FicWad

Ethan could feel the hatred. It was unmistakable. And he knew it was coming from his daughter. That was even more scarey then anything. For he knew how far the dark side could take you. He was a living example of that one. Not to long ago, he would have reveled in his daughter finding this side of her. But now....
His thoughts were interrupted. He had banished the last wave of vampires long ago. And he knew that they needed time to regroup. So, he wasn't sure what was coming and what to expect. The door flying in on him and nearly taking his head off was certainly not it.
"Can I help you?" Ethan strained to see through the smoke and clouds that had resulted from whoever breaking down his door. "Who's there?" Behind him, he could hear the screams of the little ones.
Ethan's face fell as the last person on earth he thought he would ever see was standing before him. And there was such a smile on the other person's face that the sorcerer was instantly ill. This was not going to be a very pleasant showdown.
"Ethan, I've come for the babies." Giles made his way through what once had been the door of Ethan's shop. "So predictable that you would hide out here." Xander and a young redhead woman made their way behind the former librarian. "Now let me have them."
Ethan held up his hands in a mock surrender. "Sure Ripper. I've just held off waves of vampires. I'm going to just let you waltz in here and take my grandchildren." His eyes turned a black that was darker then a moonless, starless night. His hands were instantly up and he sent some kind of energy wave at the three.
The young redhead held her hands up and the wave of energy bounced off the walls. It had lost all power when she had deflected it. She stood there smiling big as Ethan's eyes opened wider. She stood tall and proud. "I have a bit of power Gov. You might want to watch what tricks you try with me. I'm not as innocent as I look."
The sorcerer shook his head as he was able to take in the power that was coming from the mysterious woman. "What's this Ripper? You've gone and got a beautiful young lady to fight your battles? Oh wait, you're famous for that. After all, you've been telling that slayer of yours what to do for years. And my daughter."
"Ethan." Giles took several dangerous steps toward his former friend and now enemy. "There is a time and a place for all this. I understand that in your mind you are only protecting your grandchildren. But I've done some research. And this is far from how we are going to be able to save the world."
"Do you honestly think I care about the world?" Ethan laughed his laugh. "Really, Ripper. I thought you knew me better then that. After all, I'm the one that worships chaos. I'm the one that would like to see things go a little differently then the norm. why should I care bout the world?"
"Good point." Giles looked over Ethan's shoulders to the still crying little ones. "Except for the fact that if the world ends, it ends for your grandchildren as well. Now, protecting them just to let the world end doesn't make much sense. But then, you never have."
Ethan turned and made his way quickly to his grandchildren. He could see in those young innocent eyes the fear that he never wanted them to know. He knew in the world that he knew that that was an impossibility. But he still didn't want them to have know a world that he had known. Though with a sane Willow and Tara as their parents, he knew that they would know nothing but love. Something he had never known.
Ethan turned back towards the three that had made their way into what he had thought was a safe haven. And he knew that he wasn't the one to protect them. That the only ones that could protect them was this apparent new which. And of course, their parents. Sighing heavily, he said, "Take them. But take me along. Perhaps I can be of assistance."
Giles was about to say no. But he realized that Ethan would do anything for those two laying so still and quiet now. It was as if they realized that there was power there now. And there was a source of protection there. And, after all, Ethan could easily be expendable.
"Very well." Giles nodded and both the redhead and Xander went to the babies and took them in their arms. "You might not like the plan though."
Ethan shrugged. "Let's say that I never really did. What have you got up your sleeve old man? You've got that look."
Giles only smiled at him. His plan was his. He hadn't even shared all the details with Xander and his friend from England. Was that dangerous? Perhaps. But they might not go along with all that he had planned. But it was all for the good of everyone. Some sacrifices just had to be made, didn't they?

There seemed to be a calm over the entire cave. It was as if everyone at once knew that it was time. Time for what could ultimately be the end of everyone. Yet there was also an echo. An echo that seemed to come from everywhere and anywhere at the same time. There was a strain in the air. And there was a reason for that.
Willow opened her eyes and looked around her. She had found a way to get rid of whatever it was that Drusilla had been feeding her to keep her in the haze. It was not enough. It would never be enough. For soon she would be free and she would soon have the revenge that she so desired.
Tara was still asleep beside her. Behind those closed lids were those magnificent blue jewels that she called eyes. But they were so much more as well. They were like these magic orbs that could see more then the ordinary person. Those same orbs had been used to look into her very soul. Something no one had ever done before.
The redhead shook her head to focus once again. The thing that had made her awaken wasn't all her will for revenge. No. Part of it was the strain in the air. But it was more then that. It was like something was trying to pierce through the dimensions. Something was trying to get to her. And she wasn't liking that idea one bit.
The look on Drusilla's face told her that it wasn't any good. She needed to know what was going on so that she could be prepared. Yes, a good witch was prepared for anything. But an informed witch was better prepared to deal with what was ahead of her. And battling for ones life and revenge, well, that made the need that much greater.
Willow closed her eyes and concentrated. She need to pierce the shield, the armor that was around her mind to protect it from being probed. But the witch knew how to get around that. If only she was strong enough. She would be. She had to be.
Tara stirred beside her making her lose her concentration. Her lover must have been able to push through all that was keeping her in that state of sleep. Or was it that Drusilla now needed them both conscious. Either way, it meant that now the two could be as one. Like they had been since the day that they had met.
Tara's blue eyes met those darkened green ones. It took all she had not to shudder at the cold feeling that she got when she looked into them. The soul was still there, it was just being held captive by something that she could not even fathom let alone try to stop. It was not something she liked in the least.
