Chapter Summary: This is the sequel to Me and a Gun written by Stephanie. Stephanie and Tasha are writing this sequel together. This chapter picks up at the end of the previous story. It would be helpful to read that story, but the summary is that right after OMWF, Buffy is caught in the cemetery, raped, shot, and left to die. Spike sees the perpetrator leaving the crypt, and then he smells Buffy's blood. He finds her inside, and the rest follows.

***Warning: There is blood play involved in a lot of this story, including claiming and feeding for vampires. There are also many sexual situations and innuendos, as well as the violence of revenge on some characters and some language. Please read with caution if any of these things freak you out.***

Disclaimer: All characters originally created by Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy belong to them by all rights. I just sneak them out of the vaults to play with them whenever I can. I do not make any money off of this. I have only the satisfaction that others enjoy the creativity and storylines that I come up with for our heroes, heroines, and villains.

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

"Slayer ... Buffy ... Not again, luv." Spike leaned down and cradled Buffy's head in his lap. Blood red tears ran down his face as he processed all of the damage done to Buffy's body. He tried to stop the flow of blood from her bullet wounded chest, but his heart tore apart at the evidence of Buffy's sexually violated body. 'How could anyone be so cruel?'

There was no way Spike would be able to get Buffy to a hospital in time. The sun had already started to rise, and any movement from their location would render him dusty. From the skipping and slowing of her heartbeat, he knew it wouldn't have mattered if the sun or moon were up. She had less than 5 minutes to live. "Damn him." He growled.

Spike ran his fingers through Buffy's matted hair. "Please don't hate me, Buffy." He vamped out, leaned over, and pierced her neck with his fangs. He gently supped a few sips of her blood down his throat. There wasn't much blood to spare with the wound to her chest, but it would be enough for a Sire claim. He tore his wrist with his fangs. He held it up to Buffy's mouth. "Drink, pet."

Somewhere in the distance Buffy heard Spike's command to drink. In the back of her mind she knew the cold body that cradled her was Spike. A part of her longed for the peace of heaven once more, but she knew it wouldn't be the same this time. She was leaving so much undone this time. She hadn't told Spike how she really felt about him. She would miss her sister Dawn, and she had so much still to tell the Scoobies.

"Come on, Buffy. Please." Spike pleaded with Buffy's semi-conscious form. "I promised myself and the Nibblet that I would do anything possible to keep from you dying again." He opened her mouth a little wider. The blood that flowed from his wrist simply pooled in her mouth. She wasn't swallowing it. "Don't let that wanker who did this to you, win. Fight it."

Another part of Buffy fought with every ounce of strength that remained in her body. She wanted to live. She feared that Spike's gift of "life" would end up being a curse. Something told her that if she accepted Spike's gift she would still be herself, but she feared becoming her worst nightmare. Then again after the events of that night, she held no misconceptions that soul and human meant good.

Spike started to panic. Buffy's heart had slowed to an almost imperceptible level of beating. If she didn't drink soon, there would be no hope to save her. He wouldn't force this choice on her. He's spent many hours while stuck at the Watcher's house reading his books. They all thought he was chained up, but he easily escaped the chains when he wanted to. He'd put them back in place before anyone noticed, but in the mean time he read everything he could on Slayers. He wondered just how much the Watcher read of his own books. If only he had enough time to convince her that she would still be the same.

Spike rocked Buffy's unmoving body in his lap. "Please don't leave us again, Buffy. We need you pet." His tears fell harder onto Buffy's cheeks. They streaked her pale skin red with the blood from his tears. "I love you, Buffy." He hung his head in resignation that he'd lost the love of his life again. It broke his heart to imagine life without her again.

Spike was shocked out of his morose thoughts by the suckling motion of Buffy's lips on his wrist. He looked down into her green eyes that stared back up at him.

Buffy's lips locked tightly around Spike's wrist. With her last breath she kept the promise to herself that she made while being raped. She would fight to live. What better way to live again than by Spike's side? Something told her he wasn't just making her a vampire. She was sure that he was making her his Childe. That meant a lot more in the vampire world. She pulled harder on his blood to get as much as he was offering her. Her eyes fluttered closed with the last beat of her heart. Her chest fell silent, the last breath she ever needed to breathe having been expelled from her lungs in the silence of her death.

Spike held an unnecessary breath while he watched Buffy drink from him. Normally a Sire would have already stopped the new Childe from drinking. He vowed to himself and Buffy that she would be the strongest Childe possible. He hoped she wouldn't stake him when she woke up though. The Watcher's books noted that was the most likely result of a Slayer turning. He was willing to risk his final death if it saved Buffy from hers. He caressed her cheek while she drank until her head dropped loosely back into his lap.

Spike collapsed back against the sarcophagus in the crypt. He was exhausted from the emotional and physical turmoil of the night. If Sweet's singing and dancing spell hadn't been hard enough on him, having to watch Buffy die again was enough to destroy him. Only the hope that she would rise again and be the woman he still loved, gave him any lift in his spirit.

Spike had no idea what he was going to tell the Scoobies. They were going to want to stake him for sure. He had to keep Buffy away from them until she had time to deal with her new status and the pain that she'd suffered before her death. Who could he trust? The first person that came to his mind was Glinda. She was a true motherly type, despite the fact that her current relationship choice did not make becoming a mother as easy as it would be if she were dating a guy. She seemed like she needed or wanted to be motherly. She would be the right person to help him, and she wouldn't stake first - ask questions later.

Spike closed his eyes. He had time for just a little nap. Buffy wouldn't awaken for a day or two due to how severe her injuries were. Her body would need to fully heal before she would awaken. He had many things to take care of before she arose, including securing the wanker that did this to his love. So, he was going to need his rest.

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Buffy floated about in a surreal dreamland. People and places from her past and present visited her in the darkness and light of this in-between state of being. She felt the anger and pain that her friends were bound to have over her new status. Even in her dreams Xander and Giles lectured her over how demons were bad and humans were good.

The worst of those who chastised her in this state was Angel. He treated Buffy like she was a cast off or abnormality that he should put down. She begged and pleaded with him to understand that she was still the same Buffy that she always was. She had her soul, and somehow she knew she always would. It wasn't some curse. It was a gift from the powers that be because of her previous Slayer status.

A half-broken Buffy cried out in the dark for Angel to understand. He left her alone in the dark. She felt several pairs of arms surround her. One set was cold, and the others were warm. She turned her face into the cold chest of her Sire. This was the man who loved her no matter what. He loved her when she was the killer of his kind, and he still loved her now that she was a vampire.

"This isn't the end, Buffy." The soft and warm voice of Joyce Summers penetrated Buffy's fogged brain.

"Mommy?" Buffy looked up at her mother.

An ethereal light surrounded Joyce. She knelt beside Buffy. She hugged her tightly. "Hello, sweetie." She tucked loose golden tresses of Buffy's hair behind Buffy's ear.

"Where am I?" Buffy looked from Spike to Joyce. This wasn't how heaven was last time. She knew that.

"You're healing so you can awaken again." Joyce explained. "The powers sent me to tell you that they are still very proud of their warrior. They haven't given up on you yet."

Buffy started to cry. Her body shook with the sobs. "Mommy, it hurt so bad. I couldn't stop him."

Spike rubbed Buffy's back in soothing circles. He said nothing, but he gave his support with every touch and caress.

"I know. There are bad people in this world, and they don't have to be demons." Joyce's voice soothed Buffy's frayed nerves. "Don't listen to anyone that tells you otherwise."

"I know that now." Buffy sniffled. "That man had a soul, but it didn't stop him from ... from ... violating me."

