spectersofthepast46-47

~Part 46~

Angel paced around his living room furiously. Something was wrong. He could feel his redhead's anger and panic around him almost like a physical presence. He frowned, searching through his impressions of the sensations. She wasn't hurt, or in danger, just angry.

An image of angry Willow flashed through his mind and he almost grinned. Snapping green eyes, clenched jaw, and the patented 'resolve face'.... 'Gods she was beautiful', he thought reflexively. He almost felt sorry for whoever she was mad at. The dark vampire couldn't stop the little voice in his head that hoped it was Xander. That thought made him frown again, his forehead furrowing. But if it was Xander, or worse, Buffy, he felt he should be there. It wasn't that he didn't think Willow could defend herself, it was just that her former best friends still had the power to hurt his witch.

His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists. If they made Willow cry, he was going to hurt them. It was as simple as that.

Angel glanced at the clock. It was only eleven in the morning. It felt like she'd been gone forever, not just forty-five minutes. He suddenly stopped pacing, his foot snapping out in a violently explosive kick which actually thrust the couch against the far wall.

The souled vampire could feel his demon rattling away behind the soul cage, raging against the sun. Angel growled, once again in full agreement.

With the sun high in the sky, he would have to take the sewers to get to Willow, and that would take too damned long. Although he always gave her two to three hours of solitary researching and discussion with Giles, he knew it wasn't happening today. This was the first time during their short day-time separations that she'd been this agitated. It absolutely enfuriated him, that he wasn't with her now.

