DISCLAIMER: BTVS is the property of Mutant Enemy and Twentieth Century Fox.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
PAIRING: Willow/Tara
Love Through Touch
By Nyka
Part 21
Buffy stretched and sighed in her sleep. She was having a pleasant dream about her future. Not just the near future, but the long term.
Hyatt sighed and moved closer to the Slayer so that more of their skin touched. She was sharing Buffy's dreams, their embrace linking their thoughts.
Anya sat up watching them cuddle.
"Maybe I should get a woman" she thought aloud.
She lay down with her back against Dawn's and fell asleep.
Naida lay on her back facing Kalindi.
The Vampire lay dazed on her back, breathing heavily though she had no need to.
"Naida" Kalindi moaned as her body finally stopped with the small aftershocks.
Naida turned her head and faced the ceiling of the chamber.
"My god Naida" Kalindi turned and saw the Seer staring straight up "I don't know who taught you that but.........My God"
Naida turned and faced her again "Faith"
"This new subject has proved amazingly strong" the soldier reported "I'm positive we can take her down though. She runs on Rage and Brute Strength"
"I know we can take her down. But don't-" the soldier fired before Pryde could finish "Damn you"
The young woman crumpled to the ground, making only a small sound of surprise when the dart struck her.
"You little shit" Pryde moved quickly and sragged the dark haired young woman into a convenient alley.
"Well I got her didn't I?" the cocky soldier said swaggering after them.
Pryde waited until he was close enough to her, and swung backwards, kicking him in his face.
He crumpled to the ground.
"Fucking beginners. Always think they know best" she turned by the the tranquilized girl "I hope no one misses you" she lifted her up into deceptively strong arms and carried her to the parked car in the back of the alley. Luckily it was still dark.
"Cash" Pryde wasn't big on ceremony when she was pissed.
"Yes Pryde" Cash's voice was tired.
"Your newbie you saddled me with Tranq'd a.........god I don't know what she is. She looks human but she's as strong as ten men"
"Amazing" Cash breathed "Are you bringing her in now?"
"Yeah." Pryde looked at her in the backseat, she looked like she was sleeping.
"What's your ETA?" Cash asked calling up a few Doctors.
"10 minutes" Pryde stepped on the gase and sped out of the alley "I want her in a cage long before she wakes up"
Buffy rose with the sun.
She stretched her arms over her head and yawned, disturbing Hyatt who was resting half on her.
Hyatt's eyes fluttered open and she looked lovingly at the Slayer.
"Morning" Buffy whispered.
Hyatt crawled up and kissed Buffy on the lips, in way of greeting.
Buffy wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her down so that their bodies rested against each other.
Hyatt moaned when Buffy slid her hands between them and carressed her breasts.
"I hope you realize there are other people in this room" Willow said turning to face her friends "and as entertaining I'm sure the show will be, I thought you might want to wait a few more years to explain sex to Star"
Buffy and Hyatt broke apart moaning, though Buffy's hands stayed where they were.
Hyatt sat back straddling Buffy who continued to carress her breasts, though Willow was still watching.
"That counts as sex too" Willow pointed out.
Buffy's hands dropped and Hyatt sighed.
Willow snickered next to them.
Hyatt gave Buffy a sinister look and leaned off to the side until she loomed over Willow. Willow's eyes widened when Hyatt leaned into her and pressed a kiss into her soft lips. After a few moments she began to kiss her back. Willow's tongue slipped into her mouth and Hyatt deepened the kiss. Buffy sat to the side not feeling jealous, but quite turned on.
Hyatt leaned away from the kiss slowly. Willow still had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily.
Buffy smirked "Way to go"
Hyatt shrugged and stretched, the arch of her back made their hips grind together.
Buffy moaned again, grabbing for Hyatt as the girl began to stand. Her hands didn't grasp but slid over the form above her until she reached Hyatt's legs when the girl was fully standing.
"Mmmm, sunrise makes me so horny" Hyatt said as she stepped over a dazed Willow and a still sleeping Tara. She disappeared up the stairs moments later.
Tara opened her eyes and sat up. She looked down at Willow's face. Her surprise and guilt was written clear across.
"But you don't trust her and MY lips" Tara joked rising as well "Buffy aren't you gonna go help with Hyatt's sunrise problem? Or are you gonna let her do it herself?"
It took Buffy a minute to get used to cocky Tara "Uh yeah. Or atleast watch to make sure she does it right"
"Does what right?" Star asked yawning. She fisted the sleep from her eyes, looking every inch the little girl she was.
"Buffy want's to make sure Hyatt knows how to start the shower right" Tara said quickly "It's a t-t-tricky thing, t-that shower h-head"
"Oh okay" Star climbed down off the couch and crawled to where Dawn and Anya were still asleep "Dawnie? Anya? Wake up time"
Dawn and Anya both groaned and rolled over, then pinned their pillows over their heads when the phone rang.
"I'll get it Willow said snapping out of her daze at the sound of the ring" she quickly left to answer it.
Buffy took it as her chance to go after Hyatt.
Tara helped Star wake Dawn up. But Anya was a whole 'nother deal.
"I d-don't know how to wake her up" Tara said honestly. She backed away a bit "D-do you?"
"I watched Xander do it when he left yesterday" Star crawled up to Anya's head and tore the pillow away. She then moved behind Anya and cradled the blonde head in her lap. She slowly began to brush the soft strands out of her face. She traced the curved line of Anya's brows then bent down and kissed her forehead "Wake up An" she whispered.
Anya smiled in response "No"
Star kissed the bridge of her nose "Yes wakey time"
Anya pouted "No wakey time"
Star kissed the tip of her nose then leaned back "OH MY GOD GIANT BUNNIES ARE INVADING SUNNYDALE!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.
Anya sat bolt upsright and looked for somewhere to hide.
"Good morning Anya" Willow came in with a cup of coffee for the exdemon.
"Stupid Bunny dreams" Anya mumbled accepting the coffee "I bet you don't have Frog dreams"
"I try not to" Willow handed a mug to Tara and settled next to her. Tara took a few sipps and handed it back. Their shared coffe was a morning ritual.
"Where'd Buffy go?" Willow asked when she realized the Slayer wasn't present.
"She went to make sure Hyatt turned the knobs right" Star said with a smirk.
Tara blushed when she caught the double meaning.
Dawn excused herself and fled to the kitchen.
Anya smiled into her mug.
Willow sat silent for a moment "Oh okay"
Buffy pushed Hyatt against the shower wall kissing her deeply.
Hyatt moaned but didn't fight the Slayers possession. She knew there were certains things she just couldn't fight with Buffy. Being claimed was one of them.
Bufy pulled back letting them both catch their breath. She moved to kiss Hyatt again, but this time they were soft. She trailed kisses down from Hyatt's ear to her breasts pausing there for a moment. Buffy licked and sucked on Hyatt's nipple until she had the other girl gasping and pressing against her.
"Sunrise make you horny?" Buffy teased between kisses on her breasts.
"Sunrise with you makes me horny. Goddess anything with you makes me horny" Hyatt tried to grasp Buffy's head and hold it to her.
Buffy shook her grip off and continued down her body. She dropped to her knees and licked inside Hyatt's 'innie'. She wrapped her arms around her to keep her upright for what she planned to do next. She pressed Hyatt's hips against the shower wall and dove in for a taste.
It wasn't the first time Buffy had tasted the girl before her. But it was the first time she'd tasted it from the source.
