DISCLAIMERS: I don’t own any of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters. Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, etc, do. I’m just playin’. All original characters and the story are copyright 2001 Kimyoo Films.

The story of the Croglin Grange vampire can be found here. I don’t own it. =)
I do not own the songs mentioned herein...I just like ‘em a lot. =)
The movie Ring is an excellent Japanese horror film that‘s being remade in the US by ace crackerjack filmmakers (did you get my sarcasm?) Ehren Kruger (screenwriter of Arlington Road and butcher of the Scream 3 story) and Gore Verbinski (director of, among other top-notch hits, Mouse Trap and The Mexican. Lots and lots of sarcasm there...I can‘t believe Dreamworks thinks this pair is a good idea...but I digress.) Ring is kinda like a really, really, really creepy episode of The X-Files. If you can find it, and good luck on that, I highly recommend it and its sequel Ring 2. I haven’t seen Ring 0: Birthday. *note-I've seen it now and it's GREAT, but it's not as good as Ring

RATINGS / CATEGORY: I’d have to say this is PG-13 with some f/f maintext. It’s tame in the beginning, but then again...aren’t most things?

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I suffer from a severe lack of Buffy background info...when my Muses want me to write, I write. Please know that even though I’m sure I’ve gotten some information wrong, I’m writing this BtVS fan fiction from my heart and with the best of intentions. *note: I'm much more caught up, now, but this all stays the same. Also keep in mind that Andraea is NOT a Mary Jane...her mystery is just beginning to unfold...mwahahaha*

This is somewhere in the early sixth season. Buffy’s not over herself, Tara and Willow haven’t fought about magic yet, and I have made Tara pretty shy in this... If my continuity problems are too much for you (and I wouldn’t blame you a bit), perhaps you can take it as an eerily familiar alternate universe?

ARCHIVING: If you want it, please write me. I’d like to keep track of where my stuff goes.

“Temptation of Balance” by Magenta
copyright 2001 Kimyoo Films

She walked down the street, head held high, full lips curled into a knowing smirk as she silently appraised those whom she passed. She’d never been here before, but she knew the path well. Something like that would frighten a lesser person, but she was used to it by now. She felt the draw of a vaguely familiar power, an energy imprint she’d encountered before, but there was something wholly different about it this time. It wasn’t threatening, nor was it all flowers and musical hills...and that excited her, filled her with a purpose beyond the one she was sent with.

Her hair was pitch black with platinum blonde stripes and her eyes, though hidden by dark sunglasses, were ice blue chips with flecks of green, brought out by black eye makeup. Her lips were deep purple, full, and shiny like vinyl, yet oddly kissable. Around her neck she wore a bone and metal Native American choker with a metal feather dangling from the bottom. On her right wrist she wore a wallet chain-type bracelet wrapped twice and her left wrist had a silver watch with brown leather straps.

Olive green cargos were slung low on her hips and her black “Shonen Knife” t-shirt came to just above her navel. A thick ball chain jangled against her right leg and reached down to about a foot above her black shoes. Her metallic gray messenger bag was covered with patches and buttons and she carried a black duffle bag. The song “Vampire Erotica” spilled through her headphones, the volume on her Discman turned all the way up. It made her more careful to watch for cars and dangerous people.

She turned the corner and stopped herself short when she saw the sign that read “The Magic Box.” Her almost lupine smile curled more as she moistened her lips and restarted on her path to the store. Her stride was full of purpose, yet slow and sensuous. Men and women nearly killed themselves as they watched her walk, gazes pulled by a magnetism they couldn’t understand.

Inside The Magic Box, most of the Scoobies were assembled, bent over books and sipping gingerly on hot to-go mochachinos, coffees and various other caffeinated beverages.

“What exactly are we looking for again? I mean, if he’s really that dangerous, shouldn’t I just kinda chop socky him to death?” asked a pretty young girl known as Buffy to her friends and the Slayer to all of daemon-kind as she blew a few errant strands of blonde hair away from her face.

Giles frowned at the text he was studying and said, “If it were that easy, Buffy, I would let you or you would have done it already, but it’s not. Whe-”

Just at that moment, the bells on the front door jangled and all eyes moved in that direction to watch as she entered, all fluid grace and supple power. She dropped her duffle bag onto the floor and looked around as she slid her headphones to down around her neck and turned off the CD player.

“May I help you?” Giles asked as he closed the book and approached the girl.

“You must be Rupert Giles,” she replied with a soft English accent of her own. She slid the sunglasses to the top of her head and looked directly at the occupants of the shop and smiled again, “And you all must be the infamous Scoobies I was sent to.”

“I’m sorry, but-” the Watcher started to say before she handed him a folded piece of paper she retrieved from her back pocket.

“My name’s Andraea. The Council sent me, aware of the fact that Tokoyami himself was here on a mission to destroy the Slayer,” she replied as Giles read the paper.

“Well, we’re not exactly on friendly trusting terms with the Council...” the Chosen One said as she stood and approached Andraea, her brow creased in confusion hinted with anger. The other Scoobies stood to support Buffy, and to get a better look at this mysterious stranger.

Giles looked at her and slowly waved her back, carefully inspecting the piece of paper in his other hand. “It’s alright, Buffy...she’s legit.”

“Giles, the Council...”

“The Council only cares for the safety of the Human Race, Miss Summers, though sometimes the things they do speak otherwise...in sending me, they’ve put aside their dislike of your tactics, a sign of importance,” Andraea informed. “You won’t find any information on Tokoyami in your dusty tomes and dry texts,” she continued, gesturing towards the books Buffy and her friends were pouring over a few short minutes ago. “Nothing’s been written on him...in anything you might have stored here at least.”

“So we’re supposed to trust you?” Xander asked.

Andraea smiled, “You’re going to have to. I’m not saying that you need to induct me into Scoobiedom, I’m merely suggesting that you listen to me and follow my instructions.”

“ ‘Merely suggesting that-?’ We don’t know you!” the Slayer laughed in disbelief.

