Warren had managed to shoot both me and Buffy in the right side of the chests when he had took off. Buffy and I were still in the backyard of her house, barely conscious, unable to move.

Xander ran back toward us, leading the paramedics with him. "This way!"

"They were shot?" Paramedic 1 asked.

"Yeah, in the chests," Xander answered.

"Accidental?" Paramedic 2 asked.

"No, no," Xander answered. "It was a... he was trying to kill them."

The paramedics knelt on either side of Buffy and me so that they could work on trying to save our lives while Xander watched helplessly.

"Pulses are weak," Paramedic 2 told us. "Lung sounds are wet."

"What does that mean?" Xander asked. "Are they going to..."

"You need to stand back, okay?" Paramedic 1 asked. "If you want us to help them out, we need some space."

The paramedics banded our wounds to try to slow the bleeding, trying to keep us alive, while we barely hung onto consciousness.

     ~~~~~~   

The paramedics were wheeling Buffy and me into the ambulances.

Paramedic 2 spoke into a walkie talkie. "Sunnydale Memorial, do you copy? We have two Caucasian females, 21, GSW to the chests."

"Come on, guys, hang on," Xander told us. "We're going to get you to the hospital." Willow walked out of the house, with blood over her blouse and skin. Xander looked at her worriedly. "Willow, God, are you okay?"

"How did this happen?" Willow asked.

"Warren," Xander answered. "He had a gun."

Willow had a brief flash of anger. "Warren."

"It went down too fast," Xander told her. "We couldn't stop him." Willow wasn't listening anymore, walking away, fast. Xander stopped at the edge of the walk. "Hey." Willow just kept walking down the sidewalk. Xander looked after her, confused and shaken. "Will!"

"Sir, we have to go," Paramedic 1 told him. "Are you coming with us or not?"

Xander dithered for a moment, concerned about both Willow, Buffy and me, running over to the ambulance, climbing into the back with us. The paramedics drove us away to the hospital.

     ~~~~~~   

Buffy and I were slowly waking up in the hospital, starting to feel better when the bullets had been removed, seeing that Xander, Mom (in her surgeon uniform as she had been working on helping save us), and Willow, with black eyes, black hair, and in all black.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

Mom looked at me in relief, walking closer to help me up. "Zoey. Oh, my God, are you okay?"

Buffy looked around in confusion. "Sure. How'd we get here?"

Mom hugged me in relief. Willow just watched, while Xander was helping Buffy.

"You've got to stop doing this," Xander told us. "This dying thing's funny once."

I looked at Willow in confusion. "Willow?"

Willow gave a very small smile. "Buffy. Zoey. Hey."

"What's wrong?" I asked in concern.

"I'll explain," Willow told us. "But we've got to go."

Willow turned toward the door.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's time to find Warren," Willow answered, walking out of the room.

Buffy, Xander, Mom and I exchanged a confused look.

       ~~~~~~ 

Xander was driving his car. Buffy was in the passenger seat, and Willow and I were in the back.

Willow's eyes were back to normal, but her hair was still black. "Faster."

"I'm going as fast as I--" Xander started. Willow used magic to make the car drive faster toward the bus. "Will, would you cut that out? If you wanted to drive..."

"We need to stop," Buffy told us. "I don't like this."

"We're close," Willow told us. "I can feel him."

"And we'll catch him, and he'll go to jail," I told her. "Look, I'm finding the whole getting shot very motivating, but you're using magic."

"If I wasn't, both you and Buffy would be dead," Willow told me.

Xander looked upset.

"Maybe," Buffy told us. "But this isn't right. Okay, this isn't how I want it."

"Sometimes you don't have a choice," Willow told us.

"I think Buffy and Zoey get the tie breaker on this one," Xander told her. "They were the ones on the ouchy ends of the bullets."

"Will, you do have a choice," Buffy told her. "This isn't good for you."

"You made the decision to stop for a reason," I told her. "You promised us. And can I just ask, what's with the makeover of the damned? I mean, the hair--"

Willow wasn't really listening, looking around. She suddenly sat up. "Turn right! Go."

Xander looked around, but didn't see a turn in the road ahead. "Go where?"

"Over there, now," Willow answered.

"Will..." Xander trailed off in confusion.

