More and ... more.
JD
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"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by Jessie » Wed Mar 06, 2002 1:16 pm
More and ... more.
JD
------------------
"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by Garner » Wed Mar 06, 2002 1:45 pm
Comments Part 1
You have an interesting start here. For the most part, you have few errors or grammer mistakes, though watch your first couple paragraphs, they were a bit rough. The Willow dialog seems pretty good and like stuff she would say or think, you did good there. I don't know if Tara would head home to her family, maybe transfer to LA or someplace else, but home? That doesn’t seem right. I also thought the section with Tara on the telephone talking to Buffy was a bit confused. You either should have had both parts at once or when you switched to Tara indicated that she was talking to Buffy and we are now seeing her half of the conversation. Basically have her hear Buffy’s opening remarks (which we have already seen) and show that she is on the phone then, not further at the end of the section. I did like the interaction between Dawn and Willow, that was nicely done.
Comments on Part 2
I like how you have Anya concerned about losing a friend, though I don’t think she and Tara are really that close, it seems more like Tara and Buffy have bonded, but your points on how they both came to the group are good. I also particularly like Xander having second thoughts on the wedding and worrying what it will be like to live with someone who dislikes his best friend.
I am not sure exactly what inner demons Tara is afraid of or has to deal with. You probably needed to make that clearer earlier. She seems like the most centered one of the group at this point. I do like the idea that she doesn’t know who she is at this point, or what she wants, or is not willing to admit it to herself. The section with Anya and Tara was pretty good, though Anya seemed a bit out of character there. We’ve never really seen her lose it, I’m not sure what that would be like. Actually one of the things the show has really dropped is showing us any glimpse of what Tara is thinking or feeling through all this. When we see her, it is always dealing with other peoples’ problems and not her own which is too bad. Besides Buffy, we also haven’t seen the rest of the Scoobies have much interaction with her, which I also think is a mistake. It is nice to see you address some of those issues. Watch your apostrophe ‘s’ it is one of your few errors.
I hope that you keep on going, this has been very interesting.
Garner
[This message has been edited by Garner (edited March 06, 2002).]
by jessan15 » Wed Mar 06, 2002 2:31 pm
Thanks for the points...
*I thought the phone conversation was a bit confusing as well. Great suggestion.
*Tara's going home - Home is where your heart is, it wasn't supposed to mean "her father's house", but clearly that's was Buffy thought
*Anya - considering she was a demon, I picture her going off looking kinda like her attack on Giles in "The Wish"
*Relationships - As far as that goes, Welcome to my world. I'm focusing on the relationships I would like to see form and the ones I don't get to see enough of.
*Apostrophes...I hate those things. Will keep them in mind...if I gots to.
*Spelling errors...Damn you Spellcheck! DAMN YOU!
Thanks again.
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Love will find a way.
[This message has been edited by jessan15 (edited March 06, 2002).]
by ForeverPiper » Wed Mar 06, 2002 2:55 pm
by Tiggrscorpio » Wed Mar 06, 2002 6:11 pm
------------------
She's my everything!
by Pixie » Wed Mar 06, 2002 7:25 pm
by Bobo's Mom » Wed Mar 06, 2002 7:31 pm
This is going to be a long story, isn't it? GOOD! I love long stories.
BM
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TARA: Willow and I always know how to find each other!
ANYA: With yoga?
****************
BUFFYBOT: That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!
by jessan15 » Wed Mar 06, 2002 8:56 pm
Title: Lost & Found - Part 7
Author: Jessan
Feedback: Yes, bring it on...I can take it. Sniff. LOL
Summary: Two witches going in different directions...for the moment
Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "Wrecked" in Season 6.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...no copyright infringement intended. Joss is my God. All hail the glorious one. (It just called out to me.)
Rating: R (Sexual content & language.)You was warned.
Notes: Everyone will be running into each other eventually...all our favorite pairs are in the mix...and some odd pairings as well.
Xander reached over and answered the ringing phone, panting. “Yeah, hello?” He wheezed into the phone. Anya climbed out from under the covers and resting her head on his chest. She softly tapped her fingers on her fiancé’s chest, clearly annoyed by the interruption.
“Buffy, calm down. She what?!? Where? When? Tara’s gonna kill us.” He rattled off in a rather quick succession. He brought one hand up to wipe his eyes. This was so not happening right now. “Yeah. We’ll be over shortly.”
