Please read the Disclaimer before continuing to remain in the site or reading the stories. These stories contain adult material with scenes of women loving women. Consider this story to have an R rating. If this is illegal in your state or you are underage, please go to a more appropriate site now.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters. No copyright infringement is intended. Original characters are mine.

Pairing: W/T... eventually

Angst Rating: Highest rating... buy stock in Kleenex

Rating: PG 13 for adult themes and eventual W/T goodness.

lcountry@quiknet.com

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Buffy tossed her suitcase onto the pile of luggage next to the front door. Everyone had stacked their things next to the main entrance so they could pack them in the most efficient manner. Anya had insisted that it was the only way to pack for a trip, and since she had been alive for over 1,000 years longer than anyone else, they took her word for it.

"Dawn?" Buffy yelled. "Come on, we’re waiting on you." She let out a growl and went to the bedroom and shoved open the door.

"Coming!" Dawn whined. Her bag was straining its seams, and the zipper wasn’t even pulled all the way closed.

"Did you have this much stuff when you got here?" Buffy asked.

"No, it magically multiplied and had kittens." Dawn held the bag out to her sister. "Can’t you hear them mewing?"

"Just take it to the front door." Buffy spun and went to the kitchen where Tara and Anya were packing the lunches.

"Where’s Will?" Buffy asked as she grabbed an apple from a bag on the table.

"She’s in the bathroom checking to make sure we packed everything…" Tara smiled and rolled her eyes.

"For the third time?" Buffy asked with a knowing smile.

"Forth," Tara admitted.

"Good old Will," Buffy said around a bite of apple.

Tara smiled and got a faraway look in her blue eyes. Her smile shifted as she thought about how much worse Willow was going to get once they conceived their daughter again. ‘She’ll probably put computer relay sensors on Brianna so she can know where she is every second.’ She giggled at the image that brought to mind.

"What?" Anya asked. She glanced at Tara and shook her head. "She acts more like the engaged one than Xander does," she told Buffy.

"Huh?" Tara turned toward Anya. "Oh, sorry." She grabbed a bag of snacks and headed into the living room. "Hey, Dawnie. Get all that stuff packed okay?" She smirked at her young friend.

"Yes," Dawn said with a sigh. She tossed the bag on top of the pile and turned to make a scathing remark, but it was cut short when the front door jerked open and a fiery haired woman in a forest green robe grabbed Dawn from behind and silenced her with a hand over her mouth.

"Let her go!" Tara said as she moved swiftly across the room. Her eyes darted to the side of the couch where her sword was laying freshly polished. She kicked the blade up with her foot and caught it in one graceful motion. She never even slowed as she advanced on the intruder with the sword expertly held in front of her.

Dawn’s eyes bulged as the muscular arm pulled tighter.

Buffy came out of the kitchen and her anger flashed. "Let her go, or die."

Tara couldn’t get a clear swing at the redhead holding Dawn, so she focused on the glass of water on the mantle beside the woman. She figured she’d had good luck with water before, and something told her to try again. She channeled her burning anger at the glass and it burst into a showering eruption of flames.

The woman jumped away from the small tower of flame. Tara and Buffy both leaped for Dawn just as another woman came in behind the one holding Dawn. The new arrival was older than the first and she had grey hair streaked with blonde. Her deep green robe had a gold braid on one shoulder.

"Stop this at once, Gandu," the newcomer said. She put her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder and gave her a harsh shake.

Giles and Xander came stumbling in the backdoor as Willow came out of the bathroom armed with a curling iron.

"Good heavens, Brent, I never expected you so quickly." Giles cleared his throat. "Tara, Buffy, she means no harm."

"Then why does she have Dawn in a very unfriendly headlock?" Willow waved her curling iron at the young woman holding Dawn.

"Gonna’ curl my hair for me?" Gandu asked as she shifted her grip on Dawn and nodded at Willow’s hair styling weapon. Gandu’s hair was cut short, with spikes sticking up wildly in every direction. There wasn’t any one hair long enough to curl. She twisted, and the slit on the side of her robe opened to reveal that she was wearing forest green leather leggings designed for fighting.

"Let. Her. Go." Tara’s eyes narrowed, and then the woman holding Dawn yanked her hand back with a scream.

"Ouch!" Gandu barely had time to react to the blisters on her arm when Buffy yanked Dawn out of her grasp.

"Tara, calm down." Giles moved forward.

"You knew they were coming," Buffy said as she checked Dawn for any injury.

"Rupert?" Brent asked politely. She stood in the doorway with one hand restraining Gandu.

"Who are you?" Tara’s body surged with power. Her hair crackled with static electricity.

"My Lady, we come only to serve," Brent said as she bent to one knee, dragging Gandu down beside her.

"You called them?" Buffy looked at Giles with an expression of shocked betrayal.

"I had to," he explained.

"Why did you grab Dawn?" Tara’s voice was strained and she was focused on the two newcomers with deadly intent.

Willow went across the room and wrapped her arm around Tara. "Honey, Dawn’s safe."

Tara’s power seemed to ripple when Willow embraced her, as if the tiny redhead could calm the sea raging within her lover with only a touch.

Brent raised an eyebrow and slowly stood, bringing her young charge with her. "I assure you, my Lady, Gandu meant no harm. I’m certain she was only trying to secure the room for my safety."

Tara wasn’t convinced.

"Gandu?" Giles asked, trying to defuse the moment. "Is that short for Brigandu?"

The muscular young redhead dipped her head tersely toward Giles.

"Where did Diana and Cassie go?" Tara’s eyes flashed. "They were at the car."

"The healer and the seer?" Brent asked.

"What did you do with them?" Buffy demanded.

"Yes, well, we were trying to make a stealthy approach." Brent looked over her shoulder. "Breda, Ceri, bring them inside please."

Buffy tensed and pushed Dawn a safe distance away. She moved alongside Tara.

Tara took Willow’s arm and moved the redhead behind her so that she had a wall of safety in front of her. Tara held her sword across her chest, ready to take off a head with a swift backhand if the newcomers proved dangerous. Anyone trying to harm Willow would have to get past a mage and a Slayer, both armed with swords.

Two more young women in similar green robes came inside. One was dragging Cassie, who was kicking like a bull being led to castration and then slaughter, and the other had Diana in a headlock. Diana’s teeth were firmly clamped on the young woman’s hand and the guardian seemed to be in a great deal of pain.

"Let them go." Tara’s muscles stiffened even as Willow tried to restrain her.

"Ceri, Breda…" The older guardian glanced at the four women struggling in the doorway. "Release them and pay homage to our Lady." She smirked as she noticed the trickle of blood running down Ceri’s hand where the healer was firmly attached to her skin.

Ceri shoved Diana away and the jumped back, barely escaping a wild kick from the doctor.

"You little elfin bitch!" Diana snarled as she spit the blood from her mouth. She grabbed Cassie and pulled to safety. "Are you okay?"

The seer nodded as she glared at Breda. "Tell China over there the WWF called. They want her back on Saturday nights." She rubbed her arm to soothe the ache where the muscular guardian had gripped her.

"My Lady, we offer service," Ceri said as she ignored Cassie and knelt in front of Tara.

"As do I, my Lady." Breda dropped to one knee. She had to adjust the sword at her hip. She was huge, with bulging muscles, and her mane of thick black hair actually did make her look like the wrestling star China.

The subtle shifting of Breda’s weapon made Tara realize that all of the robed women were wearing swords. She glanced back to check on Willow again, then gripped her own sword a bit tighter. "What do you want?" Tara asked as the women stood.

"My Lady, we really don’t have time for much explanation," Brent said. "We must move you to a safe location."

"We’re moving as we speak," Giles said. He studied the young guardians. Each seemed fit and capable.

"My Lady, you cannot hold your masking spell indefinitely," Brent said.

"I’m not," Tara said she looked over at Cassie. "But they were, I mean they are."

"They could not mask your power, my Lady." Brent frowned and looked toward the younger guardians. "We must go." She looked to Tara. "What needs to be done?"

Tara blinked like a sleepy owl.

"We could load your things," Ceri suggested as she pointed at the pile of suitcases.

"Um, sure." Tara crinkled her brow. She turned to Willow and shrugged, not used to the attention.

"Why did you ask about the masking?" Diana asked.

"Someone is masking this valley," Brent said. She moved closer to Tara and stood guard.

"What?" Willow asked. "And you didn’t think we should know that?"

"We had assumed it was our Lady," Brent pointed out.

"W-well, it’s not," Tara stammered. "So who is it?"

"That is what worries me," Brent said. "Please, my Lady, we must go." She nodded to Gandu. "Check outside. Make certain the valley is secure."

Gandu nodded. She ran a hand through her spiky hair and then rushed out the door.

"Um, how did you get here?" Tara asked. "We didn’t hear you come up."

"We drove," Brent smiled. "We parked our vehicle a few miles down the road and made our way through the woods. We are experts in the forest, my Lady."

"I think we should get going," Giles said. He watched the strong young guardians cart the luggage outside.

"Mistress Brent…" Gandu rushed back inside with the other guardian on her heels. "The birds on the far side of the valley are silent."

"Someone’s coming," Brent said. She looked to Ceri and Breda. "Guard our Lady with your lives."

"Wait." Tara raised both hands. "I am the Imbolc mage. I think I can take care of myself." She nodded at the burn on Ceri’s arm.

"You are the mantle of our goddess," Brent said. "It is our sworn duty to guard you." Her eyes narrowed. "We will no longer abide by the agreement with the Keepers. Their time is past."

"Guys, more going, less talking." Willow tugged Tara toward the door.

"Brent, who is your best warrior?" Tara rested her sword tip on the floor.

"That would be Ceri." Brent dipped her head respectfully.

"Come here," Tara told Ceri. She used her most regal voice. "Kneel."

Ceri dropped before Tara and held her sword up in both hands in a show of respect and supplication. "I am Ceridwen. My blade and my life are yours, my Lady."

"Ceridwen, this is Willow." Tara pulled her lover closer. "She is my soul mate. She is my life, and the woman I call my Lady."

Ceri looked up and Willow and nodded reverently.

"I … Tara, your Lady, the mantle of Brigit, the embodied divine on earth, your Imbolc mage…" Tara was laying it on thick. "I order you to defend Willow as long as you still breathe." Tara gave the young guardian a stern look as she tried to sound as official as possible.

"My lady, I swear it on my honor," Ceri bowed.

"Now we can go," Tara said. She pulled Ceri to her feet. "Ceridwen, if you leave Willow’s side, I will consider it an insult to me and the goddess."

Willow blushed furiously. She started to protest, but Tara was in ‘take charge’ mode.

"Lady Willow, my life is yours." Ceridwen sheathed her sword and moved to Willow’s left side.

"Now that is romance," Anya said angrily. She slapped the back of Xander’s head. "Get some minions and make them swear to die protecting me."

The young guardians spun and glared at Anya.

"Anya, honey, let’s don’t call the big strong scary lady warriors ‘minions.’ I don’t think they like it." Xander waved. "Hi, I’m Xander. Nice to meet you. Guess you’re not big with the manly male type men."

"I’ll let you know when I see one," Gandu said with a polite smile.

"Hey!" Xander glared at her.

She flexed her muscles and stood to her full height.

"I mean, hey … what a funny sense of humor you have miss strong lady who can snap me like the man twig I am." Xander hid behind Anya.