“My, my, my...your fire gets stoked easily,” Andraea said, putting her hand up to stop Buffy from continuing. While the blonde would normally have gone ahead and spoken her mind, something stopped her. Willow and Anya gasped, feeling a sudden raw energy swirl around the newcomer.

“I realize you’re in a defensive kind of mood after what‘s happened to you, especially after last night‘s entanglement. I can still smell the charge of his energies on you...” she stopped and slowly turned to look out of the window at an approaching form, as if drawn to its presence. She continued absent-mindedly, “You’ve seen only a taste of his power. Now he’s in a sort of hibernation, readying himself for the coming battle with all of you.”

Andraea moved closer to the window as Tara walked into the Magic Box, hands full of coffee. She saw everyone standing, with their cautious postures, and became nervous...then she sensed the raw energy that moments ago stunned Willow and Anya. She turned to face the source and her eyes saucered. “A-A-Andraea?!”

“Tara?!” they stepped forward and embraced, the witch being careful to not spill her coffee on her friend. Willow wanted to rush forward and pull Tara away from the mysterious woman, but found herself unable to, caught by the happiness her girlfriend exhibited.

“Your imprint has changed so much, Tara! I can’t believe it!” Andraea said, stepping back to hold Tara out in front of her at arm’s length, then pulling her back in for another crushing hug. Giles came up behind them and cleared his throat. The reunited friends turned toward the Scoobies.

“You two know each other?” Willow asked hesitantly.

“We went to school together,” the Wiccan replied softly.

To which Andraea added, “My father had to return to England and so, in fifth grade, I had to leave Tara and everything I knew behind and go back to Sussex.”

Buffy broke in with, “Yeah, yeah, this is really nice and heartwarming, but-”

Andraea looked at her and said, “Look, the basic fact is, Miss Summers, that if you’re going to survive against Tokoyami, you’re going to need my services.”

“Well, from what I saw last night, you’d have to be a daemon yourself in order to defeat him,” said Buffy, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Your red-headed Wiccan over there, Willow right?” she asked, receiving a slow nod, “is extremely powerful, but I think she can attest to the fact that I’m not so bad.”

“Wills?” asked Buffy, impatient with the newcomer. Another mute nod from Willow‘s side of the room. Buffy ceded momentarily as she asked, “So...are you Glenda or what?”

A smile forced its way onto Andraea’s face to appease the oh-so-witty-Chosen One as she said, “Oh...yay...Wizard of Oz references...”she paused, concerned for a moment before she informed them of her powers. “I‘m a red mage, actually. I’ve achieved balance between the black and the white, the good and the evil.”

“Shouldn’t you be a gray witch, then?” asked Xander with a smile as he looked around at his fellow, though silent, Scoobies. “Wow...tough crowd.”

“Is that even possible?” asked Giles as he put town one text in favour of another he would soon find. “I mean, without a complete take-over by one of the forces?”

Andraea let go of Tara and noted the sigh of relief that passed through Willow. She spread her arms out beside her and said, “I’m twenty three, Mr. Giles. I’ve been bi-magical, shall we say, since I was sixteen. If it were going to happen, I think it would have happened already.”

“And the Council sent you?” the former Watcher asked as he flipped through a thick leather-bound tome.

“You read the proof yourself,” Andraea replied as she sat in a chair, Tara following close behind to sit beside her. Willow followed suit and sat next to her girlfriend, trying to pull her back so they could talk privately, but the blonde witch had been separated from her friend for too long and wasn’t having any of that.

Giles turned toward the Scoobies and said, “Buffy, may I have a word with you, please?” Complying with his request, the Slayer walked towards him while nonchalantly keeping the newcomer within her eyesight as they stepped to the rear of the shop and around a corner.

“I like this less than you do, but with the ferocity with which you were defeated last night, I think it may be a wise choice to take her up on her offer...” Giles whispered haltingly, aware of how badly defeat stung the Slayer.

Buffy’s eyes threw daggers at her former Watcher. “He didn’t beat me...it was a draw.”

“Your hair was smouldering when you walked in the door, Buffy, I’d have to say he beat you...”

The Slayer raised an instinctive hand to her blonde locks. Before she could say anything, the newcomer’s voice rang out clear as a bell from the chair in which she sat. “He was toying with you, Miss Summers. It was a test...”

Popping her head around the corner to look at Andraea, Buffy said, “Do you mind? We’re having a private conversation...” She noted that the newcomer was certainly not within earshot...had she read her lips in a mirror or something??

“Fact of the matter is, Buffy, we need help. How many books have we poured through and found nothing on Tokoyami? By now, with any other foe as almost flamboyant as this Tokoyami is we would’ve been able to find SOMEthing, but this has us all stumped,” he said, whispering as softly as possible. “We know his name and he’s into the dark arts and we can’t find a bloody thing....pardon my language.” He took off his glasses and held on by one of the ear pieces, swinging it from side to side without really realizing it.

She frowned. “It doesn’t bother you that she comes in here knowing all about this guy?” the Slayer questioned, a little frustrated.

“She was sent by the Council...regardless of everything, Buffy, I think we need her.”

Buffy worked the muscles in her jaw and sighed. “Giles, I didn’t want to say this before, but my Spidey Sense is tingling...there’s something about her...”

“Then let her stay at your house so you can keep an eye on her. Keep Tara with her, I don’t think she’ll mind,” the Watcher suggested.

“In my HOUSE? Are you for real? How much gray earl tea have you had today, Giles?”

He put his glasses on and smiled briefly. “I don‘t like this either, but we all must do things that make us feel uncomfortable...so please...” They walked back around the corner and as Buffy crossed to sit opposite the newcomer, Giles stopped to address the Scoobies plus One.

“Buffy and I have talked it over and have decided to accept your help...on one condition. You must stay at Buffy’s house.”

