried toward the Slayer. "How is all at the Summers’ mansion?"

"Fine," Buffy said. She didn’t add that her Slayer’s hearing made it very difficult to get a good night sleep with Tara and Willow in the next room.

"Sleep well?" Jenny asked.

"Um, yeah, sure, fine." Buffy eyes widened and she briefly wondered if Jenny could read minds.

"Uh huh," Jenny said suspiciously. "Having nightmares?"

"Nope." Buffy looked toward the storeroom. She prayed Jenny wouldn’t continue her current line of questioning. Buffy blushed just thinking about the sounds she had heard coming from Willow and Tara’s room the night before. "So, where’s my Watcher-man?"

"Counting the inventory." Jenny rolled her eyes.

"I’m just seeing how the shop’s doing," Giles said as he swaggered out of the storeroom. He went to Jenny’s side and kissed her cheek. "Miss me?"

"See!" Xander pointed at Giles. "He’s swaggering and he’s all over her. It’s creepy."

"I’m dreadfully sorry if my minor display of affection offends you," Giles said sarcastically. "I suppose we could just grope like teenagers in the basement, like a certain ex-demon and her boyfriend choose to do quite frequently."

"Those are not things I like to associate with my Watcher." Buffy shivered. "Come to think of it … I don’t wanna’ associate it with you, either." She glared at Xander. "In the basement? Ew!"

"So, where is this basement?" Jenny asked innocently.

"No!" Xander and Buffy exclaimed in unison.

"Kidding," Jenny said with a smirk that suggested she wasn’t kidding at all. She turned when she heard the floor door open and smiled when she saw Tara and Willow. "Hey, you two decided to join us?"

"Yep," Willow said. She headed toward the others with Tara at her side.

"Hi guys," Xander said. "Well, not guys, but hey … hi."

"Wiccan girls, good to see you." Buffy waved at her friends.

"Just in time," Giles said. "We have a bit of an announcement." He cleared his throat. "Jenny and I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon to go to Los Angeles."

"For how long?" Willow asked. She nearly panicked on the spot.

"That all depends on what we find out," Giles explained.

"Care to explain what you’re talking about?" Buffy asked. "I did just recently come back and well, I still kinda’ need you."

"It won’t be for long. We’ll come back next Monday," Jenny said. "We need information and Giles knows a place we can get it." She suddenly looked nervous.

"I-is it a bad place?" Tara asked.

"No," Jenny said as she gave Tara a reassuring smile. "I’m just not keen on going to Angel’s neck of the woods."

"He’s good now," Willow said as she hurried closer.

"It will be fine." Giles wrapped his arm around Jenny and held her close. He was concerned for different reasons.

"I could go with you," Buffy offered. "I mean, not that were gonna’ see Angel, but well, your own personal Slayer? How safe is that?"

"And Xander and I can go too!" Anya chimed in. "They have huge malls in LA."

"Well, sure, I’m all for a road trip." Xander smiled.

"Well, then, shall we make it the entire group?" Giles looked over at Willow expectantly.

"Well, yeah! That’ll be fun. Like escaping Glory in the Winnebago with none of the evilness." Willow grabbed Tara’s hand and smiled brightly. "Honey?"

"We can’t," Tara said quietly.

"Why not?" Buffy furrowed her brow.

"Yeah, why?" Willow asked.

"Willow and I are leaving town tonight," Tara said slowly. "We’ll be gone the whole weekend."

"This is Tuesday," Anya pointed out. "The weekend clearly doesn’t start until Friday night. Giles was very clear on this, but I guess not having jobs, you wouldn’t know this."

"Where are we going?" Willow looked completely confused.

Tara cleared her throat and waggled her eyebrows.

"Oh!" Willow bounced on her feet and a huge grin lit up her face. She spun toward Giles. "Sorry, can’t go on the road trip. We have plans. Big plans. And now, I need to go shopping, well, Tara needs to go shopping for me, but I’ve got lots to do. Lots to do and I have some shopping of my own to do, so bye!" She yanked Tara toward the door.

"We just got here," Tara said with a tolerant smile.

"Well, yeah, but we’re leaving and I have to go shopping." She leaned closer and kissed Tara’s ear. "I need a few things from Victoria’s Secrets."

"Oh." Tara’s eyes widened and she blushed. "We have to go," she said quickly. She gave Willow a sensual grin and nodded toward the door.

"Have fun at Victoria’s Secrets," Buffy said innocently.

Tara’s eyes bulged and she spun back toward Buffy.

"Slayer hearing," Buffy said with a smirk.

"Come on." Willow tugged Tara with her. "We’ll see you before we leave," Willow promised. The two witches scurried out the door.

"Think Willow suspects anything?" Jenny asked.

"No way." Buffy smiled brightly. "Our Willster is completely clueless."

"So the LA thing is just a ruse of the Giles variety?" Xander asked.

"I want to go to the malls!" Anya whined.

"Actually, we are going to Los Angeles," Giles said quietly. "We just won’t be staying as long as I suggested."

"What’s in LA?" Xander asked.

"A demon," Jenny said nervously.

"We’ve got plenty of those here," Anya pointed out. "Not that I’m trying to talk you out of going to La, because I for one could use a break from the hellmouth."

"This demon might be able to tell us how long Jenny is going to be with us," Giles said. He smiled, but there was fear in his eyes. "We need to know."

Jenny nodded. Her eyes were full of concern, but it wasn’t for her own well being. She didn’t want to see Rupert hurt again.

"Well then, look out LA." Buffy bit her lip. "The Scoobies are takin’ a road trip."

"The last one worked out so well," Anya said under her breath. She remembered that the last time the group had traveled, Dawn had been kidnapped, Giles was impaled, and eventually Buffy ended up dead.

"Anya, hush." Xander cupped her cheek in his hand. "This is all good. We’re finding out what’s the what with Miss Calendar, and we get to give Willow a huge surprise. What could go wrong?"

All eyes in the room locked on Xander.

"Oh god, I said the thing." Xander backed away. "I didn’t mean it!" He looked toward the ceiling. "Please don’t send buckets of evil. I didn’t mean to say nothing could go wrong."

"Xander!" Buffy yelled.

"You’re doing it again!" Anya added.

"I’m sorry," Xander said. He took a few breaths and looked around the shop. When no portholes to hell opened he let out a relieved sigh. "See? We’re good."

"Oh god." Buffy covered her face with both hands. "We’re all gonna’ die. I just know it."

*****

End Part Three