Title: Repercussions: Why? 2/7
Author: Jadedragon
Email: blm55@bellsouth.net
Spoiler: Grave
Disclaimer: Not mine, Buffy and company belong to Josh, Mutant Enemy and the WB and UPN
Rating: PG 13
Summary: Sequel to Repercussions. How was Willow able to draw all that power into herself?
Thanks: Aleta thanks for checking my time between London and Sunnydale. You rock, Girl!

Willow looked at the woman who stood before them after they exited the portal. She reminded her a little of Tara, same hair style, but the color was a little lighter, and the same body type, but there the resemblance ended. She was dressed in a long flowing robe of hunter green with a pendant matching the one around Willow's neck. The woman had a very serious expression on her face and moved toward Willow and Giles.

"Willow Rosenberg?" she asked in a somber voice.

"Yes," Willow responded.

"On behalf of the Coven of Devon, I place you under my protection until such time as your punishment is determined. You will stay in this house unless my brother or myself accompany you. Is this understood?"

"I understand," Willow replied is a scared, small voice.

"Ethan will show you and Rupert to your rooms. Rupert will be leaving after he meets with the coven and you will only have contact with coven members after that time. You will be able to speak with Rupert and your friends, but only through a coven member. I will explain more about your situation tomorrow. Now, both you and Rupert need rest." The woman finished as she walked to Willow, putting her hand on the young woman's shoulder, and in a softer, more conversational tone of voice she continued. "I am truly sorry for your loss. I know what it's like to lose a life partner. Renee, my partner was killed in an automobile accident three years ago, and I still miss her," with that Brianna left the room and Willow turned to see Ethan Rayne helping Giles to stand.

"E-ethan Rayne? What is he doing here?" Willow asked Giles.

"Ethan is Brianna's brother. Willow, I will explain all of this to you before I leave tomorrow. At the moment, I need to rest before I collapse. You can trust Ethan," Giles assured the startled witch, as Ethan started helping him toward the door.

"Come along now, I have to get Rupert to bed before I have to peel him off the floor." Ethan directed Willow through the doorway and up the stairs to a hallway. She helped him get Giles into a room where Ethan laid the exhausted Watcher down on the bed before turning to Willow.

"Willow, what you have done is staggering. I knew that you had power, but never dreamed that you had that much. Your room is next door." He told her as he led her through the connecting doorway. A nightgown had been laid out for her on the bed, which had the covers pulled down. "Bri didn't know that you would already be in your pajamas and left a gown for you. If you'll write down your sizes, Bri or one of the other female coven members will get you some clothes and whatever else you need tomorrow," he told her as he pointed to a pad and pencil sitting on the nightstand.

"Can't I have some of my things sent to me?" She asked.

"No, everything you need will be supplied by us. That way there is no chance that you could sneak in a spell or something," he explained.

"Who should I give this pendant to?" she asked as she reached to take off the pendant that Giles had placed around her neck.

Ethan stopped her before she could remove it. "You mustn't take off the pendant even when you sleep or bathe. It's your only protection. I'm sure Rupert told you that there're some who feel that you should be killed?"

"He said something about that," she confirmed in a scared voice.

"That pendant, plus the spells that have been placed on you, signifies that your power has been nullified and you submit to the judgment of the Court. If for any reason you remove it before judgment is passed, it says that you no longer submit to the Court and the protection of the Court and this coven will be at an end. At that point, anyone can rightfully judge you and sentence you themselves."

"What?"

"Willow, you came very close to destroying the entire world. Many very powerful mages, sorcerers and witches now have to decide how best to handle this situation. Most would prefer that you remain alive, but drained of all power, others just want you dead, while still others would use you to draw the dark magicks and use you as a conduit. Which of these options would your prefer?" Ethan paused as she thought about what he had told her. "Willow, go to bed. I'll see to Rupert and we'll get together in the morning to discuss what will be taking place over the next several months," Ethan told her as he exited through the door to Giles' room.