"Evil comes in many forms. So does goodness and love." Joyce looked over Buffy's head at Spike. "You need to listen to Spike, sweetie. It's going to be hard to start with, but I trust him."

Buffy turned in Spike's arms. "You always have liked him, haven't you?" She looked up into Spike's water filled eyes. "He loves me." She muttered softly.

"That's right, Buffy. He loves you." Joyce wrapped her arms around Spike and Buffy. "What he did, he did out of love. Never forget that, no matter what any of your other friends say." She turned Buffy's face to look at her again. "Your time wasn't done. The powers couldn't stop the evil man from doing what he did, but they sent you a different kind of salvation. It will protect you in the end from another purer evil that would have arisen if you had remained "alive" as a human."

"I understand, Mommy." Buffy hugged Joyce tightly. She instinctively knew that her Mother didn't have much longer to stay. She wanted to cherish every moment with her. "I'll make you proud of me."

Joyce stepped back away from Buffy. "I've always been proud of you, Buffy. Always." She turned her gaze to Spike. "Take care of my little girl, Spike."

Spike nodded then looked down at the top of Buffy's head. He kissed the top of her head. "With all my heart, Joyce."

As Joyce disappeared into the golden mist before them, Tara stepped forward. She wrapped the two of them in a protective embrace of warmth and enchanted protection. "Rest. We've much to do."

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Tara sat up straight on the couch at the Summers' house. She was panting and sweating. The sun was out, but she felt the chill of death down her spine still. She wriggled off of the couch she fell asleep on the night before. After finding out about Willow's spell she couldn't make herself sleep in bed with Willow. Now she had this weird dream to think about as well.

Tara headed into the bathroom. She looked at her worn face in the mirror. The events of the last few weeks had taken their toll on her. The last couple days had been the worst. What was she going to do about Willow? What did her dream mean? Were Spike and Buffy in trouble? She sighed. She had to get ready for school. She'd try to sort it out later.

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Spike tightened his grip on Buffy in the crypt where he found her. He was still asleep, but his dreams shifted from one place to another with plans that needed to be made. His body attempted to rest while his mind raced from one thing to another. He'd need to find Tara when he woke up. He realized from the dream he shared with Buffy that Tara would be the one to help him for sure. He hoped she really would understand. Buffy's "life" depended on it.

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(To Be Continued)

Chapter Summary: Spike and Buffy were resting in the crypt Buffy was killed in. Spike, Buffy and Tara all dreamed together early in the morning. Tara has headed off to classes, while Spike and Buffy are still sleeping. Tara is the first of the Scoobies to deal with Spike after everything that happened to Buffy. Will she choose to help them, or will she turn her back on them? Who else will they or should they tell about this?

Disclaimer: All characters originally created by Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy belong to them by all rights. I just sneak them out of the vaults to play with them whenever I can. I do not make any money off of this. I have only the satisfaction that others enjoy the creativity and storylines that I come up with for our heroes, heroines, and villains.

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

Tara sighed and shifted in her seat. It was hard to concentrate on what the professor was saying when all her thoughts were being consumed by her sweet and powerful Willow. The revelations of the previous night still echoed in her mind; what had they done? She had allowed Willow to convince her that Buffy had been in a hell dimension, and it was their responsibility to bring her back. She had her doubts at first, but they had disappeared under assurances from Willow that they were doing the right thing. She seemed to remember a spell they did to determine where Buffy was located at. When she concentrated on the details, however, the memory became fuzzy, and she was left with a vague sense of unease.

Was their previous fight really the only time Willow used a spell to make Tara forget? This coupled with the knowledge that Willow had wiped her memory of an argument had been terrifying her. She started to question what was reality, and what was Willow's desire for her to be the perfect girlfriend. If Willow was manipulating her, then how much of her actions, her thoughts, her desires were that of her true self and how much of it was Willow's desire to influence everything? Was she in control of her self or was she merely a puppet? She'd have to talk to some Wicca friends about a protection spell to keep Willow from erasing anything else from her mind.

These fears coupled with the anxiety over the dream which had awoken her, had left her feeling sick to her stomach. Willow controlling her; Spike and Buffy in trouble, what was reality anymore? Finally, thankfully, the class ended, and Tara gathered her books. Perhaps if she could find Spike and Buffy she could at least ease the discomfort that the dream had brought her.

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Tara looked at the map with a confused expression on her face. She had gone to the Magic Box to gather supplies for a locating spell after she realized that Buffy hadn't returned last night. The spell guided her to this cemetery, but she had already checked Spike's crypt and found it empty. The earlier fears returned with a vengeance. Both Spike and Buffy absent from their respective homes did not bode well, especially since it was daylight, the time when vampires should be asleep.

Spotting some footprints outside a crypt, Tara took a deep breath and went to open the door. Hopefully the prints belonged to Spike or Buffy; otherwise she was going to end up some other vampire's breakfast. She knew it would be more logical to go get Giles, or perhaps Xander, to help her investigate, but the uneasy feeling from her dream had returned and spurred her on.

Tara stepped into the crypt and closed the door behind her. She hoped her eyes would adjust quickly. If she left the door open too look, she took a chance of setting Spike on fire. That was if Spike was even there to begin with.

Tara gasped as she took in the sight before her. Spike was propped up against the side of the sarcophagus cradling a blood soaked Slayer in his arms. It looked as if Buffy had bathed in blood. Every inch of her was covered in a red so deep that it appeared black. At first glance, it didn't even look like her. Her hair was matted with blood. What remained of Buffy's red dress was in tatters, torn with what looked like a bullet hole in the center. She had blood running down her legs and pinpricks on her neck. The only part of her that appeared to me unmarked was her face. Her pale but beautiful face was unmarred with the exception of a small blood stain on the corner of her mouth.

Spike heard the door open. He'd made sure that Buffy and he would be protected from any stray streams of sunlight earlier, if the door was opened. He listened to the footsteps and racing heart of the human who entered. He peaked open one eye to see who was there. He hoped it was a friend because he was in no state to fight anyone right now. "I found her dying, Glinda. Someone, some human," he spat, "Violated her and then shot her from what I can tell." He sighed. "The Slayer!" He stated in disbelief that any human would want to kill the Slayer, the protector of humans. "How could someone do that to her?"

Instinctively Tara took at step back at the shattered voice of the vampire before her. Her gaze rose from Buffy to meet the anguished eyes of Spike. Bloody tears had dried on his face and he looked heartbroken. "Oh, Spike. What have you done?" Before she even asked the question, she knew in her heart what he'd done. Buffy's pale complexion told the tale of blood loss that her body had went through.

"I couldn't lose her, not again, not like that." Spike's eyes begged for Tara to understand his reasons. He sat up straighter. "I didn't force her though. I let her choose." After all Buffy had already gone through, he wanted Tara to know that he didn't push anything on Buffy that she didn't accept.

Tara nodded. Even in her current state, Buffy gave off an aura that Tara saw. She noted the near peace that surrounded the tendrils of anger, pain, and suffering that Buffy must have lived through right before her death. For whatever reason, Buffy's aura was fairly calm and accepting of her current form.

"She'll come back with her soul. They all do, Slayers that is. It's why you don't turn them. They stake their Sires as soon as they arise."

Tara gasped in shock. Spike turned Buffy even with the knowledge that upon her awakening, she would kill her Sire? Her heart ached for the blonde vampire who was always willing to give up so much for the woman he loved. She cared not what any of the other Scoobies said about Spike's love for Buffy. His aura radiated that love and caring from the very heart that no longer beat in his chest. She saw it every time she looked at him.

Spike noted how quiet Tara was really being. She'd gasped and nodded sometimes, but it was the look in her eyes that told him he was safe from being staked by the blonde Wicca. "If she can live, it will be worth it. Buffy didn't deserve to die, not like that." He continued to ramble on about Slayers, souls and the injustice of Buffy's death for a few minutes.

