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Title: Dimension Dementia
Part: 7
Author: SallyMcFine
Feedback: I love feedback. Bring it on!
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All disclaimers apply
Thanks: To my beta, Mrs. McFine, for her editing and storyline skills that are out of this world.
Setting: AU/canon crossover
Summary: What happens when a shy, introverted girl is torn away from her world and deposited into a dimension full of vampires, demons, and...a girlfriend?
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Part 7 - Sleep
The doorbell rang. "Dawn, will you get that?" Buffy called from the kitchen.
Dawn sighed and switched off the television, getting up reluctantly. She opened the door to reveal Anya and Xander holding two pizza boxes.
"Dinner!" he said as they came in.
"Giles should be getting here soon," Anya said. "He said he was going to come over."
"I'm already here, Anya," Giles called from the kitchen, where he was sitting at the table with Buffy and Tara.
"Where's Willow?" Xander asked, setting the pizza on the counter.
"Zonked," Buffy answered. "She was pretty tired when we got home. She's been napping for about four hours now."
"Should we wake her up for dinner?"
"Why don't we let her sleep a bit more before we start eating," Giles said. "I wanted to fill you all in on what we learned today - which unfortunately isn't much."
"You know what I don't get?" Buffy said. "So we've been through this whole dimension craziness before, back in high school. You know, when Anya conned Willow into trying to summon back her pendant?"
"That's my girl," Xander interjected with a grin at Anya, who rolled her eyes.
"I was a different demon back then," she retorted.
"Right, yeah," said Buffy. "But back to Willow - once we figured out what had happened with her vampire twin, Giles, you were able to do a spell that sent the vampire back to her own dimension. Can't you just do that with this Willow too?"
Giles sighed. "I wish it were that easy."
"Why isn't it?"
"When someone is pulled out of their dimension and deposited into another, they carry with them an imprint of the energy specific to their dimension. If our Willow were here, she would tell us how it relates to the direction and velocity of the spin of the electrons that are associated with the atoms and molecules specific to each dimension - they're all infinitesimally different. It's sort of a dimensional fingerprint, if you will. The spell I did when you all were in high school essentially helped the vampire Willow's molecules to find the world where they matched up, and gave her a boost to get her going."
"Right, and don't let the door hit you on your undead ass on the way out. So why can't we do that again?"
"Well, we could, in theory," Giles replied. "But there are two problems. First, our Willow is missing, and in sending this Willow back we have no guarantee that our Willow would return to us. There would be no opposing force on her end boosting her back to our dimension. And since the Willow we have here is our only link to the dimension where our Willow has gone, I'm loathe to send her back willy-nilly."
"But are we even sure that our Willow is really in that dimension?" Dawn asked. "Maybe she got knocked out or something, and she's still in Sunnydale."
"Again, that's possible, but unlikely," Giles replied. "This afternoon Tara and I performed a locator spell to find our Willow, compensating for the presence of our visitor to eliminate a false positive. It came up with nothing. These spells aren't foolproof, of course, but I'm reasonably certain that she's not here."
"And what this Willow described when we were first talking to her," Anya broke in, "it was pretty textbook for dimensional switches. Regular dimensional travel just makes you feel a little nauseated, but the blinding light, the roaring sound - totally characteristic of a switch."
"Why is that?" Tara asked, speaking for the first time since Xander and Anya had arrived.
Anya shrugged. "One theory says that people's molecules rush through each other as the switch happens, which creates a lot of extra sensory input. And sometimes mistakes happen, too - people have exchanged body parts if the spells were performed imperfectly. Not that we would ever know that with this Willow, since she's so similar to ours."
Tara looked queasy.
"The other wrinkle," Giles added, "is that from what we gleaned from this Willow, magic doesn't exist in her dimension. Or at least, it doesn't function nearly as strongly in her world as in ours. If it did, I have no doubt that our Willow would already be home - she's proficient enough with magic - and reckless enough - to perform a dimension-traveling spell on her own."
"Or she could be - ouch!" Anya said, rubbing her shoulder where Xander had poked her. "Well, she could be hurt - we should consider the possibility," she whispered to him.
Tara took a shuddering breath. "So where does that leave us?"
"Pretty much right where we started this morning," Xander said. "We didn't find out much else from the books."
"But I put a call in to D'Hoffryn," Anya said. "To see if he has any advice."
"And I've contacted the coven, and the Council," Giles added. "One way or another, we'll get Willow home, Tara."
She tightened her lips and nodded.
"And on that note, who's ready for pizza?" Xander asked.
"I'll go wake up Willow," Buffy said.
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Willow woke up extremely disoriented. The room was dark, the bed she was in was too soft, and there were too many pillows. It was like sleeping on a marshmallow, and she felt like she had sunk down deep into the bed and that it was slowly absorbing her. The fluffy duvet, much more insulating than the sheets and thin comforter she was used to, made her feel smothered and overheated. For several seconds, she had no idea where she was.