Anya’s eyes shot open when Xander mentioned Tara’s name. She lifted her head and gave Xander a slightly disgusted look. “Alright, so what did Willow get herself into this time? Was she casting spells with Amy again?” Anya’s eyes widened at her own words and the double meaning behind them. “Gosh I hope not. I really don’t think that being turned into a rodent is the proper time to debate one’s sexuality. But then again, she was trapped in a cage with no one but herself for 3 years, maybe that does give a girl more of an appreciation for the female form.”
Xander sighed and reached up and gave her a soft kiss. “We’re not sure. Buffy found a note from Willow saying she left. They went up and checked her room and some of her clothes are gone.” He shifted, gently pushing her on her side so he could swing his legs over the side of the bed. “Just when things start looking good, one of us has to throw a wrench in the gears.”
Anya sighed. “Tell me about it. I missed the fourth pleasure moment when the damn phone rang.” she stood up and grabbed her robe.
Xander laughed loud and full. He walked over behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He gave her a kiss on the side of her head. “That’s not exactly what I meant. But for what it‘s worth, I‘m sorry.” he said trying to console his pouting fiancé.
“A sacrifice that must be made in the name of friendship I suppose.” she turned her head slightly so she could see his eyes in her peripheral vision. “No whip crème for you tonight.” she said with a sweet smile, waiting for his reaction.
Xander’s eyes were as big as saucers. “You mean tonight…you were gonna…and we were…” He let go of his fiancé and headed towards the bathroom. “Willow when I get my hands on you, I’m gonna wring your neck.” he muttered as he closed the door.
Anya fell backwards on the bed in a fit of giggles. She knew how much Xander loved to ‘play’. If she had to be sexually frustrated, then so did he. After all, its just wrong not to have the pleasure moment when you get that close. Even if you already had it three times, it was still just wrong.
---------------------------
Spike and Tara pulled up in front of an old house. “This is a cabin?” Spike questioned.
Tara shrugged. “Yeah. I guess it is more like a house in the middle of no where. Come on.” she said getting out of the jeep. The grass was badly overgrown and they trudged up to the front door. Tara held her open palm in front of the handle. “Unlock.” she said and there was a click. As she opened the door, she tried the switch. When nothing happened her mind starting whirling. ‘There’s always been power, why would, oh wait…’ she remembered. She held her open palm up and whispered, “Illuminate.” A small light formed above her hand. She would have used candles or a flashlight, if she had any clue where they might be. She slowly made her way back thru the vast piles of junk in the basement to flip the master switch. As she did, the basement lights came on. “That’s better.” she noted happily.
Spike stood at the door. He had tried to walk in, but a barrier prevented the action from occurring. “Ah… Blondie, if your not too busy…”
She looked at the door slightly puzzled for a second. Then realization dawned on her. “Oh, come in Spike.”
He tried to walk in, but the barrier was still there. “Um, I guess you don’t have the right to invite me in.” Spike didn’t like this unforeseen turn of events. “Well, this will be an exciting week of sleeping in the car.” he scoffed.
Tara started muttering something softly. She looked up at the vampire and boldly stated her final words. “Free reign.” Spike raised an eyebrow and slowly pushed his hand forward. The barrier was now gone. ‘She’s a piece of work.‘ he thought. He nodded his gratitude. She walked around two toilets and headed up the stairs. “Come on. Let’s see what kind of mess the place is.”
They walked upstairs. At the top of the steps was a hallway connecting two parts of the house. Tara reached around the corner to turn on the small overhead light. To the right of the stairs was the living room. It was old and rustic, and it actually reminded Spike of a small hunting cabin. There were two sofas and two recliners, all facing a large fireplace. Outdoor wildlife photos hung on the walls. In the corner of the room was a gun rack with a few rifles and a fishing pole on it. Left of the fireplace was a small table with a TV and VCR on it. Attached to the living room was a small kitchen with the basics: sink, stove, fridge, table. Next to the sink was a sliding glass door which led to a small deck above the front door. To the left of the stairs were three bedrooms and a small bathroom. “So, which room’s mine Blondie?” Spike asked the witch looking between the three doors.