Watching him was enough to make Tara's heart break in two if it hadn't already been crying at the sight of the battered blond. She walked over, kneeled down and took the two of them in her arms. She rocked them back and forth in comfort and support, just like in the dream. This was the place she needed to be, at their side. This is where she was needed.

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Tara looked at the books in front of her. She'd left the crypt a few hours ago with a promise to Spike that she wouldn't leave them permanently, that she would help make it all better. She wasn't sure how she would manage to do it, but she knew they needed her. She kept flashing back to the dream, and she knew that she would do everything in her power to protect Buffy and Spike, even if that meant protecting them from the Scooby gang.

They'd talked for hours as she sat there and held them, comforting Spike as if he was a child and she was the mother. Spike was distraught; yet clear about what needed to be done. They needed a place to stay. Spike wouldn't, no couldn't, let Buffy awaken in a crypt. The memories of her rape, and her death, would be too strong. They had to get to a place where it would be a fresh start for all of them, with no expectations of how Buffy was supposed to react or what she was suppose to do.

Tara agreed, even going so far as saying they should take her somewhere else other then Revello Drive. Spike was surprised and pleased, but didn't press Tara for her reasons about that decision. That was good, because Tara didn't feel like explaining that she feared what Willow would do to them if she found out what had happened. Would Willow be kind and accepting, or would she stake Spike and then erase Buffy and Tara's memories? Her heart said that Willow would never do such a thing, but her mind was not convinced of Willow's motives and actions anymore. If Willow wanted to rearrange their lives, would they even realize she was doing it? Better to stay away for now.

Tara took her selection of books up to the counter and tried not to look nervous when the cashier gave her a strange look. She had picked up several texts on surviving rape, leaning to live again and other books that explained what family and friends should do when a loved one was raped. She wasn't sure that Buffy would want to read them, but she was confidant that Spike would read them, and she would as well.

There was so much that had happened to the slayer in the last few months that Tara was afraid for her. Buffy needed help understanding who she was, why she was here, and how she could go on. This meant keeping Buffy away from the people who always seemed to make her feel guilty.

Tara loved her friends, but she had noticed a disturbing trend of everyone always telling Buffy what was best. They seemed to make Buffy feel that she had to live a certain way or else she was bad. That could destroy Buffy completely now, and Tara would not allow that to happen.

Walking outside into the sunlight, Tara was pleasantly surprised when a car pulled up right on time. She held her hand up to shade her eyes from the sun to get a better look at the woman she was supposed to meet.

A tall blonde woman got out of the car. Valerie Logan was supposed to be her name. Tara had been surprised when Spike insisted that they buy a house in Sunnydale. He refused to take Buffy too far away from Dawn. He knew Buffy wouldn't be ready to see Dawn right away. She would need the Nibblet in her life later, just as his Little Bit would need her sister.

Tara hadn't even realized that Spike had money, not after all the times he'd swindled the Scoobies into paying him for helping them. Apparently, he had only hustled the Scoobies for money out of fun. Her next worry was that the money he had was blood money. She was told that the majority of it came from his family's holdings in England, investments through the decades, and the profits made off of the Amara treasure discovery. He was quite well off, and money would not pose a problem to them for any of their needs.

Tara's next set of surprises came from when Spike gave her directions to the Sunnydale Office of Wolfram and Hart. Apparently this particular law firm, which catered to demons as well as humans, had at least one office over every hell mouth and potential hell mouth in the world. The office itself was small and clean. There seemed to be about five or six lawyers and a few secretaries running the whole place. That was it. No demons roamed about, no evil plans dominated the tables. The place really seemed like just another law firm, except it handled a bit more delicate batch of clientele.

At first Tara was stunned when Spike told her to go have his lawyer buy them a house and put it in her name. She could tell he was worried about Angel trying to stake Buffy or another vampire trying to kill the newly turned Slayer. With the house in her name, a human, vampires would require an invite to get past the door. She tried convincing him to rent a house in case Buffy wanted to eventually go home, but he was insistent. If Buffy wanted to go home then Tara could keep the house. It was the least he could do for her help.

Spike's only request was that if Buffy staked him, to please take care of Buffy and Dawn. He'd even called ahead to give his permission for his lawyer to turn his holdings over to Tara in the event that his death was proven. He trusted Tara fully and completely.

Tara's second surprise was Valerie. The lawyer's aura was relatively good for someone who worked for an evil law firm. It sparkled with life and with an interesting balance. While she may not always have good clients, Valerie appeared to be fair while maintaining a sense of justice. Her aura had positively radiated with light.

Tara had briefly wondered if Valerie's being good was held against her at work. It couldn't help an "evil" law firm's reputation to have someone so pure on their payroll. Valerie laughed at Tara's first expressions, and the sound had made her feel more confident about their plans. There was no malice in the tone, only joviality.

Valerie walked up to her. "Hi Tara, I arranged for a rental car to be dropped off in the parking lot. It's the blue Taurus over there." She pointed across the parking lot to the dark blue car that just pulled into a parking space. "You can use that to move into your new place and get set up. Return it to the office when you are done, or let us know you want to keep it. We can make arrangements for you, if you want to keep it."

Valerie pulled a manila envelope out of her briefcase. She removed a few documents from inside it. "I have a four bedroom house, fully furnished in a nice part of town. It belonged to a former client who was dusted last week by the slayer."

Tara smiled inwardly at the irony of the house formerly belonging to someone that Buffy dusted. 'My how things change.'

"The glass is treated with the same film used in our L.A. offices. So, Spike should be able to move around the house without a problem." Valerie pointed to a place on one of the documents where she needed Tara's signature. "I have stocked the fridge full of blood bags and set up wards around the house as you requested. Is there anything else I can take care of for you?"

Tara smiled at Valerie. She felt a sense of relief that one of the hardest parts for their set up was ready and finished. She handed the signed paper back over to Valerie. "No thank you. I should get back to the crypt. Spike wants to get Bu ... his Childe into the new house so that she doesn't have to awaken in a crypt."

Valerie nodded and smiled. "He always seemed considerate like that. I don't know why he stayed in that crypt to begin with."

Tara neglected to correct Valerie on her assumption that she meant Spike's personal crypt. "He's just that way sometimes."

"Yes, I suppose so." Valerie picked up another stack of papers from her briefcase and handed them to Tara. "This is all that Spike will need to read and sign to process his request upon his death."

"Thank you. I'll be sure that he gets them." Tara smiled.

"I'm sure you will, Tara." Valerie smiled warmly in return. She stepped back towards her car. Before she got in she turned to Tara, "It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope I see you again." With that she sat down in the driver's seat of her car.

Tara clutched the papers, and her previous book purchases, to her chest. She walked over to the Taurus, unlocked the car, and got in. The sun was getting lower in the sky. She needed to get back to Spike. Then she had to find a way to sneak some of hers and Buffy's clothes from the Summers' house without anyone realizing it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Valerie watched Tara walk away. This had been the first time in centuries that William "Spike" Jamison touched his money instead of taking or stealing what he wanted. She'd been assigned his account when he first appeared in Sunnydale two years ago.

The Senior Partners would still require her to report on any possible blackmailable offenses, but she had a feeling this wasn't one of those. They kept tabs on each of the vampires from the Aurelius line for that purpose. Wolfram & Hart would love to have those vampires "owe" them a "favor". For the first time since starting for Wolfram and Hart she was glad that she didn't have that much to report. He wasn't stealing anything. He was using his own money. That kind of a natural transaction didn't need to be reported.

