FicWad

Ethan knew that he had taken a big risk in kidnaping his own grandchildren. The two young ones were well behaved. Not that they felt safe by any means, but they just knew that at this point there was nothing that could be done. It was like they had accepted the fact that what was happening was going to happen.
He sighed heavily as he felt it. It was a feeling that he was all too familiar with. It was that feeling one got with the darkside. It was that buzz that one felt when one was high on the darkest of magicks. And it was a power that he had never felt before. One so strong that it was frightening. Especially since he knew who was behind the power source. It could only be one person. And that was his daughter.
That was the one thing in all of this. He felt he was being cheated by the fact that he was not getting to really know his daughter. It was silly at this point to feel that way. For there were bigger things going on then just his need to get to know his daughter. After so many years though she was just so close.
He had never known who she was. And then, we he had found out, it was priceless. After all, there was that connection that he had to Ripper. And then to find out his daughter was oh so close to his former partner in chaos. It was ironic.
His eventual enemy was the one that was now closer to his own flesh and blood then he was. It was like the fates were laughing at him. Like it was the way that it was supposed to be. It was like a great big slap in the face.
One that he would hit back with, that's for sure. He would not be stopped from claiming his own flesh and blood. And that was starting with his grandchildren. It had been only partially to protect them. But the bigger picture was for him to mold those two in his own image. And to bring their mother into the fold as well.
He stared down at the two little ones looking up at him. They had such angelic faces. But was there more to it then what he saw? Was he making more of things then there really was? Was he just full of it. That could very well be it.
Ethan tried to read the little ones minds. Most would think because they were just over a day old that there was no cognitive thought. That they functioned on just the basic levels. And for most babies, this was true. But those that were blessed with power, real power like these two were, they had an almost knowledge about them from the second they were born.
And he knew they knew about power, their own power. That was ingrained in most from the beginning. Maybe not that they were magickal, but that they were somehow different. That there was something special about them. And he knew these two little ones would be that way.
And a proud grandfather would be bragging up a storm. But he knew that they would use that power. Probably to contact their parents. And that was all of the good. Except that he was still the only one that could fully protect them. Even Willow as juiced up on the dark magicks was no match for what was out there.
But the two little ones seemed harmless at the moment. They seemed to be calm and mellow. Or was that just deceiving him? Were they just playing possum like some were so good at doing. If only he knew for sure.
Ethan gave up on reading his little ones minds. They were asleep anyways. And he had to prepare. If somehow Willow or Tara were able to get his grandchildren away from him, he would have to have a backup plan to protect them. And he did. It was just a matter of making the small little tweaks to what he had planned.

Tara snuck around the back of The Magic Box. She knew that Willow was either here or would be shortly. She knew that it would be an interesting meeting. Even though she wasn't with her, they shared that connection. Their hearts still seemed to beat as one. And she could feel the pain that Willow was in. Even if she would not allow her self to feel it.
It scared her to think, but Willow as pretty much shut off from the world now. It was as if she was immune to everything now. That not even she could be the one that brought her back from wherever she had gone. Would her Willow ever be the same? Would they ever be able to get back to where they had been?
Carefully, Tara opened the back door. She knew that her everything knew all sorts of traps. And she knew that even with that knowledge, most likely she couldn't have an answer for everything that Willow threw at her. She was just too good. And definitely high on the dark magicks at the moment.
There was silence inside. Giles wasn't there. He had rushed off to England. Why? Because he said that there was some imperative information that one of his buddies had. The kind that he had to see for himself.
And Anya was still being held prisoner. Xander was beside himself searching all over the place for her. It was actually quite scary. And the concussion that he had suffered didn't help matters either. It was impairing his judgement even further.
She sighed heavily as she felt no presence in The Magic Box. Was it that Willow just wasn't here yet? She knew that it was her little ones that had sent her here. She could feel it in her heart. But why wasn't she here yet? Were they sending her here as well? Was it just a matter of time before she was here as well?
Slowly, Tara made her way into the shop part. It was all still dark so she waved her hand. Instantly, the room was lit. And she took several steps back when she saw Willow sitting at one of the round tables that they had spent so much time at helping to research demons.
It was Willow, but it wasn't her Willow. Gone was the red hair. Gone was the pale soft skin. Gone were those emerald eyes that she could just look into for hours at a time. In their place was hair darker then the night. And there were ugly black veins across her face. And those eyes were like smoldering black coals. Enough to give anyone the chills.
"So, we meet at last." Willow stood up and looked around her. "No one here eh? Too bad. I was hoping to have a little bit of fun before I went and turned that insane vampire into the ashes that she deserves to be. And my father...." The witch stopped moving and she shut her mouth in an instant.
"Father?" Tara was so totally confused. With all that was going on, how had Willow managed to find her real father? Or had he found her? "You know who your father is?"
"It's no concern of yours." Willow's voice nearly boomed at her. "Nice little spell you did. But how's this?" She smiled big as she waved her hand. Not only was the area surrounding the two lit up, but the whole shop was glowing bright. Almost as bright as if it were on fire. "I've learned a few tricks in the short time we've been apart."
Tara shook her head. "I know what you are doing. You are trying to distract me. Sweetie, I know that you are in a great deal of pain. And that Ethan was the one..."
"Silence!" Willow was in front of Tara in an instant. "Don't ever say that man's name in my presence. Ever again. He'll get what's coming to him. I'll make sure of that. But in the meantime, I have to take a look around. What I need to defeat Drusilla is here. I know it."
Tara's mind was racing she was beginning to put two and two together. And it was adding up to Ethan as her children's grandfather. "Ethan did nothing wrong other then take the babies without asking. And maybe that was the only way that he could do what he had to. If we knew, it might have been too easily given away."
