Summary: An answer to Howard’s challenge on the BWW Yahoo group. How will one night in the Bronze with Willow change Buffy’s life?

Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I’m not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.

Spoilers: General spoilers for S4, starting with “The I in Team.” Eh, who am I kidding? This is really non-canon now.

A/N: Thanks to Ivy for pre-reading and Zigpal and Lilly for the beta. There would be no writing without you guys.

CHAPTER 1

Willow looked at her watched for the hundredth time and glanced at the door. Where is she? She’s never this late. I hope nothing’s wrong. The young witch glanced across the small table at Anya. She looked bored, and Willow hoped Xander would hurry back. A bored Anya was a dangerous one.

Suddenly, though, the ex-demon perked up, and the red head looked over her shoulder to see Xander strolling up. “Xander, you haven’t been paying any attention to me tonight,” the blonde whined. “You’ve just been peddling those processed food bricks.”

Xander, in the act of eating said brick, mumbled, “Well, they serve a purpose, An. See, sell the bar, make money. Money means I can take you somewhere nice, or buy you pretty things.”

Sipping from her soda, Willow swallowed a smirk. The pout Anya tried just didn’t work. “It does make sense,” the ex-demon grudged. “OK,” she announced with a smile. “I support you.”

The witch rolled her eyes. “Hey, guys. Don’t you think it’s strange Buffy’s not here yet? I mean, she said she wanted to spend some quality time with us, you know, kinda reconnect.”

“I don’t know, Will. She’s over an hour late. She’s probably off ‘living the life of Riley.’ I don’t think she’s coming.” Xander’s eyes widened at his girlfriend’s smirk. He glanced at Willow and sighed. She seemed to be oblivious to his accidental innuendo.

“But, she said…” the witch trailed off, a smile lighting her face. “See, here she is.” She looked harder at the newly-arrived Slayer. Buffy had turned back toward the door as soon as she entered. She was obviously waiting for the group of young men that came through the door a few seconds behind her. “Oh, look. She brought Riley and some of his friends.”

Willow watched numbly as the group came toward their table. “Hey, Will. Sorry for the late-itude.”

Stuffing more of the Boost bar into his mouth, Xander said indistinctly, “Late? Huh. Hadn’t noticed.”

Buffy frowned at the comment. Riley, of course, just smiled and said, “Hope you don’t mind us tagging along.”

“No, of course not,” Willow replied. She searched for something appropriate to say. “The more,” she paused. No way could she complete the usual ending to this phrase. “The more, the more.” Someone shoot me now, please. Why can’t I just be quiet when there’s nothing good to say?

Jumping into the awkward silence, Riley introduced his Initiative buddies and then led a group mission to the bar for drinks. Anya and Xander disappeared – to dance, the ex-demon said, but mostly to get a nervous Anya away from the military men.

“Hey, I didn’t think you would mind,” Buffy said, waving after Riley and his friends. “Riley and the guys were throwing me an impromptu celebration that made it, like, impossible not to invite them.”

Willow just stared. I wonder if this was what Buffy was like back in L.A.? The young witch was angry and disappointed. She’d turned down a night with Tara to come to the Bronze. Now, it looked like she could have brought Tara along. It wasn’t a core Scooby party night. “I thought this was supposed to be us, you know. Just the original Scoobies. If I would’ve known it was ‘invite anyone you want’ night, I had,” she hesitated, “a friend I could’ve brought along.” Glaring a bit, she continued. “It might have made the wait more enjoyable.”

“I’m sorry.” The Slayer seemed stunned at the rebuke. “My total bad.” She cocked her head and examined her best friend. Leaning across the table, she asked, “So, who did you want to invite?”

There was no chance the young witch was going to answer that question. She wasn’t ready to explain her relationship with Tara. “No one.” Seeing Buffy smirk and raise an eyebrow, she rambled on. “I mean, it was just a hypothetical someone, which is no one, really. I didn’t want to bring anyone. I was just saying-“

“Will, breathe. It’s OK if you have a special someone to bring to our meetings. I mean, Xander always bring Anya.” The two friends stared at each other. “OK. That wasn’t really a good example, but you get the point.”

