DISCLAIMER: No infringement of copyright is intended. You know the drill, anyone appearing on or mentioned on BtVS are ME's. New characters introduced here are mine.
EXTRA WARNINGS and or SPOILERS: Language, angst, violence, general wackiness.
Doppelgängland War
by Eris © 2005 — All rights reserved.
Chapter Six: Shadows and Specters
Rue paced near the back wall of the training room. After the revelation of earlier, Kent and Brent had almost had to drag her back to the sub-level but Tara was finally able to quiet her somewhat before stepping out with Mr. Giles to discuss their new development.
Rue's emotions were akimbo she didn't know what to think, what to believe anymore. In frustration, she stopped pacing to throw some punches at the wall. Pain tore through her knuckles like she had never known and she collapsed with a grimace against the wall tears finally free to fall. In anguish, she began beating her forehead against the cold cement then slowly slid down the wall to come to rest in a sad heap on the floor.
“Look at you. *That’s* really pathetic.” The voice from behind her was familiar and immediately she turned.
“Willow?”
“I leave you for one second and what do you do?” The redheaded vampire folded her arms indignantly.
“Willow.” Rue repeated and excitedly crawled across the floor to stop at her feet.
“—you run off and become a whitehat.”
“No—I, it’s not like that,” she tried to explain. “They told me you were dead.”
“And you believed them?” She leaned over placing her hands on her hips and glared. “Did you even *try* to find me?”
Staring up at her master her bottom lip quivered, “I-I-I—” was all she could get out before being interrupted.
“Haven’t learned a thing!” Willow barked then folded her arms again and began to pace back and forth. “Nasty short-lives only want to hurt us,” she ranted. “To kill me. Big liars. Fat cheaters, all. What lies have they been telling you about me, huh? Trying to turn you against me.” Willow stopped pacing to stand in front of Rue menacingly. “They’ll kill you when they don’t need you anymore you know. How many have you killed?”
She lowered her head and shamefully admitted, “N-none.”
“What are you waiting for?” she growled through gritted fangs.
Rue’s head snapped back up and she just stammered.
Willow crouched down and met her gaze with a now loving, if not crooked toothy smile, “The humans are beneath us. Pay them back for their humanity.” She watched her pet’s expression and frowned switching to her little girl voice, “You love me don’t you?”
Rue’s heart caught in her chest, “With everything I am.”
She grinned wide, “Good.” Then stood and advanced on her until she was off balance. Her voice regained its stern tone. “THEN DO IT!” which knocked Rue over backwards.
She lay there; eyes shut tight, her nerves completely shot. “Okay,” she replied. “Okay, I will. I promise. I—”
Tara entered the training room and stopped as she heard Rue’s voice. She closed the door. “Rue?”
Her head shot up and she stared, her emotions on overload.
“Who were you talking to?”
Rue turned back to where Willow had been but there was no one there. She glanced about wildly trying to locate her but she was gone.
“Who were you talking to?” Tara repeated.
She blinked, “Leave now if you value your life.” Then climbed to her knees and crawled into the corner again.
Tara quirked an eyebrow at Rue’s behavior.
Shutting her eyes tight, she began to repeat to herself, “Don’t hurt her. Help me. Don’t hurt her. Help me.”
Tara barely heard her soft chant yet felt it in her mind and moved in on her.
This stopped her chant. “Don’t come over here!” she yelled.
Tara paused a few feet from the door, “Rue, I’m sorry.”
Her eyes burned with betrayal, “Are you? Really? You lied to me.”
“Yes—No,” she stammered.
“You said you’d never do that,” Rue appealed.
“I didn’t,” she defended. “I d-d-didn’t know.” Darn it her stutter was coming back.
“Guess what,” she spat. “I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true. I thought you knew… That s-s-someone had told you. Dix, Mr. Giles, someone. I mean, how could you not know? But I get it now, you thought—”
“I can’t believe I was so stupid, so trusting,” she glared at her. “It won’t happen again.” Then looking around she added insult to injury, “—human.”
Tara’s heat sank at her words and she began to fidget.
“Leave now WITCH!” she barked.
However, she didn‘t. “Rue, please.” Tara tried to explain and ventured further into the room.
“Get out of here.”