Willow heard the key turn in the lock and realized that she was locked in. She crawled into the middle of the bed and the tears she had held back since she had arrived finally started falling. She cried until she fell asleep.

**********

Giles was sitting up as Ethan reentered the room, locking the door behind him.

"How is she?" Giles asked in a very weary voice.

"She's alive. Rupert what happened to her?"

"I don't know the whole story, but when she brought Buffy back from the grave. I think that the dark magick changed her and started to draw magick to her. She tried to quit, but Tara's death pushed her over the edge."

"Way over, I'd say. Now, I'm going to tell you like I told Willow, get to bed."

"I need to talk to Bri," he started.

"Rupert, if you tried to walk, I would be peeling you off the floor. You're completely knackered. We'll all talk tomorrow. Bri won't make let you leave until you've had a chance to talk with Willow; you know that. Now, when was the last time you've eaten?"

"Ethan, I really don't remember."

"Just as I thought. Get ready for bed and I'll bring you something to tide you over until breakfast." Ethan told his friend.

Ethan was back in ten minutes with a sandwich and a glass of milk, which he sat on the night table beside Giles' bed. The Watcher was sound asleep and Ethan was not going to wake him up. He had been glad to see his friend walk through the portal with Willow. He hadn't wanted to think about trying to forcefully bring her back to England, especially if she had been able to draw some of the power back that she had control of. He was also thankful that he hadn't lost a friend, and Rupert was that, even though theirs hadn't always been a smooth friendship.

Ethan went back to the drawing room where the portal had terminated and had a glass of port while he waited for Brianna, who was meeting with several coven leaders from other parts of England. Over the next several weeks, she would be contacting covens all over the world, choosing representatives to convene a Court of Magick to decide how best to handle the explosive situation which had begun in Sunnydale, with a single miss placed gunshot.

He had never met Tara, but Willow must have loved her very profoundly to go so deeply into vengeance that she bypassed a very powerful vengeance demon. Ethan thought back to Renee's death and how Brianna had been affected. He thought that he would lose his sister at the time; her grief had been so painful. It had taken a long time before Bri had begun to live a semi normal life again. He knew that the grief was still there, but now she could manage it. She had even dated a couple of times in the last few months. He hoped she would find someone; it was lonely to be alone. Ethan knew just how lonely, but the man he loved, loved another.

********** Buffy, Xander, Dawn and Anya stood in the ruins of the Magic Box.

The Police had just left with the report of an explosion in their hands. The Scoobies had told the police that a box of old grenades had been found in the basement and before they could call to have them removed they had exploded. The story was accepted along with the evidence that they had managed to manufacture, Xander's memory of being Army Guy coming in handy. The insurance adjustor was still looking over the damage while they started the clean up.

As they gathered the books that had been wiped clean by Willow, they noticed that the spells had returned to them. They assumed that when the magick was drained from her by Xander's love, it had returned from where it had been taken from. They rescued everything that was salvageable, storing it in the back room, which had less damage. It would be a long time before Buffy could train there again.

As they cleaned, Buffy realized that Dawn was stronger than normal. She was moving items that Xander had trouble even lifting. < I really need to tell Giles what is happening with Dawn. I hope he calls soon! > Buffy tried to draw everyone's attention away from her sister until she could discuss the situation with her Watcher. It would take a several days for them to go through the remains of the shop and retrieve all that could be recovered.

Anya was a watchdog, not wanting to dispose of anything that she thought she could sell. She was almost in tears when she saw how many items and books were destroyed, < no way to save them. > Xander had tried to put all the slug-scented candles in the pile, but Anya had retrieved them. The demon was very concerned about the loss of revenue while they rebuilt and restocked the store and was not going to allow any item she could sell to be thrown out. She already had plans for a Reopening-Explosion Sale.

They all worked hard, not wanting to think about what Willow was going through in England. They had not heard from Giles or Willow and didn't know what was happening.

**********

When Willow awoke the next morning, Brianna was sitting at her bedside.

"How did you sleep?" Brianna asked Willow in a conversational tone, as Willow sat up in bed.

