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BTVS: Red Moon "Welcome to My Nightmare" - complete

Welcome to My Nightmare

Red Moon Rising, Book 5

Author: Ms Hunter Ash 

Email: ripperbard7@yahoo.com

Feedback welcome!!

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, however, is the sole property of the author.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same time

Spoilers: This is part of the continuing Red Moon series which begins at New Moon Rising with some twists beginning there.

Summary: Willow is healed physically from the after-effects of detoxifying from the black magic Dracula forced on her and dealing with guilt for giving into Dracula along with Xander and Buffy. Now the gang wants to get out of town for some R&R. Can you say “Road Trip?”

Rating: R – Pairings: B/W/T, X/An, J/G

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Buffy got out of the family car carefully, trying not to pull on her broken ribs. Xander grinned as he and Anya walked out of the Summers' house. Anya moved to help with Buffy’s overnight bag and Xander lent his good arm to Buffy to help her stand.

Buffy’s pained face lit up when she saw Tara standing in the doorway, waiting for her.

“Oh God, I’ve missed you guys,” she said softly.

Joyce smiled and followed the group of young adults towards the front door.

“How’s Will?” Buffy asked as they walked slowly.

“It’s not good, Buff,” Xander admitted. “It’s been four days since you toasted Dracula and she hasn’t improved much.”

Buffy tried to let her tension and worries disappear when she melted into Tara’s welcoming arms.

The Slayer was tired and so was the rest of the Scooby Gang, the only ones semi-fit were Anya, Joyce and Giles.

Giles had recovered from the vampire bites from Dracula’s females; Anya and Joyce had escaped unharmed. Xander was nursing a broken arm and nose along with the humiliation of having been one of Dracula’s “Renfields.” Brad still had his jaw wired from where a Renfield-crazed Xander had broken it and Tara had escaped physical harm except for an energy drain and sprained ankle.

Buffy had racked up an impressive number of broken ribs, collapsed lung, and the loss of enough blood to have almost killed her.

The worst was the stress of dealing with Dracula and what he had done to Willow.

The red-haired witch had been seduced by his mental control, kidnapped and feed a steady stream of raw, black magickal energy. Within a day, in the midst of the continual feeding of the drug-like power, regular feedings by Dracula, and being tormented by Dracula’s female vampires, Willow was hooked on the magick and hurting.

“Will?” Buffy asked as Tara hugged her gently.

“She’s s-still hurting so bad, Buffy,” Tara said softly, almost choking. “Willow still d-doesn’t know us or anything.”

“Remember that anti-drug film we saw last year?” Xander asked as they entered Buffy’s home.

“Yeah, the one that shows all the up sides of being a junkie,” Buffy said.

“Yeah, like shaking all the time, sweating, muscle cramps, and that fun stuff,” Xander agreed. “Willow is worse.”

“Oh God, I should have been here,” Buffy whimpered as Tara led her to the sofa.

“No, the doctors didn’t want to release you today,” Joyce protested. “They’re still worried about that punctured lung, young lady.”

“I know, it just drove me crazy to lay there for four whole days while Willow is hurting,” Buffy protested.

“I know and you need to prepare yourself,” Joyce said gently, sitting down on the coffee table as Tara held her daughter’s hand. “Willow looks like hell, she’s lost weight, and she’s pale and most of the time her eyes are that magick black.”

“Giles t-told you about the Watcher Council helping,” Tara asked and Buffy nodded. “There’s a hospital b-bed in Willow’s room and there are t-tubes and monitors everywhere. A lot like when s-she was stabbed.”

“Okay,” Buffy whispered, her stomach bundling up into knots already.

“Her wrists are secured with sheepskin lined leather restraints,” Joyce continued, watching her daughter carefully.

“Willow?” Buffy whined, her eyes filling with tears again.

“She’s still out of it, Buff,” Xander added. Anya was resting her head on his shoulder as she sat in his lap.

“The Watchers have someone magick trained by her side all the time,” Joyce continued. “Giles says that whenever she tries to do her own magick they stop her, binding her.”

“How long will this go on?” Buffy demanded.

“They’re n-not sure,” Tara said softly, trying not to break into tears again. “The Watchers say they’ve n-never seen anything t-this serious before. They’re hoping that with you home we’ll b-be able to help settle her energy. Etheridge has b-been meeting with Giles for days.”

“I want to see her,” Buffy said firmly and Tara helped her stand, slowly.

Tara and Xander helped the Slayer up the stairs but at the door of the bedroom, she hesitated.

The Slayer glanced at the woman sitting next to Willow’s bed and dismissed her for the moment as she looked at her lover and whimpered.

Even with the warnings, Buffy wasn’t prepared for what she saw. Willow looked like a heroin junkie going through withdrawals. Her skin was tight on her face and she almost looked lifeless. The red-haired witch's' eyes were sunken in her head and surrounded by dark circles and pale skin. She had lost weight where it had been unnecessary and Buffy wasn’t sure if the body lying in front of her weighed over 100lbs.

Tubes ran from two different IV bags into her veins. Other tubes appeared and disappeared from under the covers along with wires leading to monitors.

The worst part was the restraints holding Willow’s arms to her sides.

Willow’s hospital bed was halfway between lying flat and sitting up. The young witch appeared to be sleeping restlessly, pulling at the restraints with small whimpers.

Buffy crossed the floor slowly and Tara dragged a stool over for her lover. The Slayer gently touched Willow’s forehead and stroked her cheek.

“Will,” she said softly. “It’s me, Buffy. Tara’s here, too.”

Tara moved around to the other side of the bed as the Watcher moved aside without a word, taking notes. Tara reached out and held Willow’s hand.

“Willow, it’s okay, we’re both here,” Tara joined in.

Willow sighed and stopped struggling.

Tara’s eyes brightened immediately as Buffy smiled hopefully at her. The Watcher quickly wrote in her notebook, watching the girls as Joyce watched from the doorway.

She smiled as Giles walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“She calmed down when they touched her,” Joyce said softly.

“Oh thank God,” Giles said softly. “There might be hope.”

“Giles, I’ve been with Buffy most of the time the last few days since Dracula,” Joyce said slowly. “Can we have some coffee and you explain this to me?”

“As best as I can, I will,” he agreed.

A few minutes later, Giles sighed heavily as he sat down with a cup of tea and Joyce with her coffee.

“Where to start?” he complained. “Willow is a witch and has dealt with magick for awhile. Most of the time things went wrong until she teamed up with Tara and she seemed to find a balance. Together they both improved, even their own individual powers.”

“Okay,” Joyce nodded.

“Willow has more power than I’ve ever seen, Joyce,” Giles admitted. “When she used that Black Magick spell to call the werewolf curse from Buffy onto her, she opened herself up to temptation. It was like taking a small bite of the apple.”

“I’ve heard you both talking about that, when she healed you,” Joyce nodded again.

“Yes, and once you take that bite, it can’t be undone,” Giles tried explaining. “All you can do is keep from biting it again; part of it is now in your system. She was doing alright, even when she ran away from us.”

“Carson said she did some things but never anything what he would consider ‘evil,’” Joyce commented.

“Yes,” Giles agreed. “Some of the magick could be seen as self survival or selfish but not evil. Healing her hand, hiding their identities when stopped by police, things like that.”

“And Dracula?” Joyce asked.

“From what Buffy saw, Vlad Dracula was a sorcerer before he turned into a vampire,” Giles said slowly and thoughtfully. “He bragged to her that he wasn’t turned by another vampire, he changed himself into a vampire when he was dying in a battle by sheer will alone.”

Joyce sat back in her chair, not believing what she was hearing. “Giles, that’s not possible, is it?”

“Well, he does exist,” Giles smiled ruefully. “He was totally evil and without a shred of compassion before he turned. One could argue that he had no soul to lose and simply changed from one demon to another, one that could continue the existence of his body.”

“That explains why he’s different than other vampires?” Joyce asked. “I mean, that mental control he had over the kids and changing into mist?”

“Yes, there’s also some speculation that there are actually different types of vampires,” Giles again said thoughtfully. “There are hints that not all vampires are alike and not all werewolves are the same. We may have seen an example of that with Willow being different than Oz and that werewolf she attacked.”

“Dracula and Willow?” Joyce asked, drawing him back to the original conversation.

“She’s powerful, Joyce,” Giles said softly, his face worried. “You saw that healing ritual she did for me and Angel. Two different healings at the same time with the most raw and powerful energy that can be harnessed.”

“Healing you and binding Angel’s soul to his body,” Joyce nodded, remembering their road trip to the beach.

“Yes,” Giles nodded. “It should take someone years to reach that ability. It seems to come easier to her now since she did that werewolf spell. Dracula tapped into that and was feeding her raw magickal energy.”

The ex-Watcher hesitated, gathering his thoughts.

“Buffy said Dracula was doing it with a wave of his hand,” Giles said thoughtfully. “I tried to explain it to Tara like this: the affects of dealing with the magick level she and Willow were at was like alcohol or marijuana. When Willow used that black spell she graduated to the magickal equivalent of cocaine.”

Joyce frowned as she absorbed the information but nodded for him to continue.

“Dracula was feeding her the same level of almost pure heroin,” Giles said softly. “Now’s she hooked on that energy.”

“Buffy told me about that night,” Joyce said slowly. “She said that Willow crawled across a floor on her hands and knees to Dracula for that energy.”

“Yes,” Giles nodded, clenching his jaw against the mental pain of that image.

“Buffy also told me that Willow resisted him when Dracula demanded Willow sever her ties with Tara,” Joyce pointed out.

“She told me that too, and Tara told me how Willow changed into a werewolf willingly and fought Dracula’s werewolves,” Giles continued. “Did Tara tell you how Willow did that?”

Joyce shook her head. Neither one of them aware that Buffy had ventured down the stairs and was listening on the other side of the doorway. The Slayer felt herself go pale at the conversation.

“She mentally connected with Tara, grabbing onto Tara’s humanity so she could think somewhat like a human,” Giles continued explaining. “Willow used that edge to kill the other two werewolves.”

“So if she broke Dracula’s hold, why is she suffering so badly?” Joyce demanded.

“Willow resisted breaking her ties with Tara but she didn’t break her ties with Dracula,” Giles corrected. “I think if he showed up tonight, he could call her from that damned hospital bed.”

“But she helped Buffy break Dracula’s thrall on Buffy,” Joyce pointed out.

“Yes, but not her own and not her addiction to dark magick,” Giles argued. “Tara and Buffy are the only things holding Willow on this side of the light. Without them, she’d just give in and become one of the most powerful evil sorcerers I’ve ever seen.”

“She’s going through this hell because she’s fighting it?” Joyce frowned.

“Yes, we’re keeping her tied down but with a single thought she could snap those bonds and throw that Watcher through the window,” Giles said grimly. “Willow is letting us keep her down.”

“What about the future?” Joyce asked. “Is it like addiction? She’ll always be tempted?”

“Yes,” Giles nodded. “Just being around her at times is difficult for me.”

Joyce looked at her fiancée in surprise.

“I still feel the craving for good strong magickal energy running through me,” Giles admitted. “Sometimes it dances off the girls. It's like a recovering alcoholic being tossed in a bar and handed his favorite drink.”

“Will she be able to work magick?”

“At a very high risk,” Giles said slowly. “The more she works and the easier it comes and the more tempting it will be. Like a heroin junkie drinking a beer, it may not set off a full-blown crash but it doesn’t help. Willow could still fall to that darkness, anytime in her life.”

“How do you help her recover?” Joyce demanded.

“There are a few options open to us,” Giles said. “One is Aversion Therapy, the Council is in favor of that after seeing how affected Willow is and how strong the energy is in her.”

“What’s that?” Joyce asked, not liking the sound of the term and not liking anything the Council was in favor of.

“Every time Willow begins to chant or do magick, someone zaps her with a stun gun or cattle prod, actually,” Giles said calmly and winced when Joyce stood up so rapidly that she knocked over her chair. The Englishman lowered his head, refusing to meet her angry eyes.

“Rupert Giles! If any of you even bring one of those into my house I will use them on all of you and shove them….”

“Joyce!” Giles said rapidly, cutting her threat off. “I didn’t say I was in favor of it. I think it does more harm than good, especially with what she’s already been through with the Initiative's shock experiments.”

Joyce reluctantly picked the chair up and sat back down, unaware that Buffy was smiling grimly at her mother’s threat. The Slayer was pleased Joyce had reacted so strongly.

“What else?” the mother demanded.

“What we’re doing, especially now with Buffy and Tara here,” Giles said softly. “Try and focus Willow through the recovery and let the black magick work its way out of her system.”

“Like coming off a drug,” Joyce said, nodding. “What else?”

“Well, the Council would suggest feeding her just enough energy to keep her stable and taper her off slowly,” Giles added, beginning to clean his glasses. “I don’t like the method, it never works. Another would be to kill her and eliminate the threat.”

“Rupert!”

“Stop!” Giles said, raising his voice and hand. “Again, not an option we’ll allow. You need to understand their fears, Joyce, to understand what they’re capable of.”

“Alright, tell me!” Joyce demanded with a stern expression.

“Willow could be powerful enough to leave most of Sunnydale flattened in a day,” Giles said slowly. “That kind of power is tempting and I’ve never seen anyone who didn’t give in.”

Buffy frowned and leaned against the wall next to the kitchen, continuing to listen in on the conversation.

“Some recover and make it out alive, others become sorcerers and totally abandon the light, some don’t make it and burn out or are destroyed by their own energies,” Giles explained.

“Or someone from the light kills them,” Joyce finished.

“Yes,” Giles nodded.

“You’re telling me it’s possible that Tara will have to take Willow down someday?” Joyce asked.

“Yes, look at Star Wars,” he said firmly. “Silly films, I know, but the message is clear in them. Anakin Skywalker is tempted by the dark forces and gives in, he becomes Darth Vader and his mentor tries to kill him.”

Buffy frowned and moved away from the wall, sneaking back up the stairs without the soda she had gone to the kitchen for in the first place.

The Slayer was quite disturbed by the Star Wars analogy. That was something she could understand. Power and the temptation of darkness, it was an easy answer. A quick way to power as Tara had explained once. Those working magick in the gray and light areas practiced, studied and worked with others to keep themselves in balance. Those that went for the quick power almost always fell into the dark. It seemed easier and quicker but the price tag was higher.

Buffy stood in Willow’s doorway and watched her lover struggling against the bonds and her own inner demons while Tara held her hand. The Watcher kept Willow shielded from using any magick.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Giles had hoped that Buffy’s return home would send Willow into a rapid recovery but he was disappointed, along with the rest of the Scooby Gang family. The next week was spent in the agonizing duty of watching over Willow as she detoxed.

The physical part was bad enough to watch: vomiting, losing control of bodily functions, shaking, muscles cramps, night sweats, convulsions, and major nose bleeds were the worst of the physical. What was worse was the emotional. Willow became somewhat aware of her surroundings after three days and the gang had rejoiced at first until the pleading, begging and threats from their beloved Willow had hit them.

Giles and the Watchers tried to reassure everyone that this was expected and not let Willow’s words get to them but it wasn’t easy to listen to her cursing everyone, threatening them if they didn’t release her and begging to be allowed a little magick.

Buffy and Tara were at their emotional end after a week.

Finally, Willow slipped into a deep sleep that lasted 48 hours. Despite the Watchers saying they expected it, the gang and especially Buffy and Tara were worried.

********

Willow opened her eyes slowly and tried to smile.

“Will?” Tara asked softly, reaching out slowly to stroke Willow’s cheek.

Willow tried to reach back and looked down at her restrained wrists.

“That bad?” she whispered, her voice harsh.

“How are you feeling?” Tara asked softly. Willow was amused when Tara looked over at a sleeping Giles in a chair and frowned. “Giles!” she called and the ex-Watcher continued sleeping. Tara picked up a box of Kleenex and threw it at him.

“What?” he demanded, sitting up quickly. His eyes focused on Willow looking at him and blinked several times. “Willow?”

“I take it I haven’t been myself?” Willow attempted to joke as Tara raised the hospital bed up a little further.

“You’ve had a rough time of it,” Tara said evasively.

“Can I touch you?” Willow asked softly.

“Giles?” Tara asked, pleading with her eyes.

“It should be okay,” he said slowly. “Willow, what will you do if released?”

“Hug Tara to death?” Willow smiled.

“Magick?” he demanded.

“No,” Willow shook her head with a frown. “Don’t think I have the strength for anything. Don’t wanna.”

“Willow, I need you to promise me, solemn oath, that you won’t work any magick without Tara’s or my consent,” Giles said firmly.

Willow paused and then nodded. “Okay.”

Giles said, “I’ll get Buffy first.”

Willow wanted to hug Tara back but found she had no energy to even raise her arms. A few moments later Buffy dashed through the door and joined in the hug as Giles released their lover.

Robert Etheridge watched from the doorway with Giles.

“She agreed?”

“Yes, or I wouldn’t have released her,” Giles nodded.

“We can help with her physical recovery,” Etheridge offered. “Just enough energy to get her back on her feet faster so you can start on the emotional and mental recovery.”

“Just not too much,” Giles said firmly.

“Of course,” Etheridge agreed, watching the three young women. “Giles, the Council has authorized me to approach you and Ms. Summers about coming back to the Council. We’ve had some changes since you left and would like to offer you the chance to return.”

“The chance to return?” Giles repeated with a frown. “What does that mean?”

“It means that Ms. Summers would be tested on her Slayer skills,” Etheridge said easily. “Not that archaic test that caused your separation but physical testing of her skills and reflexes, much like was done when Faith was here.”

“I’m not sure Buffy wants to come back,” Giles frowned. “Nor am I.”

“Look around you, Giles,” Etheridge urged. “You were lucky with that Initiative mess. You could have used our support and our resources.”

Giles frowned.

“Don’t be surprised if she turns you down,” Giles grumbled.

“If she’s as smart as she seems to be, she’ll jump at the chance,” Etheridge said, oozing confidence.

“Besides training, what would the Council insist on?” Giles asked, knowing there were always hidden loopholes and small print when it came to the Council.

“No civilian involvement in the Slayer duties,” Etheridge said. “Your group has gotten hurt and into trouble more times than the Council can count. You’ll be allowed to continue as her Watcher on probation, another Watcher will be brought in to further her training. The Council feels you have reached the end of your teaching skills.”

“Why you arrogant little puppy,” Giles growled, clenching his fists and stepping forward a step.

“Further,” Etheridge continued, as if Giles hadn’t said a word or made a move. “Both Tara Maclay and Willow Rosenberg will return with me to England to further their magickal studies and train to be Watchers. If the Council agrees, they can return in a few years as Ms. Summers’ Watchers.”

“Out of the question,” Giles hissed, trying to keep his voice down and not attract the attention of the girls in question. “They’ll never agree to being separated from Buffy for any length of time. You’ve surely seen the depth of their connection. How can you even suggest that?”

“It is felt, and I agree, that the three of them are too close,” Etheridge commented. “You can see it’s unhealthy and doomed to failure. By separating them and letting the witches stay together, everyone benefits.”

“The girls don’t,” Giles argued. “How the hell can that benefit Buffy?”

“She’ll be able to focus on her Slaying and her Slayer skills and not on this unhealthy fascination with the other two,” Etheridge said, his voice flat.

Giles felt his hackles rising. He glanced over at the three young women and saw Buffy glance at him, her eyes blazing with anger.

//Damn, Slayer senses!// he thought but mentally shrugged. She had heard too much already and it wouldn’t help to stop the conversation now.

“You feel because the three of them are involved that it’s unhealthy, correct?” Giles asked, still keeping his voice low, at the same level as before.

“Of course,” Etheridge agreed. “We’ve never seen a triad work before, especially with a Slayer and someone as powerful as those other two.”

“Just because you haven’t seen it before doesn’t mean that it can’t work,” Giles complained. “You’ve seen how they balance each other.”

Etheridge frowned and didn’t answer.

“Damnit, I won’t even consider separating them, ever!” Giles declared. “Buffy took a werewolf bite for Willow; Willow took the werewolf curse for Buffy; Tara brought Willow back from the brink of death by the power of love alone; Tara risked her life to save Buffy and Willow from Dracula; Willow almost died for Buffy again; Buffy walked into Dracula’s mansion to save Willow. No, there’s no negotiating and no argument, they stay together and the Council can go to hell.”

“Thanks, Giles,” Buffy said firmly.

Etheridge looked up in surprise and realized all three women had somehow heard the conversation.

“What?” he demanded.

“Slayer senses,” Buffy grinned. “And Willow here has the hearing of a wolf. Tara, well, we dropped our mental shields, joined together and let her hear through our ears what you two were talking about.”

“Shields? Joined together? What are you talking about?” Etheridge demanded.

“Something your Council will go absolutely batty over,” Giles grinned. “You see, the girls can connect to each other mentally. They can see, talk and sense what the other two are seeing and such.”

“Yeah, especially during intense moments,” Buffy added. “Like sex.”

“Yes, well,” Giles coughed and pulled his glasses off to begin cleaning them.

“Mr. Giles, you must explain this,” Etheridge demanded. “No Slayer has ever connected like this with anyone other than a vampire.”

“I know,” Giles smirked. “Change your opinion about what to do with them?”

“Well, yes, maybe, I don’t know,” Etheridge admitted. “We must talk.”

“Just remember one thing,” Buffy added, standing up and glaring at the Watcher Elder. “I’m an adult and I decide who, what and where. There will be no discussion about Tara and or Willow leaving.”

Etheridge and Giles moved away from the door, heading for the kitchen to talk over tea, like typical Englishmen.

Buffy turned to hug Willow and Tara again.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Willow was grateful when Buffy ran the female Watcher out of the room and pulled the red-haired witch into her arms.

“Why is the Watcher Council here and why do they want me and Tara?” Willow asked in a weak voice.

“What do you remember about Dracula, Will?” Buffy asked.

Willow frowned and thought for several moments. Tara whimpered at the sight of her lover struggling to even think clearly.

“Not much,” Willow admitted. “It’s all kinda fuzzy like.”

Willow suddenly looked away and began blushing.

“I remember Xander hitting me,” she whispered. “I was tied to a bed and Dracula kept…it felt incredible.”

“Will,” Buffy said softly but Willow wouldn’t raise her head. “Will, we know Dracula was feeding you magickal energy and how powerful it was. He was also feeding on you, keeping you weak and under his control.”

Tears began escaping down Willow’s face and Tara gently wiped them away.

“We’re not mad, Will,” the other witch said softly. “Buffy couldn’t resist him either until we all combined our energy.”

Willow frowned, still thinking. “He wanted me to do something I couldn’t….”

The two other lovers waited patiently. They had talked for hours with Giles and the Watchers on how to handle Willow’s mental state when she became aware of her surroundings. The advice was to let her remember slowly and be prepared for anything.

“I couldn’t let Tara go,” Willow remembered and looked up into Tara’s blue eyes, almost desperately.

“Buffy couldn’t do it either,” Tara whispered. “You remember anything else?”

“The energy, it hurt so bad when it was gone,” Willow said softly, dropping her eyes again. “It felt like I couldn’t live without it.”

“You almost couldn’t,” Buffy nodded. “You’ve had a rough time, Willow. That energy he was feeding you was black magick and he got you addicted.”

Willow’s frown deepened and she began to take in the IV bags, the tubes, wires and monitors surrounding her hospital bed. She also noticed how weak and thin she was.

“How long have I been out of it?” she asked.

“Over a week,” Tara answered softly as Willow’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s been hell, Willow. We’ve been t-taking care of you while your body was g-getting over the addiction.”

“I feel like hell,” Willow commented. “What happened to me?”

“It was much like detoxifying from a narcotic,” Etheridge answered from the doorway. “I’m Robert Etheridge, Watcher Elder, sent to help oversee your recovery.”

“Tell me,” Willow demanded, her eyes showing a higher level of energy than before. “They’re afraid of something.”

Buffy and Tara felt their bodies jump at the intensity in Willow’s voice.

“Am I a danger to my lovers and family?” Willow demanded. “Is that why you want me and Tara in England and under your thumb?”

“Yes to both,” Etheridge answered calmly. “Giles has been explaining the unique connection the three of you have with each other and I’ve re-evaluated that original idea. Now I think the three of you do need to remain together. The fact still is that you need training desperately.”

“How am I a danger and what happened to me?” Willow demanded again.

“You are addicted to magick and black magick is the easiest magick to access,” Etheridge explained as he walked into the room with Giles behind him. “You want the truth, Ms. Rosenberg?”

Willow nodded firmly as Buffy and Tara exchanged worried glances across her bed.

“You have more potential, magically, than the Council has seen in centuries,” Etheridge said flatly, watching Willow’s reaction.

The witch looked confused and thoughtful. After a moment she shook her head.

“No, not me,” she protested. “Most of my spells go wrong and I haven’t studied that long.”