Valerie's mind wandered again to the blonde woman, Tara, that she'd dealt with. She realized right away that the young lady emanated a natural power and strength about her. She found Tara quite charming. Although she hoped it wouldn't be for troubled reasons, she wanted to see Tara again. Perhaps she would.

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(To Be Continued)

Chapter Summary: Tara found Buffy and Spike, and she decided to help them as her dream insinuated. Tara took care of a bunch of errands for Spike. She even picked up some books that she hopes will help them to help Buffy with the trauma of why her death happened. She met Valerie, Spike's lawyer, to get all of the papers for a house and car. Spike is worried about Angel or other vampires being able to get to Buffy. So the house was put in Tara's name. Tara found out that evil law firm doesn't necessarily mean evil lawyers. Now Spike is stuck waiting for the sunset with too much time on his hands to think about all the perils headed their way.

Disclaimer: All characters originally created by Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy belong to them by all rights. I just sneak them out of the vaults to play with them whenever I can. I do not make any money off of this. I have only the satisfaction that others enjoy the creativity and storylines that I come up with for our heroes, heroines, and villains.

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

Spike waited in the crypt for the sun to set. He held no concerns about Tara meeting his lawyer. He'd met Valerie once when he first arrived in Sunnydale two years ago. He would, however, like to know where he stood in case he needed to vacate quickly.

Valerie seemed like a very competent woman and attorney. She held various degrees, and he liked her personality. After he'd been chipped, and set free from the Scoobies, Valerie organized the retrieval and sale of the bulk of the Amara treasure. Several pieces of jewelry, and a weapon or two, were still under lock and key at the office, due to his lack of a secure location in which to store them. Now that he would have his own home again, he should probably retrieve them.

'It will be nice to have a house again.' Spike thought. He'd almost found himself a place a few times, but it never felt right to have a home in Sunnydale. A house was permanent; it meant that he had a reason to come back besides the blood and the mayhem.

Spike always tried to tell himself that he wasn't staying forever in Sunnydale, just until he killed the slayer, or until the chip came out. Now he knew that he was being delusional to think that he would ever leave Buffy or the Nibblet behind. He loved them both too much. Nope, he'd be staying in Sunnydale until he was dust or his girls wanted to go with him.

With a sigh, Spike looked around the dank crypt he was sitting in. The place was pretty disgusting, even for a crypt. Maybe it was because this was the place that his Buffy was attacked in. Perhaps the death of the Slayer in this place made it seem even darker than it was. As soon as the sun set, he was getting out of this hellhole. If Tara arrived before then, he'd take Buffy over to the house directly. Otherwise he'd take her to his crypt to wait for Tara.

"My poor, sweet Buffy." Spike ran his fingers through her matted hair. He hated seeing her like this. It tore him apart to look at her dead body after she'd fallen from the tower to close the portal several months back. Now he was looking at her dead body again. Only this time he knew she would awaken to a whole new world being opened to her. His feared whether or not she would accept the world she'd been given. Would Buffy hate him for eternity now?

"I've got to protect her." Spike knew that any vampire who found out about the Slayer's change would try to challenge his Childe. She would be a prized commodity in the demon world. Turned Slayers were an oddity that others would usually try to show off. He had no intentions of showing Buffy off. He was going to try to help her live as normal of a life possible. That was if she let him live past her first meal.

'I hope Dru is far away from here.' Even though Dru drained most of his blood from him that night back in the 1800's, her link wasn't as strong with him because she wasn't his true Sire. If she was a certain amount of distance away, she wouldn't feel much of Buffy's awakening.

'Of course the Great Poofter is another story.' Spike sighed. There was no way to hide Buffy's awakening completely from his true Sire. Angel would have to be very far away to keep from telling who Spike's Childe was. Even the fact that Spike had made a Childe would be odd enough for Angel to investigate. He had no desire to deal with an Angelus style beating at this time. His only hope was that the wards he requested would be enough to confuse the feelings his Sire would get when Buffy awoke. Hopefully it would hide at least her identity from his Sire.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tara drove through downtown Sunnydale. Usually she walked everywhere she went, but she was going to be using this car a lot for a while. She'd need it to drive from her new home to the college. She wanted to check and see if Spike would let her keep it. It would be less noticeable then Spike's car.

So many thoughts and scenarios went through Tara's head as she drove. The sun would soon set, but she wanted to check the house out before she brought Spike and Buffy to it. She wanted to verify the wards surrounding it.

The house Tara now owned was across town from Revello Drive. It was unlikely that the Scoobies would happen upon it easily. That specification was intentional to keep any accidental meetings from occurring. Buffy would have enough to deal with when she first awoke. She shouldn't have to fear looking out her window to see Xander or Willow peering in from across the street.

Tara craned her neck over the steering wheel as she drove through what was to be her new neighborhood. It was a beautiful place to live. She marveled at how such a beautiful and serene looking neighborhood could be in the same city as a Hellmouth. It was all too surreal to think about.

A part of Tara was sad at the thought of leaving Willow behind on Revello Drive. Tara needed to talk to Mr. Giles about Willow's magic. She was sure that he would agree with Tara's assessment and concerns. She'd overheard an argument between Willow and he when he'd returned from England. She needed this time away from Willow. Maybe she would return to Willow later, but it was going to take a long time before she would trust Willow again. Her family played with her mind for years. To find out that Willow used magic to tamper with her mind was the worst thing Willow could have done to her.

Tara pulled into the driveway of the address on the papers. She would have laughed at the irony of the lovely colonial style home with a white picket fence around the property if the seriousness of these life changes hadn't still hung over her mind. She stepped out of the car. There was a garage at the end of the driveway. Without a handle on the front of the door, she assumed that it opened with an electronic garage door opener. She'd look for that later.

Tara walked to the side of the garage to unlock the entryway. The picket-like privacy fence lined the entire property. There wasn't an entrance off the driveway without going through the garage. It was probably more for security purposes. She figured that she would usually be parked in the garage anyways. So that was fine. She would scout out the rest of the property later to see if there was any other entrance gates on the other side of the house or out front.

When Tara emerged from the garage she was surprised at all of the landscaping on the property. The house had to be sitting on at least an acre of land, which was unusual for a city setting. White and red rose bushes lined the front porch area. It was a covered porch lined with tinted glass in front of screens. She wondered if the glass was specially tinted for vampires like the regular windows were supposed to be. 'That would be nice for Buffy and Spike if they can come out on the porch during the day.' She stopped to smell the snapdragons and other flowers interspersed in front of the roses in the flower garden.

Tara looked through the various keys on the chain with her car key. She finally fished out the right one she needed for the porch door. "None of the doors have the same key. That will make it a little harder to break into." She looked down at the little sheet of paper with 6 numbers on it. When she reached the actual metal front door, she realized that the code must belong to the security panel next to the entry. She punched in the 6 numbers. After she heard the beeping of release, she unlocked the door with another key.

Nothing could have prepared her for the inside décor of the home. "Wow." Tara's eyes widened at all of the extravagances around her. Deep crimson draperies made of velvet hung around the main windows with white eyelet lace inserts to cover the windows when the draperies were open. All naturally stained cherry wood floors covered the majority of the downstairs, even into the kitchen.

The living room appeared to be decorated with various Victorian style couches and chairs. Everything was decorated with lavish materials, but it still felt like a place you could live in. "This is amazing." She had no idea that a vampire would ever live like this. Had Valerie changed the decorations to Spike's tastes, or was this how the last vampire had lived too? Either way it was gorgeous. It was like she'd stepped back into another era of time.

In the kitchen, Tara found that it was stocked as Valerie said it would be. She got a chuckle that the area for the blood bags had it's own shelf door to keep it hidden upon first opening the fridge. The kitchen as a whole was set up that no matter if human or demon visited, they would be comfortable and unoffended at what the cupboards and fridge could hold.

