FanFic:- A Treasured Gift

[4evaWill]

TITLE: A treasured gift

AUTHOR: 4evawill

SUMMARY: Married and with two children in San Francisco, Willow and Tara couldn't be happier. They swore on their wedding day that nothing would split them apart - but something is just about to test that.

RATING: PG-13

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!

SPOILERS: None

DISCLAIMERS: As you all know, Willow and Tara belong to Joss Whedon. A couple of other usual characters might arrive but who knows. Most of them are my own.



***

PART ONE



Fifteen-year-old Gloria Roseclay rolled her green eyes as she watched her parents smooch over each other not for the first time that day. As it was their seventeenth anniversary, Willow and Tara Roseclay had decided to celebrate, but had vowed whilst in bed that morning they would be 'good' around the two girls. But to them both, a celebration was supposed to be a whole day.



"Hey, Mom, can I go to Wendy's now?" Gloria asked Willow, who was stroking Tara's long blonde hair and whispering sweet nothings into her wife's ear. "Mom!" Gloria repeated, disgusted. "Can you, like, get a room?"



"Oh, sorry, hon." Willow pulled away reluctantly. "What was that you were saying?"



"Can I go sleep at Wendy's?"



Tara pulled a face and looked apologetic. "Sweetie, you promised you'd babysit Rachael tonight. She's too young to be left by herself until midnight."



"I'm not too young!" A pretty blonde who bore an incredibly similar resemblence to her older mother bounded in, her shoulder-length blonde hair flying out behind her and her blue eyes twinkling mischeiviously. "I'm almost ten years old!"



"Come on, Mom!" Gloria turned to Willow. "You said! It's, like, the first ever sleepover I've had with Wendy. This is, my street credibility we're talking about! I shouldn't be stuck indoors with baby sis!"



"I'm not a baby!" Rachael protested angrily, pushing Gloria lightly. "Mama, tell her to stop calling me names, it isn't nice, is it?" She turned to Tara, who shrugged at Willow. The redhead looked equally bewildered as to what to do.



"O-kay." Willow sighed. "Look, Gloria, it's too late to get a babysitter so I'm afraid you'll have to miss the sleepover. If you want you can invite Wendy over next weekend."



Gloria pouted for a second, then her face lit up. "Can I invite Olivia, as well?"



Tara and Willow grinned at each other. They were glad that their daughter was doing so well in high school, she had only enrolled a week before and it already sounded like she loved it. She had run home on the first day saying that she had made three friends already. "Yes, fine." Tara replied for Willow. "Now, Rachael, go get ready for bed, Gloria phone up and invite Wendy and Olivia over for Saturday."



Willow and Tara wrapped their arms around each other's waists and watched with a smile as Gloria headed for the family room and Rachael jumped up the stairs two at a time. They believed they sure were lucky to have such two beautiful daughters. "Ready?" Willow asked her wife after a moment. Tara brushed down her knee-length blue dress, slid her dainty feet into her black sandals and nodded.



"Most certainly am."



"Well, then." Willow grinned again. "Let's go party!"

Will: What's with the sudden calisthenics? Aren't you sort of naturally buff, Buff? (smiles and giggles) Buff Buff.

Edited by: 4evaWill at: 10/22/02 9:26:51 am

[Centauri2002]

A nice start. I like the idea of them all married and with two children. Aww. But the summary sounds rather ominous. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat to find out what that is exactly. *bites nails* Update soon, pretty please?



Caz

Tara: I got so lost
Willow: I found you... I will always find you

[XWickedXWiccan]

Oh nice start. Gloria and Racheal are cool too. Tara and Willow just can't keep their hands to themselves can they?? Can't wait for more cause I agree with Caz the summary does sound a bit cryptic. More soon??



-Trinity-

--------------------------
Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love, the clarity of hatred, and the ecstacy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bare. If we can live without passion maybe we'd know some peace. But we'd be hollow, empty rooms, shuttered, and dank, With out passion we'd truly be dead. ANGEL in "Passion"

[MissQuirky]

Hey nice start!! And i'm w/ the others bout the Summary - its scaring me! Lookin 4ward to c where u take it!



~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[Taras Shadow]

I am jumping on the band wagon! I can't wait to see where this is going to go...I am excited! You're doing a great!! Job!



Keep it up!