Snarling, Angel turned rapidly, and snatched his coat from the rack.

~~~~~~~~~~

Willow glared at the tall dark haired male. "Forgotten you? I'd almost managed to, but look here you are. Beside which, there is that distinctive stench of yours, that's pretty hard forget", she said coldly, wrinkling her nose to illustrate the insult.

"I see", Liam's cultured voice said smoothly, "I would have thought that after all this time you would have matured. But I see I was mistaken."

His brown eyes bored into Willow's, before sliding away and tracing the lines of her body. "In fact, you haven't changed... not at all, how very strange", the male witch noted aloud, his voice thoughtful.

Willow stiffened and glanced over at Tara. The blond stood by the register, seemingly aghast by the confrontation she was witnessing. Noticing the redhead's look, Liam also turned to the girl behind the counter.

"This", he began, revulsion oozing from his voice, "is one of those allies you mentioned Tara?"

The blond Daybreaker opened her mouth and then closed it, simply nodding instead.

"You realize of course that she is completely inappropriate... Or did you not realize that she is tainted, bonded to an undead creature?", he stated.

"Uhh..."

Unsure of what to say, Tara looked at Willow, stifling a laugh at the other girl's rolling eyes. Taking a deep breath, the blond faced her appointed second. "Yes, she is my ally, and yes I know she is bonded to a vampire. I also know that vampire has a soul, and is a warrior for the Powers That Be--"

Liam snorted. "That matters not, and you know it. I will have to discuss this with the elders."

The blond witch let out a hissing breath and crossed her arms in front of her. "Fine, but unless they get in touch with me personally and take the control of this mission out of my hands", she began, her voice lowering to a harsh whisper, "you are just going to have to deal with the presence of those I have allied myself with... Brother."

Willow grinned, noting with satisfaction the almost shocked look on her ex-boyfriend's face. Tara had that whole shy, timid look about her, but the wiccan knew the other woman had to have a backbone of steel. She was pretty sure, Spike didn't go for weak-willed women.

The redhead felt something tickling the edges of her awareness. Angel, he was coming. Her stomach fluttered. It was Liam's voice that shook her from her reverie.

"Of course, Tara", Liam said charmingly, his demeanor suddenly doing an about face. He bowed slightly to the female Daybreaker, before taking her hand gently and kissing the back of it. "Forgive me, Sister. You know I must do my duty."

The redhead watched Tara nod mutely. She didn't like the way Liam was looking at her new friend at all. Suddenly the dark haired man turned to leave.

Leaning back against counter, Willow stared at his back. She grinned impishly. "Byeeeee, Liam", she singsonged sarcastically, "we'll miss you."

The male witch stiffened, but continued walking. Willow felt immediately better when he exited the store and disappeared from view. She shuddered.

Turning around, she found Tara still staring at the door. Abruptly the taller girl blinked and looked over at her.

"So you, uh, know him?"

"We dated", Willow sighed, her eyes lifting heavenwards, "I was slumming."

The comment caused startled laughter to pour from Tara's mouth.

~Chapter 47~

Willow sat down again, pushing her red locks back behind her ear. She studied the screen in front of her, wishing it would simply give her the information she needed. Finding it however was proving to be a challenge beyond all challenges.

Part of the problem was according to the city maps there was no building where they had found the pool of souls. Only the fact that they had seen it kept her going. She knew it was there.

Willow was half tempted to head over to the site above ground during the day in order to see what was going on. She was seriously tempted, and she was thinking of asking Giles if she could borrow Tara so they could take a look. The only problem was, she wasn't exactly sure where it was. Getting there through the sewers while following Spike, hadn't exactly kept her direction sense working.

She knew Angel would not be happy with such an off-the-cuff plan, but at the moment she needed to do what was right for all of them. The sooner they found a way in, the sooner she could wreak a little havoc with the bastards who were killing innocents so wantonly. The redhead fidgeted in her seat, glancing up at the clock. It had been roughly forty-five minutes since Liam had left, and Angel had yet to arrive. She wondered what was keeping him. She shook her head, sure that the vampire had probably run into some baddie down in the sewers. Getting to the Magic Box that way usually only took about thirty minutes.

Willow sighed, and glanced back at the computer. She clicked the image of the city map, hoping to get a better look at it. She glanced at it still not seeing anything useful. Clicking the back button, she noticed another site link listed on the bottom of the page. 'Historical Sunnydale', she read.

She frowned. 'It was worth a try', she thought ruefully.

The next page brought up a series of new links. The witch read them carefully. 'Buildings', she read. Curious, she clicked on the icon and slowly began to scroll down the page, reading as she went.

The young woman paused, staring at the picture of a lovely building she never recalled seeing in town before. Heart racing, she quickly read the history next to it. It said that the building had been torn down in the twenties. Willow blinked. She didn't recognize that address, and she knew of no vacant lots in that area.

What if it hadn't been torn down in the early twenties as the article stated? What if a nearly two hundred year old building that every one thought was gone still stood in Sunnydale? What did that mean? And why did everyone think it was gone?

"Tara."

She called out the other girl's name softly, causing the apparently daydreaming witch, to jump.

Willow smiled secretly to herself. She understood exactly how distracting a vampire could be. Looking up, she saw that Giles stood in the doorway as Tara entered from the front room.

"We need to go check out something Giles. I think we found what we've been looking for, and it would be safer to do it now during the day. So do you think I could borrow Tara for the rest of the day?", Willow asked the watcher.

Giles nodded slowly, wondering exactly where Willow was going to be heading. "Don't you think you should wait for Angel? I thought you said he was coming here?"

"We are going to check out the site from topside", the redhead said matter-of-factly.

Giles stiffened and Willow knew he was going to offer a protest.

"Wouldn't it be safer to wait until he can accompany you?"

"Giles we're not defenseless, and I realize you worry, but we are going have to face this sooner or later", Willow stated. "I for one would rather do it in full noonday sun."

"I agree with Willow", Tara said, nodding.

"How about Liam, the other Daybreaker?", Giles asked, unaware of the confrontation that had occurred not a half hour before in his own shop.

Tara looked vaguely guilty, but shook her head. "No. Somehow I don't think that would be wise."

As the blond witch spoke, something tickled at the back of Willow's awareness as though she should know something, something important. She grimaced, trying to grasp onto the elusive bit of knowledge that seemed just out of her grasp... and failing.

Sighing, Willow looked back up and realized that Tara had already moved back towards the front of the store. She followed the other woman and watched as she picked up two small bags.

"We'll need these just in case", Tara said, pulling out the small protective amulets that had been ordered not long before the start of the killings. She'd used the same basic spell to create them as for the ones Spike had carved, the ones she had been giving away with purchase.

