Title: To Those Who Wield

Author: CN Winters and Susan Carr

Fandom: Buffy fanfiction, Willow fanfiction, Buffy slash fanfiction, Willow Tara fanfiction

Disclaimers: Joss owns ‘em. I’m just borrowing ‘em.

Rating: NC-17 for grown up stuff like sex, language and violence.

Paring: Will and Tara; Vamp Will and Vamp Tara

Feedback: CN Winters (cnwinters71@yahoo.com) or Susan Carr (skeeter451@mysticmuse.net)

Synopsis: Takes place during season six after Tara and Willow’s break up and Willow’s recovery. We took the liberty of letting Vamp Willow live when she returned to her world just because we can. Anyway, seems Vamp Willow has returned to ‘Buffy’s Sunnydale’ again, this time with her new lover, Tara Maclay, to wreck a little havoc.

Special thanks: To Chris Cook for the ultra-cool banner

Tara slid a book toward Anya. "Okay. See if you can find anything on trans-dimensional spells." With that she handed a book to Anya’s fiancé. "Xander, give Anya a hand with this translation text in case her Gaelic is a bit rusty."

"What about me?" Dawn asked.

"Hmm...Hop on line," she told her. "Do a search. Try ‘crossing dimensions, dimension crosses’ stuff like that. See if you pull up anything that might give us some clue as to how they might have gotten here. That might give us an idea of a way to send them back." Tara reached into a box and pulled out another book as Buffy tried to slide away from the dining room table. "Not so fast Slayer."

Buffy sat back down dejectedly. "I’m not research girl. I’m kill things girl."

"Which is why you’ll need this book," Tara said sliding it forward. "It’s filled with spells that you can use on vampires who can sometimes be immune to magic. This might not be a simple stake through the heart operation. You might need information."

"Yeah but, unlike Anya, I can’t read different - ."

"Don’t worry. It’s written in English," Tara smirked.

Buffy gave a heavy sigh and opened the book, looking at the pages. "Ye who holds thy caste-. Hey! You said this was English."

"Archaic English," Tara corrected. "Like Shakespeare used, but still English Buffy. You’ll figure it out."

"Can’t I help Dawn research on the Net?"

"No because you’d just check your email instead," Tara grinned.

"I would not…much."

"Stick with the book."

The gang heard Willow cough behind them and they turned to find her standing in her bikini. "Sorry. I’m gonna…ahh…head out back a-and get tan...well…burnt and then maybe tan."

Willow didn’t wait for a response. She walked toward the kitchen and out the back door.

"She looks pretty hot, doesn’t she?" Dawn said, wiggling her eyebrows, trying yet again to pitch the idea of Willow to Tara.

The blonde just sighed. "Dawn, the Net is calling."

"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes before going to the computer.

"I feel like I’m reading Romeo and Juliet and I didn’t understand that either," Buffy sighed, closing the book. "Do you have the CliffsNotes version of this?"

"Lemme guess? That’s how you got through English Lit?" Tara asked with a teasing grin in place.

"You say that like it’s a bad thing."

"Wanna trade?" Anya asked sarcastically. "I said I knew some Gaelic but 500 years is a long time to be outta practice."

Xander wasn’t listening to the conversation. His eyes kept going back toward the kitchen where he watched his best friend leave moments before looking quite despondent. He rose and handed Anya the translation book.

"Where do you think you’re going?" she asked. "You get to enjoy the fun of research too."

"In a minute," he said softly, making his way toward the hallway and out the back.

When he stepped outside he found Willow lying on a beach blanket in the grass. "So," he called out, "How’s the burn coming along?"

"I’ve only been out here two minutes," she told him not bothering to look up. "Give me at least another ten."

"Ah yes, the curse of the redhead. I’ve heard many tales of woe…Jimmy McNally on the site. He gets red as a lobster and then peels to a milky white." Xander made his way though the grass and sat near his friend. He leaned back in the chair and briefly closed his eyes feeling the warm sun on his face.

"Why aren’t you inside researching with the others?" Willow asked.

"Got tired of listening to Buffy whine." He grinned at her. Willow finally opened her eyes to look over at him.

She wasn’t sure why but she felt the sides of her mouth curl in amusement. "Already?"

"Yeah. Tara’s trying the friendly but firm approach but I don’t think it’s gonna work."