"Ok, I guess."

"Willow, we have started researching how this came to happen. It will be several days before we can take any sort of action. We need to know why this happened." Brianna started, not giving Willow a chance to get awake.

"Tara was shot and I went crazy!" Willow told her in a painful voice.

"No. Tara's death was a catalyst, not the cause. Normally no mortal woman can draw magick from another, but you drew power from Osiris' messenger, a demi-god. No mortal can do that without demonic help." Brianna told her with a serious expression on her face.

"I don't know any demons! Well Anya is now a vengeance demon, again, and I don't know what kind of demon Clem is, but I wasn't working with any demon!" Willow rambled.

"Willow, it's ok. I'm not accusing, just stating fact. Anyanka, even though she is a very powerful vengeance demon, would never be capable of the type of magicks that it would take to enable a human to draw power as you did. And as to Clem, he is a very low level demon with less power than Anyanka. Neither of them is responsible for what happened. I need you to tell me about any strong magicks that you have used since you became aware of your powers. We, the coven and members of other covens here in England feel that the answer to this quandary lie in the past, either someone wanting revenge or wanting you to accomplish what they were not able to do, or getting back at someone using you as a pawn. Until we know more about your magick use over the years, we will not be able to determine which. I'll be discussing this with you in more detail later as will other members of the coven."

"How do you know about Anya and Clem?" < Is she reading my mind? >

"I'm the seer for the coven. When I know what to look for, I can see into the past as well as into the future. When you mentioned them, I saw who you were speaking of and knew that they were not responsible for what happened." She explained.

"Why did Ethan lock me in last night?

"Willow, in many ways, for your protection, but also for ours. I know that Ethan explained the circumstances of your being here and you are under `house arrest' as it were. We'll do everything possible to make you comfortable, but there will be times, when that will not feasible. Removing your powers will be extremely painful, I won't lie to you, but it has to be done if you want to have a chance to continue living. If you resist, you will just make it harder and more painful on yourself. I didn't plan on getting into a discussion this early. I have a robe you can wear until we can get you some clothes. Why don't you get a bath and then join me in the dining room for breakfast?" Brianna asked her `guest'.

"Where are the bathroom and the dining room?" Willow asked.

"The bath is just down the hall, on the left. The dining room is to the right at the bottom of the staircase that Ethan brought you up last night."

"Will Giles be eating with us?"

"No…"

"Has he gone already?" she quickly asked in a frighten voice. < Giles, don't leave me here! >

"No, he would never leave without first speaking with you. Willow, he's still asleep and probably will be for the next 36 to 48 hours. He was totally depleted by the confrontation with your dark side and by the binding magicks he and Anya used, besides the further drain from the portal when you came here. Rupert is a strong man, but even he has his limits."

"Will he be alright?" Willow asked, fear in her voice.

"I dare say that Ripper will be fine, once he recharges his batteries," Ethan told her as he entered the room. "Bri, I was worried, you said you would just be a minute and the muffins are getting cold, and you know how much you like Ellen's cinnamon sugar muffins while they're still hot!" he teased his sister.

"I was just on my way, Ethan. Willow, join us as soon as you get dressed," Brianna told her as she left the room with her brother.

After they left, Willow got up, took the robe, which looked to her like a tunic with an under dress from the Middle Ages, and went in search of the bathroom. She discovered a large room with an enormous old-fashioned tub with ball and claw feet. The fixtures were shiny brass as were the towel racks. The room was done in cream with pink and mint accents, <Definitely a woman's bathroom! >. As she ran a hot bath, she searched the cupboards and found towels, soap and shampoo. Soon she was cleaned up and dressed in the clothes that had been given to her. She had not removed the pendant, but had kept it on while she bathed. When she went back to her room to leave Xander's pajamas, she didn't want to think about, < Okay, how did I get into Xander's pajamas? Embarrassing visual here… >, she found that someone had already made her bed. She placed the pajamas on a chair and made her way downstairs to breakfast.