Then the terrifying, confusing events of the day came rushing back to her, and she remembered. She was at Buffy's house in Buffy's bed. And downstairs was Buffy herself, a much more confident Buffy than the one she knew, a Buffy who had hordes of other people occupying her time and attention. A younger sister, an older ex-librarian, a mouthy ex-demon, Xander -
Xander - and a witch. Tara. Her girlfriend. Well, not
her girlfriend, but her the other Willow's girlfriend.
She flung the duvet off of her chest, welcoming the cooler air, and she noticed the smell of pizza wafting up the stairs. Her stomach growled in response - she hadn't eaten anything at all since breakfast. She felt a pressing need to use the restroom, but was reluctant to leave the relative safety of the bed. At least here she could pretend that she was still in her own world. She lay there for a few more minutes, listening to the murmur of voices from downstairs. At some point she drifted off again, dozing lightly, and awoke again with a start when there was a soft knock on the door.
"Willow?" It was Buffy, silhouetted in the soft light from the hallway as she slowly opened the door.
"Yep," she answered fuzzily.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but there's pizza downstairs - if you want some, you'd better come soon or else Xander will eat it all."
"Okay," Willow said. "I just need to use the bathroom."
"It's the first door on the left," Buffy said. "But I guess you know that already. Or do you? Maybe my house isn't the same in your world."
Willow had spent enough time at her Buffy's house in high school that she remembered. "It's the same."
Buffy nodded. "See you downstairs." She closed the door.
After she left, Willow kicked off the rest of the duvet and got out of bed. She felt uncomfortably damp, having sweated while she slept, and she didn't have a change of clothes. She made do as best she could by washing her face and neck with cold water and smoothing her hair back, and felt marginally refreshed afterward. She looked at herself in the mirror, exhaled, and went downstairs.
Walking into the kitchen felt like walking into the cafeteria in middle school - she wasn't sure where she should sit or where she would be welcome. It didn't help that the conversation died down when she walked in. Adding to the surreal atmosphere was the knowledge that everyone in the room knew her - or someone who looked like her. She took a seat at the table, feeling very sorry for herself.
Tara handed her a plate, which she accepted gratefully.
"This one is meat, and that one is no meat," Tara said, indicating the pizza boxes on the table.
Willow nodded and took a slice of veggie pizza while Dawn watched with interest.
"Are you a vegetarian?" Dawn asked.
"Huh? Oh, no - I just don't eat pork."
Dawn nodded. Willow wondered - did the other Willow eat pork? Was she a vegetarian? Was she even Jewish? Growing up in the Rosenberg household, some things had just been the way they were, and not eating pork was one of the things from her upbringing that had stuck with her.
The room was silent, and Willow looked down at her plate as she ate, the sound of her chewing uncomfortably loud inside her head. Giles cleared his throat and finally broke the silence.
"Willow, I want you to know that we're doing everything we can to find out how to get you home," he said.
She wasn't sure what she should say. "I appreciate it," she said finally.
"I'd like to talk to you a little more tomorrow about your head injury," he continued. "It seems to me that it must somehow be connected with what brought you here."
She nodded and touched the back of her head. The swollen part where she had hit the freezer door was almost back to normal, and didn't hurt nearly as much as it had before.
"Anyone mind if I take the last meat slice?" Xander said.
"It's all you," Buffy said, leaning back in her chair. "I need to stay alert for patrol tonight, anyway, so I shouldn't eat anything else."
Everyone else seemed to take this as the norm, but Willow was curious. "What do you patrol?" she asked.
"Well, we told you about the vampires," Buffy said. "Usually it's just patrolling the cemetery, walking around the new graves in case one of the corpses emerges as a vampire, and dusting it."
"Dusting it?" An image of Buffy with a feather duster tickling a pale man with fangs jumped into Willow's head.
"Shoving a stake through its heart so it explodes into dust. It's one of the most reliable ways to kill a vampire, and easier than beheading."
Willow shuddered.
"Takes some getting used to, doesn't it? I had a hard time believing it at first too. But it's my destiny and I have to do it." Buffy's tone was curiously flat. "Anyway, in addition to the usual parade of born-again undead, lately we're dealing with bizarre new demon activity. A few days ago a bunch of weird stuff happened to me and I ended up getting attacked by a kind of demon I'd never seen before. So in addition to cemetery duty, I take a few swings around town just to keep an eye on things."
"It makes for a long night," Giles said. "Speaking of which, the sun will be going down in about twenty minutes."
"Right. I had better get going."
Willow was reluctant to ask for anything, but she figured now was a better time than later. "Um, Buffy?" she asked.
"Yeah?"
"I don't have any clothes. Do you think I could borrow some for tonight and tomorrow?"
Buffy nodded. "Sure you can. Except..."
Tara spoke up. "Willow, um - you can wear some of Willow's clothes." She made a wry face at the awkward phrasing. "You might as well, since you're the same size - and she would want you to."
