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Bloody hell, sodding, limey, shagging, knickers, bollocks...oh God...I'm English
by Puff » Mon Jan 14, 2002 5:56 pm
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Bloody hell, sodding, limey, shagging, knickers, bollocks...oh God...I'm English
by The Rose » Mon Jan 14, 2002 6:37 pm
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Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.
Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.
Tara: Nobody messes with my girl!
by Quill » Mon Jan 14, 2002 6:46 pm
by Tiggrscorpio » Wed Jan 16, 2002 2:27 pm
SUNNYDALE (The same night Willow cast her spell)
Buffy knocked on Willow's door, annoyed. She had been calling her to dinner for almost twenty minutes.
"Hey Will, dinner's ready," the Slayer announced for the fourth time. "Are you joining us or not?"
Still no answer. She poked her head in the door.
"Will? Oh God, not again." She threw open the door, at seeing her best friend laying motionless on the floor. She ran to her, but stopped short, thankful her Slayer reflexes kept her from breaking the sacred circle.
She ran to the phone to dail Tara, but realized she did not know the blonde witches new number.
"Dawn," she screamed. "Dawn, get in here now!"
"Geez, where's the fire?" the teenager said, annoyed. She saw Willow on the floor. "Oh no." She ran towards her.
"Don't enter the circle," Buffy warned. "What's Tara's new number?"
"555-7022," the teen said, kneeling just outside the circle.
"Tara, it's Buffy. I need your help. Willow's cast some sort of spell and it looks like she's in trouble." She listened. "Okay. Please hurry."
She hung up the phone and knelt by her sister.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Dawnie asked.
"Help is on the way," Buffy said, putting her arm around the younger Summer's shoulder.
_____________________________________________
POLAND
Tara raced down the hill towards Willow. She bolted through the front door, but found the house empty. She felt the power surging through her body. If they hurt Willow, she would...She would, what? Kill? The answer came quickly. Yes, she would kill these monsters for her lover.
She threw open the barn door and saw the SS Officer holding a knife to Willow. She raised her palm and chanted her spell. The officer was sent flying, twenty feet, away from Willow. Tara was quickly upon him, ready to strike again.
"Tara, no!" Willow screamed and grabbed her arm.
The blonde looked dumbstruck, as four more SS Officers piled through the back door of the barn.
"What's going on?" one of the officers shouted.
The soldier who had been thrown by Tara's magick, spoke up.
"This one is a Jew," he pointed at Willow. "And that one, she is a Gypsy. She used her supernatural powers on me," he said visibly shaken.
Tara's eyes never left Willow's.
"Shall we kill them?" another officer asked.
"No," the first officer answered. "We will take them with the others, back to the ghetto. They will be deported." He walked over and stood very close to Tara, eyeing her up and down. "I'm sure the doctors will want to study the Gypsy witch. Put them in the truck," he ordered.
The marched them out the back door, of the barn, past the lifeless bodies of Mama Emma and Papa Henry. Both had been shot in the back of the head. Tara closed her eyes and wept bitterly.
There were four men, two women and a little girl, already in the back of the truck. Willow sat next to Tara, on the bench, and wrapped both arms around her trembling shoulders. She whispered softly in her ear. "It's alright. We'll take care of each other." She wiped the steady flow of tears, from Tara's pale cheeks, and held on.
_____________________________________________
SUNNYDALE
Tara ran into the bedroom and saw Willow laying on the floor.
"Oh Goddess," she exclaimed. "Where's the spell book?" She looked at Buffy.
"On the bed." Buffy pointed to the leather-bound tome.
Tara quickly read the spell, shaking her head as she finished.
"It's a spell to reverse time," she explained. "She's tried to astrally project, without an anchor. She's probably lost in another dimension. I'm gonna have to see if I can find her."
"What do you need?" Buffy asked.
"I'm going to need Anya to be my anchor. The rest of the ingredients are already here."
"I'll go get her." Buffy ran out of the room, taking the stairs three at a time.
The fear was evident on Tara's face. She knelt beside the circle and watched her former lover.
"Can you help her?" Dawn asked nervously.
"I'm gonna try, Dawnie," she said seriously to the teen. She looked back at the redhead and whispered. "Oh Willow, when will you ever learn."