The first floor was complete with a fair sized office/den and bathroom towards the back of the house. A back door led out into the spacious back yard.

Tara walked through the four bedrooms upstairs. Each had it's own design or theme, but they all seemed practical as well as elegant. Each bedroom was large enough to be a master bedroom. 2 bedrooms were on one side of the hall and the other 2 were on the other side. The 2 adjoining bedrooms on one side shared a large master suite like bathroom. A non-shared bathroom separated the other 2 bedrooms.

Tara decided to wait to pick out her bedroom until Spike chose his and Buffy's. She had a feeling that Spike would pick the shared bathroom suite for him and Buffy. That way they'd each have separate rooms, but he'd also have a way to care for her without anyone else having to see. It seemed the most sensible thing to do.

Tara returned to the living room with the small bag she carried in with her. She laid out several ingredients along a leather scrap of material. She lit different scented candles, each with their own purpose or cleansing qualities, in a wide circle around her. She sat Indian style within the circle, closed her eyes, pinched her thumb and index finger together, and started to chant.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike stood up as soon as the sun fully set. He lifted Buffy up into his arms. He cradled her head against his chest. The cool of her body caused him to shiver. He was glad that he had the two days to get used to her new status. He needed to be sure that he never flinched at the touch of his Childe. She was going to have a hard enough time of accepting it without him flinching from her. He would not flinch in disgust, but he was used to her body being so warm compared to his. He needed to adjust his way of thinking when it came to Buffy.

Spike shifted Buffy in his arms. He turned around to be sure that he wasn't leaving anything behind. He wasn't sure if Buffy's attacker would try to come back or not. If he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't come back. Not that it would save the wanker from Spike's hatred and revenge. His Childe needed a human meal for her first one to become strong. A human who would rape and murder the woman Spike loved was not worth living.

Spike opened the door, slipped out into the night, and closed the door again. He was careful to stick as much to the shadows of the night as possible. He was unsure if any of the other Scoobies realized that Buffy was missing. He wasn't up to dealing with a confrontation with any of them right now.

Spike kicked open the door to his crypt. The startled scream of a woman hit his ears too late to realize that someone was in his crypt. He had been so focused on the path to his crypt that he hadn't noticed a human was in it.

"Spike?" Dawn looked up from Spike's chair in front of the TV. She jumped up, heart racing, to face Spike. "Oh my God! Buffy!" She ran towards Spike.

"No! Dawn!" Spike quickly turned away from Dawn. She shouldn't have to see her sister like this. He was in a state of panic. What should he do? He'd promised Dawn that he'd never let anything happen to Buffy again, but he wasn't there to save her from the human. Would Dawn hate him?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tara blew out the candles surrounding the circle. She gathered up the remnants of her supplies. All was safe for now. She still had to see a Wicca friend to complete the memory protection spell on her, but she should be fine until she could meet her friend. She had a warning spell in place if anything tried to alter her memories, but she'd feel a lot better once the full protection was in place.

Tara quickly locked everything back up. She frowned at the darkened sky. She hadn't realized that she'd been under the trance for so long. Now she'd have to head to Spike's crypt. Maybe she should make a pass by Revello Drive first. If no one was around she could sneak out some clothes for her and Buffy. She knew Spike wanted to bathe Buffy and put her into clean clothes.

Tara decided to do a quick sweep by Revello Drive . She hoped it was empty. Spike would already be at his own crypt by now so he could pack. It was best to make use of the time she had available now.

Luckily Willow was still at classes or out. All of the lights were off at the Summers' house. She assumed Dawn was out with her friend Janice. She wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She quickly grabbed one of her own suitcases and one of Buffy's. She packed the essentials she would need for herself. She and Spike were trying to think of a good cover story for their absences. They didn't need the Scoobies trying to find them. At least the wards would make any locator spell void. When they were in the vicinity of the house it would be as if they didn't even exist on this plane.

Tara tried to pick up things that Buffy would usually use every day. She gathered up some of Buffy's memorabilia and personal effects including her pig, Mr. Gordo. In just the few pages that she'd skimmed of the books she bought, it emphasized having comforting and familiar things around the victim. It was going to be hard on Buffy being at a whole new house. So, Tara needed to bring as much of Buffy's personal things as possible.

Tara hauled another suitcase onto Buffy's bed. She packed both casual and patrolling clothes. She didn't think Buffy would be too keen on patrolling, but it would be something to help her work out frustrations. She made sure that she packed enough comfortable clothes for lounging around in too. After adding a good amount of personal and intimate undergarments, she packed a few dresses and skirts. Anything else they'd need or want, she was sure that Spike would let them buy. This was enough to start with.

Tara drug the suitcases down the stairs as quickly as possible. She loaded up the trunk of the Taurus. After a second trip to grab the third suitcase and Buffy's weapon's bag, she closed the trunk and got back in the car. It was time to head to the cemetery. Hopefully Spike had all he needed packed by now too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What's wrong with her, Spike?" Dawn stayed behind Spike, but she bounced on her heels to try to see over his shoulder. "Please, Spike. I need to see her."

"You don't want to see this, Nibblet. Trust me on that." Spike's voice shook. 'Damnit. This is what you get for not paying attention.'

"Why? Is she ... Is she ..." Dawn's voice cracked over the two repeated words. She couldn't even get the last word to come out of her mouth.

Spike hung his head and sighed. What did he tell Dawn? "It's complicated, Lil Bit." He rested his cheek against the top of Buffy's head. "I didn't want you to see her this way."

"What way, Spike?" Dawn was beyond scared now. True Buffy and she hadn't had a very good relationship since Buffy's return from the dead, but she loved her sister more than anything. Buffy and Spike were her only true family left. Buffy was her blood sister, and Spike was everything that a brother would ever be to her. He protected her all summer when Buffy had been dead. He was there for her when everyone else was dealing with their own grief and ignoring her.

"I found her in a crypt." Spike started to speak. He tried to carefully think out each sentence, but he failed to find the right thing to say. In the end all he knew to do was be honest with the girl that he looked at like a younger sister. Joyce, Dawn and Tara were the only ones to ever really accept him. Anya never seemed to care one way or the other. "She'd been attacked."

"What kind of demon?" Dawn had a sinking feeling of the worst kind. Buffy hadn't moved the whole time in Spike's arms from what she could see. She also hadn't woke up either. That wasn't like Buffy.

"I'm afraid it wasn't a demon, Bit." Spike sighed. "She was ... She was shot by a human." Buffy needed to be the one to decide whom she told about the rape. It was something that he didn't think Dawn could handle now on top of the other.

"Oh my God!" Dawn ran in front of Spike. She fell to the floor on her knees at the sight of Buffy's blood soaked clothes. "No! No!" She cried out. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh God, she's gone again!"

Spike's heart was torn in two. Both of the women he loved were broken right now. He sat Buffy down in the chair carefully. He covered her body with a blanket to keep the haunting scene from Dawn's eyes. He pulled Dawn up from the ground to hug her. He rocked her back and forth. "Shhh ... She's not really gone this time." He kissed the top of Dawn's head.

Spike's words broke through Dawn's grief addled mind. "Not really gone?" She pulled back in Spike's arms just enough to look into his eyes. Her eyes widened with the knowledge of what Spike must mean. "You turned her?!?"

Spike cringed. 'Damn, but the Bit is a smart one.' He sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Nibblet. I couldn't let her go; not this time."

Dawn gasped in shock. It wasn't that she was mad at Spike turning her sister, but she found it hard to believe that he had done it. He loved Buffy, and she knew that it would break his heart for Buffy to come back as an evil demon instead of the woman he loved. "Why?"