The room, already silent, seemed even more silent after that sentence and its unfortunate connotation. It was as if her Willow had died, and Tara was offering her clothes to someone who could make use of them - at least, that's how Willow felt. She nodded, and looked at Tara, noticing how the blonde grimaced after she finished talking.
For the first time since she had been brought to this dimension, Willow began to realize that more people that just her were affected by what had happened. Buffy, Xander, Giles, Dawn, Anya - they had lost a friend. And Tara - Tara had lost someone she clearly cared about deeply. Willow could sense her distress, and wondered why she hadn't picked up on it before. Although, she admitted to herself, she hadn't necessarily been in any space to notice anyone's distress but her own.
It was apparent to Willow that it had cost Tara to say what she did, and she felt the need to say something back, if only to let her know that she appreciated the gesture.
"Thank you, Tara," she said. She wanted to say more, but wasn't quite sure how to convey it.
Tara looked up and though her blue eyes were worried and her brow was furrowed, a slight smile touched her eyes. "You're welcome."
Dawn stood up and gathered up the pizza boxes. "Does anyone want more of the veggie before I put this away?"
Willow shook her head. She had only had once slice, but it had more than filled her nervous stomach.
With dinner over, Xander and Anya stood up too. "Buff, do you want company on patrol? We were planning on coming with you tonight - it's our turn."
"Sure," Buffy said.
Willow stood up too and gathered up the dishes, wanting to feel useful. Before they left, Xander came up to her as she stood at the sink rinsing the plates.
"Listen, Willow - I know that today's been pretty crazy and all, and Anya and I have to go patrol with Buffy. But tomorrow maybe we can take some time together to catch up. This all must be pretty overwhelming for you."
She felt touched. "I'd like that."
"Good. Tomorrow, then." With a wave, he left the kitchen.
After the dishes were done, Willow felt at loose ends. She walked into the living room, where Dawn and Tara had gone after she had assured them she didn't need any help with the dishes. They were sitting on the couch - Dawn flipping through a magazine, and Tara not doing much of anything.
"Um," she said, feeling awkward about breaking the silence. "I was thinking that I'd go turn in and maybe read or something."
Dawn looked up. "It's only 7:30. Are you tired?"
Tara seemed to understand, though. "I'm sure Willow's pretty exhausted from...just everything today, Dawnie. Willow, I'll get you some clothes."
Willow moved aside to let Tara go up the stairs, and said "Goodnight, Dawn."
"Goodnight." The teenager gave her a sympathetic look that she tried to disguise as a smile.
Willow followed Tara up the stairs and into...Joyce's room? It was very changed from how she remembered it. A light herbal scent filled the bedroom. Two bookshelves lined the walls and were crammed to overflowing with a variety of books - worn and dusty-looking tomes as well as shiny softcover computer manuals. A string of white Christmas lights was draped over the bookcases. In the corner, a desk held a laptop computer, and on the wall was a large clock with several pointed sun rays emanating out from the face. The tables flanking the bed held an assortment of candles as well as an alarm clock on one, and a framed photo on the other. The bed was covered by a beige and red coverlet with deep red sheets peeking out, and a pile of pillows.
More striking to Willow than all the contents of the room, however, was the atmosphere it all created. It was clearly a well lived-in place, and just from standing in the doorway Willow could tell that it was intended to be a haven for two people who were very much in love. She felt her heart throb in sympathy at the absence of the other person as she watched Tara move about the room.
Tara removed some shirts, shorts, and undergarments from a dresser drawer and set them on the bed. She opened the closet and took out some additional items on hangers, and carried the pile to Willow.
"Here you go," she said. "This should last for a few days. And here's a spare toothbrush, too."
"Thank you," Willow said. "I really appreciate it."
Tara smiled, but the strain on her was evident. Earlier in the day, Tara had been so quiet and withdrawn she had hardly registered on Willow's radar. But since dinner, Willow had noticed more overt signs of worry. She figured it was probably best to go to her room - Buffy's room - and not prolong the moment. Giving her missing girlfriend's clothes to her doppelganger would take its toll on even the most resilient of souls.
"Goodnight," Willow said.
"Goodnight."
Willow went into Buffy's room and closed the door, setting down the pile of clothes on a chair. She wasn't sure how she was going to feel about wearing somebody else's underwear, but when she stopped to think about it, it was her own underwear. Sort of. She sighed. Thinking about this made her head hurt.
The toothbrush's plastic wrapping crackled as she tore it open. That had been thoughtful of Tara - Willow wasn't sure she would have had the presence of mind to think about a toothbrush if she had been in the same situation - in fact, she probably wouldn't have even thought of it herself until later that night.
She selected a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt with a kitten on the front as pajamas, changed clothes, and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. Having done that, she climbed back into bed. She had slept for several hours already today, but instead of reading, she closed her eyes, and soon drifted back off to sleep.
by viximon » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:33 am 
).
We'll see some more of it soon.
It's in the plan. Thanks for reading!
I think I am beginning to see where this story, and the next (if there is a "next") may go.
Yeah, we'll see what this Willow thinks of Tara as we go along. Thanks for reading!