_____________________________________________
POLAND
A pothole jolted Tara awake. She had cried herself to sleep, against Willow's shoulder.
It was dark now. They were both afraid. They sat, holding both hands.
"You okay, baby?" Willow asked tenderly.
Tara nodded, then added, "You, love?"
"As long as I'm with you." She smiled faintly.
Tara smiled briefly, then frowned.
"Willow, why did you stop me?"
"Because you're not a killer," she answered simply.
"You told me, we fight monsters. These are monsters."
"We kill things that are already dead. These people, their hearts are dead, but they're still people. I'd never want you to be on their level."
A single tear fell down the blonde's cheek. She softly kissed the redheads lips.
"I love you, Willow."
"I love you, too."
_____________________________________________
SUNNYDALE
Anya and Xander entered the bedroom. Anya looked at the redheaded witch, on the floor, and threw her hand up in the air.
"That's just great. When is she going to stop this foolishness? If I end up in the Land of Trolls, there's going to be hell to pay," the ex-demon vented.
"An, less talk. More with the helping, please." Xander said.
"Xander, Buffy, Dawn. I need you to leave the room. We need to concentrate." Tara ordered.
Buffy shoved the other two out and closed the door behind her.
"What do we need to do?" Anya asked, seriously.
"I need to see if I can follow her trail. I need you to be my anchor, to keep me on this plane. Whatever you do, don't pull me out. If you do, I may never find her." Tara's eyes, drilled her meaning to Anya.
They drew another circle and began the spell. In the circle next to theirs, the redheads body went into convulsions.
"We have to hurry," Tara said, alarmed.
_____________________________________________
POLAND
They were only in the ghetto for half a day, before they were loaded into a freight car on a train.
Sixty people packed into a car designed to hold half as many. Who were they kidding. It was not designed to hold people at all. It was for livestock. That's how they were treated. Like animals.
The air was unbreathable. An acrid smell of sweat and human waste. For three days, the lovers clung to each other. It was all they had, but it was enough.
It was dark when they reached their destination. The freight car door slid open to reveal their fate. Willow didn't need to be able to read the foreign lettering, to know where she was. She remembered the all too familiar arch from her history books. It was the worst of all possible scenarios.
Auschwitz.
TBC
Tiggrscorpio
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She's my everything!
by The Rose » Wed Jan 16, 2002 6:41 pm
This is really a heart-wrenching story.
I am hurting for Tara.
Please tell me things get better.
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Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.
Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.
Tara: Nobody messes with my girl!
by Quill » Thu Jan 17, 2002 2:43 am
*good lord, sleep-dep makes me waaay too dramatic for my own good*
by Rane » Thu Jan 17, 2002 2:59 am
by boo » Thu Jan 17, 2002 9:57 am
i agree with most everyone, you're doing a very good job with such a touchy subject.
i have a feeling about where you're heading next. i'll just have to wait to see how psychic i really am.
by Jessie » Thu Jan 17, 2002 4:47 pm
No, really. This is a great piece and I'm glad you continue to write it ...
-- who has seen plenty of pics from Auschwitz and, while there were many disturbing things, the image that will always mean that camp to be is the gates with "arbeit macht frei." --
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"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by Jae » Thu Jan 17, 2002 9:49 pm
by Dice » Thu Jan 17, 2002 10:34 pm
by Tiggrscorpio » Thu Jan 17, 2002 10:53 pm
You are all very brave to have come this far with me. Having said that:
***WARNING: MAJOR ANGST AHEAD***
This next chaper deals with their processing into the camp. While it is not graphic, it is no less disturbing to imagine our girls in this situation. It bothers me and I put them there. Do what I do, and read with one eye closed. Unless of course your Tara, from Zahir's "Never the Twain," because then you only have one eye. :-)
_____________________________________________
The Brown Triangle - Part 6
Willow hopped down from the freight car, on to the platform. She held up her arms, to help Tara down. They held each other's hands and took in the activity around them.
Hundreds of people were now assembled on the platform. Some held on to luggage. Most clung to things more precious. Children. Mothers. Fathers. Wives. Lovers.
Some spoke in hushed tones. Others barked their questions. Some wept. Some prayed. Others waited patiently to be told what to do.