Tara stiffened and her eyes widened. She felt a sensation in the pit of her belly that was familiar, and yet it was so foreign it made her nauseous. "We have to go," she whispered.

"What?" Buffy ran across the room and held up her sword.

"We must leave," Giles said. He grabbed Dawn by the arm and nodded toward the door. "Into the cars. We’ll figure the rest of this out once we’re safely at the sanctuary."

"Won’t the committee follow us there?" Buffy asked as everyone moved toward the front of the cabin.

"They cannot," Brent replied cryptically. She looked to her young guardians and caught their attention. "Make certain our way is clear."

Tara shook her head slowly from side to side. Her heart fluttered as something warm filled her soul, but what she was feeling could not be real.

Breda went first. She scanned the yard and into the distance and then looked back at Brent. "The animals in the valley are still silent," she said as she drew her blade. "And the birds close by have taken flight."

"Get our Lady to the van," Brent ordered. She and the other guardians surrounded Tara, except for Ceri, who stayed at Willow’s side.

"I can walk," Tara said a bit tersely.

"Come, Lady Willow." Ceri took Willow by the arm and pulled her toward the van.

"Hey!" Willow glared at Ceri. The guardian was dragging her along like a rag doll.

"It’s not safe in the open," Ceri whispered.

The Keeper stepped out of the tree line at the edge of the well-groomed lawn and walked toward the cabin. "Tara?" she asked politely.

The guardians spun and drew their blades. They advanced toward the Keeper.

"The Keeper," Brent said as she reached down and unsnapped a sheath covering a small blade on her waist. She left it there, ready for use even as she held up her sword.

Ceri pulled Willow to her body and backed away. "She’s dangerous," she whispered. She held her blade in up in defense of Willow.

Almost as if against her will, Tara moved toward the woman on the lawn.

"Tara!" Willow yanked away from Ceri and ran toward her lover. "You can’t just go to her."

"I have to," Tara said hollowly. Her face paled and she moved listlessly across the grass. Her sword tip scraped across the ground as she moved toward Keeper.

"My Lady, it’s a trick." Brent nodded to her guardians. "We need a perimeter established."

The guardians pushed everyone toward the van as they guarded each direction, except for Ceri; she grabbed Willow and pulled her toward the center of the group.

"Hey!" Willow protested. She needed to get back to Tara.

"You must get in the van, Lady Willow." Ceri pressed her back against Willow, pushing her toward the van as Xander opened the door. Ceri was poised to take any threat that might befall Willow.

"Cassie, do as they say." Diana hurried along with her friends. Dread filled her as she watched Tara silently moving toward the Keeper.

"Tara, what are you doing?" Giles grabbed her arm.

"It can’t be," Tara whispered. She looked into Giles’ face. "Can it?" Her eyes were tearing, but they were also slightly glazed as if she were drugged.

"You must fight it," Brent said. "This is the power of the Keeper. She bend minds, but you have more power if you can focus it."

"No," Tara said angrily. She yanked away from Giles and looked back at Willow. "It’s okay, Will." She smiled warmly and extended her hand toward the Keeper. She dropped her sword even as the guardians moved closer.

"Tara, you have to fight!" Willow yelled. She struggled to get past Ceri. "She needs me. Let me go."

Keeper walked across the lawn with a warm smile on her face. She looked at Tara and held out her arms.

Brent rushed forward with her sword drawn, but Tara waved a hand and knocked her away.

Tara drew in a breath. She sent out a spell, like a spider’s web, and all of her friends were held in place.

"Hello, darling," Keeper said as she helped Tara shape the spell that held her friends.

Willow’s jaw dropped as she watched the black haired women entrancing Tara with ease.

"Momma!" Tara ran to the woman standing on the grass. In Tara’s eyes, it was her mother. She fell into Keeper’s embrace.

"That’s not her mother," Willow insisted.

"The Keeper is sending the image into Tara’s mind," Ceri said. She was sweating heavily as she fought to break Tara’s magical hold.

"That’s not your mother," Willow yelled.

"Shh, baby," Keeper whispered. She looked over her shoulder as two witches in black commando gear came out of the trees. "I had to fake my death when I joined the committee. Your father never would have let me leave," Keeper lied.

"We’ve seen your mother," Willow yelled plaintively. "Remember where your mom is … remember who she’s with!"

Tara stiffened. She pulled back and studied her mother’s face, her beautiful blonde hair, the blue eyes Tara had missed. "Momma?"

"It’s me," Keeper swore. She redoubled her glamour spell. "I’ve just been waiting for the right time to come get you."

Tara looked back at her friends and then at the two commandos. She turned toward Willow and remembered holding Brianna … while her mother had stood next to her.

"Reicio," Tara said using the Latin word for ‘push away’. The commandos were thrown against the wall of the cabin. Tara glared at Keeper. "You’re not my mother."

"Tara?" Keeper asked gently.

"Reicio," Tara repeated. Keeper remained, but her appearance warped and the image of Tara’s mother was gone.

"Who are you?" Tara backed toward her friends, releasing them with a thought.

"You can call me Keeper. I’m so proud of you, my Tara." She smiled warmly. "You’re strong, and independent." Keeper nodded her approval. "We will do so much, my Tara."

"Don’t call me that," Tara ordered. When the guardians called her ‘my Lady,’ it was with reverence, but this woman said ‘my Tara’ as if it implied ownership.

"You are mine," Keeper said. "And I am yours. We’re two sides of the same coin. Can’t you feel it?"

"I think it’s time for you to go." Buffy moved alongside Tara and pointed her sword at the Keeper. She had picked up Tara’s sword, and she handed it to her friend as they stared down the Keeper.

"My Tara, you must trust me," Keeper said smoothly. "I know what’s best for us."

Tara almost took a step toward the woman, but she shook off the effects of Keeper’s enchantment. "I’m supposed to trust you? So far you’ve pretended to be my dead mother and tried to control my mind. That’s not inspiring a whole lot of faith."

"I meant only to test how far your skill has progressed," Keeper lied smoothly. "I’m very impressed." She held out her hand and smiled. "Come, it’s time I teach you what you truly are."

"No…" Buffy moved a bit closer to the woman and tensed. "It’s time you and your little commando pals leave."

"You have brave friends." Keeper smiled warmly. "You must be Buffy." She looked the Slayer up and down. "Amy was right, you don’t look strong enough to fend off a kitten, let alone vampires."

"You need to leave." Tara looked at the two commandos near the wall. They were waking up, and she didn’t want to have fight them.

"I’m not going anywhere without my property." Keeper’s voice hardened and her eyes went cold and dark. "Tara, get over here now, and we won’t have to hurt your friends."

"You have no claim on her," Brent said as she moved forward.

Keeper sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, who invited the old crone?" She gave Brent a bored stare. "The Instrument belongs to me."

Tara glared at the two women who were arguing over her like the last piece of chocolate cheesecake at a lesbian potluck. "I don’t belong to either of you," Tara said angrily.

"She is the mantle." Brent didn’t even acknowledge Tara’s outburst. She moved closer to Keeper. "The guardians have first claim. We allowed your silly group to care of the past mages, but that is a mistake we will not make again. You’ve allowed darkness to rot the committee from within."

"Hello? I don’t belong to either of you!" Tara’s face flushed with anger.

"Maybe we should sneak out while they’re arguing?" Buffy whispered.

Tara’s eyes widened. She nodded and began slowly backing away.

"My commandos have the entire area surrounded," Keeper said calmly. Her eyes remained locked on Brent. "They’ll cut you to ribbons if Tara gets into that van."

"Yeah, well, we’re pretty good with these things." Buffy held up her sword.

Keeper smiled and turned toward Buffy. She looked over at the two injured commandos standing a few feet away. "Typical Slayer…" She chuckled as the commando closest to her racked a round into the chamber of his rifle. "She brings a sword to gun fight." She glanced over at the trees and four more of the witches dressed in black came into view. Each one had a semi-automatic rifle trained on Tara’s friends.

Something inside Tara was about to snap. She felt the same rage stirring that she had felt when she faced Rack. A deadly sense of calm overtook her as something strong and ancient welled up from the depths of her soul. She looked over at Willow. The redhead was quietly arguing with Ceri. ‘She probably wants to come to my side,’ Tara thought glumly. ‘And I can’t even hold her hand without putting her in jeopardy.’

"That’s it, my Tara," Keeper said with a smile. She studied Tara’s aura, and then inhaled as if feeding off the anger she found.

"My Lady, you must focus on the love, never the anger," Brent whispered. "She feeds on anything negative."

"Be quiet, hag!" Keeper glared at Brent.

"Your true strength is love and protection," Brent continued, ignoring Keeper. "She has no power over them."

Keeper raised one eyebrow as she focused her power on Brent.

"Your tricks don’t work on me, Keeper." Brent smiled, easily brushing off Keeper’s dark based spell.

Tara inhaled and closed her eyes. She focused on her love for Willow. It was the purest thing she had ever known, then her face lit up as she remembered holding Brianna. Their exquisite child was proof that their love could create miracles. She looked at Giles and Xander; her expression was completely calm.

"Take Willow and Dawnie and leave," Tara said. "Everyone should go. I’ll be fine."

"We’re not leaving you here," Xander said.

"Xander, Tara said leave," Anya whined. "We should leave." She pulled him toward the van.

"I’m not going anywhere without you." Willow stared at her lover. The redhead was livid.

"Lady Willow, we must take you to safety." Ceri tried to move Willow into the van, but Willow was not cooperating.

"I will not leave you," Willow said angrily. "How can you even ask me to?"

"Tara and I have things to do," Keeper said with a smile. Her lips were thin, like a snake’s.

"Buffy and the guardians can stay." Tara met Willow’s eyes. "I need to know you’re safe."

"She will be," Keeper promised. "As soon as you come with me." She held out her hand. "I’d hate to see one of my men accidentally fire a weapon." The threat was clear. Tara could come now, or her friends were going to be used for target practice.

Anya shoved Dawn into the van and then pushed Xander toward the front seat. "Drive," she whispered. "This is going to get ugly, and we don’t want to be here. We don’t want to be within miles of this place."

"She’s right," Diana said as she shoved Cassie in next to Anya. "Drive."

Tara scanned the trees, feeling the men who were hiding. She quickly counted at least two dozen others. She focused on the commando standing next to Keeper, pinning her gaze on his rifle.

"Keeper?" he asked as he looked down at the black metal. It was heating in his hand, and then the gun twisted and curled into a useless ball of metal. He dropped it and took a step back.

"Swords it is," Keeper said in a bored tone. She nodded at the commandos. All of their guns had also coiled into balls of steel. She pulled a radio from her vest and pressed it on. "Swords. If the Instrument escapes, kill everyone else." She clicked off the radio without waiting for a response.

The soldiers reached over their shoulders and pulled out swords that were slung over their backs.

"Before you get any ideas, my Tara, these swords were forged in a foundry of Brigit. You can’t destroy them," Keeper said smugly.

"Swords? That’s more like it," Gandu said with a smile. Her sword hand itched as she turned toward the commandos.

Tara looked over and saw that Willow wasn’t going to evacuate. "Buffy, you and Giles keep the others safe." She turned to Brent. "Your Lady calls you into battle."