Willow closed her eyes again and Xander considered where to go now.

"It’s okay Will," he told her after a brief silence.

"What’s okay?" she asked.

"Missing the research gig. We know you’re not ready to be around that stuff so you don’t have to feel..."

"Useless."

Xander paused. "I was gonna say unproductive."

"Useless," Willow repeated more firmly.

"Will," Xander began. "You’ve gotta go easy on yourself. You’ve got a problem - an addiction. It’s only been a couple of weeks and we know you can’t be around that stuff."

"Yeah if I wasn’t such a screw up I could help out."

"That’s not what I meant and you know it."

"But it’s true Xander. I can’t help. I can’t do anything…Except lie here and burn…Kinda poetic in a way. I should burn after what I did to Tara. At least that would be one way I could make her happy."

"I don’t think she wants you to burn. Yeah she’s pissed. You did some…well, some not so smart stuff but…I heard that fight in the kitchen."

"Xander, the whole block heard that fight in the kitchen."

"And you both have valid points," Xander said ignoring her comment. "And the way I see it you were both wrong. You shouldn’t have done the spell but she shouldn’t have left. Things get tough sometimes but you try to work past that."

"She couldn’t stay Xander. Whether I did the spell or not…she would have left because of the magic…because of how out-of-control-y I was getting. Truth is I’m just not worth sticking around for."

"I know that’s not true."

"Is it? Tara left. Oz left…Hell even Giles left. Sure, maybe Buffy no longer needed a constant watcher but…He was family Xander. And like my natural parents he’s half way around the world right now…So don’t tell me that I’m worth anything because obviously I’m not."

"You’re worth something to me. Doesn’t my opinion count? Or Buffy’s? Or Dawn’s? And I’d go so far as to say you matter to Tara - even today. People who give up don’t argue that passionately."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

"And what makes you the expert?"

"Cordi. When she called it off, it was done. No arguments. No yelling. She just…went…And it was over…And at the risk of sounding less than manly, it hurt…So believe me when I say it’s not over for Tara. She still loves you but…like any pop-psychology guru will tell you…you guys got issues."

"Yeah well we haven’t said much since the screaming match. I don’t see any great dialogues in our near future."

"Maybe not the near future but in the future…yes you will."

Willow gave a half chuckle.

"What?" Xander asked.

"Buffy says I’m impatient."

"Yeah well, Buffy’s only got 6 years in Willow’s world while I on the other hand have 15."

"I noticed you didn’t refute that comment."

"No I did not." Xander nodded firmly.

Willow opened her eyes again to look over and see Xander grinning down at her.

"Honest Will," he said sincerely. "Do you think I’d lie to you?"

"No. It’s just…"

"What?" Xander finally asked when she didn’t immediately continue.

"I wish I could help. I have nothing to offer you guys or Tara for that matter. There’s nothing I can do. I’m powerless."

"Depends on your definition of power," he retorted. "Sure I can’t work some funky mojo on a hell-dimension god or dust vampires with ease like the Slayer. But I can make my best friend grin when she’s down in the dumps. I can pick up donuts or take-out food faster than any human on earth. And I can also see the obvious that the Scooby ‘hierarchy’ overlooks sometimes because being the ‘average Joe’ has it’s advantages…Are these awe inspiring powers? Well, no. But when the time comes, they’re very much needed. And your time will come Willow, even if you can’t help right this second… Maybe when you least expect it you’ll find you have something to contribute…Take it from a guy who knows."

Willow grinned broadly. "Maybe you’re right."

"Feel better?"

"Yes…No…Maybe…I don’t know. Things are just so…tense."

"Yeah I get that. Having Tara here isn’t easy and having to battle a set of evil twins isn’t a cakewalk but…We’ll get by. We always do. You just gotta have faith…And a little patience," he teased.

"Patience? What’s that?" she joked.

Xander began to chuckle when Anya appeared at the back door. "Xander? Buffy and Dawn are fighting over the computer and Tara is threatening to turn everyone into bunnies. Would you come back in here please?"

"Ahh…my work is never done," he sighed. "Tanning or research? Tanning or research? Sorry but if you ask me Will, you got the better deal right now," he winked before getting up. "Coming Dear," he shouted over his shoulder to Anya.

"You better get in there," Willow told him with a grin.