“But I just want…”
“Oh come on!” Rue heard again, “Whine, whine whine. Just kill her so we can get out of here.” Rue’s breath caught in her throat as she looked up to see Willow once more. The vampire paced inches from Tara. She gazed back at Tara eyes wide with concern, “L-Leave.”
Nevertheless, Tara was adamant, “No. I want—”
The vampire stopped behind the girl and leered over her shoulder at Rue.
“—Leave NOW!” she repeated a cold sweat rising on her brow at just knowing the vampire’s thoughts.
“But…”
“We can take her as a snack if you want?” Willow offered.
“NO! I don’t want,” she shook her head frantic.
Tara noticed she wasn’t quite looking at her but near her as she spoke. She checked over her shoulders but saw no one. Something was definitely wrong. She could see the girl’s distress in her aura it was weak and thready.
“Whatcha waiting for, lover?” Willow asked.
Rue jumped as she reappeared on the other side of her, “No.”
“Do it,” Willow ordered.
“Rue?” Tara called finally crossing the distance between them.
“I can’t,” Rue surrendered.
“Can’t what?” Tara asked.
Willow closed in, her tone becoming guff, “DO IT.”
“N-no I can’t,” Rue hung her head.
“Can’t what?” Tara repeated.
“Do it or…” Willow threatened.
Rue began to tremble her ranting intensifying. “Please,” she begged.
“Please?” Willow’s voice changed to that of disbelief as she paused and straightened, “Oh my God. You—you like her.”
Rue began to whimper again.
“What’s going on?” Tara asked completely innocent of what was occurring.
“No…” Realization slowly struck the vampire, “you *love* her.” She affected her little girl voice and frowned a Willowfrown, “Don’t you love me anymore?”
“I do. Oh God, I do *so* much,” she confessed.
She smiled self-satisfied and then got all swexylike. “Show me.”
Rue’s demeanor changed almost immediately and her face went blank as she turned to stare up at Tara.
Tara felt the temperature in the room drop and goose bumps rise on her flesh.
“Baby?”
At Willow’s urging, she jumped to her feet. “Yes, Willow.”
“Will?—” Tara’s eyes grew wide as her mind began to comprehend the girl’s peculiar behavior, “Rue, Willow’s dead.”
Willow puffed air through her teeth, “Pff, more lies. And you love *that*?”
Rue jumped up, snatched her, “I warned you,” and pushed her back still attempting to get her to safety.
“I know,” Tara nodded.
“Then get out before she kills you.”
“No. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Awww, baby. She wants you too,” Willow teased then ordered, “take her!”
All of a sudden, she grabbed Tara, twirled her around the floor and pushed her up against the wall. Placing a hand on either side of her, she held her in place with the chain from her manacles. Tara instinctively grabbed the chain in self-defense but surprisingly it wasn’t taught against her midsection.
“Rue, I want to help you,” Tara exhaled.
“It’s still talking. Why is it still breathing?” Willow whined in Rue’s ear.
Frustrated Rue raised her arms and slammed her palms to the wall again this time on either side of Tara’s neck. The chain followed suit grazing her windpipe but Tara remained still simply staring into her troubled eyes. Rue stared back trembling with conflict.
“Today,” Willow droned.
Rue twitched, then nodded and moved her hand to under Tara’s chin turning and raising it slightly with her fingertips. She then moved down her neck stroking it gently feeling the warm pounding beneath the surface.
Tara’s hands instinctively shot out to grab at her waist but instead of pushing her away, she pulled her closer. “Willow’s not here,” she breathed.
Willow laughed.
“It’s just you and me,” she assured. “You’re only seeing her because she’s your truth.” Tara tightened her grip. “Look again.”
Rue turned and peeked over her shoulder. She was gone. “WITCH!” she barked grabbing her shoulders and leaning in menacingly, “You cast a spell.”
“No. She was never there.”
“Liar.”
“I haven’t lied to you.” Slowly she turned her head and met the girl’s gaze, “I swear.”
Rue sought her gaze but saw no fear or waver in the blue depths and deep down inside she sensed the truth. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head still conflicted. Leaning her forehead into Tara’s neck, she concentrated on the slow steady thrum and the smell of the life just below the surface. The girl still radiated calm and yes, trust and defeated she finally laid her head on her shoulder.