"Now, Tara…" Keeper said with a sigh. Her eyes widened as she saw the guardians transform in front of her eyes. The women had been on the defensive before, but now their muscles flexed and they shifted their weight from foot to foot. They were about to take the offensive. The guardians were an army, of that Keeper had no doubt. "Fine," Keeper said as she pinned her gaze on Tara and narrowed her eyes. She gave her full focus to the task as she reached into her vest and pulled out a vial. She opened the vial and tossed the contents onto Tara in one swift movement.

"Hey!" Tara jumped back but the clear substance hit her in the face. She wiped it from her cheek and smelled it. It was odorless.

"What was that?" Buffy demanded.

"Merely water," the Keeper said. She nodded to one of her men and he charged Tara.

Tara snapped her head toward him, intending to toss him back like she had done before. Her eyes widened in shock as she watched the man hit the wall of the cabin with crushing force.

"Oh, goddess!" Tara’s entire body shook. She stared at the man she had only meant to repel. His body impacted the wall with deadly results. His body was crushed, and thick red blood oozed from his eyes, nose and mouth.

"You need me to contain the power," Keeper said.

"Tara, she’s lying," Brent said. "She used water from the well of Brigit to unleash your full power. You’re not ready to handle it yet, but I can help you contain it."

"You can’t even help yourself." Keeper pinned Brent in her gaze. "Constrict," she whispered as her eyes went black.

Brent shook her head, but wasn’t strong enough. She had only tasted the Keeper’s dark power before, and now she was getting its full effect. She coughed as her throat began to close.

"No," Tara said bluntly. She carefully waved a hand at the man next to Keeper. He flew through the air and hit the wall with bone crushing force and then slipped to the ground. He didn’t even twitch. "I barely…" The young blonde stared down at her traitorous hand. "I…"

"You need me." Keeper held out her hand to Tara.

Tara focused on Keeper and the woman staggered back.

"Oh, no," Keeper said. "It’s not that easy." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small black dagger made of stone.

Tara dropped to her knees. Her eyes locked on the dagger as if transfixed.

"Guardians," Brent said only the one word, and the robed women around her flew into action. Brent attacked Keeper, while Gandu and Breda sprinted toward the trees to intercept the forces hiding in the brush.

Keeper was struggling with Brent as Tara fought to break whatever hold was pinning her down.

"Come on." Buffy scooped Tara up and carried her toward the van. "Get her out of here."

Willow was hysterical. She tried to climb over Ceri to get out of the vehicle.

"You can’t help her," Ceri said as she pinned Willow to her chest.

"I have to!" Willow elbowed Ceri in the jaw and tried to crawl over the top of her.

"She needs you to be safe." Ceri managed to keep Willow under control. "Xander, we should go," she grunted as Willow clawed at her face.

Xander turned the key, but nothing happened. "Um, slight problem." He tried the key again with the same result.

"We’ll go on foot," Ceri said as she yanked Willow out of the van.

"Dawn, stay with me," Giles ordered.

"Now just a darn minute." Willow ripped her arm out of Ceri’s steel grip and went to Tara. "I’m not leaving you."

"Willow, please…" Tara was struggling to breathe. "I can’t fight with you here."

"You’re good for a hag," Keeper said as she used her mind to deflect every one of Brent’s blows. "But not good enough." She shoved the black dagger at the elder guardian.

Brent pulled a small dagger from under her robe and slammed it against Keeper’s stone blade. The guardian’s dagger looked like it could have been cut from the same stone as Keeper’s. The only difference was that Brent’s blade had an oval amethyst in its hilt. The two blades collided and Keeper’s dagger shattered.

"No!" Keeper was shocked. Her blade was over 1,400 years old, and it was supposed to be unbreakable. It was made from one piece of jet found at the shore near Whitby, and it had been enchanted by the first Keeper.

Tara felt her strength return. She climbed to her feet just as the rest of the commandos were running out of the tree line. She grabbed Willow and kissed her. "I’m sorry, love." She shoved her into Ceri’s arms. "Remember your oath, Ceridwen." With that, Tara sprinted toward the oncoming horde of black clad men. She used her sword, cautiously disabling each man she faced. She was too frightened to use her power until she had it under control.

Willow stared in shock. This could not be her beloved, timid, nonviolent Tara. She stumbled as Ceri pulled her away, but her eyes were locked on Tara. "No," she whispered as Tara clashed blades with a half dozen men.

"Turn the key, damn it!" Anya yelled.

"I did!" Xander kept trying but nothing happened.

"We should help them," Dawn whined.

"Stay with us," Anya ordered. She looked at Giles. " Xander and I will get Dawn into the cabin. You help Diana and Cassie. It’s gotta’ be safer than sitting in the open like a virgin walking naked through a Viking camp." She jumped from the van and pulled Dawn past Brent and Keeper.

"Hey, hey, hey, what about me?" Xander ran after Dawn and Anya. "Agh!" He jumped sideways to avoid getting run over by Brent.

Ceri was dragging Willow away from the cabin.

"Um, where are you taking me?" Willow wasn’t fighting because Ceri was taking her into the trees, and from there, she’d have a better view of Tara.

"The others are not targets." Ceri yanked Willow behind a thick tree and slammed her against the rough bark.

"Watch the skin." Willow turned to glare at Ceri but then froze as she watched the guardian shove her sword into a man’s chest. "Oh … my…"

"My apologies, Lady Willow," Ceri whispered. She took the redhead’s hand and began weaving her way into the heavy brush.

"Tara’s back there," Willow complained as they went deeper into the cover of the forest. She stopped and turned back toward the meadow. It took every bit of strength she had to move away from the love of her life. Tara was fighting the soldiers, and she was kicking their asses. She smiled. "Wow," she whispered.

"She should be killing them," Ceri commented as she tried to move Willow away.

"I don’t want to leave her." Willow looked into Ceri’s eyes. "Please, I’m safe here. Go help her."

"Lady Willow, you are not safe." Ceri yanked Willow into her arms as a commando leapt out of the brush. Ceri kicked him in the crotch and then hit him with her sword.

Willow turned away at the sound of the blade severing his head from his neck.

Three more commandos tried to grab Willow from behind, but before the young witch could even let out a squeak, Ceri snapped one man’s neck and then stabbed another with a quick thrust as she kicked the remaining man away from Willow.

"Give her to me, and I’ll let you live," he whispered. He backed away and removed a small device from his jacket.

Ceri backed away as well, making sure she knew precisely where Willow was.

"As you wish," he said as he aimed a canister at Ceri.

The young guardian thrust her arm at him and he dropped to his knees and fell face down in the grass.

"Wow, that was some spell." Willow scooted to Ceri’s side and stared down at the fallen man. The canister clutched in his hand rolled onto the forest floor.

Ceri gave Willow a sideways glance and then leaned down and yanked a four-inch dirk from the side of the last soldier’s throat. She had thrown it with such speed and precision Willow hadn’t even seen the weapon kill him.

"Oh…" Willow looked back toward the meadow. "We should go back."

"The mage told me to get you to safety." Ceri pulled Willow closer.

"Yeah? Well, she’s not the boss of me." Willow pulled away. "See, we have a relationship, and that means we decide together. She doesn’t get to decide what’s best for us."

"Well the Imbolc mage is the boss of me." Ceri scowled. "That means you and I are crossing this forest and getting to our vehicles, and then I am taking you to the sanctuary."

"Not without Tara." Willow’s jaw was firmly set. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I may not be some Xena clone, and I may not be able to cast spells anymore, and I ... and I’m not sure what my point was, but I’m not leaving her."

"Lady Willow, if I have to … I will put you over my shoulder and carry you." Ceri sheathed her sword.

"The mother of my child is fighting for her life, and I will not leave her." Willow settled her resolve face into place. "You’ll have to kill me to get me away from her, and that kinda’ defeats your whole noble purpose." She spun and ran toward the meadow.

"I can’t believe that I was actually honored when the Lady asked me to watch her," Ceri muttered as she sprinted after Willow.

Brent was holding her own against the Keeper, but her strength was fading.

"What’s wrong old woman? Getting tired?" Keeper asked. "Enough games. I want to see what my Instrument can do." Her eyes went coal black and her body shimmered and then disappeared.

"Who’s playing the games now?" The elder guardian spun around slowly, listening for the any sound. Brent knew the Keeper could not translocate, but the black haired woman could make herself temporarily invisible by warping her foe’s perceptions. She heard the grass crunching behind her so she spun, but her sword wasn’t in the right position.

"I play to win," Keeper said as she stuck her blade into Brent’s side. She twisted the blade as she pulled it back. Her cruel smile brightened as she looked down at the fallen elder.

Brent gripped her black dagger and looked over toward Tara. She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath as her hand went limp.

Buffy had made her way to Tara’s side. She clashed blades with the men and tried to stay close enough to take some of the heat off of Tara. She could see that her friend was tiring.

"Ack!" Tara deflected a blow but as she did, another soldier sliced across her back. She pivoted and parried his next attack. Her wrist felt limp and her muscles ached. He slammed his blade and she was just able to block the blow. The impact drove her to one knee.

"Hands off my friend!" Buffy kicked the soldier in the throat. He went down to his knees and then fell to one side. His throat was crushed and he fought to take in even a gasp of air.

Tara was shaking. She’d never been as tired as she was at the moment.

"Up," Buffy ordered as a few more men approached. She took Tara’s hand and yanked her to her feet. "You need to use your mojo."

"I can’t control it," Tara said desperately. "I could kill everyone in this entire valley."

Buffy deflected a blow from an oncoming soldier and flung him across the meadow. She knew how frightened Tara was. She’s seen the witch’s terror the day before. Buffy froze as an idea came to her. She grabbed Tara and began dragging her toward the center of the meadow.

"Buffy?" Tara stumbled along beside her friend. "What are you…" Tara saw the small creek and smiled. She pulled out of Buffy’s grip and ran to the stream and jumped in with both feet. As soon as the water hit her skin she felt her energy coming back. "Stay out," Tara ordered Buffy.

"I’m just gonna’ stand here next to you and toss you a few nice commandos." Buffy waggled her eyebrows and nodded toward the water.

Across the meadow Willow was still struggling with Ceri. "I need to help her," she said as she ran across the open field.

"Damn it!" Ceri grabbed Willow and hoisted her over her shoulder. "I warned you." She spun and began making her way to the cover of the trees.

"Put me down!" Willow pounded Ceri’s back with both fists.

"Uh oh." Ceri stopped; her grip on Willow’s legs loosened.

"You bet your ass ‘uh oh.’ Let me down!" Willow squirmed. "Hey!" she yelled as Ceri tossed her to the ground. She landed with her butt directly on a large rock. "That was uncalled for!" Willow looked up and saw six men blocking their path to the woods.

"Uh oh…" Willow backed up like a crab and pressed her body against Ceri’s legs.

Keeper moved toward Tara. She watched with pride as the mage recharged in the stream.

Buffy grabbed a soldier and tossed him into the stream. He screamed as Tara’s drew his energy.

"Head’s up," Buffy yelled as she threw another into the water.

"I like this." Tara grabbed the first soldier and rolled him out of the creek so she wouldn’t kill him. She smiled and sloshed back to the center of the stream. Each drop of water refreshed her and the energy from the soldiers was filling her body with power, power she could use to fight without casting dangerous spells.

Another soldier approached and Buffy gave him a challenging glare.

"Use your talisman," Keeper said as she moved closer.