“Nevertheless,” Etheridge continued. “You have the potential and have tapped some of that. Healing your crushed hand and damaged heart, healing Giles’ back injury, sealing Angelus’ soul, all of that is high level magick.”

Willow continued to frown as Buffy and Tara held her hands.

“You think I’ll give into the darkness,” Willow said slowly.

“It’s very likely,” Etheridge said easily.

“No, only do good stuff,” Willow protested. “That’s the motto of the Scooby Gang.”

“You’ve already worked black magick with that lycanthropic spell,” Etheridge pointed out.

“That was to save Buffy!” Willow countered.

“You still called on the Dark Forces to work the spell,” Etheridge snapped. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know the consequences.”

Willow’s eyes flashed angrily.

“I knew and I’d do it again without hesitation,” she admitted.

“And you knew if you continued to use magick that you would be tempted with darkness,” Etheridge growled.

“Yes,” Willow nodded. “I also resisted Dracula’s demand that I give up the light in my life, Tara. I resisted the darkness.”

“And you’ve been willing to die for your friends and lovers,” Etheridge admitted. “That speaks well of your strength and willpower. What happened to you this week is that we kept you alive while your body craved and then rejected the Black Magick Dracula gave you. If you begin using magick again, the odds are that you’ll fall next time.”

Willow’s eyes flashed again.

“Not with Tara and Buffy beside me,” she declared firmly.

“The Council feels that we can’t take that chance,” Etheridge said calmly.

Tara squeaked softly when Willow’s eyes changed to black again. She and Buffy looked up to see Etheridge standing stock still – his eyes wide with surprise and a touch of fear.

“Giles,” he said softly.

“Willow!” Giles shouted and started across the room towards Willow.

“No, Giles,” Willow growled. “Just wait.”

After a moment she fell back against the bed, her eyes shifting back to green as she closed them. She was breathing deeply and the heart monitor was showing a rapid increase in her heart rate.

Etheridge was livid with anger.

“How dare you?” he shouted and Giles held him back as Willow opened her eyes again.

“Don’t get self righteous with me, Watcher,” Willow snapped. “You didn’t tell Giles what you really have planned for me, so don’t get all indignant now.”

“Willow, what are you talking about?” Giles demanded as Etheridge suddenly glanced away and wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“They plan on magickally short-circuiting my abilities,” Willow said bitterly. “Kinda like Spike’s chip, anytime I try and use magick I’ll zap myself.”

“Etheridge?” Giles demanded, spinning around to face the Watcher.

“She’s too dangerous, damnit!” Etheridge shouted. Giles moved to position himself next to Buffy as the female Watcher, Jennifer Bryant, entered, alarmed.

Willow whimpered softly but was too weak to even raise her arms to protect herself.

“Stand aside, Giles,” Etheridge ordered as Bryant’s eyes shifted from brown to black. “Let’s us do this or our only option is to eliminate the threat.”

“Never!” Giles said firmly, taking off his glasses.

“You touch Willow and I’ll rip your throats out,” Buffy promised. “Have you asked what she wants?”

“That doesn’t matter!” Etheridge yelled. “She’s a danger and it’s your job as the Slayer to eliminate threats to mankind.”

“It’s my job as Slayer to fight the forces of darkness,” Buffy countered. “I remember, individual choices don’t matter to any of you.”

“Stand aside or we’ll move you,” Etheridge threatened.

“Try it and…and I’ll fry you.”

Everyone turned to see Tara standing on the other side of Willow’s bed with her hands over the red-head’s body, a cocoon of silver light surrounding Willow and the bed.

“Leave us alone!” Tara ordered as Willow’s head dropped forward, her energy gone.

“We won’t just leave this,” Etheridge threatened.

“Yes you will,” Buffy countered. “You told Giles you wanted me back as long as I begged. Well, guess what? I’m not begging and neither is Giles. Tell your witch friend there to back off with the energy thing or she’ll try it with my stake in her throat.”

“Slayers don’t kill humans,” Etheridge smirked.

“I’m not your Slayer, remember?” Buffy countered, stake in hand, poised for throwing.

“Mrs. Bryant,” Etheridge said softly and the woman’s eyes shifted back to brown.

“Now, I’ve been thinking,” Buffy continued. “The way I figure it is that without a Slayer, you guys are out of a job or trying to invent one. You need a Slayer and you want me back but to save your egos, you want me to think that you’re doing us a favor.”

Buffy saw Giles beginning to smile beside her.

“Well, we’re the ones doing you a favor,” Buffy continued.

“I must say!” Mrs. Bryant began to protest and she looked down at the stake sticking out of the floor between her feet.

“No interruptions,” Buffy ordered. “No tests, no begging and no changing of my Watcher. Giles will be reinstated as my Watcher…”

Giles muffled a cough/word “Retroactive.”

“…retroactively and with full pay,” Buffy continued. “No taking Willow or Tara away from us and no more talk about zapping Willow’s powers. We’ll figure it out as we go along and we’ve got each other to keep each other in line. Willow knows the dangers and we’ll learn them.”

“But no other Slayer has worked with others before,” Mrs. Bryant protested.

“And where are they now? Hello!” Buffy demanded sarcastically. “You’re talking about two very powerful witches, a 1000 year old ex-demon with inside knowledge on other demons and evil stuff, a police detective and two FBI agents, pretty good team, I think.”

“The boy that associates with you? No power there,” Etheridge demanded.

“Xander is the heart of the group and has never backed down from a fight,” Buffy countered. “And he’s logged more field time than anyone else in your Watchers.”

“Wow, soldier-type speak,” Tara muttered to Willow, pleased to see her lover manage a small smile as she opened her eyes.

“Ms Summers,” Etheridge protested. “I have my orders.”

“I’m not your Slayer until I agree I am,” Buffy snapped. “And I don’t give a damn about your orders. In the future you won’t be giving orders but suggestions; we work as partners with the Council, not its puppets. You share information and hot tips and we’ll take care of the problems, deal?”

“No Slayer has ever made demands like this!” Etheridge protested.

“Once again I point out that I’m the oldest living Slayer you’ve ever had,” Buffy smirked. “I stayed this way because I had friends working with me and because I’m rather stubborn and don’t always do what the Council wants.”

“Or me for that matter,” Giles complained softly.

“You train young girls to be Slayers until they die and you get another one,” Buffy continued, glaring at Giles for a moment. “Well, I’m not a young girl any more. I’m an adult and so are Willow and Tara and the rest of us. You’ll start treating us like adults and not the teenagers you think you can order around.”

“This is much like a government or military operation,” Etheridge said slowly. “The job of the Slayer is designed to take orders from the Council, to be the weapon, not the leader.”

“I’m not a machine, I’m not a toy, and I’m not a trained animal or robot you can turn off and on,” Buffy growled. “I don’t want to lead your stupid Council; I just want some respect for me and my friends, along with some cooperation. No secrets, no testing, no keeping information back from us that might be helpful and no replacing Giles.”

“This is most unorthodox,” Mrs. Bryant complained, crossing her arms and looking irritable.

Buffy grinned. “That’s me!” she agreed readily.

“The witch must be restrained and monitored,” Mrs. Bryant demanded.

“No,” Buffy said firmly. “What Willow needs is to be addressed by her name, to stay with Tara and me, not to see any more doctors, tubes or hospitals. We will handle it together.”

“I’ll present your requests to the Council and let you know their decision,” Etheridge said slowly and unhappily.

“They aren’t requests, Etheridge,” Buffy corrected. “Every one of them is be agreed upon or you can pack up and go back to merry old England.”

“No room for negotiation?” he smirked.

“No, none,” Buffy said firmly and began counting off on her fingers. “Let’s see, the highlights: Giles, back pay and reinstated as my Watcher; no replacement Watchers; no holding back of info; no testing of me or anyone else; no removing Tara or Willow; no zapping of Willow’s powers; Xander, Anya and Brad stay; I get treated like an adult. Did I miss anything?” Buffy asked the others. “Half Watcher pay for everyone else, it’s murder replacing ripped and bloody clothing, smashed doors, demon gore covered books, stuff like that.”

Willow and Tara resisted giggling over the last demand.

“I’ll let you know,” Etheridge grimaced and motioned Mrs. Bryant out of the room.

The girls and Giles were surprised when Xander and Anya rushed through the door after the Watchers had left.

“We were outside in the hall!” Xander said excitedly.

“Buffy was like kick ass!” Anya agreed with his enthusiasm.

“Yes, I think she was marvelous,” Giles agreed and turned to the witches, wanting to confront Willow about using magick on Etheridge only to discover she was asleep.

“That little bit wore her out,” Tara said softly, wiping away the blood as it poured from Willow’s nose.

Giles and everyone frowned, as the ex-Watcher checked her IV bags closely.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Willow slept soundly for another eight hours before waking up to find Giles sitting next to the bed, watching her.

“Hey,” she whispered and tried to smile.

“Hey, yourself,” he said softly, moving to unhook her restraints.

Willow frowned. “Have I been out of it again?”

“No, it was precautionary after that flash of magick you did,” Giles said calmly, his voice neutral and not scolding.

“Sorry about that, I just felt this incredible feeling of danger from them,” Willow whispered, her voice raw.

“I understand,” Giles nodded, leaning over to unbuckle the other restraint. “It does disturb me though; you had just sworn not to use magick to me.”

“And I acted instinctively,” Willow said just as calmly. “I don’t know how to answer that, Giles. It’s like the werewolf curse, I took it to save Buffy but I used black magick to do it. I sensed danger and used magick to protect myself after promising I wouldn’t. I can’t say I wouldn’t do it again either.”

“We might have a problem if we can’t trust you,” Giles said, his face worried.

“Well, we sure found out we still can’t trust the Council,” she countered.

Giles sighed heavily. “We also have other pressing matters.”

“What? Where are Buffy and Tara?”

“Lying down for a bit,” Giles answered. “Tomorrow night is the full moon.”

“Well, put the restraints back on and drug me silly,” Willow suggested.

“I have another idea,” Giles said thoughtfully. “Do you think with Tara’s help that you could heal your body from what you’ve been through this week?”

“Now you want me to use magick?” Willow was definitely puzzled.

“Like you said, I don’t trust the Council not to harm you or try to stop you from using magick,” Giles began explaining. “I think they might try and take you while you’re still weakened.”

“When do we get a break from someone trying to kidnap me?” Willow demanded, her voice frustrated.

“I suggest that the three of you spend tomorrow night at the cell; we need you healthy to go through that,” Giles continued. “After the full moons, maybe a road trip for the three of you?”

“Road trip?” Buffy’s voice joined them. The witch and ex Watcher looked up to see Buffy and Tara walking in, looking sleepy. “We felt Will’s energy change.”

Willow brightened at the sight of her mates but whimpered when she couldn’t even raise her arms to hold them. Giles stepped aside with a smile to let Tara in on his side of the bed while Buffy grabbed Willow’s hand on the other.

“Road trip?” Buffy repeated, leaning over to kiss Willow on the forehead.

“I would like Willow healed in time for the full moon tomorrow night, using Tara and Willow’s magick,” Giles explained. “After the full moon, I want the three of you out of town until I settle the Watchers down and they give up this idea of burning Willow’s magick out.”

“Road trip,” Buffy agreed with a grin and both Willow and Tara smiled.

“So how do we do this?” Willow asked softly.

“Tara, with your connection with Buffy and Willow, can you do it?” Giles asked.

“I t-think so,” Tara nodded.

“It’ll leave the three of you rather tired, I expect,” Giles commented. “Let me make arrangements with Xander, Anya, Joyce and Brad. I’ll have them prepare the crypt for your three day stay. Once you do the healing, we’ll sneak you out of the house and to the crypt.”

“All three of us will be zapped?” Buffy frowned, hating the idea of being helpless.

“Probably,” Giles said.

“After werewolf duty, we hit the road?” Buffy her frown turning into a smile. “I think we need that.”

“Actually, I was thinking that all of you need that if you don’t mind taking Anya and Xander with you. He can’t work as a security guard with his arm in a cast and I can run the store,” Giles suggested. “Joyce and I are going to settle in and start planning the wedding and getting rid of the Council.”

Buffy looked at her lovers and they both shrugged. “Sure, what about transport?”

“You’ll find a small RV waiting for you after the third full moon,” Giles promised. “Part of my back pay.”

All of them laughed, feeling hopeful for a break in crisis duty.

\\\\\\\\\\\\

Tara grabbed the bars of the cell tightly as Willow’s hand reached around from behind her. She was holding and roughly massaging the blonde witch’s breasts as her fingers danced between Tara’s legs, demanding entrance.

“Oh Goddess!” Tara whimpered at the ferocity of Willow’s sexual needs and how turned on she was by it.

Tara had gone into the cell to wake Willow up after the first night of the full moon and her being a werewolf. Buffy had snuck out to grab breakfast for the three of them and Tara had stayed behind.

Instead of a sleepy red-head, she found a very frisky Willow who was already naked from her transformation from werewolf to human. Willow wasted little time and effort in grabbing Tara in an embrace that left the other witch breathless, her heart racing and her body very aroused. Willow had also wasted little time in getting Tara’s clothes off.

“Need you,” Willow growled, her hands everywhere on Tara’s body. The blonde witch felt like she had to grab something solid to hang onto, just to keep any rational thought in her head.

Willow growled as her body melded against her lover and Tara whimpered.

“Willow, yes!” Tara begged, feeling her body thrusting against Willow's as the red-haired witch lowered her mental shields, drawing Tara into her highly aroused state, joining them together. “Please!”

Willow entered Tara with several fingers as the witch gasped and thrust back, trying to take more of her lover. The red-haired witch whined as Tara’s sensation swept back in through her own body.

Tara felt Willow’s arousal hitting back through her, jolting her and then her lover's other hand moved from her breasts down to her clit as Willow moved deeper into Tara’s center. The blonde witch heard her own voice making whining and whimpering noises as her body begged for more.

Willow growled and bit down on Tara’s shoulder, the light touch of pain sending her lover over into trembling orgasms that had her clinging to the bars, slowly collapsing to her knees onto the sleeping bag.

Tara pulled Willow into her arms, kissing her again and again.

“I’m sorry,” Willow mumbled, brushing Tara’s hair back from her forehead.

“What for?” Tara asked softly.

“That was fast and rough,” Willow grumbled but with a shy smile as Tara stroked her arm.

“And it was intense, wonderful and wow,” Tara smiled.

Willow squeaked as Tara flipped her over and was now on top, kissing her passionately and with rising energy.

The squeak turned into a moan as Tara’s nipples brushed across hers and Willow’s and her lover’s body settled against each other, a thigh between each leg. Tara began an agonizing slow crawl down Willow’s body, her tongue and lips trying to cover every inch between Willow’s lips and her sexual lips, sending Willow into a trembling mass of muscles.

“Oh Goddess,” Willow whimpered as Tara’s hands stayed at her breasts and the lips and tongue moved lower.

Willow felt Tara’s hands move down to her hips and the other's witch's body shift slightly. The red-haired witch yelped when she felt her body slowly lifting off the sleeping bag. She looked down between her legs and found Tara grinning at her as she sat up on her knees, following Willow’s body. The levitating witch was now at a height and angle that was totally open to Tara.

Tara took advantage of the position to drive her tongue as deeply as possible into Willow, her hands moving around the redhead's body to grasp her nipples. Willow felt an incredible sense of trust sweep over her and then a wave of Tara’s arousal.

The weightless sensation added a new depth to her arousal but it was also maddening in that she couldn’t grab onto anything as Tara’s tongue began to drive her into a frenzy and her legs began to shake out of control.

Tara knew she would never get enough of her lover as she drank in Willow’s essence. She knew Willow’s body and what pleased her lover as she entered her lover first with two fingers and then danced her tongue over her lover’s clit. The red-haired witch began thrashing in the air, sweat covering her body despite the cool winter morning. Tara added another finger as Willow’s body opened further for her.

The blonde witch increased her speed and depth and Willow screamed, her body convulsing around Tara’s fingers and tongue.

Willow opened her eyes once her breathing calmed down and snuggled closer in Tara’s arms as her lover pulled the sleeping bag up over them before they drifted into sleep.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Buffy grinned as she quietly opened the cell door. She expected Willow to wake up frisky and then attack Tara; she didn’t expect to find both of them asleep.

Buffy leaned over Tara and began kissing her lover softly. She then leaned over further to kiss Willow as well and then moved back to Tara’s lips as both women began to stir. Buffy was kissing Willow as Tara’s arms wrapped around her, surprising the Slayer by pulling her in between them.

The Slayer laughed for a moment until Tara’s lips captured her. Buffy knew they were both naked when she woke them up but landing between them was a shock to her system, one of arousal. Especially when she felt Willow’s hands pulling at the buttons of her blouse.

Tara’s lips moved to her earlobe and neck. Buffy moaned as the witch began working her neck like an experienced vampire while Willow got the buttons of her blouse undone. Buffy felt her blouse being opened and Willow’s lips on her nipples.

“Uh, guys?” Buffy asked as her breath quickened. She felt her hips arching in anticipation as Tara’s hands began demanding entrance at the buttons of her jeans.

“This too much?” Tara asked softly, pulling back slightly. She felt Willow freeze, moving back from Buffy’s breasts.

“No,” Buffy hesitated. “I don’t think so, just so everybody is okay?”

“Well, I know Willow is getting hit with Full Moon Friskies,” Tara grinned as Willow began blushing. “I’m okay with this; I love you both, very much.”

“I’m not wigging,” Willow grinned and ran a tongue over one of Buffy’s nipples, causing the blonde to jerk in response.

“Oh boy, me either!” Buffy agreed, pulling Tara in for another kiss that was demanding as Willow’s lips and teeth returned to her nipples.

Both her lovers decided that Buffy was over-dressed and sought to remedy the situation as quickly as possible. As Tara attacked her neck and Willow began moving down her body with her lips, Buffy wondered exactly who was being attacked with Full Moon Friskies: Willow or Tara. Buffy knew it was going to look like she had been attacked by a vampire after Tara was done with her neck but didn’t care, it felt too good.

Buffy had no idea whose hands or lips were where, the two witches seemed determined to drive her insane sexually and were working very hard at it, Buffy managed to think as her body arched off the sleeping bag. She felt her hands grabbing someone’s shoulder as fingers entered her and others tweaked one of her nipples. Buffy forced her eyes open and managed to see red hair between her legs just before Tara claimed her mouth again.

Buffy's body jerked in reaction when she felt Willow’s mental “ping” and Buffy dropped her shields, letting her lover connect with her, sending waves of love and desire zapping through the Slayer’s body. Buffy felt Tara joining the connection and felt her mental jerk when Buffy surprised her by moving her hand between Tara’s legs and entering her lover quickly.

Tara broke away from the kiss to gasp and then moan. Buffy cried out as Willow increased her attention to the Slayer’s clit and labia lips.

Buffy was always amazed whenever she touched Willow or Tara, they were both different yet each of them seemed to know her so well and each other. The Slayer figured it was part of their connection; each of them knew what the other ones needed when. Like now, Buffy thought, they knew she liked it a little rough occasionally and Willow was more than a surprising match for the Slayer. Buffy also knew that Willow’s full moon madness was shooting through Tara as well and it was one of the times that she wanted it faster, deeper and a little rougher than she usually did.

None of them really knew how long they slept except that they woke up with the hot chocolate Buffy brought gone cold, the donuts a little stale and all of them intertwined; a mass of arms, legs and skin.

“God, you two are incredible!” Buffy grinned as Willow moved to snuggle on one side and Tara on the other.

“It feels good to be somewhat back to normal, aside from the turning furry with no control thing last night,” Willow smiled back.

Both Tara and Buffy had to agree with that assessment. Compared to the last six months, turning into a werewolf while locked away in a crypt was low on the excitement meter and they were all more than ready for a rest.

After the horrors of detoxifying from the black magic, Willow was left with the energy of a gnat. Only the continual intravenous feedings had kept her alive during the week and a half it took for her system to purge itself of the toxic and addictive energy running through her body.

Buffy shook her head mentally; she still couldn’t believe that Willow had been in that condition less than 48 hours previously. Together with Tara, Willow had managed to heal her body, taking it back to its semi-healthy condition before crossing paths with Dracula.

“I’ll agree with t-that,” Tara said shyly. “I d-don’t think my body is used t-to it yet though.”

Willow began to blush and Buffy laughed softly before hugging both of them.

“Well, we’re stuck here for another night and no one told us how to spend the time,” Buffy teased and then laughed when both Tara and Willow began to blush. “Aside from locking Willow away during the full moon, I suggest we only get dressed long enough to eat and get cleaned up a little. Other than that….” Buffy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and Willow turned a brighter red and Tara tried to hide her face in Buffy’s arm.

“Watch it, Slayer,” Willow threatened playfully through her blush. “I still know your tickle spots!”

“No tickles!” Buffy cried, giving into the threat.

Tara leaned over Buffy to gently kiss Willow and then Buffy.

“Any idea where we’re going to go until the Council calms down about Willow?” Tara asked.

“No, haven’t a clue,” Buffy answered and Willow shook her head as well.

“I suggest that it not be anywhere that we’ve talked about or made plans to visit before,” Willow added. “We have no idea how much the Council knows about us.”

“They’re like some secret organization out of a sci-fi show,” Tara complained.

“That’s because they are,” Buffy growled, remembering the Council’s decision to magickally “zap” Willow’s powers so that she would be helpless to use magick again. During her last phone call to Giles, Buffy had learned that they weren’t too particular in what condition it left Willow either. They were viewing the young witch as a major threat to mankind and they were determined to either cripple her magickally or kill her.

“Well, do we flip a coin?” Willow asked.

“Well, I don’t want to mess with passports and records of us crossing borders so Mexico is out and so is Canada,” Buffy pondered.

“We can’t take an RV to Hawaii,” Tara smiled, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“There are a few states that what we were doing an hour ago is very illegal,” Willow added, giggling at Buffy’s surprised expression.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Buffy protested but Willow lost her smile as she nodded. “What does anyone care what we do together in a sleeping bag?”

“Against God and Nature, you know,” Willow said bitterly.

“Last time I looked most species in the world had homosexuality,” Buffy protested. “Including primates, dolphins and otters!”

“Wow, science girl!” Tara teased, hugging Buffy’s ribs.

“As for God, that’s between me and him, her or it!” Buffy proclaimed.

“Welcome to Gay Liberation 101,” Willow smirked and Buffy blushed slightly.

“Wow,” Buffy muttered. “Okay, so a few southern states are out then.”

“And Utah,” Willow mumbled.

“How about heading north, the weather is getting better and they won’t expect us to head north in the cold,” Tara suggested.

“I agree,” Buffy nodded. “They’ll expect us to head for warmer climate and beaches somewhere.”

“So, cold and mountains?” Willow concluded and the other two nodded.

“Can Anya and Xander go with us?” Tara asked, nuzzling Buffy’s neck as her hand played through Willow’s short hair.

“Yeah, now that Christmas is over, the mall has cut Xander’s hours and didn’t mind him taking vacation,” Buffy answered. “They’ll meet us tomorrow at noon, outside the cemetery.”

“Why at noon?” Willow asked, beginning to drift off again. “Why not at dawn when I change back?”

“Because that’s what the Watchers will be expecting and watching almost every route out of town,” Buffy smiled as Willow closed her eyes.

Giles had warned them that Willow would want to sleep a lot, her body and mental state had been through a great deal and it would be natural for the body to try and catch up. The body still wanted to rest, even with the rapid healing.

Buffy nodded at her other lover and Tara got up slowly, reaching for clothes as Buffy put a pillow in Willow’s arms, watching to ensure the witch continued to sleep. She grinned as Tara handed the Slayer her shirt.

“I’m starving,” Buffy admitted. “Mom packed enough to feed an army for a week, what say we have some brunch?”

“I’m game,” Tara agreed, hesitating a moment, watching Willow sleep.

“She’s sleeping easier,” Buffy commented, wrapping her arms around Tara.

“Yeah,” Tara agreed. “Have you noticed she hasn’t asked about Carson?”

“I think she knows and doesn’t want to talk about it,” Buffy said slowly. “He came to me that night and told me to live; I don’t doubt he made the same trip to Wills.”

“When do our friends stop dying?” Tara complained in a low voice.

“When do we stop suffering? Look at you, watching Willow, me and Xander become Dracula’s playthings, watching Willow turn into a werewolf every full moon, Carson dying…”

“And look at the love I’ve got,” Tara countered. “We have a c-connection that even the great Watcher’s C-Council c-can’t figure out.”

Buffy pulled Tara around for a hug and kiss. “I do love you, Tara.”

“Back at you, Buff,” Tara said softly and then smiled. “Now, food!”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Giles opened the front door of the Summers' home and slammed the door behind him, meeting Robert Etheridge on the porch.

