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Chapter 3.

When the L.A. crew arrived, it was to a very subdued crowd already in place, within the Summers’ home. Buffy ushered everyone into the living room and advised them to find a place to sit. Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander were on the couch. Dawn sat on the floor near the fireplace and leaning into Spike for comfort, Giles sat in one of the armchairs with Buffy standing next to him. Cordy looked around the room and quickly moved to the remaining armchair. Wes and Lorne grabbed chairs from the dining room and all eyes turned to Buffy.

“There are a number of things we need to go through. it's long and complicated. So before we start Dawn will get drinks for everyone, and Spike will get Giles and Wes notebooks and pens. Lorne there’s a sea-breeze in the kitchen with your name on it, and Spike made tea for the English people, apparently ‘bloody yanks have no idea how to make a decent cuppa.’” She quoted in a laughable English accent breaking the tension in the room.

Once everyone had resettled, Buffy began: “First matter of business. When I jumped from Glory’s tower, it was the fact that I was not bleeding that let the portal close. Once the portal closed I fell to the ground. I died on impact. I went to Heaven. I was finished, I was at peace.” She paused momentarily, looking around the room watching as her words sank in. “Now before anyone says anything, I ask that you all listen to me instead. You need the whole story.” She stated with finality.

“I was brought back, and while we will get into those details in a minute I have something to say first. Yes, Willow did the spell to bring me back, and yes, it was successful. But the Powers-That-Be changed what was going to happen. I’m from three years in the future, and I’ve been sent back to undo the damage that Willow’s spell has done and another matter that effects the L.A. crew. I have three years worth of memories to help us, and a few other little surprises, but quite frankly we are gonna need all the help we can get.

Some of what I have to tell you, you are not going to want to believe, especially you guys from L.A. That’s where you come in Lorne. For those of you that don’t know Lorne, he’s an empathic demon who has been gifted by the Powers to be able to read a person’s path through life. He is a white hat, and he is not the only demon out there that actively works on the side of good.

That being said, I think it’s important that we deal with things in the same order that they happened to me, OK?” Taking note of the nods of agreement, Buffy continued.

“First: My first resurrection, um…that’s not counting the time the Master killed me, maybe I should say my first resurrection after Glory.” Buffy smiled at her audience, while Dawn sniggered and whispered to Spike, “And there she is…Babbling Buffy!”

“Isn't it your bedtime Dawn?” Buffy retorted; her eyebrow rose in askance. After a mumbled apology from Dawn, Buffy continued.

“There are three points of importance here. One; the real reason the spell was done, two; the way the spell was done, and three; the consequences of the spell. I’ll tell you about the consequences first.” Buffy turned and faced the four Scoobies. “You used the urn of Osiris. You either didn’t research it or you didn’t care, but the urn of Osiris requires payment, a life for a life or something of equal value. The payment was not covered by the blood of a pregnant doe that you used in the spell. In my time, that payment was Tara’s life. Thanks to the Powers, this time Osiris has accepted something else. Now before you ask any questions let me just finish with the other consequences. Quite apart from the emotional damage you did to me by pulling me out of Heaven, bringing me back caused an imbalance which, unless we do something quickly, will allow the First Evil access to this dimension. In two years, there is a possibility that this dimension will be overrun with Turok Han. The Turok Han are the Vampires that normal Vamps have nightmares about.” Focusing a steely gaze on Willow, The Slayer asked; “Do you understand what you have done.”

Willow crumpled into tears while mumbling ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again and Xander decided to come in guns blazing, yelling over the top of every other voice. It was him that the Slayer turned to.

“Where do you get off speaking to her that way Buffy, she made a mistake, so what? Tara’s alive, new payment made. You certainly don’t look any worse for wear after supposedly being ripped out of Heaven, and if you really do come from three years in the future, then you must have stopped the First Evil, so just do it again. What’s the big deal? There’s no need to take it out on Willow. Just back the hell off.”

And the room erupted.