Gasps were heard around the shop: Tara’s was happy, Willow’s was shock, Anya and Xander were surprised. Andraea, however, locked eyes with the Slayer and leaned forward to address her. “You don’t have to keep me under lock, key, and Slayer-vision. I’m not here to cause panic.”

Buffy leaned forward, too. “I don’t trust you.”

“I don’t blame you.”

Blue and green warred with blue-hazel until a silent understanding was negotiated and they sat back. Giles sat at the head of the table and Anya and Xander scooted in to close the circle of the group.

“What can you tell us about Tokoyami?”

Andraea smiled. “His name means ‘everlasting darkness’ in Japanese...fitting since he’s not only a powerful black mage and the last in a long line of extremely powerful samurai, but he’s a vampire...no one knows his real name anymore.”

With his ever-present frown, Giles asked, “Who was his Sire?”

“Rumour has it that it was the vampire of Croglin Grange...but, again, no one really knows for sure,” she replied.

“But Croglin Grange is in England,” Giles stated.

Andraea nodded and continued in explanation. “The Council learned that Tokoyami was sent to England to accrue information for shogun Iemitsu before the shogun cut off all ties abroad in 1633. That the Croglin Grange vampire Sired him sounds logical enough, I suppose...Japan had free trade and travel with England before then. Maybe the banning of all things western was a knee-jerk reaction to Tokoyami’s Turning.”

“So he’s had all this time to learn, practice and master black magic...” Giles thought aloud before he asked, “How long does he stay in this hibernation, Andraea?”

The newcomer shrugged. “By the acidity of the charge still on the Slayer, I’d have to say he’ll be out for a few days. You gave him a run for his money, Miss Summers,” she said, turning a charmingly sincere smile towards the Slayer.

Inside she swelled with an odd sort of pride, but outside, she narrowed her eyes at the newcomer. “Wouldn’t he have to come out during his hibernation to feed?”

“No. He’s a samurai, his body is trained to follow his will. He can go a few days longer without a feed than even the most powerful of master vampires,” she replied.

Giles sighed and ran a hand through his hair before taking off his glasses again and cleaning them. He then checked his watch and said, “We’ve got another three hours of daylight so I suggest that Buffy heads out to try and find his resting place. Tara and Willow, I suggest you take Andraea back to Buffy’s house and get her situated...I’m sure she’s tired, having just come from England, and could use some sleep.”

Buffy nodded and swiftly went into the back to grab some supplies.

“Actually, I’m pumped...how’s about we drop my stuff at the house and you two show me around a bit, hmm?” the newcomer suggested as she stood and pushed her chair in.

“I think we c-could do that, r-right Mr. Giles?” Tara asked, excited. She received a nod from the Watcher then turned to Willow. “Would that be o-okay, Willow?”

She wanted to say no, to take her girlfriend away from the powerful newcomer, and chided herself for her jealousy. “Uh, yeah, that’d be fine. I’m, uh, gonna stay here, though, let you guys catch up a bit without me and if later you want me to join you just give me a call here and I’ll meet you wherever, okay?” Willow rambled.

“Are you sure?” Tara asked, biting her lip.

The redhead smiled and nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll see you later anyway, right? so go on and have fun and be careful,” she said, shooting a look at Andraea. Tara leaned forward and gave her girlfriend a light peck on her lips

“Don’t worry, Willow,” the red witch started, “Tara’s safer with me than with anyone else...other than, y’know, the Slayer or you...” She hefted her duffle bag as the blonde Wiccan hurriedly walked around various chairs to follow her out of the door. Tara looked back at Willow with a bright smile before walking out.

“Will, I can’t believe you just let your girlfriend go off with another witch,” Xander said as Anya nodded and continued without looking, “Yeah...especially one with ‘dyke’ written all over her.” The ex-daemon looked up from her bridal catalogue to the wide-mouthed gapes of those around her.

“I’m sorry...should I have said ‘lesbo’?”

“Honey?”

“Yes, Xander?”

“Tact...”

Anya closed her magazine and sighed. “That’s why I chose the whole ‘dyke’ thing and not the ‘more powerful than Willow and she knows it’ thing... Duh.”

Rolling her eyes, the witch cleared her throat. “They’re old friends who haven’t seen each other for a really, really long time so I don’t think there’s a problem with my letting Tara go without me to hang out with her friend and so what if she’s gay and we don’t know if she is or not so we can’t judge...”

“Actually, it’s good you stayed, Willow, I’d like to go over some spells with you, nothing big or anything. They‘re of the ‘in case of-’ variety,” Giles said as he put some of the other texts away and brought over a fresh batch. Willow sighed and turned her attention to a red book Giles handed her, its leather bindings creaking as she opened it.

*****

The two girls walked towards Buffy’s house in smiling silence. The Wiccan had just caught her friend up on everything that happened to her since they parted ways, up to and including Willow. As Tara expected, Andraea wasn’t shocked or disgusted.

“I completely understand, actually. I’ve found myself attracted to certain girls...” her friend admitted, easing the blush crawling up the witch’s cheeks. Tara loved Willow dearly, but, even to friends, she had a bit of a hard time coming out about it.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Tara,” Andraea lamented, recalling everything her friend told her. “I should have been.”

“N-no, Andraea! There was n-nothing you c-could have d-done anyway...”

The red mage looked at her friend. “I could have been there for you,” she informed as they walked up the steps leading to Buffy’s house. Tara opened the door and walked in, but Andraea dawdled a little, almost shy.

“Well, c’mon in, s-silly, so we can d-drop your stuff off,” the witch said. Andraea smiled sheepishly and crossed the threshold as Tara called out, “Dawn? Hey D-Dawny, are you home yet? I‘ve got someone I want you t-to meet...”

“Yeah, just a sec...” came the answer from somewhere upstairs.

“D-Dawn’s Buffy’s sister so we h-have to introduce y-you...”

Andraea regarded her friend. “When did the stammer come back?”

Tara looked at the ground. “After you left. Since I met W-Willow, though, it’s gotten m-much better.”