Tara looked at him and smiled. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. In front of the sliding glass doors, they came to a halt at what Spike thought was a closet. Tara opened the door to reveal a stairway. They walked up the stairs and Spike was speechless. The attic was painted black. It had one small window which was covered with a thick black cloth. Tara flipped the light switch and the room was illuminated with a few strands of Christmas lights. Two double beds were on opposite sides of the room each with a nightstand and lamp next to them. There were several musty old trunks scattered around the sides of the room. And lastly, a small table under the window looked like it served as an alter. Spike smiled as he finally found his voice again. “Nice setup Blondie. Better than my crypt, that’s for sure.”
Tara nodded. “Yeah, this was the room my mom and aunt used to practice witchcraft in. My aunt said if Uncle Sean got to decorate the rest of the house, then she got the attic.” She shrugged noncommittally. “He didn’t much care, so he agreed. I used to love coming up here when I was younger. Good memories.” she said walking towards the alter and closing her eyes. She could see her mother and aunt sitting in a sacred circle, softly chanting in front of the alter. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Spike nervously shifting from side to side. “What’s wrong?”
He shoved his hands in his pocket. “Then you should stay up here, not me.” He looked down. “A special place like this shouldn’t be tainted by the likes of me.” he muttered feeling utterly out of place in such a special room.
Tara stormed over in front of him and Spike thought he actually saw anger in her eyes. “I broke an age old protection spell to let you in this house.” She placed her hands on her hips. “You’ll sleep where I tell you to sleep.” she warned him with raised eyebrows.
Spike looked on in shock, until Tara’s resolve broke and she burst into a fit of giggles. Spike smiled and playfully shoved her towards the stairway. “You‘re a piece of work, you know that?“ he told her. “Come on luv. I’ll go unpack the car and you should call Buffy.” They slowly walked back down the stairs to the kitchen.
---------------------------------
Xander and Anya arrived at the Summer’s house to find two nervous young women. Buffy was pacing the floor and Dawn was sitting on the couch with her legs under her, holding on to a pillow for dear life. Xander walked over to Buffy and wrapped her in a big hug. “So what do we know?”
Buffy sighed into his shoulder and gently pulled back, not yet releasing his arms. “Not much. Just a note that she said she was leaving. Dawn saw her this morning. Where do you think she could have gone?” she asked finally releasing Xander and crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Xander racked his brain. “Where would she go?” he asked as he took Buffy’s place pacing the floor. “If I were Willow, I certainly wouldn’t go to her house. Spike’s crypt seems unlikely. The old school just seems to depressing. A friend in the dorms? Or maybe...does she have a room at the dorms?” he asked hoping that the light bulb wouldn’t be unscrewed by Buffy’s response.
Buffy thought about it. On scholarship, she would have a room reserved for her. After all, when Tara moved out of the house, she went straight back to the dorms. Buffy nodded. “Yeah, she would technically have a dorm room, but I don’t know where.” she said sounding rather deflated. Willow would have just hacked into the school’s computer and pulled up the address. Tara could've done a spell.
She looked at her friends sitting in front of her. Anya had the magic shop and most of their information, not to mention 1000 years worth of memories to draw on. Xander was great with the hardware and tactics. And herself, well, she was just the brute force. She silently prayed that nothing demon-y happened until Willow, Tara and Spike returned. Demon, military guy, and slayer are good, but add a hacker, a witch, and a vampire to the mix...they were awesome.
“Would anyone be at the administration offices at this hour?” Xander asked.
Buffy shook her head. “Xander, think government job. No, office of housing and residence won’t be open until tomorrow morning around 8 o‘clock.” Buffy let out a depressed sigh. “We could always walk thru and try knocking on every door on campus.”
The four friends looked at each other for a moment until Dawn spoke up first. “What are we waiting for? Let’s do it.”
Xander nodded his head in agreement. “Xander-mobile is outside.”
He was surprised when he heard his fiancé immediately shout, “Shotgun!” He looked at her befuddled.
“What?” she said with a questioning glance. “Every time Dawn says it you let her have the front seat.” She shook her head. “I don’t like the back seat if your not there with me.”
Buffy held up her hand to the ex-demon. “Stop. No more. I am not going to listen to you share your backseat sex stories with my sister.” she said ushering them out the door. Dawn giggled loudly on her way to the car. She reached over and nudged Anya to give her a high five. “Good job.” she said as they slapped their hands together.