Hyatt cried out and tried to press forward into the slayer's mouth. Buffy held her hard against the wall and continued her assault. She kissed Hyatt's cleft much like she would do her mouth, flowing everywhere tasting everything. Buffy smiled when she realized that Hyatt was whimpering at each move her tongue made. She started biting down gently on her clit letting it slip between her teeth.
Hyatt's knees buckled. If it weren't for Buffy holding her up and against the wall she'd have fallen.
Buffy turned her head and began to lick, suck, and bite at a different angle driving Hyatt over the edge.
Buffy licked and drank, keeping the Hyatt in a state of orgasmic bliss for long minutes. Buffy finally released her, and Hyatt collasped onto Buffy's bent knees, straddling her lap under the spray.
After listening to Hyatt's heavy breathing finally slow into regular breaths Buffy spoke.
"Still horny?"
Hyatt mutely shook her head, it was resting on Buffy's shoulder.
She slowly slide a hand down between Buffy's legs, wrapping the other around her back, hanging just behind her back.
She pressed her fingers gently against Buffy's clit causing the slayer to pull back in surprise, which pressed her slick fingers into her tight anus.
Bufy gasped when she felt the small wet finger enter her ass. She pressed forward again, sucking in a breath her clit was pressed again. The finger didn't leave her ass.
"W-what are you doing?" she asked in a breathless voice.
Hyatt began to massage her clit gently, causing Buffy pushe press against her hand rhythmically.
Buffy realized what she was doing after a few moments. She stopped pressing against Hyatt "No" she whispered moving forward hoping the finger would leave her ass.
Hyatt slid two fingers into Buffy and pressed her G-spot.
Buffy jerked impaling herself further onto Hyatt's fingers. She gave a short shout when she came. It was quick but deep "Oh god" tears sprang to her eyes, but where quickly washed away by the showers spray.
Hyatt removed her fingers and moved to stand, pulling Buffy up with her.
They held each other tightly as the warm water bathed the sweat from them.
"I guess now it's time to actually 'shower'" Buffy deadpanned. She grabbed her shower sponge and began to bathe Hyatt with it.
Hyatt allowed it, surprised when Buffy's touch was merely gentle not sexual. When Buffy had her lathered enought for two people she began to rub herself against Hyatt, like the other girl was a sponge.
Hyatt laughed and rubbed along with Buffy.
When they emerged from the shower there was no hot water left.
"Let me the fuck out" the girl adamantly repeated.
"If you'd just answer a few-" the doctor began to say again, only to be cut off, again.
"You'll put me in one of those glass cages like everyone else" the girl advanced on him only to stop at the sound of a taser amping up.
"What's your name?" the doctor smirked when he saw the girl stiffen.
"My name? You wanna know my name?" She began to pace a few steps "You fucking Kidnap me! Just to ask my name?"
"Just tell the man your name" a tired gaurd groaned. She'd been gaurding the mouthy young woman since they brought her in.
"Oh so you wanna know it too?" she swaggered over to the gaurd, her body loose and unintimidating "You I'll tell my name. You might want to remember it. I could have you screaming it later"
The gaurd blushed at the blatant come on "Whatever"
"Who are you?" The doctor rolled his eyes. He really wanted this one in a cage. They weren't sure how long the muscle relaxants would work.
"Me? Oh I'm Faith. Dark Slayer Extraodinaire"
Part 22
"I think only the people in this solar system heard you" Willow stood infront of Hyatt as she exited Buffy's bedroom.
"I bet you've been waiting out here for the last time 10 minutes to say that to me" Hyatt crossed her arms and gave Willow a look.
"15" Willow said and turned to go.
Hyatt bumped her back.
"Hey" Willow backed away from the girl.
Hyatt followed until she backed into the wall "Willow I have something to tell you"
Willow had her back against the wall and was leaning her head away from Hyatt. Neither had a happy look on her face.
Hyatt leaned forward and whispered into Willow's ear.
Willow blushed and stiffened at what she heard.
"W-w-what's g-going on?" Tara asked. She'd spotted them as she came up the stairs. It looked like Hyatt had her face buried in Willow's neck.
"Just telling Willow a secret" Hyatt backed away from the red head "You coming with me today?"
Tara nodded. She gave Hyatt a quick hug when the girl passed her to go down the stairs.
Buffy came out of the room moments later "Who's dropping Star off at school?"
Tara and Willow looked at each other "You should"
"Why me?" Buffy pouted "That kid scares the crap out of me sometimes"
"They have to get to know you. Just incase one of us has to pick Star up on short notice" Willow reasoned "Ms. Kimble has met everyone but you"
"Oh" Buffy couldn't find a reason to argue with that logic "Um do I have to dress her too?"
"Yup" they said in unison.
"Dammit"
'New subject has dropped the child off at a Day Care. Child is affectionate. They both have frequencies' Pryde recorded. When she saw the new red car pull off after a blonde had exited the building, she followed.
'New Subject is heading into the town'.
Pryde smiled when she saw where the car parked.
She speed dialed Cash.
"Hey Ash. I need you to run a tag number for me" Pryde said to Cash's professional 'Cash here'.
"Give it to me"
"RLK 7761" Pryde read off.
"Registered to one Buffy Summers, co-signed by a Willow Rosenberg. Both are on the Insurance" Cash reported.
"I have a hunch I'll call you back" Pryde disconnected.
She pulled open her laptop and signed onto a DSL network. She hacked into the student files for Sunnydale High as well as UC Sunnydale.
Here eyes widened when she read the files from UC Sunnydale.
"Wicca Group, they live with a Tara McClay, also from the Wicca Group. Witches, well atleast two of them, but which is which?"
She opened the files from the High School.
"Ahh so Buffy Summers is our blond bombshell" Pryde couldn't help the admiring smile on her face "Rosenberg ain't half bad either"
Just then the door to the Magic Box opened. Two young woman a blond other than Buffy and a darker one.
She'd found files for neither in the Highschool database.
Pryde rolled down her window and hoped to catch their names.
"Hey Tara, Hyatt wait a sec"
Pryde recognized the red head when she exited. Rosenberg, and the blonde was Tara. Hyatt must be the dark one.
She couldn't hear their conversation but she bombshell did exit the shop as well.
Pryde's smile widened when 'Buffy' gave 'Hyatt' a deep kiss. Red and Tara also followed suit.
Pryde decided to test all four of them. The Resonance they gave off was phenominal.
"Cash would love to get her hands on them" Pryde whispered to herself.
She watched the group break in half. Rosenberg and Summers re-entered the shop, while McCLay and 'Hyatt' got into a silver car and drove off.
"I just can't pass this one up"
"I want fucking out of here" Faith singsonged.
The other prisoners around her groaned. She hadn't shut up in hours.
"They like your heart beat" Drusilla said nodding her head.
"Oh look a vamp" Faith flicked her off "Why the hell are you here anyway?"
"They like my brain" Drusilla looked innocent "They taste nice though. Good clean blood"
"Well I'm glad you find them appetizing. You should eat a few more" Faith leaned against the wall of her cell and slid down until she was sitting.
"I did eat a few. But it got me into trouble" Drusilla scooted closer to the entrance of her cell so she could see the slayer clearly.
Their cells where adjacent.
"Well their gonna be in alot of trouble if they don't LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Faith bellowed.
Crying could be heard from the other end of the corridor.
Cash stomped up the Faiths cell "You woke the children. Shut your trap or I'll have it sewn shut"
"Wait, wait, wait, you have fucking kids here? What kinda people are you?" Faith stood her hands fisted at her sides. She didn't try to hide her bruised knuckles. She'd attempted to punch through the glass.