"Yeah…You gonna be okay Will?"

"Eventually. Thanks for coming out here."

"Well I wish I could stay longer," he said as he looked back at the house. "You have no idea how much I wish I could stay longer."

Willow chuckled and watched him walk reluctantly to the house.

XXXXX

Tara was coming from the bathroom and nearly collided with Willow who was walking from the bedroom.

"Sorry," they both said in harmony before blushing at the proximity to each other.

Willow’s hands rested on Tara’s upper arms, their bodies inches away from each other. Neither woman had been so physically close since their separation. It felt familiar but obtrusive and suddenly both women took two steps back from one another as if they were on fire.

Willow felt stupid standing there, not wanting to leave and yet afraid to just walk away. She shrugged her shoulders and the slight movement caused the fabric of her shirt to shift slightly against her back.

Tara looked up at Willow’s soft gasp of pain. "You okay?" she asked.

"Uh…oh yeah," Willow said as her mouth raced ahead of her thoughts. "Just too much sun, you know? I mean, normally I’m able to time it just right, but after Xander went back inside, I kinda lost track and stayed too long. I don’t know why I bother though…it’s not like a tan will last longer than a day or so." Willow stopped as she finally ran out of steam, tears threatening once again as she realized that Tara probably didn’t even care enough to stop her babbling.

Tara couldn’t speak. She wanted to offer sympathy for Willow’s pain. She remembered other times when she had used magic to sooth the fair-skinned redhead’s sunburn…times usually followed by intense lovemaking sessions. She desperately wanted to help, but she was afraid that even healing magic might be enough to set Willow off.

When Tara didn’t seem to make an effort to scurry away, Willow decided to put on her best conversational voice.

"So how goes the research?"

She watched an uncertain look cross Tara’s face, as if the blonde wanted to say something but stopped herself. For a moment Willow felt once more that Tara didn’t want to speak to her but she paused for a moment hoping she would say something.

"It g-goes," Tara answered, taking a sudden interest in her fingernails, trying not to look at Willow.

Feeling defeated Willow gave a heavy sigh. "Tara I’m sorry. I…I’ll just leave you alone. I get the not-so-subtle hint. You don’t want to speak to me."

Willow turned to leave and Tara’s head shot up. "Oh no," Tara called softly making Willow turn around, "I mean, it’s not that…well, not only that," she added in confession.

Willow threw her hands up and wordlessly started back to her room.

"I don’t want to fight anymore Willow."

Willow stopped again but didn’t turn around.

"I don’t wanna fight either," she muttered. "I just wanted to know if you were making progress but I’ll ask Buffy for the details."

"It’s not just the fighting Will," Tara said. "I mean…yeah I’m leery that anything we say will end up in another kitchen fiasco. That and…I’m not sure how much you can take."

Willow turned around. "What do you mean?"

"M-magic. I don’t mind talking about the plan. After all, it’s best that you know w-what we’re working on since it concerns you too but…"

"But…?" Willow prompted with a wave of her hands.

"I don’t want to tempt you."

Willow gave a chuckle. "Tara the Temptress. Now there’s a thought..." Willow couldn’t help it and she immediately regretted the comment. "I’m sorry I didn’t mean … my foot continues to live in my mouth lately."

Tara decided to side step the temptress comment and just make her point instead.

"Will, I don’t know how much information you can take - about the spells and stuff. You’re doing well from what everyone says and I don’t want you to…"

"Fall of the wagon?"

Tara just nodded and waited for Willow to continue.

"I can talk about magic. Really, it’s okay. A-and besides, I don’t think I have much of a choice here at the moment since…you know…killer vamps on the loose and all."

"Okay," Tara said with a nod. "Well we’ve found three power transfer spells. Buffy and I are thinking that since I knew magic before I met you that maybe Vamp Tara has been training Vamp Willow. They might have come back here to get power from ‘their twins.’ Based on what Buffy’s told me Vamp Willow didn’t like this world. She would have no reason to come back here unless there was something they wanted."

"You mean us?"

Tara nodded. "There’s one spell that works when one twin draws upon the power of the other twin. But they have to be identical twins - the vamps have our DNA even if they don’t have souls."

"You mean the An etay akor tures spell?"

