Simple Choices
by rebelrsr
Chapter 14
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers: I borrow heavily from "The I in Team" for this chapter. Big alterations ahead for the remainder of S5. Eh, who am I kidding? This is really AU now.
A/N: Thanks to the best beta crew: Ivy, Zigpal and Zenithar. There would be no writing without you guys.
Buffy watched the gang closely after Tara's announcement. She bounced in place with excess energy, and struggled to keep from simply storming out and getting down to business. As her hazel eyes swept the room, she frowned. Willow was gazing raptly at Tara.
The Slayer noted that Tara was pale, but resolute, when Willow commented, "I'm not sure that's a good idea, either."
"It is risky, my dear." Giles cleaned up the remains of his dinner. "However, it does give us more chances to create a favorable climate. Before we try anything, however, we need to decide exactly what we can do when Adam does arrive. If I understood Buffy correctly, he is a powerful magic user and a fearsome fighter. Are we quite sure even a pair of Slayers will be enough?"
"B? You met this thing. Can we take him?" Faith asked.
Buffy dragged her eyes away from Willow and Tara. Rage simmered just below the surface. No way was Tara going to get between her and Willow. She'd...
"Yo, Earth to Buffy. You with us, or what?" Faith asked sarcastically.
Agitated, Buffy snapped. "I wasn't ready for Adam then. He took me by surprise. This time we'll hit hard and fast. Nothing's ever beaten the Chosen Two."
"And what all do we got?" Faith twirled on the tall bar stool at the counter. "You and me, the Chosen Two. Red and Blondie with the magic, but I ain't got a clue what that means. Red's spells were kinda less than great last time I was around. What can this Adam do? Turn us all into frogs? Or just toast us?"
Only Tara seemed to have an answer to that, and Buffy glared at the blonde witch. "No frogs." She smiled crookedly. "But the cooking? Probably. When he was tracking me, I felt a lot of energy." Tucking her hair behind her right ear, she continued, "Most demons aren't actual witches. They use power instinctively or it is a part of their being. I think Adam's different. I think he has both types of power, and that makes any magical or mundane attack hard."
Tara's voice grated. *Why can't she just shut up already?* Buffy jumped up and stalked back and forth in the small space. "So, you're saying we just keep sitting here?" Her voice echoed through the kitchen.
"Whoa, Buff, you wanna power down a little?" Xander asked. "I think Tara was just trying to make sure we had all the information."
"I'm tired of just talking, Xan," Buffy spit out. "When do we get to the doing part?" She took a few quick steps until she stood right in front of the young man. "You just want to sit here, listening to them talk?" Buffy shoved Xander back against the counter. "What good are those soldier memories of yours anyway?"
"Buffy!" Joyce shouted. "That's enough. What is wrong with you?" She examined her daughter closely, but in the dim lighting, couldn't see much. "Sit down so we can find a way to deal with this."
At the rebuke, a rumbling sound tore from Buffy's throat and she spun to face her mother. "No more talking," she snarled. The Slayer was actually shaking from the emotions pouring through her.
The room froze.
Finally, Faith slid slowly off the stool, hands held away from her body. "Hey, B? You been spending a lot of time with them soldier boys?" As she talked, the brunette continued to move carefully toward Buffy. "'Cause I'm thinking maybe you got some of that spiked punch meant for your boy toy."
"I'm fine!" Buffy's eyes were dilated. "I'm just tired of all the talking. That's all we do. We sit and talk and the bad guys go on killing."
Faith didn't really have an answer to that. She understood the guilt spewing from Buffy. "How many's he gonna kill if we're dead, B? We don't have enough information to go after this thing. I mean, give the girls a little more time, and then I'll be right there with you when you kick the Tin Man's ass."
"I'm not waiting anymore. Get out of my way!" Buffy moved so fast, Faith never stood a chance. The smaller girl grabbed the brunette Slayer, tossing her effortlessly across the kitchen. Bits of plaster exploded from the wall where Faith's body dented the structure.
Barely stifling a moan, Faith staggered away from the wall and latched on to Buffy's arm. "Can't let you go out there, B. Not like this."
Buffy turned sharply, leveling a wild right at Faith. The brunette Slayer ducked, then stood quickly. She pushed Buffy forward, driving the counter of the island into the smaller girl's stomach, doubling her over. While Buffy fought to get her feet on the ground and regain some leverage, Faith seized her right wrist, yanking it back and up, lifting until the small hand rested between narrow shoulder blades. "Enough, B," the brunette panted. "I don't want to break your arm, but I will if you don't stop fighting me."
The blonde Slayer gave once last, furious tug at her arm and lay there, quietly seething.
"Blondie, I think B here needs some of that aura stuff you did to me." Faith didn't dare look away from Buffy. The blonde Slayer radiated cage violence.
"I don't kn-know if I can, Faith," Tara stuttered. "You gave me permission to get past your shields. If I try with Buffy, it could hurt her."
Joyce frowned. "I think it's a risk we need to take. Faith can't hold Buffy all night. And, what happens if she gets out of the house?" She looked at Giles. "Could she actually hurt a human like this?"
"Well..." he hesitated.
"Guys," Faith's voice was strained. "Less talk, more action. B got that part right. You talk way the fuck too much. I can't do this much longer."
"Tara," Willow said in an urgent voice, "can you show me how to get into Buffy's aura?"
Eyes shadowed, Tara nodded. "You think she'll let you in?" They danced delicately around the scene on the porch.
"It's worth a try." Willow held out her hand to the blonde witch. "If nothing else, I'll take you in with me. Buffy won't hurt me."