"Scientist" Cash turned on her heal and strode away hoping she could settle the frightened children.
"Science and Magic at different" Drusilla said softly to Cash's retreating back.
"We're being followed again" Hyatt said glancing in her mirror again.
"I know. There's more than one car" Tara barely resisted the urge to turn around.
"I know. We're in trouble. Can you reach Willow psychically?" Hyatt asked frowning.
"Yes. Can you reach Buffy?" Tara calmed herself in hopes of reaching Willow clearly enough to get a good connection.
"Not that well. I can send her feelings, but she'd get them as hunches, maybe intuition" Hyatt shrugged "We're linked but not close enough"
"Stop the car" Tara said suddenly.
Hyatt pulled to the side.
"Do it now"
They both concentrated, reaching with their minds for the ones they loved.
Tara sent a warning of Danger and a need for help. Hyatt sent a feeling of fear, and a promonition of being contained.
They both jumped when something hit the window of the car.
The doors were pulled open and everything went black.
"We've got two of them, now get the little girls"
Star looked up when a shadow was cast over her.
"Hey Star, you remember me?" a woman's voice said. She sounded sweet and friendly.
Star was immediately on alert. Fatima's number one rule: If they sound friendly they're not.
"No I don't remember you" Star stood up and smiled at the woman "You look like my Aunt Janna"
Rule number two: Give them an easy out, if they know Janna, use magic.
"I'm your aunts half sister. The family wanted me to pick you up and bring you to the Fenz"
Star smiled brightly. She knew what Fenz was, but she also knew they hadn't celebrated it in her lifetime.
"Come one sweetie let's go" the woman held out her hand.
Star reached out as if to take it, getting a good look at the woman, for any identifying marks.
The bracelet. Looked military. None descript, and fitted.
At the last moment she pointed her finger, sliding so that she pointed to her classmates on the playground. Namely the loudest two who were playing in the sandbox.
"Stranger" she whispered to herself.
Zoey and Sarah both stood in the sandbox "Stranger!"
Other kids turned and looked as the spell passed through them all.
"Stranger"
"Stranger"
"Stranger"
They all began pointing at the woman.
She slowly backed away from Star, only to run into Zoey who'd moved behind her when she was distracted.
"Ahh she stepped on me! Stranger, stranger" Zoey ran to find Ms. Kimble.
"Bad lady"
"Bad lady"
"Stranger"
"Stranger"
"May I help you?" Ms. Kimble came running with Zoey in tow.
The woman shook her head, and fled, leaping the fence and disappearing down the road.
Ms. Kimble turned to Star "Was that woman talking to you?"
Star nodded slowly. She removed the spell and everyone became quiet.
"We need to call your....mother? Aunts..whatever they are" Ms. Kimble pulled out her cell phone.
As the last of the spell wore off, the children in the playgroud began to cry. They didn't know why. They felt that they had to.
"Somethings wrong" Willow and Buffy said at the same time.
The phone rang and Anya answered it.
"What?" Giles said looking up from a particularly old text.
"I can feel it. It's like Tara was trying to tell me something, but she couldn't" Willow's face was a mask of fear.
"I just know somethings wrong. I can feel it in my bones. Kinda trapped, and scared" Buffy paced.
"It's Star's school. Some woman tried to talk to her" Anya sounded seriously pissed "Ms. Kimble thinks you should come pick her up"
"I'll go get her" Buffy said "If my hunch is right, she may be in danger"
"Danger?" Willow began to pace "Where is Xander? I thought he'd be here by now"
Xander entered the Magic Box seconds later "Ok that was weird. I swear I just opened the door to our house"
He stepped back out and looked around, it was the hall infront of his and Anya's apartment. He stepped inside again. It was the Magic Box.
"Weird"
"Xander you have to go pick up Dawn" Buffy said pushing past him.
"Ok" he stepped out again. It was the street infront of the Magic Box "Is Willow worried about something?"
"Yes" Buffy called over her shoulder as she climbed into the car.
"Ok" Xander got in his own car and headed towards Dawn's school.
They were still crying when Buffy arrived for Star.
"What's going on?"
"It's an aftereffect of the spell Star cast. She made them all realize there was danger" Ms. Kimble said stepping over the weeping chlidren who were laid out across the floor on their nap pallets.
"So they're all still scared?" Buffy stopped when a little girl stood up and wrapped her strong little arms around the Slayer's legs.
"Yes. They'll calm down eventually. If they don't I'll just call their parents" Ms. Kimble tried to pry the little girl off.
"It's okay" Buffy lifted the girl and looked her in the eye. She was surprised by the resemblance "Are you an Al-Faqadi?"
The child shook her head "Ad-Algiri"
"She's my cousin" Star said softly.
Buffy looked down and saw Star standing at her feet "maybe we should take her to"
Ms. Kimble nodded.
Buffy took both girls out to the car and strapped them in.
Ms. Kimble rushed out just as she was about to pull away "Wait!"
Buffy stopped the car and rolled down her window "What?"
"Take these" Ms. Kimble handed Buffy a small box "You may need them" she turned and vanished back into the Center.
Buffy shrugged tossed the box onto the seat, and pulled off.
They were driving for several minutes before Star spoke.
"Turn left!" Star said sitting up straighter.
"Why?" Buffy asked slowing the car.
"Please Buffy please?" Star begged.
Buffy sighed and turned left.
She knew why moments later.
Hyatt's car sat to the side of the road, and she was looking in the windows.
Buffy parked on the opposite side and ran up to her.
"Hyatt!"
The girl turned "I'm not Hyatt but have you seen her?"
Buffy stopped. She was amazed at the resemblance this girl bore to her...
"I don't know where she is" Buffy said slowly "But I think there's something wrong"
"Your not the only one, and why is Kolby in your car?" the girl moved suddenly and pinned Buffy to the car.
"Mycah!" Star stood and waved out of the window "don't she's a friend"
"Star?" Mycah released Buffy and rushed across the road to the little girls "Oh my god I heard about that asshole, are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine. We live with Buffy now" Star leapt into Mycah's arms "Some lady tried to take me from school today"
"What?" Mycah turned to Buffy "What's going on?"
"We got a bad feeling about Hyatt and a friend of ours earlier. Then the teacher calls and tells us that someone tried to talk to Star at school today. Apparently the woman ran when Ms. Kimble came. I picked Star up and 'Kolby' here grabbed me so I brought her along"
"I was on my way to pick her up myself. I didn't want her there today for some reason. Now I know" Mycah reached into the car and touched Kolby gently.
"Well we could sure use your help" Buffy said getting into her car.
"You got it" Mycah deposited Star back into her seat and hopped into her own car and followed Buffy back to the Magic Box.
For some unknown reason Xander decided to park on side of the school instead of infront.
He entered the school from the front doors knowing he'd pass the Principals office.
There was a Police Officer entering the private office behind the small statured principal.
"This is about a studen of yours a Dawn Sum-" was all Xander heard before the door shut fully.
He shook his head, something just didn't feel right.
The secretary hung up the phone "How may I help you?"
"I'm here to pick up Dawn Summers it's an emergency" Xander said quietly.
The Secretary punched a few buttons on her phone "Ms Jenkins is Dawn Summers in your classroom? Can you have her get ready to leave, someone will be by to pcik her up in a few moments. Thank you" she motioned for Xander to go ahead "Room 106 right down the hall"
Xander nodded his thanks, as he rushed down the hall he wondered how the secretary knew where Dawn would be without checking any of her files. He shook the question off and found room 106.
