"I'll n-never escape her, Tara."

"Shhh," the blonde witch soothed Spike gently, one hand running slowly up and down his back as she held him close to her. "Shhh, it's all right, Sweetheart. She can't touch you, Spike. She can talk -- but that's *all* she can do..."

Spike raised his head from her shoulder, wide troubled eyes locking onto Tara's in fear as he shook his head. "But it's *not* all she can do, Tara!" he insisted, his voice trembling with fear. "Sh-she can use the blood bond to...to control..."

"She can't, Spike," Tara argued firmly. "She can't do anything..."

"...m-my dreams."

The blonde fell silent, her eyes going wide with startled dismay at the vampire's quiet confession. She stared at him for a long moment, her mind racing through the various terrible implications of his words. She felt sick to her stomach as she thought of the level of torment the Slayer could still visit upon her broken victim, if even his sleep was not safe from the terror of her.

"Sh-she...she made me have...the dream I h-had earlier. She did that," Spike continued, his voice sounding small and frightened in the stunned hush that fell between them. "She... she can do whatever she w-wants to me...in my dreams...and...and the sanctuary spell doesn't stop her..." A grimace of shame twisted his features as he bowed his head, adding in an aching whisper, "I...I know it's j-just a bloody dream, Tara, but...but it *feels* so...so..."

"Shhh," she soothed him, running a hand through his hair in a comforting gesture as she leaned in to brush her lips across his cheek in a chaste kiss of affection and reassurance. "I understand, Spike...I know...it's okay..."

He tensed for just an instant at the intimate contact, before letting out a frustrated sigh at his own reaction, rolling his eyes and shaking his head with a weak attempt at a laugh, before lowering his eyes again, finding it difficult to look at her, in the face of his own weakness.

Tara was quiet for a moment, her knowing eyes taking in the heartache, the desolation in Spike's downcast gaze, easily perceiving his panic and despair at the thought that when he had believed himself to be reasonably safe, he was still actually at the nonexistent mercy of his abuser; and added to all of that, his unreasonable shame at those feelings...at his own weakness.

Without a word, she put her arms around him again, holding him tight as he choked back sobs, struggling to hold back his reaction of fear and hopelessness. One arm wrapped firmly around his waist, while her other hand rested at the back of his head, running comfortingly through his hair as she whispered soothing words in his ear.

"We'll find a way to stop her, Spike. Wes has found the ritual to break the bond; we've just got to finish the translation, and..."

"...and find a way to get her soddin' blood, too," Spike reminded her, shaking his head against her shoulder in dismay. "With the bloody Scoobies all around he and helpin' to protect her...how in the world are we supposed to...?"

"*Spike*."

He stopped, looking up reluctantly at her firm voice, his eyes wet with tears, silently pleading with her to offer the hope that he could no longer hold onto on his own.

"We *will* find a way," Tara stated with firm conviction. "I promise you, Spike. We will find the way to break her hold on you. We're not going to give up...*I'm* not going to give up on you; you mean too much to me, Sweetheart. But...but *you* can't give up, either. Okay?"

Spike hesitated, but then nodded bravely, encouraged in spite of his fear by her supportive words. "Okay," he whispered, resting his head on her shoulder again, drawing in several deep, ragged breaths in an attempt to steady himself and regain his composure. "Right."

"Hey," Tara pressed him after a few moments, a gentle hand at his shoulder pushing him back and forcing him to face her. Only once her solemn grey eyes had locked with his did she speak again, her voice low and just a bit stern. "One more thing...I know that I can't possibly understand how hard this is going to be for you to get through, and I want to give you everything you need to get through it. I understand that sometimes you're going to need space, just to deal with everything."

She paused, holding his gaze as she added in a tone that allowed no argument, "But that's too bad. You can't have it."

Spike blinked at her, startled by her blunt words, and a bit taken aback by the unusually authoritative tone of her voice.

Apparently, Tara was a bit surprised by it herself, looking a little chagrined as she amended, "Well, maybe you can, if we're very careful. The next time you do, though...you're just going to have to find a place where you can be apart from things while remaining within my sight. I'm not going to give her the chance to do that to you again, Spike. Do you understand?"

Spike nodded silently, aware that her slightly severe manner was only due to her desire to protect him.

"Okay," Tara nodded too, satisfied, as she raised a gentle hand to touch his cheek with concerned affection. "We've got to be careful, Sweetheart, until we've figured out how to stop her for good. If she tries to hurt you again, she‘s going to have to deal with both of us, because I am *not* leaving you alone again."

Spike nodded slowly once, subdued and accepting of her decision, as he looked up at her again with an expression of awe in his eyes. The total trust he held for her at this point had taken him completely by surprise...but he had somehow found himself in a place where the only constant that he had to hold onto was her.