Tara stared at the little metal medallions deciding she liked Spike's better.

She shook her head, and took a deep breath. She was utterly certain that things where about to get very interesting. Silently, the witch followed the redhead out of the store and down the street.

"You can ask", Willow said finally, ending the silence.

Tara started slightly.

"W-w-w-why do you hate him so much?", she asked finally, not needing to elaborate on who.

Willow frowned, gathering her thoughts.

"Years ago, when I first moved away.... I was lonely and frightened. I missed Angel. Liam used all those things against me. When that wasn't enough to get me into his bed and the Circle, he used magic."

Willow kept walking, aware on some level, of Tara's shock. After a moment, she continued talking.

"Of course I didn't even know it until, I slept with him. I had been a virgin, and the whole experience was just-- i don't know, wrong, I guess. Only I couldn't figure out why since I thought I loved him. But then I saw Angel. Seeing him broke me out of the last of the thrall Liam had placed on me. Which would've been fine, except, then he found out about Angel", Willow said breathlessly.

"He told the Circle that I was tainted by a demon. In response they tried to break the connection between Angel and I. It was a combination of brain washing and magick, and when it didn't work, they went after Angel." Willow choked on the words, and Tara realized that she was still very shaken by what the Daybreakers had done.

"I had no idea," the blond said finally. "For the most part, I only knew the small circle that held camp in the town where I found Spike. They took me in after I left my father, they took me in never knowing that Spike was my friend or that he would come with me here."

"I see. So this is like a test, or something...?", Willow asked.

The taller witch shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I have to see if I can stop what's happening. I think they realized it was more serious than they really thought.... I think they sent me back-up because of it. But now that I know about your history, that fact is only going to cause more problems. Not to mention what would happen if Liam finds out about Spike."

Tara sighed, lapsing into silence. They where still walking and the witch wondered exactly how Willow knew where they were going.

"Well I think you came to the conclusion before that it wouldn't really be so bad", Willow said thoughtfully. "He loves you, and Spike is definitely the loyal type... and well you have me and Angel, and well we're the loyal type too. Even Buffy and Xander-- well, they're loyal too, just a bit behind. I guess they just don't know how to deal with the idea that Angel and I came back. There's a lot of stuff they have to face now, and I suppose it was stuff they would've rather forgot."

The two young women quieted, both lost in their thoughts, and continued walking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Sunnydale High ~

Buffy watched her kids do their calisthenics with a satisfied smile. It had taken her a while to get a few of them to pull their own weight in class, but things finally seemed to be coming together. She'd worked hard to make class fun and interesting, and even Chastity Kendall had stopped faking cramps to get out of class.

As her freshman class switched to jumping jacks, Buffy mentally catalogued the roll call.

'Andrews, Carter, Choe, Deavers, Farmer, Froid, Gamble...'

The gym teacher frowned. 'Where was Kat?'

"Has anyone seen Kat?"

"That freak", Chastity commented, stopping in mid-jumping jack, "she wasn't in home room. She's probably skipping or something."

Buffy stared at the tall blond, almost grinning when she saw the girl shift uncomfortably under her glare.

"Kat has never been absent a single day since the year started", the Slayer said slowly, "do you really think she'd cut?"

Chastity frowned, before shrugging. "I guess not. She's too much of a goody goody."

A dark haired girl next to the tall blond nodded. "Yeah", Bridget Lehmann cut in, "I don't even think Katherine missed a single day all through middle school, now that you mention it Coach Summers."

The sudden lump in her throat, made Buffy blink back moisture. 'Had Kat fallen victim to the Sunnydale curse? Was she dead in some alleyway drained of blood?'

Realizing belatedly that her class had stopped their calisthenics drill and were currently looking at her with a mixture of bewilderment and annoyance, Buffy forced her thoughts away from the problem of her missing student. She had a class to teach, she couldn't fall apart, no matter how much she liked Kat, or how much the shy, young redhead reminded her of another. One who'd been her very best friend in the whole wide world.

After all, maybe it was nothing, maybe Katherine was sick and safe at home. She could only hope, even though deep inside, a feeling of dread gripped her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~

After class, the blond Slayer made her way to her office quickly. She only just kept herself from running, and it was difficult. Opening the top drawer of the black file cabinet by her desk, Buffy searched through her folders until she found the one she'd been looking for. It read 'Volleyball Team Emergency Contacts'.

Flipping through the short file, she found Katherine Gamble's contact easily. It was her mom.

Dialing the number, she was surprised when the phone was snatched off the cradle.

"Katherine?!", a tear filled, hopeful voice spoke into Buffy's ear.

"No, I'm sorry. This is Buffy Summers, I'm one of Katherine's teachers. She didn't come in to school today--"

Sobs cut her off.

"Is this Mrs.. Gamble?"

"Y-y-yes...", the female voice said brokenly. "My Katie is missing!", she cried. "She never came home last night. She went to the library like she usually did, and she called to say she'd be late, a-a-and then she never came home."

"Oh", Buffy breathed, closing her eyes. "I'm so sorry Mrs.. Gamble. I was worried that's why I called."

"I-- I need to hang up", the distraught woman choked out. "Kat could be trying to call me."

"Sure, of course", Buffy said, before realizing that she was talking to the dial tone.

The Slayer put the receiver gently back into the appliance's cradle, staring unseeingly through the glass at the locker rooms. Her mind was instantly transported to another time, and other locker rooms.... so much had happened in that locker room when she'd been a freshman at the old Sunnydale High, the one that she and her friends had been forced to blow up...

Sighing, the teacher snatched the phone back up from the receiver and dialed a number from memory.

"Magic Box, how may I help you?"

"Giles, I need you to check something for me."

"Buffy... yes, yes of course."

"Could you see if the any bodies were found last night, specifically, a young girl with red hair?", Buffy asked tightly.

There was a moment of silence.

"Why?"

"Katherine Gamble, one of my students is missing."

"Bloody hell", he sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry Buffy. I'll get right on it."

"Thanks." She blinked realizing she could hear another voice in the background.

"Giles who else is there with you? Willow?"

"No, ah, actually its Angel. He was headed here but got held up in the sewers. In the meantime, Willow and Tara left."

"Left? Where?", the Slayer asked into the phone.

Giles cleared his throat nervously. "They think they discovered the location of the blood pool from above ground and went to check it out. Angel is uh, he's understandably quite upset that Willow didn't wait so that he could accompany them...."

Buffy shook her head. Giles could be so damned British sometimes. "You mean he's royally pissed?"

"Er, yes, actually", her Watcher admitted.

~Chapter 48~