Dawn was waiting at the door smiling.
"You're getting me out of Math" She whispered when Xander led her into the hallway "It's a sub anyway but she's pretty cool"
Something about that bothered Xander for a moment, but he shook it off again.
As they passed the Office again Xander looked in and saw only one secretary working, before there had been two. But there was no second desk.
Just then the Officer left the office.
He pushed Dawn around the corner as the Policeman had turned towards them.
"Xander what's going on?" fear began to seep into Dawn's voice.
"Something freaky" Xander said softly.
//Dawn Summers please repot the the Principal's office please. Dawn Summers to the Principal//
"Why would the call me if they just let me out of school?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know but let's get outta here" Xander grabbed her hand and lead her to the front doors.
There were Cops everywhere.
Four or Five cars were waiting out front.
Xander qucikly turned and headed towards a side door where his car was parking. He was very glad he'd chosen to park there.
"I don't like this at all" Dawn said keeping up with his longer stride.
They reached his car and Xander forced Dawn into the back and told her to keep her head down.
She complied without a word.
She stayed down once they'd passed them, too afraid to even breath loudly.
"We are so going straight to Buffy" Xander said to no one in particular.
Dawn agreed whole-heartedly.
Part 23
Tara clutched Hyatt closely in her lap and huddled into the back of the cell. She didn't know what the place was, or where it was, but she knew it didn't 'feel' right.
"Hyatt?"
Tara turned when she heard her friends name called.
"That is Hyatt isn't it?" a girl in an adjacent cell asked.
Tara nodded mutely. She ran her fingers through the dark hair spread across her shoulders.
"Did they touch her?" her voice wavered a bit.
"Yes. She was trying to contact a friend. She hasn't moved since he touched her" Tara cradled her closer.
"Are you close to her?" the girl moved so that she was sitting at the entrace of her cell, pressing her palms against the inpenetrable doors.
"Reasonably" Tara said slowly. She avoided coming in direct contact with Hyatt's pale skin.
"Does she trust you?" she rested her face against the glass.
"Yes" Tara whispered.
"Then touch her"
Tara ran her finger over Hyatt's brow. The girls skin began to regain it's color and her shallow breathing picked up to the regular heavy breaths of someone waking up. Tara looked to the girl in the cell "How did you know?"
The girl ignored her watching Hyatt carefully "Hyatt wake up"
Faith's interest became peeked when the girl in the cell next to her's raised her voice. She moved to the front of her cell and immediately recognized Tara "Hey your Red's girl aren't you?" She tapped the glass "What are you doing here?"
"Sitting apparently" Hyatt answer before Tara opened her mouth. She slowly moved out of Tara's lap and rubbed her arms "I have got to work on my resistance while I'm using my empathy"
"It still leaves you vulnerable to attack huh?" the girl across from them asked.
Hyatt's head jerked up "Madison!"
"In the flesh" came the laughing reply "I guess they caught you too"
"Well, duh" Hyatt turned to Tara "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, they just knocked me around a bit" Tara reached out and touched Hyatt's forehead "Kinda scared though"
Hyatt smiled.
"Oh so now you're cheatin' on Red" Faith crossed her arms and gave Tara a respectful nod "And you got good taste for the sloopy seconds"
Hyatt turned and paused. She knew this girl.
"Oh my god it's you!" Faith spun so that her back faced the two girls.
"Faith, well, well, well. What brings you here?" Hyatt pressed against the glass "I'm guessing it has something to do with magic?"
"I've noticed too" Madison added "Everyone here has some kinda gift, or they're Mystical in some way, shape, or form"
"Ok. But the insane vampires says they like her brain" Faith snapped turning around.
"She means Drusilla" Madison helped.
"Drusilla has visions, and she can hypnotise with the best of them" Hyatt sighed "I'll never achieve that" Hyatt frowned "Then again she's like 200"
"214" Drusilla said softly "But who's counting?"
"You I think" Madison smiled.
"Shut up, your babe in arms. I could bite you, you know" Drusilla pouted.
"Why are you here" Hyatt asked Faith again.
"Sh-sh-she's a slayer" Tara stuttered. Her stutter always got worse when she was frightened.
"But there is only one" Hyatt shook her head "She can't be a slayer there's only one"
"Buffy died. B-but they b-brought her back-" Tara took a deep breath.
"Then I killed her little friend. Slit her throat I did" Drusilla said proudly "Spike gave me special kisses" she pointed down beneath her dreary brown clothing "Wanna see?"
"No" they all shouted in unison. Though Tara and Hyatt couldn't see her. There was a solid white wall seperating their cells.
"Ok. Buffy died?" Hyatt looked to Tara.
"T-twice" Tara nodded.
"And they brought her back?" Hyatt leaned against the wall "Twice"
"Yes" Faith turned and stared her down "She drowned, Xander resesitated her. He told me. Said it was like a kiss"
"Then Willow brought her back when she jumped into the gateway of hell" Tara's whisper came loud and clear to Faith, Hyatt and Madison.
Drusilla was humming to herself.
"Willow's that strong?" Faith was obvious with her surprise.
"Yes. She's stronger then I can ever hope to be" Tara whispered shaking her head.
"I just hope she's safe"
"I just hope she's safe. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her" Willow whimpered and buried her head in her arms.
The bell rang and the front door swung open. Willow jerked her head back up.
Dawn ran in with a shirt covering her head, and Xander a few steps behind her.
"There were cops at my school. They were looking for me" Dawn sat at the table across from Willow "What's going on?"
"We don't know" Anya said sadly "Buffy just went to pick up Star. There was a woman talking to her"
"Some woman tried to snatch that lovely little girl? What a pity" X ander said sarcastically. He recieved four angry glares "I'll be over there"
The bell rang again and Star rushed in.
Twice.
"Oh god now there's two of them" Xander blinked hoping one would disappear "I can't take this" he disappeared into the training room.
Buffy came in with Mycah in tow "Good everybody's here"
"I see you found Hyatt" Giles said removing his glasses to clean.
"That's not Hyatt" Anya pointed out "She looks alot like her but that's not Hyatt"
"She's right. Who are you? and why does Star have a body double?" Willow asked taking both girls into her lap "Hi"
Star buried her face in Willow's shoulder. Kolby followed suit.
"This is Mycah. She's a cousin or something" Buffy waved at the girl behind her "She had a bad feeling about today. But I got to Kolby first and we kinda met at Hyatt's car"
"Which is kinda abandoned" Mycah frowned "But I took the keys"
"So they weren't robbed?" Giles asked "Amazing resemblance" she studied Mycah. He started to notice sublte differences between the two. Mycah had shorter hair, and she didn't have the defeated slump to her shoulders that Hyatt sometimes bore. She was also slightly taller.
"Nope. Even their purses were there" Buffy sat and waved to a chair inviting Mycah to sit as well.
"But who would kidnap them? I know they're gorgeous but the slave trade isn't all that great for lesbians" Anya said sitting with them.
She recieved strange looks all around.
"What? There is such thing, and they are lesbians" Anya pouted.
"She had on a bracelet" Star sat up quickly barely missing Willow's chin "It looked generic. I had numbers on it"
"Do you remember the numbers?" Giles lifted Star away from Willow and settled her on his hip.
"557311. She knew about fenz too" Star hugged Giles arm.