"Oh…" The soldier patted his vest and then found what he was looking for.

"Talisman?" Buffy turned toward Tara.

"That doesn’t sound good." Tara waded toward the shore.

The soldier tossed a black stone coin into the stream. As soon as the jet talisman dipped beneath the water, Tara knew she was in serious trouble.

"Buff—" Tara dropped to her knees and looked up at the Keeper.

"Enough!" Buffy punched the soldier and spun toward the Keeper. She grabbed the woman and was thrown back by an electrical shock.

"I couldn’t agree more." Keeper smiled as she watched Tara collapse onto her hands and knees. "I’ve had more than enough."

Breda screamed like a banshee and sprinted toward the Keeper. She hit the older woman and knocked her through the air. They landed in a heap and Breda rolled on top of the Keeper. She pressed her sword across Keeper’s throat and tried to kill her, but her hands wouldn’t move.

Tara felt fear, but it wasn’t her own. It was Willow’s. She looked across the meadow and her eyes instantly found her lover. Willow was on the ground with Ceri trying to fend off a group of soldiers. The guardian was losing. Tara swallowed as her vision blurred. She didn’t understand how, but she knew the talisman was leeching her body’s strength through the water. She hoped it wasn’t draining her soul as well.

"I’m coming love," Tara said as she stopped fighting the pull of the talisman. She fell forward into the stream. Her body floated face down in the gentle current as Buffy fought four soldiers and Breda struggled with the Keeper.

Ceri used one hand to pull Willow from the ground and then moved the redhead behind her. She struggled to keep Willow safe as she blocked blows from four swords. She twisted her blade and sent one soldier’s sword flying, then stabbed him through the belly, but another man sliced her arm. She winced but kept fighting.

Willow glanced toward Tara. She could feel her lover calling to her. "No!" she yelled when she saw Tara’s body in the stream.

Ceri used her foot to fling the abandoned sword into the air. She let go of Willow and used the two swords to defend her feisty charge.

"Tara!" She tugged Ceri toward the stream, but another soldier was coming from that direction.

Ceri glanced back and saw the soldier trying to flank her. She handed Willow a sword and then focused on the men in front of her.

A flash of tawny gold behind the men caught Ceri’s eye. "Sweet Brigit!" she a gasped.

Willow turned in time to see a huge mountain lion land on two of the men. The lion snapped each man’s neck with a vicious bite and then snarled and went after the remaining man. He was dead with one swipe of the lion’s paw.

"Stay back," Ceri ordered. She twisted her head from the sight of the vicious lion to the soldier still coming from Willow’s side.

The lion leaped and Ceri lifted her sword so she could rip the beast’s soft belly, but Willow’s sword slammed Ceri’s off course.

"No!" Willow yelled as the lion jumped right over the top of them and landed at a dead run toward the soldier. She spun and grimaced as the lion leaped and caught the soldier in the front of his throat.

"What the?" Ceri held her sword toward the beast.

"It’s Tara." Willow ran toward the lion. "She’s translocating her spirit. Her feral form is the easiest shape to take."

Tara spun and scanned the meadow. In her feral form she was pure instinct. She saw that there was no one nearby to threaten to her mate and then turned and trotted toward Willow.

"Baby?" Willow dropped to her knees as the huge cat came up to her. She could have sworn the lion’s eyes brightened. "It is you." She reached out and stroked the soft fur and the big cat let out a deep purr.

"My Lady?" Ceri asked.

The cat turned toward the stream. She could see her body floating further down the creek, and each passing second pulled her toward darkness. She turned toward Willow and then dropped to the ground.

"Tara?" Willow stroked the big cat and the gasped as its body morphed.

Tara was now lying naked in the grass. She was breathing in shallow gasps.

"What’s wrong?" She pulled her lover’s head into her lap.

"Where is her real body?" Ceri took off her green robe and covered Tara’s astral form.

Willow had been so excited to see her lover appear in feral form that she had completely forgotten about her actual body. "Oh, goddess!" She scanned the stream and saw that Tara’s body was still face down in the creek. "Ceri, do something!" She pointed at the creek.

"I cannot leave you." Ceri was torn. She was honor bound to stay at Willow’s side, yet her Lady was in mortal danger.

Tara’s eyes flickered open and she looked up at Ceri. "Stay with her," she ordered.

"Are you insane?" Willow looked down at her pale lover.

"You’re my always," Tara whispered. She closed her eyes and her body began to flicker.

Willow dropped Tara’s head to the grass sprinted across the meadow.

"Lady Willow!" Ceri ran headlong to keep up with Willow. "You can’t leave her," she said as she chased alongside the panicked redhead.

"Her body’s dying," Willow could see Tara floating in the stream. Buffy was several yards away in the middle of a brawl. More soldiers were jumping on the Slayer even as Willow continued sprinting. She saw that the Keeper and Breda were still locked in some battle of wills, and worst of all, Willow knew no one would reach Tara in time.

Ceri realized it as well. She had her sword drawn and was ready to kill anyone who came near Willow, but most of the commandos were already dead. The few that remained were trying to get into the cabin or were focused on Buffy. "Breda! Our Lady needs you!" Ceri yelled.

The Keeper’s arms were pinned to her sides by Breda’s massive thighs. She couldn’t move, so she was using her magical skill to hold the warrior’s might at bay.

The sword was pressed to Keeper’s throat and a thin red line gave witness to how close Breda was to killing the other woman. Breda’s eyes were locked with Keeper’s and both women were sweating heavily.

Keeper smiled. "Your Lady is about to drown."

Breda’s arms shook as she tried to finish off the Keeper.

"I don’t want her dead either," Keeper said. "Go to her, and we’ll finish this when she’s safe."

"Don’t lie to me," Breda said between clinched teeth. She looked over and saw that Buffy was taking a beating. There was no way the Slayer could help Tara. Breda shoved the sword and used the leverage to jump to her feet. She ran toward the stream, hoping the Keeper’s word was worth something. Even if it wasn’t, the Lady needed her and she would answer the call.

Keeper coughed and rubbed her bloodied neck.

Breda jumped into the water and waded over to Tara. Her sword was still in one hand as she reached for Tara’s arm. She heard a sickening, sloshing crunch and saw the tip of a sword come out of her own chest. She stared down as blood washed out of her body around the steel. Her arms went slack and her sword dropped into the water. Breda was dead before her blade settled in the cool sand at the bottom of the stream.

"She belongs to me," Keeper said as she used her sword and pivot Breda’s body away from Tara. She put her foot on the dead guardian’s back and shoved her off of the sword and then waded the final few steps to Tara.

Willow was still 50 yards away. Her lungs ached but her pace never slowed. She watched in horror, screaming when the Keeper killed Breda, but she never broke stride. "No…" Willow said as she watched the Keeper approach Tara. "Buffy!" she yelled as she leaped over the tall grass.

"My Tara," Keeper said with a smile. "Why did you have to be so difficult?" She planted her foot in the middle of Tara’s back and pushed her under the cool water. She knelt on Tara’s back, holding her under water as she lifted Brent’s black dagger from her vest.

"It didn’t have to be this way." Keeper lifted Tara by the hair and reached the jet blade under Tara’s chin. "Debilito," she whispered and then smiled when the dagger broke the skin. She slid her hand under Tara’s throat and moaned when she felt Tara’s hot blood cover her fingers. "So warm and sweet," she said with a satisfied hiss. "Excellent."

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Giles fell back against the wall as a sword crashed through the window. "I dare say we won’t be getting to use this cabin again anytime soon." He ducked as Cassie swung a lamp and hit the intruder trying to come through the broken window.

"More killing, less redecorating!" Anya yelled. She had a sword she’d appropriated from a dead commando, and she was waving it as she marched around the living room issuing orders.

Dawn was sitting against the couch. She was holding a towel to Brent’s wound. "There’s so much blood." She looked up at Diana. "Should there be this much blood?"

"It doesn’t hurt," Brent said weakly. She smiled at the young teen, trying to reassure her. "I’m sure it looks worse than it is."

Diana didn’t answer. She was focused on the angry slash. She tilted her head, trying to get a better look at the injury. "Cass?" she called out to her lover. "I need some help over here."

Cassie rushed to her side. "What can I do?" She saw that the bleeding was not slowing, so she grabbed a bottle of alcohol and poured it over her hands. It was the best thing she could do without the proper facilities to scrub. She got a pair of latex gloves and put them on even as Diana continued probing Brent’s injury.

"I can’t see," Diana complained. Her fingers were wet and slippery with blood.

"Here." Cassie took a handful of sterile gauze and pressed them into the wound and then pulled them back. "There," she whispered as she used her finger to pull back a jagged piece of shredded muscle. "You need to tie that off."

"Got it." Diana picked up a suture and stitched the damage that was causing the most bleeding. She pulled back and sighed when the bleeding slowed. "I think we can stop the rest with direct pressure." She put the suture kit aside as Cassie packed the wound quickly.

"You see." Brent smiled at Dawn.

The young teen was as pale as a cartoon ghost.

"The goddess provided me with two fine healers and you to comfort me. It is her way," Brent whispered.

"Well, she should have provided some machine guns and a freakin’ tank," Anya complained. "How many of those psycho witch commandos are there?"

Cassie closed her eyes and inhaled. She looked like she was just tired, but Diana recognized the action for what it was. Cassie was taking a mental tally of the battle outside.

"There are less than a dozen left," Cassie said. Her eyes remained closed as she tried to focus on her friends and their protectors. "Oh, goddess, no." Cassie’s eyes shot open and she stumbled to her feet.

"What is it?" Giles glanced over his shoulder. He couldn’t look away from the window for very long without risking an intrusion.

"Death." Cassie was heading for the front door. There were chairs and a desk blocking the entrance. "We have to help her!"

"Death?" Xander shook his head as he began pulling the furniture out of the way. "Can’t you adjust that seer-vision for joy, or whimsy … or even just plain old stubbed toe? Why is it always death?"

"Tara’s dying," Cassie snapped angrily.

"My Lady!" Brent tried to stand but Diana shoved her against the couch.

"You’re not going anywhere." Diana caught Dawn’s eyes. "Keep her here," she ordered. She knew Dawn needed a distraction.

"You’ll help Tara?" Dawn asked as she pressed a hand on Brent’s shoulder to restrain her.

"Yeah." Diana stood and went to the widow. She grabbed a kitchen knife off the table and nodded to Giles. "I’ll take the window. You go find Tara."

Giles nodded grimly. He hurried toward the door with his sword firmly in hand.

"Take this." Anya pressed her purloined sword into Xander’s hand and then she kissed him tenderly. "Don’t think you can get out of this wedding by dying." She touched his cheek lovingly. "I’ll just have Willow resurrect your ass. Trust me, you don’t want to walk down the isle with coffin dirt in your tuxedo."

"Well, now you ruined my plan." Xander caressed her cheek. "I love you," he whispered and then ran over to Giles and they bolted outside.

"That jerk." Anya shoved the furniture back in front of the door. "Doesn’t he watch those movies me makes me rent? The hero always dies after he tells his girlfriend he loves her." She wiped her eyes. "At least I’m not pregnant. Having a pregnant girlfriend as you go into battle is like signing your own death warrant. Pin a big sign on your head … shoot me, I’m gonna’ be a daddy."

