"Demon....the demon...."
"Oz, mix culla root and two parts Xrazeya tears with the sulfur powder. Riley boil me some water."
Xander and Wesley worked in perfect unison. While the ex-watcher chanted a healing spell, Xander gently probed around the edges of Tara's mind. He was looking for traps and trying to determine the level of psychological trauma at the same time. He sensed a small flaring of magic, but a quick check told him it was Giles using a spell to make the water boil almost instantly. Oz brought him a mug, and he began trying to get the foul smelling purple liquid into the young witch. Finally, when she'd swallowed about half the potion, he felt her heart slow and her pulse steady. A quick look at Angel and Giles told him that he and his family weren't the only ones who realized how close to death Tara really had been.
"Tara? Can you tell us what happened?"
"I...can't remember." Xander was going to call her on the lie, but her eyes flicked to Willow and back to him. It was like being gut punched by a Buick going sixty. He'd known. Hell, he'd come to terms with the fact already. He'd thought he had. But it hurt so bad to know that Willow was responsible for this. She had called the demon. She had trapped it here. She had tried to kill Tara.
"It's alright. Let's get you to bed. Cordy, Riley." The rest watched in silence while they helped Tara to the bedroom Xander and Spike shared. The sorcerer locked eyes with Angel and then glanced at Buffy. A slight nod was his answer. It was enough. He went to his room, there were wards to be set.
With the door locked and a layer of magic between the room and the rest of the house, Xander sat beside Tara and waited. The witch was still and quiet, but her eyes were open and tears washed pale streaks on her dirty face. Cordy leaned against the sill and stared out the window. Riley leaned against the door and closed his eyes. They both knew what they were about to hear.
"Tara, I need you to tell me." Xander kept his voice gentle and low, but it still seemed to echo in the silence.
"I caught her...she called the d.d.d.demon, she trapped it here. I've been so t.tired lately....it was draining me...s.she was draining me to f.feed it...and her own power. I walked in on her performing the ritual...she...it was like she wasn't human. I....her eyes...and she d.d.dragged me to it....but it didn't....it said I could live if I helped it escape...it said I had to...that she has to...d.die."
"Who is she?"
"I...I can't..."
"You have to say it Tara. You have to."
"....willow..." Cordy sat on the other side of the bed and held the shaking blonde while sobs crashed through her. Xander lowered his own head and let his tears come. His friend was gone...and now there was no way to save her. Willow had to die...and he had to make sure of it. Riley's hand was warm and heavy, and Xander allowed himself to be hugged...just for a moment.
Pulling away from Riley and standing up, was hard. Facing what was outside the door was harder. But it had to be done, and there was no one else to do it. Squaring his shoulders, he looked at Riley and Cordy sitting on the bed trying to comfort Tara.
"You two stay here. Don't leave this room. If Buffy or Willow try to get in here, the three of you get in the closet and lock the door from the inside. It's covered in magic....enough that no one can get in once the door is locked from the inside. Protect her."
As soon as he stepped out of the room he heard the arguing. Standing in the kitchen doorway he watched Buffy try to get past Spike and Angel while Willow tried to dodge Wes and Giles. Doyle and Oz were standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the backdoor. Anything trying to get through there wouldn't find it a pleasant experience. Willow's words took a moment to filter through to him, when they did his stomach clenched...it was time.
"She's the demon. That's not Tara. We have to kill her....kill her!!"
"She's not the demon Wils."
"Shut up Xander!! Willow says she is then she must be. She's the magic expert and I'm the Slayer. Now stop being an idiot and tell Spike to move."
"Tara's not the demon Buffy...Willow is."
"NOOOO!!!" Xander's words got the reaction he was hoping for. Willow panicked. If she'd calmly denied Buffy would have believed her. Instead she ran. The red head barreled past Oz and Doyle, she was in the courtyard and headed for one of the walls when Buffy caught her.
"I don't believe it! Xander was right!!" Again, Willow might have gotten out of it, but instead of telling Buffy it wasn't true...she attacked. Angel locked eyes with Xander. The vampire understood. They were dealing with an insane witch and an out of control Slayer. The most efficient way to handle it was to set them on each other and deal with whoever was left standing in the end. For a moment, Xander thought Angel might try to interfere. Buffy hadn't really done anything yet, and Angel hadn't seen inside her mind. He didn't know that she meant to kill Doyle and Riley to get Angel back.
"Buffy, don't look her in the eye...you can't fight if you look her in the eye." Then again, maybe he did know. As long as Buffy was lost in the fight, she wouldn't even realize it was Willow she was fighting. Slayer instincts could be very useful.