Tara nodded. "That’s one spell. But there’s also one in the German texts we’ve found and one in Italian as well - Blitzerheim's Ubergangsenergie and La Potenza di Trasferimento. They’re similar in nature but the An etay akor tures has one distinction the others don’t."

"It has to be preformed by both twins at the same time."

"Right," Tara agreed. "And since neither of the vamps made a move on us separate, we’re thinking they must need us together to do the spell."

"What if we bargained with them?"

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked.

"What if I offered them my power for them to go away? Not like I’m using it anyway. Hell I might even get rid of the shakes in the morning."

"You could but then you’d be dead."

"Dead?"

"That’s the catch. When the energy is drained it’s like losing your essence, your life-force. The spell would give Vamp Willow unspeakable power but in the end it would kill you. Besides Vamp Tara needs me too in order to complete the spell and I’m not willing to give up my life so they can have more magic in their arsenal."

"Isn’t there a way to transfer power without death? I mean I know of a few spells that…" Willow paused. "And I’m not saying I would do them. But, couldn’t I transfer my energy to Vamp Willow just to make her go away?"

"I know of the spells too but they’re also life threatening Will. You have to be totally willing - totally submissive - to let someone take your power via magic. If you have even the slightest bit of doubt or hesitation it would kill you. Now can you honestly say you’d be relaxed enough and deep down would want Vamp Willow to have that kind of power?"

Willow just gave a sigh.

"That’s what I thought," Tara smirked. "I can’t do it either. Who’s to say what they’ll do with the power once they have it? So that’s why we have to fight them."

"With what?"

"Honestly? I’m not sure," Tara confessed. "I’ve been looking all night but…I’ll find something eventually - a counter spell with maybe the added kick of sending them back to their world with no return flight. Buffy wants to go out later to see if we can find them. I doubt they’ll be forthcoming but maybe we can get some information from them."

"That’d be good." Willow grinned and a short silence fell between them in the small hallway until Willow spoke again. "You know…this is the first conversation we’ve had that didn’t involve one of us screaming or crying?"

"Maybe we’re maturing," Tara said trying to joke.

"Nah, you were always mature. Maybe I’m just finally growing up."

Tara didn’t add anything and neither one of them knew quite what to say. Their eyes looked everywhere but each other. Finally, Willow cleared her throat.

"Well I better let you get back to your books."

"Yeah, it’s gonna be a long night I think," Tara said with a grin.

Willow gave a nod and motioned to the stairs. "Can I go down and make you some coffee?"

Tara’s first reaction was to refuse but there was something in Willow’s eyes that just pulled at her. She knew Willow was genuinely trying to be helpful and the past few hours had probably left her ex-lover feeling inadequate.

"That’d be great, Will," Tara told her. "Thanks."

"Come on," Willow said nodded her downstairs with a grin. "I’ll go get it ready while you be research girl."

Tara smiled but Willow didn’t see it. Willow coffee is the best, Tara thought silently as she followed behind her. On the mornings that Willow would get Dawn off to school the first thing Willow did after waking up was to start the coffee.

Well not the ‘first thing,’ Tara considered. Willow would make a point to kiss her good morning - once on the lips and once on the neck just below her earlobe. Tara’s hand instinctively went to the location on her neck as she remembered the feel of Willow’s lips. Willow kissed her that way every morning. No, Tara suddenly remembered, not every morning.

The happy memory soon perished when she realized the loving wake up calls stopped after their first argument about Anya’s engagement party decorations. Sure, Willow still made the coffee for her but it never tasted quite as sweet as it once did and she wondered for a brief moment as she walked down the stairs if it ever would again.

But she pushed the thought out of her head. There was no sense dwelling on it. Especially right now. She had bigger things to deal with at the moment, which involved saving them from two power hungry, bloodthirsty vampires. And with that thought she went back to her books as Willow headed off to the kitchen.

XXXXX

"Willy already said he didn’t know anything," Xander told Buffy as they entered the demon bar that evening. "Anya and I already came here."

"Maybe he just forgot. I’m gonna refresh his memory."

Buffy moved to the center of the bar as the Scooby gang stepped to the side. Casually she held the crossbow up for everyone to see.

"Okay!" Buffy yelled getting everyone’s attention. "You’ve all got 15 seconds to clear out or the Slayer opens fire."

Demon upon demon trampled their way to the exit as Buffy walked over to the bar with the gang behind her.