“Sure, Buffy.” Trying to steer the conversation in another direction, she asked, “So, what was the celebrating about?”

“Oh!” The blonde seemed to come to life. “I got in.” At the look of confusion on Willow’s face, Buffy elaborated. “In to the Initiative. Professor Walsh gave me the grand tour, and I mean grand as in the Grand Canyon. You’d never believe the size of it.”

The news didn’t surprise the red head, but it did make her uneasy. Gently feeling her way, she tried to clue the excited blonde into her concerns. “That’s neat. So, what does that mean, exactly? You’ve joined them?”

“No, not exactly. It just means when I patrol I have a heavily armed team backing me up.”

Well, the Scoobies had certainly never been armed with more than stakes or crosses, but Buffy had always had them at her back. Pushing back the faint sense of insult, Willow probed further. “Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, don’t you think you’re rushing things a little?”

Buffy sat back in her chair and frowned. “I thought you liked Riley?”

No. I mean, really, Buffy. “I’m not talking about Riley. I mean with the Initiative. There’s a bunch of stuff about them we still don’t know.”

“I know that,” the Slayer protested. Then, contradicting her own words, she questioned, “Like what?”

“Well, what’s their ultimate agenda?” Willow needed to make sure she got her point across. Her best friend didn’t always understand subtlety. “OK. They neuter vampires and demons, but then what? Are they going to reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Wal-Mart?”

Completely missing the real issue, the blonde mumbled, “Does Wal-Mart have bagboys?”

The witch closed her eyes. Suddenly, her head throbbed. “Buffy, focus here. That’s not the point. What about that 314 thing Ethan told Giles about? I mean, he may not be an upstanding member of society, but it’s something to think about. How do we know they aren’t just using you? Or studying you to find a way to make a government-controlled version of a Slayer?”

Whatever reply the blonde might have made got cut off by a shrill beeping emanating from her purse. Grabbing the bag and pawing through the contents, she finally pulled out a pager.

“Since when did you have a pager?” Willow enquired.

Buffy ignored the question. Eyebrows bunched together, she read the display screen. Riley appeared behind her. “We have to go,” he announced. “Mother needs us.”

“Yeah. Sorry, Will. Gotta go.” The Slayer jumped out of her chair and rushed out of the club, Riley and the gang at her side.

***

The Slayer tried to still the adrenaline rushing through her. She’d hunted demons for over four years. There was no reason to treat this mission any differently. But it was the first time she’d done battle with trained soldiers at her side. Forcing herself to pay attention, she listened intently as Doctor Walsh explained the mission objective and gave a brief description of the Polgara demon.

When Walsh finished, another white-coated scientist got up to explain the demon’s defensive capabilities. My God. How do these guys get anything done? I thought Giles was all big with the research and talking.

As the talking finally died down, the Slayer decided the Initiative had a very different take on demon hunting. She raised her hand. “I have a question.”

Looking faintly concerned, Doctor Walsh said, “Yes, Buffy?”

“Why exactly can’t we damage this pokey thing’s arms? I mean, not that I want to, it’s just, in my experience, when fighting for your life, body parts get damaged. Better its bits than mine.” Glancing at the Marines around her, she amended, “Ours.”

The male scientist in front of the display answered, “We wish to study the physiology of every Sub Terrestrial and its natural defenses. It’s part of the research we do here.” He moved off, clearly finished with the briefing.

Not waiting to be acknowledged this time, the Slayer asked, “Why are they here?” When heads turned to look at her, she explained, “Are they looking for treasure, sacrifices, or are they just getting rampagey? I find it easier to predict their responses if I know.”

The expert in Sub Terrestrials smirked. “They’re not sentient, just destructive, I believe,” he said condescendingly.

Professor Walsh walked in front of the seated group. “They do have keen eyesight, however. You might want to be suited up for this.”