Willow pushed her hair back out of her face quickly, tying it back with the small elastic she had in her pocket. She glanced at her companion with no little uncertainty, she could be getting them both into a lot of trouble, but she had a very strong feeling that the building was right in front of them, even if it appeared to be nothing more then an empty lot. It was funny how she hadn't remembered a lot even being in this part of town. It was as if it hadn't even existed until they'd gone looking for it.

Reaching out, she took Tara's hand in her own and mumbled a soft phrase. Patiently Willow waited. After a few moments, both witches could feel something begin to change, like wind rustling through old leaves.

Willow heard the blond's surprised gasp as both of them watched a wall slowly begin to appear in front of them. It was as if a fog had lifted, and the building was suddenly-- just there. The two young women stared at it unable to speak.

'It was beautiful, in an extremely gothic sort of way', the hacker cum witch thought. She traced the lines of its arching roof, and frowned in realization.

"Oh Goddess", Tara gasped in horror. "This is a church, or was a church-- once."

"Yeah, I just noticed that myself", Willow admitted, a shiver tracing down her spine.

Hesitatingly, both women took a step forward, reaching out with trembling fingers. Willow encountered a shimmering field of energy which wavered before finally giving and allowing her through. Pausing, the redhead turned and watched as Tara followed her through the shimmering wall that hid the building's existence from the outside world.

It was old magic, very old magic. The thought caused a chill to whisper through her. Who and what could they be facing?

Tara glanced at the redhead, her eyes disbelieving and wide. She shook her head slowly.

As one, they both moved very carefully, trying to be silent. Neither wanted to use magic within the confines of this space. They were both aware that although the wards had allowed them to pass, there was no way of knowing what they would do if they wielded any spells, or even what would happen when they tried to leave.

Drawing in a hesitant breath, Willow pushed open the church doors, half expecting them to make a loud noise in the coiling silence.

She locked eyes with her companion and nodded once to the unspoken question. They wouldn't spilt up, lest they both find more trouble then they could handle.

The corridor before them was light by wavering torch flames, the yellow light offering enough to see only just in front of you.

Certain she'd heard a low growl Willow glanced toward the shadows . She shuddered, and reached over to stop Tara from walking forward. The other witch froze, her eyes widening as she caught sight of what had gotten Willow's attention.

It moved out of the shadows slowly, Willow's eyes trailed over it's feet as a strange scratching sound filled the room. It was a dog, only not. She sighed, wracking her brain in an effort to remember exactly what it was.

Her breath caught as her eyes were captured by the creature's unnatural gaze; the eyes glowing slightly.

The animal seemed to study them in return, it's teeth showing as another growl spilled from it's throat.

Panic welled in Willow's breast as she tried to tear her gaze away from the creature's eyes. It was for naught, she could do nothing but stare.

"Willow...", Tara's whisper seemed to come from somewhere far off, rather then right next to her.

The redhead gasped as Tara's hand clamped around her arm, jerking her away from the slowly nearing dog. In growing desperation, she shook Willow, trying to get her friend to respond, and snap out of her fugue state.

Willow blinked, wanting to tell Tara she was alright. It was only the sudden knowledge of exactly what it was that was facing them, stopped her words.

"W-w-we need to g-g-get out of here", Tara whispered, trying to pull the shorter girl, back the way they had come. "That thing is shunk", she uttered nervously, the words trembling off her tongue.

Willow nodded once, trying to find her voice.

"But what's it guarding? I mean, it wasn't here yesterday when we found the blood pool, or it would have sensed us. So why is it here now when it wasn't then?"

Suddenly determined to uncover this evil place's secrets, Willow started walking down the hallway. She chanted a spell as she went. Although she knew that by doing so she was putting them both in danger the need to find out what was happening overruled her natural caution.

A bright, blindingly white light surrounded her's and Tara's forms, causing the devil dog to back off whining shrilly as though in pain. The creature was forced back, and stared at them balefully as they walked by.

Slowly, the two witch's made their way down the long corridor, mindful of any more surprises. The reached the a set of double doors. Willow held her breath as she and Tara slowly pushed them open, the heavy doors needing both their combined weights to even barely move.

The room on the other side was empty, save for a pile of bloody clothes and a plate filled with what looked like jewelry.

Willow stepped forward quickly scooping up one of the items from the tray. It was a necklace which held a charm of the crescent, full and new moons; a symbol of the Goddess.

"They have to have someone else", Tara hazarded quietly.

The hacker nodded, still staring at the delicate silver charm. She sighed. 'They had to have someone else. That would explain the Shunk... perhaps the culprits somehow knew that someone was trying to stop them.'

She turned looking toward Tara, who was busy studying the rune symbols inscribed on the alter at the front of the room. Quickly, Willow pulled a small, notebook and pen from her pocket, jotting down the symbols carefully.

The blond frowned turning away from the altar to stare at another set of double doors. She moved toward them, and then stopped, suddenly remembering the blood pool. The next room, had to be the one above the well of souls. Her heart fluttered in her chest. They couldn't go in there. She shook her head silently, signaling her decision.

"Come on we have to go", Willow said quietly, she agreed with Tara's decision.

They walked quietly back the way they had come, and were mildly surprised when the Shunk was no where in sight.

"The protection spell is going to dispell soon", Tara noted quietly. The redhead nodded.

"Lets get out of here."

Willow swallowed, her eyes darting to and fro, certain their was something she was missing. If only she could recall what it was that was niggling her memory. Even the runes on the altar seemed strangely familiar. Somehow, she 'knew' this from somewhere. For the life of her however, she could not remember. Exhaling loudly, her eyes dropped to stare at her sneaker clad feet.

"Willow!", Tara screamed.

Frightened, the witch looked up only to see the Shunk get thrown back against the first set of double doors by an unseen force. The creature howled in pain against the purity of Tara's will, falling to the ground and disappearing into nothingness.

"Oh no!", Willow breathed, glancing at the blond. The other girl stood there her arm still upraised after the spell she'd used. "Tara! The wards!"

But it was too late, the protection wards on the building had been activated. The two witches watched as arcing streams of ancient magick converged in the center of the room overhead, before leaping in the direction they had sensed the foreign magick. Straight at Tara.

The energy was bright despite its dark blackish-reddish tinge, as it flew straight toward the taller witch.

Willow screamed, her arms going up reflexively to protect her eyes at the explosion of light. The light faded, and it was with fear, that the lithe wiccan finally opened her eyes.

Tara lay crumpled on the ground.

"Tara", Willow murmurred hesitatingly, scooting along the floor to the fallen girl. "Tara", she repeated a bit more strongly. "Oh Goddess please be alright, please be alright...."