Soldiers surrounded them everywhere. They laughed. They pushed. They insulted and intimidated. Their rifles and their viscious, barking dogs maintained order.
Men and women were divided into two groups. Those who would not let go, were forcibly separated. Husbands reached for their wives. Mothers wailed for sons, no longer within their grasp.
A swarm of doctors appeared before the group of women. The sinister forms, in their white lab coats, decided their fate in a matter of seconds. A thumb flick to the right, meant death. A motion to the left, brought work in the forced labor camp. The redhead and the blonde watched and waited. A quick intake of breath, became a relieved sigh, as both women were sent to the left.
The next few hours were a frightening blur. They gave their names to be registered. It is the last time they will be acknowledged by name. White hot metal presses against their left inner forearms. The flesh burns and leaves behind an indelible number. Willow was given a yellow triangle, to pin on her clothes. Yellow for Jew. Tara's triangle is brown. Brown for Gypsy.
They were pushed into a room. Women were lined on a bench, sitting down. Their turn arrived. Within moments, silky red and golden locks lay intermingled, on the floor, at their feet. What was happening to them, had not yet processed in their minds.
They were shoved on again. In the larger room they were ordered to strip. Fear and embarassment made them tremble. Willow held her lover close, to both protect her modesty and to calm her fears. The spray of cold water had little affect on their already numb bodies. Afterwards, they are deloused and their clothes are returned.
They were hurried along, again. As they moved towards the barracks, the unthinkable happened. They were separated. Willow was pushed off to the right, while Tara was sent straight ahead. They both verbally protested and tried to regain the necessary contact. They were denied. Words of love were exchanged. They both looked over their shoulders, maintaining eye contact until the last possible second.
The wooden barracks, with its three tier bunks, is designed to hold 150 people. There are nearly 600. They lay on top of each other. They have no choice. They huddle close, because it is cold and damp, but their thin frames offer little warmth.
Willow crawled up on the floor in a corner. The tears came in a flood. She had been holding them back for awhile now. She did not want to close her eyes, but exhaustion overcame her. She gave in. Her dreams were a curious mixture of a barn on a tiny farm in Poland and of a darkened dorm room, lit only by a single flamey candle.
_____________________________________________
Willow searched desperately, the next day, trying to locate her lover. The camp was tremendous and there were thousands and thousands of prisoners. She was supposed to be working on a drainage ditch, with the rest of her group, but she needed confirmation that the blonde witch was okay.
Her attention kept drifting to the continuous cloud of smoke, from the buildings, beyond her barracks. She knew what was happening, in those buildings, and the thought made her nauseous.
With her eyes fixated on the billowing cloud, instead of on her path, she bumped into someone. She gave a quick glance down, to apologize, and met a familiar gaze.
"Simon," she exclaimed, immediately hugging the man who had helped her escape the ghetto.
His face was expressionless. His eyes were sunken in and he had lost at least twenty pounds, off his already too thin frame. He looked defeated.
"Willow," he said, without emotion. "When did you get here?"
"We arrived last night."
"We?" he questioned.
"Tara is here, but I can't seem to find her," she said despondently.
"Why did they arrest her?"
"She used some magick..." Willow blurted, before she realized her disclosure.
"Magick?" he said, confused.
"Yeah. Well, it's not as weird as it sounds. I'll explain later. Do you know where she might be?"
"If they suspect her of being magickal, then I imagine she is in the Gypsy camp," he explained.
"How do I get there?" she asked anxiously.
"Willow, you can not just wonder around the camp. The guards will shoot you," he said, with disbelief at her naivete.
"I need to see her," she said urgently.
"It is best to sneak out at night. Give me a day or two, to see if I can find her in the Gypsy camp. Where is your barracks?" Willow indicated the location. "I will send word, when I have found her."
His words gave her a little bit of hope.
"Simon, thank you," she said, relieved. "How are Jacob, Sarah and Rachel?"
His face went slack. He simply shook his head and looked at the smoke.
Willow reached out to touch his forearm. She said with sympathy, "I'm sorry."
"Go back to work," he insisted. "I'll see you soon."
_____________________________________________
That night, Willow returned to her corner of the barracks. The pace of the camp was exhausting. Awoken by screaming whistles, the day began at 4:00am. Morning roll call took hours. After an unsubstantial breakfast, they went to work for eleven hours. Evening roll call could take even longer, if any punishment was to be administered. After an equally unfulfilling dinner, they were sent to their barracks, for bedtime at 9:00pm.