Andraea regarded her friend. “You aren’t listening to Willow, are you?” This time, the response was a slow shake of the blonde’s head, eyes still planted on the floor. “You really should, you know. She’d never lie to you. None of those people would.” Light steps bounding down the staircase stopped Andraea from continuing the conversation, but she made a note to herself to pick up the thread at a more convenient time.

“Hey, Tara, what’s up?” the teenager asked as she reached the last step and eyed the newcomer.

“Dawn, this is A-Andraea. She’s going to stay with us f-for a couple of d-days. Andraea, this is D-Dawn,” Tara said, smiling and outgoing, trying to cover up her shyness.

“Finally, someone didn’t introduce me as ‘Buffy’s sister’,” Dawn said as she extended her hand towards Andraea. “Nice to meet you.”

The red mage looked at Tara briefly, a smirk on her face, then she took the proffered hand and shook firmly, but gently. “The pleasure is all mine, Dawn.”

“Geez...Sunnydale’s just crawling with Brits. Why?” the teenager asked, liking how Andraea’s accent sounded.

The mage smiled, “Why not?”

“You obviously haven’t been here long enough... If you need anything, just let me know...but I’ve got some chemistry homework that’s screaming for me. I’ll talk to you later, okay? Nice meeting you!! Bye!” exclaimed Dawn as she waved and rushed back to her room.

Andraea smiled again as she turned towards Tara. “Where will I be sleeping, then?”

“You c-can have the room next to Willow and me...” she said as they started to go up the stairs. “It’s kinda s-small, though.”

Tara opened the door and let Andraea in, the latter girl smiling as she dropped her duffle bag and looked around. “It’s perfect. A bouncy bed and curtains. Absolutely wonderful,” she sighed, flopping on the bed briefly before bolting upright and taking Tara’s arm. “Now, let’s go out and play.”

*****

Buffy silently walked among the buildings, reaching out with her Spidey Sense for anything that might lead her to Tokoyami. She dusted a few nests in the two and a half hours she was out, but so far zippo when it came to this samurai vampire mage.

*Okay...half an hour until the sun goes down...then its dust buster time for real... I feel like I’m on a wild goose chase for this Tokoyami guy...and I can’t believe Andraea is staying in my house...why couldn’t Giles take her in? And what’s up with Tara acting all googly about her. Sure, they haven’t seen each other for, what, thirteen years or something, but seriously...*

Suddenly, her Spidey Sense was tingling abnormally. She was in front of the old movie house, the kind with the red velvet curtains and a balcony, but only one screen. It never gave her this feeling when she’d pass by it before, but now it’s a five alarm fire in her head. The old theatre was mainly used for the “art house” type movies, and Rocky Horror every Friday and Saturday night. Nothing particularly evil about that unless you happened to dislike sci-fi rock musicals and movies with subtitles and substance. She went to the box office and bought a ticket so she could gain access to the building without breaking something.

Her Spidey Sense was going so loud that it didn’t matter where she went inside, she couldn’t be sure if she was heading in the right direction. As nonchalantly as possible, she worked her way through the thin crowd and to the doorways leading to the basement. Nothing. Not a thing in the nooks and crannies of the dank, dark basement except mildewy boxes, reels, various splicers, and projector parts. No vampires. No nests. No big fuzzy daemons with six heads and four legs and breath like limburger cheese. Nothing.

She made her way up to the floors above the theatre, cautiously making sure no one saw or followed her. The floor boards were creaky and the muted shafts of light coming from boarded windows and the rapidly waning sun outside were filled with motes of dust, as if stirred up from the ground. She looked around and checked her watch, *Okay, this isn’t a good idea...*

Buffy turned quickly to head back to the relative safety of Sunnydale’s streets after sundown. Something big was in the old movie house, and it didn’t feel like Tokoyami...

*****

“W-What would you l-like to do, Ande?” Tara asked as they walked away from the house.

“First off, we must get caffeine...definitely...”

The witch smiled. “I thought you were p-pumped.”

“I am, but one still needs caffeine to survive, right? It‘s almost like oxygen...”

The two women headed to the Espresso Pump and as soon as they walked in, all eyes moved towards Andraea. Some were sneering smirks, others were openly lustful gazes, the rest were merely interested in the newcomer with black and white hair and an air of confidence they hadn’t seen in anyone before.

Andraea sidled up to the lineless counter, Tara meekly in tow, and said, “A mochachino and a Barq’s, please. To go.”

The blonde stepped closer to her friend, terribly nerve-wracked by all the attention. “Uh...d-d-didn’t y-you want, uh, c-c-caffeine?”

The counterwoman smiled at the mage and turned to get her order as Andraea herself turned toward Tara. “I can’t drink coffee stuffs anymore. Gives me a terrible headache...but Barq’s has caffeine.”

Over in the far corner, several young things from UCS were giggling and staring at Tara and Andraea, presumably making rude comments in their need for superiourity. The mage watched them from the corner of her eye, feeling the intense unease in Tara’s aura, but said nothing. She didn’t want to bring any more unwanted attention onto her friend. She turned back to get their drinks and pay the counterwoman when a sport-o from that corner table stood and started walking towards them.

“Hey. What’s with your hair?”

Andraea handed Tara her drink and took a sip of her root beer while watching the sport-o’s approach, saying nothing. She could feel her friend getting antsy to leave, but he would just follow them outside...it was his kind’s way.

“You deaf?”

“No, I’m just waiting for you to say something worth my time.”

Various ‘ooh’s came from his table as Tara gently tried to pull her outside. “C-C-C’mon, Ande...let’s just go,” the witch whispered.

The sport-o smiled. “Yeah, why don’t you listen to your ugly-ass girlfriend, freak.”

Andraea popped the joint in her jaw and Tara backed away, feeling raw energy roil from her friend. With a smirk and a quirk of her eyebrow, Andraea nonchalantly waved her hand. Instantly, the sport-o’s pants fell down, but he didn’t seem to notice...until he heard laughter. Loud, raucous laughter. Then he felt a breeze. Even Tara giggled, putting her hand up to cover her mouth and she ducked her head.