~Holly~



Show me where to touch you- Tara-It Ain't Fickle

[snuggle79]

Awesome start!!

Can't wait for more!

Tara:"Maybe we dreamed it."

Willow:"Right. Right. Wrong! (points at her head ) Different Brains." Tara:"Oh yeah."


"You could at least say sorry, rude-o!"

[saule77]

We want more! We want more! We want more!

"You are Willow Rosenberg, vixen-y lighter of the flame and keeper of my heart.”

(Camp Flutie by Rane)

[barnabasvamp]

Great start, but I'm with the others when it comes to "everything going so well", something is bound to happen!



More Please??

BV

"In front of total strangers won't you kiss me, Flowers for no reason but you miss me - OOH, I wanna be in love"

Melissa Etheridge-Skin

[4evaWill]

Thanks to saule77, barnabasvamp, snuggle79, MissQuirky, Taras Shadow, XWickedXWiccan and Centauri2002 for the feedback. As almost all of you commented on the summary, and I wasn't too sure of it myself, do you think I should change it? I have to admit it is a bit - um, how do I put this - dark, maybe? I don't know. Please tell me if you think I should edit.



Update should be up tonight or tomorrow.



~*~ Cath ~*~

Will: What's with the sudden calisthenics? Aren't you sort of naturally buff, Buff? (smiles and giggles) Buff Buff.

[Centauri2002]

No, no, don't edit it. It keeps the kittens guessing. Heh. Though a summary should be accurate I'm sure we're all not gonna hunt you down and flog a dark plot out of you. Right kittens?



Anyway, I tend to let my stories write themselves so, if you feel comfortable with doing that yourself, your fic could end up dealing with that ominous summary. If you understood any of that. Heh, not even sure if I did.



Good luck anyway.



Caz

Tara: I got so lost
Willow: I found you... I will always find you

[Taras Shadow]

No...don't edit it. Caz is right, keeps us guessing. .

You're going a great job!



~Holly~



Show me where to touch you Tara-It Ain't Fickle

[MissQuirky]

I agree NO editing! I'm kinda wondering whats gonna happen... so lookin 4ward to more! Soon?



~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[4evaWill]

TITLE: A treasured gift

AUTHOR: 4evawill

SUMMARY: Married and with two children in San Francisco, Willow and Tara couldn't be happier. They swore on their wedding day that nothing would split them apart - but something is just about to test that.

RATING: PG-13

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!

SPOILERS: None

DISCLAIMERS: As you all know, Willow and Tara belong to Joss Whedon. A couple of other usual characters might arrive but who knows. Most of them are my own.



***

PART TWO



"This is nice," Tara said softly as she and Willow swayed to and fro, their arms wrapped tightly around each other for warmth. After two hours in the movie theater watching a slushy romance film, then a dinner at the local fancy French restaurant, the married couple decided to finish off their celebration in one of the many nightclubs, "Mercy".



"Isn't it?" Willow murmered in her wife's ear, stroking Tara's long blonde hair. "It's been a while since we spent some quality time together,"



"If there was any downside to having children, that was it." Tara agreed, smiling. "I sure do love Rachael and Gloria but whatever happened to peace and quiet?"



At that point, when they were about to involve in another passionate kiss, Willow's cell phone rang. "Leave it." Tara whispered almost sleepily as Willow fumbled in her purse. Finally yanking out the phone and getting ready to press the 'end call' button, she shook her head.



"No, it's from home."



***



"Mom, I... I swear, it was just for a moment, like, five minutes," Gloria said in between sobs, clutching the receiver tight to her ear. She could hear her youngest mother start to panic on the other end of the line.



"What is it, Gloria? What was for five minutes?"



"I - Wendy called - she wanted me to do this quiz on her - and because she only lives across the road - I checked up on Rachael, and she was fast asleep - Mom, I'm so sorry, I'm..." Gloria trailed off and burst into tears again.



In the nightclub, Willow and Tara had retired into a quieter corner and looking worried as they tried to make out what their eldest daughter was saying.



"Please, come home, Mom, I don't know whether I should call the police or what..."



"POLICE!" Willow yelped, and quickly covered her mouth as she received some stares. "Gloria, listen to me. Stop crying. Stop it. Stop crying!"



Gloria sniffled one more time and dried her eyes.



"Why do you think you should call the police? What's happened?"



"Rachael - oh, Mom, I'm sorry, I swear."