Willow was about to lapse into sleep, when she saw the tiny round blue light, circle her head twice. She knew in an instant it was Tara and her heart rejoiced. The light beckoned her to follow, so she did. Most of the other women, in the barracks, were already asleep.
Willow quietly opened the barracks door. She peered around to ensure no guards were afoot, then she slipped out the door. She was careful to walk in the shadows of the other barracks.
The light bade her to a fence. It followed close, along the base. Willow saw the links were cut and that she could easily slip through. The blue dot disappeared, behind a brick barracks, about fifty feet from where she stood. As Willow turned the corner, she saw her love.
"Oh Goddess, Tara." Willow rushed into her arms. "You found me."
"Yes Willow, I will always find you," the blonde hugged her back.
Willow pulled back anxiously. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you? Is this your barracks?" The questions poured out, like water bursting through a dam.
The blonde was suddenly hesitant. She turned her gaze away from Willow. She touched her right hand to her own head, now lacking the golden tresses.
"Don't look at me, Willow."
"Tara, what?" The redhead was shocked and reached out again, for the blonde.
"I'm ugly." She lowered her eyes.
"No, baby, no. You're beautiful." Willow shook her head vehemently and lifted the blonde's chin. "Nothing, not even a really bad haircut, could make you anything less." She offered her lover a playful smirk.
Tara's own lop-sided grin, magnified the beauty Willow had just spoken of.
They fell into each others arms. Tender kisses became more eager and frenzied. Hands moved to more intimate places. Their hurried releases were more about comfort, than pleasure, as they desperately tried to regain control over their now bleak existence.
It was only day two in Hell.
TBC
Tiggrscorpio
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She's my everything!
by The Rose » Thu Jan 17, 2002 11:19 pm
You are really doing an outstanding job with this heart-wrenching story. I can really see where you are coming from being an African-American. Those ships remind me of the slave ships my ancestors were brought over on. They were treated like animals.
Any couple that can survive this deserves to find some kind of happiness. Maybe Willow will find her family if they are not already dead.
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Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.
Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.
Tara: Nobody messes with my girl!
by Pixie » Thu Jan 17, 2002 11:39 pm
I've done a fair amount of reading about the Holocaust, and I also teach it. When I teach, I'm able to be in a place where it doesn't affect me as much, because I need to be there for my students, to help them gain some kind of a handle on it. And they (10-11 year olds) are very focussed on "why", which helps me stay somewhat objective.
But I think one reason why we are all here as fic-writers and fic-whores is that, while we know Willow and Tara are just characters, we love them and care about what happens to them and the rest of the SG. I know I for one wish I knew them and could talk to them. So, I was not quite prepared for this to go all the way to the camps and it's thrown me a bit. I can handle and enjoy all the trauma they get into on the show and in other fics, but now they're in a situation that's truly evil and demonic - the ultimate Big Bad.
So, I hope I didn't babble too much, or come off like psycho-can't-distinguish-TV-from-reality-girl. Thanks for the care you are showing in portraying these events.
[This message has been edited by Pixie (edited January 18, 2002).]
by Quill » Fri Jan 18, 2002 1:33 am
by Rane » Fri Jan 18, 2002 1:46 am
and i'm getting ahead of myself? hehe, i thought you said it took place in 1943 and then i thought about the ressitstance when you wrote them in auschwitz. i could be totally wrong though.
great job so far. very much looking forward to the next installment but i hope tara finds her soon and takes her back home and that this tara and willow are one of the few that escape.
by Jessie » Fri Jan 18, 2002 12:26 pm
At first I was scared because you say they went to the left -- and in my studies, left meant "the other showers." And Simon ... *sigh*.
Touching, thought-provoking fic.