The mage canted her head from side to side slowly, as if pondering something, then said, in all seriousness, “I’m not a doctor or anything, but I don’t think they’re supposed to be shaped like that.”

Shocked, the sport-o turned behind him, still not realizing that he‘d just been pantsed by a witch, giving the rest of the shop a full-frontal view of him before he realized his pants were wrapped around his ankles. He clapped his hands over his no-longer-private privates and bent at the knees. “I’m gonna get you for this, you bitch!” he screamed over his shoulder as he shuffled to the bathrooms.

“For what? Is it my fault you don’t have any idea what a belt is?” Andraea turned to the still giggling Tara, offered her arm and said, “Let’s go, beautiful.”

The witch looked at the proffered arm and shyly put her own through it. The two of them walked out of the Espresso Pump together.

“You d-don’t have to l-lie, y’know,” the witch said, her head down and her eyes planted firmly on the sidewalk ahead of them.

“I wasn’t lying...I know he doesn’t know what a belt is...or what underwear is either. That was definitely tops on my Not Pretty list...”

“No, I mean-”

“I know what you mean,” Andraea cut her off, “and I’m not going to let you talk or think like that about yourself. I’m going to tell you how beautiful you are until you finally see it, too.” She knew Tara was blushing furiously, but it pissed her off how badly the witch treated herself...and was treated by everyone else, except the Scoobies.

“At least you’ve had Willow with you...I know she’s been great for you and from what I‘ve sensed, you‘ve been great for her, too. Maybe Willow and I can join forces against your low self-esteem,” the mage smiled. “So, Hot Stuff, where would you like to go?”

Still blushing, Tara said, “You’re the visitor, Ande...where do you want to go?”

“Well, let’s see...it’s too bloody nice out to be cooped up inside the cinema, I’m certainly not dressed for a dance club, although you’d wow them all off their feet...so why don’t we call your friends, grab a pizza and head to the park. Maybe Buffy can stop and have some dinner with us while she’s patrolling?”

Tara looked up at Andraea and said, “It’s not safe...e-even with B-Buffy patrolling...”

The mage stopped and turned her friend to look into her eyes. “Tara, I know you felt my power...and you know what I could have done to that jerk... You won’t come to any harm.”

The witch mulled the idea over, *Well...I dunno, things have been kinda tense lately, especially with this new guy. Maybe this’ll be the bonding experience we need...maybe we can convince Ande to stay...*

“I, uh, s-suppose it wouldn’t h-hurt to ask,” she said, her gentle smile lighting up the night.

Andraea smiled in return. “Great, let’s go to the Magic Box and gather your friends, and I’ll ring Dawn. If she wants to come, I’ll go get her myself.” The witch nodded enthusiastically and the two of them rushed off to the shop to gather friends.

*****

*Okay, this is more like it,* the Slayer thought as she came upon two freshly risen vampires and their supposed Sire, a spindly little S.O.B. Buffy had the displeasure of meeting while he was still alive and in full troll mode at the Bronze. She yawned when she dusted the first of the three and the Sire smiled.

“Maybe you’ll go for me now, huh, blondie,” he said. “With me, you don’t have to worry about a lost soul...I haven’t got one to lose.”

“You didn’t have one when you were alive, Mikey, how could you have one now?” she asked as she nonchalantly dusted the next vampire, inwardly seething at his knowledge of her intimate details. *Damn, how news travels within Sunnyhell.*

Mikey, as she called him, surveyed the piles of ashes and dust that were his first Children, shrugged, then eyed the Slayer. “Thanks for getting rid of the competition for your affections,” he said, then lunged toward her.

“No problem,” she returned as she kicked him in his face, then gave him a swift one-two punch to the stomach. She kicked his left knee out, making him fall into a kneeling position, then staked him from above, his ashes getting all over her brand new shoes.

“Great...now I’m going to have a little bit of you with me wherever I go...yay.” She holstered Mr. Pointy and continued on her patrol.

*****

“Hey guys!” Tara said as she stepped into the Magic Box. Weary eyes looked up from various books and bridal catalogues, empty and mostly empty to-go coffee cups littering the floor, tables and counter. Mumbled ‘Hey Tara’s were sprinkled within the tired group of people. Willow, upon hearing Tara’s voice, rushed out from a back room and gathered her girlfriend in her arms. Andraea stepped back, gingerly pulling her arm from Tara’s, to allow them physical room.

“What are you doing here?” the redhead asked her girlfriend before eying the mage.

Tara smiled, “Well, Andraea and I w-were about to go grab some p-pizza and eat in the park w-when she thought we should see if you g-guys wanted to join us.”

“Pizza...in the park...” Xander echoed, incredulous. “Look, maybe post-sundown picnics are the norm in England, but in Sunnydale, that’s a death wish.”

“What’s a Slayer for if not to offer protection and rid the world of various Hellspawn?” the mage pointed out.

“And the whole point is to not put ourselves into danger like that...going out and helping her is fine, but dining while inadvertently offering ourselves to be dined upon is another matter,” responded Xander.

“I didn’t mean to offend anyone...I just thought that since it is a beautiful night out, and you all have been cooped up in here for so long, that a semi-relaxing meal break outside, enjoying the fruits of Buffy’s labours, would be nice...but hey, that’s cool. Perfectly understandable. I’ll go grab a couple of pizzas and bring them back here, how’s that sound?” she offered with a wide smile. “Write down the order and I’ll go call Dawn and see if she’d like to join us, if that’s okay with you all.”

Anya, after a quick smile, went back to her bridal catalogues. Xander and Giles nodded and wrote down topping and drink requests. Willow, however, said, “She can’t walk over here by herself...”

“Okay, great! See you in a couple of minutes, Dawn!” Andraea said into the phone, hearing the redhead’s comment. “I know that, Willow. I’m gonna go get her then she and I can bring the pizza back. No worries.”