“They still aren’t here, they aren’t coming back and Mrs. Summers doesn’t want to talk to you,” Giles said firmly.

“Giles,” Etheridge began slowly. “We’re not going away as long as Willow Rosenberg is a threat.”

“Why not?” Giles countered. “You leave us in the lurch all the time when it comes to holding back information on prophecies, demons, Hellmouths and whatever else comes along. As long as we handle Willow, why do you care?”

Etheridge frowned at the former Watcher’s logic.

“I agree with Ms. Summers that her relationship with the Council needed to change, yours too,” Etheridge allowed. “We aren’t accustomed to dealing with an adult Slayer and adjustments need to be made. We also need some cooperation on your end.”

“No cooperation if it entails harming Willow in any way,” Giles shook his head. “There is a distinct possibility that wiping Willow’s magickal abilities out will leave her brain damaged or wipe all her memories out. That’s not acceptable.”

“You’re insisting that we leave one of the most powerful, untrained, and black tainted witches to you and your group of children?” Etheridge snapped.

“I thought we just agreed that they were adults,” Giles smirked.

Etheridge’s eyes narrowed in irritation.

“That’s exactly what I’m insisting,” Giles continued. “These children, as you call them, have seen more than all of your Council members could even dream of. They have been through hell several times and have survived. They are fairly sane, strong, and a good team.”

Etheridge frowned, appearing to consider what Giles had said.

“To prove that, Buffy, Willow and Tara have left town and will stay gone until I tell them you aren’t going to kidnap, ambush or harm Willow in any way and agree to Buffy’s terms,” Giles finished.

Etheridge’s eyes hardened and Giles sighed.

“I’m authorized to issue an all out hunt for your Slayer and the witches if I need to,” Etheridge said firmly. “Turn the witch over to us or we’ll take them all out.”

“I wouldn’t advise trying that, mate,” Giles growled, losing his English gentleman accent as Ripper came closer to the surface. “My girls sent Dracula, Acathla, Angelus, Adam, the Master, the Judge and many other horrors packing. Do you really want to kill a Slayer and the good guys?”

“A Slayer who had sex with a vampire, failed to kill him until it was almost too late for the entire world,” Etheridge countered. “A Slayer who let herself get bitten by a werewolf to protect her girlfriend. A witch who will crawl on her hands and knees to get a dose of black magic.”

“We don’t know that,” Giles growled. “I have faith in Willow and in Tara and Buffy’s abilities to keep her on this side of the line.”

“Two months,” Etheridge said flatly. “Two months, regular progress reports and I’ll consider letting her stay here unmonitored after that and untouched.”

“Agreed. Until then, no hunting parties, no alerts and no other Slayers going after them,” Giles bargained. “You bring in another Slayer to cover Sunnydale with their Watcher.”

“You’ve never told them about the other Slayers, have you?” Etheridge asked, his manner shifting to general conversation. Giles pointed to the porch swing and they sat down.

“No, I’m surprised they didn’t figure it out when Kendra was called forward and then Faith,” Giles frowned. “I still wish we didn’t keep that a secret from them.”

“You know the temptation for a Slayer to quit if they knew they weren’t the only Chosen One,” Etheridge reminded the former Watcher. “How many times has your own Slayer complained about her ‘fate’ to be the Slayer?”

“I know and it’s natural for them!” Giles protested. “We take young girls, convince them they are the only hope for the world and turn them into Slayers. They go into it knowing they’ll probably die very young.”

“And if they knew there was some other girl to take their place?” Etheridge countered. “A large majority of them would quit, wanting a normal life of a teenager.”

“A life, period,” Giles complained. “You can’t blame them, we don’t even ask young men to go off to war as young as we take these girls out of their normal existence and start training them.”

“Giles,” Etheridge hesitated. “I hope they make it. Ms. Summers leaving the Council was a major blow and I don’t think we can take another major shakeup and war with her.”

“I’m glad, Etheridge,” Giles said truthfully. “We’re on the same side; going to war would only benefit the side of darkness.”

++++++++++

Buffy watched the werewolf pace restlessly in the cell. Since the telephone call earlier from Giles had told the girls they were no longer in danger of being kidnapped or killed by the Council, Buffy had sent Tara home for the evening to get things ready for their upcoming trip. Giles had encouraged them to continue with their plans for getting out of Sunnydale. After everything that had happened, he felt the entire group needed a break and the three women agreed.

Buffy also suspected that Giles didn’t trust the Watcher Council not to jump in at the first sign of any problems with Willow. If the Council didn’t know where they were, the Scooby Gang would have a better chance at relaxing and letting Willow heal.

The Slayer glanced up and found the wolf watching her closely, as if trying to read her thoughts. “You there, Will?” Buffy asked softly. She debated about getting closer to the cell but held back. The werewolf could be unpredictable on full moons, they had discovered over the last two nights.

The werewolf cocked her head and then laid down on the sleeping bag, still watching the Slayer.

Buffy sighed and leaned her chair back until she and it were leaning against the stone wall. In her lap was a tranquilizer gun and at her feet was a crossbow, both loaded.

“It’ll be good to get away for awhile, Will,” Buffy said softly, keeping her eye on the crypt and the cell door. “We all came so close to dying so many times in the last few months. I need a break and some new clothes.”

Werewolf Willow closed her eyes as the moon got lower in the sky.

“Oz returning, realizing I was in love with you and Tara and that you both actually love me back,” Buffy smiled to herself. “That’s the upside of things, by the way.”

Werewolf Willow whined, as if agreeing.

“Getting bit to protect you,” Buffy continued reminiscing. Any other presence than Buffy or Tara irritated the werewolf but her lover's voices seemed to calm the primal beast on full moons. Willow had managed to control the change when Tara had been attacked by other werewolves but she hadn’t attempted it since then. “Then you went and did that stupid spell. I still could whack you for that one!”

The werewolf opened her eyes and raised her head at the sound of anger in Buffy’s voice.

“Sorry, wolfie,” Buffy lowered her voice to a calmer level. “I just wish you hadn’t done that. I also can’t believe that we just bared our necks and let Dracula walk right up and bite both of us.”

Buffy closed her eyes wearily. It would be good to get away and spend time with the gang. Xander was also feeling guilty about falling to Dracula so easily and hurting everyone. Willow needed time to adjust to the magickal addiction and the three girls needed a chance to really reconnect and discover a stable relationship with each other.

Buffy and Red werewolf drifted off to sleep as the moon disappeared behind the horizon.

+++++++

Willow mumbled and pulled the sleeping bag over her head as gentle hands tried to wake her up. “Sleepy.”

“Come on, Will,” Buffy’s voice encouraged. “We can sleep in the RV.”

Willow didn’t respond.

“Giles and the Watchers said she’d sleep a lot,” Tara commented.

“Yup,” Buffy agreed. “Grab her clothes; I’ll carry her if we need to.”

Together, the two lovers managed to get a very groggy Willow dressed in a large t-shirt and sweat pants and then let her sleep some more as they gathered up their things from the crypt.

Xander and Anya arrived shortly after dawn, the plans once again being altered to leaving Sunnydale at dawn instead of noon. The gang was anxious to begin their vacation and they also wanted to throw any kinks into ambush plans the Council might have just in case the Council had changed their minds about eliminating Willow as a threat to mankind.

Xander grinned at the sight of a grumpy Willow curling back up into the sleeping bag as Buffy and Tara packed up their clothes from three days and nights of werewolf babysitting.

“That’s my Willow,” he smiled as Anya walked up from behind him and hugged him.

“She will be better when we get her away from guys in white coats,” Anya commented and the tall male had to agree.

“She’s been through hell the last few months,” he nodded as Anya broke off the hug to grab a box of snacks and as he bent down to grab the ice cooler. “We all have.”

“It will be interesting to see the country as a human,” Anya said thoughtfully. “When I came over here it was as a demon and I was always too busy with cursing males to appreciate the beauty of the land.”

Xander shook his head with a smile. “Only I could fall for a former demon,” he smirked. “I’m just glad that you’ve stopped telling me some of your more interesting curses that you put on men. The thought of boils all over my manliness is just too disturbing.”

Anya grinned and wiggled her eyebrows at him. “Me too, I like parts of your manhood intact and functional, including your heart.”

“Mushy stuff!” Buffy yelled from across the room and Xander began to blush a bright red.

“Yeah?” he snapped back with a goofy grin. “I’d talk! Whenever Tara or Willow is around, you can’t see, think or do anything!”

“That’s not true!” Buffy protested, sticking her tongue out at her best male friend.

“Is so!” Xander countered.

“Enough!” Tara laughed, pulling Willow into an upright position and shaking the red-head. “Let’s hit the road. Come on, Will, let’s get out of Sunnydale for awhile.”

“Out of Sunnyhell?” Willow mumbled, opening her eyes and rubbing at them. “I’m game.”

Xander laughed and the girls giggled at Willow's sudden enthusiasm.

Together the group managed to haul the snack box, backpacks of clothes, ice cooler and one groggy werewolf witch through the graveyard to the street where the RV awaited them.

“Your chariot, MiLadies,” Xander grinned as he sat the cooler down and unlocked the side door.

Buffy stayed outside, watching for anything out of the ordinary on the daytime street of Sunnydale as Tara and Willow entered the rolling small apartment. The Slayer took stock of the vehicle from the outside as she hovered protectively over her friends and lovers.

The RV was new and bigger than a camper but smaller than a typical RV. Buffy was impressed with the smallness, she figured Xander and Tara, the most experienced drivers among the bunch could handle something that size. Buffy was also concerned about the smallness of the RV, the thought of two months with Xander and Anya with the three of them in that small space could be a frightening thought.

The Slayer shrugged to herself; they had planned on taking breaks along the way and renting hotel rooms now that the Council wasn’t hunting them.

Xander grinned and shoved the ice chest inside the RV and followed Anya in, placing himself in the driver’s seat. Buffy said a small prayer that his driving had improved since high school. Tara leaned out the door with a grin.

“The bed back here is Queen size and the one over the cab is big enough for Xander and Anya!” the witch smiled. “Willow’s already curled up in the corner.”

“Let’s hit the road then,” Buffy agreed, taking one last look around for anyone watching them. “Xander, wander around town awhile, get the feel of this small monster and see if anyone is following us.”

“You got it, Buff,” Xander smiled and turned over the motor as Buffy shut the door and took a look around their new home for the next month, at least.

Buffy headed first to the back of the RV where Tara was leaning against the bulkhead with Willow’s head in her lap. The Slayer’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she took in the size of the spacious bed and the small TV/VCR combination on a shelf above the foot of the bed. The closet could be bigger, she decided, but expected the small space was expected.

Willow was already dozing as Tara gently stroked her hair and Buffy felt her heart going out to the two witches once again as she watched them. Buffy often felt that life was one long string of “unfair” events, especially with her being chosen as the Slayer. Over the last few months, Willow especially had been through more than Buffy could ever wish on her worst enemy.

Tara looked up with a gentle smile.

“We love you too, Buff,” she said softly as Buffy grabbed onto the doorway as Xander pulled away from the curb.

“I love you both,” Buffy responded with a loving smile and turned to survey the rest of the vehicle.

More closet space, refrigerator, sink, stove, microwave, overhead storage, dining table, lounge chair and a bed over the cab of the driver’s area. What impressed the Slayer was the shower, toilet and sink area.

“Thank God, no gas station bathrooms,” she muttered and Anya, in the passenger seat nodded enthusiastically.

“One time I cursed a male to his own private hell of cleaning gas stations bathrooms for eternity,” the former demon commented.

“Interesting,” Buffy acknowledged and sat down in the lounge chair behind Anya, glancing over at the dining table. The space didn’t seem that small with everyone sitting down somewhere but it would probably be impossible if more than one person were up and moving about. They’d have to work on morning schedules or something, she thought to herself.

“Where to, Buff?” Xander asked as they approached the highway entrances.

“North, let’s head north,” she said easily, leaning back in the chair.

The young man pulled the RV over as Anya got out the map of the western United States. Xander, Buffy and Anya looked it over closely.

“No real plans of where we’re going, right?” Xander asked. "There's three different ways to go north, guys."

“Nope, none, just cruising,” Buffy agreed.

“Okay, are we going up the other side of the mountains heading into Nevada, through Bridgeport and the mountains to Reno, Nevada? Or there is the center of the State through the Central Valley? We would hit Sacramento and stuff. The other option is up the coastline towards San Francisco.”

“There’s always cross-over highways in case we change our minds too,” Anya pointed out. “There’s a highway that goes from Bridgeport through Yosemite to the Central Valley.”

“And here’s one from the Central Valley to the Coast,” Xander pointed to another.

“Well, we’re not set on making time getting anywhere,” Buffy said thoughtfully. “Do we know if there is still snow in Yosemite?”

“There’s snow until late spring blocking Tioga Pass,” Tara commented from the back. “We would end up going through Reno, through Susanville and dropping back into California from that route. We run the risk of snow.”

Buffy smiled at her lover with a questioning glance and Tara shrugged.

“My family lives up north in the mountains,” she explained.

“You’ve never said anything about them, I guess I thought you were an orphan or something,” Xander commented.

“Are we visiting family types?” Anya asked, unsure if she was in favor of that thought or not.

“No!” Tara said quickly, startling Willow. Tara touched Willow’s cheek softly. “No, they don’t agree with me leaving home, going to college and they forbid the practice of witchcraft and homosexuality.”

“Then we don’t need to see them,” Xander said easily.

“Okay, let’s play tourist and head up the coastline,” Buffy suggested.

“That’s a long and hard drive,” Xander pointed out.

“Are we in a hurry?” Willow mumbled and Xander grinned.

“Nope, let’s see seals, otters, and lots of twists and turns!” he said cheerfully.

Since all of them had been over this part of the highway before, Tara snuggled down next to Willow while Buffy, Anya and Xander debated what would be the first CD for road music.

Willow nuzzled Tara’s neck.

“I’ve been so scared of losing you these last few months,” Tara said softly, kissing Willow for several long moments.

Willow sighed, relaxing in her mate’s arms. “I know, I am so tired of being kidnapped, tortured, bitten and separated from you and Buffy.”

“You’re so strong, Wills,” Tara commented. “I love you.”

“I love you, Tar,” Willow said softly, running her hand over Tara’s arm. “I don’t feel so strong.”

“I know, you’re just tired right now,” Tara smiled, stroking Willow’s hair as the red-haired witch closed her eyes.

Tara glanced over her shoulder, catching Buffy watching them. The Slayer was smiling as she watched Willow drift into sleep. Anya had won the round of Rock-Paper-Scissors and they were currently listening to some group called Dead Can Dance.

Buffy smiled and walked cautiously to the back of the RV, sitting next to Tara.

The blonde witch smiled, turning over slightly so she could look at and touch her other lover.

“She’ll probably sleep a lot on the road,” Buffy said softly.

“Yeah, she’s got a lot to catch up on after that mess with Dracula,” Tara agreed.

“We all do,” Buffy agreed, leaning down to kiss the witch tenderly. Buffy’s eyes were sad when she pulled back. “I’m so sorry about Dracula, Tara.”

“I’m trying to understand,” Tara admitted. “It does hurt but I know you weren’t in control. I know that.”

Buffy continued to frown. “It feels weird, all he had to do was snap his fingers and we both jumped.”

Tara reached up to wipe away the tears beginning to fall from Buffy’s blue eyes.

“I didn’t resist him, Tara,” Buffy said softly. “Willow fought against breaking the connection with you, even when she was hurting so bad from the magick thing. She fought back, I didn’t.”

Tara felt Willow stirring and saw that Willow was awake and hurting for their lover. Together they pulled Buffy in between them as she began to cry.

“You resisted him when it counted, Buffy,” Tara countered.

Because of Willow’s crisis over the withdrawal from the magick, Buffy really hadn’t had time to have her own emotional crash over the incident of falling to Dracula’s mental control and desires.

Willow and Tara had actually expected it and held the Slayer tight, letting her cry. Tara glanced up and saw Xander and Anya purposefully keeping their eyes on the road ahead of them. She reached up and closed the curtain between the bedroom area and the main area of the RV.

“We’re safe, we’re together, and Dracula’s gone, Buff,” Willow said softly, stroking Buffy’s hair as Tara wrapped her arm around both of them.

The comforting consisted of snuggles and gentle touches until Buffy and Willow had cried themselves out and drifted into sleep.

Tara moved up to the lounge chair behind Anya and smiled at her friends.

“They okay?” Xander asked softly.

“Yeah,” she said easily. “They’re j-just both exhausted and emotionally on overload.”

“I can understand that,” Xander muttered. He grinned and reached over to squeeze Anya’s hand. “Dr. Xander and Nurse Anya at your service, we will do our best to get them to relax and heal. You too!”

Tara blushed slightly but smiled. Sometimes it wasn’t easy for the shy young woman to believe that she was totally accepted by the Scooby Gang but it was getting easier. She knew that Buffy and Willow loved her very much and Xander loved both of them. Anya came along with Xander, therefore Buffy, Willow and Tara accepted and liked her. Tara came along with Buffy and Willow now, therefore Xander and Anya accepted and liked her.

What really amazed the young witch was Joyce Summers' and Giles’ acceptance of her relationship with both Buffy and Willow.

Being in love with both Willow and Buffy was unusual enough, being involved with them in slaying and witchcraft was even more unusual in that it worked and the three of them seemed to balance each other.

That balance was what was needed now, they all realized. Dracula’s mental control over Willow and Buffy and Willow’s physical addiction to black magick because of Dracula had damaged that balance. It had also damaged everyone’s confidence in their skills and strength.

Tara glanced over as Xander drove along the highway. He hadn’t said much about Dracula’s mental control either but everyone knew he was feeling guilty for having betrayed Buffy and Willow to his Dark Master Dracula.

Tara settled into the seat and dozed lightly, listening to Anya’s continual tales of travel throughout the ages and how much nicer the RV was than a carriage in the 17^th century.

\\\\\\\\\\\\

The first real stop of the trip was at the classic Malibu beach. The day was clear and in the low 70s, perfect for roaming along the sand, Xander declared. The weather in Sunnydale was still in the grip of winter and hadn’t let go of temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

Xander grinned and parked the RV, satisfied with the vast amount of parking on a weekday.

“Beach!” he shouted. Tara grinned as Anya clapped. The back partition opened to reveal a grinning Buffy and a blinking but smiling Willow.

“First stop!” Xander announced.

“Excellent choice!” Tara agreed.

“We’ve all been keeping too many night time hours,” Buffy added. “I could use some sun. You too, Will.”

“I am in total agreement,” the red-head grinned.

The first real test of the motor home came moments later when it was debated whether it was warm enough for shorts and who would change where. Given Willow’s recent physical problems, they decided just to run around a bit on the beach and not change their clothes this time.

Xander and Anya picked a picnic table to sit on as Buffy, Willow and Tara romped on the edge of the surf, tackling each other and ending up playing tag. Until the teasing during the play ended up in a three-way snuggle and kissing fest.

The next test for the group came with the second decision: make time as far up the coast as they could get, play tourist along the way or both.

Anya leaned back in Xander’s arms on the sand as the triad settled down, each grinning and flushed from their romp by the ocean.

“It's so weird,” Buffy commented. “We’re always chasing our tails, either with school or saving the world. I’m not used to having time to think, let alone slack off.”

“I agree,” Willow added, leaning against Buffy’s shoulder as Tara lay on a blanket, her head in Willow’s lap.

“I suggest we just hit Highway 1 and stop whenever and wherever we want,” Xander proposed and everyone nodded in agreement.

“Let’s move then and at least get out of the county,” Buffy suggested, sitting up with a grin.

+++++++

The next week was spent moving slowly up the California coastline. After the first day Xander began to relax and settled into driving at a calm pace instead of rushing through the scenery.

Malibu beach, a cruise around the Channel Islands; La Purisima Mission; Point Sal; Pismo Beach; Los Osos; Morro Bay where they spent the afternoon eating calm chowder and French bread on a dock; Harmony, a town of artists that barely registered on a map; a very long day in Hearst Castle; the magnificent beauty of the rough coast of Big Sur; another day exploring Carmel, Monterey and Cannery Row.

Tara threw herself onto the RV bed with an exaggerated sigh as Willow spun around in the Captain’s chair, laughing softly.

“Got tired of the noise too?” Willow asked, knowing that about her sometimes shy lover.

“Yeah, that arcade is enough to make you dizzy,” Tara nodded, leaning up on her elbows. “Buffy and Xander are competing with a shooting game. I think Buffy forgot that Xander was some kind of soldier for real one Halloween and he’s giving her a run for her money in sharp-shooting and Anya claiming all the prizes.”

“Yeah, you should have seen him that Halloween,” Willow smiled. “For a scary thing it was actually interesting. He was like John Wayne or something.”

“And you were a ghost,” Tara added, remembering being told the story of haunted costumes.

“Yup and the only one thinking clearly,” Willow smiled.

“The others should be gone for awhile,” Tara said softly and Willow felt her heart skip a beat as her mate’s eyes darkened in desire.

Willow moved slowly out of the chair as Tara turned over onto her side. The red-haired witch grabbed something from the back of the door and placed it on the outside door handle before closing it.

Tara smiled as Willow climbed onto the bed next to her and closed the partition.

Willow touched Tara’s cheek gently, as if afraid her mate was a dream. Tara pulled Willow into her arms and moaned as their lips met. Her red haired lover snuggled down into her arms with a sigh and a smile.

“We haven’t had a lot of time to snuggle since Dracula,” Willow commented.

“Before that actually,” Tara observed, beginning to unbutton Willow blouse as Willow drew a leg over Tara’s. “I love you Willow, don’t you ever dare run away again!”

“I won’t, I promise,” Willow said, her voice getting husky as Tara pulled her blouse open. “I’ll never leave you or Buffy again.”

Willow’s hands were pulling at Tara’s t-shirt as well and growled as it remained stubbornly on. Tara smiled and rose up enough for her mate to get the t-shirt over her head. Bras were removed quickly and mutually as both women began breathing heavily and movements became a little more frantic.

“Goddess, Will,” Tara mumbled.

“Yes, now!” Willow growled, pulling at Tara’s jeans as the other woman tugged at her shorts.

“It always feels like fire when I'm touching you!” Tara whispered, kissing Willow’s neck and biting her earlobe before moving to her lips again.

“I love you, Tara,” Willow moaned as clothing was shoved aside, impatiently. She cried out as Tara’s lips and teeth moved lower to her breasts and nipples. Her back arched as her lover's hands roamed all over her skin.

“Need you! It’s like I’m in heaven when I touch you and I’ll die if I don’t keep touching you,” Tara mumbled.

“Yes,” Willow whimpered, agreeing with the sentiment.

Willow willingly gave up the lead to her lover as Tara’s body covered her. A leg between hers caused Willow to cry out again and thrust against Tara. The blonde witch felt herself whimper as her hand moved between their bodies, touching warmth and wetness as Willow bit her lip.

* * *

Xander stopped in the parking lot, his arms filled with stuffed animals and packages. Buffy and Anya snapped in protest as they nearly ran into him until they saw the red bandana tied to the door handle of the RV.

“Looks like we’re supposed to stay out for awhile,” Xander smirked.

“Should have known this would happen when they both decided they had enough of big noises,” Anya complained. “We are getting a hotel room tonight, Xander!”

“Yes, dear,” he said willingly. The only real draw back of traveling with the Scooby Gang was the lack of privacy for sex.

Buffy grinned, she intended to give Tara and Willow another work out later that night in their own hotel room. She needed snuggle time and sex as well and sometimes having Anya and Xander just on the other side of a thin partition wasn't enough space.

* * *

The next day was spent along the beach at Santa Cruz. Xander and Anya took in a few of the rides on the Boardwalk while Buffy, Willow and Tara lounged on a blanket on the beach. The weather was nice; it was a weekday so it wasn’t crowded and they wanted to relax from playing tourist.

“This is really nice,” Willow murmured, her head resting on Buffy’s stomach.

“Yeah,” Tara, lying on her stomach next to Buffy, agreed.

“Any Jonesing for the magick thing?” Buffy asked the red-head, running her hand over Willow’s hair.

“Some,” Willow admitted. “It’s not bad, though. I look at the two of you and it passes.”

“You’ll let us know if it gets too hard, right?” Tara repeated.

“You bet,” Willow nodded. “I think the real test will be when we get back to Sunnyhell and facing danger.”

“Yeah and I don’t think the Council will let us off the hook just because we played tourist all this time,” Buffy said thoughtfully.

“I know, they’ll still want to keep an eye on me until we either prove I can handle it or can stay away from it,” Willow nodded.

“Which do you want to do?” Tara asked, sitting up to look down at her lover.

Willow frowned as she thought for a moment. “I’ve been going over it in my head, a lot. I want to work on controlling it with you. The magick started working for me when we worked together. I’d like to start slow and go back to the basics.”