"Because I love her." Spike stuttered on quickly. "She'll keep her soul. All Slayers do. She might kill me, but she'll still be Buffy. I promise." He tightened his grip on Dawn, afraid that she had a stake hidden somewhere. He had to be there when Buffy awoke. After that he'd gladly take any stake that she or Dawn felt was necessary, but he had to see to her recovery first.

"Easy Spike." Dawn's voice was soothing. "I don't hate you." She hugged Spike tighter. "After this summer you should know that I would have asked you to turn her if there wasn't any other way to save her." She spoke the truth. She'd missed Buffy so much over the summer. Having her back now was a gift that she would have done anything to keep Buffy. She didn't care if Buffy was a vampire so long as she was still her Buffy.

"You don't hate me?" Spike stared at Dawn in amazement.

"No, Spike. If you say that she'll be Buffy, then I believe you." Dawn had faith in Spike long before anyone else did. She looked up to him as an older brother, and it always made her mad how the other Scoobies treated him. Even after everything he'd done for them during the summer, they went back to hating him as soon as Buffy was back. She refused to be that way.

"She will, Bit." Spike explained, "But she won't be able to be around humans for a while. I don't know everything that happened to her. I only know how I found her."

Dawn nodded in understanding. "Fine, but I want to see her as soon as you think she can handle it." She wanted to argue with Spike that she should be there, but she knew it was pointless to argue with Spike if he'd made up his mind. She saw the determination in his face. He wasn't going to budge on the issue. "Please tell her how much I love her, no matter what."

"I will, Bit. I ..." Spike was interrupted by the crypt door opening.

"Everything is set at the house. I was able to get some ..." Tara 's voice trailed off when she noticed Dawn standing in Spike's crypt. "Dawn?" She panicked, looking around for Buffy's body.

"Bit was here when I moved from the other place." Spike explained when he saw the confusion on Tara 's face.

"Oh." Tara saw the tear stains on Dawn's face. "She knows?"

Spike nodded. "Sussed it out pretty quickly." He hugged Dawn. "She's a right smart girl. Aren't you Nibblet?"

"Sometimes too much for my own good if Spike's reaction was anything to go by." Dawn rolled her eyes. She tried to keep the conversation light.

"O ... Okay." Tara stuttered a little bit. "You're okay with it?"

"I explained it to Spike, yeah." Dawn nodded her head. "I take it you are going to be there too?" She looked to Spike for confirmation. He'd said that Buffy couldn't be around humans. So she wondered why Spike was letting Tara be there.

"Tara is a witch, Dawn." Spike explained. "We needed protection, and I needed a human to own the home we'll use. I figured Glinda would be the first choice for support amongst the Scoobies."

Dawn frowned, but nodded. "I wish I could be there."

Tara opened her arms for Dawn to move into. "As soon as it is safe, we'll bring you to see her. We promise." She stroked her hand down Dawn's hair. This girl had suffered through a lot more than someone her human age should. She didn't care if Dawn was a mystical key before. Now she was just a teenage girl who suffered too much heartache.

"I don't care what anyone says or will say." Dawn hugged Tara then opened her arms for Spike to join them in the hug. When he reluctantly moved forward into a three-way hug she continued, "I will stand by you both, no matter what."

"Thanks, Bit. I have a feeling that we'll need all the support we can get." Spike kissed the top of Dawn's head again. "You can't tell anyone at all." He pulled back to look into Dawn's eyes. "Tell the Scoobies that Buffy needed to get away for a little bit to deal with some things. She told you that she'd contact you specifically off and on, but that she didn't want a whole Scooby troupe to try and find her."

"They won't be able to do a locator spell on her, Dawn. So, don't worry if they try one." Tara explained. "It will enforce to them that Buffy doesn't want to be found, hopefully."

"Okay. Anything else I should do?" Dawn wanted to help in any way that she could.

"Tara will be living with us. We'll figure out what to tell Willow, but for now just say that Tara is staying with a friend until she gets some things sorted out."

Tara nodded in agreement with that idea. "Sounds fine to me. I'll try to keep in touch. I'll still be going to school. So, I'm sure I'll run into Willow at some point."

"All right. You know they aren't going to like this."

"I don't give a damn what they like and don't like." Spike started to get angry. He wasn't upset at Dawn, but it always peeved him off how the Scoobies thought they had the right to run Buffy's life.

Tara put a hand on Spike's arm to calm him down. "They'll have to live with it. Since they know we took Buffy from Heaven, I am hoping they will understand the absence."

Dawn nodded. She looked over at Buffy's body in the chair. She shivered at the stillness of her sister. "May I say goodbye?"

Spike nodded. He watched Dawn walk over to Buffy, kiss her forehead, and hug her. She walked back towards the door. "Take care of her, or you will have one pissed off teenager coming at you with a stake or a torch."

Tara gulped. She knew Dawn well enough to realize she was serious. Spike nodded. He breathed a sigh of relief once the door shut behind Dawn. "Well that wasn't planned."

Tara half chuckled. "Definitely not. The house is all in order though." She looked over at Buffy's body, sleeping while it healed itself. "Are we ready?"

"I still need to pack. Nibblet was here waiting for me."

Tara nodded. "Okay. I'll watch Buffy while you pack."

"I won't take long." Spike jumped down the hole to the lower level to pack what he wanted to take with them. Mainly he'd just need some clothes. He has some special personal items as well that always traveled with him too.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)

Chapter Summary: Dawn knows about Buffy being turned, and she is willing to support Spike and Tara. Tara checked out the house, and she picked up Spike to take him and Buffy there. Dawn returned to Revello Drive. Tara gathered some of her and Buffy's clothes to bring to the new house. What is going to happen when Willow realizes that some of Tara's belongings are gone? Will the magic and wards on the house protect her from any spells Willow might do? Is Dawn safe?

Disclaimer: All characters originally created by Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy belong to them by all rights. I just sneak them out of the vaults to play with them whenever I can. I do not make any money off of this. I have only the satisfaction that others enjoy the creativity and storylines that I come up with for our heroes, heroines, and villains.

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.

Tara just finished showing Spike the rest of the house when she felt a tingle at the back of her neck. It was faint, almost like the feeling one gets when you think someone is staring at you, but it was strong enough that she noticed it. She chalked the feeling up to nerves and hurried up to get the rest of the car unloaded.

Spike already situated Buffy in one of the two rooms that were connected by the master bath. That left Tara free to choose one of the two rooms that were situated on the other side of the house. After deliberating which room would suit her best, and which room would eventually be better for Dawn, she chose the smaller of the two rooms. It had the largest windows. The bay window would be perfect to put a desk by, and the furnishings were spacious enough to give her plenty of room to perform spells.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike laid Buffy on top of an extra blanket on her bed. He wanted to wash Buffy, but he needed to unpack her things first. He separated all the clothes that Tara packed in a suitcase into the new drawers of Buffy's dresser. He laid her brush and comb on top of the dresser.

The wood bedroom set was complete with queen-sized bed, end table, and dresser. The vanity on the dresser was missing the mirror usually embedded in the middle of these kinds of hutches. A vampire had no need of mirrors in their furniture. In its place was a landscaped mural of the sun rising over the English countryside and up the back of an English manor. Spike traced the painted rays with his fingertips. "I wonder where she found this. Resourceful gal."

Spike tucked the empty suitcase under Buffy's bed. He tugged a second suitcase up onto the dresser to unpack. After hanging a few dresses and skirts, he gathered the personal hygiene paraphernalia together. Vanilla scented oil and bath salts now lined the shelved edge around the tub. He artfully arranged various decorative bottles of lotion, soap and shampoo from Buffy's collection as well.