“Do you w-want me to go with y-you?” Tara asked.

Quickly eying the red haired witch, Andraea replied, “Thanks anyway, Tara, but I won’t be gone very long.” The mage waved good bye and left.

“Okay, spill it,” Xander said as the gang rushed up to the blonde. She looked down and away, highly uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. They meant no harm, and she knew it, but geez...

“S-Spill what?”

“Tell us about Andraea?” Willow asked from the side, her big soft eyes full of the worry and hurt she’d been concealing since Andraea and Tara reunited. Seeing that look in those eyes brought down the blonde’s defenses...she caved.

“W-We grew up together. She s-saved me from some school b-bullies...helped me with m-my stutter, and she h-helped me come to t-terms with Wicca and the d-daemon thing. That’s a-all,” she replied, moving through them and to a seat. Willow quickly sat next to her.

“That’s hardy ‘all’...you wanted to jump her bones when you were ten and when she left, you and I almost had a little chat,” the ex-vengeance daemon said, making the blonde Wiccan’s eyes saucer and her head drop. “But noooo... You’re just too damn good and sweet and kind, I swear...”

Willow looked at Tara. “Is that true?” Her answer was a meek nod. “Oh...okay.”

Anya frowned and looked at the red head. “ ‘Oh, okay?’ Are you serious? Your girlfriend just admits that she wanted another girl and all you can say is ‘Oh, okay?’?! What is with kids today? No one wants vengeance....”

Hooking her index finger under Tara’s chin, Willow brought blue eyes up to look into her green. “Because it is okay.” Anya threw her hands up in disgust and shook her head as she turned her attentions back to the bridal catalogue.

Willow leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lover’s soft lips, regardless of everyone in the room. It’s not that they didn’t know...but that Willow and Tara normally didn’t want to think of them as knowing...or think of them thinking about knowing what they knew. The blonde smiled and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

“Willow has n-nothing to be afraid o-of. I love A-Andraea, there’s no question about that, b-but not like, y’know, LOVE or anything...” Tara said. “Andraea was, is and a-always will be a very good f-friend of mine. She’s n-not evil. I love Willow...I‘m in love with Willow, I‘ll always love Willow...y‘know, like LOVE.”

“She has an awful lot of power for an emissary of the Council, Tara,” Giles pointed out as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Assuming she’s as powerful as the two of you are claiming.”

Remembering the instance in the Espresso Pump, Tara nodded. “Very powerful, but not evil.”

“No, I suppose not...” Giles thought aloud as he sat down to look over a book whose title just popped into his head.

Tara and Willow looked at each other, then headed to a chair that would give them a little bit of privacy.

*****

She trudged along her patrol route going further into the graveyard. She’d dusted two more new-risen suckheads since she met up with Mikey and his Children and now considered that she felt almost pity for the little troll. He probably felt, as most of the newly-risen do, that being a vampire instantly puts you ten rungs higher on the sexual evolution ladder or something. It doesn’t. You stink, you get bad breath, sharp teeth, face eye and skin problems...oh yeah, being a vampire was heavenly...

...and being a Slayer was even better...

Buffy rolled her eyes as a vampire tried to surprise her by leaping out from behind a tree. She high kicked him, making him fall backwards, and staked him without breaking a sweat. She usually did break a sweat simply because even a new Childe was fast, but she really didn’t feel like working out too much tonight. She wanted to keep an eye on the newcomer and she couldn’t do that if she were tired. She wanted to ask questions and be awake enough when she got answers...so she could read behind the answers if she felt she had to.

She sighed and continued on her patrol.

*****

Dawn and Andraea walked away from the pizza shop with several bags full of drinks and boxes full of food.

“I’m really surprised you called and invited me to dinner with you guys,” the teenager said.

Andraea frowned. “Why?”

“Cuz you’re all older than me and who wants to put up with the cool one’s annoying kid sister and all...?”

“You’re not annoying, Dawn, and you’re just as cool as Miss Buffy Summers. You mean they don’t invite you out with them?” the mage asked, receiving a shake of the brunette’s head as an answer. “That’s their mistake then, right?”

“Right.”

“Good!”

Suddenly, a very pissed off vampire leaped out of the shadows. Dawn screamed in surprise, but Andraea did nothing.

“Ahh, fresh blood!” the vampire growled creatively. The mage rolled her eyes and tossed her head to the side. The vampire flew past them and into some broken crates that lay in the alley he just came out of, ready to be taken away by the garbage collectors the next day. The vampire was impaled and returned to his beginnings quickly.

“Wow! How’d you do that?!” Dawn asked, her mouth wide in an appreciative gape. “Even Willow needs a moment to prepare...”

“Willpower, magick, and lots and lots of practice and training,” Andraea said, completely nonchalant. The two of them babbled in coherently about everything and nothing as they continued on their way to the Magic Box.

Unknown to them, a shadow lurked on the wall of a building behind them. The figure who owned this shadow smiled. “Everything is coming together nicely...He will be pleased.”

*****

“So you’re n-not mad?” Tara asked when she and Willow sat in a big poofy chair in the far corner.

“No, baby, not at all...it’s actually kind of a relief to know what’s going on with this whole thing, but I’ve gotta admit, it’s kinda weird knowing that she’s right there and everything, but I’m fine and you’re fine and fine is good...besides, you know about my past loves and all, and you were a little weirded out, I’m sure, but you’re okay with it because you know I’m yours, all yours...might as well call me Willa, y’know, cuz that’s Willow and Tara together and we could all you Tarow, but that’s just kinda goofy, but almost fitting in a weird Wicca way...”

Tara smiled...she loved it when Willow babbled. Especially when she would kiss the red head while she was talking and for a split moment, she could feel Willow’s lips move until she melted. That split moment was as close to heaven as the red haired Wiccan could get her without further physical contact. The blonde came close to doing that, but felt several eyes on them as if the owners of those prying eyes were waiting for a fight.

