Author: Stormforce
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Don't own either series.
Oh yeah, the rating will go up and down depending on a few things. I'll rate it 'R' for language and violance, and NC-17 for the lovin'
Notes: <Anything in these are thoughts>

When they landed they found themselves on a large platform with a path leading to the top. Looking up they could just make out Vegnagun's huge shape in the distance; Buffy stepped on a floor switch and was nearly fried as electricity flew out of the low walls.

Being careful not to step on any more switches the girls hurried toward the dark shape. Jumping on to the next platform and reaching another path they saw Gippal leaning against the wall covered in blood.

"Gippal! You moron, what happened?" Buffy asked as they approached.

"You could say I got...careless." He said leaning his head back.

"Are you all right?" Tara asked handing him a Potion.

"I could use a nap, and thanks." He drank the Potion and felt the wounds heal.

"Where's Nooj?" Willow asked not seeing the other man.

"He went on ahead."

"Oh hell!" Buffy grumbled causing the others to look at her. Pointing behind them she shook her head.

"Where's my Noojie-Woojie?" Leblanc asked with Ormi and Logos behind her.

"Up ahead. Now be nice and take care of Gippal while we're gone." Willow said before turning and heading toward another platform, causing Leblanc to clench her fists.

"I don't take orders! I'll be up in a few minutes!"

"Whatever." Faith said and followed the others.

The small group jumped up and over seven more platforms before reaching a barrier, with a control panel next to it. Buffy walked over glanced at the green, red, purple, and orange buttons, before she began typing.

The orange, green, and purple buttons lit up after she typed in several codes, the red button finally lit up playing a sweet tone and deactivating the barrier. Turning she gave the others a smile and stepped over to the now safe crossing.

"I got a hunch that once we go on, there's no turning back." She said looking up at the now visible Vegnagun.

"A hunch? Faith asked staring at the giant machina

"Yeah." Buffy nodded.

"That's it?" Willow asked getting another nod.

"A hunch it is, then." Tara said and lead the way with Willow by her side, and Buffy and Faith following.

Following the path up to Vegnagun's lair they could see the giant machina moving, and looked up on a higher platform to see Nooj standing near the torso. Jumping up three more platforms, and following another path they approached Nooj and watched him turn.

"Both Vegnagun and Baralai belong to her now."

"Tsuki?" Tara asked looking at Vegnagun's head and saw Baralai with the image of Tsuki around his body playing the organ keyboard.

"I have a plan... Can't call it a smart one, though." Nooj said watching the bars light up.

"What's that?" Willow asked looking from Vegnagun to Nooj.

"She is acting through another's body. Stop that body and you stop her. I'll shoot Baralai."

"No! You can't!" Buffy shouted surprised.

"Look his body will be useless, but if we're lucky, he won't die. Tsuki will abandon Baralai, and come back for me."

"And what then?" Faith asked glaring at him.

"I will die. My body has already been rigged. I'm taking Tsuki with me."

"I don't like your plan. It sucks!" Tara said causing everyone to look at her. Willow, Buffy and Faith smiled, while Nooj looked shocked.

"Tara?" Nooj sighed

Your plan is awful. Think about it. It's no different than what we did two years ago. We destroyed our own allies. We destroyed the Aeons who had fought with us, at our sides. We didn't have a choice then. We believed it was the only way to save Spira. Do you know how it felt to watch them die? Right before my eyes? It was the only thing we could do. It was the only choice we had. And you know what: I gave in, I accepted it, and I believed. And in doing so, I allowed it to be true. I thought I'd be able to go through with it without ever doubting myself. But I... It hurts so much." Tara said and lowered her head.

"Forgive us." The voice of the Fayth was heard.

"Everyone was so happy. 'Great job, Tara. You did it. You saved us all.' But I wasn't happy, I didn't do a 'Great job', at that time, after the battle, I had lost everything. I had lost the only one I'd ever fallen in love with. I had lost the Aeons, who gave me their strength."

"We had no choice." The Fayth said again.

"I tried to smile, but I couldn't... I couldn't, not until the Fayth gave Willow back to me." Tara looked up and shook her head. "It was 'We had no choice.' Always 'We had no choice.' Those are our magic words. We repeat them to ourselves again and again. But you know... The magic never worked! The only thing we're left with is regret!"

"Tara... I'm so sorry." Mythe said sadly.

"No! I don't want that anymore. I don't want friends to die... or Willow to fade away again. I don't want battles where we have to lose in order to win." Tara said and smiled a little as she turned and wrapped her arms around Willow. "Nooj, I know you mean to do what you said... but please believe in me. I know we can win without anyone dieing."

Nooj looked from Tara to Vegnagun and back again. "Do you have a plan?" he asked as Gippal approached.

"Light?" Faith asked turning to Tara.

"Nope that's 'Plan B'. But before that, Buffy, no matter how monstrous is looks; Vegnagun is still just a machina. So we can take it apart, right?"