“Okay, we can start any time you’d like,” Tara nodded and used the opportunity to bend over and kiss Willow and then Buffy before lying back down.

“Well, well, well,” a masculine voice intruded into the conversation.

Buffy sat up instantly as Tara and Willow looked up to find three college-looking males standing nearby.

“Here we were going to ask for a date tonight,” the voice continued with a smirk.

Willow and Tara sat up slowly as Buffy’s muscles tensed.

“Guess that’s out of the question, huh, Steve,” the middle one grinned. “Looks like they’re either very, very kinky or a bunch of dykes.”

Buffy glanced around, gauging her surroundings, her lack of weapons, and her growing irritation. She had heard the word ‘dyke’ muttered around them after Willow and Tara had been open about their relationship but never to her face.

The blonde Slayer slowly got to her feet and moved to where Tara and Willow were slightly behind her.

“Look, guys,” Buffy said slowly. “We’re just trying to grab some sun and quiet. How about giving us some space?”

The Slayer knew that it wasn’t likely that the three males would leave but she really wanted it to end peacefully.

The three smirked again and Buffy quickly sized each of them up in their baggy shorts, baggy t-shirts and baseball caps. No weapons of any kind but they were big, probably football players, she surmised.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart,” the third one grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. “Don’t dig guys?”

The other two snarled, their eyes hardening.

The beach was fairly deserted and there wasn’t anyone close enough to help or encourage the males to leave. Buffy had a sinking feeling this was going to get messy.

Buffy felt a “ping” at her mental shields and opened them.

//Buffy, this isn’t good,// Willow said mentally.

///Don’t worry about us,/// Tara reassured their mate mentally.

Buffy’s sense of fair play demanded that she wait until they made a move before she beat the hell out of them but that didn’t mean she couldn’t push them.

“Well it has been awhile since I got to kick some ass,” she muttered. “Look, guys, if you are the alternative to women, I’ll choose women every time.”

It took the males a moment to realize what she was saying and then they got angry.

“Why you little dyke!” Steve growled and swung his fist at Buffy’s nose as the other two moved to grab her.

Buffy knew they expected her to try and go for the groin. Instead the Slayer thrust upwards with the palm of her hand, shattering Steve’s nose. She bent her body over to one side and brought her leg straight up under the chin of the one on her right. He fell heavily to the sand.

The remaining male stopped his advance and looked at his friends, one lying on the ground with a broken jaw and the other on his knees, holding a broken nose.

“I’m cool,” he muttered.

“Take them and leave, you ruined my sun,” Buffy complained. “And that wasn’t even a decent demonstration of self defense.”

“Come on, let’s head back,” Willow said behind her as the male helped his friends to his feet.

Buffy kept an eye on the wounded males as Willow and Tara gathered their things.

“Bummer,” Buffy muttered. “Let’s grab something to eat.”

“Good idea,” Tara agreed.

* * *

Xander had been disappointed that he missed the minor altercation on the beach but Anya was overjoyed. She had managed to drag her boyfriend into a deserted janitorial closet for some kinky private time.

Xander's hand over her mouth stopped any further graphic descriptions of their sexual encounter when he blushed a bright red as Tara and Willow giggled. Buffy grinned at his embarrassment.

"At least we wait until we get back to the RV or a hotel room," she smirked.

"Hey, that's enough now!" he protested. "Okay, how about….uh, food! Food would be good!"

"He's trying to change the subject," Willow pointed out the obvious to Tara and the witch nodded, still feeling as playful as Willow.

"How true. You know he's always hinting for descriptions about what we do together sexually but he never lets Anya share what they do, ever notice that?" Tara teased.

Anya pulled Xander's hand away from her mouth and nodded vigorously.

"I too have noticed that!" she agreed.

"I think I'll crawl under the RV now!" Xander shouted. "No talking about my sex life!"

"Gee, that seems one-sided," Buffy joined in on the teasing.

"Food or Anya doesn't get sex for a week!" Xander threatened.

Anya was quickly sitting in the passenger seat and buckling her safety belt, very compliant.

Buffy and her mates laughed hysterically for several moments as Xander started the RV up and moved out of the parking lot.

The Slayer took the chance to watch her lovers and friends over dinner and smiled. For the first time in six months they finally were relaxing and it felt a bit like old times as Willow laughed and leaned against Tara as Xander made goofy faces over his slice of pizza, resting his cast on the table.

Anya was trying to understand male juvenile humor as Tara blushed.

Buffy found herself grinning as Tara and Xander raced for the jukebox in the pizza parlor, fighting to see who got to choose the next set of songs. Anya shook her head and watched Xander with loving eyes.

"He is special," she declared.

"Yeah," Buffy agreed.

Xander caught the look from Anya and grinned a goofy smile and began blushing, giving Tara an opening to insert her dollar into the machine while he was distracted. He threw up his hands in defeat and began to beg Tara for a chance to pick at least one of the songs.

Tara, laughing, relented and let him pick the first song.

Buffy, watching Xander saw him suddenly get a very serious look on his face as he dug into his jacket pocket for something. The Slayer had noticed him checking the pocket every ten minutes ever since they had left the RV for dinner and wondered what he was up to.

Xander was obviously nervous when he and Tara came back to the table causing Willow and Buffy to get very quiet. Anya, catching Xander's expression fell silent a moment later.

"Xander? Is something wrong?" Anya questioned after a moment of the young man standing at the table instead of sitting, shuffling on his feet, hands deep in his pockets.

"No! Nothing!" he squeaked.

"Xan, what gives?" Willow asked softly.

"I…I've been doing a lot of thinking lately," he stammered. "That deal with Dracula really twisted me up inside…I almost lost all of you…I was almost lost."

"Xan?" Buffy asked softly, almost afraid of where he was headed.

"I don't want to miss any chance I've got," he continued quickly. "Seeing the three of you together makes me…"

"Horny?" Anya questioned.

"NO!" he snapped, blushing. "Kinda like warm fuzzies, I guess. You three just fit together and Willow and Buffy are finally happy. I want that too."

"You do not have this with me?" Anya demanded, beginning to pout. "You wish more women or men in your bed?"

"NO!" Xander snapped and went to one knee, fumbling with something in his pocket.

"Oh God," Buffy muttered as he pulled out a jewelry box.

"Oh boy," Willow muttered.

"Anya," Xander continued, ignoring his friends and opening the box to reveal a very nice diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Anya blinked as the other three women held their breath, eyes wide in surprise. Buffy was surprised when the former vengeance demon's eyes filled with tears.

"You mean a traditional-like wedding and marriage?" she whispered.

"Yes," Xander nodded. "Whatever you want; white dress, preacher, our friends, a small house, kids, everything!"

"Yes!" Anya shouted and pulled Xander to her for a long and passionate kiss as Buffy, Tara and Willow began to cheer and clap.

Other customers, figuring out what was happening when they saw the young man on one knee with a ring box, joined in on the cheering and clapping. Xander got to his feet with Anya still in his arms. He kissed and held her tightly.

He began moving slightly with his fiancée as Bryan Adams began singing "Everything I Do."

Willow leaned against Tara and held Buffy's hand as they watched the young couple sway, lost in the moment and in each other's eyes.

* * *

The next three days were spent in San Francisco celebrating the engagement and their freedom. The only 'bitch' during the trip to that point was Anya complaining that Xander wouldn't let her buy everything in sight. Her mercenary heart quickly calculated the resale value of several things they saw along the way that she could resale in the Magic Box and Xander put his foot down by saying there wasn't enough room in the RV.

Willow consulted the map as they crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. A quick detour to the Marin Headlands for a picnic and travel decisions led to the general idea of driving slowly, continuing up Highway 1, taking in the little towns and the magnificent coastline above San Francisco.

Tara, having lived in Northern California, stood back and watched Buffy and Willow discover the crashing ocean against the sea cliffs and the pine trees that lined the other side of the road. Willow was delighted with the combination of coast and forest and the rest of the group was more than happy to indulge her desire to explore almost every spot along the way. Xander took special delight in pointing out that they could take a tour of the area via horror movies.

Buffy asked what he was talking about and he happily pointed out that several movies had been filmed in the SF area and above.

"'Scream' was filmed at the Santa Rosa high school; 'The Birds' at Bodega Bay; 'The Fog' was at Point Reyes; 'Interview with the Vampire' in San Francisco," he grinned.

"And 'Time After Time' in San Francisco too," Tara mentioned and Willow raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I remember that one!" Willow said happily. "Jack the Ripper and H.G. Wells, so romantic!"

Tara grinned and nuzzled Willow's neck as they lounged on the bed in the back.

Buffy laughed from the seat behind Anya. "Only Xander would know what horror films were filmed where," she grinned.

* * *

The small band took their time traveling up the coast, taking several days before they reached Eureka.

As they got closer to the California-Oregon border, they decided it was time for more traveling decisions and huddled over the maps one evening in a hotel room.

"Well, we have 15 days before the next full moon," Tara pointed out, looking at a calendar and holding Willow's hand. "We need to decide if we want to be back in Sunnydale by the full moon or chance sedating and chaining Willow up somewhere on the road."

"What do you think, Will?" Buffy asked softly.

Willow's jaw muscles clenched as she struggled against her feelings of guilt for putting her friends through the hassle of dealing with her as a werewolf as she looked over the map.

Buffy leaned forward and raised Willow's chin.

"None of that, Red," Buffy scolded. "None of us are to blame for this, not even Oz really. No guilty feelings, we just deal with it."

"Yeah," Xander agreed as Anya played with her ring. "It's no deal, Will. Just like when we watched over Oz."

"It still makes me feel bad," Willow mumbled.

"I suggest we take our time heading back," Tara said thoughtfully. "I can help hold the werewolf magickally and it'll show the Council that we're not afraid of dealing with Willow on any level."

"Wow!" Buffy said with a smile. "That's a great idea."

Tara blushed under the praise and Willow leaned up and kissed the blonde witch.

"Okay, how about crossing over from here to Redding, over to Susanville, down to Reno and then back to Sacramento and then down to home?" Xander suggested, pointing out his suggested long route. "It'll take us through some major mountains, into the fun gambling city of Reno and then down the State. We can veer off and see Yosemite from Merced or something else if we want."

"Grand idea and we can see Lake Tahoe, it's so beautiful this time of year," Buffy agreed. "Giles isn't complaining about the credit card charges or yelling for us to hurry back, so I agree."

"I'm in!" Tara said with a smile. "As long as we avoid Scott Bar."

"Where is that?" Xander asked with a frown.

"Probably not even listed," she mumbled. "And it's further up than we're going."

"Then not a problem," he grinned.

"Let's do it," Willow agreed.

"I am in agreement," Anya said, looking at her ring and the diamond.

"Let's get some sleep and we'll start the mountain tour tomorrow," Buffy suggested.

"As if the three of you ever sleep," Anya complained.

"Well, I remember the hotel manager threatening to break in your door last time we stopped at a hotel," Buffy teased and Xander began blushing again.

"Yeah," Willow joined in quickly. "He wasn't sure if you were having sex or killing Xander."

"Well, can you blame him?" Tara added as Xander groaned. "Seeing Xander tied to the bed and Anya with a…."

"Nothing! That wasn't a riding crop in her hand!" Xander protested and dragged Anya off the bed. "It was the belt off my robe!"

"I thought that's what I tied your hands with…" Anya began to correct him as he dragged her out of the room.

Buffy, Willow and Tara laughed until tears flowed and ribs hurt.

"Goddess, we have got to stop teasing him!" Tara insisted, still giggling.

"Anya makes him such a great target though," Buffy commented as Willow lay back on the bed holding her ribs.

"One of these days he's going to catch us doing something and tease us forever," Willow warned as Buffy moved slowly to lay beside her. Willow's breath caught in her throat as Buffy's eyes darkened with desire and she began unbuttoning Willow's blouse.

Tara moved up along Willow on the other side and nuzzled the red-head's neck.

"Oh boy, you two drive me insane!" Willow whispered.

"Oh yeah and I enjoy every minute of it," Buffy muttered as she unfastened Willow's bra and took a nipple into her mouth. She then moved up to Willow's lips.

Tara snuggled on one side and Buffy on the other, Willow sighed with happiness.

The evening was spent snuggling, nuzzling and slowly building to sex. One of the times the three lovers had the chance to take things slow and lovingly and they intended to treasure it.

Even if they didn't get enough sleep.

* * *

Two days later Xander pulled over and consulted the map as they traveled from Susanville towards Reno, Nevada. Anya turned and smiled at the three women snuggling in the back of the RV. The trip had been good for everyone, Anya included.

Most of those two days were spent snuggling in the RV, either Xander and Anya in the bed above the cab or the three lovers in the bed in the back. A gentle and romantic mood had descended on the group after Xander's proposal and Anya's acceptance of marriage.

Anya frowned as she changed the channel on the radio. Xander looked over with a puzzled looked as she swore under her breath.

"What is it, honey?" he asked.

"Radio religious fanatics are more annoying now than in the 15th century," Anya complained.

"Just change the channel," Xander suggested.

"It is so stupid! These uptight men and women who probably have never achieved an orgasm go around telling people how to live," Anya continued to complain.

"What's the problem this time?" Xander grinned.

"That moron was saying that homosexuals are evil people just because who they have sex with and love," Anya bitched loudly.

Xander glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed Buffy leaning up on her elbow, as the three women got quiet.

"Can't change those types, Anya," Xander said sadly as he looked around at the road signs. "Just change the channel."

"They are stupid and should be educated," Anya protested. "All they would have to do is spend time with our friends to know that they aren't evil. We fight evil, they aren't evil."

Xander grinned as he saw Buffy shake her head with a grin. Anya switched seats with him and wrangled the RV back onto the road, managing quite well.

"They wouldn't even agree to talk with Willow and Tara, Anya," Xander tried to explain. "They think witches are evil too."

"So, they think Willow and Tara are evil because they are gay and witches?" Anya asked.

"Pretty much, Buffy gets included because she's gay now or at least bisexual with them," Xander nodded, putting in a CD to avoid any more preaching from the radio.

"But Buffy fights evil more than any of us! That is not fair! She's died for the good side, don't those idiots think about such things?" Anya asked.

"Not really," Xander pondered. "They think Buffy is wrong because she now sleeps with women, two of them at the same time and has unmarried sex. Lots of things, I guess."

"This doesn't make sense," Anya complained.

"No, sometimes strong religious beliefs don't make sense," Xander said gently.

"They never have, I know that," Anya snapped. "It just shouldn't continue is what I'm saying. They should be willing to take time to learn their mistakes."

"I agree totally," Xander nodded. "Unfortunately, we can't tie them to a chair and make them listen."

Anya sighed as Xander grinned. "I miss the days when we could," she smiled.

Xander shook his head as Willow giggled softly.

"Can we stop for lunch, guys? I'm a little tired and would like to switch drivers," Xander called. "We've got a town coming into sight down in that valley below."

"That's strange," Anya muttered, looking over the map. "There's no town listed this soon."

"Well, maybe it's too small for the map," Xander suggested.

"They might not have a coffee shop then," Tara called from the back.

"I hope they do, I'd really like a good greasy hamburger, please," Xander begged.

"We could all use a stretch break," Buffy agreed.

"Cool, thanks," Xander smiled and worked the RV slowly down the mountain road slowly. The group had decided to take some off highway roads and see the mountains. Now they had found a small town that wasn't even listed on the map.

He grinned with relief when they spotted a small coffee shop at the end of the one road town.

The three mates moved up to check out the town as Xander slowed to a crawl.

"Wow! This is like something out of a bad horror movie!" Xander said softly.

"Or some biker film," Tara added.

"Deliverance," Anya chirped in.

"Oh, so not a place I want to visit!" Xander declared. "I don't want to squeal like a pig!"

The place looked like a stereotypical small mountain town from a horror movie. Small little shops, a sheriff's office, a bar and a few houses. A couple of roads branched off from the main road and they could see several houses in the woods along those roads.

"Let's eat!" Xander said enthusiastically.

"You're always hungry," Willow laughed.

The small group emerged from the RV, smiling and joking among themselves. They spotted several locals hanging around outside a small general store but didn't pay too much attention to them. Buffy, of course, immediately gauged strength, potential weapons and possible danger from the men and two women and anywhere surrounding them but her "spidey" sense wasn't buzzing so she followed her mates and friends into the coffee shop.

"Mel's diner!" Xander whispered with a grin.

"You watch too much TV!" Tara whispered back as a waitress with a bee-hive hairdo approached them with menus.

"Five of you?" she asked, snapping her gum.

Buffy could tell that Xander was barely hanging onto his composure and not laugh in the woman's face. She did look like something out of a TV truck stop.

"Yes, please," Anya said politely.

The group sat down in the booth, with Willow squeezing in between Tara and Buffy. Xander grinned at the typical menu and leaned against Anya.

The waitress returned a few moments later with her order pad and smiled.

"Can I take..."

Xander looked up as the woman hesitated, her face puzzled as she looked at the three young women.

"Order?" Xander asked quickly, wondering if they were about to get a dose of small town prejudice. "Yeah, I'd like a double cheeseburger, fries and a coke."

The woman blinked and quickly wrote on her pad.

"I would like a cheeseburger, a small salad and milk, please," Anya requested.

"Same here, please," Willow said softly and Tara nodded.

"Sounds good," Buffy agreed.

"Okay," the waitress smiled but Willow caught Buffy's frown, the smile seemed forced.

"Was that weird or what?" Tara whispered as the woman leaned over a back counter and handed someone in back their order.

"Yeah," Xander agreed and frowned when he noticed the waitress moving to the far end of the counter to urgently talk with one of the locals. Buffy continued to frown when the scruffy young man got up with his meal only half finished and moved out a back door.

"Is anybody else getting wigged here?" Xander whispered.

"Yeah, there's something…" Willow muttered.

"What is it, Will?" Buffy asked, frowning with worry.

"I don't know," Willow frowned. "It's like…I don't know, damnit. Maybe she's a magic user and I'm sensing that."

The waitress returned with three plates and made a return trip with the last two, including Xander's double cheeseburger. Drinks followed next and Willow continued to frown.

Buffy felt Tara trying to extend her "senses" at the same time Buffy did but couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary.

"Okay, Willow senses something weird," Xander said between large bites. "Why isn't Buffy sensing something?"

"Or Tara if it's magic?" Anya asked.

Willow's eyes widened and her breathing quickened.

"Get me out of here, guys!" she whispered, her voice almost panicked.

"Will!"

"Buffy, please! Let's get out of here!" Willow begged and Xander was on his feet in a moment. He quickly crossed to the counter and pulled out some money.

"I'm sorry, my friend isn't feeling well, thanks!" he said quickly as the girls dashed for the door with Anya right behind them. Xander grabbed his burger and moved to follow his friends.

Willow squeaked as the door slammed open and a huge man in uniform stood in their way. Xander turned to find that the same scruffy young man had returned and was standing at the back door.

"Good afternoon, ladies," the Sheriff said calmly. "Sir," he continued, including Xander as he looked over their shoulders.

His eyes settled on Willow as she whimpered and stumbled back into Buffy.

"Welcome to Lupercalia," he said with a smile. "Sister."

Willow felt her heart racing as the Sheriff's eyes changed from dark brown to wolf yellow and his canine teeth extended into fangs.

///////////

Willow's squeak turned to a growl when the Sheriff's canine's turned into fangs. She felt Buffy's muscles tensing behind her.

"Please!" the Sheriff said quickly, holding up his hands in a peaceful gesture. "We mean you no harm! I promise!"

His fangs quickly retracted and his eyes shifted back to human brown.

"Would you all please sit down and finish your meal?" he asked softly.

"Will?" Buffy asked, her hands on Willow's shoulders, ready to pull her lover out of the way to protect everyone.

"I swear by Romulus and Remus and their wolf mother that we don't mean you any harm," the Sheriff said slowly. He pulled out his pistol and handed it to Buffy; butt first.

"Okay," Willow said softly.

The small group returned to their booth and the young man brought over a chair for the Sheriff to sit down at the edge of the booth.

"I'm called Luke," the Sheriff said introducing himself. "That's Lucille and the young one is Phillip."

"I'm Willow," Willow said slowly. "Tara, Buffy, Xander and Anya."

"You're a werewolf too?" Anya demanded, getting right to the point.

"Yes, we all are," Luke nodded.

"All?" Willow squeaked, almost jumping up in fright and surprise.

"Easy, young one!" Luke smiled.

"All of you?" Buffy demanded and then muttered, "Why didn't I sense it?"

"The entire town is," Luke added, watching Xander almost choke on his fries.

"Oh God," Willow whispered.

"The entire town?" Xander repeated.

"Yes, we're the descendants of an ancient tribe from the Carpathian Mountains," Luke explained. "Our families immigrated here with the gypsies but we stayed together and founded this small town when mankind moved west."

"The entire town gets furry on full moons and tears up the countryside?" Buffy asked, wrapping an arm protectively around Willow's shoulders.

"In a way," Luke grinned. "We find our wolf selves when we hit teenage years and the Elders show the young ones how to control it so we aren't a danger to anyone."

"You can control it?" Willow whispered, her eyes suddenly hopeful instead of fearful.

Luke nodded gently. "Yes, and we offer that to any of our kin passing through, like you."

Buffy frowned. "A friend of ours left town a while back and when he came back he could control the wolf but he was totally evil."

"He didn't learn from us," Luke said firmly. "We teach the young how to accept the wolf and nature. We view ourselves as part of nature, not something evil and cursed."

"But I was," Willow said softly. "I took the curse from someone by using black magic."

"That doesn't make you evil," Luke said firmly, shaking his head as Lucille placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can sense evil ones and ask them to leave town once they finish their meals. You aren't evil."

Willow sighed and leaned against Tara's shoulder.

"I take it that you don't know control yet?" Luke asked gently.

"No, full moons especially," Tara answered, feeling Willow's 'fight or flight' energy fading quickly. "She changed once to protect me but she has no control on full moons."

Buffy raised Willow's chin gently and wiped at the tears flowing down her lover's cheeks.

"I think Will should lie down for awhile," Buffy said softly.

"Her energy is low, she's been ill recently," Luke said, passing a hand in front of Willow's face.

"Yes, we've been through a lot," Buffy agreed.

"Do you think you all could stay a few days?" Luke asked. "We could show her a lot in three days, enough to keep her from being a danger on full moons."

"I don't know, we need to talk about it," Buffy said slowly. "I'd like to meet some of the others."

"Of course," Luke agreed readily, standing up as Lucille smiled at the small group. "Shall we meet in the church in about two hours? I'll get the Elders together."

"Where's the church?" Tara asked as Willow watched Luke and Lucille carefully but wearily.

"At the end of the street, top of the small rise," Lucille smiled. "Lunch is on us."

"Thank you," Buffy said softly as the group worked their way out of the booth, Tara and Buffy staying on either side of Willow as they made their way to the RV.

Buffy and Tara quickly moved Willow to the bed and sat on either side of her as she perched on the edge of it.

"I'm confused and scared," Willow muttered.

"Does this remind anyone else of a horror movie?" Xander demanded. "I say we rev Priscilla up and get the hell out of here!"

Willow frowned. "They feel okay."

"Okay? An entire town of werewolves feels okay?" Xander squeaked. "What, you got warm fuzzies for werewolves after what Oz did to all of us?"

"Back off, Xander!" Buffy snapped. "If they're on the level, it might be a perfect chance for Willow to learn. You know the hell she went through when she escaped."

"Look, I know how much it scares all of us that she might escape and hurt someone," Xander said softly. "But how weird is this? A town of werewolves? John Carradine is going to rise from the grave sprouting fangs and fur!"

"It's very weird," Tara agreed, holding Willow's hand. "So is Sunnydale."

"Okay, we live on a mouth of Hell, what are the odds that we found a town of werewolves?" Xander demanded.

"I'm not surprised, actually," Buffy shrugged. "I'm just surprised it took something this long to jump out at us."

"I want to see the Elders," Willow said more firmly. "If they can help, I'd be a major idiot to pass up the chance."

"I have to agree," Tara nodded. "I didn't sense anything evil from them and Buffy's Slayer senses didn't go into alert."

"Okay, how about we stay in the RV with the engine running in case you guys need to leave quickly?" Xander suggested.

"Alright," Buffy nodded. "That's not a bad idea. Until then, I want Willow to get some rest and we can plan an escape and ready our weapons."

"Okay!" Xander nodded, feeling better with a plan for defense.

One added feature of the RV was a secret compartment in the floor and under the dining seats. Inside the compartments were weapons: stakes, silver daggers, crossbows, axes, swords, holy water, tranquilizer gun and five automatic pistols. The bullets were a special mix with silver hollow points filled with garlic.