“...so are you going to kiss me soon so I can stop babbling because I’m afraid that if you don’t I’m never going to stop and I don’t care that they’re watching do you care, cuz I don’t and I love you and...”

Smiling like there was no tomorrow, Tara leaned forward and gave her lover a kiss, wrapping Willow’s tongue with her own so she couldn’t move it to speak. Giles cleared his throat and turned away, Xander nearly fell of his chair (like always) and Anya shrugged, turning back to her catalogue.

“Tara must be a really good kisser, they seem to do it enough...” the ex-daemon said before a thought struck her. “Tara, can I try kissing you to see if you’re better than Xander?”

“NO!” shouted Willow, wrapping her girlfriend in her arms. “I mean...no, she’s, uh...you can’t, umm...it’s not right cuz Xander will start fantasizing about you with MY girl and that’s just not right...”

Anya exhaled, “Get over it, Willow...Xander already has fantasies about the two of you.” Xander, embarrassed and mad, spun towards his girlfriend, then back towards Willow and Tara, his face as red as a beet. “If I were to kiss Tara, then he’s have fantasies about the three of us together, which would be better than just the two of you because then I’m in them...”

Not knowing exactly how to answer the ex-daemon, or how to answer to their uncomfortable embarrassment about Xander, Tara and Willow sat in each other’s arms, staring.

“Hey, could be worse...I could try to put myself in them,” the Xand-man said, trying to lighten the mood.

“You already do,” Anya reminded him, her eyes letting him know in no uncertain terms that he would pay for his little slips. He felt himself tingle with anticipation in an odd, unfamiliar BDSM kind of way that made him blush more.

*****

“Stop yer grinnin’ and drop yer linen...pizza’s here!” the mage shouted as she and Dawn entered the shop. She put down the pizzas and bags of drinks and started to get everything arranged.

“Oh thank God!” Xander sighed. He stood and pulled Andraea in to a relieved hug, grateful that they no longer had to talk about his thoughts, formerly known as private. The mage looked pretty uncomfortable in his arms, shocked that the youngest male Scooby was embracing her.

“Either you’re grateful I can quote movies or I’m breaking in at a most opportune time...so, what’d I miss?” she asked.

“We were talking about how Xander fantasizes about Tara and Willow having sex.”

Andraea didn’t seem shocked. Smiling uneasily at his odd affections, she gently pushed Xander, who had become green around the gills, into a chair and said, “That’s just not right...not that I blame you, they’re both delectable creatures,” she paused briefly, noticing both Willow and Tara blush, then continued, “but you, my friend, have a sexy, if not tactless, ex-daemon over there who loves the pants off of you...literally. Go with that.” She patted him on the shoulder, then smiled to the rest of the room.

“Hungry?”

*****

The graveyard rounds were done: twenty some vamps dusted, two daemon-y types wasted, and the old movie house set off her Spidey Sense just thinking about it. She checked her watch and decided to head back to the Magic Box for a quick break and a talk with Giles.

As she walked, she started to think about the newcomer, the red mage or whatever she said she was. *I still can’t believe Giles asked me to let her stay in my house...but I suppose he’s right. I’m the best one to keep an eye on her, but still. And then he goes on to suggest that I let Tara hang around her alone...like I’m going to use Tara as my spy or something.*

She walked around behind buildings and through parking lots, sending a few more suckheads to their proper resting place, before she made it to the Magic Box and walked in. She was surprised to see pizza boxes and an ill-looking Xander, not to mention her sister Dawn sitting there with a plate of food.

“Hi Buffy!” the teenager greeted.

“Hi Dawn, where’s Giles? Dawn? What are you doing here?” the Slayer asked, ticked that perhaps her sister walked to the store unwatched.

Andraea turned around with a couple of slices of pizza for Buffy and responded, “Giles went to the 7-11. Don’t get mad at Dawn, it was my idea for her to join us.”

Buffy took the pizza. “You let her walk here by herself?!” she asked the gang.

“No! Not at all!! Andraea walked her here,” Willow informed. The Slayer turned a normally withering gaze toward the mage. She was completely unfazed.

“I thought it’d be nice to have your sister join us for a while, that’s all. Bonding and all.”

“Perhaps I don’t want my sister bonding with you, a stranger,” Buffy said as she grabbed a bottle of soda.

Andraea sighed. “Miss Summers, may I speak with you privately for a moment, please?”

Buffy exhaled and put down her dinner, then guided Andraea into a quiet corner.

“I’m sorry if you think I’m overstepping my bounds. I’m not trying to replace you or anything, Miss Summers-”

“Fer crying out loud, just call me Buffy already,” the Slayer said.

“Okay, uh, Buffy...I’m just trying to make things comfortable for my first night here. I’ve been thrust into your situation at a bad time by people whom you don’t really trust. I don’t expect you to trust me implicitly, but a part of you knows I’m right about Tokoyami,” the witch informed. “All I’m asking for is comfortable vibes, y’know?”

The Chosen One sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Apologizing wasn‘t her thing, but sometimes, it was the thing to do. “Look, I’m-”

“No...you have nothing to apologize for, Buffy. Things are tense for you, now, I understand completely.”

“How can you understand? You don’t know what I’ve been through!” Buffy said in a low voice that threatened to shout.

Andraea looked deep into the Slayer’s eyes. “I do. I wasn’t in Heaven, but I sure as Hell didn’t want to come back here and face the ramifications of the things I HAD to do.”

Stunned that Andraea knew her secret, Buffy stepped back. The mage continued, “You’re keeping this secret from your friends because you hurt too much and you don’t want that hurt to spill over to them. They thought you were in Hell...anyone who calls themselves a friend would want to get their friend out of a place that wasn’t for them. But this secret is eating away at you and your angst is spilling over into the lives of your loved ones whether you want it to or not. The biggest problem is that they don’t know the truth.”

“How do you know all that?” the Slayer rasped, one hand on Mr. Pointy, the other holding her up against a wall.