"Ah for Pete’s sake, Slayer," Willy started. "You’re killin’ my business here."

"Have you seen these two women?" Buffy asked pitching a thumb to Willow and Tara who stood behind her.

"Yeah. I’m lookin’ at ‘em. They’re right there," he said sarcastically.

"Wrong answer."

Buffy raised her crossbow sending a bolt just pasted Willy’s head, shattering a bottle of AB negative blood behind him. He turned sharply and watched it drip as Buffy reloaded.

"Come on, Slayer," he said frustrated, turning around to face her again. "That’s expensive stuff."

Buffy didn’t reply. She fired another round, breaking another flask behind him.

"Oh for cryin’ out loud!"

"Should I go for a hat trick?" Buffy asked, cocking the crossbow again.

"Okay, okay." Willy held his hands up, making Buffy lower her sights. "They were in here a night or two ago - I don’t really remember. The tall blonde one chatted up your buddy Clem," he said pointing at Tara. "Last I heard they were making the rounds at the Bronze. That’s all I know. I swear."

"Thanks for the info Willy," Buffy said tossing a $20.00 bill on the bar and nodded the gang to leave.

"You know this doesn’t cover what you broke Slayer?"

"No it doesn’t but next time you’ll take the money if I offer it."

Willy simply sighed and pulled the $20 from the bar, stuffing it in his pocket. Once Buffy and her gang left, Willy watched to see the poker room door open and Spike walk out.

"Slayer’s looking for the doubles eh?" he said casually to Willy.

"I had to tell her," he retorted. "She’d destroy the whole bar if I didn’t."

"That’s alright," Spike nodded with a grin, making his way toward the door. "I think these two will give the Slayer a run for her money…But it’ll be fun to watch."

XXXXX

The Scoobies walked into the Bronze and immediately Tara could sense their vampire doubles’ presence in the crowded room. With a tap on Buffy’s shoulder and a pointed finger, Tara and the group made their way over to the table the couple occupied. Vamp Willow noticed them first and grinned.

"We’ve got company Kitten," she said nodding toward the approaching gang. Vamp Willow turned to Anya first and gave a light chuckle. "Well, looky there," she remarked to the ex-demon. "I see they’re all groveling at your feet just as you predicted years ago. How’s that workin’ out for ya?"

Vamp Tara looked to her lover slightly confused. "The bottle blonde?" she asked.

Vamp Willow nodded. "I’ll explain later Love," she told her.

Anya didn’t reply. For once she held her tongue and looked away from the table. Willow however stepped closer and examined the vampires closely.

"You turned her, didn’t you?" Willow asked her vamp self, not hiding her disapproval in the least. "Even AFTER I asked you not to kill anyone."

"Ooooh," Vamp Willow began as she turned to her lover, "She’s an observant one isn’t she? Well, not too observant. Couldn’t tell you from hers after all." She paused a moment and turned back to Willow. "Hello? Still evil," the vamp answered. "You think I’m gonna stop existing because you asked? You’re delusional," she chuckled.

"Delusion - ." Willow stopped herself from continuing. She didn’t want to start a pointless debate. They came here for answers. But before she could add anything further Vamp Willow spoke again.

"I will say one thing…Kitten’s right. Fuzzy isn’t so fuzzy anymore. Nice to see you actually discovered you had a body under all that fluff. Maybe I did some good after all because you’re looking pretty damn hot."

Vamp Tara gave a soft chuckle and stroked the side of Vamp Willow’s cheek with her fingertips. "You always look hot Baby…Now we just gotta work on Frumpy," she pointed to her doppelgänger.

The vampires continued to smirk but Willow still held her ground, unmoving. The vamps just looked at each other and giggled. With a sigh, Vamp Willow turned toward the Scooby group.

"So what brings out the white hats tonight?"

"Don’t avoid the question," Willow challenged.

Buffy pulled Willow’s head down to whisper in her ear. "We’re here to find out about their plan Will. Not to make moral judgments, okay?"

"No!" Willow said loudly. "I want her to answer my question," she added, facing her other self.

"There was a question in there someplace?" Vamp Willow asked.

"Yeah Baby," her lover replied before, leaning over to snuggle into the redhead’s shoulder. "She asked if you turned me." For emphasis, she gave a tiny snarl and nipped playfully at her lover’s neck.