"557311?" Willow's eyes narrowed "Why does that sound so familiar?
"She knew about Fenz?" Mycah frowned "How the hell would she know about Fenz?"
"Um what's Fenz?" Buffy raised her hand to get their attention.
"It's the celebration of Family entertained in a nuetral zone" Anya said watching Giles watch Star.
Everyone turned to her, then followed her gaze to Giles.
Star rested her head on his tweed covered shoulder, and Giles smiled fondly at her. Everyone smiled fondly at Giles.
"What are you all looking at?" Giles asked , he placed Star on her feet and began pacing. Star followed behind him mimicking every move.
"The cuteness that is you Giles" Buffy smiled at him "Admit it. She's stolen your heart"
"I'm, I'm rather fond of the child yes" Giles stopped pacing, Star bumped into his legs.
"You love her. Your hooked. Just like the rest of us" Dawn said flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"Speaking of the rest of us. Where are they?" Giles began pacing again. Star remained his shadow.
"Somewhere near the campus" Willow's eyes lit up "It's almost the same code that the Initiative used"
"You think they're back?" Buffy frowned "Maybe they can kill Spike this time"
"No I'm sure they're not back. It's like a new evil rose to take they're place" Willow said sounding like her old self. "You know nature doesn't allow a vacuum, you have you natural enemy, Vamps, and your unnatural enemy, Man. So this new evil rose to take the niche the Initiative left"
"Is everybody else lost or is it just me?" Mycah asked raising her hand.
Buffy, Dawn, and Xander raised their hands as well.
"She saying when you defeat something, something bigger, stronger, and nastier takes it's place. It's a 'Only the Strong Survive' deal" Anya said digging through the fridge behind the counter "Chocolate anyone?"
"Wow. Smart chicks are so sexy" Mycah said softly.
Buffy stared at her in horror.
Willow just laughed.
"I wanna patrol, just incase it's vamps" Buffy begged "Giles I have to try. They have my friends"
Giles sighed and conceded.
"I'm coming too" Mycah stood.
"You have to stay here with Kolby" Buffy said hoping to go alone.
"I'm a trained fighter, just like Hyatt. Besides I think she's permenantly attached to your ex-demon friend back there" Mycah blocked the door.
Buffy turned and saw both Star and Kolby leaning against Anya as she read from a book.
"Ok. Deal. But watch your back. I don't wanna have to save your ass" Buffy rolled her eyes and shoved Mycah out of the way.
"Ditto" Mycah smirked.
Kalindi had sent out the youngest of her new recruits, knowing that their loss would be for the greater good.
"Naida" Kalindi whispered to the young woman who slept next to her on the plush bed "Wake up my love"
Naida slowly opened her clear blue-eyes. As she became more conscious they slid from their original blue to black "Yes Mistress"
"I need you to tell me" Kalindi moved so that she was straddling the human See'r "Who will bring me what I need to know?"
"About the girl?" Naida rested her strong hand on Kalindi's upper thigh.
"Yes. I need to know who she is. I've heard rumors of a kiss" Kalindi settled on the girls bare waist "I believe the Slayer is in love"
"Shall I do it for you Mistress? Shall I learn and tell you of it myself?" Naida's hand slid between her Mistress's legs and carressed her gently.
"Is it what you wish?" Kalindi asked moaning softly.
"Yes Mistress. I wish to know who the Slayer loves" Naida gripped the sensitive nub between the vampires legs and pulled
"So that you may kill her"
"Yo, Doc. Could you let me the fuck, outta this thing" Faith harassed the man as he measured her needle "I would really like to be able to walk and kick ya ass at my own pleasure"
"You really think he's gonna respond to that?" Madison asked. She was strapped into a chair with temper tags on both her temples taking a measurement of her brain activity.
"No. But I do so love to mouth off at these people" Faith said flipping Madison off.
"We noticed" the Doctor said as he drew near to her "This will only hurt a bit"
Faith felt the needle pierce her back. She'd been restrained on the bed laying on her stomach. Fire began to shoot through her entire body when he pushed the plunger in.
Faith began to scream as everything in her world went black.
Madison watched in horror as the slayers body began to shake and thrash. He back arching and dropping down and her eyes rolled back in her head.
Outside the examination rooms, and throughout the lower halls of the facility Faiths screams could be heard.
Cash turned and looked at her two newest subjects.
"What are you?" Tara sobbed.
"I'm a scientist. I just want to know what makes you magic types, run?" Cash squatted down "Your such a pretty little thing" she reached out as if to touch Tara through the glass "Is that a glamouier that makes you so prescious?"
"She was born beautiful" Hyatt said. She pleed Tara close to her as the witch let her tears fall.
"You. Well your a prize catch aren't you. Apparently your from some important family" Cash frowned "I don't understand it really. You and your little friend here, almost have a matching Resonance. Do you know what a Resonance is?" Cash smiled. She liked being smarter than her victims.
"It's the wavelength that our hearts give off. Our's are different from regular humans. That's how your people find us. They scan for a certain wave of resonance" Hyatt said steadily "You can even tell what we are exactly by our wavelength. Witches are different than demons, like demons are different than fairy's and nymphs. But you don't quite know what we are do you?" Hyatt taunted "You can tell Tara's a witch, btu there's something more there. But you don't know what it is, and that scares you"
Cash's shit-eating grin had begun to fall when Hyatt answered the question correctly, now it had turned into a viscious scowl "You won't be cocky for long" Cash said in a low voice "I will break you pretty one"
"You can try" Hyatt said evenly meeting the woman's angry eyes.
"Yes I can"
Part 24
Faith was shaking when they carried her back to her cell. She wasn't walking on her own and had a distinct palor to her skin.
Tara felt a rush of cold air when the men carrying her dropped her in her cell and disappeared.
"What did they do to you?" Madison asked through the wall next to Faith's cell.
The slayer said nothing. She curled into the fetal position and sobbed.
They all sat silently and watched of listened to the anguished sounds.
Tara and Hyatt moved futher back into their own cell, wrapping each other in a tight embrace.
Cash appeared "We'll have to move one of them, perhaps into another section." she said to someone behind her.
"Why don't you make 12 and 41 share a cell? They both seem docile enough" a woman in a lab coat appeared next to the well dressed Administrator.
"41 went through a Calming Treatment, this morning. She shouldn't be a problem" Cash smirked when she caught sight of Faith looking beaten. She turned to the cell across from her and shook her head "I see you aren't so cocky today are you pretty ones?"
Tara turned her face away from Cash's superior expression. Hyatt met her head on with a loathing glare.
"I'll take your silence as a yes" Cash turned her attention to Madison "Move her in with 41. Maybe this new one will even things out. It seems that these four have quite a rapport already" Cash flipped her loose dark hair over her shoulder.
Hyatt thought she'd be an attractive woman, if she weren't so evil.
"Oh come do you really want to do this? My god she looks like Faith. But Faith's in prison" the new victim said as they shoved Madison into the cell with Faith and pushed her into the empty one.
"That is F-faith" Tara said when the official left.
"What? Who are you?" the woman pressed her face against the glass of her cell. She could hear Tara's voice but couldn't see who she was.
Tara and Hyatt moved closer to the front, still connecting to each other physically by brushing together with every movement.
"I'm T-tara" Tara gave a small wave.
"Oh. What do you mean that's Faith?" the woman demanded tossing her short dark hair back.
"She means it's Faith, Dark Slayer Extaodinaire" Hyatt mimicked Faith's earlier statement.