Tara curled up in bed, holding Willow closely as the others dug out the weapons and checked them, stashing them in various parts of the RV.

Buffy frowned and placed the tranquilizer gun near the door. Tara caught her eye and frowned.

"They might be able to use her against us, like vampires," Buffy said softly.

"I am tired," Willow mumbled.

"It’s the stress, lover," Tara said softly, gently stroking her mate's hair.

"I don't think they're dangerous," Willow muttered, closing her eyes as she curled up in Tara's arms.

"Hasn't she been through enough already?" Xander complained as he looked at his best friend drifting into sleep.

"Yup, and it's up to us to protect her for awhile," Buffy nodded. "I hope they don't want to fight us for her."

"Slayer doesn't want a good fight?" Anya demanded.

"Actually I don't," Buffy responded. "I would really rather not take on an entire town of werewolves with only a few clips of silver bullets."

"Okay, we're supposed to meet them in half an hour," Tara said softly, looking at her watch, stroking Willow's cheek as the girl napped restlessly.

"Let's walk to the church," Buffy suggested. "Xander, if you hear gunshots or see one of us flashing our flashlights, you come barreling down the street."

"You got it," the young man nodded.

"Come on, Will," Tara said gently. "Let's go meet your new kinfolk."

Willow grumbled but sat up slowly. "I hope they're friendly."

"So do we, Will," Buffy nodded, handing her a small Mag-Lite flashlight. "We signal Xander and Anya with either gunshots or flashlight."

"Okay," Willow nodded, clipping the flashlight to a belt loop but frowned when Buffy started to hand her a small pistol. "Silver bullets?"

"Silver tipped, Slayer specials," Xander answered.

"I don't know," Willow said, hesitating to take the pistol.

"Will, if these werewolves are bad guys, they won't let us leave," Buffy said softly.

"Like Oz and his pack," Tara added.

Willow frowned but took the gun and stuck it in her belt behind her back.

The small church looked like something out of a New England postcard. It was small, white and with a steeple.

"Does it hold everyone?" Tara asked as they approached the small building on the rise.

"I don't know," Buffy commented, constantly looking around for town's people and possible danger. "Luke said he'd gather the Elders, not the entire town."

Phillip was waiting on the stairs outside and smiled broadly when the three young women got closer.

Buffy noticed a few people hanging around outside their front doors, apparently curious but not threatening.

She felt Willow's hand slip into hers as Tara placed a comforting hand on the red-haired witch's shoulder.

Buffy glanced at her lovers and smiled, trying to encourage them. She could tell Tara was nervous and Willow was as jumpy and shy as when Buffy first met her.

"Ladies, thank you very much for agreeing to meet with the Elders," Phillip said calmly, opening the doors for them. Buffy was surprised, he sounded well educated, not the back-woods farmer type he looked like.

"Thanks," Buffy smiled, noticing that he held his hands in sight, as if he expected them to be nervous.

He moved through the doors ahead of them, as if anticipating they wouldn't want someone between them and the door.

Willow swallowed nervously and followed Buffy into the small building.

* * *

Xander waited impatiently as he and Anya watched the three women enter the small church. Anya had a pistol in her lap and Xander had a shotgun across his. The shotgun was loaded with special rounds, a combination load of wood, iron and silver pellets. They were special loads for vampires, demons and werewolves. He could see several people milling around inside the coffee shop, occasionally watching the RV.

Xander had a feeling it was going to be a long wait. Anya put in a CD as the engine idled.

* * *

Luke, the Sheriff, was standing near the front of the pews and Buffy quickly scanned the church, looking for windows, doors, and any at-hand weapons. The altar had been moved back and two tables set up with chairs all around it.

Five men and four women stood up as the girls walked down the aisle.

Tara's student eyes took notes of the older adults: the youngest looked to be 50 and the oldest somewhere over 100. Overall, the general impression to the young college student was a senior citizen meeting or a small town council.

"Thank you, ladies," Luke smiled and offered them chairs at the table.

"We're a little nervous here," Buffy admitted and was grateful that each of the Elders had small name plaques on the table in front of them.

"We expect that, Miss," Robert Stockwell, the oldest Elder said easily.

"I'm Buffy, this is Tara and Willow is between us," Buffy said in introduction.

"Robert Stockwell, Maggie O'Connor, Layton Lawson, Pietr Androvkoff, Stefn Wulfsson, Ster Johansson, Helki Androvkoff, and Rowan O'Connor," Luke pointed to each member.

"Willow is a sister," Helki commented.

"Yes," Willow nodded shyly. "The sheriff says the entire town are lycanthropes."

"Yes," Robert nodded. "Most are, some aren't by way of marriage and sometimes the wolf skips a generation if one of the parents is human."

"I offered young Willow our usual hospitality," Luke said, sitting down to join the table.

"Let us tell you about Lupercalia," Rowan suggested. "Our families originated in the Carpathian Mountains, stayed together when mankind moved west across America and founded this small town. We keep to ourselves but most of our young people venture out, go to college and build lives but they always return, usually with wives or husbands, adding new blood to the town."

"We have met many Weres in our history," Layton continued. "Most had no control over their wild side. We offer help in learning that control."

"Why?" Buffy asked. "I think it's great but why?"

"Well, we think its better that Weres learn control, it brings less attention to our kind and thus protects us," Helki commented. "We are also dedicated to teaching Weres control so they don't give into evil."

"We are from the first Weres," Luke continued. "We feel more at home in the forest than hunting some poor human in a city."

"Like you, Will," Buffy said softly.

"Tell us about you and your wolf side," Rowan encouraged.

"I…uh…" Willow stammered.

"Want me to take that one?" Buffy offered.

"Please," Willow said softly, beginning to blush.

"We live in a place where evil stuff pours out of the mouth of Hell, literally," Buffy began. "Willow began dating a guy in high school and it turned out Oz was a werewolf. He didn't have any control at all and would attack anything or anyone when he was a werewolf."

"How did you handle that?" Luke asked.

"We'd lock him away every full moon and sedate him if he got out," Willow answered. "He went away to find a cure and came back a few months later. He…Oz had…he had changed."

"Oz traveled and found a pack of werewolves who took him in," Buffy continued. "It was a pack of werewolves who enjoyed hunting humans."

The Elders looked at each other and some nodded, as if they weren't surprised by the answer.

"Colony," Layton muttered.

"Wanna clue us in?" Buffy asked.

"Please continue first," Stefn suggested.

"Oz wanted to claim Willow as his mate, he had become the alpha male of his pack," Tara added.

"The young woman chose not to?" Maggie asked.

"No, I didn't…I cared but…I…I wasn't in love with him anymore and I didn't know he had gone bad," Willow stammered.

"He tried to force the issue," Buffy continued, holding Willow's hand under the table. "Oz attacked Willow and shattered her hand. He was about to intentionally bite Willow and I stepped in."

"She took the bite for Willow," Tara explained.

"You took the bite? Oz's werewolf was through the blood?" Luke questioned.

"Yes, his cousin bit him and he bit Buffy," Willow explained.

"Then how are you a Were and not her?" Robert questioned.

"I…I'm a witch," Willow said softly.

"Oh by the Goddess!" Rowan exclaimed. "You found a transference spell that worked?"

"Yeah," Willow nodded. "It was on the wrong side of gray though and I think it worked because we're…I mean…Buffy and I…we're close."

"You willingly took a curse for your friend?" Luke asked softly.

"Yes," Willow nodded.

"Wow," Luke whistled.

"She's not like Oz though," Buffy added. "She…there was an earthquake and the werewolf got out."

Willow's head dropped and Tara wrapped her arm around the red head's shoulder.

"She…the werewolf didn't attack me," Tara said softly. "I was trapped by a fallen door and she could have killed me but didn't."

"Go on," Pietr encouraged.

"Two bodies were found ripped apart," Buffy continued, squeezing Willow's hand under the table. "They were killed by two different werewolves and we discovered through lab analysis and hypnosis that Willow came across the male werewolf killing a young girl. She attacked and killed him trying to protect the girl and the forest."

"Praise be to Romulus and Remus!" Helki exclaimed.

"Who?" Buffy asked.

"The founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. They were abandoned at birth but a she-wolf found them, suckled and protected them," Tara explained. "She was celebrated during the Lupercalia."

"Research girl," Buffy muttered.

"She's a nature wolf!" Luke said enthusiastically.

"Clue us in?" Buffy asked.

"Even though she used a spell and took a curse, it seems your mate is from our line," Maggie said, the elder woman's face one of happiness.

Buffy glanced at Willow and Tara and knew they had both caught the word 'mate' even though Tara was the only one being semi-open in her affection for Willow.

"Explanations, please," Tara pleaded.

"She is a natural werewolf," Luke said. "Some Weres seem prone to violence and blood. Those are like your boyfriend, others are like us. We are shy as wolves outside the pack and would prefer to run from a human than kill them. It sounds like you are one of us."

"A friend said that Willow may have been blessed with a gentle nature demon werewolf," Buffy said thoughtfully.

"Yes," Sterling nodded. "We don't feel the wolf is a demon but we understand the thought."

"During a battle with Dr…with two other werewolves, Willow changed into a werewolf on her own and killed them. She was protecting me," Tara added.

"Fantastic!" Luke grinned. "How long have you been a Were?"

"Halloween," Willow said softly.

"That's fast for a voluntary change," Rowan commented with a slight frown.

"She was protecting a mate," Stefn pointed out.

"You know?" Buffy finally asked.

"We can tell when someone is mated, you three are as close as any werewolf mates we've ever seen," Robert explained. "The energy runs between all of you, very strongly."

"Can you help Will?" Buffy asked softly

"Yes, if you can spend a few days with us," Sterling nodded calmly. "I believe we can help her learn control."

"It won't be easy," Maggie O'Connor warned. "Your energy is low and erratic and we'll be asking more concentration than you've ever given before."

"Yeah, you thought finals were bad," Phillip grinned from one of the pews.

"I…I should tell you all something, before you decide," Willow said slowly.

"Will," Buffy said quickly but Willow shook her head.

"No, they've offered to help me and they need to know all of it," Willow said firmly. The werewolf raised her head and met each set of eyes, slowly. "My energy is off because I recently detoxed from black magic."

"It wasn't her fault!" Buffy said quickly. "An evil sorcerer held her captive and kinda drugged her with magic."

"Willow has good energy and spirit," Helki said slowly.

"She's our witch," Luke grinned as the three visitors looked puzzled.

"Tara and Willow are ours," Buffy grinned back.

"Red Willow is tainted but not lost," Helki said firmly as her eyes focused from a half trance.

Willow blushed a bright red but Tara and Buffy smiled.

"You should let your friends know that you're alright," Luke suggested. "Tell him to put the guns away, please."

"We can feel the silver," Sterling smiled slightly.

"I'll go tell them," Tara volunteered.

"Okay, tell them to hang loose," Buffy agreed.

"Let us describe what we'll be working on and what you can expect," Stefn suggested.

The next two hours were spent with Willow listening carefully as well as exchanging ideas and suggestions. The Elders were pleased with her magickal training and powers, explaining that her ability to concentrate to use magick would help in learning control over the wolf.

Buffy leaned back in her chair, glad to see a spark in Willow's eyes again and feeling hopeful about their future, for once.

* * *

After discovering the connection the three young lovers shared, the Elders included Buffy and Tara in Willow's training. The small group started early, just at sunrise, leaving Anya and Xander sleeping in the RV.

Tara and Willow found the first day much like learning intense magick, crash course style. Concentration, meditation, mental exercises and testing of Willow's inability to change at will.

Buffy worked right along with her lovers, discovering that she did better at the concentration and meditation stuff than she anticipated. She also did better than the Elders had expected during a run through the woods.

The next day over lunch, the young adults explained about the Slayer and Buffy's unique gifts.

Xander and Anya joined their friends for lunch and listened closely as Willow enthusiastically told them about the morning training.

The young couple smiled as Willow babbled on. Unknowingly, both of them agreed with Buffy's assessment from the night before. They were pleased with Willow's enthusiasm and hope.

Luke was grinning as well.

Heilki finished her iced tea and caught everyone's attention.

"The next bit will require just Willow, alone," she said. "All of you are welcome to meet the town people and enjoy our small community."

"Will?" Buffy asked with a frown.

"I'll be okay, Buff," Willow said with a smile.

"You sure? Is it dangerous?" Buffy demanded.

"No, just very stressful," Heilki said softly. "She'll need to focus totally and not worry about her mates being there."

"Come on, Buffy," Tara said, encouraging her lover as Xander and Anya got up and began roaming towards the center of town. "She can yell if it gets too much."

Buffy hated leaving Willow to the unknown but knew she had to trust Willow's instincts and knew there were things she couldn't help with. Magick and werewolves. She still hated it.

* * *

Willow followed Phillip, Luke and a young woman named Thena to the woods until they came upon a clearing that was obviously the center of activity. An altar was set up in the north and rocks formed a permanent circle that was large enough to include at least 20 people.

Willow felt her senses heightening as a familiar smell greeted her from the area of the altar. The Wiccan approached the altar from around the circle, careful not to step inside the rocks. Luke, Phillip and Thena waited patiently outside the circle, watching her.

Willow sniffed the air and glanced around with a frown. She turned back to the three Lupercalia citizens with a puzzled look. "Blood?"

"It's our offering altar during the Lupercalia in February and on full moons," Luke said, nodding. "We offer chickens or rabbits that we catch."

Willow nodded, understanding the ancient ritual of sacrifice and offerings in all religions. She walked back to the three, still staying outside the ritual circle. They seemed pleased by her respect and caution. "What next?" she asked calmly.

"We really test your ability to change," Luke said slowly.

Willow frowned. "I haven't been able to control it, just that once when Tara was in danger."

"Can you do it when you're angry?" Thena asked.

"Nope," Willow said, shaking her head.

"Okay, when her lover was threatened she was able to," Phillip said slowly. "How do you want to handle this?"

"We can either scare you into changing, get you mad enough to change, or threaten Buffy or Tara until you change. I don't like any of those options," Luke growled.

"I'm not overly amused by them either," Willow muttered.

"Slow and fun?" Thena suggested.

"A plan I like," Phillip nodded and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Uh, guys?" Willow questioned as Thena pulled off her t-shirt, revealing a very beautiful upper body and breasts.

Luke wiggled his eyebrows and tossed his sheriff's hat onto a tree limb and unbuckled his gun belt.

"I take it you guys are about to get furry," Willow muttered. "I remind you all that I can't do that yet."

"Yes you can," Thena said softly as she kicked off her shoes. "Sit down on the grass inside the circle. Take your shoes off and close your eyes, go into a light trance."

Willow obeyed slowly as Phillip and Luke removed their shirts and shoes before joining Willow and Thena inside the circle. Phillip pulled out a Shaman drum from under a padded cover.

Thena knelt down behind Willow and placed her hands on Willow's shoulders as Phillip began drumming a steady and rapid beat.

Willow easily shifted into a trance state.

"Just let go, follow the beat down," Thena's voice encouraged. "Find a doorway at the bottom of the stairs and go through that door. Find your wolf, find your fur."

Willow let the voice become part of the background and followed the visual journey.

<Oh Goddess!> Willow cried mentally as she realized she was changing.

<Easy, cub,> Thena's voice soothed. <Just let it come and don't fight it. Your wolf isn't evil, it is intelligent and can tell an enemy from a friend.>

Willow tried to relax as she felt her fangs growing larger and hair turning into fur.

<Easy!> Luke's voice joined. <It gets easier over time.>

Willow screamed physically as her body jerked and shifted.

<Come on, Red,> Luke's voice encouraged. <Keep going! Don't fight it!>

<Hurts!> Willow screamed mentally.

<Keep going! Accept the wolf!> Thena urged. <Luke, her mates can hear her!>

<F*ck, Phillip, change back and keep them away for a bit.>

<Right.>

Willow screamed again as she fell forward on the grass. She could feel Luke and Thena's hands on her, comforting her.

<Keep going!> Thena urged.

<How?> Willow screamed mentally.

<Let go and stop fighting the wolf.> Luke instructed. <Just feel the wolf and let your body take it.>

Willow tried to relax but the pain of her body changing was incredible.

<Float, Willow,> Thena suddenly suggested. <Float as if your mate is loving you.>

Willow's head snapped back and she clutched at the grass with her clawed and furry hands. She mentally pulled back and let her spirit drift away from the pain. Visually she was suddenly facing a small red wolf in the grassy circle.

Willow's green eyes faced the yellow eyes of the wolf without fear. The witch could feel the intelligence and curiosity from the wolf just a few inches from her face. Willow realized she was looking at her own wolf and it wasn't a scary thing.

<Willow?> Buffy and Tara's voices were frantic.

<I'm okay, stay back.> Willow softly said mentally and reached out from her hands and knees to touch the wolf's muzzle. The wolf sat perfectly still, as if patient.

The young woman sat up on her knees and stroked the wolf's fur down its neck and chest. Impulsively she reached out to hug the creature and felt herself falling into the wolf.

Willow opened her eyes and blinked as her vision tried to adjust and looked down at her hands. The hands were no longer hands but paws and the red haired witch wagged her tail in delight.

* * *

Buffy paced restlessly and Tara sat rubbing her hands together as Phillip sat on a log, encouraging them to relax and wait.

They had been very surprised when they had ran for the woods at Willow's physical and mental screams to find Phillip waiting for them on a log next to the path. He explained that Willow was going through the change and it was painful until the Were learned control. Phillip asked them to wait.

Willow screamed mentally again and both women whimpered.

Buffy considered going through Phillip, especially since he was only dressed in a pair of jeans. No shirt, no shoes and his hair was ruffled.

Finally Willow had answered their frantic mental calls and reassured them she was okay.

Buffy still paced, anxious to see their mate.

The Slayer's head snapped up at a gasp from Tara. She followed Tara's glance and Phillip's grin and looked down the path and felt her own breathing stop.

In the middle of the trail were two gray wolves and one red one in between them.

Green eyes met blue ones as Phillip stood up with Tara and Buffy.

"Willow," Buffy said softly and felt Tara's hand slip into hers.

"It's Willow," Tara agreed as the red wolf seemed to grin at them and then turned and dashed down the path. The two gray wolves spun and followed.

"Ladies," Phillip said softly, motioning for Tara and Buffy to follow the path.

The two lovers and werewolf entered the clearing as Willow's body shook, finishing its transformation back to human. Buffy and Tara stood back as Thena and Luke, both naked and human again, gently stroked Willow's back and arms. They whispered soothing things in the red-head's ear as her trembling stopped.

Luke glanced up and Phillip threw the backpack at the Sheriff, followed by Luke and Thena's pants.

Thena took the backpack from Luke, pulled out a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt and turned to the confused lovers.

"Come on, the circle isn't sealed," she said. "Help her get dressed."

"She's going to be very tired and weak," Luke nodded, slipping on his official brown trousers.

Buffy and Tara rushed forward as the other werewolves moved away to let the lovers next to Willow.

Buffy gently turned Willow over and was surprised to see the werewolf looked exhausted but peaceful.

Both Tara and Buffy sighed when Willow opened her eyes and smiled.

"Hi, guys," she said softly.

"Let's get her dressed," Tara suggested. "It's a little cold out here."

Buffy helped Willow sit up and Tara slipped a t-shirt over her head and arms. Together they got Willow to her feet and she held tightly to Buffy's shoulders as Tara slipped the sweat pants over her legs.

"Reminds me of when I had the broken arm," Willow said softly, her eyes half closed.

Buffy easily lifted her mate into her arms and grinned at the surprised looks on Phillip, Luke and Thena's eyes.

"Slayer strength," Buffy quipped as Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy's neck.

"Tara?" Willow mumbled.

"Right here, baby," Tara said softly, stroking Willow's hair, gently.

"She'll sleep for a couple of hours," Luke said calmly as Thena pulled on her shirt and handed the sheriff his.

"She was the wolf, wasn't she?" Tara asked.

"Yes, she changed into a full wolf," Thena nodded. "Eventually she'll be able to change when she wants and it won't hurt. It'll take years though. Today was a taste of what she'll achieve."

"It'll tire her out for awhile though," Phillip added. "The werewolf you see every month will be calmer, no longer in a rage."

"Let her sleep and meet us for dinner in the diner," Luke suggested.

"Okay," Buffy nodded.

Xander and Anya were out of the RV when Tara opened the door and Buffy managed to wake up Willow enough for the red head to enter the RV and stumble to the bed. Tara curled up on one side of her and Buffy joined her girlfriends on the other.

The Slayer reached over and stroked Tara's cheek.

"I'm not sure I believe what happened," she admitted.

"I know, it's great progress if she can hang onto it," Tara nodded. "She's sleeping easier too."

"There is something bugging me though," Buffy said with a frown.

"What's that?"

"When we mentioned Oz had found a pack of evil werewolves, the Elders didn't seem surprised," Buffy said slowly. "I want to ask them about that."

Tara mumbled something as she reached over Willow and touched Buffy's arm. "Shhhhh."

Buffy sighed and let sleep claim her.

\\\\\\\\\\\

Willow murmured noises of pleasure when she woke up two hours later to Buffy's familiar lips nuzzling her neck. The red head enjoyed the feeling of Tara in her arms and Buffy behind her. Willow smiled as she opened her eyes and saw a sleepy Tara begin smiling.

"Hey, lover," Buffy whispered softly.

"Hey," Willow smiled back as Buffy's hands roamed over her ribs and then over to Tara's.

"I keep waking up in your arms," Willow joked.

"Yup, this time it's a good thing," Tara nodded. "What do you remember?"

"You guys always ask me that too," Willow quipped. "I remember the trance and changing…"

Willow's eyes widened as memories began to flood over her and her smile became a grin. "Wolf! I remember being a wolf and seeing you both in the woods!"

Buffy and Tara grinned as Willow sat up, obviously excited.

"That was real, wasn't it? It wasn't part of the visual journey?"

"Nope, it was real," Buffy grinned and nodded. "We saw two gray wolves and a red wolf and then we found you in the circle, changed back to human."

"Wow! Oh wow!" Willow grinned and jumped up off the bed and turned to face her lovers. "I did it! The wolf is so cool!"

Tara wrapped an arm around Buffy's shoulders as they watched Willow almost bouncing off the RV walls.

"Luke said to meet them for dinner at the diner," Tara informed her lover.

Willow turned at the sound of the door opening and grinned as Xander stuck his head in the door.

"Is everyone decent?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrow suggestively and then yelped when Willow leaped into his arms.

"Hey! You've got Buffy and Tara, no stealing my fiancée!" Anya protested outside.

Buffy and Tara laughed, following Willow's path outside as she released Xander and hugged Anya tightly.

"What is going on?" Xander asked with a grin.

"Her lessons went well today," Buffy explained.

"Wow!" Xander exclaimed.

"We're about to head over to the diner for dinner," Tara said easily.

"Sounds good!" Xander agreed readily.

Tara caught Buffy's eyes and the Slayer nodded towards Willow and the blonde witch moved to walk alongside her lover. Buffy distracted Xander and Anya, keeping them back a little ways.

Buffy knew that Tara was explaining what Luke, Phillip and Thena told them about Willow.

Willow's enthusiasm was a little more subdued when the group entered the diner and Buffy wasn't surprised. The Slayer moved up behind her mate and hugged her quickly.

"Don't worry, you'll have complete control soon," Buffy whispered and Willow nodded.

"It was a good feeling," Willow said softly. "It wasn't scary anymore."

"It won't be, Phillip said that the full moon won't be as hard and the werewolf won't rage anymore," Buffy said, trying to reassure her mate and the witch nodded as they crowded around a large table.

Willow smiled and hugged Thena, Phillip and Luke fondly.

"Thank you for today," she whispered to each of them.

"Our pleasure," Luke grinned.

The Elders were gathered along with the young teachers and encouraged the young travelers to sit and eat.

The conversation around the table over dinner consisted of small talk about the town and various types of Weres. Then the talk turned to Willow's training of the day and what she could expect in the future.

"So, eventually Willow will be able to change when she wants but it won't be into an evil werewolf like Oz?" Xander asked between bites of his steak.

"Yes, if she keeps concentrating and doing the visual journeys we show her," Thena nodded.

"I can't believe she changed into a full wolf!" Xander grinned. "Sounds like a good thing."

"It is," Phillip nodded. "Willow's inner wolf is a gentle creature and she met and accepted it as part of herself today. When she changes on full moons it'll be different now."

"It'll still be painful for a long time," Luke advised. "But she won't be as vicious and dangerous."

"Does that mean we won't have to lock her up?" Anya asked.

"No," Robert Stockwell advised. "Until she can totally control the change, especially on full moons, she should be locked up. The wolf is closest to the surface on the moon and the human is almost unconscious. It could still be dangerous to others than her mates."

"I'd still feel better if you chained or locked me up," Willow said softly. "It was horrible knowing I had killed someone!"