And in this whole terrible, horrific mess, that was the one things that felt...okay.

"All right," he replied quietly to her decision, nodding as he lowered his eyes again. He paused for a moment, silent, thinking. Then, he asked softly, in a mildly sarcastic voice of defeat and resignation, "You gonna join me in my dreams, then, too, love? 'Cause that's where she's most likely to come looking for me next."

Tara felt her stomach drop with the sudden realization that he was right. Buffy had found a way to attack Spike from which she had no way to defend him.

*Unless...*

A sly smile spread across her face as she replied slowly, "Maybe so, Spike. Maybe so..."

Spike frowned in confusion, shaking his head. "Tara...what...?"

Tara was quiet for a moment, her mind processing the idea that had just occurred to her, excitement gradually rising up within her as she began to put together a plan to save Spike from Buffy's latest attack. Her eyes were wide and glittering with anticipation as she looked up at the blond vampire and opened her mouth to explain her idea...only to see that he was completely distracted already, apparently no longer concerned with her cryptic words.

In fact, his attention seemed riveted toward the door, his stance tense and anxious.

"What is it?" Tara asked gently, reaching out a reassuring hand to rest on his arm. "What's wrong, Spike?"

Spike just shook his head, stepping cautiously nearer to the door, listening closely.

"Scoobies," he finally replied in a whisper, turning wide, fearful eyes on her in a silent question. Tara watched in dismay as he began to shake slightly, his tired muscles taut and strained with the fear of what Buffy's friends might be doing here...and whether or not they were alone. "Downstairs."

Tara's eyes widened as she followed his gaze to the thankfully closed door, then slowly looked up at him again, studying his expression before making a decision.

"Come on," she instructed gently, taking his hand and moving toward the door.

When she felt his resistance, saw the frantic shake of his head as he met her eyes with a pleading expression bordering on panic, Tara squeezed his hand gently, moving to face him, her other hand running soothingly up and down his arm.

"Would you rather be down there with me? Or up here alone?" she asked him simply, an apologetic look in her eyes as she hoped that her point would be clear to him.

It was.

Drawing in a deep, shaky breath, Spike turned slowly toward the door again, visibly steeling himself to walk through it and down the stairs.

"Come on," Tara repeated more softly. "I'll be right with you, Spike...every moment."

*****************************************

Fred and Wesley stared at what was left of the Scoobie gang somewhat suspiciously as the door slowly fell shut behind them.

Wesley took a moment to compose his words before addressing them in a cool voice of restrained impatience. "May I ask what you think you are doing here?"

The little group of humans huddled near the front door of the Hyperion seemed skittish and subdued and just generally all-around terrified...and that was *before* the large, dark vampire emerged from his office with a low, threatening snarl.

"What the *hell* are you doing in my hotel?"

Angel stalked toward them swiftly, his every movement speaking of fury and power and predatory grace. His superior size left the remaining Scoobies huddling back against the door, despite their knowledge that within the walls of the hotel, there was nothing the vampire could do to physically harm them.

"A-angel," Willow stammered, her emerald eyes huge and solemn as she took a hurried step backward at his approach. "We just...we need...help..."

"Huh," Angel retorted softly, his eyes narrowed and flashing with anger. "Funny how when Spike asked *you* for help, you wouldn't listen. Now, suddenly, *you* need help, and..."

"Technically," Xander interrupted a bit shakily, holding up one finger to emphasize his point. "Spike...never...actually *asked* us..."

Angel's low growl of warning cut off his weak argument, as Anya hissed through clenched teeth, "Xander...Sweetie...not helping..."

Aware that the entire encounter was quickly spinning in a dangerous direction, Willow suddenly blurted out, "Something's wrong with Buffy!"

Angel turned his attention toward her, blinking in momentary surprise...before a bitter smirk twisted his lips and he laughed harshly.

"You idiots are just now figuring that out?" He paused, shaking his head, his voice rising with anger as he restated, "She rapes and tortures and...and *brutalizes* my childe for weeks, you guys are faced with the rock solid evidence of it and still take her side, and *now* you suddenly get the fact that something's wrong with Buffy?"

Xander and Willow both flinched at Angel's harsh words, expressing images of their friend that neither of them was willing to accept. Willow drew in a sharp breath, shaking her head in silent denial of Angel's accusations, but she dared not say a word.

"Well, technically," Anya spoke up this time with an apologetic grimace, "I...kind of knew before..."

"Ahn..." Xander shot her a spitefully sarcastic smile as Angel gave her a dark glare. "Not helping."