Vampires weren't usually into the whole bathing and hygiene aspects of life. One reason was that they didn't sweat. Spike enjoyed showering and bathing. It was one of the few times that his body would be nice and hot again. Based on how Buffy was before, he had a feeling that she would continue to enjoy her heated soaks in the tub. He hoped so. He always loved her scent. It would be a way that she could relax.

The heat would help unkink muscles for Buffy after patrolling. Spike figured that once Buffy was better acclimated to her new life, she would want to patrol again. Vampires needed violence to help satisfy their inner demons. Buffy would be no different in that regard. Her Slayer side already craved that violence almost as much as a vampire did. The crossover of being turned would complete the pull for that need.

Spike finished Buffy's unpacking by tucking her weapons bag in the closet. "Let's not keep the pointy wooden objects too close to the bed for when she wakes up." He half chuckled to himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tara touched the various pieces of furniture in her room. She counted the money in her bank account mentally. She'd have enough to purchase a new desk and lamp. Spike said this was her house. She was starting to get used to that thought. She wanted to add a few touches of her own.

After Tara unpacked the rest of her clothes, she sat on the edge of her bed. It was a nice full sized bed with an intricate lace covered comforter. The rest of the comforter was made of a light material to ward off the chill of a Sunnydale windy night but not be too hot. For the most part it would be decorative.

Tara shook her head back and forth as the niggling sensation at the back of her mind continued. It disappeared again. She headed out of her room and down the stairs. She felt a little hungry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike watched as Tara exited her new room. Her eyes sparkled with delight, and she had lost a bit of the haunted look she had been carrying in her eyes. Spike was glad that she moved in with them. Not only would it ease Buffy into the transition of her new life, but it would also help Buffy cope with the pain. In addition, it would be good for Tara to get away from Willow for a while.

Spike noticed the pain in the blonde Wicca's eyes during Sweet's musical interlude time. He had a feeling that her pain had something to do with all of the magic Willow kept doing. He'd heard Tara arguing with Willow about her magic the day before Sweet showed up. When Tara found him in the crypt, she told him about the spell Willow cast over her to make her forget things.

Spike thought of Dawn. He was glad that she handled everything so well. He loved the little Nibblet. All four of them had their own needs and crosses, no pun intended, to bear. Together they would all be able to help each other and heal the damage that Buffy's rape, Willow's betrayal, and Buffy's death inflicted. He hoped that the four of them would eventually form their own tight knit family unit. It had been a long time since he really felt a part of a loving and close family.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tara rummaged through the refrigerator. She wasn't sure just what she was in the mood to eat, but her stomach rumbled again to remind her that she hadn't had anything since her early lunch. She'd been so focused on Spike and Buffy that she forgot to pick up something to eat before her bookstore errand.

Spike trotted down the stairs into the living room. He turned left and headed into the kitchen. He was just about to open his mouth and ask Tara if she wanted him to make her something when a flash of pain crossed Tara's face. Concerned for the blonde, he hastened across the kitchen to where Tara was standing. He gently touched her shoulder. "Are you all right, Glinda?"

Tara looked up at Spike and smiled weakly. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "Sure, Spike. Just a bit of a headache." She turned back around to face the refrigerator, but instead she ended up unconscious on the floor at Spike's feet.

Spike panicked for a moment. He looked around the room. He wasn't sure why Tara collapsed, but he faintly smelled the taint of magic in the air. "What the bloody Hell is going on here? This house is warded big time, and Tara added her own protection spells as well." He was confident in Tara's magical abilities. She was a true Wicca of light. He always felt that when he was around her. "How could anything get through?"

Spike scooped Tara up into his arms. He laid the unconscious woman on the couch. She lay there unmoving. It unnerved him to see how much she looked like she was dead.

Spike shivered. He needed help, but he wasn't sure whom he could trust at this point. He made a decision, picked up the phone, and called the one person that he knew would help him, even if it was only because he paid her to. "Valerie, I need your help."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Valerie shifted in her car seat, replaying the conversation with Spike in her mind. They would have to move fast to get everything accomplished and be able to help Tara before his Childe awakened. Spike felt he had until tomorrow night before she would awaken, but he had other plans that still needed to be taken care of.

Valerie was surprised at the worry she heard in the vampire's voice when he spoke of Tara's condition. He seemed genuinely concerned for the young woman. His worry tainted voice nearly quivered when he mentioned the teenager named Dawn, the sister of his Childe. He wanted the young girl safe at all costs. She wondered why he had such a strong bond with the girl named Dawn.

Valerie sighed in relief as 1630 Revello Drive came into view. She was still quite nervous about the whole plan. It was true that she would have two mages flanking her with powerful glamours and protection spells, but Willow Rosenberg was a powerful witch in her own right. Frankly, she felt the woman was out of control.

Wolfram and Hart had considered recruiting Willow Rosenberg for their special operations team, but her unpredictability was a serious deterrent. They feared that they wouldn't be able to control the witch. If Wolfram and Hart was worried about controlling Willow, Valerie had every reason to be scared. The sooner this was over, the better.

As Valerie knocked on the door, she felt the mages protection spells solidify. She would be safe from any form of magical control that the redhead could attempt. The mages would also act as muscle in case it was needed to take care of what she needed to do.

The first part of Valerie's mission was to conduct reconnaissance. All that Valerie was required to do was touch Willow, and she would instantly be able to tell if Willow was the person responsible for the attack on Tara. If Willow was innocent of any wrongdoing then they would leave the house without further communication. If she was guilty, however, then the lawyer had been instructed to get Dawn out of the house and into a safe location. Spike was insistent that Dawn not be left with someone who had brought physical harm to Tara.

After a short while a young redhead answered the door. "Hello," Valerie started the conversation with a fake southern drawl. "My name is Susan Parker, and I am here with social services. Are you Buffy Summers?"

Willow looked surprised and hesitated briefly. "Buffy is not here at the moment. I'm Willow Rosenberg, Dawn's babysitter."

Valerie presented her hand for a handshake and held her breath. As soon as Willow touched her she would know the truth. "Nice to meet you Willow."

They spent the entire summer Buffy was gone prepared with stories for Social Services. She slipped easily into their preconceived stories. "Is there something that I can help you with?" She extended her hand to return the handshake.

Valerie gasped as visions of Willow and her spell casting assaulted her. One of the mages at her side wrapped his hand on Valerie's arm in support. He felt the young witch's power saturating the house as soon as they'd walked up the porch.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(Flashback to earlier that day)


Willow looked around the room; a confused expression marring her beautiful face. She didn't quite understand what was happening. She thought things were going great between her and Tara. Now all of a sudden Tara was mad at her again. This time she had no idea what for. She hadn't done anything terribly magical lately that Tara would remember, and she was too good of a witch for the memory spells to have broken. What would have caused Tara to not only sleep on the couch last night, but to avoid her all day, and then sneak her stuff out of the room? It didn't make any sense.

Willow decided that she had to get to the bottom of their newest problem as a couple. Willow gathered her magical supplies. While casting the circle she thought back to the discussion that had occurred the last time her mother had made the entire family go to therapy. 'The only way to solve relationship problems is to sit down and talk it out. Moving out is never the answer because the incentive to solve the problems is lost and the communications break down.' The thought didn't cross her mind that forcing someone to return to you wasn't the best way to open up communication again.