"Even if the other was an evil were?" Helki Androvkoff asked softly.

"Yes," Willow nodded. "I didn't know the details. I couldn't remember what I did as a werewolf. I woke up in the sewers covered in blood and I wasn't hurt."

"Oh sweet Goddess," Rowan whispered.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded as Willow blushed and lowered her head. Tara wrapped an arm around the red haired witch's shoulders. "She ran away from us and we went bananas."

"We understand that," Pietr nodded. "That's why we offer training to any were that hasn't crossed over into evil."

"Are there other groups like you?" Buffy asked and Tara sensed the Slayer's muscles tensing from nerves. "We know our friend fell in with an evil group."

"We know of one settlement like ours," Layton said slowly. "They were known as the Colony. It was founded by a doctor who was trying to teach the same thing we do. Unfortunately he brought together a lot of weres who liked the hunt and it didn't matter if it was human, cow or deer."

"What happened?" Xander asked, sensing a major story.

"They tried to bring in a news reporter and her husband into the pack without asking," Lucille said as she cleared the table. "It turned out badly. The reporter and a friend killed most of the weres and the others scattered, thankfully."

"I remember that!" Xander exclaimed. "I thought it was an urban legend!"

"Nope, her husband had already joined the pack, her best friend was killed and she was bitten," Luke added. "She changed on air to prove the existence of werewolves and was killed by her friend."

"And no one listened," Buffy said somewhat bitterly.

"No," Luke nodded. "They thought it was a publicity stunt by the station. We know there are packs around the country that are like us and others that are evil."

"Your friend found one of the evil groups," Sterling said softly.

Buffy reached out to hold Willow's hand as Tara squeezed her love in support.

"I wish he had found you," Willow said softly, tears in her voice. "They took a kind and gentle musician and turned him into an evil killer."

Buffy winced at the memory of Oz trying to rape and infect Willow when he returned to Sunnydale.

"There's always a danger of giving into the rage," Stefn Wulfsson advised. "The wolf is angry because it's confused."

"It wants to be free and the human body restricts it, along with the human mind," Rowan added.

"We try and get the two working together," Phillip explained.

"What happens if you come across evil Weres?" Xander asked.

"We offer to teach them a better way," Luke explained. "If they refuse, we escort them out of town and give them a friendly warning not to return."

"There are herbs and spells that Weres are susceptible to," Pietr added. "They probably used those on your friend and brought out the rage. By staying with them, the spell they had cast on him continued and he became evil."

"Could they do that to any were?" Buffy asked with a frown.

"It is possible," Thena nodded. "With the right combinations of drugs and magick, almost anyone could be turned."

"How long are you staying?" Luke asked.

"Well, it’s a week to the next full moon," Tara said thoughtfully. "Can we stay that long?"

The small group looked around among themselves, each asking the question silently. Finally, Xander nodded and the others joined in while Willow looked hopeful.

"Sure," Xander said. "I don't see why not. Anya and I are surfing the web looking for ideas for the wedding. I think we can keep busy when I'm not working with the construction thing."

"And we'll keep the mates busy, especially Willow," Luke promised.

"I'd like to stay," Willow said softly.

"Then we'll stay," Buffy said easily as Willow began to smile.

* * *

Helki started working with Tara and Willow in the mornings on repairing Willow's magickal abilities until the older woman was satisfied that the red haired witch was regaining control. The days seemed to pass quickly with Buffy working out with several of the townspeople, their werewolf strength giving the Slayer a new level to work at that was usually reserved for full out fighting.

Xander and Anya found themselves mingling with the people easily as well. Anya, after getting a little bored, worked with the librarian arranging and suggesting books for the town and Xander took on a temporary job with some of the men working at rebuilding a small fabric store. The young man discovered that he liked working with his hands and tools and had a knack for picking up the different skills.

By day four, Buffy had joined him and the two friends found they were tired at the end of the day but it felt good as they could see real progress in their work.

Tara and Willow were both tired as well but it was more a mental tired from working on the magick. Willow concentrated on connecting with the inner wolf and how to control the rage that came with the confused animal.

By nightfall everyone was exhausted but content.

On day six of being in Lupercalia, Willow found the Elder Council waiting for her as she approached the Church.

"Time to decide what to do with me tomorrow night?" she asked calmly as she approached the small group.

"Yes, young one," Stefn nodded. "We don't have any cubs who aren't in control. The choices are locking you in the jail…"

"That's about all it gets used for," Luke grinned. "Don't even get any drunks through here."

"The other choice is letting you change with several experienced weres and see how you react," Maggie finished.

Willow frowned as she thought about it.

"I've seen three werewolves before coming here and I killed them because they were hurting someone or about to kill Tara," she said thoughtfully.

"You did fine with Luke and Thena," Robert pointed out.

"You all have more experience with this than I do," Willow smiled shyly. "What do you suggest?"

"Run with us," Thena said softly.

Willow pondered the options, her training, and her instincts. Her eyes were shining brightly when she looked up again.

"Yes," she said softly.

"Your friends will be protected," Rowan promised.

* * *

Buffy and Tara tried to ignore the worry they were picking up from Willow as they sat around tables in the Church dining hall with other humans and older werewolves who didn't want to go out roaming the woods.

The Scooby gang members were surprised to see a number of human adults and children among the older people. Lucille smiled as the young adults sat down to join a game of Pictionary with a couple of the children.

"Can you imagine bringing your girlfriend or boyfriend home to meet these families?" she joked.

"They aren't Weres?" Xander asked, seeing a good mixture of men, women and children of all ages.

"No, these are the human mates and children of the Weres," Lucille explained.

"Must be hard approaching your girlfriend or boyfriend and telling them you're a werewolf," Tara nodded.

"How did your friend Willow do it?" Lucille asked.

"She didn't," Buffy said. "Her ex-boyfriend came back and tried to intentionally bite her. Total evil stuff. I took the bite but then Willow turned around and did a spell to take it on herself."

"Wow!" Lucille exclaimed. "That's true love."

"Yeah, I wish she hadn't," Buffy complained.

"Probably better she did," Lucille commented. "Sounds like her wolf is a lot nicer than yours would have been."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, frowning.

"Willow already had a wolf, she's part werewolf," Lucille said, sounding surprised that the Gang wasn't aware of it. "Somewhere in her line there was a werewolf and a witch."

"From that Jewish family?" Buffy protested incredulously and noticed Xander shifting in his chair. "What?"

"Willow's adopted," he said softly. "We don't know who her bio parents are."

"She never said anything!" Buffy protested. "Did she to you, Tar?"

"No, nothing," Tara shook her head.

"We didn't talk about it much," Xander said slowly. "She discovered I'm adopted and she told me she was."

"Both of you?" Anya questioned.

"Yeah, I figure that's why my parents don't pay much attention. I guess I'm not what they wanted," Xander said bitterly.

"Hey! You are most wanted here!" Buffy protested as Anya hugged her fiancée.

"So Buffy would have been cursed with the evil thing but when Willow took the curse, it was okay?" Tara questioned Lucille.

"In a way," Lucille said thoughtfully. "With having a wolf already, the curse just brought it to the surface. If she had stayed with her boyfriend and they were sexual, protection or not, her wolf still would have come to the surface, eventually. That's probably why he was so nuts to keep her and mate with her."

"Wow, we didn't know any of this," Xander muttered.

"That's probably why her spell worked," Tara nodded. "It was already half there."

"If she hadn't taken the curse from me…" Buffy stammered softly.

"Oh Christ!" Xander exclaimed. "You both would have ended up as werewolves!"

"Yup!" Lucille grinned.

"That will help with Buffy's guilt over Willow taking the wolf," Anya commented.

"Enough," Buffy declared. "Let's play, shall we?"

Buffy looked worried as they all looked at the clock.

* * *

On the third morning, Willow smiled at the familiar sight of the sleeping figures in the beds set up in the dining hall.

"If everyone can control the wolf, why do the non-Weres sleep in here on full moons?" she asked in a whisper as Thena walked with her.

"Precaution, sometimes powerful emotions can overwhelm the wolf and we are human when it comes to emotions," Thena explained. "If someone is fighting with their wife, it might come out in the wolf. It also protects them from any outsiders or hunters who might be stalking us."

"Hunters?" Willow asked with a frown.

"Something like your Slayer, they hunt down weres, vampires, demons, and daemons," Thena explained.

"We ran into one once, he almost killed Oz," Willow said thoughtfully. She spotted Tara and Buffy sharing a cot and Anya and Xander on another one next to them, all still sound asleep.

"You'll run across Hunters in your life," Thena advised. "Fortunately, with you being a witch along with Tara and a Slayer, you should be fine."

"Between fighting vampires and demons in Sunnydale, now somebody's going to be hunting me, terrific," Willow complained.

"You knew that when you took the curse," Thena countered.

"Yeah, I even knew Buffy might have to kill me," Willow nodded. "Dealing with it is different."

"Go wake them up and sleep for awhile in the RV with them," Thena advised.

Buffy and Tara were more than willing to move to the RV with Willow and fell back into sleep with Willow between them.

* * *

Tara murmured and smiled as lips kissed the back of her neck and hands roamed over her ribs, holding her tightly.

"Have fun," Buffy whispered. "I need a run."

Tara leaned up to kiss her Slayer and then wrapped her arms around Willow's body as the red-head began mumbling in her sleep, beginning to stir.

Buffy grinned as she started out the door when she saw Tara's hand roaming under Willow's t-shirt. Buffy made sure that she locked the door when she heard Willow moan and Tara giggle.

The Slayer stretched, yawned and began trotting down the main street, waving at the old men hanging around outside the grocery store and Lucille smoking a cigarette outside the diner.

"Have fun, girl!" Lucille laughed.

"Yup!" Buffy grinned and veered off onto a path heading into the woods.

* * *

Willow smiled as Tara's kisses covered her face and the blonde witch's hand moved through her red hair.

Tara smiled, pulling Willow's body close to her, moaning at the heat building between them. The blonde witch held tightly as Willow's body jerked in surprise and instant arousal when Tara bit down on her neck from behind.

"Tara!" Willow whimpered, grabbing her pillow when Tara refused to let Willow turn over and face her. The red-haired witch growled as her lover's fingers ran up the back of her legs and danced along Willow's spine.

"That's it, lover," Tara whispered, her voice husky with desire. "Tell me about the wolf last night."

"Oh goddess!" Willow whispered. She could almost feel the wolf trying to rise to the surface.

"Full moon friskies," Tara teased, running her fingernails down Willow's back.

"Ah!"

"You want gentle today, lover?" Tara taunted, knowing that mornings after a full moon were seldom slow and gentle with the wolf so close to the surface. Willow could be the most hesitant and gentlest of lovers but on or close to the full moon and her body was more demanding.

"Tara!" Willow cried out, gripping the pillow tightly as her lover worked the werewolf's body like a musical instrument. Tara's hand massaging and playing with Willow's nipples, her other hand teasing between Willow's legs.

"Tell me!" Tara insisted. "What does the wolf want? What is it like?"

"Oh goddess, please!" Willow begged as Tara raked her nails down Willow's back again and then ran her fingers through her lover's short hair.

"It…it's beautiful," Willow whispered and Tara's fingers dipped between her labia, causing Willow to buck against the blonde's body. "Everything is sharper…oh gods…clearer."

Tara trailed her lips and teeth down from Willow's neck to her lover's shoulders and over the red-head's back as she inserted two fingers into Willow.

"Tara!" Willow whimpered.

"Tell me," Tara whispered, keeping her rhythm of drawing back and entering Willow erratic and varied.

"The…smells are sharp," Willow continued through gritted teeth. "You can…feel the night…air through your fur…Tara, please!"

"Can you sense me and Buffy when you're the wolf?" Tara asked, biting Willow on the small of the back.

"Yes!" and Tara grinned, unsure if Willow was responding to the arousal or answering the question. Tara relented to Willow's needs and thrust into her lover. "Yes!" Willow shouted and then growled.

Tara heard the growl and did her best to answer it. Surprisingly, Willow whimpered and bared her neck. Her blonde mate moved quickly back up along Willow's body and bit into the offered neck as she thrust into her mate, her other hand moving down to caress Willow's clit.

Willow screamed, a sound between a howl, growl and scream.

Tara pulled the blanket up over them as she whispered loving reassurances in Willow's ear, holding her mate close as her lover trembled from the after affects of the love making. The two fell asleep moments later.

* * *

Buffy grinned and leaned over the flowing water of the small creek she had found and splashed some water on her face. Her breathing had finally quieted down to normal after getting hit with the almost overwhelming arousal energy from Willow and Tara.

"At least I wasn't having coffee with Mom and Giles this time," Buffy grinned to herself.

The run through the woods had been designed to give her some privacy and space, knowing that Tara was about to get sexual with Willow. Most of the time their energy was intense enough to hit whoever wasn't present.

Even though the three of them had reached a point in their relationship where all three were comfortable together sexually at the same time, there were times when they still wanted one-on-one time with each other too.

Buffy smiled and began trotting back towards town.

* * *

Xander and Anya grinned when they spotted Buffy coming out of the woods and waved. She changed her direction and trotted up to them.

"How goes, guys?" she asked.

"Not doing too bad for having slept on a cot," Xander shrugged. "We're going to grab some breakfast, lunch or whatever we want to call it, want to join us?"

"Sure," Buffy agreed, extending her senses and finding Willow and Tara beginning to stir. She sent a mental image of the diner to both and felt them 'nodding.'

"Let's eat!" Buffy said enthusiastically.

* * *

Willow reached out and carefully brushed a lock of hair from Tara's eyes with a smile. Tara opened her eyes and smiled back at her lover.

"I love you too, Will," Tara said softly.

"What the heck did you do to me? All my muscles are jelly!" Willow teased, delighting in the way Tara blushed.

"Well, Buffy and I…well…we…," Tara stammered.

"Yes?" now Willow was really curious.

"We've been talking a lot with Lucille while you were out with the pack," Tara admitted, blushing a bright red.

"And?" Willow asked, sitting up on an elbow.

"Well, she said that sex can be fantastic if you…if…"

"If you want part of the wolf to come out and play?" Willow suggested and Tara nodded. "Wow! I could feel the wolf with me, responding to you."

Tara gently ran her fingers through Willow's hair. "Was it okay?"

"Yes," Willow said, her eyes and expression softening. "It wasn't scary on my end, I was hoping I didn't scare you."

"No," Tara reassured her lover and felt her eyes filling with tears.

"Tar?" Willow questioned.

"Will," Tara tried to speak and then hesitated, swallowing. "Buffy and I did a lot of surfing and reading on werewolves and wolves, especially when you were gone. And we did a lot of late night talking with Lucille and a couple of the human mates."

"Yeah, maybe you can fill me in on some of it," Willow smiled.

"Werewolves like you are a lot like wolves," Tara began explaining. "We knew that but we're finding out details now. Like, how did you know to get Buffy to bite you and mate with you and me before that full moon?"

"Like I said then," Willow sat up and leaned against the RV wall. "I thought maybe it would be like wolves and that a mating would be stronger than Oz' hold on Buffy as her sire."

"You were right too," Tara nodded. "Sex with a were is one thing, what we've done is something like Alpha wolves mating."

"It's for life," Willow whispered and Tara nodded.

"We know that and accepted it," Tara added. "Will, this morning something happened that I didn't expect."

Willow frowned. "You're saying you're okay with the mating for life thing and weren't scared by my growling this morning but there's more?"

"Will, what does a wolf baring its throat to another mean?"

"Uh, it, uh, it's a sign of submission when wolves are fighting or sexual, it's also a sign of absolute trust during sex," Willow said softly, looking down at her knees.

"Will, you did that for me," Tara said, sitting up, tears filling her eyes.

"I didn't," Willow whispered. "I would have, easily, any day, any minute but it wasn't me. It was the wolf."

Tara's eyes widened in surprise. "Your wolf?"

"Yeah," Willow nodded. "I felt the wolf baring my throat to you. It was submission of the wolf to you and giving you total trust."

"Will," Tara tried but choked on her emotions and pulled Willow into her arms. "Why? Why would the wolf do that? I'm not the strong one."

Willow wrapped her arms around her lover, relieved that Tara wasn't freaked or frightened by the action or revelation.

"You are the strong one, Tara," Willow insisted, her own tears of happiness spilling over her cheeks. "The wolf recognized your strength, your love for me and my love for you."

"I can't ever…"

"Sshhhh!" Willow demanded, a finger on Tara's lips. "It's not like I can sit down and have a talk with the wolf and say, 'hey what's your motivation?' Accept it, my love. You reacted perfectly, by the way."

"I love you, Willow," Tara whispered, clinging to her lover and then smiled when they got the flash from Buffy about food.

"That sounds good," Willow muttered.

"What? That I love you or food?"

"Yes?" Willow asked playfully. "So does a shower. Food and then clean?"

"Yup!" Tara agreed willingly.

* * *

Giles smiled when he heard Buffy's voice on the telephone.

"Buffy!"

"Hey, Giles," Buffy grinned on her end of the phone. "How's things?"

"Going well on this end," Giles said, his manner more relaxed than Buffy was used to. "The Council is pleased with Willow's emailed reports. I can't believe you found a town of weres!"

"I know, we can't either," Buffy smiled as she munched on a French fry. She looked out of the phone booth and smiled at the sight of her troop enjoying their meal, especially the aura of peace surrounding Willow. "It's like Fate or something. Willow really needed something on the up side after the last few months."

"I totally agree," Giles said. "The Council still wants progress reports when you get back, especially about her beginning magick again."

"We figured they would, they'll want to see how she reacts to danger and stuff," Buffy said, taking a sip of coke.

"Yes, exactly," Giles agreed. "I do think this vacation was a good idea for all of you. By the way, Willow says that Xander and Anya are engaged."

"Yeah, it was so cool, Giles!" Buffy said happily. "He got down on his knee and everything!"

"Well, yes," Giles stammered. "Sounds wonderful, tell them congratulations."

"How's your wedding plans going?" Buffy asked.

"Quite well," Giles said and Buffy could just imagine him cleaning his glasses. "Your mother is getting excited and can't wait for all of you to get back to set the date."

"Yeah, well, we're heading back, probably starting tomorrow," Buffy said, munching away. "We shouldn't take as long."

"How is Willow doing?" Giles asked.

"Really well," Buffy smiled, catching a loving glance from Tara before the blonde witch turned back to the conversation she was having with the others. Buffy grinned at the sight of Phillip joining them, saying something that caused Xander to choke on his soda and Anya to laugh hysterically. "I mean it, she's got her hope back and I think she won't be as afraid to take it slow with the magick."

"Excellent!" Giles agreed. "I know you can't tell me where this town of Weres is because of the Council, but let us know where you are in a couple of days."

"Okay, will do. Tell Mom I love her and you too," Buffy smiled.

"Of course, give my best to the others," Giles said before hanging up.

Buffy stood up with her plate and soda in hand, noticing Phillip hovering over the table as he leaned over to show Xander something. The Slayer saw him moving Tara's soda out of his way as he drew something on a napkin in front of Xander.

Buffy sat down and reached out for Willow's hand as Tara leaned her head on Buffy's shoulder.

"You two are so beautiful," Buffy whispered and laughed when both blushed.

"Back at you," Willow whispered.

Phillip looked over and grinned. "I'm showing Xander a short cut out of the valley. It looks longer but it isn't. The route up over the mountains takes longer and is harder on RVs. This route goes along the river and is easier."

"Thanks, Phillip," Buffy nodded. "Now that this round of full moon wiggin is over, we'll probably head out tomorrow."

"That's what the Elders were figuring," he nodded. "I hope you come back sometime. You guys are family now."

"Yeah, part of the pack," Lucille grinned.

Willow smiled gratefully, "Thanks, both of you."

"Our pleasure," Lucille laughed, clearing the dishes from the table.

"I need to talk to the Council, what are your plans, guys?" Willow asked the others.

"Anya and I are gonna hang out with the construction crew," Xander said with a grin, wrapping an arm around Anya's shoulder.

"I thought I'd show Tara a beautiful creek I found this morning," Buffy said, a little shyly.

Tara sat up and grinned. "I'd like that, Buff."

"Cool, so we all meet back for dinner?" Willow suggested.

"Sounds good, tell the Council not to give you too hard a time for leaving," Phillip grinned. "Just promise life long devotion and frequent trips."

Willow laughed as she blushed. She knew she'd hate to leave the town, especially after finding such unusual acceptance of her werewolf side.

Buffy leaned over and raised Willow's chin, noticing the red-head's expression. "What?"

"I just wish Oz had found this place instead of the bad werewolves," she said softly. "He was himself again after the Initiative caught him and he was so sick about everything he had done."

"Will, he tried to rape you and infect you," Xander pointed out as Phillip got up quietly and moved over to the counter, giving the gang some privacy.

"I know and it sickened him," Willow countered. "He was a good guy again and he understood about Buffy and Tara."

"You said he saved her life," Anya pointed out.

"Yeah, it's just still hard, Will," Xander complained. "I know the wolf thing is going to work out eventually if you keep up your hard work and stuff but it's still painful and it was his fault."

"Let's just hope his soul found some peace," Tara said softly, effectively ending the conversation.

"I love you guys," Willow said shyly.

Xander surprised everyone by jumping up from his chair and rushing around to drag Willow out of hers into a bear hug that lifted her over his head.

"Xander!"

"We love you too!" he shouted, whirling her around as they both laughed.

"Xander, you nut!" Willow giggled and playfully swatted his arm when he let her down.

"Anya, race you to the bar," Xander grinned and was out the door with Anya right behind him.

"Those two are perfect together in a weird Hellmouth way," Buffy commented as the three lovers walked out into the light of the afternoon sun.

"So are we," Tara grinned.

"I'll see you both in a bit," Willow said, quickly kissing both of them before trotting off towards the church.

"Let's go find that creek," Tara suggested and smiled as Buffy took her hand.

\\\\\\\\\\

Willow found the Elder Council and quite a few of the towns people waiting for her in the church. The red-haired witch/werewolf blushed profusely as they crowded around, hugging and encouraging her to either stay with them or come back soon for a visit.

She grinned and felt the wolf rising closer to the surface as several Lupercalia pack members growled friendly growls and yips. Some were letting their fangs grow longer and hair turning into fur as they let Willow and the wolf inside know she was welcome with them.

Willow felt her own wolf responding, hugging Luke and Thena tightly.

"You are always welcome here, Red Willow," Sterling Johnson said softly.

"Thank you, all of you," Willow said, wiping at happy tears.

"We know you have a life outside the wolf but you'll always have a home here," Thena agreed.

"You've shown me so much and have given me hope," Willow stammered over her emotions. "I can never repay you for that. If you ever need me or the gang, we'll be here."

"Thank you," Robert Stockwell smiled. "We heard you were leaving tomorrow."

"Yes, we need to get back to our lives in Sunnydale," Willow nodded.

"We'll see you off in the morning," Helki said easily.

"For now, wanna party with the animals?" Thena grinned a very wolfish grin.

"Oh yeah!" Willow agreed as Layton broke into a howl.

* * *

Buffy sat with her back to a tree were Tara settled in her arms, between the Slayer's legs, as they watched the water flowing peacefully through the woods.

"Willow's happy," Buffy said softly.

"Yeah," Tara nodded, holding Buffy's arms as they wrapped around her ribs. "The wolf is happy."

"I love you both so much, it almost hurts at times," Buffy whispered and Tara leaned back, kissing Buffy gently.

Tara turned over and touched Buffy's cheek softly.

"You're afraid of losing us," Tara commented.

"Yes, or leaving you," Buffy nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

"Buffy," Tara said softly, sitting up, straddling the Slayer's legs and running her fingers through her lover's hair. "We live in Sunnydale and you're the Slayer. That fear is something we have got to learn to live with."

"We almost lost Will because Dracula noticed her, because of me," Buffy complained.

"And most of the problems the last few months have been because Will is now a werewolf," Tara countered. "Wanna leave her because it might get one of us killed?"

"No!" Buffy's eyes widened in shock. "I'd never leave Will because of that! It's not her fault!"

"Then why are you blaming yourself because you're the Slayer?" Tara countered.

Buffy broke into a grin and hugged her mate closely.

"You're good, my witch," Buffy said softly, her voice becoming husky. "Wanna show me what you're good at?"

"Oh yeah," Tara smiled, kissing Buffy again, slowly, tenderly and thoroughly.

Buffy moaned as Tara's tongue explored her mouth and the witch's fingers ran through the Slayer's hair. Buffy melted into loving her mate, time standing still for both of them as they moved slowly and lovingly.

* * *

Willow smiled as the gentle waves from Buffy and Tara reached her and looked around the party that had spilled out into the main square of the town, the bar patrons pouring forth out to join them.