------------------
"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by Kittie17 » Fri Jan 18, 2002 8:30 pm
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Todo lo que necesitamos es sentido comun y eso no puede ser enseñado
by scylla » Fri Jan 18, 2002 10:50 pm
BTW, I've been to Auschwitz and Birkenau and spent quite a bit of time in Poland. So if you happen to have any questions, let me know, although I can't guarantee I'll have answer...
by Tiggrscorpio » Fri Jan 18, 2002 11:06 pm
The Brown Triangle - Part 7
Days turned into weeks. And weeks melted into months. What was at first an almost surreal environment, soon became routine. It was amazing how the human spirit could adapt to even the most hellish surroundings. There was pain and suffering in the camp. But there was also laughter and celebration. News of the Allied advances, in the fall of 1944, brought hope to the war weary prisoners.
Willow and Tara saw each other every chance they could. Sneaking out was a risk for both women, but they wouldn't have it any other way. Looking up at the stars, at night, took them away from the nightmare. Willow pointed out The Big Pineapple, along with the other constellations named by the future Tara.
Willow had almost resigned herself to never getting back to Sunnydale. Without her powers, she wasn't sure how to go about even trying. Although this reality was hell, at least she was with Tara. But, the thought of never seeing her ex-lover, from Sunnydale, weighed heavy on her mind.
Shortly after arriving in Auschwitz, Willow, Tara and Simon, reclaimed their titles as resistance fighters. Willow smuggled food to the infirmed in the hospital. She also plotted escape routes for those brave enough to attempt the feat.
Tara helped with her magicks. During one particular escape, the prisoner ran in the wrong direction, which only led him deeper into the boundaries of the camp. Willow and Tara watched in horror.
"Oh no, he's going the wrong way," Willow whispered, from her hiding place.
A guard in a watchtower spotted the escapee and took aim. Tara also took aim. A flick of her hand, with a latin phrase, soon found the soldier's rifle jammed.
A guard on the ground released his dog after the fleeing prisoner. Another simple chant, from the blonde witch, and the ferocious beast was laying on his back, begging to have his tummy rubbed. The guard looked dumbfounded at the animal.
In the meantime, the prisoner corrected his directional mistake. He disappeared into the night. Another one saved.
Willow smiled at her lover. "Did you do that?"
"Maybe." The blonde grinned back.
"You're really special," the redhead said, leaning in to brush her lips against Tara's.
Willow wondered why they didn't attempt to escape themselves. The thought of being killed, and a big no to that danger, answered her question. Mostly, she believed it was for the same reason she stayed in Sunnydale. She was meant to fight the good fight. Even in other realities.
In early October 1944, the good fight was about to rival any one of the seven apocalypses Willow had fought.
Simon had been a member of the Sonderkommando, since his internment at Auschwitz. These groups of Jewish prisoners, had the dreaded responsibility of leading their fellow prisoners to the gas chambers. Then, they disposed of their dead bodies in the crematoriums. Months of this horror had built a burning rage, for revenge, in Simon's previously placid tempermant.
With word that the Russian army was penetrating deeper into Nazi occupied territory, the Sonderkommando devised a plan to seize and destroy a crematorium. Willow and Tara were there to help. Stolen machine guns and grenades were stockpiled, throughout the various barracks. Willow's vast knowledge of chemistry, allowed her to show the others how to make explosives, from the materials they stole. The research done with Giles to wire the Sunnydale High School library, on Graduation Day, paid off. She showed them how they needed to rig the explosives in the crematorium.
The night before the uprising, Willow and Tara met with Simon and a few other members of the Sonderkommando.
"Okay, where do you want us?" Willow asked eagerly.
"No Willow. You and Tara have done enough. I want you out of danger," Simon instructed.
"But.." the redhead protested.
"Willow honey, I think Simon is right," the blonde said. "Any one of a hundred things could go wrong."
"If something does happen," Simon added, "I want to know that you and Tara are still here, to continue our efforts."
"Okay," Willow nodded. "The Slayerettes will hang in the background."
Everyone in the room gave her a disconcerted look.
"It's a long story," Tara jumped in.
The next day, the almost five hundred members of the Sonderkommando reported to their normal work details, throughout the camp. About three hundred members of the group were organized to be sent, on assignment, outside the camp.
Willow and Tara both knew something was wrong, when they saw the large detail being arranged. They abandoned their own work and met up, by Willow's barracks.
"Something's wrong." Tara announced.
"I think they know," the redhead concurred. "We should warn Simon."
"I think we should stay here, Willow. Something bad is going to happen."
The blonde witch looked paler than usual. She cast a protection spell over herself and Willow. Her appearance frightened Willow.