~~~*~~~

It was the sensation of unadulterated fear through his link with Willow that spurred Angel to action.

"Giles!", the dark vampire barked. "Where's your car?"

"Out back, why?"

"Willow, she's in trouble."

"How do you know?", the Englishman asked, his eyes narrowing as the started at the taller male.

"Willow doesn't have time for this right now Giles, you need to take me where they've gone."

"But the sun--"

Angel frowned. "Never mind that..." He looked upwards, and scowled upon seeing the former Watcher still standing there staring at him. "Go! Now!"

"Yes, yes of course", Giles stammered, hurrying out the back door of the shop.

Angel ripped a tapestry from the wall, and waited by the door.

~~~*~~~

Willow rushed to her fallen companion's side her hand trembling as she tried to remember what do in order to help the blond woman. Her dilemna was compounded by the frantic feeling she was experiencing in the back of her mind. It was Angel. He was suffering. Fear and anger. She sighed, pushing those thoughts back, aware that was anther thing she would have to deal with when she got out of this hell hole. Angel.

She closed her eyes, trying to figure out how she could get Tara and herself out of there, with out causing anymore problems. Her mind replayed a scene from long ago something hadn't thought of in years. <Ms. Calendar smiled at her. They were sitting in the computer room at Sunnydale High. The pretty teacher was coaching her. Jenny turned to her. "See Willow, you're a natural, but when you open your mind and just go with the flow you're even better." The dark haired gypsy smiled. "I know its hokey, but you want to be one with it. Like when you break into the computer data base...." Willow had gasped at that, suprised the teacher knew about her extracurricular activities. "Magic is a lot like computers Willow.">

Jenny's voice seemed to echoe in her head, and in it's midst the answer to her question was found. Willow allowed her mind to open and her inner eye to see the bands of the spell that was woven into the building's very stone. Ancient magic, magic so old that most people forgot it existed.

She ran mental fingers over the webbing teaching her energy to resemble it, to become like it, if only for a short time. Words and phrases appeared in her brain, and slowly she began to chant. A ancient unknown spell rolled off of her tongue in slow exact Latin phrases. The last word hung in the air as Willow waved a hand in front of Tara's lax face. The other witch's eyes fluttered open and she helped the disoriented girl to her feet. And so they started to head back the way they had come.

Her hand tightening on Tara's side as they passed the devil dog. It sat back on it's haunches and growled darkly at them. Willow growled under her breath in reaction, and when they reached the door she had to stop herself, the desire to fling just a little of her magic at the creature almost overwhelming. Forcing herself to keep moving, she helped Tara out to the relative safety of the street. It still felt rather deserted, which was strange considering the time.

The redhead helped the other girl toward the waiting car, not surprised in the least to see Giles pull to a sudden stop near them. She groaned leaning heavily on the car, Tara swaying next to her.

"Tara?", she called the other girl's name worry coursing through her at the lack of response. "I am so sorry", she whispered. A stray thought crossed her mind. 'Spike is gonna kill me.' She was sure that the chipped vampire would want to thrash her properly for getting his lady into trouble yet again.

Willow was only marginally aware of Angel, until Giles had helped Tara into the car, and she hurled herself hurriedly into her vampire's arms. He captured her lips in a heated kiss that took her breath away and the slender witch wrapped her arms around him, allowing Angel to nuzzle her as he tried to reassure himself she was alright.

She slowly pulled herself from his arms, worried for the other witch. "We have to get her back to the magic shop. We can help her there, I didn't know I didn't-- That wasn't supposed to happen", she whispered helplessly.

They got into the car. Giles crawling in by Tara, trying to make her comfortable, while Angel insisted on driving. Willow didn't think to complain. Her nerves were too frazzled from the near miss in that horrible place, and in the knowledge that someone else was in there, someone else was waiting to die.

~Part: 49~

Willow had no idea how much time had elapsed since she and Tara had left. Apparently, however, school was out by the time they returned to the shop, because they found Buffy waiting for them.

"Hey Wills how did the investigation g---", the blond's eyes widened as she caught sight of Giles helping Tara. "Are you okay?", the Slayer asked the other blond.

Tara nodded weakly, having awakened disoriented and confused in the car on the way back. She licked dry, parched lips and sagged in relief onto the couch Giles helped her on to.

"Do you need anything?", the older man asked kindly.

"Water", she rasped, "please."

Buffy turned back towards Willow. "What happened?", she demanded. "Were you attacked?"

The red witch opened her mouth to speak only to find her eyes drawn to Angel. The vampire had just rushed into the shop, the tapestry shielding him from the waning rays of the setting sun.

Willow swallowed nervously tearing her gaze from the magnetic pull of Angel's coffee hued gaze. Now that he knew she was okay, he was furious with her, she could feel it.

"No", she told Buffy, "we weren't attacked. At least not physically. What happened to Tara was the result of setting off some powerful magickal wards."

"Can you tell us anything about them Willow?", Giles asked as he walked back into the room with a tall, cool glass of water for Tara. He handed it to the trembling witch and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Tara looked up at the former Watcher and smiled gratefully. "Thanks Giles", she whispered, taking a drink.

"Well...", Willow began, her face thoughtful as she forced herself to think of something other than the angry glower on the handsome vampire's face.

"Old", Tara gasped, interrupting the redhead's swirling thoughts. "They felt really, really old", she told all those assembled.

The smaller witch nodded in agreement. "Tara's right, I felt it too", Willow said. "When I tapped into it to help her--"