"Oh yeah, that, " Vamp Willow said in afterthought. "…Yes I did. And if I’m not mistaken she’s lovin’ every moment of it. Aren’t you Kitten?" The vamp then let her fingertips glide under her lover’s chin, tenderly moving her closer until their lips closed the distance and met in a very long, leisurely kiss.

Willow was torn between disgust at the display before her and utter arousal. Watching her kiss Tara was distracting her and she shook her head to get back to the point she was making.

"How could you?" Willow asked raising her voice, making the pair face her. "And why on earth bring her here?"

"Look at her," Vamp Willow pointed to the sexy, blonde vampire. "The question should be how could I not turn her?"

Vamp Tara giggled and snuggled in closer to her sire.

"Don’t you care about her at all? Are you really that evil that you would force her to live as a animal a-and kill people like you do?"

Willow watched as the vamp version of Tara stilled and moved away from her lover. The blonde vampire looked up to see that the tremor she felt wash over her lover wasn’t an illusion - Willow was growing angry. And an angry Willow, although beautiful, wasn’t helpful to their goal right now.

"Please Baby," she said softly, knowing they needed Willow alive. "Think of the mission."

Mission, Buffy thought silently. At least they’re here for a reason and not a friendly vacation.

Vamp Willow didn’t reply to Willow immediately. She just slipped gracefully from the bar stool and strolled three paces toward Willow.

"That’s far enough," Buffy warned.

Vamp Willow rolled her eyes at the blonde, "Relax Big Bad Slayer. Fuzzy asked a question…so I’m gonna answer it. That’s all."

The two women squared off with equally powerful ‘resolve faces.’

"It bothers you that I turned her, huh?" The vampire asked Willow in an almost sympathetic voice. Willow, for her part, didn’t reply but she didn’t break eye contact either. "You don’t have to answer. I feel it…feel your emotions…feel the magic inside. Umm…you’ve got that ole black magic coursing through you like blood. You wanna let loose but you can’t. So powerful but so…neutered."

That comment earned her a giggle from Vamp Tara at their table.

"Maybe not neutered since you stopped for Frumpy’s benefit," Vamp Willow remarked putting a slender finger to her temple in thought. "Maybe you’re just pussy whipped…Can’t say I blame you - it’s damn good pussy." Vamp Willow looked over at Tara who was tucked protectively behind Buffy. She wiggled her eyebrows before she began to chuckle. Vamp Willow then turned back to the reforming witch to watch her fists clench and unclench.

It took all of Willow’s reserve not to unleash on the vampire before her. Hundreds of spells came to mind but not a single one that she could use. Helpless, she felt her anger making her skin hot and her nerves race.

"Oh come on Will," the vampire said stressing her name sarcastically. "You’re just aching to let that fire loose. That power…You could knock me halfway through the wall with just the wave of your hand, couldn’t you?…But instead you keep resisting that evil underneath. You fault me for my choices but truth is, I’m not evil. I just gave up resisting my true self."

"You are evil," Willow pressed. She could feel how white her knuckles were becoming as she clenched. "No matter what spin you put on it, you’re still a demon."

"Perhaps," the vamp relented. "But you’re evil too, whether you admit it or not."

"I am not evil."

The vamp just chuckled and reached out, her fingertips touching Willow’s face briefly. She smiled as Willow jerked her head from her touch.

"You asked how I could turn Tara but the choice was hers. I didn’t wield my power upon her. I gave her free will and she chose to join me…I didn’t manipulate her mind. I didn’t steal her memories. I didn’t build illusions of happiness with her." Casually, the vamp spared a glance toward Tara that wasn’t lost on any of them in the small circle. "I earned my place with good, ole fashioned honesty and trust." The vampire gave a hearty laugh, "Of course, fantastic, mind-blowing sex didn’t hurt any either."

"You got that right Baby," Vamp Tara called from the table. Vamp Willow smirked and turned around. She blew her Tara a kiss before turning back to Willow, who continued to look like she was going to boil over at any moment.

"Look at the facts Sweetie. My Tara’s at my side," she boasted. "And later I’m gonna ride her until she sore but satisfied. And as for you and yours? Well…your Tara is scared to death of you and wouldn’t let you touch her with a ten-foot pole. So tell me …who’s the evil one?"