"Okay, baby." Willow cupped her face. "We'll wait here."
The Sonderkommando also knew something was wrong. Word spread quickly of an alternate attack plan. They began throwing stones at the SS and successfully drove them away. With their oppressors at bay, they initiated their designs to demolish the crematorium. They carefully packed the homemade bombs and stolen explosives, then wired the death chamber, according to Willow's instructions. Moments later, crematorium IV blew sky high.
Initial shock was soon accompanied by thunderous cheers, throughout the camp. The celebration didn't last long, as a hundred or so trucks, filled with SS, arrived at the camp. The Sonderkommando fought back, with the stolen machine guns and grenades. The SS retaliated, by unleashing a swarm of attack dogs.
Hundreds of Sonderkommando died during the battle. Those who survived the initial combat, were executed. Simon was among them.
Willow and Tara watch, horrified, as the events unfolded. It was a small victory, for so many who were lost. But, it was these small triumps that gave them the courage to face another day.
The camp was in chaos. Screeching whistles summoned the prisoners to roll call. Tara was too far away from her own barracks. She fell into line with Willow's group.
Her heart jumped into her throat, as Willow was pulled out of line and thrown to the ground, in front of the group.
"She is one of the resistance. I saw her with the others," the soldier informed.
From behind, a strong hand grabbed Tara's upper arm and pushed her forward.
"This is another one," the other soldier announced, pushing Tara to the ground next to Willow.
Frightened blue eyes stared into equally terrorized green ones.
"Shoot them," the SS Officer ordered.
The soldier aimed his pistol at Willow and fired. But, the bullet did not wound. It bounced off the hidden force and landed, harmlessly in the dirt. Tara's protection spell was still intact. Soldiers and prisoners alike, gasped in wonder.
"It is the Gypsy's magick," the soldier beside Tara explained. He raised his gun to Tara's temple and squeezed the trigger. Again, the bullet richocheted off the energy field. This time, the bullet struck Tara's would-be assassin in the chest, killing him instantly.
The SS officer was enraged.
"Enough," he shouted. He went and stood by the first prisoner in line. He pointed his gun at the woman's head. She flinched away, terrified. He pulled her back and held the barrel of the pistol to her temple.
"You will surrender, or I will kill them all. " He narrowed his eyes as he spoke to Tara.
The blonde stared into his lifeless eyes. She looked, with pity, at the woman and then at all the women before her. Then, she looked at Willow. Her heart was torn. She looked back into the eyes of evil.
"Will you die for them?" he asked.
TBC
Tiggrscorpio
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She's my everything!
by The Rose » Fri Jan 18, 2002 11:39 pm
Looks like Willow is adapting really well and without magick. Foreshadowing?
Questions:
Is the same amount of time passing in Sunnydale?
Is the Willow that belongs in 1944 time going to remember this?
by Quill » Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:41 am
by lurker1.0 » Sat Jan 19, 2002 2:59 am
It's taken me awhile to get to this fic. But it's been worth it. The way you've handled this subject is realy amazing. And you're setting a very interesting story around it all too.
Can't wait to see what happens next, especially with a cliffhanger like that.
by Puff » Sat Jan 19, 2002 9:59 am
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Bloody hell, sodding, limey, shagging, knickers, bollocks...oh God...I'm English
by Tiggrscorpio » Sat Jan 19, 2002 10:08 am
1) The time difference will be addressed in the next part, so I'll wait and let you read what is happening.
2) Yes, Willow 1944 will remember everything that has happened. This will be addressed in the Epilogue.
Part 8 should be up later this afternoon!
Tiggrscorpio
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She's my everything!
by Jae » Sat Jan 19, 2002 3:45 pm
Except just once again want to say you're treating this exceptionally well and it continues to make me want to read more.
by scylla » Sat Jan 19, 2002 4:11 pm
by Tiggrscorpio » Sat Jan 19, 2002 5:20 pm
The Brown Triangle - Part 8
Willow knew Tara's answer before she spoke. It was written across her lover's beautiful, conflicted face. Willow's memory latched on to the vision of 'her Tara', sacrificing her mind to Glory, rather than revealing Dawn as the key.
"Yes," Tara answered, her jaw held firm.
"Tara, no." Willow cried, reaching out for the blonde.