"Gloria, dammit!" Willow exclaimed, getting frustrated. "What about Rachael?"



"She... she's not here."



"Wh-what do you mean, she's not there?" Tara snatched the cell phone out of the redhead's hand. Willow had frozen, and was staring into space, looking shocked and devastated.



"Mama, oh, thank God - I think... I think Rachael was kidnapped."



Willow began to laugh, a hollow, hoarse sound. Tara stared at her in confusion, the cell phone dangling from her grasp with Gloria demanding for her attention on the end of the line.



"What's so funny?"



Willow shrugged, grinning almost manically. "Some anniversary, huh? We have a perfect morning and afternoon with our children, go for a movie, dinner, dancing and then, to make the evening complete, our youngest daughter is kidnapped."



***

Will: What's with the sudden calisthenics? Aren't you sort of naturally buff, Buff? (smiles and giggles) Buff Buff.

[snuggle79]

oh geez, Rachel's been kidnapped?

Poor Tara and Willow. But i don't really understand Willow`s laughing... must be the shock i guess. still strange..

Great Update!

Tara:"Maybe we dreamed it."

Willow:"Right. Right. Wrong! (points at her head ) Different Brains." Tara:"Oh yeah."


"You could at least say sorry, rude-o!"

[barnabasvamp]

NO WAY...Talk about diving into the angst!

Great update.

Can't quite relate to the "willow laughing" part, but I'm sure the explanation for that will follow.

Keep up the good work.

BV

"In front of total strangers won't you kiss me, Flowers for no reason but you miss me - OOH, I wanna be in love"

Melissa Etheridge-Skin

[MissQuirky]

Wow what way to start! Their poor daughter missing! Willow and Tara r crushed i know it! And Willow laughing was kinda weird but i too think it was outta shock, she prolly isn't thinking to clearly. Can't wait 4 more!



~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[XWickedXWiccan]

Woah....one of their daughters missing!! I wanna know who the kidnapper is. Let me at him and I promise he wont be Mr. Grabby hands anymore. Anybody got a bat while I'm at it??



Love the update I say keep it going!! I'm a fan of angst and well humor fics so I like this already. Oh yeah Angst=dark just to let you know.



-Trinity-

--------------------------
Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love, the clarity of hatred, and the ecstacy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bare. If we can live without passion maybe we'd know some peace. But we'd be hollow, empty rooms, shuttered, and dank, With out passion we'd truly be dead. ANGEL in "Passion"

[4evaWill]

TITLE: A treasured gift

AUTHOR: 4evawill

SUMMARY: Married and with two children in San Francisco, Willow and Tara couldn't be happier. They swore on their wedding day that nothing would split them apart - but something is just about to test that.

RATING: PG-13

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!

SPOILERS: None

DISCLAIMERS: As you all know, Willow and Tara belong to Joss Whedon. A couple of other usual characters might arrive but who knows. Most of them are my own.



***

PART THREE



The headline of the daily newspaper on Monday morning hit Willow and Tara like a bomb.



"Nine-year-old girl abducted from home in San Francisco"



The police had been searching Rachael's bedroom and the area below her window for clues as to her disappearance all Saturday and Sunday. Tara had to be the one to deal with everything - the same questions shot at Gloria were asked over and until the teenager was reduced to tears. After Friday evening, and Willow's incredible hysteria that Tara just couldn't understand, the redhead had retired to her office and had been there ever since, not moving even to eat or sleep.



"Will, do you want some pancakes? I made some for Gloria." Tara knocked gently on the wooden door. After not getting an answer, she discarded Willow's rules of never stepping foot in her office without permission and pulled open the door. Willow was sitting with her back to her wife, staring at something in her hand. As Tara drew closer she saw it was a recent picture of Rachael. An anger at the way Willow was acting bubbled up inside Tara. "She's not dead, you know."



Willow spun around and glared, her cheeks wet with tears. "Look, I know we're supposed to be optimistic but how can I be? The amount of children that go missing are either never found or their - bodies - are. I never thought..." She trailed off and pressed her fist to her mouth. "I never thought that would happen to one of the girls."



"Sweetie, I know you're upset." Tara perched on Willow's lap and traced her fingers over the 32-year-old's lips. "But can't you see what this is doing to Gloria? She thinks it's all her fault. She's afraid you're blaming her and you'll never speak to her again if something happens to Rach."