"Oh and who are you?" the girl gave Hyatt a once over.
Hyatt's shirt was torn and dirty, and her jeans had fared worse.
"Hyatt Al-Faqadi" Hyatt rolled her eyes and went back to studying Faith.
She was resting with her head on Madison's lap, whimpering and wiping a few tears against the fatigues their captors had put Madison in recently.
"Al-Faqadi? Of the demon killing Al-Faqadi's?" the girl knocked to get Hyatt's attention once again.
"Yeah" Hyatt frowned "But how did you know?"
"I'm Cordelia Chase. Angel Investigations"
"So what do you think is happening?" Mycah asked as they patroled the eeirily quiet graveyard.
"I don't know. It seems like the only Vamps out tonight are those of the ABD variety" Buffy shrugged.
"ABD?" Mycah asked frowning at the slayers back.
"Already Been Dusted. They're more likely the dirt we're walking on" Buffy shrugged "I don't know what to think about Tara and Hyatt's disapperance"
"I've been dreaming about snakes in the grass" Mycah wrapped her arms around herself, fitting the stake in the folds of them.
"Snakes? There's been alot of talk about snakes. Vipers and stuff" Buffy turned to face Mycah "Did you dream about vipers?"
Mycah merely pointed behind the slayer.
Buffy turned and kicked the oncoming vamp in the face. It stumbled back and tripped over a headstone.
Mycah swung her arm around behind her catching another vamp in the nose, the momentum of her fist stronger enoguh to push the vamp back a few steps. She bent low and swung her leg up high enough to spoon anothers waist and force her unto Buffy's stake.
These were clearly newbies.
Buffy leapt up and dropped kicked a pretty young undead woman in her ribs. She heard the ominous 'crack' then only saw dust as the broken bone struck the heart.
"I give it an 8 for originality. Never known a vamp to dust itself on it's own bone" Mycah commented ducking untrained punches from the teen vamp circling and swinging around her.
"It's one of those rip you arm off and beat you with it jokes" Buffy said headbutting one that looked in his early twenties.
"Stop flirting with your 'friend' and fight slayer" the cocky vampire said lunging for her once again.
Buffy sidekicked him into a low branch, turning before the dust could get into her mouth.
Mycah was fighting two. Her skill was obvious, they never landed a move on her. She would move between their punches and under or above their kicks. They did more damage to each other. It seemed that she got tired of playing with them and caught one in the leg with a hook kick, forcing her into her fellow vamp. They both staggered back and Mycah dusted one and the other backed onto Buffy waiting stake.
They heard clapping behind them.
"Well done Slayer. Who's your little friend? She's looks familiar" a dark form emerged from behind a crypt.
"Oh great a See'r. Shouldn't you know this shit already?" Mycah asked. She took note of the toned body and the pale skin. It contrasted nicely with the dark hair and blue eyes, of the classic beauty.
But something about her felt 'dark'. She was after all in a cemetary, on a HellMouth after dark.
"There's a protection spell on you. I can't see anything but what you let me" Naida approached them slowly. She swayed her hips hoping to distract them.
"Aww. It must suck to be you" Buffy quipped.
"Or do they suck 'on' you?" Mycah added after sniffing the air.
"You smell like a vampire" Buffy said. She wasn't really smiling, she was baring her teeth "But you 'feel' alive, but not quite human"
"A Ghoul maybe?" Mycah began to round on her.
Buffy did as well.
Naida followed both of them as they tried to work their way around her.
"I'm not a Ghoul, I'm very much alive, and a little less than human" Naida agreed nodding at them "Your good"
"Your evil. So get to whatever you want us to know" Buffy gave her a bored look "We need to be on our way"
"Hot date?" Naida asked smiling at them.
"Yes, my lovely Mycah has decided to make my night complete with her presence" Buffy quipped smiling harshly.
"Oh, good to know" Naida turned and walked back into the shadow's that she'd emerged from.
"That was.........strange" Mycah said jokingly to Buffy.
"Yeah. Let's go home"
Willow sighed.
Kolby and Star were both tucked tightly in bed with Dawn, and all she had to do was wait for Buffy to return.
Buffy and Hyatt's look alike.
She didn't know what to make of the girl. She'd thought having Hyatt around was bad enough, but when Hyatt and Tara returned -and they would she'd make sure of it- and Mycah stayed, she had a feeling things were just gonna be 'weirder' than usual.
The front door slammed and Willow left the kitchen.
She met Buffy at the edge of the livingroom. She was arguing with Mycah.
"She's probably asleep. Leave her, you can stay too. There's a guest room upstairs and then there's the couch" Buffy was blocking the front door, and trying to seem like she wasn't.
"I don't want to intrude" Mycah held up her hands.
"Your not" Willow cut in "Stay, everyone else does"
Mycah gave her a crocked grin and laughed.
"Ok fine, but just this once" she relaxed and turned towards the stairs "Show me to your guest room" she imitated the alien joke.
"I'll get the linens for the bed" Willow offeren wondering why she wasn't freaking about this girl. Maybe it was because she didn't 'feel' like Hyatt. She looked exactly like her, but the 'feel' or the 'sense' of their presences, were far from alike.
"Thanks, you guys are kinda awesome" Mycah said softly.
"We try. Allies on a Hellmouth are always good to have" Buffy patted her on the shoulder "This way" She led Mycah up the stairs.
Willow retrieved the linens from the downstairs closetand hurried up the stairs.
Buffy's door was closed.
Mycah was in the room by herself. She stood in the center and was looking around "Did Hyatt sleep on the couch?" she asked suddenly.
"No" Willow shook her head "Why?"
"Well I can sense her presence everywhere in the house but not here. Is this the only guest room?" Mycah said on the Duvet that lay on the unmade bed.
"Yes it is. Hyatt slept with Buffy" Willow said slowly. She shoo'd Mycah off the bed and began to make it.
"She was sleeping with the Slayer? The Champion?" Mycah's face was surprised then worried.
"Yes, why do you have a problem with it?" Willow turned around defensively.
"Oh no. She has great taste though" Mycah held up her hands when she saw Willow's face.
"Buffy or Hyatt?" Willow asked smiling when she realized Mycah had no qualms about the relationship that Buffy and her cousin were in.
"Both" Mycah smiled when the witch fluffed her pillows" I can do that"
"I'm doing it so don't bother" Willow said playfully.
"Are you with anyone?" Mycah asked, her curiousity about the beautiful redhead had only grown throughout the day.
"Yes. The girl that's missing along with Hyatt. Tara, she's my soulmate" Willow sighed as tears filled her eyes. She just missed Tara so much, and it hadn't been an entire day.
"We'll find them" Mycah assured her when she noticed the unshed tears.
"I know" Willow wiped at her eyes "We just have to"
"41's treatment is holding" the doctor reported.
"I wanna hear the write up" Cash said looking at the file.
"Subject 41, also known as Faith Spencer, was taken to the Behavorial Study lab at 0:00 hours. She was tested and injected with Herifoline. She had massive full bodies pain, and a few minor seizures. No permanent physical damage. She hasn't been taken in for another Emotional Exam yet" the same woman who had brought in Cordelia, reported.
"Well, from what I saw of her earlier I believe it might have worked" Cash sat back and relaxed.