Tara felt the unusually warm skin, the hot tears, and a small breath caught in her throat. She could sense Rue returning to herself. Carefully she moved one of her hands up along Rue’s waist reaching around to stoke her back and comfort her. Then slowly she ran the other hand up her torso and along her arm to her wrist taking it firmly in her grasp and gently pulling her hand from the wall. Continuing she then slid their hands together entwining their fingers and gradually lowered their hands to lower the chain.
Rue pressed her cheek into Tara’s neck moving near her ear. “I…I need help,” she sniffed.
Tara felt the warm breath on her moist skin and a shiver made its way up her spine. She dug her fingers into Rue’s back and disentangled their hands to seize her waist again holding her. “Shhhh, I’m here.”
Rue groaned at the touch and stepped into her embrace nuzzling her neck then grasped Tara’s waist deftly sliding one hand under her shirt. Brushing her cheek up the side of Tara’s face, she met her heavy lidded gaze, closed her eyes and moved in.
At that moment, the door swung open, Amanda giggled completely engrossed in their conversation as she and Ephram entered the training room, “Hey what’s taking so long? It’s lun—OH MY GOD!” she gasped at the sight before her.
All too quickly, Ephram sprung into action and was across the room in the blink of an eye. His voice boomed out, “Let her go bitch!” as a big hand clamped down on Rue’s shoulder jerking her away and tossing her across the room. Defensively he stood in front of Tara poised for attack.
Rue flew backwards landing atop a wing Chun dummy smashing it to pieces as gravity took her to the floor — hard.
Making her way into the room Amanda asked, “Are you okay?!” her voice an octave higher from concern.
“No, Stick. Stay away!” Tara yelled stopping her in her tracks as she tried to rush past the demon. “Ephram, stop!” she ordered but he kept her securely behind him.
Rue’s back screamed as she writhed on the floor amongst the splintered wood. Seeing the demon standing menacingly between her and the girl caused her anger to rise and she struggled to get to her feet. Sneering at the intruder she growled, “Step aside purple man.”
Ephram just shifted his bulk from foot to foot.
Rue hoped he’d be stubborn. “Fine,” she grinned evilly.
“Oh God,” Tara gasped as she knew the girl wasn’t in her right mind which made her more dangerous than ever.
“Mr. Giles wants a show I’ll give him one…with *you* as the finale.”
Before anyone could bat an eye, the pair was into the thick of it.
Cautiously the young slayer approached the duo making her way behind the demon and tried to pull Tara towards the door to safety only Tara didn’t wish to leave and fought against her.
“We’ve got to make them stop. You don’t understand,” and she struggled against the leaner girl.
At the same time, Ephram and Rue were actively tearing down. Rue bobbed and weaved stealthily eluding the smelly demon’s grasp. If there was one thing she had learned from their earlier encounter, it was as long as he couldn’t get his hands on her she had a chance. To fend him off she swung her shackles side to side in front of her then managed to land a number of decent blows however ineffectual due to her hampered condition, and every time he moved near Tara, she upped her barrage.
Finally able to convince Amanda, Tara sent her for help while she attempted to separate the two. Her task was not an easy one.
Rue rushed in, faked her opponent into leaning forward, and flipped over the demon to meet Kent as he came charging in. Using her chain as a bat, she knocked him backwards out the door and caused him to drop his weapon. Retrieving it, she looked Ephram up and down.
Tara’s breath caught in her throat. Thankfully, instead Rue chose to bar the door with it and returned to the fray.
“Eph! Rue! “Tara cried as she tried her best to separate them. Raising her hands she tossed out a magic bolt hoping it would do the trick but it only succeeded in flash blinding them and they continued fighting the air ‘til they could get their bloodied hands on one another again.
******
Outside the rest of the boys now joined Kent and repeatedly rush the doors trying desperately to open them.
******
Tara continued to try to separate the pair but she couldn’t clear her mind enough, to get a clear shot. All of a sudden, she heard the sound of shattering glass.
******
The goon squad broke out one of the windows in the double doors and was now reaching through to dislodge the weapon wedge.