Diana stabbed a commando in the hand as he tried to come through the window. She let out a sigh as she glanced at Anya. ‘Thank the goddess she isn’t pregnant,’ Diana thought. ‘I do not wanna’ see her hopped up on hormones.’

*****

Willow saw the Keeper push Tara under the icy water of the stream. Her heart stopped, and then, as if a miracle had happened, she watched as the woman lifted Tara’s face from the water. For a split second everything in Willow’s world was okay again. Tara’s face was out of the water and she was taking in life giving oxygen, but then Willow saw the small black dagger. She watched as Keeper pressed it to Tara’s skin. It was a defining moment, the end of Willow’s life; nothing else mattered, nothing else would ever matter again.

Her brain told her that the love of her life was now dead, and yet, her heart refused to believe. Her heart told her body to keep running, told her to hurry, to run faster. She didn’t feel the muscles of her legs aching as they were overworked. She didn’t feel her lungs biting against her chest as they begged for oxygen. The thought of slowing down never entered her mind. One thing mattered, reaching Tara.

She wasn’t aware that she was slowly leaving Ceri behind. Willow had never been a fast runner, but now, when everything depended on it, she ran with Olympic speed. Casting a dark spell didn’t occur her. She heard something whip past her ear and she saw the Keeper look up.

The dark haired witch reached out her hand and caught a small dirk in her fingers.

Willow didn’t even slow. She knew in her heart that Ceri had thrown her small weapon, but it had missed its mark.

The Keeper tossed aside the dirk and looked down at Tara. She dipped her hand under Tara’s throat and then lifted her bloodied fingers to her mouth and licked the salty, coppery liquid. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sweet flavor, and then whispered, "debilito."

Willow was close now, perhaps only 10 yards away. She watched in horror as the Keeper rolled Tara onto her back so she was floating in the water, and then Keeper lowered her face and pressed her lips to Tara’s. For a moment Willow thought it was some obscene kiss, then she realized the Keeper was giving Tara breath.

The final few steps passed in a blur. As Willow reached the Keeper, her arm drew back of its own accord. She lifted her fist as she swung with all of her body weight behind the punch. Pain shot up her arm, but it was a dull, peripheral sensation when all that mattered was saving Tara.

The Keeper barely had time to register that Willow had reached her before she was flying through the air and landing in the water.

"Tara?" Willow scooped her lover into her arms and began pulling her out of the creek. She knew the magical charm the soldier had thrown into the water was still affecting Tara. She had to get her out of the stream to stop the magic. She pressed her hand to Tara’s throat expecting the blood to be flowing uncontrollably, but as soon as her hand touched the warm sticky substance, she realized the injury was relatively minor.

Ceri sprinted to the water’s edge and she took part of Tara’s weight from Willow.

As they pulled Tara out of the water, Willow could see the Keeper struggling to her feet in the stream. "Kill her," Willow ordered as soon as she and Ceri had pulled Tara clear of the creek.

The young guardian took the order from Willow as if it had come from Tara’s own lips. She drew her sword and advanced on the Keeper, intending to happily obey the order.

Buffy was still busy with the remains of the commando force. Two of them had her awkwardly around the legs and another three were battling to keep her upper body occupied. The Slayer glanced over and saw Willow hunched over Tara’s unconscious form. Buffy’s rage took over.

She threw her arms back, tossing two of the men through the air and then she reached down snapped one man’s neck. On some level, Buffy had been holding back. These were not vampires; these were not demons; these were not some evil hellmouth beasts; these were human beings. No matter what they were trying to do, the part of Buffy that was the Slayer wanted to preserve human life. That all changed when she saw the look of absolute shock and loss in Willow’s eyes as she looked down at Tara.

For a moment, Buffy thought the blond was dead. Then her Slayer senses kicked in and she picked up the faint breathing and the rapid, erratic beating of Tara’s heart.

"Open your eyes, baby," Willow pleaded as she cradled Tara in her arms. She brushed the wet hair off of her lover’s face and then checked the small puncture wound under Tara’s throat with shaking hands. The wound was barely more than a deep scratch, but it was bleeding profusely because of the water in the cut.

Ceri sprinted toward the Keeper.

The Keeper watched with calm objectivity as Ceri raised the sword with both hands. One thought from the Keeper sent Ceri stumbling backwards.

The young guardian didn’t have the experience or the power that Brent did. She had no way to fight the impulses the Keeper was sending to her mind, so she relied on what she did have, force of will. She gritted her teeth and made another attempt to attack the Keeper, only to be tossed back into the water on her backside.

Tara’s eyes fluttered open. She looked up at Willow with a confused expression. Her entire body ached and she felt like she hadn’t slept in days. She started to speak the only a hoarse, scratchy squeak came out.

Willow laughed and cupped her lover’s face. She had never seen anything more beautiful in her life than Tara’s eyes opening.

The blond was more concerned with stopping the Keeper. She tried to sit up, but could only manage with Willow’s help. She raised her hand shakily and tried to point at the Keeper. Tara intended to throw the Keeper across the meadow, even if it killed the other witch. Nothing happened. Tara looked to Willow with a frightened scowl.

Ceri knew what the problem was immediately. She held her sword up defensively as she glanced back at Tara. "My Lady, she’s disabled you. By tasting your blood she’s taken in your very essence. She’s controlling you."

"Oh, do shut up," the Keeper said a she walked toward Ceri. She held one palm up toward the young guardian.

Ceri grabbed her neck with one hand as she felt her throat constrict. Her other hand limply held her sword up in a futile attempt to defend herself.

Willow saw that Buffy could not help, so she did the only thing she could think of. She stood slowly, leaving Tara in the warm, lush grass, and faced the Keeper. Her green eyes locked with the Keeper’s black orbs and Willow slowly made her way toward the stream.

When Willow stepped into the cold water alongside Ceri, she reached down and took the sword from the shaking guardian’s hand. She hadn’t said a word, and yet the malice in her movement was obvious.

The Keeper knew the redhead wanted kill her. "This should be fun," Keeper stalled as she focused on Willow.

The shift in the Keeper’s attention allowed Ceri to take in a hacking breath. She twisted so she could look to Tara and then hoarsely whispered to the mage. "You must take her blood," Ceri explained. She nodded toward the Keeper.

Willow raised her sword with both hands. It was awkward. She wasn’t used to handling the blade. Even though she had sparred with Tara and she knew a few simple moves, this was different. This was not a safe and playful exchange with her lover. This was life and death, and the heavy sword felt foreign in Willow’s slender hands.

Keeper tossed her head back, intending to send Willow flying. Her eyes went wide when there was no effect.

Willow smirked and took another step closer. She gripped the sword a little tighter. "You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it."

Fear was a new emotion. Keeper swallowed and took a step back. She felt no dark magic coming from Willow, and yet, power emanated from her very being. Keeper decided that whoever had done the research on Willow Rosenberg was going to die. The red-haired witch wasn’t supposed to have any power of her own. Keeper had been told the dark magic was her only source, and that it came from Rack.

"You expect me to believe you faced a god?" Keeper asked she stalled for time. She racked her brain trying to think of a spell to use on the witch.

"When I came for Glorificus, she thought I was an apocalypse," Willow said as she stepped closer.

The Keeper would have gasped if her entire body hadn’t been suddenly frozen with fear. She had heard rumblings from the committee about Glorificus being in Sunnydale, but that some power had managed to rid the world of her. They had only the vaguest of information, picked up from several scattered minions who only lived long enough to whimper out a few bits of information before dying. The one thing that was clear was that whoever killed Glorificus’ human host had hurt the goddess before doing it. The great Glorificus had been beaten to a bloody pulp.

"You’re lying," Keeper said, though she didn’t believe it.

Willow swung the sword is hard as she could. She didn’t care what Keeper believed.

Seeing the blade coming toward her made the Keeper’s instincts flare. She trusted a palm toward Willow as hard as she could and whispered, "pain." The dark magic worked, tossing Willow back into the stream.

The redhead started to get up, but the Keeper was now focused and she was intent on stopping her at all cost. She held both hands toward Willow eyeing the sword clutched in the petite witch’s hand. "Away!" Keeper ordered. The sword was ripped out of Willow’s grasp and flung 30 yards across the meadow. It landed with a muted clang and bounced harmlessly to a stop in the thick clover.

Tara struggled to her knees. She knew she had to help Willow, but she didn’t know how. The Keeper had a strange control over her before taking her blood, and now it was as if the evil witch somehow contained Tara’s power.

Ceri crawled through the water to Willow’s side. She saw the Keeper pull out the black dagger. It was the same one that belonged to Brent, the same one that had wounded Tara.

The Keeper gripped the dagger tightly and lunged at Willow.

Ceri was able to throw her body over the top of the redhead just in time to intercept the blow. The young guardian gritted her teeth as the stone blade sank deep into her muscular back.

"Fool," the Keeper said as she stood up and then tossed her head at Ceri. The motion sent the guardian flying.

The injured guardian landed several yards away with a pained grunt. She quickly staggered to her feet. She had to get back to Willow and keep her safe.

The water of the stream was clear, and deceptively calm. Tara reached the side of the creek and continued crawling. As soon as her hand touched the water, pain shot through her entire body. It was so intense that Tara almost threw up. Whatever the Keeper had done to make the water drain Tara’s power was still in effect. She tried to continue on, but her vision blurred, and she knew that in another second she’d be unconscious. She sat back on her heels, trapped at the grassy edge of the stream. The horrifying realization was as painful a physical blow. She could do nothing as her lover faced the Keeper.

"I haven’t wanted to risk killing you," the Keeper said the she leaned over the top of Willow.

The young redhead scurried like a crab eager to escape a predator. She sloshed through the water backwards on her hands. Her fingers dug into the gravel on the bottom of the stream. Tiny rocks nicked her flesh and sand painfully embedded beneath her fingernails.

"I hadn’t wanted to risk it because with Tara’s powers in effect, she could have killed us all with one thought." Keeper smiled cruelly and looked over at Tara. "But as soon as I tasted her blood, I took in her essence. I can truly be her Keeper now."

Tara stuck her jaw out defiantly. "I’ll never do what you say, and if you hurt her, I will find a way to kill you."

"Yes, yes, I’m sure you will," the Keeper said in a sarcastic yet bored tone. She adjusted her grip on the dagger and held it in one hand over her head. She sank to one knee, intending to bury the stone blade to its hilt in the center of Willow’s chest. What she had not counted on was that as Willow was crawling away, the frightened witch touched something under the water.

Willow’s fingers crossed over something that was not stone, and was not sand; it was steel. She wrapped her fingers around the blade that had belonged to Breda. As the Keeper drove her hand down toward Willow, the redheaded witch swung the sword out of the water in a desperate, wild arc. The blade cut through Keeper’s arm like flame melting ice. The dagger dropped to the water beside Willow, still gripped in the Keeper’s severed right hand.

Ceri took the opportunity and launched over to the severed limb. She grabbed it and tossed it out of the water onto the shore next to Tara.

The young blond mage stared down with wide eyes. The hand twitched as the dagger fell to the grass.

"What have you done?" the Keeper yelled as she gripped the bloody stump with her remaining hand. She tried to slow to bleeding as she stared down at Willow.

The redhead crawled to her knees and gripped the sword, intending to take another swing.