"Why should we believe you at all?" Wesley suddenly asked from behind Angel, a suspicious frown on his face. "After you've made it quite clear which side you've chosen in this, how are we to know that this is any more than some sort of ruse designed to trap us into inadvertently giving up Spike, Tara, and Dawn to Buffy's devices?"

"Where *is* Buffy?" Fred asked, and Angel turned toward her, startled by her pointed question, to see alarm in her enormous brown eyes.

"We don't know, honest!" Willow insisted. "We...we ran...she was...my God, Angel, something is seriously wrong with her! She turned into...some kind of monster!"

"Yeah," Angel agreed, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest as he added flatly, "A long time ago, actually."

"No, she means *physically*! She...changed," Xander explained. "She was..." He couldn't suppress a shudder as he shook his head, unable to find words to describe the way his friend had looked the last time he had seen her. "Angel," he started again, a pleading note to his voice that he had never directed at the souled vampire before, "we're for real, man. Something is seriously wrong with her. We...we need your help."

Angel simply stared at him skeptically for a long moment, uncertain.

"Angel," Willow attempted, urgency in her voice. "Something has obviously...I don't know...taken her over or something. Maybe that's why she...why she did those things to Spike, you know? Buffy's our friend, no matter what's happened to her...and we want to...to change whatever's happening to her. We want to *help*. Please...please believe us, Angel...we need you..."

There was a tense moment of silence following the redhead's impassioned plea, while Angel struggled against his natural tendency to kick them all out on their fickle little human rears. After all, he had to admit, having Willow on *their* side rather than Buffy's couldn't help but be to their advantage.

It was possible that it was a trick...but...Angel had seen a century and a half of various human emotions, and was quite skilled in the art of reading people.

And there was pure, unadulterated terror in the eyes of these three humans...not to mention the fact that the stench of it was rolling off them in waves.

"You said she looked...different?" Fred asked, moving closer to the group with a curious expression on her face. "Different...how? What was wrong with her?"

No one spoke for a long moment, as each of Buffy's friends tried to find the words to describe the horror of her appearance...and failed.

"I don't know," Willow whispered, her eyes welling with tears. "It was like...like nothing I've ever seen, Fred. It was just like...all the evil that I've ever seen...*ever*...all of it, right there on her face. It was...dark, and...and cold...and..."

"...and inside her."

The small group assembled near the door turned in surprise at the sound of Tara's voice from the landing, where she and Spike had just appeared. The blond vampire was hanging back slightly, his head bowed, his eyes averted from the faces of the humans who had borne witness to his shame and suffering, and yet shown so little compassion for his plight; but his hand was clasped tightly in Tara's, and though he appeared to want nothing more than to flee, he bravely stayed where he was.

No one said a word, expectant, anxious faces turning toward the blonde witch who seemed to know the answers to their questions.

"What you saw," she clarified, taking a step nearer to them, and leading Spike in her wake, "was the evil that's inside Buffy right now. It wasn't...wasn't really her *physical* face...but it was really *her*."

Willow frowned as she studied the face of her former lover. "I...I don't understand."

"She was in our room," Tara stated, her soft grey eyes flashing with righteous anger. "Earlier, tonight. She couldn't touch Spike, because of the spell, but she was sure doing her best to scare the crap out of him. I walked in on them, and...and told her to get the hell away from him."

She felt Spike's hand tighten uncertainly around hers, and she pulled him gently forward, closer to her, until she could put her arm around his waist in a gently possessive gesture. The act alone spoke clearly of her feelings for the vampire, and the status of their relationship, but Tara felt the need to offer no further explanation to the Scoobies for her actions or her words. She and Spike were undoubtedly together now, and though it was not exactly anyone else's business, Tara was in no way ashamed of that fact...and she wanted Spike and everyone else to know that.

"I did a spell," Tara confessed, no apology in her strong voice as her eyes spanned the group. "To...to reveal the truth of her nature...her true face...to anyone who looks upon her. So that...so that all of you could see past her lies to the...the darkness she's been hiding."

"But...but that's not Buffy," Xander objected, his eyes wide with dismay. "Tara, something had to have gone wrong with the spell...because we *know* Buffy, and that's not...not *her*!"

"Maybe it wasn't," Tara conceded softly. "At one time. But...but it is now."

"But...how is that possible?" Willow argued, shaking her head. "I mean...when did this happen? What...what changed her, to make her...?" Her voice suddenly trailed off, and she drew in a sharp breath, dawning horror rising in her eyes as she turned them on Tara, a stricken expression on her suddenly ashen face.

"*You* did, Will," Tara whispered, sympathy in her eyes as the truth occurred to her as well, in spite of the rising anger she felt toward her former lover as her part in all of this became clear. "You did...when you brought her back."