FF: Rewrite Season 6, 15/15 part 1 - B/F-W/T - R

["carrkjar" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

Point of No Return
Season 6 Reset, part 15  part 1

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 

Copyright © 2002 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: www.hunterash.com  

Acknowledgments: Note: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark 
Gremlin 
Suggestions from many people and many boards. A special "thank you" 
to them.

Another special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts.  

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. No harm intended.  
The character of Maggie Doyle belongs to whoever created ER and I'm 
just borrowing the absent character.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same and opposite gender. If this offends or 
is illegal for you, then please leave. Come back when you are older, 
have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. 

Spoilers: In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting 
with Bargaining and taking off from there. Things will be different 
here.  

Rating: R (US) 15 (UK) MA15 (Aus) Pairings: W/T, X/An, B/F

Summary: Resolutions to problems and dangers but with consequences 
for everyone.

* * *

Dawn came back down the stairs with a smile as Faith nervously poked 
at her cast with a dagger.

"Willow and Tara are asleep in each other's arms," she said softly as 
Buffy paced.  

"I know I felt something," Faith muttered. "It felt warm and nice 
and&.and&"

"Fuzzy?" Buffy smiled slightly and the dark Slayer nodded. "That was 
Willow and Tara connecting with us again."

"It was nice," Dawn added. "I could tell the difference between Tara 
and Willow."

"Me too," Buffy nodded with a smile but lost it when she heard a 
powerful vehicle skid to a stop in front of the house. The blonde 
also felt a familiar sensation and knew something was close and saw 
that Faith felt it too.

"I need to take care of something," Buffy said as she stood up. "Can 
you handle Riley, Faith?"

"B, you aren't going out there by yourself!" Faith growled as Dawn 
ran to the window and looked out. "Not to face him!"

"I have to," Buffy said firmly.  

Faith, looking deep into Buffy's eyes, finally nodded and pulled out 
a stake. "Don't play fair and take more than one," she 
whispered. "And&come back to me?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "We've got a lot to talk about, a lot of time 
to make up for and a lot of snuggles to explore."

Faith blushed and leaned against Buffy's shoulder as the Slayer 
hugged her.  

"You felt that energy thing, didn't you?" Faith whispered and Buffy 
nodded. "You know how I feel."

"I know how you always felt," Buffy whispered and kissed Faith's 
cheek, slipping out through the back as Riley pounded on the front 
door.

* * *

Spike growled and stamped out the cigarette he had been smoking in 
the backyard as Buffy opened the door and slipped out onto the porch.

"Ready for this, Slayer?" he growled.

"More than you are, you son of a bitch!" Buffy snapped.  

"What, upset cause I played with the blonde witch instead of shagging 
you?" Spike taunted.

"Where do you want this? Right here in front of Dawn?" Buffy snapped, 
gesturing at the house.

Spike looked at the house with a frown.

"No, not her fault you're the frickin Slayer and I'm going to kill 
you," he agreed. "Why not be traditional?"

Buffy felt a familiar irritation at the vampire's cockiness and sneer.

"Lead the way, vamp," Buffy growled as he headed for the gate.

* * *

Faith opened the door and glared at the soldier and his partner 
standing there. Sam looked apologetic but Riley still looked furious.

Xander and Anya rushed up past Riley into the house to stand with 
Faith and Dawn.

"You aren't taking Tara and Red, soldier boy," Faith said firmly, 
crossing her arms. Dawn mirrored the action, thrusting her chin 
out.  

"They are both dangers and I'm assigned to take them in," Riley 
growled.

"With what? Your limp wrists?" Xander snapped. "He just wouldn't 
listen, Faith."

"I know," Faith nodded. "Buffy figured he'd show up for Willow and 
Tara."

"Where is Buffy?" Anya demanded. "She should be here to pound her 
former boyfriend into pulp. That's what she does, right?"

"She's out for a minute," Faith growled.

"Could we come in and talk about this?" Sam asked. "I want to 
rebandage Riley's wrists and yours, Faith."

