Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's Scorned Lover Challenge (details below).

The Scorned Lover Challenge (A massive throwback)

After Xander leaves Anya at the alter and Tara finds out that Willow has spelled her, the two become unlikely friends... between Anya's former vengeance demon status, and Tara's magical abilities, the two scorned lovers attract a ghost who also mourns the man she lost: Darla. Dru, still stinging over losing Spike to Buffy, casts a spell to try to bring Grandmummy back to life, resulting in all four scorned women: Tara, Anya, Dru, and Darla, being turned into small children.

Requirements:

- Each of the children must, as children, want to seek out the lover who scorned them...ie, little Tara must like being with Willow, little Anya must bond with Xander, Darla with Angel, and Dru with Spike.
- The four little girls forming a 'club.'
- A little cat fight.
- Someone kicking an adult in the shin.

Bonus:

- Little Tara developing telepathy.
- Tara talking about her mommy and daddy.
- Tara and Dru bonding.
- Darla being overprotective of Tara.
- Anya teaching the others about sex.
- Anya having a little 'boyfriend.'
- Anya and Darla fighting.
- Darla bossing adult Buffy around.
- Dru still having her visions.
- Darla still having super strength
- Little Anya being able to grant wishes.

Author's Note: To rcaqua- Anya didn't need to say anything out loud. She wasn't granting her own wish. There are two requirements for the scorned women to change back - to be able to forgive the person who had 'scorned' them and to actually want to go back to their original states. Although Tara said out loud that she forgave Willow, that wasn't essential.Anya was already starting to want to be an adult again and when the idea that Xander had suffered enough and she should forgive him crossed her mind, even for a moment, it fulfilled the second requirement.

Chapter Thirteen

Two days later.

"I'vegot to ask, Tara." It had taken every ounce of self-control Xander possessed not to ask this before now, but he felt as if he was going to burst if he didn't know. "The mind-reading thing - you haven't been able to do it all along, have you?"

Taking pity on him, Tara shook her head. "No. I used to be able to when I was little, but. . ." She trailed off, remembering how frightened she had been of her ability and it's origins, despite her mother's reassurances, how determinedly she had suppressed it, thinking that if she could just get that to go away, the dismal future as a demon her father predicted could be averted. "I stopped."

"It could prove a very useful gift if you can learn to reharness your abilities." Giles suggested eagerly. "Perhaps we could revive your telepathic abilities."

"Maybe." The young woman's tone was decidely non-committal.

"So what's happening with the Darla and Dru?" Angel asked, wanting everything to be cleared up before he returned to Los Angeles. "I know we're not going to try to change them back and Tara said she'd take care of Darla - are you sure you want. . ."

"I'm sure." Tara cut him off.

"Drusilla's staying with me." Anya announced proudly. "I can teach her about capitalism and the joys of commerce and all about sex. . ."

"Maybe you should wait until she's a little older." Giles suggested delicately.

"You're never too young to learn about capitalism." Her response was disnissive.

"So it's settled? Completely?"

"Yes." Anya confirmed. "Unless Spike would rather take care of Dru. . ."

"She's all yours!"

Despite her small stature, Darla could be intimidating when she wanted to be, as Willow was finding out.

The five year old had cornered her in the dining room and commanded her, in no uncertain terms, to sit.

"Are you going to try to get Tara to like you again?"

"What?" Poor Willow was taken aback by the demand.

"She said that she was going to meet you and you were going to go out."

"We're just going to get something to eat, you know, and talk."

"You want to get back together, don't you?" Darla accused.

"I'd love to, but these things take time and I don't know if Tara wants to. . ."

"She does."

"Really?" Willow brightened.

"Let's get one thing straight." Darla narrowed her eyes, glowering at her. "Tara's my friend, and if you ever hurt her again, you'll answer to me."

"I won't."

"You'd better not." Darla told her sternly. Concentrating, she murmured an incantation, a glowing ball of energy appearing in her small hand. "Or I will make you regret it."

Willow, astounded by the little girl's new abilities, could only nod.

"You love my new mummy, don't you." Climbing onto Xander's lap, little Drusilla looked up at him with a solemn expression on her face.

"Yeah." Xander nodded. "She's amazing."

"I like her too." Dru told him calmly. "And she likes you."

"She does?"

"Yes." The five year old gave him a shy smile. "I like you too. You were a good Miss Edith."

"Thanks. . .I guess."

"Very pretty, Miss Edith was." She said sentimentally. "And Mummy's going to be very pretty on the special day."

"What special day?"

"The wedding day."

He had no plans to propose in the immediate future, and, although Anya had grudgingly agreed to start talking to him again, he knew that it would be a long time before either of them were ready to take that step.

Still, it was nice to know that it was possible.

"Wait." Xander was struck by a very unwelcome thought. "I'm going to be the groom, right?"

"Tara?" Willow posed the question tentatively. "When you were, you know, five, you didn't teach Darla any magic, did you?"

"No, why?"

"Because she's learned it."

"That should be interesting." Tara took the news fairly calmly. "Maybe it happened because I changed back."

"Little you's magic had to go somewhere and it ended up in Darla?"

"Maybe."

"She read me the riot act." Willow confided in a wounded tone. "I don't think she likes me."

"Don't take it personally. It sometimes takes Darla a while to get comfortable with people."

"But she likes you and Anya, she likes Angel, even Spike."

"She doesn't like Buffy."

"True." Willow smiled as she remembered the Slayer's indignation about the ceiling incident, then paled abrubtly. "Tara? If your little kid magic went to Darla, what do you think happened to little Anya's powers?"

"There, there, Miss Edith." Drusilla patted Xander's arm comfortingly. "There'll be a happily ever after."

"When?" Xander asked glumly. "And do I have to be 'Miss Edith'? Can't I be a handsome prince?" His expression was hopeful.

"The handsome Prince Edith." The five year old amended obligingly.

"Better than nothing, I suppose." He sighed. "Anya's so mad at me, I don't think she'll ever be able to look at me without remembering. I wish I knew what to say so that she'd know how sorry I am, and how much I love her."

Drusilla smiled tranquilly. "Wish granted."

"Prince Edith is talking to Mummy." Drusilla reported cheerfully.

"That's Xander, right?" Over the past few week or so, Darla had become more or less accustomed to the other child's way of speaking, but there were times when she still needed a translation. Dru nodded confirmation. "Are they going to be in love again?"

"Not yet. Soon though." Drusilla told her calmly. "Then Mummy and Prince Edith and me can live happily ever after."

"He won't be too happy if you keep calling him that." Darla looked across at the other girl, worried. "What about Tara?" Her voice was quiet. "Will she love Willow again?"

Drusilla, showing unusual perception, squeezed her friend's hand. "Don't be scared. Tara won't not love you, even if she does love her princess. Willow won't be a wicked stepmother and steal her away."

"She better not." Darla sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "I miss Tara and Anya being like us. We had lots of fun. It won't be the same now."

"No, but we can still be princesses and have lots of games and magic and tricks and treats." Drusilla beamed. "New gifts from the fairies."

"Yeah." Thinking of her new-found magical abilities, Darla grinned across at the other child. "You know what could be a lot of fun?"

"What?"

"An elephant."

Drusilla beamed. "You know what to do to make a wish come true."

THE END.

Author's Note: It's taken more than a year, but this story is finished at last. There may be a sequel at some point, when Darla and Drusilla are a year or two older.

Author's Note II: I found a great challenge by gidgetgirl that's proving very tempting, a Tara, Donny and Beth throwback set in Season Five. Would anyone be interested in reading it, or are you all sick of little Tara and of me writing throwbacks by now?