It took a moment for Buffy to realize the woman was referring to her clothes. “Oh, you mean the camo? I thought about it, but, I mean, it would just look all Private Benjamin.” Chuckles came from several of the Marines. “Don’t worry. I’ve patrolled in a halter many times.”

The Professor clearly didn’t know how to respond to that. She turned to Riley. “Agent Finn, deploy the troops.”

The Slayer watched in confusion as her boyfriend fired off a lot of military jargon. Everyone else seemed to understand what he was saying. Finally, when all the orders had been given, Walsh added on final warning. “Remember, people, this is a ‘zap and trap’ operation. Capture, not a kill.”

The men around Buffy stood and headed off to get geared up. The Slayer sat alone in the briefing area, staring at the still-displayed sketch of the Polgara demon. Maybe Will had a point. I really don’t know much about the Initiative.

***

The door opened and Tara’s eyes widened in surprise. A smile brightened her features. “Willow. What are you doing here?”

Shyly, the red head responded, “A funny thing happened with my prior social engagement.” She glanced up and down the hallway. “It pretty much ended when a friend of mine went off to do something else with another group of people she hangs out with.”

The older witch looked confused by the vague explanation.

“Tara?” The blonde looked up. “Can I come inside? I need your help with something, but I’m going to have to tell you a lot of really unbelievable things first.” She smiled quirkily. “I’d rather not do this out here.”

CHAPTER 2

The blonde witch smiled and stepped back, letting the other girl into the room. “Thanks, Tara,” Willow said. “I know it’s late, but I was sure you’d be able to help.”

“What’s wr-wrong?” Tara asked, frowning.

“Well, nothing’s wrong, wrong. I mean, I don’t think it is anyway. Buffy’s just…well, she’s involved with this new guy, and she’s been acting really un-Buffy like for a while.” She paused finally, blushing at the indulgent smile the older girl wore. “Sorry. Willowbabble. I’ll try to slow down.”

Taking her hand, Tara led them both to the bed. “Why don’t you tell me the whole story?”

Willow laughed nervously. “See, that’s part of the problem. I need to tell you everything, but you’re probably going to think I’m crazy.” Picking some stray lint off the bedspread, she forced herself to go on. “You remember how I’m always telling you to be careful when you go out after dark?”

A blonde head bobbed in response. “It wasn’t just something you say…In Sunnydale, it’s not a good idea to go out after the sun goes down. That’s when the,” she looked directly into blue eyes, “vampires and demons come out.”

“Oh, you know about demons?” the older girl seemed surprised.

“Yeah. You mean you know about them, too?”

“Sure. My mom taught me about them a long time ago.” Tara seemed to shrink a little at the memory. “I d-don’t know mu-much really. Just that they exist.”

Relaxing slightly, Willow grinned. “OK. The story got shortened by a lot. Well, Sunnydale was built right on top of an active Hellmouth.” The blonde witch’s eyes widened. “Yeah. Makes for lots of creepies in town. The PTB,” the red head waved a hand at the heavens, “sent Buffy here to balance things out. She’s the Slayer,” Willow finished proudly.

“The Slayer?” Tara inquired. “What’s that?”

“Well, if Giles were here, he’d give you this really long lecture. But Slayers were created a long time ago to help fight vampires and demons. Buffy doesn’t have super powers, exactly, but she’s way stronger and faster than other people.”

To Willow’s horror, her friend paled. “Tara? Please don’t wig on me. I mean, if this isn’t something you want to talk about, I’ll just go.” She bounced off the bed, fighting tears.

“No! Please, stay.” The blonde’s voice shook slightly. “Willow, come back and sit down.”

Hesitantly, the red head perched on the bed. “Maybe I should go, Tara. Giles is going to be plenty pissed when he finds out I talked to you. And,” she added, “I don’t want to lose your friendship because of the whole unbelievable tale.”

“I w-w-want to help. Just, Buffy – the Slayer – it was a shock. We’ve never met, but I’ve seen her on campus. She’s so tiny,” the blonde explained. “I’m sorry. You came to me for help. Why are you worried about Buffy’s new boyfriend?”