"What!", Giles shouted, striding towards the hacker and grabbing her arm. "You tapped it... How? Good Lord Willow, you could have been killed if you failed."

A low, angry growl reverberated through the room.

Buffy frowned at Angel. "Quit the growlies Angel, just be glad she's fine." Turning back to Willow she narrowed her eyes. "Just don't *ever* do that again. Ever! Okay?"

Giles squeezed the young woman's shoulder. "You must be more cautious Willow. If not for your sake then for ours... and for Angel."

"I'm sorry", the witch murmured. "I just-- I really didn't think. This wasn't supposed to happen. I just thought we could go in, check it out and then leave."

Willow bristled slightly under the watchful eye of lover and friends, she wasn't an amateur and true she'd gotten surprised and hadn't been ready for what had taken place, but she could have gotten out of there just fine, and Tara appeared to be no worse for wear-- Tara.

Her eyes filled with tears and looked over her shoulder at Tara. "I really am sorry Tara..."

The blond smiled at her gently. "Its okay. I chose to go with you. Besides I'm a Daybreaker. Risking my life is sorta in the job description."

"Maybe, but I don't think Spike will have as lackadaisical an attitude as you", Angel said darkly, speaking for the first time since they entered The Magic Box. "You may want to think of calling him, because if he's anywhere as connected to you as I am to Willow, I would hazard my grandchilde is going crazy right about now."

Tara's lovely eyes widened in shocked realization. "Oh... Oh no! We're not, not--" She sighed, a blush staining her cheeks. "I should call him."

Angel watched as Tara turned away from the group heading over toward the telephone hanging on the wall. Her gait was still a bit wobbly, attesting to how shaken she had been by what ever had attacked her. He glanced at his lover then out of the corner of his eye, the worried expression on her face deepening as she saw the blond witch stumble slightly.

"She'll be alright love", Angel thought at her gently, amused when her eyes shot to his in surprise. Had she honestly forgotten he was there with her?

Willow exhaled loudly and moved toward him. The dark vampire pulled her gently into his arms. He buried his face into the warmth of her red locks and drew in her familiar scent.

"Spike's on his way", Tara said coming to stand once more with the assembled group.

Angel nodded, and Willow closed her eyes. She wasn't looking forward to getting reamed out by the platinum haired vampire.

"Why do we need Spike?", Buffy asked, her arms folded, face pensive.

Tara straightened, her shoulders stiffening. "I need him", Tara told the Slayer.

Buffy's face softened. "I guess...." She groaned. "Fine, I won't stake his pale ass. Just make sure he's on his best behavior."

The blond witch nodded, managing to keep her face placid even as she fought to keep a smile off of her lips. She turned to the former Watcher. "Giles?"

The older man sighed before taking off his glasses and polishing the lenses. Everyone in the room could practically hear the wheels in his head turn as he thought.

"I suppose I will manage to tolerate his presence, after all he has for all intents and purposes been neutered I dare say, so at least he cannot harm any of us", Giles told those assembled.

"Well since we're having an official meeting, I guess I'll call Xander. He should be here for this", the petite Slayer said.

"That's odd actually...", Giles noted.

"What is?", Willow asked.

"Xander usually comes straight here after work, I wonder what's keeping him?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across town, at that very moment Xander Harris was exiting a motel room. He turned and shook Liam's hand. The Daybreaker inclined his head slightly.

"Thank you Xander, you've been most informative."

"Being honest was the least I could do", the dark haired construction worker said. "Especially when the witch you were sent here to help isn't."

Liam frowned. "Yes, its quite distressing to hear that Tara has been consorting with a vampire. One witch/vampire pairing is disturbing enough, but two?!" The dark haired male witch shuddered. "The Circle will be very disappointed."

Xander's eyes narrowed shrewdly, he'd caught Liam's comment. "You know Willow?"

Unsure as to how to answer that question, Liam only nodded and then sighed in relief when the other man's cell phone rang. Seeing that as an opportunity to finally be free of his presence, the witch smiled serenely before closing the door in Xander's face.

Xander swore under his breath, and searched his pockets for the tiny cell phone Buffy had given him for his last birthday. Finally finding it in the inner pocket of his jean jacket.

"Hi Xan-man of mine", a familiar chirpy voice said.

He smiled. "Hi Buffmeister, what's up?"

As his fiancée's voice twittered in his ear, Xander glared at Liam's closed door. He only hoped the witch would actually call him if he needed any help. He was only too happy to help. He was sick and tired of having to make allowances for vampires.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The distance between himself and the girl he'd grown to love so deeply seemed insurmountable, yet he continued on, repeating to himself over and over that she was fine, that she was called. All she'd done was gotten herself shaken up a bit. Still he knew that the fact that Tara was alright was thanks to her Goddess. Somehow he knew just how easily she could have been taken from him.

A part of him wanted to be angry with the red witch for putting his lady in danger, but he couldn't seem to. He was fully aware that his grandsire was most likely feeling this same horrible fear. If anything it had to have been worse for Angelus, what with the bond. Angel at least, had to have known Red was in trouble.

Spike grit his teeth. At least he had known, he himself had been oblivious. Tara had been in danger and he hadn't known it. He shook himself and spotted the shop down the street. He stifled the urge to run and smashed what remained of his cigarette with the heel of his boot. He would be calm and resolute. He would simply sit through the meeting and take her home, and then he would never ever let her go.

Spike pushed open the shop door, his icy eyes immediately gravitating towards the quiet beauty of his witch. He moved toward the woman standing, no leaning rather heavily, against the counter. The vampire didn't pause for even a moment before drawing Tara into his arms, holding her as tightly to him as the damn chip in his head would allow.