“I can see it all in your eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul, Buffy...”

“Are you going to tell them?” she asked, the hurt in her whisper stabbing Andraea’s heart.

The mage shook her head. “That‘s your job, Buffy. Not mine. It’s not my place to tell secrets unless it concerns my Purpose. Now, c’mon...eat dinner with us and bond with your sister.” Andraea and Buffy walked away from their corner to the curious eyes of all in attendance.

“E-Everything okay?” Xander asked, nervous.

“Yeah. Everything’s great, actually,” Buffy said. She finished off her pizza quickly then turned to the mage. “We’ll talk more when I get home from patrol, okay? Tell Giles I was here, but I‘ll just give him a full report tomorrow.”

Andraea nodded and watched as Buffy kissed her sister good-bye and left. All of the Scoobies’ eyes turned toward her questioningly. She picked up her slice of pizza and held it at the ready to be eaten when she let herself show that she had noticed all of the gazes on her.

“What?”

“Uh...nothing, I guess,” Dawn said, smiling at the slight change in her sister and marveling at how it was Andraea who brought that change on.

*****

“Oh, Buffy...there you are. How’s the patrol going?” asked Giles whose hands were full of the caffeinated goodness that he’d gotten from the 7-11.

“I’m glad I ran into you...I didn’t want to leave this until tomorrow’s report, but there’s something massively wrong over at the old movie theatre. Major Spidey Sense, bigger than I’ve ever felt before. More powerful than the Master, Lothos, or Tokoyami...”

Giles looked at her. He wanted to take off his glasses and clean them, his favourite nervous habit, but he couldn’t. “Did you get a look at whatever was in there?”

The Slayer shook her head. “I couldn’t. It was only a few more minutes until the sun had gone down. I definitely didn’t want to be in there when that happened.”

“Okay, well, you and I will check it out tomorrow. What’re they playing?” he asked, only half-curious.

“Something called Ring.”

“Oh...good...” the Watcher replied distractedly as he stepped back into the shop. Buffy looked around for a few more moments before heading back down an alley she’d already swept.

*****

The rest of their dinner was a lot like the pizza parties elementary school kids had, replete with a bit of a food fight, broken up when Giles pointed out that everyone who threw cheese and bits had to stay afterwards to clean it up. With a wave of her hand and a brief incantation, Willow magically cleaned everything up.

Andraea saw the glimmer of fear in Tara’s beautiful blue eyes...fear for Willow’s almost excessive use of magick as she told her friend earlier, yet the blonde said nothing. The mage closed her eyes and prayed to the Goddess that Willow would find her Way before anything bad happened.

With the pizza scarfed and drinks drunk, the Scoobies Plus One headed out of the shop, calling it a night in spite of the lack of preparation...well, lack of preparation in Giles’ eyes.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Giles...” the mage said. It seemed as though she was going to say more, but ended up walking away with Tara, Willow and Dawn instead. Oddly, the Watcher felt a little more calm. He even smiled and whistled a bit as he headed to his car to go home.

“So, do we wanna go rent a movie and have a little Girls’ Night In?” Dawn asked, hopeful. “It’s Friday night and all...”

“Oh, Dawnie, I don’t know....” Willow responded.

“You’re lucky you live in this time zone, Dawn...I’m tired. I have to go back to the room your sister is so generously letting me stay in, come down off the travel high, and get some sleep...but tomorrow night, after research and everything, that sounds good...what do you all think?” Andraea asked.

Tara smiled. “Sounds good to me...Willow?”

“Yeah, sure! I’d like that!” the redhead replied with a wide smile.

“Cool! So it’ll be just the four of us!” the teenager said happily.

“What’ll be just the four of you?” came a voice from behind them. All but Andraea jumped at the unannounced presence or the Slayer.

“Jesus, Buffy...don’t do that,” Willow breathed, clutching her chest to slow her heart. “You almost became a Slayer-kabob...”

“Sorry...” Buffy apologized. “Well?”

“Oh, uh, the four of us, five if you can join, are going to have a Girls’ Night In tomorrow night. You know, rent a movie, eat popcorn, talk, put bras in the freezer...fun!” Dawn replied, excited.

Buffy giggled at her sister’s joy. “Other than the bra in the freezer thing, you can count me in.”

The teenager bounced giddily, her smile brightening the Slayer’s dark night. “Okay, I know I’m acting all goofy and kid-like, but you guys don’t seem to include me on a whole lot, which I understand, and I’m just glad to spend some time with all of you...”

Wrapping her sibling in a hug, Buffy looked at the three girls walking along with them. They all smiled back, even the Outsider, and continued the rest of the walk home in silence.

*****

“Are the preparations in place?” asked a voice, deep and smoky with age.

“Almost, Kurik. Everything else has been assembled, we’re just waiting for the crucial three pieces,” a young vampire replied, a tone of fear underlying his deep admiration for the man in front of him. “We should have those within the next few days.”

The man nodded and smiled. “Don’t underestimate this Slayer, Llewellyn. She’s the fiercest of those I’ve encountered.”

The man Kurik called Llewellyn nodded and asked, “Shall we go ahead with the plans?”

He pondered this for a moment. “No...the Slayer and her Watcher will be back tomorrow to check out the old movie house. Let them. They find security in knowledge. That makes them lazy.”

“What if she kills Him?”

Kurik smiled. “She won’t. She won’t even know He’s there, other than that certain feeling. I wonder if that feeling, that little alarm, ever feels like destiny to her...or sounds like a death knell...”

“All the time, I’d imagine,” Llewellyn supplied to his master’s rhetorical whimsy.

Kurik rolled his eyes at his apprentice, then waved his hand at him in dismissal. “Go prepare something.”

“Yes, Kurik,” he replied before bowing and leaving.

The master closed his eyes and concentrated. A smile appeared on his face when he felt the powers of the last pieces of this puzzle. “But the Slayer will be the most fun of them all...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
end part one, continued here.

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