"No," Faith shook her head. "Not until he promises he won't try 
anything."

"I can't promise that!" Riley protested.

"Riley, we need to talk," Sam said softly, her eyes downcast.

"Sam?" Riley asked, his face puzzled.

"I've been trying to tell you for days, I can't let you arrest Willow 
and Tara!" Sam growled, tears filling her eyes.

Faith mumbled under her breath but hobbled aside, opening the 
door. "You try and take them and I'll break your legs."

Riley and Sam entered the house slowly, Xander intentionally stepping 
into Riley's way.

"And I'll break your nose," Xander growled.

Riley and Sam sat down cautiously on the sofa as Faith leaned against 
the wall at the stairs, obviously guarding it. She glanced up with a 
frown and saw Willow and Tara hesitating at the top.

"Faith?" Willow asked softly.

"Riley and Sam," Faith growled, watching Riley for any sudden moves.

"T-they here for me?" Willow asked softly as Tara wrapped an arm 
around Willow's shoulders.  

It felt like someone punched Faith in the gut when she saw how scared 
and frail looking Willow was and how pale Tara seemed. The dark 
Slayer had a flash of energy from the two and was amazed. Something 
had happened, Tara was giving off an aura of confidence and Willow 
had reverted back to the shy geek Faith had first met years before.

"Yeah, but he's not taking you," Faith growled. "You don't have to 
come down."

"I'd like them to hear this," Sam said, her voice trembling.

Faith glanced up at Tara and Willow. Tara nodded slightly as Willow 
whimpered.  

"It's okay, baby," Tara said gently.

"I can't protect you!" Willow whispered fiercely. "I can't do magic 
again."

"You can, Will," Tara said softly. "We just have to work on the 
control and ethics, my love. For now, the rest of us will protect 
you."

"What happened to the stutter, Wicca girl?" Faith asked with a grin.

Tara shrugged as they walked down the stairs slowly. Dawn ran up to 
hug Willow and Tara, tightly.  

Tara sat down slowly in one of the chairs and Willow sat down on the 
floor at the blonde witch's feet, her head resting on Tara's knee.

"Sam?" Riley asked softly, his face concerned and loving.  

Sam got up and walked to the fireplace. She leaned on the mantle for 
a moment and looked at Willow and Tara.

"I can't let you arrest them, Ry," she said softly.  

"You've been blocking me every step of the way on this mission, why?" 
he demanded.

"Because we've never come up against witches before," Sam said calmly 
but they could see her hands shaking. "I can handle demons, ghouls, 
vampires, werewolves and anything else you want to throw at me but I 
can't deal with the magic."

"Why? Because witches and sorcerers are technically human?" Riley 
demanded.

"Because most of them are like my mother," Sam clarified.  

* * *

Giles growled as he slowly drove along the streets of Sunnydale.  
Continually casting a seeking spell was beginning to give him a 
headache and he was already pissed off.

The Giles part of him was relieved that Willow had actually been 
stopped from fighting with Buffy and Faith. It was a line he didn't 
want his young friend crossing. Killing Ethan and Spike, that was a 
different matter. It was something he could face and live with 
himself and he thought Willow probably could as well after what Spike 
and Ethan had done to Tara.

Now Willow was back on the right side of things and Ripper was 
hunting; it felt good to be released. Hunting Ethan made it even 
better.

* * *

Spike vaulted over the wall and turned to face Buffy with a smirk 
only to fly backwards onto his back from a well placed punch to his 
nose. A punch that held nothing back.

"Bloody hell!" he shouted as Buffy dived at him with stake in hand 
and he rolled away. Spike snapped his elbow out, catching Buffy 
behind the neck and stunning her for a moment.

"Aren't we supposed to shake hands or something?" Spike complained as 
both of them jumped to their feet and squared off.

"You lost privileges when you tried to rape me!" Buffy growled, 
sending a snap kick to Spike's head only to have him block it with 
his forearm and hit her in the stomach with his other fist.  

Spike followed through with a vicious blow to the jaw.

"You're off, Slayer!" Spike taunted. "You too tired from shagging 
the psycho bitch that you're not up for this?"