For the first time, he truly wished he could take her blood if for no other reason then to share a bond that nothing but death could break with her. A bond like that between his grandsire and the red-haired witch.

He held Tara tightly for along moment before glancing at the others in the room. Xapper set next to the slayer, throwing not so undisguised looks of disgust toward the dark vampire and Willow. Shaking his head, Spike pulled Tara with him toward the large table, and settled next to Angelus and the other witch. The platinum haired vampire nodded at Willow, trying to convey without words that he didn't hold her responsible for Tara's welfare.

The dark-haired young man shuffled his feet before speaking. "So now that Deadboy junior is here, can we get a move on?" Buffy looked a little perturbed at the boy's words, and Spike felt Tara stiffen in his arms.

"Knock it off Xander," Willow scolded, clearly having had enough of the boy's mouth already. Spike could see the stress lines on the redhead's lovely face and found himself suddenly feeling sorry for her. Whereas before when he'd seen how far the Scooby's had fallen, he'd felt a sense of grim satisfaction. Now he just felt the unfamiliar stirrings of something that felt like pity. These where her friends and they couldn't get over the issues from the past. He couldn't believe the fate of the world depended on them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Angel scowled, a deep growl reverberating through his body, its low thrum clearly audible to the vampire and the two witches seated nearby. Willow sighed. She needed to nip this in the bud before Angel and Xander actually came to blows.

She stood. "That's it. We don't have time for this crap", she snapped. She looked at her former best friend. "Xander, get over it. Its been a long time since we were sixteen. By now, you'd think you'd have learned that nothing's black and white, cut and dried, good or bad. And you, Angel, stop letting him get to you. You're over two hundred and fifty years old, you'd think that meant you'd be mature enough to handle some taunting by a human a quarter of your age!"

Spike chortled, aware that the act had caused his grandsire to stare daggers, or rather stakes at him.

"I'm not reacting to his taunts", Angel said evenly, "I'm reacting to his thoughtlessly hurting you at each and every turn."

"I am NOT hurting Willow!", Xander shouted. "I would never hurt Willow."

"Aren't you?", Angel shot back.

"Xander!", Buffy exclaimed.

"Angel!", Willow cried, at the same moment.

"ENOUGH!!!", Giles yelled, his unflappable British mien disserting him. "I have had just about enough of this. Do any of you understand that there is more at stake here than hurt feelings and old rivalries?!", the ex-Watcher shouted. Taking a deep breath, Giles forced himself to breathe, disappointed by his own lack of control.

Spike grinned and raised his hand in answer to the other Englishman's question.

Tara's eyes widened. "Spike...", she hissed.

Giles ignored the cocksure bleached blond and addressed the entire room. Both Xander and Angel had the good sense to look chagrined.

"We are here to discuss what to do next", the former Watcher stated. "Willow and Tara here discovered the cult's slaughter house. And they discovered that the magicks being used by this organization are old and powerful. So powerful that they have managed to conjure hellbeasts to do their bidding and guard that which they termed important."

Spike fought the urge to gape at the distinguished human, his arms tightening about Tara.

Angel's jaw clenched at the reminder of the stupid chance Willow had taken with her life.

"So did they find anything?", Xander asked his mentor pointedly.

"We are in the room Xander", Tara said quietly.

The dark haired male turned his head to look at the blond. His gaze was vaguely contemptous. "And?", he prompted condescendingly.

Spike felt Tara's hand grip his wrist, her nails digging into him and making him aware that he'd slipped into game face. 'Damn but Xapper was pissing him off.'

Tara's eyes narrowed, and Xander had the distinct feeling that he was suddenly very close to crossing a line with her that he really, really didn't want to do. He cleared his throat nervously.

Sighing, Tara turned towards Giles. "You're right Giles. This group is highly skilled as well as well-prepared, in addition they appear to be fanatics of some cause we as yet don't understand and that makes them extremely dangerous and anything but your average run of the mill baddie you can just chop up into little pieces..." She paused for a moment, sending a small, apologetic smile to the Slayer before continuing, her habitual shyness forgotten.

"Although we did find a very important sight for this group. We did not find anything to warrant the level of security they employed. However, Willow and I have come to some conclusions...." The blond witch looked over at the green eyed young woman.

Startled out of her reverie, Willow spoke, "First, they have a powerful warlock or warlocks in their midst, or else they would never have been able to summon the Shunk. Secondly, we feel that we walked into something there. The shunk wasn't there last night when Spike took us through the sewers, so something changed from yesterday to today. Thirdly, we think we know what it is based on some jewelry and clothes we saw there--"

"Oh my God", Buffy gasped, her body sagging with the weight of horrified realization. "They have a new sacrificial victim don't they." Xander steadied his fiancée, unsure why she was reacting so strongly.

The lithe redhead nodded. "It looks that way--"

The Slayer looked up into her lover's eyes. "We have to stop them Xander. They've got one of my students. I just know it. They have Kat."

The construction worker pulled the distraught Slayer into his arms. He knew Kat. She was one of the girl's on Buffy's volleyball team, he'd seen her play a few times. She was a pretty, fragile looking girl who usually had her nose in a book. With her red hair and green eyes, Xander had always thought Kat looked a little like Willow.

"Shhhh...", he soothed. "Its alright. We'll find her baby. We're going to stop this" Over Buffy's bowed head, Xander's eyes met Willow's. The witch nodded shortly in agreement.

