Hi all, stranger in cap removes it and shakes out long strawberry blonde hair, it's me Beth! I have cookies, I made chocolate chip, white choc chip, peanut butter chip and rainbow ones with m&ms, oh and I have Part Ten - can I get another cuddle now?
Bx
PART TEN
Madalene stood back in the far end of the hotel room. The Slayer had lain Tara down with such tenderness that she didn’t dare interrupt as the blonde worked to make her comfortable.
After fussing for long moments, Buffy actually pulled back from the bed and looked down at the sight of the blonde Wicca. Tara was dressed immaculately in a long brown and green-patterned skirt, with a lace and silk blouse hanging over it at the waist. It was cut fairly low on her chest, showing off the pretty jewelled choker at her throat and finished with her characteristic army boots. She did look beautiful, almost like the legendary sleeping beauty. Just sleeping until the right person leaned in and woke her from her curse with a kiss. That’s just what she looked like. She looked like she was asleep.
“You should check the wound.” Madalene instructed in an incredibly soft voice.
“The...” Buffy felt her mouth dry up as she realised what Madalene was asking of her. Forcing herself to swallow Buffy leaned back over the blonde moving her trembling hands to the edge of her top. “Sorry Tara.” She whispered as she pulled the material back slightly and eased back the edge of the light beige satin of her bra. Looking carefully the Slayer ran her fingers over the small bullet wound on Tara’s chest. Her eyes widening at the fact that literally all that was visible was a slightly roughened patch of scar tissue, not dissimilar to that on Madalene’s back. With a whispered gasp Buffy pulled her hand back and rearranged Tara’s clothing carefully.
“I wasn’t lying.” Madalene confirmed softly as she walked closer finally.
“No, you weren’t.” Buffy acknowledged. “How long?”
“That I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” Madalene kneeled down on the other side of the bed. “Maybe a few hours, a few days... not too long I would guess.”
“It could be hours?” Buffy checked she had heard right.
“This is far from an exact science.” Madalene smiled softly.
“I’m sorry, it’s just,” Buffy took a slight breath. “I want to be here when she opens those blue eyes.”
“I wish I could tell you, I really do.” The witch conceded. “It’s just a waiting game now.” She watched the Slayer’s tenderness. “But you do have to remember she won’t know you.” She added in a whisper.
“That doesn’t matter.” Buffy shook her head. “She can learn everything again.” She whispered feeling her eyes fill up with tears.
“There’s going to be a lot to explain.” The witch nodded.
“Oh wait.” For the first time Buffy stalled. “She does know this is going to happen to her doesn’t she?” The slayer went pale.
“Is there any way she knew of her heritage and didn’t tell you?” Madalene stood up as she saw the blonde’s colour dip to a pasty white, slowly she rounded the bed to Buffy’s side.
“Look this is gonna sound odd but a year or so back when Tara was twenty her dad appeared with this whole I’m taking you home speech. His biggest leverage was he had brought Tara up to believe that she was part demon.” Buffy explained. “You’d have to know Tara to understand this but he had her petrified, helped by the fact he’d beat her for her ‘demonic’ traits.” She added caustically.
“Ignorance is a harsh master.” Madalene nodded.
“Anyway, we have this acquaintance who can pick out humans and demons, he has a test thing he can do.” Buffy continued. “He tested Tara.” She paused. “But here’s the thing he showed she was human.”
“Buffy, you have to understand.” Madalene sat down beside her. “The demon traits within us they have been filtered with human ones for thousands of years. They are recessive and aren’t always activated prior to necessity.” She smiled softly. “I’m sure your demon tester is accurate because until she was shot, the tiny bit inside her wasn’t really there.”
“What kind of traits will this awaken in her?” Buffy asked fro the first time feeling a little uneasy on a different level.
“Since I rose I’ve done as much research as I could on our family, others like us.” Madalene leaned against the bed. “It seems to be different for each of us, our traits born out of a pool of possibilities that root in the original daughter.” She looked into hazel eyes to see Buffy was fixated on what she was saying. “From what I can gather all of us practiced witchcraft to some extend prior.” She continued. “My power has increased so much since.”
“So she’ll be a better witch?” Buffy checked.
“Yes.” The brunette nodded. “That I am sure of.”
“A better good witch?” She stressed.
“She could have other powers... telepathy, time control, enormous psychical strength.” She went on and was stopped by Buffy’s words. “Good or bad is a function of a persons motivations. Though to put you at ease there is nothing innate in our heritage that designates us evil.”