Blue eyes met green and silently begged them to let this happen. Willow saw Tara release the protection spell on herself. Willow tried, with all her being, to summon the power to restore the spell. Nothing came.
The monster yanked the blonde to her feet. He held the pistol to her temple. Wordlessly, she mouthed to the redhead, 'I love you.' Willow watched horrified. Most of the women, in the group, looked away in pain. Those who didn't, were fixated on Tara.
No one seemed to notice the bright, blue light appear behind the trio of SS. The familiar blonde figure, who materialized within the light, looked wide-eyed at the scene before her. Without hesitation, she sent a bolt of energy, that knocked back all three SS Officers.
The crowd of women reacted instantly to their opportunity. They rushed their oppressors. Years of pent up hostility, helplessness and torture were brought forth like a volcano erupting. The demons were slayed.
Willow and Tara did not watch the retribution. They were captivated by the image in the blue light. Tara watched the other version of herself, with wonder, and was taken aback at hearing her own voice call out.
"Willow. Goddess Willow, I finally found you."
"Tara?" It was a question.
"Yes love. Please take my hand. Come home. We need you. I need you."
Willow touched the blue light and felt her spirit disconnect, with the body it was in. She floated into the light and reached for Tara's hand. She looked back and saw the version of herself, from this reality. The memories of the past few months were clearly still intact for her. The fear of almost losing Tara was written across her face. Willow knew that fear all too well.
As soon as she was fully enfolded, within the light, everything turned black. She could still feel the firm grip on her hand. She closed her eyes and held on tightly. Within a matter of moments, her entire form collided with a hard surface. Her eyes remained closed. The energy soared through her body, forcing her back to arch and eliciting a deep gasp from her mouth. She heard similar exclamations from the two beings alongside her.
She layed on the floor for several minutes, pulling herself into conciousness. She was afraid to open her eyes, not sure of what she would find or where she might be. The softest of fingertips, against her forehead and cheek, urged her eyes to open.
Crystal clear blue eyes came into focus. She bolted upright and shouted, "Tara." She wrapped her arms around the frightened blonde. "You're alive. What happened? Where are we?" she exclaimed, in one short breath.
"Oh Willow. Thank Goddess."
Willow looked around. She looked at her clothes, expecting to find the weathered skirt and top she had worn for the last ten months. Instead, she found herself in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She checked her inner forearm for the tattoo. It was gone. She felt her hair, but it was back to normal. Tara and Anya stared at her bewildered.
She continued to look around. She recognized her room in the Summer's house. She was on the floor, inside a sacred circle. Tara was kneeling beside her. Tara. Her joy was short lived, as the memories of the camp came flooding back to her. She pulled away from Tara, in shock.
"No," she shook her head.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Tara was alarmed. She reached for the redhead, but Willow pulled further away and turned her back.
"No. No." The tears flowed feverishly down her cheeks. She curled up, in a fetal position, away from Tara and repeated over and over.
"It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault."
Tara waited anxiously for Willow to settle down. Anya left them alone. After awhile, Willow's protests had silenced, but she still remained curled in a tight ball. Tara reached out to touch her shoulder, but Willow withdrew immediately. Tara let her hand hang in mid-air, unsure of how to proceed. After another moments silence, she spoke softly.
"W-Willow, you n-need to sleep. Is it alright if I h-help you to the bed?"
After more silence, Willow finally sat up. She did not look at Tara. She got to her knees and said, "I can manage." Holding on to the dresser, she stood to her feet. Tara hovered, ready to catch her if she fell. She climbed onto the bed and pulled the comforter up to her chin.
"I'll check on you in a l-little while," Tara stammered, turning off the light.
Willow nodded.
Tara closed the bedroom door behind her. In the hallway, she burst into tears, sliding down the door to the floor. Inside the room, Willow cried silent tears.
_____________________________________________
Half in and half out of conciousness, Willow registered the bedroom door opening. The familiar scent, of vanilla and jasmine, filled the room. The blonde kneeled beside the bed. She placed the back of her hand on Willow's brow. Willow's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, from the fitfull nightmares she had been experiencing.
Willow tensed at Tara's touch, causing the blonde to remove her hand. Willow felt Tara's eyes on her. She wanted desperately to open her own eyes. To lose herself in a sea of endless blue. But, then she would have to talk and she was not ready.