******
Tara’s time was running out and she searched her brain for the right incantation, “Remini—remini—”
******
They were breaking through. Hands fumbled with the weapon easing it closer and closer to freedom.
******
“Shoot!” Tara took a deep breath and struggled to focus.
******
The weapon dropped to the floor as they broke through.
******
Unfortunately, the boys were easy targets as they streamed in like unwanted ants at a picnic. Tara raised her hands, “Back off!” and they flew back through the doors like so much paper in the wind. “Lock!” she ordered and the doors slammed shut secure once more.
Returning her attention to the battle at that moment, she witnessed it take a horrible turn. Rue had climbed up onto Ephram’s shoulder, wrapping the chain around his arm as she went.
Tara gasped.
Rue pulled the chain tight severing the arm.
“NOOO!” Tara screamed throwing her arms up. In a flash of light, the two were forcefully separated.
Ephram hit the floor and thrashed howling in pain.
Rue was tossed into the air into the wall then levitated back to the middle of the room where she could do no more harm.
The effort and shock broke Tara’s concentration on the door and the boys again streamed in followed by Amanda and Mr. Giles.
Giles raised a shotgun and fired it.
Everyone jumped and turned toward the noise.
Startled, Tara completely lost control of her magic ability and Rue hit the floor landing on her face with a thud.
Giles moved in, drew a bead on her and cocked the gun again. “Try something else.”
Rue raised her head.
“I don’t think I have to say what’s loaded in here.”
“Do it,” she huffed still lying on her stomach.
”NO!” Tara screamed and stomped over.
In unison Giles and Rue yelled, “Get away…”
They looked at one another.
“…From there,” Giles finished.
Tara only eyed him never loosing stride. Grabbing Rue by the arm, she pulled her to her feet, “Why?”
“Coz I’m bad,” she spat through blood soaked teeth. “…and apparently quite insane now too, so just let him shoot me. Please,” she begged.
Tara was livid. “Stop it.” She shook her. “You’re not bad and you’re not crazy it’s this stupid place and the stupid drug and stupid everything that’s happened to you but it doesn’t excuse what you’ve just done.”
Rue looked at her with weary disturbed eyes.
Tara’s tone softened and she held herself tight. “You had a choice and you can choose to believe me or not. I’ve told you the truth.”
“Take her,” Giles ordered giving the boys leave and watching them make their way until Ephram’s moans brought him back. Looking to the team that was tending to him, he waggled a finger, “Don’t forget to pick that bit up too.”
* * * * * * * * * *
That night Tara sat on the floor of the library in Giles’s office, her knees pulled up under her chin, her back leaning against a stack. Her mind was heavy with thoughts of Rue and Faith and poor Ephram. She didn’t know whether to cry or cry, her feelings were so messed inside. Everything was all her fault. She thought she was helping but only made a bad situation worse with her choices, totally botched the handling of it, and was too slow to prevent…God, poor poor Ephram. She leaned her head back with a thud allowing the angst to spill out.
And what was she to do about Faith? Her recent unabashed assault on her character behind her back and in front of everyone was just the tail end of a long line of insult to injury. She had to be reined in, and for the love of God, where was she getting that stuff. She had never acted inappropriately towards Rue or even given a thought to her sexually… until now.
No, Rue was her friend, she shouldn‘t be feeling this way, but she couldn’t deny there was definitely sparkage there. No mistaking it, at least on her part. Rue wasn’t exactly in her right mind at the time so who knew how much of that was actually directed at her and not the Willowhallucination her drug-addled brain was conjuring up. This wasn’t good. She just shouldn‘t be feeling this way. She said a silent prayer for the goddess to help her and closed her book. She wasn’t going to get any studying done this day.
Compiling her papers to leave she suddenly flashed back to the night Faith snuck into her room and made her first allegations. She was confused by her remarks and completely denied it. Was she kidding herself even back then? She didn’t know Rue then, not like she did now, yet Faith saw something, or was she just being the usual bitch because she wouldn‘t sleep with her anymore? Closing the door to Giles’s office, she headed down the hall to her room. Damn it she made her so mad most days. Only now, after the other day, she was right which infuriated her no end and she couldn’t deny it. She felt something for Rue. Oh God, she was crushing, actually crushing like a schoolgirl on her. She had to stop this and now.
