loved3

�Can you do that?� I asked her.

She shook her head. �I�m too emotionally involved. It might skew the spell.�

�Do you want me to do it? I do know quite a bit about magic,� I said.

She shook her head again. �Same problem.�

�So do we need to find another witch to perform the spell?� She sighed and rubbed her neck.

�It�s actually very simple,� she said. �It�s really just tossing some dust in the air and saying a few words. Anybody could do it.� Xander walked through the front door and pecked Anya on the cheek. Tara and I exchanged glances.

Xander looked at me quizzically. �So I just throw some dust at Tara, and then read from a paper?�

�Right,� I replied. �And then you do the same thing to me.�

He raised his eyebrows. �So do you want to explain to me what this is all about?�

�Not especially,� I replied.

�Okay. But then you have to do me a favor.� He looked at me earnestly.

�What kind of favor?� I asked him.

�Anya and I are getting married next week. I do this for you, you come.� He took a deep breath. �There�s going to be a lot of demons there, and I�m a little worried about that. So I want you to step in, get rid of any of them that start stirring up trouble.�

�You want me to be a bouncer at your wedding?� I asked incredulously.

�Pretty much,� he admitted. �But don�t tell Anya. I don�t want her to get all bent out of shape about how I don�t trust demons. I don�t need to hear the �demons are people too� lecture again.�

�I�ll do it, if you do this for me.� We shook hands on it.

Anya rang up Tara at the cash register. �Thirty eight fifty,� she said with a smile. �I gave you a five percent discount because you�re my friend.� Tara laughed.

We watched Tara as she ground together herbs with a mortar and pestle. She ended up with a fine light green powder. Tara and I stood side by side, and Xander stood in front of us and held the bowl and a sheet of paper. �Coriale disnot finar libolba!� he read awkwardly, and tossed a handful of dust at Tara. It glimmered around her for a few seconds, and she shone brightly as a star. The light flared and then faded away.

She turned to me and smiled. �I don�t feel any different.�

�Coriale disnot finar libolba!� he read again, and tossed the powder at me. Immediately it flared into a heavy golden heat that coated my skin like warm honey. I glowed brightly, and light filled the room. The light flared, and then dropped away, and golden glitter littered the floor.

�Thank God this is over and we can put it behind us,� I said. She stared at me in shock and turned heel and ran. �Tara!� I screamed, and fear and pain turned it into a mighty roar.

I started to run after her, but Xander grabbed my arm. �I don�t know what is going on,� he said firmly, �but I�m not going to let you hurt her.�

I pulled my arm away. �I�d never hurt her, you stupid git! I�m in love with her.� I ran out of the Magic Shop and down the street, and I called her name. I tried to feel her, to locate her scent, but she was nowhere near, or she was using magic to hide herself. I walked the streets of Sunnydale for hours. I checked the art studio, her room, the bookstore, everywhere I could think of. Finally I made my way to my crypt. As I descended the ladder, I saw that a small figure sat on my bed in darkness. �There you are, sweetheart,� I said with relief. �I�ve looked everywhere for you.�

As I neared, I realized that this wasn�t Tara. It was Buffy. She was curled up on my pillows, and she held one of my shirts. �I�ve been here every night for two weeks,� she said. �But you�re never here. Where are you spending your nights?�

I turned on the lights, and she walked over to me. �It�s none of your business, Slayer. Please get out of my home.�

She grabbed my shoulders and slammed me into the wall. She gazed deeply in my eyes as she held me pinned. �I love you.�

�What?� I asked, incredulous.

�I love you,� she said deliberately. I shoved her away.