Tara pulled out a blanket from the closet. She sat down, in the armchair by the window, and took off her shoes. She curled her legs underneath her and spread the blanket across her body. She watched and waited.
Willow's restlessness woke the blonde, instantly. She jumped out of the chair and stood by the bed. Willow whimpered, trapped in her nightmare. She thrashed about, on the bed, for several seconds before bolting upright and screaming.
"No, no, no. Tara. No."
Tara leapt on the bed and grabbed Willow by the shoulders.
"Willow, it's okay. I'm here. Wake up, Will. It's just a dream."
Willow's gaze registered on Tara. She panted feverishly. Tara held her firmly by the shoulders. After several deep breaths, she began to relax. When the redhead was finally calm, Tara released her grip and moved back. Willow looked down.
"W-Will, you have to talk to me."
"I know. I just need some time to process this. Then, I'll tell you everything."
"I'm afraid for you, Willow."
Willow looked directly at Tara for the first time. "Me too."
_____________________________________________
For the next three days, Willow did not leave her room, except to shower. She picked at the food Tara brought to her, but did not really eat. Her body ached and shivered from the countless nightmares. She allowed no one in the room, except for Tara. They barely spoke. Willow looked frail and worn. Tara worried for her health. A suggestion for a walk outside was immediately dismissed.
Tara's patience wore thin. She took a deep breath and spoke up.
"I n-need you to talk to m-me." To her surprise, Willow agreed.
She recounted her experience in graphic detail, admitting shamefully to the spell which began the terror. The budding anger Tara felt, about yet another spell, was soon eclipsed by overwhelming sadness.
Willow spoke for five hours straight. Tara sat opposite her, on the bed. Occasionally, Willow would move from the bed to the window, as she continued the tale. Willow's gaze was stern, as she described the atrocities of the camp. Tara wept openly. She tentatively reached out a hand to hold Willow's fingertips. She was thankful when the redhead did not pull away.
Willow concluded with an emotional recollection of the scene just before Tara pulled her back into the present reality. When she finished, she sat on the bed, eyes cast downward.
Tara tried to grasp the enormity of the situation. In Tara's reality, Willow had only been gone for twenty-four hours. But, for Willow it had been almost a year. Tara collected her thoughts and spoke.
"Willow, look at me. Please."
"I can't."
"Please." She lifted Willow's chin with her fingers.
The guilt was crushing Willow. She leapt from the bed and paced frantically, around the room. Tara followed her.
"Don't you see? It's my fault. If I wasn't so useless, you wouldn't have had to help me. If I hadn't encouraged you to use magick, then you would have never been captured. And then, you wouldn't have almost been killed. I couldn't help. I had no power," Willow yelled.
"Willow, I'm safe. I'm right here." Tara shook the redheads shoulders.
"No, you're not," she said distraught.
"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, confused.
Willow's eyes were dazed. "I lost you here. Because of magick."
Tara's anger flared. "Is that it, Will? Is that all you learned?"
Her tone brought Willow into focus. "What?" she asked.
"That's it? Magick bad." Tara threw her hands up in the air. "For someone so intelligent, you really don't get it."
"What are you saying?"
"You spent almost a year there. You didn't cast."
"I couldn't cast." Willow interrupted.
"You didn't have to. You fought anyway and you survived." Tara's tone softened. "I...she still fell in love with you. You Willow. Not magick. Just you."
"But plain old Willow wasn't enough to help save that Tara. If you hadn't appeared, she would have died. In the end, ordinary Willow always loses."
Tara shook her head slowly and sighed. "How, after all you've been through, can you not understand? She's the best part of you!"
Willow stood silently. Her green eyes conveyed the ocean of distance between the two women. Tara's chin quivered at the separation. So, this was it. The moment she had dreaded was now before her. 'Her Willow' was gone.
TBC
Tiggrscorpio
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She's my everything!
by Jae » Sat Jan 19, 2002 5:45 pm
by The Rose » Sat Jan 19, 2002 8:19 pm
You are killing me with all of these cliffhangers!!! More please.
Are we going to find out what is happening in 1944?
I am anxious for more!!!
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Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.
Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.
Tara: Nobody messes with my girl!
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