"Drop dead, vamp!" Buffy growled and snapped a thrust with the stake 
before following through with her other fist into his eye, as he 
twisted away from the stake.

"Been there, done that," Spike growled.  

"So have I!" Buffy snapped and kicked the vampire in the chest only 
to have him backhand her when she attempted to jump on him with the 
stake.

Spike shouted in pain and anger when the stake caught him between the 
ribs, almost entering enough to end his undead life. Instinctively, 
he kicked out and lashed with his claws. The claws raked across 
Buffy's neck and the kick took her legs out from under her.

The Slayer landed hard on the cemetery grass, stunned and bleeding.

Spike stood over the Slayer and smirked. He kicked the stake away 
and slammed his body into Buffy's, still smirking as he held her arms 
above her head.

* * * 

Giles growled but then smiled when he realized where the trail was 
leading him. Ethan was no longer trying to hide his energy from his 
ex, the sorcerer was waiting for him and Giles knew where.

"This is the last time, Ethan," Giles muttered as he looked down at 
the dagger on the seat next to him.

The silver dagger had the power to cut through magical energy to kill 
even a protected and powerful sorcerer. It also had a catch. It 
would claim both souls: the one killed and the one doing the killing.

Giles could live a long life but at his death the demon who forged 
the dagger would claim his soul. To protect his kids and avenge 
Tara's death and conversion, Giles was willing to pay that price.

* * *

"What do you mean, like your mother?" Riley asked softly.

"My parents were missionaries in South America," Sam began, her voice 
soft and low as she curled up on the sofa, drawing her knees up 
almost to her chin. Her short dark hair and bright blue eyes made 
her face seem more pale than usual. "They ran a small church and 
outreach clinic. The latest dictator decided to eliminate all 
American influence."

Tara got up quietly and headed for the kitchen.  

"Government troops wiped out almost the entire village," Sam 
continued. "The villagers tried to protect us and they paid for it. 
They hanged my father in front of me and my mom and&and started to 
hurt her."

"Sam," Riley said softly, placing his hand on Sam's knee but she 
shook him off, lost in her own memories.

"My mom went crazy and we found out she had been keeping something 
from us," Sam said softly and nodded briefly when Tara returned with 
sodas for everyone. "She was a practicing witch, doing good magic 
for the villagers and stuff."

"A Christian witch?" Tara asked softly. "That doesn't work."

Sam managed to smile. "Yeah, I know. She was a loyal wife and 
followed my father in his work but she wasn't a Christian. She 
wouldn't preach or teach, pleading that she was shy and modest. I 
found her journals and read how much she loved my father and was 
willing to keep her own religion and practices quiet."

"A witch?" Riley repeated with a frown. "I know that Wicca is a 
religion type thing and that witches are the ones that do magic, 
right?"

"Yes, not all Wiccans are witches and not all witches are Wiccans," 
Tara nodded. "Willow hasn't learned much about Wicca but is a 
natural witch."

"Natural at messing up," Willow muttered.

"What happened, Sam?" Faith asked, drawing the commando back to the 
topic.

"My mom went insane and fried the soldiers," Sam said softly.  

"Fried?" Riley repeated slowly.

"After they were done with her, they got up laughing and started to 
walk away," Sam said bitterly, tears beginning to escape her 
eyes. "My mom got up and her eyes were totally black; she was 
summoning the power of righteous vengeance."

Anya nodded as Xander reached out for his girlfriend's hand.

"She skinned them alive and then fried their bodies into ashes," Sam 
said, her voice almost too low to hear.  

Willow was very pale and breathing heavily. "That&th-that's what&"

"What you were going to do to Ethan?" Sam asked softly and Willow 
nodded.

Tara, Faith and Dawn felt a wave of self-revulsion from Willow as she 
dashed for the bathroom. Tara started to stand up and follow her 
lover but Faith held up her hand. "Let me," she asked softly.

Tara nodded and Dawn moved over to sit next to the blonde witch.

Faith got up quickly and followed Willow to the bathroom. 