Willow grasped hold of Tara's fingers and kissed them, her eyes still wet with tears. "I didn't realise. This is probably hardest on her."



"Yeah." Tara forced a smile. "So, how about those pancakes?"



Willow too managed an unhappy smile. "I guess I haven't really been much help, have I?"



"No, not really." Tara agreed. She slid off Willow's lap and brushed down her shirt. "Have I got my Willow back, then?"



Willow heaved herself out of the office chair and glanced down ruefully at her crumpled dress that she hadn't bothered to change out of since Friday. "Wait till I'm looking halfway decent."



"Oh, you always look decent my love." Tara teased. She watched as Willow sauntered out of the room with a cheeky grin, trying hard to look seductive. "We'll get through this together, yeah?" She whispered at her lover's back. In her mind, Willow replied.



"Always,"

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
Willow: I am.
NEW MOON RISING

[Centauri2002]

Aww, poor Will and Tara and Gloria. Hugs all round. I hate to think of what has happened to the little one. Hope she's okay. *crosses fingers*



Update soon, pretty please?



Caz

Tara: I got so lost
Willow: I found you... I will always find you

[MissQuirky]

My God this is soo sad! I feel really bad for all of em... their gonna find her soon right? I hope they do! I'm lookin 4ward to more!



~Ashley~

Willow: We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens. But it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know... insane.
Tara: I said quirky.

[4evaWill]

TITLE: A treasured gift

AUTHOR: 4evawill

SUMMARY: Married and with two children in San Francisco, Willow and Tara couldn't be happier. They swore on their wedding day that nothing would split them apart - but something is just about to test that.

RATING: PG-13

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!

SPOILERS: None

DISCLAIMERS: As you all know, Willow and Tara belong to Joss Whedon. A couple of other usual characters might arrive but who knows. Most of them are my own.



***

PART FOUR



"Mrs Roseclay?" Detective Lock said seriously, peering over her wire-rimmed glasses at Tara. "Detective Ann Lock here. I've been assigned to the case of your missing daughter. Can I ask a few questions?"



"Y-yes, of course." Tara stammered and stepped away from the door to let the older woman in. "W-would you like something to eat, drink?"



"No, thank you." Detective Lock replied bluntly, and consulted her notepad. "Your daughter's name is Rachael Dia Roseclay, and she is eight years old?"



"Nine." Willow corrected from the top of the stairs. Her lower lip trembled. "She was nine two weeks ago."



"Do you have any idea who could have done this - any enemies, as such?" Detective Lock scribbled something on her notepad, most likely correcting Rachael's age.



"Um, no, I don't think so do you honey?" Tara turned to Willow. The redhead fiddled with her fingers.



"Well.."



"There is?" Detective Lock stopped looking quite so bored.



"We had a fall out with Rachael's godmother Buffy Summers a few years ago. Over Rachael, in fact."



"Willow!" Tara hissed, turning red. Detective Lock raised her eyebrows.



"You think that Miss Summers may have taken your daughter?"



"It's a possibility." Willow said at the same time as Tara, who replied in the negative.



"No, she wouldn't!" Tara snapped. "You really think that Buffy could do something like that?"



"Tare-bear, you weren't there. You didn't see the look in her eyes." Willow and Tara faced each other, ignoring the now uncomfortable looking detective.



"Where does Miss Summers live?" Ann interrupted.



"Here's the address." Willow scribbled down Buffy's address on a piece of scrap paper and handed it to Detective Lock, glaring at Tara. The woman got out of the Roseclay house as fast as possible and the wives stared at each other in disbelief.



"How can you think that?" Tara demanded.



"Tara, Buffy was furious when we said she couldn't adopt Rachael."



"She never wanted to adopt her." Tara protested. "We were going through a rough stage, she just wanted to foster Rachael for a while."



"We were doing just fine!" Willow replied hotly. "Gloria was six at the time and going through a difficult phase, and we coped with her just fine. We could have done the same with Rachael."



Tara shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you said that Buffy would kidnap our daughter. She's our best friend!"



"Was." Willow corrected. "She was our best friend."



---



Rachael's eyes slowly got used to the dark, and she began to tremble as she watched the figure in the doorway advance towards her. "W-who are you?" She stuttered, close to tears. "Why - what are you going to do to me?"