"Actually ma'am, it was only her first treatment. If anything she'll be harder to control until her next treatment" the woman corrected "She's just angry right now. Possibly still in pain. But once she recovers, she'll hate us even more"
"Doctor Annette Jordan" Cash read aloud from another file "Highest in your class, great recommendations. Honest to a fault. I like you" Cash stood up and took the woman by her jaw forcing her to meet her eyes "But never correct me"
"Just wanted you to be correctly informed. It wouldn't be good for you to be wrong in front of your 'subjects' would it?" Jordan bowed her head so she didn't seems as overbearing as she was being.
"Your right. You can come with me. I want you to do a little test for me" Cash crooked a finger and led Jordan out of her office an onto the lowest floor.
"What kind of test?" Jordan asked. She noticed that Cash actually seemed intersted in what she was about to 'test'.
"Subjects 45, and 46. Their Resonance are nearly identical. It also bears a simularity to that of subject 41. I want to know why" Cash stopped and flashed her dark eyes at Jordan "That's if your up to it?"
"Nearly identical Resonance? Of course" Jordan added a bit of pep to her step.
Cash led her directly to their cells "Subjects 45, and 46, one Tara McClay and Hyatt Al-Faqadi" Cash made a grand gesture their way.
"Tara McClay is an accomplished witch. Good precautions on her. But I have one question" Jordan said when she stopped reading her data.
"What?" Cash smiled sure she knew the answer.
"Is she bonded?" Jordan looked the girl over. She seemed frightened but that a given. When she mentioned being 'bonded' the girls face tightened.
"I don't know" Cash said slowly "But why does it matter?"
"Because if she's bonded her soulmate can track her into the very depths of hell" Cordelia offered.
"You captured her?" Jordan asked ignoring the girls answer. She'd known already anyway "I need to know the last time she came into physical contact with her soulmate"
"What makes you so sure she has one" Cash crossed her arms and mentally planned to call Pryde once she was alone.
"She's not just afraid for herself. There's fear on her face, but there's also sadness" Jordan pointed out tapping the glass "She can't protect whoever it is she loves"
"Shut up!" Hyatt snapped glaring at the woman.
"And if she's had close contact within the last 48 hours, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to find her" Jordan said.
"Oh Tara" Willow whimpered in her sleep. It was just after dawn and she was recieveing some seriously distressed signals from her lover.
"Noooooo! Mama, Mama!" the childs vocie rang clearly through the silent morning waking everyone in the house.
The rythmic 'thud' of small running feet went past her door and Willow sat up.
"Mama"
It could only be Kolby. Star refered to everyone by their first name.
"Shh baby it's ok Mama's right here" Mycah's voice was tired.
"You okay Wills?" Buffy asked appearing suddenly at the bedroom door.
"Yeah. But I just recieved some serious distress feelings from Tara" Willow's sadness showed on her face "She's so scared and there's nothing I can do about it"
"I know the feeling. Hyatt's angry, and scared" Buffy crossed to her friend and wrapped her in a strong hug "We'll find them and get them"
"Yeah, and then We'll spend Thanksgiving together" Willow added looking into Buffy's eyes hoping to draw strength from her.
Buffy's eyes were sad but hopeful " It's the least we can hope for"
"We'll spend the rest of our lives together" Willow said tucking her face into buffy's shoulder.
"It's a great dream of mine" Buffy said settling on Willows bed.
They fell asleep together holding hands.
"So it's Mycah she's in love with?" Kalindi paced her lair.
"That's what she said" Naida spoke softly. She had her doubts but it had come straight from the Slayer's mouth.
"So we kill Mycah, we bring the Slayer to her knee's" Kalindi snapped her fingers "So simple"
"Or we bring her down our throats" Naida added.
"She's not strong enough to take me down" Kalindi said smartly.
"She's killed a Master before" Naida pointed out.
"He was a man and therefore inferior, I hear he was leaning heavily on the Prophecy of the chosen one" Kalindi waved away Naida's point.
"She's stronger than she seems" Naida whispered "And there are strong magics surrounding her"
"I also have magicks" Kalindi countered.
"Did you say the Prophecy of the Chosen One?" Naida said quickly.
"Yes why?" Kalindi paced not really paying much attention to her See'r. It was her first mistake.
"I'm just sorry I missed it" Naida lied. There was a Prophecy the came after the Chosen One. Connected but not fully. She wondered if Kalindi knew.
She'd just have to wait and see.
Part 25
Buffy woke with a warm presence wrapped around her. She was about to snuggle into the warm body behind her when she realized the scent didn't belong to Hyatt. She quickly turned over and affirmed that it was indeed Willow snuggling her back and relaxed.
Willow slowly stirred awake "Buffy?" her voice was still ragged form sleep.
"Hey Wills. I guess we were really tired" Buffy hugged the red head to her. Something she had missed doing since Willow and Tara had gotten together.
Willow murmured into the arm she was clutching "Or we really miss our honey's" her voice was soft and sad.
"Yeah , maybe a lot a bit of that too" Buffy said solemnly "God I hope they're ok"
"I think they're scared. But ok" Willow said sleepily "I didn't have any Tara nightmares, so I'm guessing she's not being harmed"
"You have Tara nightmares?" Buffy asked looking down at the tousled red hair.
"Yeah. But only when she's terrified or hurting" Willow felt herself falling back to sleep. All the high strung emotions were taking their toll.
"So you have Tara-mares?" Buffy joked giving Willow a soft 'nuggie'.
"Yeah" Willow laughed trying to catch the Slayers fisted hand.
"Are you guys *finally* awake?" Star's voice rang out through the room.
They both turned and saw the little girl standing in the doorway.
"Yes" Buffy smirked at us "Why have you been waiting long to annoy us?"
"Yes!" Star stomped her foot trying her best to sound put out "I've been waiting *hours*." She ran into the room and flung herself onto the bed.
"Oh you *have*" Willow starting tickling the girls sides.
Star let out little shrieks and barely tried to get away. She felt safe and loved where she was, and she was smart enough not to take it for granted.
Mycah appeared at the door moments later "She didn't wake you did she?"
Buffy sat up slowly "Not at all. We were just talking when she came in"
Mycah smiled when she saw Star screaming into a pillow as Willow mercilously tickled her sides and neck "She's been wanting to wake you for hours"
"Hours?" Buffy looked at the clock "Holy fuck it's past noon"
Star sat up suddenly "Auuuhh you said fu-"
Willow covered her mouth before she could get the word out "Are you 16 yet?"
Star shook her head.
"Then don't repeat that" Willow stated flatly "Or else I'll spank your bottom"
"Who do you think you are my MOTHER!" Star gave Willow a look once she removed her hand.
"No. I'm you GOD-mother" Willow corrected.
Star pouted "Darn it" she crossed her arms "Now I *have* to listen to you"
"Darn tootin" Willow nodded.
"Did she just say tootin?" Mycah laughed.
"I believe she did" Kolby said from behind her.
"Speaking of 'tootin' we gotta make like a train" Mycah reached back and lifted Kolby "Me and Kole here have a 'family' to get back too"
"If you can call it that" Star remarked from the bed.
Everyone looked at her.
"What?" Star shrugged "I'm four not stupid"
Mycah and Kole had gone and Buffy and Willow showered before meeting in the kitchen.
"I'll take Star to the Magic Box with me, you work on finding a way to track them" Buffy said hurriedly grabbing some of the breakfast Mycah had made.
"I gotcha Buff" Willow sighed "I just want them back so bad"
"So do I Will" Buffy hugged the redhead to her. Kissing away the tears that fell.
"Me three" Star chimed in.
"I thought you were four?" Willow joked.
"Smart Ass" Star said walking away. She froze once she realized what she said "I didn't mean to" The look on her face as she turned to face Buffy and Willow was priceless.