~~~~~~~~~~

Two long hours later and they were no closer to knowing how to save Kat, then they had been when they started. Tara just wished Xander would stop giving her the looks she was getting. He didn't understand about Spike, and while she understood that; hell, she didn't understand about Spike, all she knew was that they needed to be sure of who they trusted, and the more she thought about it the more she dreaded calling on Liam for aid. She was beginning to think that she would need him.

Her eyes shot up to the entrance of the magic shop, she noticed only absently that Willow's eyes had shot to the door as well.

"Spike", she gasped the vampire's name struggling to stand, and pushing his arms away. The blond vampire let her go, giving her a slightly hurt, confused look. She shivered and he caught her eyes with his own.

"What is it?" he demanded harshly. His worry conveyed easily in his voice.

"You, and A-a-angel have to go. Now", Willow's voice echoed her statement as soon as the words left her mouth.

"What is it?", Angel demanded.

"Daybreakers", the two witches said in unison.

"And not the nice kind", Willow added glancing toward Tara.

"They know about Spike", the blond girl said with certainty.

"Maybe not," Willow hedged, but Tara knew she was right. She was slightly precognitive, and the uneasy feeling she had been nursing for the last hour, had suddenly come to terrifying clarity. They were here to take her powers, and destroy Spike. She shivered violently at the thought, Spike's arms sliding around her, only comforting her slightly.

"Why would Daybreakers be a bad thing?" Xander asked, eyeing Tara with knowingly. "Aren't they good guys?"

"Please tell me you didn't....", the witch whispered in disbelief, pieces falling into place. She didn't want to believe that the man she had considered a friend would betray her like that, but she had sick feeling that was exactly what he'd done. He had no way of knowing what he'd brought about.

"Didn't what, Tell Liam, who's supposed to be your Daybreaker partner, that you where consorting with a vampire..."

Buffy flinched, her mouth rounding into an 'o'. She couldn't believe what Xander had done. Unconsciously, she moved away from him, her expression one of shock and distaste.

"Spike you have to go", Tara urged, abruptly turning her back on Xander and pushing the vampire toward the back room of the store.

"I most certainly will not", he said, stubbornly refusing to move further, and glaring at Xander with what could only be described as cold, calculating hatred.

"Spike, please, if they find you they'll kill you, and I can't stop them", Tara whispered, her voice breaking on the words. He looked at her and she saw the reluctant expectance in his gaze. He caught her up in his arms and hugged her hard, his mouth finding hers in a searing kiss.

"Be safe", the English vampire murmured softly against her lips. The blond witch forced a brave smile on her lips. She had no idea what was about to happen, she only knew that their vampire allies couldn't be here.

She watched as Angel half-dragged his protesting grandchilde toward the back of store, and then turned toward Willow. The other witch's face was a mask of worry. Under different circumstances the presence of other Daybreakers would be a good thing, but not today.

The door to The Magic Shop suddenly burst open. Liam walked through the door with three cloaked figures behind him. Tara blinked back tears when she saw that she was faced with three of the most powerful members of the circle. She felt rather than saw Willow shift her stance. She could feel the redhead calling power to herself silently.

The Daybreakers turned and looked at Willow. "This is not your concern sorceress, this is between the warlock and Circle Daybreak."

"I am not a warlock!", Tara growled, bristling at the term as though it was the most insulting thing anyone had ever said to her.

"Of course not... Last I checked, consorting with vampires was against the oaths taken when you where given your status", Liam said.

Tara wanted desperately to refute the words, she was not an oathbreaker, Spike had been with her before she'd joined the Circle.

"The vampire in question is incapable of harming a human." Tara said finally.

"It does not change what he is, any more then the possession of a soul would change his true nature. They are demons", one of the powerful witches on Liam's left stated.

"No, you're wrong", she whispered, "I pledged to use my powers only for the aid and protection of others. I have not broken that oath. I have never harmed an innocent. Which is more then I can say for some of us", Tara glared at Liam meaningfully, referring to his "courtship" of Willow. The male witch returned her gaze blandly, completely unconcerned.

"You knew what the consequence for your actions were, Starweaver", another cloaked Daybreaker said.

Tara gasped. Her name... She felt tears threatening to form in corners of her eyes, they where going to take her powers. There was no help for it, Willow couldn't stop all of them.

"I wont let you do this to her", Willow said angrily, stepping between Tara and the four men. The witch's hair began to move wildly, her eyes glowing with an eerie iridescent inner light. Even her fingertips began to glow with power she summoned up from the earth's core.

"Sorceress this is no concern of yours. Do not make me remove you!" one of the cloaked figures practically growled. Tara shuddered, feeling the power whirring around the room.

Willow's smile was icy. "I would love for you to try."

"Willow stop. Willow please, stop!", Tara said forcefully. She stepped forward, toward the figures.

"It is a shame you allowed yourself to be led astray, you had such potential."

Tara closed her eyes, realizing that the words were genuine.

"Is this creature worth what you will lose? If you tell us where he is, this need not happen. Ending his life would satisfy us."

Tara stiffened. They had offered her a deal. Spike. for her powers. Were her powers worth his life? Not by half.

"No", she uttered calmly, forcing her eyes to meet those of the other witches.

"Very well. You have chosen." The three cloaked figures stood back. Each of them intoning the same high magic words.

Tara felt a slight pulling sensation deep inside herself. She knew fighting the spell was useless, but she couldn't seem to stop herself from trying to grasp onto the elusive strands of power as they were brutally pulled from her. She whimpered as the loss began to manifest itself. It hurt.

"No", she moaned in agony. Her eyes flew open. She was surrounded in a brightly swirling mist of energy. Her energy. Desperately, she wanted to grab at it, to pull it back into herself. The pain and emptiness was more then she could bare. Only when she convulsively swallowed, did she realize that she had been screaming at the top of her lungs. Her throat was raw with it.

Blackness began to creep around her, as the pain overwhelmed her. As she collapsed to her knees, the last thing she heard was Giles' voice gruffly ordering the witches from the store. Title: Specters of the Past (Part 49) Authors: Raven and Dove (figured it out yet??) Contact us at: ravenanddove@hotmail.com Feedback: Always loved and appreciated, makes us write faster Disclaimer: We own none of Joss' wonderful characters. He inspires us. So hopefully he'll see this as flattering and not sue two poor writers. Rating: R Pairing: W/A, B/X and S/T Distribution: Ask first. Please, as a joint venture we must both agree. Spoilers: Not really, this fic is AU Summary: Willow closed the Hellmouth five years ago, but ran away from Sunnydale and her friends. The reappearance of one of them signals the end of her new life and a return to the old. Can bridges be mended, or will a rift forever part the Scoobies even when the horrifying events around them need their combined strength to be defeated? ____________________________________________________________________