The Keeper backed up. She decided it was time to take off her kid gloves. "Crush," she whispered. She blocked out everything else as she focused all of her hatred, all of her energy, every bit of her being on Willow’s destruction. Her eyes went coal black as she looked at Willow’s forehead. She wanted to crush the defiant redhead’s skull. She channeled her hatred and jealousy at the woman who held Tara’s heart. She channeled her indignation at the woman who supported Tara’s rebellion. Tara had betrayed her gift, and Keeper was certain that Willow was the cause. Her hatred came pouring through her with deadly focus.

Willow dropped the sword and grabbed her head as the pain made her eyes fill with tears.

Panic filled Tara, but she had to act. She reached down and wiped her fingers across the stump of the severed hand. The blood was still warm and flowed across her fingertips like dark honey. She shuttered as she slowly lifted her fingers to her lips and tasted the Keeper’s blood. As soon as the coppery essence danced across her tongue, she felt her body tense. She may not have the Imbolc mage’s power fully at her disposal anymore, but she was now fully in tune with the Keeper’s essence. "Debilito," Tara said, somehow remembering the word the Keeper had used against her.

The Keeper faltered and turned toward Tara, realizing what had happened.

Tara narrowed her eyes. Her rage had returned. This woman had stolen her powers and then went after Willow. Tara used her mind and pulled the Keeper to her.

The dark haired witch staggered. She was a puppet futility struggling against a marionette’s strings. She was forced out of the stream to Tara’s side.

"Enough," Tara said angrily. She grabbed the Keeper’s remaining hand and squeezed it painfully. She caught the other woman’s eyes. Understanding flashed between them. Sweet, loving, calm Tara was gone. "Give me back my power," the Imbolc mage ordered.

The Keeper screamed as Tara ripped back what belonged to her. She stumbled back, looking for something to use against Tara. She found a discarded blade from one of the dead commandos Buffy had killed.

The Slayer only had three remaining opponents and she was driving them toward Willow and Tara, as if she knew her friends needed her help. She glanced toward the cabin and saw Giles and Xander trapped near the front of the cabin. ‘Typical,’ she thought as she kicked one of the commandos. ‘The chicks are kicking ass, and the men are pinned down by two measly soldiers.’

The sword abandoned at the Keeper’s feet was pinned under the arm of a dead man. The Keeper didn’t bother reaching down to pick it up. She tossed her head toward Willow and sword went shooting through the air.

Willow didn’t have time to react. Her eyes widened in shock as the blade streaked toward her belly.

"No," Tara said calmly. The sword stopped a few inches from Willow’s tender skin. It hovered there for a moment and then slowly pivoted and pointed in the opposite direction. Tara’s skin began to tingle. She raised one eyebrow and the sword went hurling toward the Keeper.

"Bitch!" The Keeper only avoided the impact by throwing her body to the ground as the sword rushed over her.

Meanwhile, Ceri made her way over to Willow and wrapped an arm around the redhead. The young guardian could see the air crackling around Tara. She knew the mage was unleashing her full power, and she knew nothing human could survive it. Ceri tried to pull Willow toward the cabin, but the wound on her back seemed to be dumping her strength along with her blood.

"You’re bleeding," Willow said. Concern laced her voice. She pressed a hand to the deep gash on Ceri’s back and tried to make the guardian sit, but the stubborn woman refused.

"We must leave, Lady Willow." Ceri positioned herself so that if the Keeper tried to take a shot at Willow, the guardian would be ready. She saw a sword and picked it up. Now properly armed, she felt more at ease. "Come, Lady Willow." She grabbed Willow’s arm and began forcibly dragging her.

"We can’t leave Tara." Willow pointed to her lover.

"We don’t have a choice." Ceri squeezed Willow’s arm. She lifted her sword and pointed at Tara. "Can’t you see it?"

Willow focused on her lover. She tilted her head to one side and tried to calm herself. As soon as she took one deep cleansing breath, she saw it. The air around Tara was ripping. Tiny tears in the fabric of the atmosphere were opening, and the effect was spreading.

"What the hell is that?" Willow began to shake. She saw that Buffy had defeated the last commandos, and she was now making her way toward Tara. Something inside Willow told her that was the worst thing the Slayer could do. "Buffy, no!"

The Slayer’s arms were covered in blood. She gripped a sword in each hand and her eyes were wild. She paused when she heard Willow’s voice and spun toward her friend. "Willow?"

"Run," Willow said. She stumbled as Ceri began dragging her away. Her eyes locked with Buffy’s. "Run, damn it!" she yelled this time.

Buffy trusted Willow, and that trust, built over years of fighting evil on the hellmouth, was the only thing that could make her leave Tara behind. She sprinted after Willow, and soon caught up with her. Ceri was limping badly.

"What is it?" Buffy asked a she grabbed the guardian by one arm and began pulling her toward the cabin.

"Our Lady is about to unleash the power," Ceri said. She was panting, but she wouldn’t give up. "We must hurry." She chanced a look back, and confirmed her worst fear. "Sweet Brigit, there isn’t time."

"What about Tara?" Willow’s heart was drawing her back toward the danger, back to Tara. "I can’t leave her."

"Lady Willow, the Keeper has unleash this, but it will kill us just the same." Ceri saw a small dip in the landscaped. She remembered crossing a dried stream bed earlier in the day. She focused on the small ditch as she felt hot blood running down her back.

Buffy and Willow exchanged a quick look. They knew that Tara had survived the terrible destruction of Rack’s lair.

"She’ll be okay," Buffy promised.

As they ran across the peaceful meadow Willow’s shocked mind drifted. There were so many commandos laying the beautiful field that it looked like a war movie. It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be true that this much death and destruction could take place in such a peaceful, perfect meadow.

Ceri stumbled to a stop, pulling Willow and Buffy to a halt as well. "Get down," she ordered as she shoved Willow into the small ditch. She pushed Buffy down next to the redhead. She knew time was running out as she looked back toward Tara. The mage and the Keeper were silently staring each other down in a bizarre test of wills. Ceri knew enough about the legend of the Keeper to know that the dark haired witch wouldn’t let Willow leave alive, she was a threat to her control, and the Keeper wouldn’t ever let Tara go.

The Willow was on her knees. A few tiny thorns bit through her pants into her flesh. She didn’t know what Ceri had planned, so she looked at Buffy.

The Slayer only shrugged. She didn’t understand either.

Ceri had to help Tara. Even at the extreme distance, she noticed that the Keeper was covered with water from her struggles in stream. She lifted one hand her mouth and cupped her fingers so her voice would carry. "My Lady, you serve Brigit."

Tara didn’t respond; she kept her eyes locked on the Keeper, though she did think it was an odd thing for the young guardian to yell.

"You rule water and flame," Ceri yelled.

"Your guardian’s delirious." Keeper tried to pry her way into Tara’s thoughts.

A dangerous smiled covered Tara’s face. "In the hands of the mage, water can be flame." The air around the blond mage actually hissed. Tara licked her lips as she noticed the water coating the Keeper’s entire body. She remembered the glass of water in the cabin and how she had ignited its molecules with a single thought. She wondered how the Keeper would react to having flames dance over her body.

"I can cover my body with the goddess’ cool breeze." Keeper smiled smugly. "You can’t defeat me that easily." Her face was pale from the loss of blood. She nodded toward her throbbing stump. "Your bitch will pay."

Tara smiled. She had briefly considered igniting the water on the Keeper’s skin, but then something else occurred to her. Tara knew that the Keeper had her own magical abilities, and she knew that having her skin scorched off might just add to the one-handed witch’s considerable anger.

"You belong to me," Keeper said as she took a menacing step toward Tara. "This has gone on long enough. You are my Instrument."

"Maybe you should have tried the guitar," Tara taunted as she glanced down at the bloody stump the Keeper was squeezing. "I guess it’s a little late for that now."

"I’m willing to make a sacrifice for my service." Keeper turned her head and inhaled. The smell of ozone was thick in the air along with the tingle of magic. "It’s time you did too." Keeper looked across the meadow at Willow. Her eyes darkened deeper. Where they had once been coal black, now they seemed to be endless pits, as if the darkness was now so complete that her eyes were sucking the light from the surrounding area.

Tara was mesmerized by the blood dripping between the Keeper’s fingers where she gripped her mangled arm. Tara smiled. She remembered her biology classes, and she knew her plan would work. She focused on the splattering drips of crimson; each drop was liquid proof that the Keeper was human. Tara remembered that the human body was mostly water. She channeled her rage on the red droplets and suddenly the blood seeping from Keeper’s jagged stump began to bubble.

"What are you doing?" There was panic in the Keeper’s voice. She backed away, and her arm felt like it was boiling from the inside, and for very good reason. It was.

Tara said nothing. Nothing mattered beyond her cold rage. Keeper was a threat to Tara’s mate. That threat had to be neutralized. Tara’s anger boiled to the surface as did the Keeper’s blood.

The over heating blood burst into flame. The sensation didn’t even have time to register as the blood inside Keeper’s veins followed suit. The water molecules inside her body were igniting from within.

The agonizing scream that came from the Keeper did not sound human. It echoed across the valley as the Keeper dropped to her knees. The jagged wound at the end of her barren wrist stopped bleeding, and bits of fire dropped from the stump like lava falling into the sea. The flaming blood hissed as it bounced on the cool clover. The Keeper continued howling until her entire body became a pillar of flame. The screams of misery were drowned out by the raging sound of the fire.

Tara’s body shook. The air around her warped; she could feel the power coming, gathering, bucking for release. She barely had time to look across the meadow, but she caught sight of a flash of the familiar red hair that filled her dreams. She prayed to the goddess that her beloved Willow was far enough away. Her thoughts were of her lover as everything around her imploded.

"Sweet Brigit, protect us," Ceri said as she saw the disaster begin. She had time to look further up the shallow gully. The indentation was a bit deeper and a heavy log was resting half over the dry creek bed. "Lady Willow…" Ceri hooked her arm around Willow’s waist and dragged her the few feet to the log and shoved her forcefully down to the cool earth beneath it.

"Hey!" Willow protested. She sputtered to get a weed out of her mouth.

Buffy followed the guardian. "That does not look good." Buffy noticed the air stirring. A gentle breeze became a howling wind. The tall grasses lining the gully whipped over sideways and hit Buffy’s skin. "Shit!" She pressed her body alongside Willow’s as she finally understood why Ceri was shoving them into the low gully.

The air was being sucked toward Tara like the tide being pulled out to sea by a huge tidal wave forming on the horizon. The sound became deafening as loose leaves and chunks of brush were sucked toward Tara. The sound of small trees uprooting and snapping off punctuated the whirling wind.

The blonde mage was the center of a vortex. Tara dropped to the ground on both knees and she thrust her hands into the air. The Keeper’s body was still engulfed in agonizing flame. Somehow, Keeper managed to live even as she was being incinerated in a hellish fire.

Small trees ripped out of the ground and the bodies of the dead commandos shifted and rolled as the vortex pulled them toward Tara.

Ceri was pressed over the top of Willow, protecting her. Small rocks blew over them as the wind reached hurricane force. The rocks and branches and small trees cut into Ceri’s already damaged back.

The Slayer tried to burrow her face closer to the ground. The wind bit through her closed eyes and sand and grit made her eyes water. It was like being locked in a wind tunnel with a truckload of gravel. Buffy cringed as a tree limb scrapped across her legs.