Taking Willow's hand, Tara closed her eyes and bridged her power with the redhead's *OK,* she said through the link, *you have to let your energy flow through the cracks in her shielding. Once you are inside, pull the energy together and build your astral body. All you need to do from there is look for anything foreign. It will be almost neon and it will feel off, dirty.* Tara watched as Willow tried to follow the instructions.
Brow furrowed in concentration, Willow dispersed her energy in a thin blanket, resting it gently over Buffy's shields. They hardened at her touch, trying to push her away. Thinning the power blanket even more helped some. Willow began to see faint cracks in the translucent shield and let her magic seep into the minute holes. When the first drop of power entered Buffy's shield, Willow heard her friend moan and saw her surge against Faith. She could sense the Slayer's pain as Willow's energy invaded her aura.
Tara's voice sounded gently in her head, whispering instructions and helping her regain her emotional balance. *If you find a drug or external tampering, flush it. Use your energy to clean the channels.*
Willow tried to nod her head and then remembered she had no form at this point. Trying again internally she answered, *Got it. Can you monitor my progress once I'm inside the shield? She's fighting me. I don't want to hurt her, Tara.*
*No. I don't think Buffy will let me in at all.* Sadness intertwined with the thought. *She sees me as a rival.*
There was no way to respond to the truth in Tara's statement. *OK. I'll do my best.* Willow turned her attention back to her progress on circumventing the shield. She was halfway there, and the urge to push forward, to force more speed was nearly overwhelming, but she didn't want to hurt Buffy more by damaging her shield. Grinding her mental teeth, Willow waited. After what seemed an eternity, the last of her essence drained through the cracks. She wasted no time drawing the pooled energy into an astral body and peering around.
Buffy's aura was wild. Colors fluoresced and altered rapidly, creating a kaleidoscope effect. Something was definitely wrong. Running through the brightly colored landscape, Willow searched for the source of the trouble. A flash of bright orange caught her eye. She changed course and hurried in that direction.
Tara had been right. The almost-angry orange flare felt wrong and it pulsed and flared at odd intervals. As she watched, Willow noticed that each time the orange energy brightened, parts of Buffy's aura were drawn toward it. Where they touched, the Slayer's normal emotions were altered. When the foreign substance ebbed, those emotions were released, now the shimmering red of rage.
Willow panicked at the sight. She wasn't used to expending this much energy. She was weakening too fast, but she had to try moving whatever was affecting Buffy.
She reached back through her link with her physical body, releasing more energy and blasting at the orange mass, forcing it back along the Slayer's channels. It was exhausting work. Finally, shaking with effort and feeling her astral form ebbing, Willow saw Buffy's energy paths running clear. No orange anywhere. With a tired sigh, the witch released her ephemeral form and fled back to her body.
The tableau in the kitchen hadn't changed. Faith still clung to Buffy while the Scoobies watched anxiously. Dragging her eyes open, Willow mumbled, "Any change?"
"Huh? Hell, Red, you were only gone a couple of minutes." Faith sounded as tired as Willow felt.
"She should be fine." Willow moved closer on leaden feet. "Buffy? Hey, you still with us?"
Buffy shook her head slightly. When she replied, her voice was faint and slurred with fatigue. "Tired, and I hurt. What the hell did Faith hit me with? My head is killing me."
With a snort, Faith let go of her sister Slayer's arm and stepped back. "Think you might wanna take a look at the wall there, B. You got a headache? My whole body hurts after the flying lesson you gave me."
Standing with difficulty, Buffy asked, "What?" Hazel eyes stared at Faith in confusion.
"Buffy?" Everyone looked at Tara. "Sweetie, what's the last thing you remember?"
Wrapping her arms around her stomach, the blonde Slayer shrugged slightly. "The thing with Ry at the Bronze." She frowned. "Things are kinda dreamlike after that. I mean, I remember bits and pieces of things. Did you heal Faith?" She ran a shaking hand through her hair.
"Do you remember coming in from outside and watching the news?" Only Buffy seemed to notice the choked quality to Willow's voice.
"Will? What's going on? Why the big questions?" She pushed away from the counter, taking an unsteady step toward the witch. Willow didn't answer and Buffy grabbed the counter to stay upright. Blinking owlishly, she wiggled her shoulder. "And, what's the what with Faith trying to rip my shoulder off?"
Giles cleared his throat when Willow seemed unable to answer. "We believe you ingested some of the drug the Initiative was using on Riley's men."
"You were acting like Riley at the Bronze. All 'grrr,' and," Willow's voice cracked, "and stuff." She raised tear-filled eyes to Buffy. "I cleared it out of your system, though. You should be back to regular Buffy now."
"Oh." She looked with wide eyes at the hole in the kitchen wall. "I guess...um..."
Grinning, Faith slapped Buffy on the shoulder. "We're cool, B. Just don't be making any smart remarks about the Dark Slayer. 'Cause I think you just borrowed that title yourself tonight."
"Yeah, OK." Buffy was still vague and unsure. "Maybe you guys could fill me in on what I missed after I pass out for a while? I'm really not all with the here and now."
Stepping forward, Willow took Buffy's hand and pulled her toward the living room. "I'll get her settled in one of the rooms, and then we can keep planning." Fighting to keep her fear in check, the witch guided the blonde into one of the rooms. "Here you go, Buff. You can sleep for a while." She flashed a forced smile. "I'll come get you later, OK?"
"Will?" Buffy's voice stopped Willow in her tracks. "Did I do something earlier?" She gently put a hand on the taller girl's stiff shoulder.
"You don't remember?"
"Remember what, Will?" Buffy tried to keep from panicking. "What did I do?"
"You didn't," the young witch replied. "We did...we did this." Willow pressed her lips to Buffy's quickly, fiercely, before running from the room.