“Right, I get that.” Buffy nodded and took a slight breath she looked down at the bed for a moment, catching sight of the small alarm clock on the side. It was late. She was a lot later than she liked to be these days.
Buffy took another breath, maybe it was time for her to go, to try and get her head around this, if that was at all possible. She brought her eyes back across the form on the bed, smiling at the face of the gentle beauty on the mattress.
She was about to lean forward and kiss Tara’s forehead and promise her she’d be back when she could, when she stopped mid lean her eyes straying to the side of the Wicca’s body where as she watched the fingers of Tara’s left hand slowly uncurled.
“Buffy I think...” Madalene made a short raspy breath as to her the room filled with the smell of orchids and jasmine.
“Madalene?” Buffy eased back from off the bed, her eyes wide as Tara’s long fingers curled back into her palm.
“She’s here.” Madalene drew another deep breath as Tara’s chest suddenly rose for the first time and air flared in through the blonde Wicca’s nostrils.
The next second when blue eyes flicked open Buffy literally jumped.
For a long eerie moment the three women all remained in complete silence. Blue eyes slowly tracked across the room, lingering over Buffy and then over Madalene and then slowly coming back to rest on Buffy. Buffy just stared incoherently at Tara.
“Take things slowly.” Madalene’s voice was tender as she saw blue eyes trying to focus. “You have been on a very tiring journey.”
“Where?” Tara paused, her voice tight, her throat obviously dry. “Where am I?” The question was a barely audible croak.
“You’re home.” Buffy whispered finally finding a voice as her eyes filled with happy overwhelmed tears.
“Home?” The word sounded alien to her own ears as she said it. “Do I know you?” Her blue eyes focused carefully on the Slayer.
“You do, it’s Buffy.” The Slayer filled in trying to push down her disappointment that Madalene hadn’t been wrong and Tara did remember her.
“Buffy.” Tara formed the name on her lips pushing it out with a little volume.
“Let me get you some water.” Madalene walked swiftly to the small bathroom off to the side of the room and the tap ran for a bit before she returned with a small glass. “Little sips, your body will have to readjust.” She instructed softly motioning for Buffy to help her sit up, something the Slayer quickly achieved with the help of pillows. “My name is Madalene, this is the first time we’ve met.” She explained.
Tara attempted to cup her hand around the glass, but found the direct motor skill too much for her unresponsive limbs, she frowned in frustration.
“It’s okay, it’s normal for things to be a bit hard.” Madalene soothed and raised the glass to her lips.
Tara took a few small sips and then nodded for the glass to be pulled back her, eyes moving once more from the woman who questioned her to Buffy.
“Buffy.” She said again clumsily as she made the effort to raise her right arm vaguely reaching out to the Slayer.
“Yes.” The Slayer nodded and quickly reached to take her hand smiling. “Oh God Tara I missed you so much.” She whispered as she felt the warm hand close on her on.
“We’re…” Tara spoke slowly and a little slurred, as she focused on the hand and then the face of the woman close to her and finally on her voice. “We’re…” She repeated this time a little louder. “F-F-F-Family.” She managed to stutter the word not as a question but as a stated fact.
“Yes... yes we are.” Buffy couldn’t stop as a flood of tears slipped out over her cheeks and she squeezed Tara’s hand.
“Home.” Tara forced another word from her mouth before her blue eyes drifted closed and her hand went limp in Buffy’s.
“Tara? Tara!” Buffy instantly panicked. “What’s wrong? Did we do something wrong?” She almost screeched the words at the brunette.
“She’s exhausted.” Madalene reached out and put her hand on Buffy’s shoulder. “She needs sleep.”
“Sleep.” Buffy breathed a few times “Of course.”
“You can stay here with her if you want.” Madalene smiled.
“Yes.” Buffy instantly agreed but then realised she couldn’t. “That is.” She sighed heavily, moving Tara’s and back to rest lightly on her chest that rose and fell with comforting regularity. “I can’t.” Buffy sadly shook her head.
“She’ll sleep for awhile.” Madalene nodded. “You can come back when you’re able.”
“I will.” Buffy leaned in without thinking and pressed her lips to Tara’s forehead. “Thank you.” She whispered glancing at Madalene.
“I’ll keep her safe Buffy.” Madalene smiled. “We’re all family now.”
by oneinten » Mon May 27, 2002 10:06 pm 
at: 5/28/02 11:43:11 pm