Making her decision, Willow performed the spell to make Tara decide that she wanted to move back into Revello Drive. Everything that was missing of Tara's made Willow believe she'd moved out. She thought that once Tara was back under the same roof Willow would figure out what was wrong with Tara. It couldn't be too serious. She'd have some way to fix it. They were perfect for each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the flashbacks, Valerie let Willow's hand go. She'd experienced enough of the magical world to understand what now occurred when Willow performed the spell. Under normal circumstances the spell would have worked. It would not have influenced Tara's memory or normally harmed her in any way. It would have simply created a nagging sensation in Tara's mind that she had made a mistake to move out and that she should return to Willow.

The spell would have worked, if Tara had been anywhere else other then the warded house. Instead of the spell influencing Tara, however, the house viewed it as a magical attack against its occupants and retaliated. The clash of the magical forces fighting had caused Tara the initial discomfort. As the magical battle waged over her mind, the pain eventually grew to be too much and caused the girl to pass out.

The spell had not meant to physically harm Tara, but the houses defenses were correct. Influencing Tara's mind in any way was an attack. Spike would be very upset to find out what occurred. She knew she had to get to Dawn out of there. She wasn't sure where they teenager would stay, but she was willing to offer her own home if it got the teenager away from this woman. She nodded to her associates.

Valerie's voice cooled when she spoke again, and her fake southern accent turned icy, "Well Ms. Rosenberg, it was a pleasure to meet you. However, this is not really a social visit." Her eyes narrowed into thin angry slits. "I am afraid that social services has looked over Ms. Summers record, and we feel that it would be in Dawn's best interest to be removed from the Summers' residence and placed into foster care at this time."

Willow gasped, and her eyes started to turn dark. The mages, however, were prepared and blocked the young witch's attempts to enter their minds. Willow's eyes widened when she felt her magic blocked. She stared at the three people confused.

Valerie glared at Willow. She felt the magic from Willow beat at her defenses. She was furious at what Willow did to Tara. She was also peeved that she tried to influence them as well when Willow wasn't happy with the situation. "Gentlemen, please stay down here with Ms. Rosenberg while I inform Ms. Summers of her change in status." She brushed Willow to the side of the doorway. "The Summers residence is not fit for a young girl to grow up in."

Dawn inwardly moaned over the argument she'd heard going on downstairs. 'I won't let them take me away.' She was worried that Spike wouldn't be able to find her if she was taken away. She had to watch after the Scoobies' actions for Spike and Tara. She headed down the stairs.

Valerie ascended the stairs, but she met by a hostile and defiant teenager only halfway up the stairs. "I'm not going anywhere away from my sister."

Valerie leaned close to Dawn. She whispered in her hear, "Shhh, it's okay. Spike sent me to get you." She put a hand on Dawn's lower back to nudge her back upstairs. "Just grab whatever you need, and let's get out of here. I will explain in the car."

Dawn looked panic stricken. "Is Buffy okay?" Had something already gone wrong with Buffy? Did she already wake up and stake Spike? So many thoughts worried around in her head.

"Buffy?" Valerie hadn't been told the identity of Spike's Childe. The name Buffy nagged at the back of her mind as a name she should know. "If that is his Childe, then no she hasn't woken up yet." She didn't want to worry the girl, but they had to get her out of this house quickly. She felt Willow's power as it grew while they spoke. "It's Tara, Dawn. She's been hurt, and Willow is responsible."

They'd made it back to Dawn's room by now. She already stuffed several changes of clothes into a duffel bag. She gasped, threw her journal, and her make up into the bag. She picked up her backpack with her schoolbooks in it. She ran around her room to gather a few other important things to her, including a necklace from her mother and her stuffed animal. "Let's go." If Willow was working the mojo again, Dawn had no desire to stick around.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spike paced back and forth through his new living room. Valerie, Dawn and two other blokes had shown up to take a look at Tara. Seeing Dawn had crystallized his fears. He knew it meant that Willow was responsible for the attack. It made his heart ache for the young girl in his living room. Dawn had already lost so much. She shouldn't have to deal with Willow being responsible for hurting another of Dawn's friends. Although he wasn't terribly surprised at the witch's abuse of power, he did realize that this would break Tara's heart when she woke up.

In the middle of the mages working on Tara, Spike smelt a familiar scent. He raced to the front window. He noticed a man swagger down the middle of the street. Spike growled low. He wanted to follow the man, but he needed to stay with Tara and Dawn until Tara was okay. He tightened his hands into fists.

"What's wrong, Spike?" Valerie walked behind Spike. She rested her hand on Spike's shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Just some trash that needs to be taken care of." Spike growled his response.

Valerie blinked. The anger that radiated off the vampire was so thick it was palpable. She moved around the side of Spike to look at his face. "Buffy Summers is the Slayer, isn't she?" She changed the topic of conversation.

Spike sighed. "Figured it out, eh?"

Valerie nodded. "Not until Dawn mentioned Buffy's name in reference to your Childe." She rested back against the wall with a hand on Spike's arm. "This could go very bad for you."

"I know." Spike nodded. "I love her." He picked up an envelope from a table by the door. "If she dusts me, so be it." He handed the envelope to Valerie. "This is all of the paperwork you needed me to sign to transfer all rights of my wealth to Tara upon my death."

Valerie opened the envelope. She double checked all of the paperwork to be sure it was in order. "I hope you know what you are doing."

"Now you know why I wanted to get things set up for Tara to take over." Spike eyes narrowed on the woman. "I trust you to keep this a secret, Val. Your bosses better not find out."

"You have my promise, Spike. You're going to have enough problems to deal with, without that added to it." Valerie patted Spike's arm in assurance. "Good luck."

Dawn watched Valerie and Spike interact. She could see that they were more like friends, but she still wanted to remove Val's hand from Spike's arm. She hoped Buffy didn't let Spike get away this time. If only Buffy admitted to herself last year that she liked Spike too after Drusilla came to town, maybe some things would be very different right now.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Several hours later, Tara sat on her new porch, swinging gently while she let her feet dangle. There was so much to process, and she was having trouble comprehending it all. Willow tried to manipulate her again. She tried to control her and take away her free will. Even though it was just to get her to come back to the house, Willow still tried to make Tara do something she didn't want to do.

Tara knew in her heart that things could never be the same again. Willow would never stop manipulating her, making her into the perfect girlfriend. She couldn't, no she wouldn't, be able to live through the manipulations and still retain her sense of self. Unfortunately that didn't stop the pain she was feeling over the loss of her girlfriend.

When Tara woke up the mages told her that if she was anywhere else other then in the house she would not have been able to resist the magical suggestion. Just knowing that if she had been outside, or in a store, or even at school that she would have gone back to Willow and not realized why she had done so, made her mad. The magic would have bypassed her protection spell, one because of Willow's strength and power and two because she wasn't trying to alter Tara's memories, just implant a suggestion.

Shaking her head, Tara thought about everything else that happened. Dawn was devastated at the current turn of events. Her world was crumbling, and there was not much Dawn could do to stop it. Her sister had been killed twice and now turned. Willow, who was like a big sister to her, had been abusing magic. Now Tara, who she thought of as a surrogate mother, had been manipulated and attacked by Willow.

Spike decided the safest place for Dawn would be at Valerie's house. None of the Scoobies knew Valerie or would think that Spike had a lawyer. However, just in case that Willow decided to go after "Susan Parker", Valerie and Dawn would still be safe within a magically protected house.

'I really don't want to see Spike's attorney bill this month.' Tara sighed. She wished that Spike would hurry up and return from wherever he ran off to. He had paced back and forth for hours after everyone left. Finally he broke down and asked if she could stay with Buffy while he went out to pick up "supplies" for when Buffy woke up.

Tara assured Spike that she would be fine in the house, but she hadn't pressed for details. The look is his eyes chilled her, and she didn't think she really wanted to know. His steps were determined and sure when he tromped out of the house. She wondered how long he would be gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(To Be Continued)

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