Willow stretched out across the bed. “Riley’s an OK guy, I guess. See, he’s part of this Top Secret military group called the Initiative. He got Buffy to join and now she’s acting really weird. Tonight, she showed up late for our Scooby night and then she ran off a few minutes later because Professor Walsh paged her.”

“But if she’s part of this group now, doesn’t she have to go?” Tara didn’t understand.

“Yes. But, I’m afraid she’s in over her head. We don’t know anything about the Initiative, really.” Willow closed her eyes tiredly. “Riley kinda told Buffy some of their plans. They capture demons and do research on them. I just get the feeling that wasn’t the whole truth.” She shook off the exhaustion and sat upright. “What if they’re experimenting on the demons, or they want to try to create their own Slayer?”

The older girl looked shocked. “You really think they would do something like that?”

Willow nodded. “Oh, yeah. Their leader is Professor Walsh. She teaches psych here. She’s freaky weird. I know she’d do something like that.”

“OK. Maybe be you’re right. What can we do about it?” Tara asked.

Getting back to the reason for her visit, the younger witch smiled. “I’m going to try hacking into the Initiative computers. I thought, maybe, you could do a spell to give us a better idea what kinds of demons they’re holding.” She paused, thinking. “Hey! If I can get us some access codes, do you think you could put a glamour on us so we could take a look inside the base?”

***

Buffy stuffed her hands deeper into her coat pockets. Riley walked beside her, peering around like he expected the Polgara demon to leap out of the bushes. About a dozen gun-toting Marines fanned out around them. “Hey, Ry?”

“Yeah, Buffy?” The young man smiled down at her.

“I guess she hates me now,” the blonde lamented.

“What?” Riley frowned, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Professor Walsh,” the Slayer explained. “You know…questions, an Initiative faux pas, yes?”

Buffy could tell her boyfriend didn’t see the importance of her problem. He shrugged and went back to examining the area. Extending her senses, the Slayer knew the demon was nowhere around. Other than her and Riley, no one spoke. Stealth modes were fully engaged. Briefly, she considered telling the group the demon didn’t need to hear them to know they were there, but she discarded the idea quickly.

Having decided things were safe for the moment, Riley relaxed enough to continue the conversation. “Professor Walsh is very by the book. We normally sit through the briefing, gear up, and go capture the demon.” He smiled a little. “You did add a bit of change to the mix.”

“Change is sometimes of the good,” the blonde commented. “Still, I had some other questions I didn’t get a chance to ask.”

“Like what?” the tall man inquired.

“Well, if we capture this thing, what’s going to happen to it? Do you check its vitals and then release it back into the wild with a homing band on its leg?” The Slayer wracked her brain, trying to recall all the things Willow said to her at the Bronze. “Are you going to experiment on it to see what makes it tick?”

The questions upset the Marine. “Buffy, does it really matter what happens to them? I mean, c’mon, they’re not human.” He turned to her, looking serious. “Can we talk about this later? There’s a dangerous Hostile out here, and, well, since I don’t have your reflexes, I kind of need to focus.”

Sensing he was more concerned with evading the questions than preparing for a surprise attack, the blonde wanted to push for answers. However, a late night outing with the troops might be a bad time for information gathering. “Sure. Sure, Ry. Sorry.” This is more fun with Will. I miss all those patrol-time gossip sessions.

They walked in uncomfortable silence for several minutes. Buffy jumped when Riley’s walkie talkie blared static. “Alpha T…” the young Marine cursed and started pacing in circles, looking for better reception. He hit a better spot and froze, nearly shouting into the hand-held unit. “This is Alpha. You’re breaking up. Repeat, please.” Nothing but static answered his order.

The Slayer could tell he was getting frustrated. She watched as Riley continued moving around the small clearing in an effort to get in touch with the other group. A tingle ran along her spine. “Riley!” she said urgently.

“Not now, Buffy,” he said. “Beta Team? Forrest, what’s your situation?”

Buffy shrugged. “OK, Ry. But you should probably know the Polgara demons about to jump out of the bushes behind you.”

“What?” her boyfriend asked.

