"The Price"
By Miss UK (edits/rewrites with Princess Plum Jade)
Chapter Seven�Old Friends Revisited
It was decided that Tara would need to spend at least a couple of months in Los Angeles with Angel. He would teach her how to control her new found strengths and how to guard against her life threatening weaknesses. Willow would take the opportunity to return to Sunnydale and warn the others of Tara�s transformation.
Tara could barely manage a formal goodbye as her timid yet ferocious life partner took leave for Sunnydale. Their parting was to be a brief but necessary arrangement, and Tara felt a relief she would never have expected sweep through her as her red-headed darling retreated to Sunnydale. She really didn�t know her anymore. Everything they had shared seemed a lifetime away.
Back in Sunnydale, a despondent Willow Rosenberg returned to the Summers house. Willow could feel the Slayer�s presence even before she entered the home of the late Joyce Summers. Buffy was home, still recovering from the near-fatal gunshot wound; she had survived just as the witch had known she would.
Buffy lay on the large cushioned couch in the living room, as both Xander and Dawn fussed about her, adjusting her blankets, plumping her pillows. Willow stood in the doorway and surveyed the scene with a gentle smile.
�Willow! Where have you been?� Buffy caught site of her dearest friend and struggled uncomfortably to a sitting position, worry etched on her face. Xander immediately rushed to willow�s side, concerned inquiry contorting his facial features.
�God, Will, where were you? We�ve been so worried about you�.
�We saw the blood; we didn�t know where you were.� Dawn�s turn to show her concern, as well as her disdain for the witch. Willow didn�t believe that Dawn would ever truly forgive her for the incident that had led to her fractured arm and Willow�s decision to lay off the magic.
Xander had covered the space between himself and his best friend. Laying an arm comfortingly around her shoulders, he guided her into the Summer�s living room. Willow quickly sat down and immediately her hands began to wring each other, twisting and turning uncomfortably in her lap.
�It�s Tara,� Willow began in a low voice.
�Tara? Oh God, Willow, no!� Buffy sat up straighter, wincing slightly.
�Tara?� Dawn began, real concern filling her voice.
�He killed her, with the gun. I saved her.� Meekly Willow began to try and explain the events which had lead to her enormous decision.
Xander sat raptly beside her. Three pairs of eyes burned into her, as both the Summers girls and Xander Harris held their breaths, waiting to hear the worst.
It was worse than they could have ever imagined.
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Chapter Eight: "Lessons and Candlelight"
"The Price" Contents
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