The vampire snarled and bared his bloodied fangs. Rachael let out a squeak of terror.



"Wh- what are you?"



"I'm your w-hang on." The vampire turned to a woman standing just behind him. "What do they always say in the movies?" She whispered something in his ear and he nodded.



"Oh yeah. I'm your worst nightmare, little girl."



Rachael peered at him closely. "Don't I know you?"



The look of dismay on the vampire's face was almost hysterical.



"Damn."

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
Willow: I am.
NEW MOON RISING

[pikescoob]

Oh man lil' Rachael kidnapped but at least she's still alive and her captors don't seem all that bad cuz the vamp can't even get one little cliched 'evil' phrase out right and she recognized him lookin' forward to more



--Michelle

[snuggle79]

ooh, very interesting

I'm curious to hear why Willow & Tara are not Buffy's friends anymore. Really surprising.

Cool update!

"I got so lost"
"I found you, i will always find you"

Edited by: snuggle79 at: 10/13/02 10:58:25 am

[Miss1234Kitty]

Yaaaaah! Oh well, at least it's a him. Buffy wouldn't do that. I'm interested to see how they've changed over the years. The Buffy we know now would never think of anything like that, but hey. Still, I trust you.



Gem

Tara: There's just so much to work through... and can you just be kissing me now?

[4evaWill]

Hey, guys, thanx for the feedback!



Pikescoob: You'll find that Rachael's kidnapper is very well known in Sunnydale. Hmm. I don't think I'll say anymore, don't want to give it away! Heh.



Snuggle79: I thought it would be a nice twist to make Buffy the enemy, heh. What happened between her, Will and Tara is coming though, probably in the next chapter.



1234Kitty: *jaw drops open* You trust me? Whaa?



No, just kidding. Buffy/Willow/Tara conversation time coming soon, that'll reveal everything, I promise. Or do I? Hmmm.



Thanx again for the feedback! Update coming on Tuesday, probably.



~Cath~

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
Willow: I am.
NEW MOON RISING

[Grimlock72]

Okaaay...lotsa updates here, goody...



I was about ready to slap some sense into Gloria during that phone-call. Get to the *curse* feckin point already! We'll decide later if you were to blame. (which it turns out you were but that's another problem altogether). Well written that part but ohhh so frustrating



Please don't tell Gloria she's not to blame, teach her some responsibility instead. After all she did leave Rachel alone, which she shouldn't have. (though can't a nine year old be home safely??)



Now what's really different is that they seem to have some row/argument with Buffy ? I'm wondering what about, since the stated reason doesn't make much sense without circumstances. (unless it's "adopt" as in "I will take better care of her and raise her" which I tend to spell as: kidnapping)



Wondering where this is going...



Grimmy

"Why w-w-would anyone leave Willow?" It was a concept Tara just could not grasp. -- I Dream of Thee by Jomarch

[barnabasvamp]

Great update...really curious about the "falling out" with Buffy. Who could that vamp be..

BV

"In front of total strangers won't you kiss me, Flowers for no reason but you miss me - OOH, I wanna be in love"

Melissa Etheridge-Skin

[4evaWill]

TITLE: A treasured gift

AUTHOR: 4evawill

SUMMARY: Married and with two children in San Francisco, Willow and Tara couldn't be happier. They swore on their wedding day that nothing would split them apart - but something is just about to test that.

RATING: PG-13

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!

SPOILERS: None

DISCLAIMERS: As you all know, Willow and Tara belong to Joss Whedon. A couple of other usual characters might arrive but who knows. Most of them are my own.



Thanks guys for the feedback, your comments helped me write the next part. Grimmy especially, you were right maybe they have been a little too easy on Gloria but that'll be coming next update. Like I said, Buffy/Tara/Willow conversation this update.



***

PART FOUR



Buffy Summers stared at Detective Lock in disbelief, one hand clutched on the door frame for support. "Are you telling me Willow Rosenberg thinks I kidnapped her daughter?" She laughed bitterly. "Okay, so maybe when they moved we weren't on the best of terms but she's - she was my best friend. I would never do that to her."



Ann poised her pen over her pad of paper, obviously realising that the blond Slayer wasn't going to let her in without a proper explanation.



"What do you mean by the Roseclay family moving when you weren't on the best of terms?"



Buffy's jaw gritted furiously. "I don't think that's any of your business."