Luke had wheeled the jukebox from the bar out the door and kicked it a couple of times, setting the thing into play without the need for coin. Willow found herself dancing with Xander and Anya as the sun began to dip further towards the mountain line. She smiled as Luke wrapped his arms around Thena, looking deep into the female werewolf's eyes.

"You look good, Will," Xander commented as he leaned down to kiss Anya.

"Thanks, I haven't felt this good in months," Willow admitted.

"I was thinking of maybe checking out a construction job when we get home," Xander said slowly.

"That’s a wonderful profession!" Anya smiled. "People are always needing dwellings and new stores, that always means money."

"Leave it to Anya to see the financial side of things!" Willow grinned. "I think that's great. Are you still going to college?"

"Yeah," Xander grinned, moving in time to a slow song with Anya as Willow sat down in a bar chair near them. "Maybe night classes."

"Sounds good," Willow agreed.

* * *

Buffy smiled as she held Tara close after their sweet lovemaking. She could feel Willow's contentment and was glad. Things had been so rough for so long and Buffy knew the odds were it wouldn't last much longer and wanted to treasure it for as long as possible.

A Slayer, two witches with one a werewolf, a former vengeance demon and one brave and loyal male. The odds were against them having a peaceful time of it for long.

Buffy frowned when Tara moaned softly in her sleep, a look of pain crossing her lover's face. The Slayer moved up on her elbow as Tara moaned again and opened her eyes slowly.

"Tara?" Buffy asked softly, suddenly very concerned.

"I don't feel so good, Buff," Tara said softly, holding her stomach and curling up.

"Come on, let's get your clothes back together and get back to town," Buffy suggested, reaching for Tara's shirt buttons until Tara cried out in pain and rolled over, losing the contents of her stomach.

"Christ," Buffy growled, gently touching Tara's back as the witch was sick, unsure how to help.

"Oh goddess," Tara whimpered and another round hit her before she went to her hands and knees, retching.

"Tara?"

Buffy whimpered, feeling helpless and beginning to get really worried when it didn't seem to let up for at least five minutes. Tara sobbed in agony and collapsed onto her side, still grabbing her stomach.

"Tara, how can I help?" Buffy begged. She knelt beside her lover, feeling Tara's forehead. "Oh God, you're burning up."

"I don't think I can walk back," Tara whimpered.

"I know, I know," Buffy muttered. "Stay put," she ordered and went to the stream. She pulled her t-shirt off and soaked it in the water.

Buffy wrung the material out and placed it over Tara's forehead, hoping to cool her lover down.

Tara curled up in pain and another wave of nausea hit her.

//Willow!// Buffy mentally called, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.

//Buffy?//

Xander and Anya glanced up when Willow's feet hit the ground and she sat up quickly.

"Will?" Xander called over to her, recognizing the far away look in his friend's eyes.

//Will, Tara's sick, really sick,// Buffy said, gently stroking Tara's hair and back as Tara continued dry heaving.

//Where are you? How can we help?// Willow demanded, standing up, not noticing Xander and Anya running up to her.

"Will?" Xander asked as more of the town people noticed and stopped dancing.

"Tara is sick, really bad," Willow muttered as Luke and Thena approached her.

//We're by the creek, trail heading south from town. We're gonna need a stretcher, she can't stand up. I can't carry her that far!//

"Oh Goddess," Willow muttered as she looked up at Luke. "We need a stretcher and a couple of strong types, Tara's really sick down by the creek."

"We've got one in the Sheriff's office," Luke told them. "Manpower is easy! Alright everyone! I need Phillip, Jamie, DJ, and Zeke as carriers; it'll probably take two shifts to get her back. Send for the doctor in the next village. Phillip, get the stretcher."

Phillip darted off towards the Sheriff's office and Luke turned to Willow.

"What's wrong with Tara, we need to tell the doctor what to expect," he demanded.

//Buff, what's wrong with Tara? We're sending for medical help.// Willow relayed.

//Stomach cramps, she can't stop hurling and has a high fever. The pain is bad, Will.//

//Cavalry is mounting up now, Buff. We're on our way.// Willow said calmly but inside she was shaking badly.

"DJ, get the large flashlights out of the back of my car and the bar, it's getting dark," Luke ordered. "Willow?"

"Painful stomach cramps, non-stop vomiting and a high fever," Willow repeated, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Xander run and get jackets for you and Willow," Luke directed. "Anya, can you help Thena set up a cot in the church for Tara while she's calls the doctor?"

"You want to give me something to do," Anya accused but nodded. "I can do that."

The trek down to the creek was agonizingly slow for all the members of the Scooby Gang.

Buffy quickly put her bra back on and wished she and Tara had thought to bring jackets. Her only protection against the night cold was now soaked and on Tara's forehead. They hadn't intended on staying by the creek past sundown.

Willow and Xander wanted to rush down the path as quickly as possible but stayed with the group, heeding Luke's admonishment that the rescuers didn't need to end up being rescued with a broken limb from rushing around in the woods in the dark.

Finally they spotted the two women by the creek.

"Oh thank the goddess," Willow muttered, rushing to the side of her mates. Buffy's frantic eyes told both Willow and Xander how worried she was.

Luke's flashlight quickly played over Tara's sweating and pain racked face as she moaned, barely conscious.

"Okay, nothing to be done here," he muttered. "Zeke, DJ, you two on the stretcher. Phillip, cover her with that blanket after they get her on the stretcher. Let's move people."

The Sheriff was responded to quickly and Xander pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Buffy as they started back up the path, Willow holding Tara's hand as they went.

"Oh Gods, Buffy, what happened?" Willow asked as they walked at a brisk pace, nearly trotting.

"We were resting and I…I don't know. I was about to suggest heading back and she moaned and woke up in pain," Buffy stammered. "She turned over and was sick, her stomach hurting bad."

"How often is she throwing up?" Luke questioned.

"About every ten minutes, first a wave of stomach cramps and then she dry heaves," Buffy answered, trying to be detailed. "She became feverish almost immediately and says her muscles ache and hurt."

"Okay," Luke nodded and pulled out a walkie talkie from his police belt. "Thena, you there?"

"Copy, Luke," Thena's voice greeted them.

"Any word on the doc?" he asked.

"Be here in about an hour once we tell him more details," Thena responded.

"Stomach cramping followed by vomiting that won't quit," Luke relayed. "It hits about every 10 minutes. Tell him fever and muscle aches and pains as well."

"Okay, she'll be dehydrated by the time you get back, I'll have him bring a couple of IVs and stuff. Any sign of food poisoning or something like that?"

"Hang on," Luke said and turned to Buffy. "Did she complain when she first threw up about the taste of the food?"

"No, nothing like that," Buffy shook her head.

"Food poisoning, people always know what it was they ate, it lets you know when it comes back up," Luke tried to explain. "Thena, I don't think its food and there's no splotches around the mouth or other signs of poison."

"Okay, maybe a really fast acting virus, no one else is sick though," Thena's voice was thoughtful.

"I know and the kids have been here long enough to rule out bringing it in from the outside," Luke added. "Listen, tell that doc to hurry. The fever worries me."

"Copy that, Luke," Thena acknowledged and Luke replaced the walkie talkie in his belt. "Okay, switch guys."

Those chosen as stretcher bearers, switched and the pace resumed an almost trot.

Willow frowned and ran her free hand over Tara's face, a faint glow radiating from her hand.

"What was that?" Luke asked.

"I was seeing if it was a spell, it's not," Willow said softly as Tara moaned and clutched at her stomach and Willow's hand in pain.

"Set it down, guys!" Luke advised as Tara rolled over, dry heaving once more, choking on the stomach acid she was retching.

"Tara, baby, we're right here," Willow said softly, both her and Buffy crying tears of fear and frustration.

Finally Tara collapsed back onto the stretcher, nodding that she could hear Willow and Buffy beside her.

"Up and at 'em," Luke ordered.

* * *

Buffy paced restlessly in the main room of the church while Willow sat in the front pew, wringing her hands.

"Why won't he let us in there?" Buffy growled.

"I think he's afraid I'll wolf out and you'll pound him when the IV's hurt Tara going in," Willow said softly.

"He knows?" Buffy asked, stopping her pacing.

"Thena says he knows but he's cool," Willow nodded. "His sister is married to Robert."

"God, this is so hard," Buffy complained, looking over at Xander and Anya at the far end of the pew. Both looked miserable and unsure what to do. "I never get used to this."

"I know," Willow said softly.

Finally Thena opened the door and motioned Buffy and Willow inside. Xander and Anya thought the two girls might break a leg rushing to the inner room of the church. The young couple walked up slowly to Thena.

"How is she?"

"She's stable," Thena answered slowly. "The IVs are replacing the fluid she's lost and her fever is coming down. The doctor's not sure what's causing her illness but the pain is only hitting her every half hour now and not as bad."

"Sounds like it's passing," Xander said hopefully.

"The doctor thinks so but still wants her in a hospital for observation for a couple of days," Thena informed the couple, knowing the doctor was saying the same thing to the lovers.

"How far is the hospital?" Xander frowned.

"Seventy five miles," Thena said with a frown.

"How do we get her there?" Xander asked, his voice firm and determined.

"Luke will take her and either Buffy or Willow, the rest of you can follow in the RV," Thena explained.

"Oh boy, deciding which one of them rides with Tara?" Xander whistled. "Don't want to make that decision, thank you!"

* * *

Willow was sitting by the cot, holding Tara's hand and stroking her lover's hair off her face. The IV slowly dripped stability into the witch.

Tara tried to smile.

"It is kinda interesting to see you on that side of the sick bed thing," Willow tried to joke softly.

"I wish it wasn't any of us," Tara responded and Willow drew her hand up and kissed the palm.

"Me too," Willow said softly, trying not to cry.

"Okay, guys," Buffy said, kneeling down to lean against the cot, touching her forehead to Tara's lovingly. "Luke can take Tara and one of us to the hospital. I suggest Will ride with you."

"Do I have to go?" Tara whined.

"It's for the best, love," Buffy said and Willow nodded.

"I want you to ride with her, Buffy," Willow said firmly.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Buffy suggested with a small smile.

"Dr. Keiran thinks it could be something she ate, something maybe even poisonous," Willow said slowly as Tara closed her eyes, resting. "That could be intentional. I want the Slayer with her if it was intentional."

Buffy leaned back on her haunches, considering Willow's words.

"Alright, I don't like it but it makes sense," the Slayer finally agreed. "You, Xan and Anya follow as quick as you can?"

"You bet," Willow nodded, touching Buffy's cheek gently.

"Well, ladies?" Dr. Keiran asked as he and Thena walked up.

"I'll ride with you and Luke," Buffy said.

"Alright, we'll put you in the back of the cruiser, Tara's head on your lap and I'll sit up front with Luke," the doctor said easily. "We should move. She's doing better but I still want her under observation."

"Let's move then," Buffy responded.

"Tar," Willow said softly. Tara opened her eyes slowly. "We're going to move you now. Buffy's going to ride with you and I'll be right behind you."

"Okay, don't take too long," Tara whispered.

"I won't, promise," Willow said, kissing Tara on the forehead as Luke and the doctor grabbed the ends of the stretcher.

* * *

"Goddess, this is taking forever!" Willow complained from the passenger seat as Xander rounded another mountain curve.

"I know but I'm not going to play Jeff Gordon here!" Xander snapped.

"It's okay, Xan," Willow said slowly. "I'm just anxious. She was so sick."

"We'll get there, Will," Xander reassured his best friend as Anya glanced around from the chair behind Willow.

"She will be fine, Willow," Anya said, trying to reassure her friend. "Scooby Gang members die violent death not from illness."

"Thanks," Willow muttered, shaking her head.

"Hey, what's this?" Xander mumbled, easing off the accelerator and down shifting. Willow sat up a little straighter in her seat as Anya leaned around to look.

"Looks like a detour," Willow said slowly.

Ahead was a series of barricades with the typical flashing amber lights. Large signs pointing to a side road on the left confirmed the observation.

"What do we do?" Xander asked, pulling the RV to a stop.

"Take the detour, I guess," Willow said with a frown. "I don't see the patrol car so they must still be ahead of us."

"I don't like this," Xander grumbled.

"I agree with my fiancée," Anya said cheerfully, causing Willow to roll her eyes.

"Do we have a choice?" she pointed out. "Do you want me to get out and move the barricades?"

"No, you're right," Xander said but continued to frown. "Let's hope Luke slowed down, I'd really like to have someone to follow. This mountain road is awfully damned quiet."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Willow nodded as he slipped the RV into first and began turning the wheel.

Anya pulled out her cell phone and dialed but swore in some ancient language.

"No answer, I think these hills are blocking the transmission," she growled.

* * *

Buffy waited patiently as the nurses and on-call ER doctor worked over Tara. Having many years experience of ending up in hospitals, all of the Scooby Gang carried copies of their medical records and all necessary insurance and Power of Attorney paperwork for each other when traveling. It saved time and legal hassles. Buffy had a feeling that Tara wouldn't appreciate her family being called if she slipped into unconsciousness.

Luke walked into the waiting room with two cups of coffee and handed Buffy one.

"Still no sign of the others?" he asked.

"Nope, not yet," Buffy answered, tired and worried.

"Takes longer with an RV," Luke pointed out.

"Yeah, I know," Buffy nodded. "I just hate waiting."

"Me too," he agreed, sitting down next to her and stretching his long legs out in front of him. "Tara will be okay."

"Yup, she's gotta be," Buffy nodded again.

"I've never seen anyone as close as the three of you," Luke commented. "It's not totally uncommon among weres and vampires but you guys are amazing."

Buffy blushed and smiled. "We are lucky and I'm the luckiest to have both of them love me back."

Luke nodded, his eyes distant and thoughtful.

"When are you going to tell Thena you love her?" Buffy asked and Luke blinked in surprise but then laughed.

"That obvious?"

"Kinda," Buffy grinned.

"Soon," he said firmly.

"Don't wait too long," Buffy advised. "I almost did."

Buffy pulled out her cell phone and dialed but got one of the annoying "caller out of ranch" recordings and swore. "Goddamn mountains."

Both Buffy and Luke stood up when Dr. Keiran entered the room with the ER doctor, Dr. Sarah Whitman.

"You can go in now," Dr. Whitman said with a smile. "Dr. Keiran did a fine job with the IVs and stabilizing her."

"What's wrong with her?" Buffy demanded.

Dr. Whitman frowned. "We're still not sure what the cause of her nausea and pain is. I've ordered a series of tests to see if we can get some answers. From what you and Tara told us, it sounds like some kind of poisoning rather than viral."

"That doesn't make sense," Buffy complained. "We all ate at the diner or in the RV and no one else got sick."

"How long for the poison to work? That might narrow it down," Luke asked, pulling out a small notebook and flipping it open.

"No way to tell until we know what kind of poison or bad food it was," Dr. Whitman explained. "Was she alone at all today, when she might have ate or drank something that the others didn't?"

"No," Buffy answered, frowning. "Not at all. We had a late night and she slept late. We had lunch at the diner and then went for a walk in the woods. We spent time down by a creek and then she got sick."

Dr. Whitman's frown matched Buffy and Luke's.

"Who in the hell would want to poison Tara?" Luke complained.

"We're not even sure it is poison yet," Dr. Whitman pointed out. "Let us get the test results back and we'll know more."

They watched as Dr. Whitman moved off towards the nurses' station.

"I repeat, who the hell would want to poison Tara?" Luke snapped.

"She said they were passing through and stayed for the week when you all invited her girlfriend in for training, right?" Dr. Kieran asked.

"Yeah, we found Willow is a Were and we offered to train her," Luke said, his voice low.

"So, no known enemies in your pack?" Dr. Kieran continued.

"Nope, they all fit in so well that we hope they come back and maybe settle down," Luke smiled at the Slayer.

"This does not make sense!" Buffy complained. "No one followed us to Lupercalia."

"No strangers in town either and the kids are all well liked," Luke agreed.

"Okay, if it is poison," Buffy growled, pondering. "Why Tara?"

"Why any of you?" Luke countered.

"Damnit! I hate not having answers! I'm going in with her," Buffy growled as Luke headed for the telephones.

* * *

"Oh boy," Xander muttered and shifted down another gear. "Willow, Anya, I think we're in trouble."

"Besides the fact that this road is not a main road and turns into a dirt track?" Anya snapped.

"Yeah, besides that," Xander grumbled. "There's lights up ahead but they're not car lights."

"Anya, something feels terribly wrong," Willow agreed. "Maybe we should have some backup fire power?"

"Look, if it's just muggers, we give them whatever money we've got and credit cards and get out of here," Xander advised. "This isn't Sunnydale, shooting someone outside Sunnydale can have serious consequences."

"Someone went to some trouble to detour us down here, think they just want our credit cards?" Willow countered.

Xander sighed and shook his head 'no' in agreement. "I can't turn around. We either go forward and see what those lights are or we stop and make them come to us."

"It might be a road repair crew," Anya suggested.

"We need to chance it," Willow said softly. "If there's a chance to get through to Buffy and Tara, we need to chance it."

"Okay," Xander said and shifted the RV into gear and moved the small monster forward, slowly.

Anya moved to the trap door in the RV and pulled out a shot gun and two pistols. She handed Willow a small automatic and Xander a Glock, keeping the shotgun for herself.

"This is not good," Xander complained as they pulled up on what was obviously a campground. They could see tents, a couple of campers, vans and several RVs, just a little bit bigger than their own. There was a large fire in the center of the grounds with people seeming to hang around, each had a pistol or rifle in their hands as they watched the RV pull up.

"Could just be as paranoid as we are," Willow said thoughtfully.

"Then where are the men?" Xander countered and Willow looked again, discovering Xander was right. The group around the fire consisted mainly of women, mostly young women and teens.

"Oh boy, either we just ran into a Dianic coven or the men are in the shadows," Willow agreed.

"Dianic?" Xander muttered as he looked around for a way to turn the RV around and began maneuvering it to drive around the other cars and vans.

"All female witch coven," Willow answered absently as she and Anya watched out the windows.

"Do we stop and be polite or just leave?" Xander demanded.

The group around the fire wasn't moving towards them and made no sign of welcoming the newcomers or warning them away.

"They are like totally freaky!" Anya squeaked and both Xander and Willow nodded.

"We don't have time to be polite," Willow said firmly.

"Oh f*ck!" Xander exclaimed and slammed his foot on the brakes, almost sending Willow into the window despite the slow speed they were moving at. Willow and Anya took in the sight of a large van blocking the car path in front of them and several men standing near it, rifles in hand. One of them was Phillip.

"So not good!" Anya complained as she pumped a shell into the chamber of the shotgun.

Several rifles and shotguns were suddenly pointed at the RV, all focused on Xander.

"Uh, Will, isn't Phillip our friend?" Xander whispered as the man in question stepped into the RV headlights.

"Willow! The three of you come out of there with your hands in sight!" Phillip yelled.

Willow opened the side window.

"What the hell is going on, Phillip?" she demanded. "You know I need to get to town! Tara is sick!"

"Yeah, I made her that way," Phillip grinned. "Don't worry, she'll live."

"Phillip, you know we have silver bullets in here," Willow shouted back, motioning Anya to get down in the RV. She heard Anya scrambling back to the secret compartment, digging for the special werewolf rounds.

"Silver?" Xander questioned, keeping his hands on the steering wheel.

"We know Phillip is a were," Willow answered. "I've got a tingling feeling about the others."

"Don't make this difficult, Willow," Phillip yelled back. "This is the part where the bad guy tells you that all the rifles are pointing at your best friend's head. If you don't agree to come out unarmed, we shoot him and torch the RV, killing you and Anya next. Don't think of using magick either, our own witches are dampening you."

Xander glanced over at his friend and frowned when Willow turned very pale and her eyes looked fearful.

"He's right," Willow said softly. "I can't protect you."

"Then we fight our way out of here!" Xander growled.

"Xander, how many rifles are aimed at your head?" Willow countered. "The women have moved behind us."

"Come on, Willow, we don't have all night!" Phillip yelled.

"What the hell do you want with us? Why make Tara sick?" Willow shouted. "And I am so going to hurt you for that," she promised under her breath.

Phillip grinned in the glare of the headlights and pulled something out of his pocket and dangled it in front of him.

"No, please, no," Willow whispered and Xander gritted his teeth.

"What is it?" Anya asked from her crouched position behind the seat.

"Oz' dog tags," Xander said softly.

"You bought your werewolf a dog license?" Anya asked innocently.

"No, he had military type dog tags. One side painted black and a rabbit's foot in between them," Xander explained. "Phillip has the dog tags."

"He's the one that corrupted Oz," Willow muttered.

"This must be the pack he ran into," Xander nodded.

"They want me, like Oz did," Willow said softly, her eyes wide and fearful as Phillip twirled the necklace on his finger, gloating.

"Why? You're just learning control? You're a good werewolf!" Anya protested.

"If you cut the lights and we dive to the floor, can we fight back?" Willow asked, ignoring the question.

"They'll shoot the hell out of the RV," Xander said slowly. "They'll rush us and we can take out several of them. They set fire to the RV and we're forced out a window or door or we burn to death. Odds aren't good, Wills."

"Phillip, you swear you'll let Xander and Anya go and I'll come out!" Willow yelled.

"No!" Xander and Anya protested at the same time.

"Sorry, kid," Phillip shrugged. "No witnesses and all that. They'll give us a good hunt though."

"I say we fight!" Anya grumbled.

"We'll still end up just as dead," Xander pointed out.

"Maybe they'll slip and I can use magick before the hunt," Willow said thoughtfully. "Maybe I can get you guys out of this."

"We're not leaving without you!" Xander growled.

"Come on, Willow!" Phillip yelled. "This melodrama is getting boring!"

"No, if you get a chance, take it!" Willow snapped, putting her gun on the dashboard. "You find Buffy and get back here for me. That's why they made Tara sick, to separate and weaken us."

"Will," Xander was cut off by Willow reaching over and taking the glock from his lap and throwing it onto the dash in front of him.

"I'll join you willingly if you let them go!" Willow yelled back at Phillip.

"No deals, you'll join us the same as your mate did," Phillip said with a shake of his head. "Given the right drugs and spell, you'll fall easier than he did."

Willow felt her eyes filling with tears.

"I'll f*cking kill you wolf-boy!" Xander shouted, gripping the steering wheel tightly in anger.

"Take them!" Phillip ordered.

"Open the door, Anya," Willow said softly, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

"We don't give up like this, Will!" Xander protested.

"No, we stay alive and look for a chance!" she countered as Anya sat the shotgun down and unlocked the door. "If you get it, take it! Use your military memory, Xander! They don't know about that!"

"The duty of a prisoner is to escape and harass the enemy," he said softly as the door opened and two armed men reached in and grabbed a screaming Anya, dragging her out of the RV.

"I love you, Xander," Willow said softly as he stood up and walked to the door.

"We love you too, Will," Xander said calmly before being yanked out the door.

Willow sat in the passenger seat, waiting. She didn't even turn when Phillip entered the RV and sat down in the driver's seat.

"Why?" she asked simply.

"My pack needs some human blood and you're perfect for us as a wolf," Phillip said easily. "You have a darkness about you and you've tasted human/werewolf blood. You'll even be easier than Oz was."

"Buffy and Tara will come for us, they can track me," Willow said, frowning.

"Yeah, and they'll be given the same choices as Buffy was last time," Phillip nodded. "Join or die. With you in the pack, they'll join and we'll have a Slayer werewolf. Then we can take out Lupercalia and those white light types."

"How do you keep your evil from them?" Willow asked, finally turning to look at Phillip.

"I don't change and let my wolf rage in front of them. They think I'm a college student that comes back for long visits," he explained.

"How did you know we'd come this way? We didn't," Willow asked, curiosity winning out.

"We've followed you for months, we sent those vampires after you in LA," Phillip explained. "I thought we had you then. No Buffy or Tara, only a vampire guardian but you got away and back to Sunnydale. Then that damned mess with Dracula and we didn't even dare stay in town while he was there."

"So when we decided on a road trip, it was perfect for you," Willow said bitterly.

"Oh yeah!" he agreed with a grin. "We're a traveling pack, kinda like gypsies. We just kept someone behind you at all times, switching people and cars along the way. It was just dumb luck that you came across Lupercalia."

The werewolf laughed at her fallen expression.

"Talk about ironic! You fall into the hands of our worst enemies!" he grinned. "It's all good though. They taught you some basic control and got your magick a little more stable. We'll just take that and corrupt you on all sides."

"And I bet you claim me as mate, right?" Willow asked bitterly.

"No, we'll wait and see if Buffy and Tara can be persuaded to join us in the darkness," Phillip said thoughtfully. "If not, then I'll claim you as Alpha mate."

"Let Xander and Anya go and I won't fight you," Willow begged.

"Sorry, kid," Phillip shrugged. "In about an hour, they'll be the foxes in the hunt."

