Title: The Devil, You Say?

Author: Alan Hitchen

Email: darkmere2000@yahoo.co.uk

Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Joss Whedon and others

Pairing: Buffy/Tara

Rating: PG-13

Information: Part of my Willow/Cordy world, so Willow did not go to college with Buffy.

"Hi, Mom, I'm home," Buffy called out as she opened the front door. There was no reply. She turned to her companion standing outside. "Come on in, Tara, there's no need to be shy."

"Are you s-sure about this, Buffy?" Tara said nervously as she crossed the threshold.

"Sure I'm sure," Buffy replied confidently, enfolding her girlfriend in a warm embrace. "Look, I love you, Mom loves me, so she's bound to love who I love, it's a mom thing."

"But that's not what h-happened with Angel, is it?"

Buffy pulled a face. "That was different, he was different. You're completely different to Angel, we've got lots more in common."

"You mean like us b-both being girls?" 

"Yes," Buffy grinned, "like us both being girls. I think Mom'll spot that straight away. It'll be all right, you'll see."

Tara produced a little smile. "I hope so," she said quietly.

"I know so," Buffy reassured. "But whatever happens, always remember, I." She kissed Tara. "Love." She kissed her again. "You."

"Ahem!"

Buffy turned to face her mother, who was standing, poker-faced, behind her. As Tara turned pink with embarrassment, Buffy launched into the speech that now seemed spectacularly redundant.

"Hi, Mom, I've got something to tell you..."

...

Buffy stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, marvelling at her mom's reaction to her news. Despite what she had said to Tara, she had expected disapproval, if not outright hostility, to the idea that Joyce Summers' daughter was gay. Joyce, however, after the initial surprise had worn off, had been happy for them both. She had gone out of her way to welcome Tara, and didn't even turn a hair when Buffy announced that they would be sharing a bed during their stay.

"Of course," Joyce had said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I must have the best mom in the whole world, and the best girlfriend, Buffy thought. She turned to look at Tara, lying fast asleep next to her. How serene she looked as the moonlight illuminated her comely features, and how proud Buffy was that she was her girlfriend. As she continued to watch, her mind wandered back to the day that Tara first revealed she had feelings for her.

Buffy was lying face down on her bed crying her eyes out when Tara entered the dorm room.

"What's w-wrong, Buffy?" she said, dropping her books on the floor and racing over to comfort her roommate.

"It's Parker... the bastard used me! He got what he wanted, carved another notch on his bedpost, then dumped me!" Buffy rolled onto her back and sat up, grabbing a tissue to dry her eyes. She glanced up into Tara's concerned face. "You knew he was no good didn't you? I saw the look in your eyes."

Tara's head dropped and a crimson flush brightened her cheeks. "Yes. I d-didn't like him from the s-start. He tried to hit on m-me as well."

Buffy's hurt began to turn to anger. "Did he? The little weasel! Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You were so happy. How could I s-say anything. You wouldn't have believed me a-anyway. Why should he w-want me when he had you?"

"Hey, don't put yourself down, you're quite a catch you know."

Tara raised her head in surprise. "Am I? I wanted to s-say something. I've wanted to say something for a l-long time. I wanted to wanted to say, don't choose him... choose me." She went bright red and dropped her head again. When the angry words of denunciation did not come as expected she sneaked a glance at Buffy from the corner of her eye.

Buffy was just sitting there with a puzzled expression on her face. "Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked gently.

"Yes, I've fallen for you, Buffy," Tara answered, then very quietly added: "I love you."

"Are you sure about this?" Buffy countered. "I meant what I said before. You're beautiful, intelligent, kind, thoughtful, and a million other nice things. If you put your mind to it you could look as sexy as a supermodel. You could have anyone you want."

Tara smiled weakly and sat down beside Buffy. "The one that I w-want is sitting next to me and is very nicely telling me no."