The detective smirked. "I have the rights to take you into custody if I don't get a reasonable answer out of you, Miss Summers. Where were you on Friday the 13th of August at half past ten in the evening?"



Buffy pondered, trying to think back to the previous week. "I was over at my friends' apartment."



"Can anyone verify that?"



"Anya and Xander Harris as well as my younger sister Dawn Clarke." Buffy scowled, hating the one-on-one exposition. "Look, I've got to leave for work in ten minutes."



"Oh, I understand." Detective Lock nodded, not looking like she in fact did. "But in order to clear your name, Miss Summers, I must know why you and the Roseclay couple are no longer on speaking terms."



"How do I know you're not just being nosy?" Buffy replied bluntly, liking the 43-year-old woman less and less. Ann looked as if she detested Buffy back.



"It's standard procedure, Miss Summers."



Buffy sighed noisily, letting Ann know her frustration. "I don't know."



"She'll probably make it biased." A familiar voice said from behind the detective. Ann spun around, startled, and Buffy raised her eyebrows in complete disgust as Willow moved forwards, eyeing her ex-best friend as if she were an enemy. Tara stood on the bottom step of the porch, looking anxiously at the two.



***



"We had a lot of trouble with Gloria as a baby." Willow explained to Detective Lock, clutching the steaming mug of coffee tight in her hands and giving Buffy a wary glance as she spoke to the older woman. "She was a difficult child, so difficult in fact that neither of us felt we were able to cope with her." She smiled softly. "Of course we did have Buffy and her younger sister Dawn to help us."



For a flickering second Buffy and Willow smiled at each other, then stared at the floor as they realised there was not so much coldness between them. Tara touched Willow's knee gently, and, encouraged by the small gesture, the redhead carried on.



"It came as a shock when we found out Tara was pregnant again, with Rachael." Emotion showed on both Tara and Willow's faces as Willow spoke of her disappeared daughter. "We were sure that she would just be like - like Gloria as a baby." She broke off, overcome with sadness. Buffy, sensing Willow's weakness, spoke up.



"I could see that they were afraid Rachael would turn out like Gloria, so - as I wasn't married myself, or even dating, I offered to - take Rachael off their hands."



"Take her!" Willow jumped to her feet, her green eyes flashing with fury. "You practically threatened us!"



"I so did not!" Buffy too got up. "It was in my best intentions, Willow. I wanted you two to be happy."



"We realised that we wanted to have the baby." Willow ignored Buffy and turned back to the detective. "But Miss Summers here couldn't take that."



"I thought - I thought you would make a mistake." Buffy swallowed a sob forming in her throat. "But - now - now I look at you guys, and, you make the perfect mothers - okay, I admit, I was wrong, you were right not to give Rachael away."



"You're admitting to the disappearance of Rachael Roseclay?" Detective Lock exclaimed.



"No! No, I did not kidnap Rachael. I never knew her, but she is a part of my best friends. I could never do something like that, I swear." Buffy said with sincerity. She looked towards Willow with a pleading look in her blue eyes.



And Willow believed her as they drew into a warm, comforting hug that renewed their friendship.



***



Rachael peered harder into the darkness as she tried to figure out why she recognised this strange creature. The vampire, startled by the child's bravery, backed into the wall as if scared by her. The female vampire next to him hummed delightedly at her boyfriend's terror and stroked his face.



"Honey, don't be like that. She'll come soon and then we can kill the girl."



Spike nodded, eyeing Rachael suspiciously. "You're so right, Dru sweetie. I'm going to make the Slayer plead for her life - and the girl's."



And then Rachael was scared.

Tara: No, I-I understand. You have to be with the person you l-love.
Willow: I am.
NEW MOON RISING

[snuggle79]

... ok, this is really bad! Spike AND crazy Dru? Poor Rachael

What the hell are they planning with her?

Good to see, that Willow finally believes Buffy.

Awesome update!

"I got so lost"
"I found you, i will always find you"

[Grimlock72]

Hmm.. a two-year long stand-off resolved in under a minute, could happen I suppose.



I do wonder what Spike *and* Dru want with/from Buffy. Why would they think Buffy would come looking for Rachel anyway ? It's Dawn's duty to be kidnapped after all, can't mess with traditions .



Granted, Spike's kidnappings/schemes tend not to make much sense, but this one...



Grimmy

"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine