Ethan paced by the window of his hotel room. He glanced back at Tara now and then and shook his head. He couldn’t sleep, he had tried, but he was haunted by images of his youth and his time spent at his uncle’s house. He shuddered and stared out of the window remembering.

"Ethan, checkmate in three moves." His uncle’s voice slid past his ears like oiled velvet. "Where’s your concentration, boy?" Ethan stared at the board; he could feel his uncle’s eyes on him feasting on him. He held hesitant fingers over his Rook and dared to meet the old man’s milky gaze. His uncle gave nothing away as usual. Whether he won or lost the outcome was always the same; Ethan’s boundaries were blurring. He was ten years old and already descending into chaos. The moves came swiftly; his uncle was impatient tonight. Ethan lost.

Ethan swept his tears away. He felt a warm body press close behind him; Tara was up and awake. The rosy light of dawn bathed her in tawny gold. Ethan smiled.

"Good morning my dear! Where do you want to go today?" Ethan let his hands circle her waist as she drifted round to stand before him. Her large eyes searched Ethan’s face for the recent emotion his reddened eyes betrayed.

"I’d like to go to the magic shop, and then hit the stores and then some cappuccino…"

Ethan smiled indulgently; he had given her the barest veneer of confidence to rid of her stammer. Confidence was sexy, stammering wasn’t. "I can see that moulding you is going to be expensive!" He chuckled.

Tara smiled and danced from his grasp. "Ah, c’mon Ethan, we had a deal." She giggled.

"Yes we did, I trust you won’t go back on your end of the bargain."

Tara dashed up to him and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Never."

Tara had forced Ethan into casual clothes for their shopping trip; he shared the load of the bags as they burst into the magic shop. He looked around and found that it had changed management once again. He dropped the bags on the floor mopping mock sweat from his brow. She smiled at his gesture, laughing till she glowed. He breathed in the pungent magic of the shop. Whoever had taken over, knew his stuff!

"…Just unpack the jars, Willow I’ll be back in a sec, someone just came through the door…"

Ethan looked expectantly at the scarlet velvet curtain, his heart in his mouth and his blood rushing south. A slender artistic hand drew the curtain back and Rupert came through with an eager expression on his face.

Ethan forced himself to breathe. "Well, Ripper, this is a new venture for you. Does this mean you’ll be taking up other old pursuits?" He leered.

"What do you want Ethan?" Giles’ snarled his expression darkening.

Ethan stared at his nemesis; once, Rupert would have said that with a smile.

"You." Ethan knew that would throw Ripper into a rage, Tara stepped from behind him and challenged Rupert with a witch’s gaze. Willow burst through the curtain, her hair flying in a fiery halo round her face. She came to Rupert’s side and he hugged her close for protection.

"Impasse. How cozy…" Ethan quipped. Tara glared at her former lover, locked in the arms of a man! Ethan grasped her trembling hand. "Tara and I just dropped in to wish the new proprietor well, but since it’s you…" he smiled seductively.

"Drop-dead Ethan." Willow adhered closer to Rupert.

Tara felt her heart icing up; she looked at Ethan, and pulled at his hand. "L.Let’s go…"

"Be seeing you, Ripper. I’ve rented a house so I’ll be around for a while. You could come to call if you like." Ethan didn’t expect a response. He picked up the bags, took Tara’s hand and left the shop.

"He’s rented a house?" Willow questioned. "He never stays long enough… what’s he up to Rupert?" She frowned and added "Tara looked well, didn’t she?"

Rupert gripped her arms. "Having second thoughts, lover?" Willow smiled and shook her head. "Shall we draw the blind then?" Willow’s eyes smouldered as her lover cradled her head. He kissed her and she hooked her legs round his waist while he carried her through to the back room.

Ethan sat on Tara’s bed. She’d been weeping since their return. First love was tough as he remembered so long ago with Ripper. The sniffing young woman at his side warmed and renewed that particular memory. It was after Eyghon and Ripper was in the Resuscitation room of the local hospital. Ethan was pacing outside when he saw the men in black arrive and after a while the door opened and Ripper had gone. When next he saw Ripper, he was a straight and starched Watcher, some trick!

"Tara, c’mon love. No more tears please. You’re making my shirt soggy." He smiled at the young woman. Her head lifted and his uncle’s eyes stared at him again.

"Ethan, Ethan" He sighed. "You think to banish me? Think of the games! The fun! The Chaos we could cause together. This small soul." Tara’s expression twisted into one of distaste. "What good is it really? When we both know, you worship the dark and sinister-Take her Ethan! Take her, or I will."

"No! You won’t have her! Tara!" He shook the young woman in his arms till she came back to herself; she looked as though she was fighting through a quicksand of evil. She took a shuddering breath and clung to Ethan.

"Ethan? What’s happened to me? I want. Want to hurt you," she looked perplexed. He took a deep breath and told her what he thought was happening.

"Tara, you are a pure soul, unsullied by all that you’ve experienced." He hesitated as her clear blue eyes pierced his soul; he took her delicate cool hands in his. "Unfortunately, you are sharing your consciousness with someone else, someone from my past. When you dived off the bridge, I brought you back. I also gave my Uncle enough strength to emerge from your shadow." Tara’s eyes searched his face trying to decide whether he told the truth.

"What do we do, Ethan? How can I be rid of him? What did your uncle do to you?"

Ethan stared past her good questions all. His childhood replayed in his mind and he found he still reacted to the old man’s lecherous touch. He shuddered and ignored the tears that fell.

"Tara, I think we need Ripper’s help. I’m too close. My uncle won’t let go easily." He took the tissue that Tara offered and wiped his eyes. "We will both have to be brave and face our former love’s." He smiled and she smiled back, "but by the end of this trial we shall both be free."

End of part 2

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