"The Price"
By Miss UK (edit/rewrites with Princess Plum Jade)
Chapter Four - Realisation
The witch looked at the corpse of her lover and smiled. She knew that the siring of a new childe took time. Her beloved would not return to her until sunset of the next day. She had until then to gather the ingredients that would enable her to return the lost soul to its rightful owner.
Cordelia stood alone, thunderstruck. What the hell had just happened? How had it happened? Angel, her own saviour, had just given a part of himself to a complete stranger all because of this psychotically angry witch! Ok, she was a witch in the true sense of the word but...
�Why? Why did you do this? Do you realise what you�ve done to him?� Finally able to move, Cordelia warily approached the girl she now considered a stranger.
Willow turned her tearstained face to the raven-haired beauty. How could Cordelia possibly understand? Without Tara she was nothing. The thought of losing her was so devastating she would risk anything, EVERYTHING to bring her back. And she had. The realisation of what had just happened slowly began to settle in.
�Oh what have I done? Cordy! What have I done?� A decidedly green-eyed Willow Rosenberg threw herself into Cordelia Chase�s arms and wept uncontrollably. Great wrenching sobs wracked at her shoulders, as she clung desperately to the curvaceous woman before her.
�I didn�t know what else to do! I was going to lose her! My baby was going to leave me,� she cried out between heartfelt sobs. Cordelia reluctantly slid her arms around the inconsolable, former geek in a gesture of comfort. Feeling more in control, she began to take charge.
�We�ve got to move her, Willow. We can�t leave her here. We have to bury her or something, and then find a way to undo this mess!� She firmly pushed Willow away from her and held her at arm�s length, searching her eyes for comprehension. Willow merely nodded pathetically as she tried to calm herself.
They buried Tara�s body in the small, circular courtyard of the hotel. Angel refused to play any part in it. In fact, he refused to leave his room. Cordelia had last been up to check on him three hours ago and her only response had been his solid back turned firmly towards the door. He would come around eventually. After all it wasn�t like he had much of a choice. Cordelia had relayed to him Willow�s plan of performing the same gypsy curse that had restored the soul to Angelus. Since Tara would not have the chance to feed, she would never know the anguish of becoming a murderer.
Cordelia telephoned Wesley and Gunn, the latter to inform him that his services would not be required for a day or two and that he and Fred should �do something fun�. Wesley was a necessity as he might have access to the required items needed to perform the soul restoration. Time was short.
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Chapter Five: "Waking the Dead"
"The Price" Contents
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