She couldn't help but smile when she thought about the witches in the coven. They were anything but stuffed shirts. They were so completely unpretentious and gentle. Not gentle in a weak way, but in a strong respectful way. They had incredible powers but only used them when they felt it was absolutely necessary, they respected the natural order of things. It reminded her of Tara who had tried to teach her that lesson on numerous occasions. She'd always thought she was being a wet blanket. At the height of her abuse of the powers she had even begun to believe that her lover was jealous that her magical abilities had exceeded hers. Now she knew that was never the case. Tara had only been concerned for her, she had known what could happen if one allowed the power to rule them. Willow wiped a tear from the corner of her eye in shame. She only hoped that wherever Tara was, she had not seen the results of her surrender to the dark magicks.

"Please don't cry sweetie. I can't stand to see you look so sad."

Willow whirled around in shock at the sound of the familiar voice. She couldn't believe her eyes. It was Tara, her Tara, standing right in front of her. She was bathed in a golden light, she looked so beautiful, angelic even. Willow just stared at her in awe, her heart pounding in her ears.

"Don't be scared. You know I'd never hurt you. I've come to help."

"T..Tara? Is it really you? Oh God baby, is it really you?" Willow had tears streaming down her face, partly from shock but mostly from the pure joy of seeing her beloved Tara again.

"It's really me, but I don't have much time. I have something very important to tell you and I must do it quickly before *she* gets home."

"Who Tara? Buffy? Do you know what's wrong with Buffy?"

"You know Willow. You've seen it yourself, you've seen it in her aura. You just don't trust yourself. That's why I came, to tell you it was okay to believe what you see… even if it's not what you want to believe. There are bad things happening Wil, terrible things. You have to wake up and face it that things aren't what they seem to be.

"Are you saying that Buffy's not herself? That can't be. Something's wrong, yeah, but it is still Buffy."

"Mr. Giles will know what to do. You have to trust him baby….trust me. If you want to help Buffy, you have to have faith. I have to go now, just remember what I said."

"No Tara! Don't go. You can't go, you can't leave me again." Willow was panicking.

"I have to. But, I'm always with you… always."

Tara faded away as she said the last word. Willow stared at the spot where she had stood in silent disbelief. It was like losing her all over again. She felt like she was literally frozen in place, her limbs unable to move, her chest too tight to breathe. Suddenly she was shocked out of her trance by the high pitched whistle of the tea kettle. She grabbed it in a rage, flinging it across the room. The kettle hit the wall sending out a spray of boiling water, burning the arm she held up to protect herself. The searing pain dissolved her rage. She crumpled to the floor crying, hugging her knees. It was there that Xander and Giles found her.

*******

"Willow. My God."

Xander rushed toward Willow, a look of panicked concern on his face.

"Your arm! What happened?"

Willows entire forearm was beginning to blister. Xander held it gingerly inspecting it.

"The teapot." Willow said quietly, gazing at where it still lay on the floor.

Xander turned to follow Willow's gaze and relaxed visibly.

"Well I guess you showed *it*." He said half jokingly.

Willow looked past Xander at Giles, who was standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a very concerned look on his face.

"Sorry Giles," Willow said. "I know this isn't a very good welcome." She managed to give him a watery smile. She knew what he was thinking. He thought she had fallen off the wagon and gotten herself hurt.

Giles quickly recovered himself and took charge of the situation.

"Xander, go get the med kit. We'll need to see to that arm."

"Sure thing," Xander said jumping up from the floor. He extended his hand to Willow, helping her up and sitting her at the kitchen table before hurrying out of the room.

Giles picked up the tea kettle, setting it back on the stove. He then yelled to Xander to also bring a towel to sop up the rest of the water that had leaked from the overturned pot.

********

Xander cleaned up the floor while Giles tended to Willow's arm, spreading burn cream over the angry looking blisters. Willow hesitantly related to them the story of her encounter with Tara. She was afraid they would think she had completely lost her mind…again.

"And you can see that her aura is off somehow?"

Giles felt his heart sink. The last of the doubt he had been desperately clinging to was starting to fade.

"Yes Giles. At first, I thought she must just be terribly sick and it was you know, messing with her. But now… after Tara… and Spike…"

"Spike?" Xander snapped.

"He has his soul back. Buffy knew it too, but she didn't tell anybody. Why would she hide that? I mean if it's really her, why wouldn't she tell us?"

Xander just stared at Willow with a puzzled look on his face. Giles took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Spike has a soul? William the Bloody? Willow are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes Giles, I'm sure. I can see it. He really does have his soul."

"So that's why captain peroxide's been extra crazy lately?"

"Yeah Xander, I guess so. It's driving him insane… I mean, just imagine all the guilt."

There was an obvious look of empathy on Willow's face as she spoke about Spike.

Giles stood up and began pacing the room.

"This is very unusual. I… I'll have to admit I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting this turn of events. Do you know how this happened?"

"No, I don't. He's kinda skiddish. Doesn't really seem to want to talk about it. I think he knows something about Buffy though. He said some weird things about there being plans or something."

Giles just continued to pace, while nervously polishing his glasses. Xander still looked puzzled.

"You guys think I'm crazy don't you. You think I'm seeing things. I mean Tara's ghost, souled Spike, abusing teapots….it all does sound kind of loony. Maybe I am …"

Giles stopped pacing and interrupted Willow's ramble.

"There's some things I need to tell you Willow. I wasn't sure if it was wise to concern you with these issues, but I think I have to."

Giles sat back down and told Willow of the prophecy he had received and his research on Shapeshifters.

"So that would explain why Buffy is so sick?" Willow said, sounding like she may be sick herself as she spoke the words.

"I'm afraid so Willow. It all does seem to add up."

"Yeah to badness," Xander added.