"Turn," Willow told him, using magic to turn the wheel, making us screech off the road onto dirt, zooming between scraggly bushes and such.

Xander held up his hands. "Fine, fine! Puppetmaster wants to drive? Go right ahead."

The car continued to bounce along on the uneven surface, finally coming onto another stretch of paved highway, coming to a stop. 

Willow got out of the car, walking across the highway.

Buffy, Xandeer and I got out, following more slowly, confused.

"Willow, wait," I told her.

"Stay back," Willow told us, gesturing a hand toward us, making bolts of purplish black energy shoot over to us, immobilizing us, paralyzing us in place for a moment. A bus getting people out of town drove toward us. Willow stopped in the middle of the road in front of the bus, glaring at it. The bus driver was trying to drive out of the way to avoid hitting Willow, but Willow stood there calmly, using magic to keep him driving toward her head on, making it slow down and come to a stop just a foot or so in front of Willow. Willow walked around to the side of the bus, using magic to open the doors. "Get out."

Warren walked out of the bus.

Willow grabbed Warren by the neck, lifting him off the ground, looking at him with black eyes.

"Please," Warren told her. "I'll--I'll do anything."

Willow started to squeeze Warren's neck, making horrible cracking noises sound, making one of his eyes pop out, revealing metal and wiring and sparks. She let go, dropping the fake Warren to the ground.

Buffy, Xander and I could finally move, running over to Willow, stopping next to her, staring down at the broken robot Warren at our feet.

Willow was surprised and confused. "It's a robot." Buffy, Xander and I looked at her. "I could feel his essence." Willow became very angry again. "He tricked me." She started to walk away. "We'll find him another way."

I turned to follow. "And then what?"

"And then we'll kill him," Willow told us.

Buffy grabbed Willow by the arm to stop her, turning her to face us. "Okay, you need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Willow repeated. 

"Look, you're angry," Buffy told her. "I--I am, too. There's no excuse for what Warren did, but that--"

"He shot Tara," Willow told us. We looked at her in surprise, speechless. "When he shot you, he hit her too. Upstairs in my room."

I was in shock. "Oh, my God."

"Guess the last shot was the charm," Willow told us.

"She's dead?" Xander asked. 

"She's dead," Willow answered. "Now he's dead too."

I became very upset at the fact that Tara was no longer here, too much in shock to really take it all in. "Oh, my God. Tara..."

"Christ, Will, how come you didn't say anything?" Xander asked.

"I'm busy," Willow answered, turning toward the car.

Buffy grabbed her arm again to stop her. "W--Willow, please, just stop. We love you. And Tara. But we don't kill humans. It's not the way."

"How can you say that?" Willow asked. "Tara is dead."

"I know," Buffy told her. "I know. And I... can't understand... anything. Not what happened... a--and not what you must be going through. Willow, if you do this, you let Warren destroy you, too."

"You said it yourself, Will," Xander told her. "The magic's too strong. There's no coming back from it."

"I'm not coming back," Willow told us, turning to walk off.

I walked after her, grabbing her arm. "Will, please. Please, we'll get through this together."

Willow shook her head. "We won't. Not your way."

"Please, just--" I started.

"No!" Willow told us. "No more talking. It's done."

Willow turned, starting to walk away, gesturing behind her toward us, sending another bolt of purple magic flying into Buffy, Xander and me, knocking us off of our feet to the ground, walking away.

Buffy, Xander and I sat up, brushing ourselves off, looking up toward the car.

Willow was gone, leaving us with just the empty highway and the car.

Buffy, Xander and I looked around, exchanging a worried look.

       ~~~~~~     

Mom called me to tell us to meet us back at Buffy's house, so Buffy, Xander and I walked into the house.

"Mom?" I asked. "Dawn? You guys still here?"

"Why would they be here?" Buffy asked. "Why did Layla tell us to..." Xander and I gave her a look, making her remember that Tara's body was probably still right upstairs. "Oh."

I hurriedly walked upstairs toward Willow and Tara's room, seeing that Mom was trying to pull Dawn away from the door.

"Dawnie..." Mom trailed off.

Dawn shook her head, crying silently. "No. I don't... want to leave her alone."

I stopped in the doorway, looking at Tara's body, upset and devastated. "Oh, God."