The wind rushed and rumbled and then everything went dead calm with a final whoosh. Willow coughed some of the dirt out of her mouth. She shifted, struggling as Ceri continued to hold her in place.

"Tara…" Willow wiggled out from under the guardian.

"Wait, Lady Willow." Ceri’s voice was weak. Her body had taken an awful beating and her back was scrubbed raw by the blowing rocks and sand.

"Where is she?" Willow sat up and saw her lover across the meadow. "Baby?" she whispered.

Tara’s body was shaking. She was frozen on her knees with her hands still thrust toward the sky and her body was glowing gold, pulsating with power. Her hair danced around her face to the music of the goddess. Static electricity was thick in the air.

"She needs me," Willow tried to stand but Ceri yanked the redhead back to the ground.

"That was the gathering," Ceri said. Her voice was full of fear. "The release won’t be as calm.

"Calm?" Buffy stared at Tara.

A distant, high-pitched whine grew in volume and a rumble like a thousand claps of thunder rolling toward them shook the ground.

"Get down," Ceri ordered as a blinding light engulfed Tara like a nuclear flash.

Willow’s cheek impacted with the ground as the concussive blast overtook them. The wind before was nothing compared to the violent shockwave that blew past them now. Bodies of the commandos tumbled over them along with swords and all of the debris that had been sucked over them before. A split second after the flash and the wind, the sonic boom crashed and then silence fell again.

Tiny bits of debris rained down, but the pieces were so fine they looked like grey and brown snowflakes. An eerie calm settled with the dust.

Buffy’s ears were ringing. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to get her ears to pop. The rush of wind had seemed to increase the air pressure and it made her feel like she was in an airplane at 30,000 feet.

"Is it over?" Willow asked in a muffled whisper. Her face was still mashed to the ground.

"I think so." Ceri climbed off of Willow and looked toward the center of the meadow. The ground was scrubbed bare, leaving a huge circular desert in the middle of the forest. She looked toward the tree line and saw that some of the trees remained, though they were twisted and mangled with the roots pulled mostly from the ground. Ceri dipped her head and pressed her bloodied fist to her forehead. "Thank you for sparring me, goddess," she whispered. Her knuckles were rubbed raw from gripping the side of the gully for leverage during the explosion. The rocks and grit had sandblasted her skin away.

"Where’s Tara?" Willow started to sit up and felt a sharp pain in her leg. She looked down and cringed. A stick the size of a pencil had blown into her calf. It was driven into her leg and blood bubbled out around it through a hole in her jeans.

"She’s gone." Buffy stared at the barren landscape. There was no grass, no stone, nothing big enough to hide an Easter egg behind, let alone a witch.

"No." Willow gritted her teeth and climbed to her feet. She stood on her one good leg and surveyed the damage. "Oh, Tara…" Willow’s voice broke. The devastation was much like it had been at Rack’s lair, but without buildings to supply debris, the landscape was blown clean. A perfect circle of destruction was cut in the center of the meadow.

"I’m sorry, Will." Buffy rested a hand on Willow’s back. She couldn’t imagine anything surviving the center of blast.

"She’s here." Willow pulled away from Buffy and limped toward the middle of the event.

The Slayer moved to stop her best friend, but Ceri took her arm. She turned and the guardian shook her head. Willow needed to do this alone.

Ceri watched, letting Willow limp across the scoured earth. She knew the redhead was safe. Any threat was long gone.

Willow’s eyes were tearing, but that was more from the sting of the dirt blown into them. She could feel Tara’s soul. She limped faster, then paused to yank the stick out of her leg, ignoring the burning pain. The wound oozed more heavily, but at least each step wasn’t grinding the stick into her muscle anymore.

As Willow got closer to the middle of the destruction, she noticed that the ground was buckled. She broke into an unsteady trot as she remembered the deep hole in the center of the debris at Rack’s lair.

"Tara?" Willow she stumbled to the edge of a crater. It had been impossible to see from the distance, but as she looked down into it, she burst into tears. Tara was sprawled at the base of the crater like a broken toy. "Honey?" she whispered. Fear crawled over her skin like a cold snake, wrapping around her and squeezing her breath from her body.

She scrambled down the steep side of the crater. Willow’s eyes catalogued her lover’s body. Tara’s arms were twisted over of her face and legs were curled up in front of her. Her hair was matted and tangled around her head, obscuring her face. She could see Tara’s chest heaving up and down erratically and she realized that her lover was quietly sobbing. Willow dropped to her knees beside Tara and she rolled the blonde over onto her back. "Baby?"

Tara hiccuped and looked up at Willow. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a heart-wrenching sob.

"Shh, I’m here." Willow pulled Tara up into her arms and held her distraught lover as she cried uncontrollably.

After a few minutes, Tara pulled back and studied Willow’s face. "I’m so sorry." Tara traced the tiny wind ravaged cuts and scratches covering Willow’s pale skin.

"It’s okay." Willow caught Tara’s hand and pressed it to her chest. "We’re together. That’s all that matters."

"I can’t do this," Tara said brokenly. "I killed her, Willow. I burned her alive and then I … I … oh, goddess, Willow, what have I done?"

"It was self-defense," Willow pointed out as she lifted Tara’s hand and kissed her knuckles.

Tara shook her head. "Look at this. Look at what I did." She nodded to the crater. "She couldn’t have hurt me." Tara took in a shaking breath. "I’m a monster."

"No." Willow cupped Tara’s jaw. "You are the woman I love."

"Look at what I did to you." Tara pulled Willow’s hand closer, noticing the scuff marks on her delicate fingers from the flying debris.

"You saved my life." Willow wrapped her hands around Tara’s face and pulled her close. "You saved me, Tara." She gently pressed her lips to her lover’s mouth.

Tara shook her head, but then whimpered and opened herself to the kiss. She moaned as she felt Willow’s tongue tenderly request entrance. Her lips parted, welcoming Willow inside. It was not a sexual kiss, but it was sensual. It was filled with devotion and caring and comfort.

"Willow…" Tara sobbed and pressed her forehead to her lover’s.

"Shh, it’s over." Willow squeezed closer, breathing in her partner’s scent, imprinting the feel of her body, wanting to convince herself that Tara was real.

"It’s not over." Tara pulled Willow closer. "Not until I get rid of this … this … this curse."

Willow shifted her weight and winced. Her leg was throbbing.

"What?" Tara tilted her head and read the pain in Willow’s expression.

"It’s not your fault," Willow insisted. She knew Tara would blame herself.

"You’re hurt?" Tara panicked. "Where?"

Willow took a deep breath and reluctantly pointed to her leg, and as she did, she realized that her hand was also aching.

"You’re bleeding!" Tara ran her hand around the gash in Willow’s jeans. The blood had spread out making it look worse than it was. "We have to get Diana." Her eyes widened. "Goddess, what if I killed them all? The cabin?"

"Shh." Willow put her fingers over Tara’s lips. "The cabin’s fine. The meadow looks like Macy’s the day after a white sale, but everyone should be okay."

"Your leg…" Tara persisted.

"Is fine," Willow insisted. "Come on, let’s go check everyone. You’ll feel better." She ran her hand down Tara’s arm and took her hand. She couldn’t stop touching the blonde; she’d almost lost her again, and she wasn’t about to let her out of her sight any time soon. Willow felt a twinge and then looked down and saw that two of her knuckles were deep purple, then remembered punching the Keeper.

They both turned when they heard footsteps above them.

"My Lady!" Ceri’s face lit up and she scrambled down the crater. "Blessed be," she whispered as she knelt in front of Tara.

Tears filled Tara’s eyes as she remembered seeing Breda’s dead body. The guardian had died protecting her. Everyone who loved Tara ended up hurt. She pulled Willow closer and traced the deep wound on her leg.

The guardian misunderstood Tara’s mood. She saw Willow’s injury and sighed. "I failed you, my Lady." Ceri dropped her head in shame.

"You entrusted Lady Willow to my care and she was injured." Ceri took a dirk from the side of her belt and plunged it toward her own leg.

"What are you doing?" Tara grabbed Ceri’s hand before the weapon could make contact.

"Lady Willow’s injury should have been mine," Ceri said solemnly.

"I’ve seen enough pain," Tara said bitterly. She stood and pulled Willow to her side. "Focus on getting Willow’s leg treated."

"Of course." Ceri started to pick Willow up.

"Hey! I can walk." Willow watched the guardian put the dirk onto her belt and wondered how many weapons she had hidden.

Ceri nodded and started climbing up the side of the crater.

Tara gasped when she saw the torn, shredded material covering Ceri’s back. It looked like the robe had been scrubbed with a cheese grater, and most of the slices and tears had bloodied flesh underneath.

"Oh, my god!" Buffy saw Willow and Tara climb out of the crater behind Ceri and thought she was hallucinating. "Tara!" She ran to her friend and hugged her. "Are you okay?" she whispered. Her tone was full of concern and friendship, nothing more.

Tara nodded as she gave Buffy a one armed hug. Her other hand was firmly wrapped around Willow’s waist. "Willow needs a doctor," Tara whispered.

"It’s a scratch," Willow said as she rolled her eyes.

"I saw that scratch." Buffy went to Willow’s other side and wrapped an arm around her. "You looked like someone used you for stake practice."

"She’s kidding," Willow assured Tara. She sighed as Tara and Buffy supported her weight. "Okay, this feels better. I’m big enough to admit it."

"Dear lord!" Giles yelled as he ran across the barren landscape. "Tara, you’re all right!"

"And so am I," Buffy said sarcastically. "Hello? Wounded Slayer?" she whined as she held up her hand. It covered in mud from the dust mixing with the blood from the commandos, but underneath it was scrapped and bruised. The damage was obviously superficial.

"Ah, yes, well, good to hear it." Giles brushed past Buffy and looked Tara over from head to toe. Unlike everyone else, Tara didn’t look like she’d just crawled out of a blender. "Amazing," he said quietly.

Tara squeezed closer to Willow. Buffy stepped back, letting the lover’s have some privacy as they walked toward the cabin.

"She’s not even scratched," Giles whispered to Buffy as he followed behind Tara and Willow. "Did she absorb the blast? Did she erect a shield of some kind?" He was in full Watcher mode.

"Not now, Giles," Buffy whispered. She reached down and rubbed a huge bruise on the back of her leg and winced.

They walked slowly to the cabin. It took some time because Willow had to rest several times. Finally, Tara asked Buffy to carry Willow, but the redhead refused. She wouldn’t leave Tara’s side.

Once back at the cabin, they found Xander sitting by the front door with Gandu. Diana was working on them both, though Xander’s injuries weren’t very severe.

Xander had a nasty cut across his forearm and some bruises on his face, but he was mostly intact.

Gandu was in shock. Her robe had gashes in several places, and most were covered with blood. She lifted her head and smiled when she saw Tara. "My Lady," she whispered with a weak smile. "I knew you’d triumph."

"How is she?" Tara asked. Her heart couldn’t take much more. People were getting hurt and killed all around her and she couldn’t seem to help them.

"A bit shocky," Diana said as she stared at Willow, Ceri and Buffy. They looked like they just stepped out of an atomic blast test. "Let’s get her inside, then I want to check you."

"I’m fine," Tara said quietly. "You need to check Willow. Her leg is cut, and Ceri’s back is bleeding. " She led Willow inside without another word.

Ceri limped inside behind them. She wasn’t about to let Willow out of her sight.

"She okay?" Diana asked Buffy.