“Do shut up Xander.”

“Well, it’s official; you’re still a moron Harris.”

“Please tell me, this boy is not serious.”

It was Anya’s shocked exclamation of his name that finally caught his attention allowing Buffy to quickly take back control of the conversation. “You’re right Xander, Willow’s mistakes are no longer an issue and thankfully they will never be repeated. Tara is alive and this makes me happier that you can possibly understand. As far as I’m concerned I was ripped out of Heaven three years ago and time has made it easier to deal with the loss. As for the First Evil, there is a simple solution, that doesn’t involve you and so is none of your business. However, if, and it’s a big if, I had not been sent back by the Powers, the Buffy that would be here, would be deeply, severely depressed, and have no knowledge of the things to come. Tara would die. Willow would let the magic overtake her, kill a human and then attempt to destroy the world. You would lose an eye and Anya would die in the final battle against the First. So before you tell me to ‘back the hell off’ maybe you better be thanking the Powers for their intervention, 'cause now Tara won’t die, none of us have to face Dark Willow, you won’t become the butt of every pirate joke out there and Anya gets to live. There are always consequences with magic. You would think that lesson would have been learned by now, but it hasn’t, this was not a little mistake, this was a world ending mistake.”

“Buffy?”

“Yes Giles.”

“Why are you so sure that Willow will no longer have a problem with magic?”

“If you’ll bear with me I will get to that. But I need to tell you the rest of the information about the spell. O.K.?”

“Of course dear, please continue.”

“O.K. then; the way the spell was done. First, Tara and Anya, you need to understand, I don’t blame either of you for what’s happened. You didn’t have a choice. Both of you were under a compulsion spell.” Both girls focused accusing glares at the little redhead, who kept her head down and her eyes firmly on the floor.

“You also, are not aware of all aspects of the spell, because of a memory spell. But before you place blame you need to know that both spells were discussed and agreed on by both Xander and Willow. Willow didn’t do this alone. If you come over here, I can remove the spells.” While Buffy watched Anya and Tara, every other eye in the room was focused on her.

“You can remove a spell Buffy?” Giles’ query came from the shocked Watcher.

“Yep, it’s one of the nifty new upgrades, that will be explained later.” Buffy replied flippantly – successfully cutting off any further queries.

Turning to face the two girls, Buffy kissed first Tara, then Anya on the forehead. Momentarily paused by the return of their memories and the removal of the compulsion spell, Tara and Anya sat stock still. Anya reacted first. Turning slowly she stared at Willow and Xander, stating furiously; “Be very thankful that I am no longer a Vengeance Demon.” She slowly moved closer to Spike, and sat down on the floor next to him. Tara joined her, tears streaming down her face. She kept her eye’s focused on Buffy. Both, making their positions clear.

Buffy continued; “When I was brought before the Powers and everything was explained to me, I was shown every person in this room and Angel. I was shown everything including what you think and feel. I was shown what motivated both Willow and Xander to do the spell. I was shown the real reason why all the badness that I’ve had to live with for the last three years has happened, and I was given the right to choose the consequences for their actions against me.”

Both Willow and Xander looked horrified when Buffy spoke about motives, but relaxed when she didn’t elaborate. Both smiled at each other, when she said she had the right to choose retribution. Having watched their reactions, Giles was the first to ask what their motives were.

“Oh well, Xander here was under the delusion that if I wasn’t dead there might be a chance I would date him, and Willow didn’t want to be responsible for Dawn.”

“And the consequences?” Giles snarled, in full Ripper mode, clearly put out by the self-serving motives of the pair.

“Both are out of my life, and Willow has had her magic removed.” Turning back to the two shocked ex-Scoobies, “If you could leave now, the rest of us have a lot to get through.” Turning from them in absolute dismissal, she faced Tara and Anya, “I hope you two will stay, but while you decide how ‘bout the rest of us that aren’t leaving, grab some food.” Making her way to the kitchen, she purposely failed to see Willow and Xander leave.





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