With a roar, the demon pounced on the young man’s back. Riley collapsed to the ground from the attack and the Polgara demon moved toward the Slayer.

Pulling her hand from her pockets and stepping forward, the blonde smiled. “Hi. Funny, us meeting here like this.” Getting a snarl in response, Buffy nodded. “Yeah. It does seem a bit staged.”

She lashed out with a foot, hitting the demon in the chest. She followed as it flew a few feet away from the team of Marines. Her backup watched the Slayer trade blows with the demon. Since Buffy didn’t want to kill it, she had to pull her punches. The Polgara was able to hold its own with the handicapped warrior. Help finally arrived.

Buffy managed to topple her opponent with a leg sweep just as tazer fire erupted around the downed demon. Despite the voltage pumped into it, the demon staggered to its feet. Not giving it enough time to stand fully upright, the blonde sent it crashing back to the ground with a blow to the head.

“You alright there, Ry?” Buffy asked, peering at their prize.

Wincing as he probed his ribs, her boyfriend nodded. “Just a little bruised, I think. Let’s get this thing back base.

“We can do that, but I need to ask,” she glared at the group of Marines, “what’s with the standing around watching me work? I thought this was the new and improved Slaying gig. If you guys are just here to spectate, I’m all for going old school.”

Riley glanced at his men. “Buffy, it was a surprise attack.”

He stopped there, and the blonde waited a moment for him to continue. He didn’t. “I hate to break it to you, Ry. Demons kinda specialize in surprise attacks. If I hadn’t been here to save your collective asses, what would you have done?”

“Well,-“ one Marine started. Riley cut him off with a waved hand.

“You don’t have to answer that,” he said.

Buffy nodded her agreement. “True. He doesn’t. You need to – later. So, what do you want to do now?”

Gesturing to a couple of his men, Riley answered, “We need to get the demon back to the base and debrief with Professor Walsh. She always wants us to report on the fight, and how the latest HST used its particular abilities.” He grasped he hand, and they followed the group carrying the unconscious body of their prey. “You know, she’s going to be interested in how you knew the demon was behind me, too.”

CHAPTER 3

The walk back to the lab was as quiet as the trip out had been. Buffy stayed beside Riley, and watched the rest of the group. The Marines clustered close around the body of the demon, weapons still at the ready. She needed more information.

“So, Riley, how many demons have you captured since coming to Sunnydale?” The Slayer tried for a casual approach.

“I don’t really know…maybe 20,” the young Marine replied. “If you add in the ones captured by other teams, probably closer to fifty.”

They’ve only been here how long? That’s a lot of evilness to be studying. “How’d you get into this anyway? They post a sign on base saying: ‘Demon hunters wanted?’” She watched her boyfriend carefully.

Riley laughed at the question, but didn’t really answer it. “Do you always talk so much on patrol?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, not if I’m alone. That would just be too weird. But when Will’s with me, we catch up on all the latest gossip.” She smiled. “Of course, she isn’t usually carrying big guns. When the vamps or demons come out to play, I leave her behind one of the mausoleums or perched on a tombstone.”

The Marine frowned. “Why bring a civilian on a hunt? It’s too dangerous.”

The Slayer nodded. “It is. The Scoobies are dedicated, though. Will and Xand aren’t what I’d call civilians anymore. Willow’s gotten pretty good with the magic; she holds her own in a fight.”

“Magic? That’s real?” Riley looked amused.

“Duh? Hello? You hunt and capture demons. How can you not know about magic?” This conversation was unbelievable, and she wasn’t getting the information she needed. “You never really answered my question from earlier.”

“Which one, Buffy? You’re full of questions tonight,” came the frustrated reply.

The blonde smiled brightly. “Oh, this isn’t even a heavy information gathering night. I’m just trying to learn more about your job.” She leaned into the Marine and peered up through her lashes. “That’s OK, right? I mean, if you don’t want to tell me stuff, just say the word and I’ll be Supporto Gal.”