"There isn’t a word for how supremely not okay she is." Buffy told the doctor. The Slayer ruffled Xander’s hair. "How are you?"

"On the bright side? I’m alive," Xander said. "Which means Anya doesn’t have to resurrect me to yell at me." He shrugged. "Course, that also means I’ve got a wedding to go to soon."

"I found the Keeper’s base camp." Gandu looked up at Giles. "They had a van just over that far rise." She inhaled sharply as Diana probed a deep laceration.

"And?" Giles knelt beside her.

"Lots of fancy equipment, and two soldiers monitoring the communications." She smiled coldly. "I took care of them."

"I see." Giles’ face paled. He couldn’t fathom the death that had taken place and it wasn’t even mid day yet.

"I took a laptop and then destroyed the van." Gandu pointed to a small computer a few feet away.

"Let’s get you inside," Diana said gently. She helped the guardian stand.

"I’ll see what Willow can make of it." Giles grabbed the laptop and they all went inside. He scanned the room, instantly noticing that Willow and Tara were not there.

"They’re in the bathroom, cleaning up," Dawn said as if reading his mind. "Can I go outside?" she asked. She wanted to see how much damage the huge explosion had caused. She leaned out the door and froze. "Did Tara really do all that?"

"Stay inside, please?" Buffy’s voice was quiet, weak, and defeated.

Dawn nodded and went to her sister’s side. "Buffy! You’re bleeding!"

"It’s nothing." Buffy sat at the table, then stiffened when her raw back touched the chair. "Ouch."

"Diana!" Dawn’s lip began shaking. "She’s hurt. Help her."

"I think they’re mostly surface scratches," Diana said as she pulled Dawn away from Buffy. She met Buffy’s eyes and the Slayer nodded. "I’ll clean her up, Dawn, but I need you to help me, okay?"

"Wh- what should I do?" Dawn’s voice was tiny. She was terrified she’d lose her sister again.

"I could use some clean wash clothes and some hot water." Diana smiled. "Make it boiling water," she added as the worried teen ran to the kitchen where Cassie was gathering medical supplies.

"Thanks," Buffy whispered. "She needs something to do to keep from wigging."

"Some of these are deep," Diana commented. She tore Buffy’s shirt open. "How close were you to the blast?"

"Close." Buffy groaned as Diana used a pair of tweezers to yank a chunk of bark out of her shoulder. "Ceri had us hide in a gully. Most of the blast went over the top of us." She inhaled sharply. "Ouch!"

"Sorry." Diana tossed a small rock into a bucket she was using for discarded medical waste.

"You need to check Willow," Buffy said grouchily. "She had a log puncture her leg."

"Log?" Diana asked skeptically. She pulled a chunk of wood out from under Buffy’s skin. It was much too big to be considered a splinter.

"Okay, not a log … well, a branch." Buffy leaned onto the table and sighed. "It went through her leg but she yanked it out. It was bleeding pretty bad." She sat up. "Actually, Ceri was stabbed. She was bleeding everywhere. You better check her."

Diana stood and turned toward the bathroom.

"It is Ceridwen’s duty," Brent said as she moved slowly over to Diana. "She cannot leave her post. Our Lady ordered her to stand guard over Willow. Ceridwen won’t leave her side."

"Is she in the bathroom too?" Diana asked.

Brent nodded.

"We’ll just see about that." Diana stomped toward the bathroom.

"Well, that’s gonna’ get cozy, what with three of them in that tiny bathroom already." Anya was holding a wet rag to her cheek. A commando had gotten most of the way into the cabin and only Anya’s quick thinking and her well timed use of hair spray in his eyes had kept him out. Unfortunately, he punched Anya before screaming and the scrambling outside again.

"You should go have Diana check you," Willow told Ceri. The redhead was sitting on the side of the bathtub while Tara used a washcloth to clean her leg.

"I will not leave you." Ceri stood by the door, unmoving.

"Yeah, well, hello? I’m in my underwear," Willow pointed out. She was blushing hotly. "Ouch." She winced.

"Sorry," Tara said as she pressed the hot cloth to Willow’s wound. She reached over and grabbed a towel and covered Willow’s legs, then smiled and tucked the towel around her lover so she wouldn’t feel so exposed.

‘Thanks,’ Willow mouthed silently. She loved Tara more with every action the blonde took. Seeing Tara’s nurturing, loving side only deepened that connection. Tara could sense Willow’ s needs and always put them first.

"You can wait outside," Tara said as she turned toward the guardian. "I give you permission," she added quickly.

"You gave me a sacred, and lifelong duty," Ceri said as she shook her head. "I won’t let Lady Willow out of my sight."

"And when I’m making love to her?" Tara asked bluntly.

Ceri’s mouth went dry. She felt her throat constrict. "Then I shall … turn away … discretely."

"Nu uh!" Willow said as she pointed at the guardian. "You … while we?" She pointed to Tara, then to her own chest, then back to the guardian. "Nu uh! That is so nu uh!"

Ceri smiled, enjoying watching the redhead blush deep crimson. She needed a smile after the day she’d had. "Perhaps if it is a suitably secure location, I could wait several feet from the bed."

Tara’s eyes widened. She hadn’t realized how serious the pledge she’d demanded from the young guardian was when she came up with it. She’d merely thought it would keep Willow safe while she was dealing with the Keeper.

"My Lady, you did order me to never leave Willow’s side," Ceri added. She pressed her hand to the deepest gash on her back. She could feel the crusted blood sticking to the cut. The bleeding had stopped, but the wound was already hot to the touch.

"Well, I didn’t mean every second!" Tara had a sudden image of trying to make love to Willow with the guardian sleeping in the same bed. She shook her head. "Okay, maybe I need to adjust that oath, how’s that?"

"A sacred oath cannot be altered like a hair cut." Ceri sighed. "I could leave you alone and guard the door, but I can’t assure your safety from there." She nodded toward the window. "Someone could come though the window. If the room had only one exit, then yes, I could guard you from the hall. But I can’t do that in good conscience when a room has threats I can’t deal with from outside."

"I think Tara can keep me safe," Willow pointed out.

Ceri and Tara locked eyes. The guardian’s pale eyes were full of compassion; Tara’s were full of fear. They both knew the biggest threat Willow had faced earlier had been Tara’s power.

A knock on the door broke the intense moment. "Ceridwen?" Diana asked as she peeked inside. "I need to check your stab wound." She looked over at Willow and noticed that she was only covered with a towel. "Tara’s playing doctor?" She came into the small room.

"Some guardian you are," Willow said grouchily. "This a bathroom, and I’m half naked. You never heard of a lock?"

"Take off your robe," Diana told Ceri. She squeezed past the guardian and knelt next to Tara. "Let me see." She moved the washcloth. "Well, that’s just nasty."

"W-what?" Tara asked shakily.

"She’ll be fine," Diana said quickly. "It’s just a deep puncture wound, but I’m sure it’s full of dirt and goddess knows what else." She gave Willow a regretful look. "I need to clean it, and it’s not going to be very pleasant."

"Give her drugs!" Tara insisted.

"I don’t have much local anesthetic left," Diana said bluntly. She turned toward Ceri. The guardian was naked from the waist up and her back had a deep gash just above her hip as well as dozens of deep scrapes and cuts. Diana cringed when she saw the extent of the injuries. "She’s gonna’ need surgery," Diana said as she pointed at Ceri’s back. "And so is Brent. I patched her up some already, but she’s going to need the anesthetic."

"Give mine to Lady Willow." Ceri turned, folding her arms discretely over her naked body. "I’ll mediate while you fix my back."

"Can’t we go get more?" Willow suggested logically. "Or here’s a wacky idea … why don’t we go to a hospital?"

"It wouldn’t be safe. The committee would find us," Ceri said gently. She cleared her throat. "Can you stabilize my injury until we get to the sanctuary? We have supplies and an infirmary there."

Diana stood and went Ceri and turned her around. She frowned as she poked the stab wound. "The bleeding’s stopped." She sighed. "But it’s down through the muscle." She rested her hand on Ceri’s waist. "My god, how are you even standing? Doesn’t this hurt?

"I gave my pledge," Ceri replied. "The Guardians of Brigit do not let things like pain interfere with duty."

Tara’s face paled. She remembered she’d soon have to face 19 guardians in a deadly battle. She wondered if she’d have to face Ceri or Gandu, or even Brent.

Anya stared down at the laptop. "Well, for a diabolical, supreme evil organization, their security sucks." She smiled as she opened the main files.

"I don’t think you should be playing with that," Giles warned.

"I’m not playing." Anya glared at him. "I’m hacking." She waggled her eyebrows as she glanced over at Xander. "Look at me, I’m a hacker!" She opened a file dated that morning. "Oh…"

"Did you break something?" Xander asked.

"This was the first squad." Anya’s face went chalky white. She looked at the clock. It read 11:15. "If they don’t hear from the Keeper by noon, they’re sending in two more squads."

"Well, nice cabin," Buffy said as she climbed slowly to her feet. "Too bad we have to leave."

"The van won’t start," Xander reminded Buffy.

"Oh, that." Anya rolled her eyes. "They used a microwave pulse to kill the engine. It resets after an hour."

Everyone turned and stared at Anya.

"What? It’s right in here." She pointed at the screen. "Eight fifteen, used microwave pulse to disable vehicles. Reinitiate pulse in one hour to prevent escape."

"Then we should go," Gandu said. She was sitting next to Brent at the table. "I’ll get the others." She headed toward the bathroom.

Giles went to the table. "Can we all stay at the sanctuary?" he asked his friend.

"You and Xander will need special permission to come onto the premises, but it shouldn’t be a problem." Brent caught Giles’ gaze. "This is going to be so much harder than I knew." She looked down. "Damn it, Rupert, I like her."

"Tara is a wonderful young woman," Giles said quietly.

"She is," Brent agreed. She sighed and rubbed her temples.

"I know this is hard for you." Giles knelt and leaned in close as their voices lowered to hushed whispers.

"She’s so sweet," Brent whispered sadly. "And as soon as she wakes up tomorrow, I have to kill her."

"You don’t have a choice," Giles said darkly. He looked across the room where Buffy and Dawn were hurriedly moving everyone outside. "Tara made her decision and you have to carry out your duty."

"How can you be so cold?" Brent asked. "You told me that you love Tara like a daughter."

"I do." He blinked back a tear and looked out the window. He could see the scarred landscape in the distance. "She can’t handle that kind of power. She’ll destroy us all." He looked directly in Brent’s eyes. "It’s the only way."

"She doesn’t stand a chance, you know that," Brent said sadly.

"I know," he replied softly.

"There’s no way that gentle soul can kill 19 guardians," Brent whispered. "They won’t just step aside and watch her do the ritual."

"I know!" he said harshly.

"She’ll die horribly." Brent wanted him to know that by taking Tara to the sanctuary, they were setting in motion things that couldn’t be stopped.

"I know," he said for the third time. He stood and let out a slow sigh as he walked to the window. He stared outside. The ground was barren, stripped raw by the force of Tara’s power. He doubted anything would ever grow there again. He remembered when Dawn was taken by Glory, and the entire world had been at risk. That was a one-time threat, and he’d been ready to kill the teen to save the world. Tara could channel an apocalypse whenever the mood stuck her. "Perhaps, it’s for the best," Giles said as his heart broke.

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