Mom and Dawn looked at me in surprise.

Mom looked between us. "Dawn... Zoey... sweethearts... Come on. We need to get out of here, okay? Be strong for me, okay? We need to go downstairs."

Xander and Buffy walked in, looking at Tara in dismay.

Dawn tried to stop crying. "I don't understand."

I pulled Dawn into my arms to comfort her. "I don't understand, either."

     ~~~~~~ 

Mom had called the hospital to have two men come and take Tara's body out of the house.

Buffy, Dawn, Mom and I were sitting in the living room, while Xander was standing nearby. Buffy, Xander and I had changed out of our bloody clothes, and Mom had changed out of her uniform.

"So that's it," Xander told us.

"Are the police gone, too?" Buffy asked.

"Coming back tomorrow with more of their pretty yellow tape," Mom answered.

Xander sat on the coffee table. Both of us put our faces in our hands for a moment.

I looked up, sighing. "We need to find Willow."

"Yeah, she's off the wagon big time," Xander told us. "Warren's a dead man if she finds him."

"Good," Dawn told us bitterly.

Mom looked at her in surprise but concern. "Dawn, don't say that."

"Why not?" Dawn asked. "I'd do it myself if I could."

"Because you don't really feel that way," Mom told her.

"Yes, I do," Dawn told us. "And you should, too. He killed Tara." She looked at Buffy and me. "And he nearly killed both of you. He needs to pay."

"Out of the mouths of babes," Xander told us.

Buffy gave him a look. "Xander."

"I'm just saying, he's--he's just as bad as any vampire you've sent to dustville," Xander told us.

"Being a Slayer doesn't give me or Zoey a license to kill," Buffy told us. "Warren's human."

Dawn scoffed. "So?"

"So, the human world has its own rules for dealing with people like him," Buffy answered.

"Yeah, we all know how well those rules work," I told them sarcastically.

"Sometimes they do," Buffy told us. "Sometimes they don't. We can't control the universe. If we were supposed to... then the magic wouldn't change Willow the way it does. And... we'd be able to bring Tara back. And my mom. There are limits to what we can do. There should be. Willow doesn't want to believe that. And now she's messing with forces that want to hurt her. All of us."

"I just..." Xander trailed off, sighing. "I've had blood on my hands all day." He looked between Buffy and me. "Blood from people I love."

"I know," Buffy told us. "And now it has to stop. Warren's going to get what he deserves. I promise. But I will not let Willow destroy herself."

I nodded, sighing.

"Okay, where do we go?" Xander asked. "She could be anywhere."

I took a deep breath. "I don't know. Um... maybe the Magic Box for some kind of locating spell. I could go myself."

"No, no, I'm cool," Xander told us. "I'll go."

Dawn looked at Buffy, Xander and me. "Let me go with you. I want to."

I shook my head. "No. It's too dangerous."

"But... it's Willow," Dawn told us. "She needs us."

"She does," I agreed. "And you'll help her. Lots. Okay, but first we have to get her home in one piece."

"But--" Dawn started.

"Dawn, I'm serious," I told her. "You've been through enough for more than one... ever. You should be someplace where you feel safe." I looked at Mom. "And so do you. Can you please just stay together and stay safe?"

Mom nodded. "Fine. We can go to Spike's."

I sighed heavily. "All right. I'll get the coats."

       ~~~~~~ 

    I took Mom and Dawn to Spike's crypt, walking over to the armchair in front of the playing TV.

"Spike?" I asked.

The person in the chair gave a yelp of surprise, jumping up in a shower of popcorn/chips/junk food. It was Clem, who had been asleep. "Suffering cats." We were startled, staring. Clem put a hand on his chest. "Where did you come from?"

Mom sighed. "Oh. Clem. I--sorry, we didn't mean to startle you."

"It's, uh, it's okay," Clem told us. "You just..." He chuckled. "Snuck up on me is all."

Mom looked at the food apologetically. "We made you spill your snacks."

"Nah, don't worry about it," Clem told us, holding up his arm, indicating loose floppy skin. "Like I need any more of this." He waved at Dawn. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," Dawn told him.

"Can I get you ladies something?" Clem asked. "I was just about to mix up some Country Time."