"Go on, Sam," Tara encouraged.

"One of the villagers must have sold my mom out or something," Sam 
said. "More government troops came, they wanted to take Mom in and 
use her as a weapon. She fought the troops while a family slipped me 
out of the village and across the mountains. I could feel it when 
she died. She sent a massive energy burst at the soldiers, killing 
herself with them. Secret government soldiers, like us, Ry."

"We're not like that!" Riley protested. "We protect people from 
supernatural dangers."

"And what was Adam?" Tara reminded the soldier. "Why do you think 
they were working on chips to control vampires? All that money, all 
that expense just to keep vampires from biting people? Didn't make 
sense. Cheaper to kill them."

"Yeah, you use computers and chips to control things," Dawn added, 
following Tara's reasoning.

"We don't do that anymore!" Riley continued to protest.

"Who says we don't?" Sam asked pointedly. "They're going to do what 
with Willow and Tara?"

"I don't know," Riley admitted. "I'm not on the science end. Keep 
them neutralized until they find a way to control or take away their 
magical abilities."

"No way," Tara shook her head. "You aren't putting Willow and me in a 
cage, Riley. We haven't done anything wrong."

Riley frowned.  

"I can't let you, Riley," Sam said softly but her face was firm.  

* * *

Buffy felt the blood flowing from her neck and whimpered when Spike 
lowered his head and began lapping at it. The blonde Slayer screamed 
in rage and struggled with the vampire.  

Spike leaned back on his heels, straddling Buffy, and laughed at 
her. "Wot, Slayer?" he taunted. "I thought a real fight with you 
would take longer? What was all those earlier times? Foreplay?"

"Foreplay this!" Buffy growled, kicking the back of Spike's head with 
her foot, sending him falling over her. The Slayer got her hands 
free and hit the vampire with a strong right cross and kicked him off.

Buffy held her neck as she struggled to her feet, trying to stop the 
bleeding from the claw wounds.

Spike sat up and smirked. "Running out of time, Slayer."

Buffy glanced around for her stake.

"Lose something? First you give it up to me and now you go and lose 
your stake," Spike grinned. "I'm beginning to think you really don't 
want to kill me. Admit it, I take you to the hospital and we get you 
patched up and then shag all night long."

"You're disgusting," Buffy snapped.  

"And you love it, Buff," Spike countered. "Face it, luv, you enjoyed 
it. You gave me a run for my money, that's for sure."

"Shut up!" Buffy yelled, fighting off a wave of dizziness. "I didn't 
exactly enjoy you bashing my head in and trying to take it!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm a little sorry for that," Spike 
grumbled. "You just have me so twisted around I couldn't think right 
and was drunk."

"That's an excuse? It's my fault? You tried to rape me because I 
drive you crazy?" Buffy demanded. "Do you know how lame that is?"

Spike's eyes hardened and he jumped to his feet.  

"Yeah, well I'm thinking right again and I think it's time to end 
this for both of us," he growled.

"Yeah? And do what? Go down on your knees and propose to me?" Buffy 
smirked, backing away slightly, still glancing around for her stake.

"No, I think I'll pass on this one," Spike growled, vamping out 
again. "You're too much trouble but I think Lil Bit will be perfect."

Buffy's eyes snapped back to the vampire in shock.  

"What?"

"I kill you; wait a couple years, grooming Dawn for eternal life and 
I will have had both sisters. Bollocks, Slayer, she already has the 
hots for me, just a couple of years and she'll be perfect!" Spike 
laughed at Buffy's stunned expression. "A Slayer and the Key, 
imagine what my rep will be after that!"

Buffy screamed and launched herself at the vampire.

* * *

"Come on, Red," Faith called softly, shifting her cast encased leg a 
little as she knocked on the bathroom door. "Let me in."

"Go 'way!" Willow's teary voice carried through the door.

"Come on," Faith said impatiently. "You know I can knock the lock 
off."

The lock clicked open and Faith walked in slowly. Willow was sitting 
on the edge of the tub, rubbing her face with a washcloth.