"I'm not saying no, but I'm not saying yes either," admitted Buffy. "It's all a bit..." She suddenly laughed out loud. "This is great! Just a moment ago I was crying over a worthless..." She reached out to take Tara's hand. "Forget about him. Someone wonderful has said she loves me. I don't know if I can give you what you want, but I'm willing to consider it. Just give me time to get used to the idea, okay?"

"Okay," said Tara, a smile spreading over her face. "We could s-start with something easy. I'll treat you to a c-coffee and we can talk about it."

Buffy smiled back. "Sounds good to me."

So it began. After some initial awkwardness, it seemed to be the most natural thing in the world for Buffy to be dating another woman. Especially one as endearing as Tara, who seemed to blossom before Buffy's eyes. The clumsy shyness and stuttering gradually disappeared (only to return at times of stress) as her self-confidence soared upward on the wings of Buffy's acceptance of her.

Buffy too drew strength from the relationship. She had never felt more comfortable with her role in life as she fell ever more deeply for the enchanting dark-blonde who showered her with affection at every opportunity.

The first kiss was amazing, soft and warm, sweet and tender, loving and giving, and it swiftly led to... Well, sex was too crude and making love was just inadequate as a description of what transpired between them next. The initial ecstasy of neophyte fumbling soon became a symphony of mutual fulfilment that blanked out reality in favour of an ocean of bliss that lapped the very shores of heaven.

At the end, when Buffy hugged Tara close and said, "I love you." She meant it as she had meant nothing else in her entire life. For Tara too, as she heard the words she had longed to hear, it was as if she had woken, like Sleeping Beauty, from a long slumber.

****

"Hi there, sleepyhead," Buffy greeted Tara as she began to stir.

Tara's eyes snapped open and looked about the unfamiliar bedroom. "I didn't dream it, did I? Your mom was okay about us?" she asked.

"More than okay." Buffy leaned over for a good morning kiss, then continued, "Yeah, she surprised me too, but if she saw only a fraction of what I see in you, then I guess she just couldn't help but like you." She giggled. "If you have this effect on my mom then pretty soon I won't be able to take you anywhere without hordes of women trying to take you away from me."

Tara laughed at the idea. "Oh, Buffy, you are so silly. You are the one, the only one, I'll ever want."

Tara kissed Buffy passionately. Buffy kissed back with equal fervour, then she had an idea. "Race you to the shower," she said, then dragged Tara out of bed and into the bathroom.

Joyce heard the sounds filtering through the bathroom door, and as she realised what they meant she blushed with a mixture of embarrassment and envy. Buffy is so lucky to have found someone to love, she thought. I wish I could. Tara is such a nice girl, and human too, a definite plus!

The girls suddenly emerged from the bathroom swathed in towels. "Hi, Mom," said Buffy, grinning like the cat that got the cream.

"Good morning, Mrs Summers," said Tara, flushing red.

"Good morning to you both," Joyce smiled. "Tara, please call me Joyce. No need to ask how you are this morning, you're both in the pink I see."

"Oh, Mom, you say the nicest things," Buffy replied while towing Tara back to the bedroom.

After a leisurely breakfast Buffy asked a question. "So, what do you want to do today, Tara?"

"It's your town, Buffy, you choose."

"Well... to be frank, Sunnydale by day isn't that exciting, but we could take a walk across the park then visit Will and Cordy."

"Oh, Buffy, we discussed this."

"What? All I want to do is show you off to my friends. To let them know how happy you've made me." Buffy's tone became serious. "At first I didn't understand what Will and Cordy saw in each other, they seemed such a mismatched pair. But I understood how happy they made each other. I envied that, but now I have that happiness for myself I want to share it. You do understand?"

Tara nodded. "It's not that I don't want to meet your friends, it's just that I still feel n-nervous about it, but if that's what you want to do, that's what we'll do."

They were walking through the park, hand in hand, when, as if by magic, a handsome, well-dressed man appeared in front of them.