Riley bent down and brushed his lips over hers. He pulled away and blushed when one of his men smirked at his open display of affection. “No. I’m good with you wanting to get to know me better.” He tightened his hold on her hand. “So, which question didn’t I answer?”

“The one about what happens to the demons.” Buffy hoped she wasn’t pushing too hard. He finally seemed non-wiggy about discussing Initiative stuff.

Her boyfriend hesitated, but relaxed when she wiggled her fingers in his grasp. “Well, I don’t know all the details. This one’ll be in-processed.” At the blonde’s confused look, he elaborated. “That’s just where we put its basic information into the computer: where we found it, how the fight went. That kind of stuff. After that, the demon will be placed in a containment cell and monitored.”

“That’s it? It doesn’t seem like much.”

“Professor Walsh and the other scientists learn a lot from the observations.” Riley shrugged.

Buffy didn’t ask about anything else. They were getting close to the lab, and she could see her boyfriend stiffen. Like someone had flicked a switch, Riley Finn, boyfriend, had become Riley Finn, soldier. Releasing his hand, she dropped back, completing the last leg of the journey at the rear of the group.

Following the two Marines carrying the unconscious demon, the Slayer ended up in the public lab at the base. The open area looked like the set for a B-grade science fiction movie. Yards of aluminum-foil type material hung from cables stretch from wall to wall. The shiny curtains reflected the light from the dozens of floor lights that littered the area. Once the demon had been placed on an examination table in the lab, the men hurried back to the briefing area. The Slayer glanced around. All of the personnel in the lab wore white coats. There wasn’t a single military uniform in sight.

Not wanting to draw too much attention, Buffy also left the lab. On her way to join her team, she glimpsed Professor Walsh in a heated discussion with another scientist. The woman apparently in charge of the Initiative’s mission gestured emphatically to her companion. Stopping and leaning against another exam table, the Slayer tried to block out the sounds around her and hear the conversation. Despite her enhanced hearing, the young blonde caught only a few words.

“…don’t care. Just do it,” Professor Walsh snarled.

“But we don’t have enough…” The man’s words got lost when a golf cart carrying armed Marines raced by. “Maybe we can use the arm of the Polgara Finn’s team brought in.”

Walsh looked relieved and smiled at the news.

“Buffy?” The blonde spun around. Riley’s friend Forrest stepped away from her, hands held palm out in front of him. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. We’re getting ready for the debriefing. You coming?”

“Yeah.” The Slayer looked toward Professor Walsh. The older blonde was striding rapidly toward the gathered Marines. “I think we’d better hurry. Looks like the Professor’s on her way.”

***

“You w-w-want to sneak in to the In-Initiative?” Tara stuttered.

Nodding energetically, Willow agreed. “Well, yeah. They won’t have everything in the computer.” She paused, thinking about that statement. “OK. It’s the military. They probably have reports and notes on every detail. But I might not be able to get into all the files. So, we’d need to go there to find out what they’re planning.”

Smiling at the younger girl, Tara said, “Willow, even if we got inside, do you know where to look?”

“I’m sure there are blueprints,” the redhead asserted.

“Probably.” The older witch frowned. “Before we try the glamour, though, let’s stick with the hacking and the simple spell.” She could see Willow wanted to argue. “It’s a lot of magic for the glamour, and we don’t have any real information yet. If we find something, I’ll hunt for a spell to change our appearance.”

The other girl looked unhappy at the announcement, but backed down a little. “I guess that’s OK. I’ll head back to my room and grab the laptop.”

Tara blushed and ducked her head. “If you wa-want, I could g-go with you.”

“Great! Bring your books and anything you need. I doubt Buffy will be back.” The redhead sounded sad. “She’ll more than likely stay with Riley.”

Climbing off the bed and placing books and supplies into a backpack, Tara commented, “You don’t see much of her anymore?”

“Not really,” Willow said.

“Have you tried talking to her?” She glanced at her friend. “Maybe she doesn’t realize how much time she’s spending with Riley.”

The novice witch pulled her knees to her chest. “I’ve been afraid to say anything.” She grimaced. “What if she thinks I’m giving her an ultimatum? I don’t want to push her farther away.”