Willow raised her hand back. "I told you not to say his name!" There was this thunder throughout The Magic Box. It looked like a lightening storm was going on inside. She held her hand for the longest time, but it dropped to her side. Even in her darkest form, she could not hurt Tara. She could not strike out at her.
"We've got to say it!" Tara stood taller. She now knew what she had always known. That no matter how far gone Willow maybe, she would never raise a hand to hurt her. Not really. And that she was the only one that could even reason with her a little bit. "We've got to talk about it. Time is running out. You think that Ethan having Jenny and Alexander is gonna protect them forever? The only way they'll be truly protected is when they are both in their loving mothers' arms." Tara reached out a hand to stroke Willow's face.
The former redhead pulled back. That soft, gentle touch would be too much for her to handle at the moment. All she wanted was to keep the darkness. It was protecting her from the pain. She wouldn't have to deal with the fact that her babies were gone. And that she was nearly helpless to get them back.
"My arms you mean." Even in her dark state, Willow could not believe she had just uttered those words. Tara was her everything. The reason that she breathed. The reason that she lived. The reason that she had been so happy. And the reason that she had been blessed with the little ones in the first place.
Tara hook her head with a sad look on her face. "I know this isn't you talking. I know it's the darkness inside of you trying to take control. You've got to fight it. You can still beat it. It's not too late."
An evil laughter escaped Willow. "Are you seeing the same picture that I am? That everyone else is? I mean, look at me. I'm evil. Through and through. And if you don't believe that, ask the guy that wouldn't give up his home to me."
Tara sighed. "I am looking at you. That's just an outer package that's not what's on the inside by any means. What's inside is still the good woman that I fell in love with and still want a life with. He's still alive isn't he?"
Willow scowled at that. "So what if he is? I was about to kill him when my children interrupted. They wanted me to come here for some reason. Perhaps they were just trying to tempt me with knowledge. They knew how much I want knowledge."
"You are wrong, Willow." Tara started for her but her everything backed off. "You can try and distance yourself from me. But you know something as well as I do. We are one. We are a part of one another. I beat in your heart. I am in your soul. There is no separating you from me. I'm afraid that you are stuck with me."
"That's what you think." Willow made herself float to the top of the landing. "This is where the answers lay. This is where everything is that I need to know. Giles tried to hide the fact that this is where the dark magicks is kept. But I knew. I always knew. The minute I would walk in, it was like it was calling me. Like it was my destiny. And maybe it is considering."
"Considering what?" Tara eyed her girlfriend. "It is not your destiny. Just because other choose the path of chaos and darkness does not mean that you have to. Not even if that man is your father."
Willow leapt from the landing down to beside Tara. There was a fire in her eyes. One that Tara had seen once. The one time that Willow had lost control and nearly burnt down The Bronze so long ago. Instead of doing anything, Willow sighed. "I should have known that you would have known. Even in this damned form, I can't hide things from you. You know me too well."
"Like I said, we are one. My heart beats the same as yours." Tara swallowed hard. "I'm sorry that Ethan is your father. In the sense that I know that he does have a colorful past. And I'm not sure we can totally trust him. But we have little choice at the moment. We are supposed to do nothing, but yet everything seems to be happening so quickly. I vote we do something."
This brought a smile to Willow's face. Something that she hadn't done since her babies were taken. Something she thought she would never do. It made her feel good to think that Tara was wanting to take the initiative and basically kicked some book. It was nice to see for a change. Of course, Tara was far from that shy girl that stuttered so sweetly. She had changed a great deal since the two had met.
One of the black veins disappeared from Willow's face. "I agree. We need to take the offensive on this one. Like we have had to do in the past. Now, where's G-man? You'd think he would want to be here to help. And Xander."
Tara sighed. "I'm not sure where Xander is. He disappeared after what happened. Neither Giles or I could find him. And Giles is in England. He contacted a buddy of his. Had something that would help us but had to go in person to pick it up. Didn't give much detail."
"Figures." Willow shook her head. "Wonder if he's going back to the old ways of being a watcher. Only sharing what he thinks is important. Knowledge is power. And we need power. Lots of it. Drusilla is no ordinary vampire. And she has Anya."
"I did some research on that." Tara made her way to one of the book shelves. It was feeling almost like Willow was normal. That she hadn't turned to the dark side. But one look at her and you knew. She wasn't as dark as before, but it was still there. "Vengeance demons that have their powers stripped as punishment have a residual power supply. It's something that they always will have. It can get drained and then replenished over time."
Willow took the book that Tara took out and carefully read the same thing that Tara had just explained. "So, since she couldn't get us or the babies, she's using Anya as a power source. A never ending power source. Kinda like a rechargeable battery."
"Exactly." Tara put her hand on Willow's. The former redhead glared at the touch and Tara quickly pulled back. "And from what I understand, a slayer has a great deal of power. It's different from the magickal powers that a witch or demon would have, but it's still quite the source. And now, Drusilla has two slayers."
Willow nodded. "It still doesn't tell us what she's up to. I mean, there are so many things out there that need power. I can think of fifty just off the top of my head. This sounds like something specific. I'm not sure what, but it has to be something big, obviously."
Tara nodded in agreement. That simple glare a second ago had reminded her of just how far Willow was gone. But she also felt in that touch the wanting to be good again. And maybe when they were able to save their children, they could get past this together. That they could both again learn how to control their vast powers.
"Hello ladies!" Both witches turned in a start. There was Spike standing before them and he was all vamped out. "I've been sent to invite you to a little soiree. One that refusal is just not an option my dears."
Both Tara and Willow went for Spike at the same time. But they were thrown back hard. Both hit stacks of books. And both became groggy. It wasn't long till darkness over took them. And Spike took them to the little party that was planned especially in their honor.