"Miss Summers, Miss Maclay. How nice to meet you," he said pleasantly. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am the Devil."

Buffy relaxed her fighting stance. "Well, you've got the dramatic entrance and the English accent down pat. That might make you Hugh Grant, but it doesn't make you the Devil."

"Perhaps not, but this does." He produced a document from his pocket and handed it to Buffy. "It's a legal contract. I'm the party of the first part, the Devil, and you, Miss Maclay are the party of the third part. It is now..." He paused to glance at his watch. "...noon, and as of this time on this date you are now my property."

Buffy looked from the document to Tara and back again in total confusion.

"You see," the Devil continued to address Tara, "it's all there in black and white, except for your parents's signatures written in their own blood as is customary. As parties of the second part they signed away your soul in return for certain - favours - and payment has now come due. So, if you'd like to come with me, an eternity of damnation awaits."

He reached out and touched Tara, and in an instant they were both gone. For a moment Buffy stood rooted to the spot, shocked into impotent silence. Then she was off and running, heading straight for the nearest source of help.

"You've got to send me to hell!" Buffy frantically implored her friend.

"Why?" countered a baffled Willow.

"The Devil has Tara," Buffy explained, shoving the contract into Willow's hands. Willow quickly scanned the document, eyes widening in horror as she did so. "Now do you understand?" she asked.

"Yes, but..."

"No buts, you send me to hell and you do it now!"

"Buffy! I can send you to hell all right, but I can't bring you back!"

"That's okay, I'll find my own way out."

"But what if you can't? You'll be trapped there for eternity!"

Buffy shrugged. "It's a small price to pay if I can be with the one I love."

"The one you love - Tara? Why didn't you say? I'm your best friend."

"I know, Will. I was bringing Tara here to meet you when it happened. It was going to be a surprise. Some surprise, huh!"

"Yeah, some surprise. What about Giles? He might have a retrieval spell we could use to bring Tara back."

"No time for that. Look, send me to hell, then contact Giles and see if he can help."

"Okay, okay, I'll do it, but take this will you." Willow went to an ornate wooden box and removed a necklace decorated with deep-blue beads of linarite and placed it around Buffy's neck.

"Thanks, Will, but this is no time for presents."

Willow ignored the comment and put an identical necklace around her own neck.

"This will act as a psychic cord," she explained. "As long as you wear it I will be able to feel you emotionally, so I will be able to know you are all right. You can use it to guide yourself to where Giles and I will open an exit point... if we can!"

"Okay, thanks," said Buffy, who was now close to tears. "Willow, if I don't make it back, I want you to know I'm a better person for having known you, and that you're the best friend that anyone could ever have."

"Oh stop it, you're making me cry," Willow replied, impulsively hugging her friend. "That goes for me too, by the way, but just get back safely, that's all I ask."

"I'll give it my best shot," Buffy promised with a watery smile. "Now, let's do it!" she said with renewed determination. Willow set about casting the spell.

****

As Willow completed the incantation there was a flash and Buffy found herself to be somewhere else. She couldn't tell where as it was pitch-black. She began to explore the darkness with outstretched arms as she shouted Tara's name. Suddenly two vertical shafts of light illuminated both herself and the dapper man from the park.

"Miss Summers, how nice of you to call. I was hoping you would drop in."

"Where's Tara?!" Buffy demanded angrily. Another shaft of light illuminated Tara. She didn't move towards Buffy, she just gestured feebly and said, "You shouldn't have come," before hanging her head in shame.

"I disagree," the man interjected. "I get so few visitors these days."

"Okay, cut the small talk," Buffy snapped impatiently. "What's going on?"