Stuffing the last of her things into the bag, the blonde held out a hand to Willow. “Are you sure you want to poke around the Initiative? If you’re wrong, then Buffy might get really mad.”

The younger witch let Tara pull her from the bed. Biting her lip, she said in a small voice, “I know. But I don’t think I’m wrong.” Green eyes met blue. “I’m scared she’s gonna get hurt – or worse.”

The blonde looped the backpack over her left shoulder and moved to the door. “Come on, then. Let’s go find the information you need to convince Buffy to leave the Initiative.”

Grinning in relief, Willow trotted after the other girl. “Thanks, Tara.

The two young women exited the dorm and hurried down the poorly lit path. “How detailed do you want me to be about the demons?” Tara enquired.

“Um, I hadn’t really thought it out that far.” The redhead pursed her lips. “I’m thinking it might be a good idea to know how many demons the Initiative is holding, what kinds of demons they’ve got, and what kind of shape they’re in.”

The other witch whistled soundlessly. “That’s a tall order for one spell.”

Willow nodded. “It is. I just…” She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “I don’t trust them. Something isn’t right, and Buffy can’t or won’t ask the necessary questions.”

Smiling crookedly, Tara tried to comfort her friend. “It may be a little more complex than originally planned, but I think I can do what you want.” She mentally ran through the spells in her books. “I’m probably going to have to cast more than just one spell, though. The number of demons is easy. Doing a wellness check as well as cataloguing is complicated.”

“I borrowed Giles’ copy of the Compendium of Supernatural Creatures. Would that help?” the redhead asked.

“You borrowed it?” The blonde arched an eyebrow.

Blushing, the younger girl mumbled, “I intend to give it back. So, you could say I borrowed it.”

Tara laughed. “It will be a big help. If I incant a variation of a locator spell, the faeries can point to specific demons in the book.”

“Cool!” Willow grinned.

“Sweetie, this may not work the way you want,” the older witch cautioned. “Magic isn’t a science. I can structure the words of the incantation, but that’s no guarantee we’ll be able to focus the energy on gathering information.”

Nodding slowly, Willow acknowledged the point. “I get that.” She sighed. “Buffy’s my best friend, though. I’ve got to do whatever I can to keep her from making a huge mistake.” She glanced at Tara and smiled slightly. “She may be a wonder at demon killing, but picking men? Not so good.”

They reached Stevenson Hall and the safety of the dorm room. Flicking on the lights, Willow headed immediately to her desk. “Tara, spread out and use anything you need. I’m going to get to work on the computer systems.” She opened her laptop and logged onto the Internet.

***

Three hours later, Willow rubbed tired eyes and stared at the information on her screen. “I’m in,” she announced.

“What?” Tara peered at her friend.

“I’m in,” the hacker repeated. “Now all I need to do is start raiding the files. How are you coming along?”

Resting her chin on the open book in front of her, the older witch said, “I’ve got two of the three spells worked out. The wording on the last one is tricky.” She shrugged. “If I get the phrasing wrong, the information we uncover might be misleading, or the spell simply won’t work.”

Turning from the computer, the redhead asked, “What are you trying to do with the incantation?”

The blonde sat up on the bed. “The original spell activates latent empathy in the caster. I’m rewording it to alter the empathy. Instead of sensing feeling/emotions, it should allow me to feel what kind of physical condition the demons are in.” Tara chewed on her lip. “That’s the part that’s causing problems. If I don’t put the right phrases into the spell, I could end up reading everyone’s emotions or worse.”

For the first time, Willow wondered if this was a good idea. “Maybe we should just do the first two; I don’t want to put you in that kind of danger.”

“We’ll compromise,” Tara stated. “We do the first two spells. If anything unusual happens, I’ll get back to work on the last incantation.”

“If you’re sure…”the redhead said uncertainly.

Scooting off the bed and grabbing some supplies, the older girl responded. “I’m sure. All we’re doing is beefing up a locator spell. What’s so dangerous about that?”

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