"An hour?" Willow squeaked.

"Did you think we'd wait to let Buffy and Tara bring the cavalry in?" Phillip laughed. "Not likely! This is where the movie takes a plot twist. The bad guys kill the minor characters and the heroine wakes up in the morning to discover that she took part in ripping her friends into pieces and eating them."

Willow screamed and launched herself at the werewolf. Phillip, expecting the attack, smashed the witch across the temple with a huge fist, sending her to the floor of the RV unconscious before she could reach him with her claws.

"Take her, have the witches work the spell and force the drugs down her throat," Phillip ordered the two young men waiting at the door. "I want this done quickly."

////////////

Buffy jumped to her feet from the stool by Tara's gurney when her lover gasped and tried to sit up, only to fall back moaning.

"Tara, what is it?" Buffy asked, holding her lover's hand. She winced when Tara's grip tightened painfully.

"Willow, I've lost Willow," Tara said frantically.

"No, it's okay, she's with Xander and Anya in the RV," Buffy said, trying to calm the witch down. "They'll be here soon."

In reality, Buffy was beginning to become concerned. Even with the slower moving RV, she felt the other Scooby members should have been there by now.

"No, I've lost contact, I can't sense her!" Tara whispered.

Buffy frowned and closed her eyes, opening her mental shields.

///Will?/// she called mentally and frowned when she met a blank wall. ///Will!///

"Okay, the doctor says you're gonna be alright," Buffy said softly. "I'm going to take Luke and we're gonna find Will, Xan and Anya."

"Be careful," Tara said softly.

Buffy was torn. Tara looked so weak and pale that it hurt the Slayer physically.

Tara opened her eyes and smiled a small smile.

"Go, I'll be fine," she urged.

"I don't want to leave you," Buffy complained.

"Will might be in trouble," Tara countered.

"I'll make sure Dr. Kieran sticks around," Buffy said after pondering the options.

"Hurry, you know there isn't much that can cut us off from Willow," Tara pointed out.

"I know, it doesn't feel like she's blocking us like before, it feels different," Buffy said softly.

"Yes, something else is blocking us," Tara agreed, watching Buffy's face.

"That means it's intentional," Buffy growled. "Maybe even you getting sick is intentional."

"Trying to separate us," Tara nodded. "So either I'm the target or Willow is."

"Since Willow is blocked from us, good bet it's her," Buffy said, her eyes narrowing. "And I don't think its Dracula."

"Maybe it's Xander or Anya?"

"Well, she is a former demon," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Maybe someone wants revenge on the revenge girl."

"Go, this is going nowhere," Tara urged.

"I'll be back," Buffy promised, kissing Tara gently.

Luke yelped when he was yanked up out of his chair and slammed against the wall. "What the hell?"

"Okay, Sheriff type!" Buffy growled as she held Luke against the wall of the empty waiting room. "Why would someone from your town poison Tara to get us away from Willow?"

"What are you talking about?" Luke demanded.

"We can't reach Willow mentally, someone is blocking us!" Buffy snapped. "Who are they after? Which one of us or all of us?"

"Look, I swear I don't know what you're talking about," Luke said quickly. "We love Willow and we like you guys."

"Then help me find her!" Buffy growled, letting Luke down off the wall and headed for the door.

* * *

Willow moaned and tried to sit up. Hands roughly threw her back down on the ground, someone holding her head tightly as someone else forced open her mouth. The witch gagged and tried to spit out the liquid being poured down her throat as she struggled. Someone hit her across the jaw, stunning Willow slightly and began forcing the liquid down her throat again. She gagged a lot of it down, finally.

After several moments the hands eased up from holding her down. Willow rolled over moaning as the drugs began hitting her system. Voices began chanting over her as she fought back against the drugs.

"Goddess, help me!" she cried as her body spasmed.

* * *

Buffy growled and held onto the dashboard as Luke took a mountain curve at a fairly high rate of speed.

"We have no idea when we lost track of Willow," Buffy said thoughtfully, looking over a local map. "How many side roads are there around here."

"Plenty," Luke complained. "No reason for them to turn off though."

"I know and they wouldn't, not with Tara heading to the hospital," Buffy agreed.

"Anything mentally, that psychic thing you guys do?" Luke asked.

"No, something outside of Willow is blocking us," Buffy snapped. "I can sense Tara but not Willow."

"Hang in there, we'll find them," Luke said firmly, lifting the mike to the car radio. "DJ, you on the radio?"

"Affirmative, Luke," a young male voice answered.

"General alert! We've got a missing pack member, somewhere between the village and the city," Luke snapped. "I want a head count, as best as you can. I want Robert and Thena on the road looking for Willow between the city and Lupercalia. We'll be coming from this end."

"Yes, sir! I'll sound the alarm," DJ promised. "Is the entire RV missing or just Red Willow?"

"The entire RV, Willow, Xander and Anya," Luke clarified. "Somewhere between the city and Lupercalia."

"Yes, sir," DJ responded. "I'll have Thena take a radio with her."

"Good boy," Luke nodded and turned to Buffy. "We have precautions in Lupercalia. Being what we are, there's always the possibility of trouble. DJ will sound an alert and the Elders will do a head count through town."

"How long will that take?"

"Not as long as you'd think," Luke smiled. "We're efficient and there aren't that many of us. There are some that live up on the mountainside that we might miss but not many."

"Thanks, Luke," Buffy said softly.

"Don't mention it, Willow's one of us," Luke nodded. "You're all family now."

Buffy nodded, watching the side of the road for signs of the RV.

* * *

Willow felt her bones cracking and fangs extending and whimpered in the pain. She heard answering growls and yips surrounding her and warm hands soothing her. Willow gave over to the change and let the wolf come forward.

Phillip grinned and turned back to Xander and Anya. The young couple were standing under a tree, their hands tied to branches overhead, their arms outstretched.

"She makes a beautiful wolf," Phillip commented.

"Damn you! The wolf is a good wolf!" Xander protested.

"She won't be for long!" Phillip promised. "That spell and those drugs will bring out the rage in the wolf when she scents human blood."

Two teenage males grinned and approached the couple with drawn hunting knives.

"Leave her alone!" Xander shouted, trying to kick the males when they got closer. One of them knocked Xander's legs aside and slashed out with the knife, cutting across Xander's chest as the young man yelped.

Anya began shouting and screaming as the teenagers cut away Xander's shirt. The weres laughed as they slashed at Xander's arms, chest and back and Anya's arms and legs.

Phillip grinned as the males moved back as the couple struggled against their bonds, bleeding.

"We'll give you fifteen minutes," Phillip said easily. "Just for your info, it takes at least a half hour to get back to the road on foot. You'd never make it."

"Let her go!" Xander shouted.

"Hey, we're letting both of you go," Phillip laughed and took one of the knives from the males and cut Anya's ropes and then Xander's. The young man quickly checked Anya over and discovered her wounds weren't serious but there were a lot of them, like his.

Phillip looked at his watch. "I'll start the counting in 30 seconds."

"What?" Xander stammered as Anya cried against his chest.

"Better start running," Phillip advised.

"Come on, An," Xander said softly and pulled his fiancée along the dirt road.

"What are we going to do?" Anya sobbed.

"Dry your eyes," he suggested and pulled her into the shadows. "Come on, we're heading downhill."

"What? Why? We need to get to the road."

"No, Phillip's right, we'd never make it," Xander countered. "We're going to the bottom of the hill, there's probably a creek or something down there. Water will help break our scent."

"Scent?"

"In about twelve minutes we're going to have a pack of werewolves after us," Xander explained.

"Even Willow?" Anya asked, her voice soft and tearful.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. "Give me your shirt."

"You want me half naked in the woods while werewolves are tracking us?"

"I need to bandage your arms to stop the bleeding," Xander explained.

A howl sounded in the night. "Let's move!" Anya suggested.

* * *

Buffy rubbed her eyes wearily.

///Tara?/// she called out mentally.

///Buffy? Are you okay?///

///Yeah, we're looking for the RV. You're better at the magic stuff, anything from Wills?///

///No, someone or something is still blocking her.///

///Okay, Doc Kieran with you?///

///Yes, won't leave my room unless a nurse or someone is in here with me.///

///Good. I love you, Tara.///

///I love you, Buff. Bring her back.///

///We'll find her.///

* * *

The red werewolf staggered to her feet and shook herself. The wolves and werewolves standing around hesitated and then rushed at her, nipping at her flanks and ribs. The red wolf growled and snapped back but there were too many of them, as wolf Willow snapped at one, another would rush her from the opposite direction.

Within moments, the wolf was in a fury and rushed after the pack when they took off. The scent of human blood and fear caught in the wolf's senses and her focus changed instantly.

* * *

The first howl was joined by an entire chorus a few minutes later and Xander swore under his breath.

"Come on, An," he encouraged. He continued down the mountainside, trying to keep both of them from falling in the dark. The young man hesitated a moment, grabbed a large tree branch and yanked and twisted until it broke off the tree. He stripped off the minor branches, arming himself with a decent sized club with a sharp end.

"I hear water!" Anya gasped.

"Good, I think I'd rather drown than become a munchy for werewolves," Xander grumbled.

He grabbed Anya's hand and began running again.

* * *

Luke swore loudly when they realized that the car lights meeting them was a Ford Bronco, Thena's 4x4. Luke flashed his lights and both cars stopped by each other. Inside Thena's 4x4 were several Lupercalia citizens, including Maggie, Stefn, Rowan and Helki from the Elder Council.

"Helki, Buffy says that Willow is being blocked from contacting her and Tara," Luke called. "Can you do anything about that?"

"I might," the witch called back. "Let me in over there."

The older woman scampered out of the 4x4 and around to the other side of the patrol car, slipping into the back seat. She reached over the seat and rested her hands on Buffy's shoulders.

"Relax, Buffy," she instructed and they closed their eyes.

Everyone waited patiently until Helki opened her eyes.

"She's in wolf shape and totally without humanity," Helki announced. "Something is wrong."

"Is she enraged?" Rowan called.

"Yes, like some of the evil weres that have come through Lupercalia," Helki confirmed.

"Like Oz?" Buffy questioned and Luke nodded.

"Is anyone missing?" Luke asked Thena.

"Yes, Phillip is missing and no one knows where or when," Thena answered.

Luke's teeth clenched. "Helki, can you track Willow magickally?"

"No, not yet, we're not close enough," the older woman shook her head.

"Damn," Buffy growled.

"Okay, I don't think the RV is just off the road, that means one of the side roads," Luke pondered. "Call in more cars and start back tracking. We're going to head back the other way and check some of the roads."

"You got it, Luke," Thena nodded.

"Helki, stay with us," Luke instructed and the witch sat back, slamming the door shut.

* * *

Xander pulled Anya into the water despite her protests that they didn't know how deep it was, how fast the current was or how cold. He held his fiancée close as the cold water hit them, hard.

He gritted his teeth as they went waist deep in the water and then to his chest. "Drift with the current," he instructed, holding Anya tightly.

"Cold," Anya stammered around her chattering teeth.

"I know, baby," Xander said softly. He could hear the yips and howls getting closer and knew that the pack was close. The young man knew they couldn't stay in the water long but they needed to put some distance between themselves and the wolf pack in order to possibly break their scent trail.

Xander began working his arms and legs to move them closer to the far bank. He had no idea how long they had drifted. He knew as cold as the water was, five minutes could feel like a half hour. Anya's was shivering badly when he pulled her from the water and clung to him.

"Cold, so cold!" she chattered.

"I know," he repeated, looking back up the river, unable to see any sign of the pack. "Come on, let's keep moving."

Xander pulled Anya towards the tree-line. He finally found one he was satisfied with. "Come on, baby, up the tree, as high as you can get."

"I'm not climbing a tree like some squirrel!" Anya protested.

"Just do it!" Xander snapped. "Give me your bra and climb the fricking tree."

Anya's eyes widened at his surprisingly forcefulness and pulled off her undershirt and bra. She handed the undergarment to him and put the small shirt back on, shivering in the cold night air.

"Up the tree, An," Xander repeated. "I need you to live, please," he begged.

Anya grabbed him in a quick embrace and then started climbing the tree. Xander watched her for a moment and picked up a tree limb, tying Anya's bra on the end. He began running away from the river with the bra trailing behind him.

* * *

Wolf Willow stopped with the rest of the pack when they reached the river. One set of wolves headed one way and Willow followed the part of the pack headed down-stream. With the scent trail broken and the first few minutes of the chase winding down, Willow felt her consciousness trying to come to the surface again, struggling against the enraged and drugged wolf.

* * *

"We’re closer," Helki suddenly said softly.

Luke hit the brakes and glanced around. He pulled the patrol car over and circled around the car as Buffy got out as well.

"There's a side road, which direction?" he growled.

"I can't tell," Helki answered, leaning out an open window.

He and Buffy looked around the side of the road for anything out of the ordinary. Together, their flashlight caught sight of folded barricades, amber lights and signs. Luke and Slayer quickly dashed to the roadside and went through the signs.

Buffy pointed to the left of the car. "Detour says that way!"

"Let's try it," Luke nodded and both raced back to the car.

Luke jumped behind the wheel as Buffy reached for the mike.

* * *

Xander yelped and desperately grabbed for a tree branch. "Fck!"

The young man spun around, swinging out onto the branch and over the blackness before throwing himself backwards onto the ground. He scrambled backwards, hearing the gravel under his feet falling over the edge of the cliff.

Xander could hear the sound of a waterfall behind or below him.

"Damn! I saw 'Surviving the Game', I should have remembered this part," he complained as he trembled in shock and cold.

The young man's eyes widened when howls broke out behind him again.

"Damn," he muttered and began moving along the tree line, away from the waterfall sound.

* * *

"Helki?"

"There's a pack, she's running with a pack and it's a big one," the witch answered, swaying with the car and her trance.

"Can you reach her?"

Helki placed her arms around Buffy from behind and the Slayer felt someone 'knocking' at her mental shields. Trusting the werewolf witch, Buffy mentally opened a door and let the old woman in.

///Call to your mates,/// Helki's voice instructed.

///Tara? Willow?/// Buffy called.

///I'm here, Buff./// Tara answered and joined her, lending her what little strength the sick witch could muster.

The two witches could feel Willow's wolf hesitating as Buffy and Tara tried to reach her.

//Will! Come back to us!// Buffy called.

Again they could feel the wolf hesitate.

///Send her images of Xander and Anya./// Helki instructed.

Slayer and witch let their mind fill with thoughts of Xander and his quirky fiancée, especially good thoughts of both.

//Buff? Tara?//

//Fight it, Will!/// Buffy shouted mentally. ///These wolves aren't your friends.///

They felt the wolf struggling with confusion and Willow's strong will.

"If she's with a pack and they can't keep her, they'll tear her apart," Luke muttered, stopping the car.

Buffy looked up with a questioning glance.

"We're about to head into a pack of werewolves," Luke explained, leaning into the patrol car as he popped the trunk. "Let's prepare. There's silver ammunition in the trunk for the shotgun and an extra pistol."

"Right," Buffy nodded and got out of the car.

Luke leaned in and grabbed the mike. "Thena and all searchers, head east on the road. Ten point two miles from contact point, road on the left. Come prepared for our kind."

"10-4," several voices responded.

Buffy handed him a box of shells, one each for his pistol and shotgun as she loaded the pistol she had found.

"What about Helki?" Buffy asked.

"She's a witch, she can protect herself," Luke explained.

"Let's go," Buffy urged, getting back in the car.

* * *

Willow struggled closer to the surface, fighting against the drugs and mental control spell.

Remembering her lessons, Willow sat down on her haunches and concentrated on her breathing as the wolves tried to figure out how to cross the river without getting into the cold water. The point where they could sense their prey had exited the water was wide and the water swift.

Willow felt someone trying to slam a wall around her mentally and magickally.

* * *

Luke waited patiently while Buffy drummed her fingers on the dashboard while they waited for more cars to come down the road. Finally headlights filled the patrol car from Thena's 4x4 and Luke started the car.

"Let's do this!" he said grimly, hitting the overhead lights and spinning the tires. "Surprise is always a good thing!"

Buffy grinned as the adrenaline started building.

Luke hit the campsite with brakes squealing and lights flashing. Buffy grinned at the sight of the young women scattering away from the fire.

"There's the RV!" Buffy shouted, pointing at the boxed in RV named Priscilla.

* * *

Willow felt the witch who had been trying to control her lose focus and the red werewolf growled and reclaimed her mental control over the wolf.

The red werewolf shifted to werewolf form and faced the pack as they turned to look at her. The largest gray male growled as he looked deep into Willow's eyes. His lips drew back from his teeth as he bared his fangs.

Willow bared her own in challenge.

//Buffy! Tara!// she screamed mentally.

//Where are you, Will?// Buffy demanded as she ducked behind the car door and then jumped up and fired back.

The two groups of werewolves were in a serious firefight. DJ was already down and several of the opposing Weres had fallen to the silver bullets the Lupercalia Weres were using.

///I don't know, we're by a river and I think there's a waterfall.// Willow said. //I think I'm in serious trouble here, Buff.//

//Hang in there, lover!// Buffy growled.

"Willow's in trouble!" Buffy shouted to Luke on the other side of the car.

"Thena says the RV is empty, no sign of Xander or Anya," he called back.

"I'm taking Helki with me, we've gotta find Wills!" Buffy shouted back and moved behind the patrol car where Helki was staying under cover.

* * *

Willow felt the confusion and beginning anger building in the wolves and werewolves facing her, especially from the large male in front.

Willow sensed the male was Phillip as he shifted from wolf form to werewolf, a growl radiating from his chest. The red wolf growled, again answering the challenge.

The rest of the pack ran to join the group from up the river and circled the two werewolves.

* * *

"Xander!"

Xander raised his head. "What?" he mumbled. He realized he must have fallen and hit his head or something.

"Xander!"

"Anya?" he called back.

"Xander!" Anya's voice carried and then he felt his fiancée turning him over. "Xander! The wolves never came and I got worried."

"I'm glad they never came," he mumbled. "Let's get back to the river, we've got to find somebody besides werewolves."

* * *

Willow rolled over backwards when Phillip charged her, planting her foot in his stomach and used his momentum to carry him over her head. The red werewolf jumped to her feet and tackled the gray wolf as he tried to get to his feet.

The human side of Willow knew she needed to end the fight quickly. He growled and slashed down at her back as she sank her fangs into his thigh. Phillip howled again and beat on her back until the red werewolf fell to her knees and she pulled his feet out from under him.

Instead of leaping on him, as any fighter would expect, Willow jumped back and grabbed a foot. Letting her human side go numb, werewolf Willow sank her fangs into the back of Phillip's ankle, ripping through his Achilles tendon and snapping the tibia bone. Phillip howled in pain and sat up, trying to rake his claws across Willow's muzzle.

The werewolf witch danced back and up, coming down on top of Phillip as he over-reached himself. Willow growled and grabbed his head and twisted it violently. The red werewolf howled in victory at the sound of bones snapping.

Willow growled as the pack shifted on their feet or haunches. One of the males stood up with a growl, challenging. Instead of meeting his challenge physically, Willow changed back to human form, raised her hands and her eyes blackened.

* * *

Buffy and Helki moved through the woods quickly and hesitated only for a moment when they heard a wolf howling deep in the woods, away from the gun fight back at the campground.

Helki stopped suddenly, grabbing Buffy's arm.

"Magick!" she hissed and they hit the forest floor as the ground rocked and a bright light filled the sky near the river.

"Will!" Buffy screamed as she jumped up and dashed through the woods.

* * *

"Willow!"

The red-haired witch sat up slowly, blinking. She smiled as Buffy and Helki rushed towards her. Buffy gratefully drew Willow into her arms, holding her tight.

"What happened, Will?" Buffy asked softly.

"We've got to find Xander and Anya!" Willow said, trying to sit up and falling back into Buffy's arms. "Whoa! Head rush!"

Buffy looked to Helki as the witch examined her lover.

"She's weak from magick use," Helki said, holding a cloth to Willow's nose. Willow blinked at the familiar sight of a typical after-effect of heavy use of magick for the young woman.

"Somebody help us!"

All three women turned and saw Xander and Anya on the other side of the river, shivering and holding each other tightly.

"You guys okay?"

"No, we're damn well freezing!" Xander snapped. "Is there any other way across?"

"I don't think so," Buffy said with a frown, kissing Willow quickly and standing up. The Slayer noticed the entire area was burned around Willow, as if a UFO had landed on top of her and there was no sign of any werewolves. "I'll swim out and help you two across."

"Okay, we're awfully tired, cold and lost a lot of blood," Xander called back and Anya shivered.

It took longer to get Anya and Xander across the river this time, both were exhausted. They finally reached the other shore and collapsed onto the dirt as Luke and several Lupercalia town members showed to lend a hand.

Buffy left Xander and Anya to the care of their friends and went back to help Willow stand up.

"She's tired but she'll be fine," Helki told them.

"What happened, guys?" Buffy asked everyone.

"Tired," Anya mumbled.

"Let's get them back up to the RV," Luke suggested.

* * *

///Tara!///

///Buffy? I can sense Willow. Is she okay?///

///Yes!///

Tara could hear the relief and joy in Buffy's mental voice and smiled.

///Xander and Anya are hurt and freezing but they should be okay. We'll be heading to the hospital there to get them checked out./// Buffy continued. ///Give us a couple of hours to get them warmed up and drive there.///

///Alright, I'll be waiting, my loves.///

//I love you, Tara.// Willow joined in.

///I love you, Will.//

* * *

Xander grinned as the orderly wheeled him into the waiting room. He flashed his new cast at Buffy, Luke, Anya and several Lupercalia towns' people. Anya had already been released after her wounds were treated and bandaged. Xander's care had taken longer because the wounds were deeper and his cast had gotten soaked in the river, requiring replacement.

Willow was sitting with Tara and Buffy stood up to join her friends as the sun began to rise.

"The doctor says my arm is okay," Xander smiled, taking a seat next to Anya. "A few scars from the cuts but I'll be fine."

"Good," Luke nodded. "The way we figure it, Phillip was a member of a pack of evil weres and would kidnap and corrupt some of the Weres we trained. They wanted Willow."

Rowan nodded. "While you two were being treated, Willow told us that she came round and faced Phillip as Weres and bested him."

"Way to go, Will!" Xander said softly.

"We lost three men and one woman tonight," Luke said softly. "It was worth it to get rid of that pack."

"What happened to the other werewolves?" Anya asked.

"It appears that Willow used some really powerful magick and…" Luke hesitated. "She used magick and reduced them to ashes."

Xander lost his smile and Anya leaned into his arms.

"Was that good magick or bad magick?" Xander whispered.

"If Buffy had been there, she would have killed them with silver bullets," Thena said slowly. "If we had been down there, we would have killed them. You would have killed them with a silver knife."

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "So it’s a good thing?"

"I would call it a neutral thing," Helki commented. "It was done to save her life and yours."

"Is she okay with the magick thing?" Xander frowned.

"I believe so," Helki said slowly. "It will be tempting for her. With Buffy and Tara, she should be alright."

* * *

Buffy found Willow in Tara's arms, almost in the bed with her lover. She smiled as Tara held a finger up to her lips, indicating silence. The Slayer saw that Willow was asleep.

"She's exhausted," Tara whispered as Buffy moved closer.

"Yeah, I think we all are," Buffy said softly. "They said they'll release you this afternoon. Xander and Anya are going to go crash in the RV outside."

"And you, my love?" Tara whispered.

"In that chair over there until you two wake up," Buffy said with a smile. "Luke said he'd handle the police questions about Xander and Anya's injuries."

"What about my poisoning?"

"Seems you ate the leaves from some plant when we went walking in the woods, very naughty of you," Buffy grinned.

"Oh really?" Tara's eyes sparkled. "Besides the fact I would never do something that stupid, maybe you should punish me later for being naughty?"

"Tara!" Buffy squeaked, never having seen this impish side of her lover.

Tara grinned and blushed a bright red, looking more like the shy college student Buffy knew.

"I love you both," Tara said gently.

"I love you both," Buffy said, leaning over to kiss Tara and then Willow.

"Love you," Willow mumbled as she opened her eyes. "The pack paid."

Willow reached into her shirt and held out something. Buffy took the offered item as the red haired witch closed her eyes again. Buffy held the dog tags and rabbit's foot out for Tara to see.

"These belonged to Oz," Buffy explained.

"The pack that corrupted Oz had them?" Tara said softly.

"Must have taunted Willow with them. We're going to head home now," Buffy said, throwing her feet up on the end of the bed and a jacket over her head. "We've got two weddings to plan."

"Wanna make it three?" Willow mumbled and nuzzled Tara's neck.

"Will?" Tara asked softly as Buffy's feet hit the floor.

Both witch and Slayer realized that Willow was asleep, leaving them to contemplate her words.