"Really, Miss Summers, I would have thought it was blindingly obvious. You are the most successful Slayer there has ever been. As a result, the forces of darkness have been most displeased and have called upon me to intervene directly. Now, strictly speaking, I'm not supposed to do this, and at first I was at a loss, but then I became aware of your relationship with Miss Maclay and the way to trap you was made clear to me. Yes, the contract was false, but Miss Maclay believed it, so did not resist me, and you believed it, so came to rescue her. You had to come of your own free will, you see?"

"No, but I'm here now, what do you want from me to let Tara go?"

"Nothing at all. Miss Maclay is free to go at any time. You, sadly, cannot, but don't worry, you will be my honoured guest, from now - until the day you die."

"Can I talk to Tara? To say goodbye."

"Of course, take as long as you want. Just call me when you're ready."

Then the Devil was gone and Buffy was with Tara in her beam of light. At first they didn't speak, just held each other tight.

"Are you all right?" Buffy asked Tara.

"Yes, I'm f-fine," Tara replied, her face etched with regret. "I'm s-sorry I got you into this."

"Don't be, it's not your fault. You know I'd lasso the moon for you, so a trip to hell is nothing at all."

Tara began to weep. "I never wanted the moon, only you."

"Hey, no tears now, I came to get you out, and get you out I will. See this?" Buffy flipped out her necklace. "With this I can feel Willow. She's very anxious, but hopeful she can pull us out of this place. I guess she's got Giles to help her by now. All we have to do is follow this home."

"Try stepping out of the l-light," Tara suggested. Buffy found she couldn't. "You can only move freely in the d-dark, and in the dark you don't want to move," Tara said with a note of stark terror in her voice.

"Okay, this is a magical light, you've got magical powers. Tara, can't you put it out?" Buffy asked, eager to press on before Tara's evident fear paralysed her.

"I'll try," Tara replied uncertainly. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She mumbled a spell, reached up, and clenched her fist as if she was crushing a light bulb. The light went out.

"Good girl!" Buffy exclaimed. "Now, I'd best have both hands free, so grab a hold of my waistband and follow me out." 

Together they stumbled through the cloying darkness as Buffy followed the thread of Willow's feelings as they got stronger and stronger. Until, after what seemed like hours, Buffy came to a sudden halt.

"There!" she cried in triumph. In front of her she could just make out a pinprick of light that indicated the exit point that Willow and Giles was trying to open for them. The hole slowly increased in size until it was just large enough for one person to crawl through. Just then the Devil appeared.

"Leaving so soon? I wouldn't hear of it! To abuse your host's hospitality this way is most upsetting. I insist you both stay - forever!"

Buffy acted swiftly, grabbing Tara bodily and throwing her through the aperture before the Devil could act against her.

"Bravo!" The man applauded. "No matter, it's you I want and it's you I have!" he said, as a beam of light held Buffy fast.

Tara appeared in the centre of the pentagram at Willow's house. "You need more power," she said breathlessly, before joining the circle and matching the rhythmic chanting of Willow, Giles, and Cordelia.

Buffy found herself being dragged backwards toward the opening as the magical forces increased exponentially.

"Oh no you don't!" cried the Devil. He grabbed Buffy's wrists in a vice-like grip as she was drawn inexorably from the confines of his beam of light, but already her feet had left the ground as she slowly moved towards the growing circle of light.

"No! No!" the Devil screamed as his hands began to blister and burn from the power that was now enveloping Buffy's body. He had to let go, and Buffy vanished through the aperture that snapped shut behind her with a deafening bang.

Buffy immediately threw herself into Tara's welcoming arms and kissed her fervently for several minutes until a polite cough from Giles reminded her that they were not alone.

Disentangling herself from Tara she turned her girlfriend to face her friends.

"Giles, Willow, Cordelia, I'd like you to meet Tara. A girl for whom I've just been to hell and back, but who makes everywhere seem like heaven."

Tara blushed. Buffy smiled. Her three friends moved to greet Tara, and all was well, wasn't it?

"Enjoy it while you can, Miss Summers, enjoy it while you can," said the Devil. "We'll meet again. Count on it!"