Faith sat down on the toilet and looked at the young witch. "Hey, 
you okay?"

"Not really, but you know that, don't you?" Willow asked softly. "I 
can almost tell what you're feeling. This is really weird."

"Never thought we'd be joined on any kind of level," Faith smirked.  

Willow managed to smile. "No, I never would have believed we'd go 
from you holding a knife to my throat to being enjoined."

"How much can you feel or know?" Faith asked, curious.

"I know you've loved Buffy for years and fought against it," Willow 
said slowly. "I know you've changed and that you love her even more 
now."

"Do you know that it was easy for me to kill there for awhile?" Faith 
asked softly, her eyes dropping to the tile floor.

"Yeah, I also know you regret that," Willow nodded.

"Regret it but I didn't care at the time," Faith added. "Buffy would 
kill me if we let you fall into that darkness."

"I almost did!" Willow squeaked. "I almost fought you to kill 
someone!"

Faith was on her feet and holding the red-haired witch in a flash.  
Instead of pulling back as the dark Slayer expected, Willow collapsed 
into her arms, sobbing.

"It's okay, Red," Faith said softly, stroking Willow's hair. "It's 
okay. You didn't do it. You may have thought about it but it doesn't 
count if you didn't follow through."

"I wanted to hurt him!" Willow cried. "I didn't want to just kill 
him, I wanted to hurt him!"

"Don't you think we all do after what he did to Tara and what he 
tried with Buffy?" Faith demanded. "We all do. Look, I gave up 
trying to figure out Slayer ethics and if there were gray areas. For 
me there can't be. I think for Giles there is."

"He's gonna kill Ethan this time," Willow nodded, sniffling.

"Probably," Faith snapped.

Willow pulled back slightly, a puzzled look on her face.

"Uh, Faith?" 

Faith shook her head. "This connection thing is a little hard to sort 
out here, Red."

"I know," Willow whispered. "I saw how much you've always loved 
Buffy."

Faith noticed suddenly how small the bathroom was and backed 
up. "What&what else?"

Willow sighed. "I know that you're attracted to me and Tara," she 
whispered, her eyes dropping.

"Uh, this is kinda weird there, Red," Faith whispered, her eyes shy 
and avoiding Willow's. "What does it all mean?"

"I don't know, can we deal with everything else first?" Willow asked 
softly, tears filling her eyes. "Find Buffy, get Giles back and throw 
Riley out?"

"Yeah, sounds like a good plan," Faith agreed. "Dry your eyes, 
gorgeous, and let's figure it out it out later."

* * *

Giles climbed the wind-swept hill easily. Tennis shoes were 
certainly more convenient for stalking things than business shoes, he 
complained to himself.  

"From now on, shirts and jeans," he growled. "If there is a now on."

"Oh really, Ripper," Ethan said loudly. "Of course there is from now 
on. You and me raise some magic, reseal our deal with Egyhon, shag 
like crazy and leave this goddamn place."

"Not gonna happen," Ripper growled. "This time I leave your corpse 
rotting up here and walk away."

Ethan snarled and lashed out with an energy bolt but Ripper countered 
with a quick blue light energy shield around his hands and fended off 
the various bolts sent speeding towards him.  

Both fell to their knees after a moment, panting and sweating.

"Damn!" Ethan growled and then smiled. "You're back at strength."

"Hatred can do that," Giles snapped.  

"Hatred or lust," Ethan smirked and lunged forward, tackling Giles 
onto his back.

"Don't flatter yourself, mate!" Ripper growled. "Not after what you 
did to Willow and Tara!"

"I didn't kill the witch! Spike did that!" Ethan protested as they 
wrestled on the dried grass.

"You drained Willow, then you drained Tara and gave him to that 
bastard!" Ripper snapped. "Same thing!"

Ethan surprised Giles by kissing him roughly. The ex-Watcher 
struggled for a moment and then melted into the kiss, his body 
responding to the memories and the touch. 

The wrestling turned to groping hands as Ethan's lips went to 
Ripper's neck.

* * *