"Just this once" Buffy shook a finger at her "No more chances"
Star nodded her understanding.
"Drop me off at her car?" Willow asked grabbing some toast and jam.
"Hop on the Gravy Train"
Later, Star and Buffy sat at a table in the Magic Box.
Buffy was reading a text as Star drew.
Anya stood behind the counter, figuring their monthy bills, and Giles had disappeared on the upper level muttering about 'the bleeding ones'.
"Mama"
"Hmms" Buffy didn't look up from the codex she was reading until she realized what Star had just said "I'm Buffy"
"Mama" Star sat back and frowned.
"Buffy" Buffy leaned forward placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin on a fist.
"Mama" Star sighed and jerked her chin in the affirmative "Mama, Mama, Mama"
"Star I'm Buffy" she said patiently "Repeat after me. Buffy"
Star blinked "Mama"
Buffy sighed and looked over to Anya. Anya shrugged and smiled.
"Mama?" Buffy asked.
Star smiled "Mama"
Buffy shook her head slowly "Hyatt?"
Star giggled and covered her mouth "MMM"
Buffy cupped her ear "I didn't quite catch that"
"Mom" Star said raking her voice "Your Mama, she'll be Mom"
"Yeah" Buffy gathered the little girl to her "Now all we have to do is get her back"
Star smacked Buffy's arm "Tara too"
Buffy made a face "Of course Tara too" she thought for a moment "What're you gonna call her?"
Star stuck out her tongue "Mims"
Willow took a deep breath and steadied herself.
She was having a hard time controling her excitement. They just might have found a way to find them.
She slowly extended her arms, gently bracing her fingers against the car.
She closed her eyes, clearing her mind, and cast.
The power flowed through a special crystal that she'd found.
The crystal had a blueish tint to it that reminded Willow of Tara's eyes.
She found herself picturing the witch in her mind.
Love flowed from her heart, through the crystal and strengthened the spell.
When Willow opened her eyes she cried out in surprise.
She'd done tracking spells before, but this one was amazing.
The light that would lead her to her lover, and new friend, was a pulsating orb that bobbed gently before her eyes.
"Take me to Tara" Willow begged "Show me where they disappeared"
The orb bobbed twice and struck the hood of the car. The doors immediately unlocked and the engine started.
Willow climbed in without question. But before she could touch the steering-wheel, the car shot forward for parts unknown.
Willow sat back and tried to make it look as if she were driving the car.
She panicked at a red-light, when the car made no move to slow.
Suddenly it was green, and traffic that was headed the other way was stopping. This went on for several lights, the car made turns at some of them, while driving through others.
"Where could they possibly be?" Willow muttered. She had no idea where she was.
Suddenly the car jolted to an abrupt stop and pulled to the side. The orb flew out and bobbed before Willow for several seconds before flying out of the car.
It hung in the air, weaving from side to side and changing from the light blue that the crystal was, to a deeper midnight blue.
"The trail ends here?" Willow asked getting out of the car.
The orb bobbed up and down in the affirmative.
"Just terminates. Are we being blocked?" Willow wondered aloud.
The orb flashed gold and Willow knew it was answering her.
"It is a spell?" Willow felt wetness on her cheeks and realized she was crying.
The orb bobbed again.
"I gotta get back to the Magic Box" Willow turned and stopped "Uh could you-"
The orb flew back into the hood of the car and the engine restarted.
Willow arrived with less than high spirits.
Buffy rushed to her side just as she collapsed in tears.
"Wills, what's wrong?" Buffy was honestly worried. She hadn't seen Willow this broken up about anything since...
Well she'd never seen Willow this broken up about anything.
"There's a spell that's keeping me from fully tracking them. Their trail just terminates, about six blocks from the Day Care Star goes to"
"That's it no Day Care for you" Anya said grabbing the frowning child.
"Was it behind my school?" Star asked hugging Anya.
"Yeah. There were woods on one side and houses on the other" Willow sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"That's Jemery Lane right?" Star asked.
They all looked at her in astonishment.
"I'm supposed to learn my address, and the address of my school, just in case I ever get lost" Star explained "The school is on Heather Ave. Which cornes to Jemery Lane"
"Yeah" Buffy said slowly "Your right it does"
"There's a demon on Jemery Lane. She does spells for a price" Anya said thinking out loud.
"That's what I was getting to" Star pouted "Oh well. She's not your run of the mill demon"
"She's a Brictau demon" Anya nodded.
"Highly powerful in the Mystic Arts" Star added.
"One talk at once, this is so not working for me" Buffy said releasing an equally confused Willow.
"So this demon could of put the spell on their trail?" Willow asked.
"Yup. And the only way to break the spell-" Star said slowly.
"Is to find out what it is" Buffy and Willow said in unison.
"Look who's talking now" Star taunted.
"Faith?" Madison gently shook the sleeping girl in her lap "Faith please open your eyes"
Faith grumbled in her sleep.
"Come on Faith wake up" Cordelia knocked on the adjoining wall "Open them pretty brown eyes and join all the other pissed off people in this hell hole"
"Ok this *has* to be a nightmare, cuz I swear I just heard Cordelia Chase" Faith's gravely voice said as she slowly lifted herself from Madison's lap "How did you get in here?"
"They moved me to put the mouthy one in the cell" Madison said thumbing towards Cordelia.
"Hey!" Cordelia banged on the wall again.
"Fuck it 'is' Queen C" Faith turned her back and moved to the far corner of the cell.
"I take it you don't exactly get along" Hyatt said laughing.
"Hell no" Faith said crudely "She can't stand me, and I don't exactly think the *best* of her" Faith waved in the general direction of Cordelia's huff.
"Y-you should t-try to get a-along while w-we're in h-here" Tara stuttered hiding behind her hair again.
"It would be good for all of you to get along. Seeing as how your going to be here for a long time" Jordan said coming up in front of them.
"We won't be here long" Cordelia said surely "You can't keep us here, we have friends on the outside"
"There's no way in this place" Jordan shrugged and sat on the floor where she'd have a clear view of their cells.
Unknown to them everyone else had been moved to a different spot while they were being tested on.
"We got in, so there has to be" Hyatt pointed out.
"There are gaurds everywhere" Jordan pointed out "No one gets in or out without them or the sensors knowing it"
"Wanna bet?" Faith said smirking.
"What do you have that I could possibly want?" Jordan said facing the girl. She knew she'd be right. The girl was cocky, and smart mouthed to hide her anger.
"When I escape, I promise I won't kill you. But you won't stop me" Faith said looking her in the eye.
"Deal. If you escape I won't stop you" Jordan said "But your chances of escape are nil"
"You don't know her very well" Hyatt assured the woman "You don't *know* us at all actually"
Jordan allowed it "Your right I don't"
"You'd be surprised what we can do. If we work together" Madison added.
"You can barely stand" Jordan checked her chart "Cordelia here, so how can you possibly make me think you guys are gonna band together and break yourselves out"
"Oh we're not breaking ourselves out" Faith said haughtily.
"We're breaking *everyone* out" Tara said confidently.
Jordan just stared it wonder. It was as if they fed off each other's confidence.
Each one assuring the other with only words. A bond of trust that couldn't have been formed in a 2 days they'd been trapped.
"I wonder how much Cash *really* knows about you" Jordan said simply and stood to leave.
"It doesn't matter you know?" Hyatt called to her retreating back.
"We change everyday" Tara whispered.