* * * * * * * * * *
A few days later down in the Med Lab Dixie was trying to explain her new findings to Giles.
“Something’s wrong Rupert. I started noticing it... you know, that day.”
“What is it?”
The surgeon handed him a sheet of test results. “She’s not healing right. I told you when we gave her the first dose this was for werewolves and had never been tested on a shapeshifter before.”
“But it’s doing its job; she’s docile and hasn’t changed once.”
“It’s working too well.” She pointed out some specific figures. “Her healing factor is nearly nil, and I’m pretty sure at this point even you could take her in a fair fight.”
“So what are you saying? Is-is it some sort of cure? Is she human now?”
“I’m not sure about anything except to say it’s definitely not a cure. From a magical standpoint, I’d say yes, she’s human now, or equal to human. But from a scientific stand point, she’s dying.” She handed him a new sheet of test results to study. “This stuff is breaking her down at the mystical molecular level, if that’s what you can call it, and if that’s even possible. We know way more about how to kill demons than we do about what causes demons to be demons, much less even to be at all.”
He stood silent and rubbed his chin at the revelation. This made perfect sense, explained the continual downslide of his scholastics.
She took the paperwork from him then folded her arms, “We need to stop the medication or one morning you’ll go to fetch her and they’ll be nothing there but a pile of goo.”
“I’ll take it into consideration,” he said as he headed out.
“Consider?—Rupert, this is serious...” she called after him.
* * * * * * * * * *
It had been a week since Tara last descended the stairs to the sub-level. Rue had spent seven whole days in her cell muttering to herself or yelling and crying uncontrollably and being cranky and completely uncooperative. After the incident in the training room, Tara’s mere presence seemed to set her off on an emotional roller coaster so she was forced to stay away. However now with time and careful tweaking of the drug the girl seemed back on more stable ground.
Through the second tier window, Tara spied Rue leaning in a corner and her chest went tight. When she reached the bottom, she stood in front of the cell as became her habit. Rue didn’t acknowledge her but Tara could feel the better, the back to herself, and even though her aura was dull it was clearly defined once more.
“So, how’d it work for you?” she asked anxious.
Rue rolled about on the smooth painted concrete to confront her yet remained silent. Her face was expressionless but her eyes exuded the same pain from before, just after Giles had broken through the conditioning. Her hands twitched and Tara glanced down at the small cuffs that now replaced the old shackles.
“Just so you know Ephram’s going to be fine. His arm will regrow. It’s going to take some time though.”
Rue moved to sit on her cot.
“Is this how you wanted it?”
She expelled a big breath, “No. Of course not. I wouldn’t have done any of that if my head was screwed on right. Or maybe if someone would have said, oh by the way ignore all the vampires and the hallucinatey things because it’s just the drugs we haven’t told you we’re giving you.” Her knee began to bounce.
Tara watched her intently then asked, “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you hurt him?”
“He put his hands on me first,” she spat but Tara’s gaze was forgiving and she fidgeted apologetic then shrugged, “Coz he was in the way. Standing between us. I couldn’t protect you from Willow with that oaf posing.” An awkward silence filled the cell until she finally continued, “They made her go away again so you’re safe. Everyone’s safe.”
Tara hung on the door carefully taking in her words, “I was never worried… because you were there to protect me.”
Rue raised her head, “But it was you she wanted to—wanted *me* to hurt.”
“I know.”
Rue quirked an eyebrow, “How could you? I wasn’t sure what *I* was going to do.”
“I just know you wouldn’t.” Tara opened the door. “You’re not bad you know. It’s just something they’d—she’d tell you to make you feel worthless and doubt yourself so she could control you better.”
“You sound like you know a little too much about that.” She shifted over on the cot.
Tara’s twentieth birthday was fast approaching. “Yeah, I do,“ she replied as she antsily sat down.
“I’m sorry.”
“S’okay. I’m out of that scene. I’m here now and the people here aren’t like that.”
“All the people?” Rue playfully looked at her from under her eyelashes.
Tara smiled, “Yeah.”
She stuck out her lip, “Even Faith?”
Tara’s mouth fell open, “…”
* * * * * * * * * *
To be continued in Chapter Seven
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