“Thanks. I do try.” She tipped her head, pondering. “Actually, it’s really hard to get in a good position.” she looked over at the teenager. “Don’t ever let the guy on top or you’ll never orgasm.” The ex-demon told the teen.
Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. She glared furiously at Anya as she climbed into the car. “I swear Anya, if you don’t stop polluting my sister's mind, I will bind and gag you.” she warned dangerously as she climbed in the back seat.
Anya leaned over and put her hand on Xander’s arm. “Ooo, that would be just like the time you and I…”
Buffy’s eyes widened once more. She and Xander both interrupted Anya‘s story for different reasons. “ANYA!” they screamed simultaneously.
Anya crossed her arms and started to pout. “I miss Tara. She never interrupts my stories.” she said as they headed towards campus.
-----------------------------------
BEEP - “Hey. Um, not sure where everyone is…but I just wanted to let everyone know that Spike and I are fine. I’ll try calling sometime tomorrow. Buffy give Dawn a hug for me…..and tell Willow I’m thinking of her. Oh and Spike says hi. Talk to you tomorrow.”
-----------------
Hmmm...well, so much has been going on, but I am LONG over do for some W/T adorableness. Is that a word? Anyway, a hint to what's coming up...
Witches, Carpenters, & Cats - Oh my.
(It just sorta happened...you'll see.)
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Love will find a way.
by Pixie » Wed Mar 06, 2002 10:20 pm
[This message has been edited by Pixie (edited March 07, 2002).]
by jessan15 » Thu Mar 07, 2002 6:33 pm
Title: Lost & Found - Part 8
Author: Jessan
Feedback: Yes, bring it on...I can take it. Sniff. LOL
Summary: Two witches going in different directions...for the moment
Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "Wrecked" in Season 6.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...no copyright infringement intended. Joss is my God. All hail the glorious one. (It just called out to me.)
Rating: PG-13
Song: The Carpenters - (They Like To Be) Close To You
------------------------------------
After Tara called the house and left a message, she unpacked her clothes and put some groceries away. Once she was settled in, she started lighting candles throughout the cabin.
Spike was busy looking thru the video collection. He was excited to see a VCR, but the video library wasn’t his idea of a good time. “What’s up with the vids Blondie?” He looked down and started reading off some titles. “A Chorus Line, Lord of the Dance, Hello Dolly, Oklahoma!” He stood up and faced the witch lighting some candles on the mantle. “Is there something I should know about your uncle?”
Tara got a devilish smirk on her face. “Um, he loves musicals?“ she said innocently. Spike stood with his hands on his hips waiting for a better explanation. “I don’t know.” she playfully teased. She liked joking around with the blonde vampire. “Uncle Sean took me to my first gay pride parade, maybe that has something to do with it.” she said sarcastically.
Spike rolled his eyes and plopped down on the sofa. “Great. I see I signed up for a few days at camp happy homo.” He pulled his cigarettes out of his jeans. “Any other surprises I should know about? Erotic artwork perhaps? Maybe some china with nude men playing hopscotch on it?” he questioned, his voice dripping with mockery. He grabbed his lighter and headed towards the deck.
Tara quickly caught on to his reference. “You must not have too much of a problem with the gay lifestyle if you watched The Birdcage and remember it that well.” she called as he opened the glass door. Spike halted, but as he spun around to throw a comeback her way, she disappeared down the hall towards the bedrooms.
Spike stepped out on the deck and lit his cigarette leaning up against the railing. ‘What a nutter.’ he thought looking up the night sky. Slowly, a cloud of smoke cast an eerie shadow over the rising moon. He opened his senses to the sounds of the forest. He could hear a large animal drinking in a nearby stream. ‘Fresh meat.’ he thought. “Tara, I’m going for a stroll. Don’t wait up.”
Tara walked into the living room as Spike was jumping off the deck. She hurried over to the sliding glass doors to shout a warning outside. “There’s no water, so if you kill anything, clean yourself up before you come back.”
Spike stared blankly at her as she closed the door and pulled the curtain closed. ‘Now how did she…?’ he wondered as he heard his dinner scampering further into the forest. ‘Oh well. Dinner calls.’ He put out his smoke and disappeared into the mass of trees.