Willow hadn't realized just how hungry she was until she started eating; she finished one plateful only to get another before she was full. Never had she eaten so much at one time. After she finished, Brianna and Ethan took her back to the room where she and Giles had come out of the portal.

"Willow, this is Ellen," Brianna told her as she introduced an older woman dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. "She will be joining our discussion this morning and will later go over the list of your needs. If you need anything and Ethan and I are unavailable, go to her." Brianna instructed. "Now I need you to tell us about your magic use, especially any strong magicks that you used."

"Well, the strongest spell that I ever used was the one to bring Buffy back from the dead. I thought that she was trapped in hell and we used an Urn of Osiris in the spell to bring her back."

"That was last fall, correct?" Ethan asked her.

"Yes, in September, just after Giles had left the first time to come back to England."

"It's further back, what other spells have you used?" Brianna asked her in voice that sounded like she was in a trance.

"Well, when Oz left, I cast a spell for my will to be done and caused so much pain to my friends that D'Hoffyrn asked me to be a vengeance demon."

"When was that?" Ethan asked her.

"Toward the end of my first semester in college," she replied.

"Not that either, continue," Brianna informed her.

"Giles, Xander and I cast a spell combining our energies and powers with Buffy's to defeat Adam at the end of our freshman year in college."

"It's not that either, continue," Brianna again told her, utilizing her powers with each revelation of Willow's power usage to scan the incidents for evidence of demons casting spells or in any other way using Willow.

"I can't think of any more…wait, I gave Angel his soul back. That was the first time I ever used any really powerful magick."

"There's something there. What were the circumstances of giving Angel his soul back?" Brianna asked, trying to see the situation more clearly to determine if there was a demon somewhere that had used Willow for his own means.

"Angel had lost his soul when he made love to Buffy and became Angelus. He was trying to kill all of us until Buffy sent him to hell."

"Sent him to hell? How did she do that?" Bri's senses were burning; this was where it had happened.

"He was trying to release Acathla, Angelus had removed the sword and a vortex had opened to swallow the world. To close it Buffy had to stab Angelus with the sword. We had found the spell to give Angel his soul back and I cast it, but not in time to prevent him from opening the portal."

"And Buffy had to stab the man she loved and send him to hell to stop the vortex." Ethan stated.

"Yes." Willow confirmed.

"Willow that is all for now." Brianna told her. "Please go back to your room and finish the list of what you need. Ellen will be up shortly to go over it with you."

"But.."

"Willow that will be all for now. Please go to your room," Brianna dismissed her in a harsh tone of voice.

Willow turned and left the room going upstairs to make out the list as she had been told. <What did I say to upset her so much? >

**********

"It's worse than we thought." Brianna turned to Ellen and Ethan after Willow had left the room. "When Angelus released Acathla, the spirit of the demon was pulled into the vortex, where he found another body to inhabit. Once he was in that body, he placed a curse on Willow. The curse was one which caused magick to be drawn to her with each use, the more powerful the magick the stronger the pull. Each time Willow did dark magick the pull was further magnified, pulling her deeper into the darker magicks. He wanted Willow to end the world since it was her magick, which had stopped him from accomplishing his task. The body he inhabited and still inhabits is one of the other two Hell Gods that ruled with Glorificus."

"Shit!" Ethan exclaimed.

"My sentiments exactly, brother. I need you to awaken Rupert. I feel that we'll need the Key's energy for further protection, and her sister won't let her come without her. Ellen, would you prepare another suite for Buffy and Dawn?"

"I'll be glad to. Should I tell Willow her friends are coming?"

"Not just yet, place them in the opposite wing, for now. We'll talk to Rupert, Buffy and Dawn first before we decide whether or not to let Willow know that they're here."

Ellen and Ethan left to accomplish their tasks as quickly as possible. Knowing that a Hell God was behind what was happening to Willow changed the whole situation. Knowing that Willow had not willingly participated was in her favor, but she still had abused her power and would still have to face the judgment of the Court.