"We're looking for Spike, actually," I told him.

"He didn't tell you?" Clem asked.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"He left... town," Clem answered.

I was surprised and conflicted to hear this. "Oh."

"He just took off?" Dawn asked.

"That's why I'm staying here for him," Clem told us. "Sweet pad like this goes empty for a few days, you'll lose it for sure. Plus, I..." He gestured to the TV that was still on. "Don't have a TV. I'm surprised he didn't tell you. He kind of left in a hurry, I guess. Sure I can't get you something? I've got Bugles, and, uh, liverwurst..."

"We're fine, thank you," Mom told him. "Um, but you could do us a favor? Do you think maybe Dawn and I could hang out here with you for a while? Zoey has some stuff that she needs to do, and, uh... she doesn't want us to be alone."

Dawn looked at me. "I still don't see why we just can't--"

"Dawn," Mom told her. "We've been through this." She looked at Clem. "What do you think?"

"No problem," Clem answered. "I'd love the company." She looked between Dawn and Mom. "Do you like Parcheesi?"

Dawn was trying to be nice. "Sure."

"Or, we could rent videos," Clem told us. "I've been dying to see 'The Wedding Planner'."

"Either way," Dawn told him. "I'm good."

"Oh, and here," Clem told us, indicating the chair, looking at Mom. "You can have the comfy chair, Layla."

Mom smiled a small smile despite herself.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," I told them, giving both Mom and Dawn a hug. "I promise."

"Okay," Dawn told me.

I looked at Clem. "Thank you." Clem nodded. I started for the door, pausing, turning back. "Did he say when he'd be back?"

"Spike?" Clem asked. "No. Only that he could be gone a while."

     ~~~~~~   

I walked into the Magic Box, seeing that Buffy and Xander were tending to a recovering Anya from an attack. "Is everyone okay? Did Willow--"

"Got her power boost and took off," Anya told us.

"Anya's... Anya was saying she knows where Willow is," Buffy told me.

"A spell?" I asked.

"Not exactly," Xander answered bitterly. "Seems Anya got her vengeance on again."

I looked at Anya, realizing she was a vengeance demon again, surprised, but not completely shocked considering what had happened at the wedding. "Oh."

Xander looked at Anya. "So, Willow's all wrathy. Why don't you go to her? Isn't that your gig?"

"Normally, I'd have to," Anya told us defensively. "But she doesn't want me."

"She wants to do it herself," Buffy told us.

"Yeah," Anya answered.

"Lok, Anya, we don't have much time," Buffy told her. "Which side of this are you on?"

Anya hesitated.

"If you know where she is, you can help us," I told her.

Anya stood, sighing. "I'll help. But I'm helping Willow." We accepted this, nodding. "She's close to him. He's in the woods."

Buffy, Xander and I exchanged a look.

     ~~~~~~   

Anya was leading the three of us through the woods toward where she could feel Willow with Warren.

"What's happening?" I asked. "What do you feel?"

"She's stronger now," Anya told us. "Close."

"What about Warren?" Xander asked. "Has she--"

"He's still alive," Anya told us. "She's not done."

     ~~~~~~ 

 Anya was still leading us toward them. "Over there."

We saw that Willow had Warren tied up with veins and such from trees and bushes, and that she was torturing him with the two bullets that she had pulled out of me and Buffy to save us.

"Willow!" I told her worriedly.

Willow turned to us.

Warren looked at Willow. "Oh, and when you get caught, you'll lose them, too. Your friends. You don't want that. I know you're in pain, but--"

Willow gave him an angry look. "Bored now."

Willow made a casual gesture with one hand, using a bolt of magic that ripped through Warren, tearing the skin off his body in a single piece.

We stopped walking in shock.

"Oh, my God," Xander told us.

Warren's skinless body sagged against the wines that still held him up, very icky.

Willow was just looking at him.

Buffy was revolted. "What did you do?" 

"Willow, what did you do?" I asked.

Willow looked at us, then back at the body, using magic to make it burst into flame and burn to nothing in an instant. "One down."

Smoke began to curl up around Willow's body as red fire flashed in her eyes. Lightning flashed as her whole body dissipated into smoke, disappearing from view as she teleported away.

Anya, Buffy, Xander and I were left standing there in shock and horror.