Tara walked back into her bedroom and sat on the bed. It was only 10 o’clock, but she was exhausted. It had been a long day.
Looking around the room, she siged. Everything about the cabin was just as she had remembered it. “It’s been 7 years mom.” she said out loud. She stared over at the pictures on the dresser. There was one of her Aunt Denise, Uncle Sean, and cousin Beth. Another photo was of Tara, her mother and her aunt sitting on a fallen tree outside. And lastly was a picture of her uncle’s best friend. Ok, it was his boyfriend. Shortly after her aunt died 10 years ago, Uncle Sean confessed his feelings for Uncle Mark. Cousin Beth moved in with us soon after that. She thought that we were a more stable family. “Yeah right.” Tara grunted.
She opened the top dresser drawer and found one of Aunt Denise’s favorite books, Thru the Looking Glass. ‘A story with numerous references to drug addiction and euphoria, oh the irony.’ she sarcastically thought. She put back the book and picked up a small music box. It had a picture of Alice chasing the White Rabbit on it. ‘Anya would just love this.‘ she chuckled softly. ‘Despite all the long talks that we’ve shared, I STILL don’t know where the rabbit phobia comes from.’ She wound it up and set it on the dresser while she got ready for bed.
She traded her jeans and t-shirt for a pair of flannel pajamas. She lit two candles, one on the dresser and one on the nightstand. She grabbed her toothbrush and headed for the bathroom. Halfway down the hall, she reminded herself of the same thing she had just told Spike. “Damn. No water.” She briefly considered using soda to brush her teeth, but decided she could deal with it for one night.
Returning to her bedroom, she tossed her brush on her tote bag and picked up the jewelry box. She ran her hand along the picture on the top of the box and remembered all the times she would fall asleep to the sweet song the box produced. She carried the jewelry box over to the bed and placed it on her nightstand. After climbing under the covers, she blew out the candle on the nightstand and then lifted the lid of the music box. Close To You began to play on the chimes softly. “Willow.” she breathed tenderly as her body started to relax. Tara remembered the night Willow had sung this song to her beneath the stars. She could almost feel Willow‘s arms pulling her into a gentle embrace. “I love you.” she whispered. In her mind, she could still hear Willow softly singing as she drifted off to sleep.
--------------------------------
20,000 feet above the Pacific ocean. Willow was squirming in her seat. ‘If I ever take another trans-continental flight, I am so flying first class.’ Willow was trapped in the middle between a portly gentleman who was snoring up a storm and a little old lady named Agnes, that kept talking about getting home to her cats.
Willow rolled her eyes as the nice lady started naming her cats for the 10th time. ‘Who would have thought that all you had to do was go thru the Sunnydale airport to get to hell.’ Willow glanced at the little old lady. ’If I make 8 more hours of this without casting a silence spell on her, I think I am making real progress.’ Willow let loose a little nervous laughter. ’Stop it. Don’t even joke about that stuff. Tara would…’ Willow’s babbling mind came to an abrupt halt. She wondered what the love of her life was doing at that very minute. ‘What I wouldn’t give to be with her right now.’
She reached into her bag and pulled out her walkman. She turned and put on her best pout-y face. “Agnes, I’m gonna try and grab a quick nap ok? It‘s been a long day.”
Agnes nodded politely. “Of course dear. You probably need your rest. I’ll tell you all about Millie’s cancer treatment when you wake up. It’s amazing what talented vets can do these days.”
Willow rolled her eyes again and put on her headset, not wanting to hear anymore about Agnes and her cats. She pulled her CD pack out of her bag and looked for something soft that might help her fall asleep. She chose a CD titled ‘Willow & Tara’s Favorites Vol. 19’. She popped it in and pressed play. The soft sound of The Carpenters filled her ears and relaxed her mind. She tipped her seat back, closed her eyes, and very softly starting singing along with the song.
“Why do birds suddenly appear?
Every time you are near
Just like me they long to be close to you
Why do stars fall down from the sky?
Every time you walk by
Just like me they long to be close to you
On the day that you were born
The angels got together and decided to create a dream come true
So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair
Of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue
Why do all the girls in town?
Follow you all around
Just like me they long to be close to you”
Willow’s mind was filled with visions of the blonde witch that held her heart. “Tara.” she sighed. “I love you too.” she said as sleep claimed her.