**********

Giles vaguely heard someone knocking, but he was too exhausted to move, much less let someone in. He heard his name called several times before he could open his eyes and saw Ethan standing over him, an apprehensive expression on his face.

"Rupert, you must wake up. Brianna and I must speak with you immediately."

The expression on Ethan's face did more to wake him than his statement. Giles slowly sat up in the bed, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand. He still felt tired and realized that he hadn't had enough sleep so something must have happened.

"Is Willow all right?" he asked in fear.

"She's fine, for the moment. We discovered how she was able to drain all that power; a curse has been placed on her. We need you to call Buffy and get her and Dawn join us here. We need to use the Key's energy to strengthen the protection spells." Ethan quickly told him.

Giles looked at his old friend, "Why do you need Dawn?"

"We'll explain downstairs as soon as you get dressed and join us." Ethan told him as he left the room.

Giles slowly got up and made his way to the bathroom. He quickly bathed, shaved and got dressed and was downstairs within twenty minutes. His breakfast was waiting for him as he entered the dining room, along with a large pot of black coffee. Bri and Ethan were sitting on either side of the head of the table where his breakfast waited for him. As he ate, Bri updated him on her discoveries of the origin of Willow's ability to draw power from others. Once he understood the enormity of the situation, he quickly agreed to call Buffy. They decided that Brianna would teleport to Sunnydale and return with Buffy and Dawn. Giles looked at the clock, it was 10:45 am. It would be 2:45 am, in Sunnydale. He hoped that Buffy was home from her patrol.

**********

Buffy was just getting out of the shower when the phone starting ringing. She rushed to catch it before it woke Dawn.

"Hello?" she answered eagerly, hoping if it might be Giles.

"Buffy, I hope I didn't wake you?" he began.

"No, I was just getting out of the shower. Major vamp slayage tonight. What's up? Is Willow okay?"

"That's why I'm calling you. I need you and Dawn to come to England to help with some of the spells that have to be cast," he explained to his Slayer.

"I can't cast any spells and Dawn is too young to get into anything like that! Giles what's going on?"

"Buffy, do you trust me?" Giles asked.

"With my life," Buffy responded, < with my love, if you would accept it. >

"I can' really discuss it on the phone. We need you and Dawn. Brianna, the woman you saw in the vortex, will be teleporting to your home to bring you and Dawn here. Pack what you'll need for a couple of weeks, and let Xander and Anya know where you've gone. Brianna will be there in about thirty minutes. Will that be enough time for you to pack?"

"I'll make it enough time," she assured her Watcher.

"I'll see you then," he told her as he hung up the phone. "Brianna, she's expecting you."

"Rupert, thank you. Can you give me the reference points to get to her home?"

"Gladly," he replied, as she placed her hands to his temples to find the information she needed to teleport to a place she had never been.

**********

Buffy went immediately to Dawn and woke her up. She quickly explained about Giles' phone call and told her to pack as fast as she could. Buffy left Dawn packing and returned to her room to start gathering what she would need as she called Xander. He picked up on the first ring, surprising her. She quickly told him what had happened and asked him to keep an eye on her home and take the mail in, etc. while she and Dawn were away. Xander told her to be careful and to tell Giles that he would be starting on the rebuilding of the Magic Box within the week. Once Xander hung up, she quickly finished packing and took her duffel bag downstairs. Dawn joined her there a few minutes later, her own duffel bag packed. They had been downstairs, sitting in the living room for only a minute or two when a woman appeared before them. She did resemble Tara, a little bit, Buffy thought, but she was much older than Tara.

"I'm Brianna, I've come to take you to Rupert," was all she said as she took their hands. Buffy and Dawn had thrown their duffle bags over their shoulders, and followed the woman into the vortex which opened up before them. They saw Giles standing at the end of the tunnel, someone standing beside him, but they couldn't make out who it was.

As soon as she stepped out of the vortex Buffy recognized the man standing beside her Watcher.

"What the hell is Ethan Rayne doing here?" Buffy demanded. < If he has hurt Giles or Willow, I'll kill him this time! >

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