"Yeah... uh, maybe?"

"What gives? You never used to be the think-before-you-act type." Gippal asked getting a glare from Buffy.

"Leblanc!" Nooj shouted.

"And I never was the wait-like-a-good-girl type. Isn't that right, Noojie?" she said getting a confused stare from Nooj.

"Vegnagun can be destroyed. Wanna know why?" Gippal said grinning.

"Cause people built it!" Buffy shouted nodding.

"Right! It looks like we can stop that thing after all!" Tara said as Vegnagun growled.

"Now it's pissed!" Ormi said grabbing his shield.

"Witless little widget, isn't it?" Logos said pulling his pistols.

"What about Tsuki?" Nooj asked looking at the top of Vegnagun.

"Plan B." Willow smiled.

"Huh?"

"Love." Tara said and changed into Lenne's clothes.

"The ultimate illusion." Nooj nodded.

"Hey, it'll work. I've come this far to bring Lenne's feeling to Tsuki, and I'm not stopping now."

"The power of love conquers all! So romantic! Count me in." Leblanc sighed.

Vegnagun began to shake as a fifteen-foot long cannon emerged from its chest, and began to glow.

"It's just bluffing!" Ira's voice could be heard.

"This relic's getting rusty." Giles said

"Tara, you have your friends, you have Willow!." Mythe said.

"If we attack all at once, we can do this! We need to split up!" Tara said turning to face the group.

"Leave the tail and legs to us!" Leblanc said as she, Ormi, and Logos ran off.

"We've got the torso!" Gippal said as he, and Nooj ran forward.

"Come on! Let's get to the top, and stop Baralai... Tsuki... oh, whoever!" Buffy said and jumped on to the higher platforms with the others following.

Up at the organ Tsuki continued playing the organ making the cannon glow brighter and brighter, as she laughed.

"All of Spira is finished." She smirked as another bar lit up, and the cannon glowed brighter. Vegnagun moved forward slowly ramming into the platforms causing everyone to lose their balance.

"She's got a 'Plan B', too!" Buffy shouted and ran toward the head.

"She's panicking. Tara! End it now." Giles said

"This is it, stay focused!" Tara shouted and concentrated as Faith and Willow helped Buffy begin to pull wires from Vegnagun's head.

Turning Tsuki saw what they were doing and jumped from the organ, and cast a Flare spell. The girls were thrown back beside Tara, and slowly stood raising their weapons. A light surrounded Tara causing Tsuki to stop and stare.

"Tsuki." Tara said taking a step forward.

"Lenne?"

"There's something I must tell you. Words left unspoken for a thousand years. I love you. And I'm grateful that you stayed with me until the end."

"But I couldn't save you."

"It doesn't matter. Please don't go on grieving alone. Rest." Lenne's voice overlapped Tara's, causing Tsuki to step out of Baralai's body.

"We can finally fade together..." Tsuki trailed off and saw Tara not Lenne. You're not Lenne!" she said raising her sword.

Tara jumped back avoiding the blow and saw the sword leave a six-inch deep four-inch wide crack where she'd been standing. A Flare spell exploded next to Faith knocking her back several foot, her feet skidding across the large platform, as sparks flew from her spear blade when it scraped against the ground. Buffy threw a Winter Storm mix, before she, too, was knocked back and over the edge. The sharp jagged rock digging into her hands as she pulled herself up.

"Damn! She's powerful! She shrugged off my mix!" Buffy said as she stood.

Willow stepped in front of Tara as Tsuki attack her again, and blocked the blow that would have surely killed Tara. Tsuki jumped back, smirking -as she called upon the death energy- she'd collected over the years, and cast a Death Spell. A black portal opened up in front of Willow, as four flaming pillars shot up from the ground surrounding her. A skeletal looking figure appeared from the portal holding a scythe, and swung the weapon slicing across Willow's stomach leaving a deep deadly wound.

Willow fell to the ground unconscious as the figure, flaming pillars, and portal disappeared. Seeing this happen Faith attacked Tsuki, hoping to keep her at bay long enough for Tara or Buffy to heal Willow. Faith side flipped over a low swing from Tsuki, and brought her spear down, releasing a Demi spell-hoping the spell was powerful enough. The spell exploded sending Tsuki back and through Vegnagun's head. Willow stood after Tara had healed her wounds, and nodded to Buffy.

A serious look crossed Buffy's face as she reached into her pouch, and pulled out a vial with skull and crossbones on the label. Faith's eyes widened when she saw the vial, "Holy Shiva!" she shouted and hurried over to the group to stand beside Buffy. Willow took Tara's hand and crouched down with her back to Vegnagun and Tara in front of her, and in doing so she was protecting Tara from what was about to happen.

"Total Oblivion!" Buffy shouted throwing the vial and crouching down beside Faith. <The strongest mix I have, and it better work!>

Tsuki was just crawling out of the machina's head and saw the vial land in front of her, breaking. The explosion that followed shook the entire Farplane, and of Spira. Even with their eyes closed the girls could see the blinding red flash that lit up the area, as a howling wind began to blow large rocks through the air.

The red turned to green, then to blue, finally it turned black, as a large pale hand grabbed Tsuki. The shadow screamed as the hand squeezed -making her feel, a thousand years worth of the pain and suffering she'd caused.

Tears began to fall as she screamed, fighting against the hold on her body and went limp, as all of the death energy left her body. She had quit struggling against the giant hand, and gave up.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She whispered as the hand exploded into bright pink, white, yellow, and orange souls, before disappearing. The girls stood as Tsuki fell to her knees covering her face with her hands and sobbing.

"Tsuki?" Lenne's voice asked causing her to look up, and her eyes to go wide when Lenne stepped out of Tara's body. Willow caught Tara before she could fall, and helped her to stay standing as they watched the lovers.

"Lenne?"

"Hey there." Lenne smiled.

"A thousand years and this moment is all we get?" Tsuki asked as Lenne kneeled down and hugged her.

"This moment is all we need. I don't need anything else." Lenne said softly kissing her cheek. "I love you. Let's end this. Let's go home."

"Can we?"

Lenne nodded. "That was all a thousand years ago. We've come too far to look back now. Rest with me. I have a new song for you." Lenne said and kissed Tsuki again, before standing to look at Willow, and then Tara. "Thank you." She smiled and disappeared.

Willow picked Tara up and carried her down the platforms and paths back into the Farplane, to wait for the others to finish with Vegnagun. She smiled and kissed Tara, only to jump when she heard giggling from behind her. Turning to look her eyes went wide at seeing Mythe, and the Bahamut Fayth standing behind them.

"I think we've come at a bad time Kou." Mythe grinned at the Bahamut Fayth causing both Tara and Willow to blush.

"Seems so." The boy smiled.

"Think we should come back later?"

Willow helped Tara to stand and walk over to her mother. "Don't leave." Tara said and embraced her mother.

"You sure? We could leave and give you and Willow an hour to finish what you almost started."

"We wasn't doing anything...yet." Willow grumbled blushing. "Anyway, what's up?"

"We are thankful for what you've done. The Farplane has returned to normal, and is now letting the souls pass freely." Kou said and floated into the air crossing his legs. "We the Fayth, Mythe, your parents, and Giles have decided to give you two special gifts. But we agreed not to tell you what these gifts are, you have to find out on your own."

"We don't need any gifts." Tara smiled as her mother kissed her forehead. "You've already done so much."

"Yeah, like letting me be with Tara." Willow said and hugged the Fayth and Mythe.

"Don't argue with us." Mythe said sternly. "I'm your mother, Tara, and I'm your mother-in-law, Willow. So, therefore you have to at the very least accept what we are giving you. Besides they will help you when the time comes, okay?"

"Okay, okay." Willow shook her head. "We thank you."

Mythe smiled as a white light surrounded her and Kou, and then engulfed both Willow and Tara, before dieing out. "By the way, Willow, don't keep things from your family. They will help you when you need it. Understand?"

Willow nodded, knowing what Mythe meant, as she thought back to the dream and visions. "I will talk to them. Oh, and tell everyone 'hey' for us, please."

"We will, now we must be going, the others are approaching." Mythe smiled and waved to the stunned group behind the girls and vanished with Kou.

As the group walked back toward the portal Willow would glance at Tara, before looking to the ground. Laughing quietly Tara squeezed her hand. "What's wrong?"

"Did you know Lenne was in your body?"

"No, I had no idea. I guess that explains why I was feeling what she felt."

"But what about Will seeing her on the Mi'ihen Highroad? I mean you did say she appeared." Faith said confused.

"Yes, but remember it was after I had been shot by that machina. I assume she felt my body die, and...left so the Phoenix Down would work. Since we were so close to the Den of Woe, she appeared to Will asking for help."

"Ah, okay. That makes sense." Faith nodded.

"Now I get it!" Buffy shouted causing everyone to jump at her outburst. "I was wondering why Tsuki tried to kill us in your bedroom. You said it yourself Will, she said she was trying to keep you from touching Tara, right? It was because Lenne was in Tara's body! You were touching Tara, but you were also touching Lenne...in a weird kinda way."

"Whoa! So that means Lenne was feeling what Tara felt, too! Way to go Will! You were making love to two women!" Faith laughed causing Willow's face to turn the color of her hair.

"Don't ever say that again!" Willow said before smirking. "But you're right. Go me!" Willow laughed causing Tara to hit her shoulder and glare.

"Am I not enough?" Tara asked before dropping her hand and walking through the portal.

"No! No, that wasn't what I meant!" Willow shouted and chased after Tara, as the others laughed.