The redhead smiled and nodded her head. Though the bond they shared was strained by the fact that Willow was no longer in control, Tara knew exactly what her everything had in mind. And that was a scary thought. But no scarier then doing nothing and the world coming to an abrupt ending.
The two began reaching for one another. The strain against the chains that bound them to the wall caused each a great deal of pain. But they needed to reach out for one another. They needed to be there for one another. They needed to touch one another. They needed to reconnect, if only for a moment.
Their fingertips brushed against one another. Barely touching, and yet an electrical current was sent through each. It hit them in their core. It made them feel all those feelings that they had always felt. It made them remember. It made Willow remember. And for a second, there was a break. Something that she hadn't expected. The darkness drained from Willow.
That old familiar smile that was so loving and caring flashed onto the redhead's face. And it wasn't just some fake thing planted there. No. It was the real deal. Tara's heart seemed to jump in her chest as she saw the look. The look that had first made her fall so deeply in love with her everything. It was all too much to ask for.
Their fingers lost that bit of touch that they had struggled so hard to find. And Tara held her breath. She knew that Willow would probably return. That the darkness would come and overtake her. That it was stronger then the two of them put together.
And her fears grew as Willow closed her eyes. It seemed as if she was struggling with a choice. As if there was a pull. And that whatever struggle she was going through, the redhead was failing. And failing miserably. There were tinges of dark in her hair. And Tara knew what was coming. And a tear slowly fell down her cheek.
She couldn't bear to watch that transformation. It was like watching your lover die in your arms. And she had sworn the first moment that Willow had turned to the dark side that she would not let her go again. And if she did, she would not be able to watch it.
That's when she felt that tingling sensation again. Quickly, she opened her eyes to see something she hadn't seen in the longest of times. It was her girl smiling at her with genuine love. With more passion then she had seen in a long time. Was she dreaming? Was Willow really back? Was she her girl once more?
Shock fell over Tara as the chains that had held both she and Willow to the cave wall simply dropped down to the ground. And they did it without as much as a sound. With her hand now free, she grasped Willow's tightly in hers. And she felt it. She felt the good that was flowing all the way through her. It was the greatest feeling since helping to bring those two innocent ones into this world.
Willow leaned in for a quick, but passionate kiss. One that told Tara everything that she needed to know. The two quickly made like they were still being held captive. But this time, they made it so that they could easily touch. And touch they did.
Holding hands tightly, Willow managed to take her gaze off from Tara. For her little ones were depending on her along with the whole world. No pressure there. She made her eyes shut so that anyone looking at her would think that her eyes were still closed. Yet, they were open and they were looking at one vampire. In fact, they were burning holes in her.
With Tara's strength, she managed to sneak through the shields that were surrounding Drusilla's mind. And an interesting journey was started. She saw a past that the vampire would rather keep hidden. She saw the feelings that she still had for Spike. And she saw the revenge that she wanted against Angel.
But more importantly, she saw what was to come. Or what she hoped that Drusilla only hoped would come true. She knew that at times the crazy vampire could she the future. And this was not a future that she wanted. The earth overrun by pure demons. None that had ever been tainted by man.
But there was more. It was a future that went beyond what Drusilla had in mind. It was a future that could be. If the scoobies were able to defeat Drusilla, there would be another that would come along. One that would cause them to do things that no one in the past would have thought to do.
She could see lots of girls. All around Buffy's age. Some even younger. And she knew. They were potentials. Those that would one day be called upon when either Buffy or Faith ended their run as slayer. And she saw her doing something. A spell more powerful then anything she had ever seen or come across.
Willow shook her head to clear it. Had Drusilla seen this other future? Or was it one that she had conjured up herself? Was there truth to it? Or was it something that was there just to confuse her about what was going on right then and now.
Tara looked at Willow, clearly the same questions on the blond's mind as well. What did the future hold for them? Would there be more tests for them? Would Buffy or Faith die? And what was to become of them?
Those were questions for another time. Now, it was time to stop Drusilla. Unleashing those demons upon the world wouldn't destroy the earth right away. But the existence of man would be short lived once the old ones were upon the earth. That was something that the master had tried to do as well. They had stopped it once. They would stop it again.
Drusilla suddenly appeared in front of the two witches. She eyed them carefully. "You two have been quite naughty. You two got out of your cages. Now I'm going to have to punish you."
Willow smiled big. "You won't punish us. For what you want, you need us. More then you need Buffy and Faith. More then you need Anya. The only thing you need more then us are our babies. And you won't be having them."
"Oh, but I will." Drusilla snapped her fingers. Two of her minions quickly chained Willow and Tara back up. "You see, I've already got them. See, it was a little birdie that told me how to go about getting your powerful lil ones. And he was once a friend of yours."
Both Willow and Tara turned in horror as Giles walked into the cave as if he owned it. He held one little one in each arm. He had a dark look about him. It was not something that either of the young women had seen. Willow had heard the tales of his time as Ripper. But he was a good man, wasn't he?
Slowly and deliberately, Giles made his way over to Drusilla. His eyes were cold as he looked at first Tara, then Willow. "I've held up my part of the bargain. It's time that you held up your part."
Drusilla clapped her hands. Several of her minions surrounded them. One of them brought something to Giles. He nodded and the creature put it in front of him. "There's the book of transformation that you sought. Now, give me the little ones like you promised."
Giles smiled big as he held out the two babies. Both started screaming. And Willow and Tara screamed inside. They couldn't call out. They were being restrained. Their tongues silenced. All they could do is watch in horror as Giles held out their babies and Drusilla reached for them.