That did it. Willow let loose. Not with magic but with her fists. She sent a right hook to the vamp’s jaw, knocking her about three feet away and on her backside. Willow grabbed her hand in pain but she still charged ahead to deliver another blow. But suddenly her steps froze as Vamp Tara chanted from the table.

"Encase," the blonde vampire yelled as she waved her hand. A stream of green light surrounded Willow.

Willow knew she had to get free as her vamp self rubbed her jaw, moving to her feet.

"Relea-! Arghh!"

It was pure instinct. Willow stopped herself in mid chant of the release spell and helplessly watched as the vampire slowly made her way over. She began twisting her body in the hopes of getting free.

Tara knew there was no way Willow was going to break the confines without magic.

"Release!" she shouted from behind the Slayer, making the barrier melt away.

"Encase!" the vamp from the table shouted again, slightly annoyed by the disruption.

Once more, Willow became wrapped in a binding spell as her demon self came closer with a feral grin. She looked determined to do some damage to the recovering ex-witch. I need you alive Fuzzy, but not all in one piece, Vamp Willow considered with a wicked smile.

At that point, Buffy darted around the Scoobies to face off with Willow’s alter ego while Tara charged toward the table. Giving a mighty heave, she tipped it on top of her vamp self as she shouted again.

"Release!"

Just as she did, the spell was broken and Willow ducked from the impending swing the vampire tried to deliver. The missed punch caused the vampire to lose her balance, sending her straight into the Slayer’s arms. With stake in hand, Buffy grabbed the vampire version of her best friend and pushed her against the bar. As she began her strike, Vamp Willow caught her by the wrist, stopping the wood just shy of her heart.

"Nah, ah, ah. Kill me and Fuzzy dies too," Vamp Willow tisked. "You don’t really want to do that, do you?"

Killing this vamp would mean killing Willow? How could that be possible? Buffy considered the words but she didn’t relent her hold on the vampire in the slightest.

"Tara?" Buffy called out. She didn’t ask the question. Tara instinctively knew what she needed.

"Perhaps," Tara nodded. "They might have done a linking spell of some kind."

Buffy paused a moment longer.

"To reimpressa or not to reimpressa," Vamp Willow sighed with a grin. "That is the question."

"It’s a life protection spell," Tara explained to Buffy.

Vamp Willow simply continued to grin at the Slayer, waiting for the inevitable. With a frustrated shove, Buffy pushed the vampire away. Vamp Willow triumphantly straightened out her corset before she strolled over to the table to help her lover to her feet.

The club that had grown quiet watching the 10-second commotion quickly resumed its chatter when they realized the ‘chick fight’ was over.

"You okay Kitten?" the vampire asked, her fingertips running over the pale skin of her lover’s face.

Vamp Tara pouted. "That bitch spilled stuff on me," she said wiping her arms.

"Don’t worry. It’ll all be better when we suck the energy outta her. I promise."

Vamp Willow took the blonde’s hand and gave a wave to the group. "Later ladies. Oh - that includes you too Xander," she smirked.

The Scoobies watched as the pair walked outside, unable to stop them.

"Gimme the stake," Willow told Buffy.

"Why?"

"I’m gonna end this right now. They both have to be together in order to do their spell."

"Willow you can’t kill them!"

"Not both of them. Just the evil, skanky me. That’s all it’ll take."

"No - we’ll find another way."

"What’s the point?"

"The point? The point is you might die if you kill her."

"So be it," Willow answered confidently.

"That’s suicide! Listen to me Will. If - ."

"No! You listen to me Buffy! You’ve got two powerful vampire-witches who are gonna have incredible power if they succeed in their ‘mission.’ Maybe they’ll become powerful enough to destroy the world if they want. I think my life is worth stopping them now."

"Well I don’t."

"And I do. She’s right, you know! Everything she said is true. I’m evil and I’m inept. I can’t even fight back. What good am I doing here? At least if I take her out then we - ."

"Stop right there! It’s not happening Will. I won’t let it."

"I serve no purpose anymore."

"Look, I’m not gonna argue! End of discussion. No vamp dusting allowed until we learn more. Got it?"

Willow didn’t reply - she just turned heel and walked toward the exit.

"Hey Will!" Xander called out trying to make her stop.

Willow continued to walk on without looking back as Buffy sighed feeling her failure.

Continued