----------------------
Hmm, where can I get one of those FATE WAS HERE bumper stickers?
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Love will find a way.
[This message has been edited by jessan15 (edited March 07, 2002).]
by ForeverPiper » Thu Mar 07, 2002 7:11 pm
by Pixie » Thu Mar 07, 2002 9:23 pm
by LeatherQueen » Thu Mar 07, 2002 9:26 pm
Great stuff!
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"Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind." -Glory
by jessan15 » Fri Mar 08, 2002 6:03 pm
Title: Lost & Found - Part 9
Author: Jessan
Feedback: Yes, bring it on...I can take it. Sniff. LOL
Summary: Two witches going in different directions...for the moment
Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "Wrecked" in Season 6.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...no copyright infringement intended. Joss is my God. All hail the glorious one. (It just called out to me.)
Rating: PG-13
--------------------
Buffy and Dawn walked back into their house close to midnight. They were both extremely tired from their knock, knock experience at UC Sunnydale. Dawn headed straight for the couch and crashed face first. “If I efer sujest anyting ike at agen, choot e.”
Buffy locked the door and set her keys on the table. “Was that English? I know I’ve been out of school for a little while now, but it didn’t seem like English.” she walked in the kitchen and checked the messages. She listened to Xander’s 2 and Tara’s. She then walked back into the living room and dropped into one of the armchairs.
Dawn sat up. “I said, if I ever suggest anything like that again, shoot me.” she informed here sister rubbing her raw knuckles. “How many dorms are on campus again?”
Buffy closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the chair. “4,860.” she succinctly informed her sister. She slid her boots off and tossed them over towards the front door. “That’s not even counting the possibility that she purposely didn’t answer the door.” Buffy wondered momentarily if her best friend was that stupid. “Not even considering that option at this time.”
“Did Tara call?” Dawn inquired.
Buffy nodded. “Yep, they got there safe and sound. She said she would call tomorrow.”
Dawn sighed as she curled up on one of the throw pillows . “So what do we do now?”
Buffy scooted to the end of the chair and leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees. “You are going to go to bed and I am going to shower. I got a ton of dust in my hair from the vamp that I staked above my head.” She stood up. “Vamps should know by now, if anyone‘s on top, it‘s gonna be me.”
Dawn giggled into the pillow, but couldn’t resist. “Now you sound like Anya.” she said with a stupid grin.
The slayer ran over and jumped on top of her sister and started tickling her mercilessly. “I’ll give you Anya, you little demon.” she squealed.
“Oh no! Stop. Come on. Slayer strength, no fair!” After a minute of torture, the slayer finally relented and rolled off her sister onto the floor. Dawn rolled on her side and slid an arm around her sister’s neck. “Now you big meanie…I meant, what are we going to tell Tara about Willow?” she asked .
Buffy shook her head. “I don’t know what we should do.” Buffy briefly paused to weigh the pros and cons in her head. ‘Lie to witch - bad. Make witch sad - bad. Misplacing witch’s everything - bad Playing dumb blonde till we find witch’s everything - good.’ Finally Buffy shared her conclusion with her sister. “I don’t think we should tell her that Willow left until we figure out where she went.” she reached up and grasped her sister’s hand. “Better to not tell the whole truth than to freak her out, right?” Buffy asked in a small voice. She wasn’t looking forward to tomorrow’s phone call. Buffy wasn’t even sure she could lie to the blonde witch.
Dawn hugged her sister. “I think this definitely falls under the ‘for her own good’ little white lie.”
Buffy looked at the carpet. “I hope so.” she added in a hollow voice.
Hearing the anxiety in Buffy voice, Dawn suddenly let loose a tirade against the redhead. “I can’t believe she could do this. After everything that’s been happening., now she runs away - which just makes us all worry. You’re thinking about lying to Tara. Just when I start to have some hope about them getting back together, she totally blows it. This SUCKS!”
Buffy kissed her sister’s hand and then turned around to look at her face. She could see her sister was seconds away from breaking down in tears. “Hey.” she softly said. “We’re gonna find her. We’re gonna get them back together. Tara’s gonna move back in and everything will be how it should be.”
A tear ran down Dawn’s cheek. “How do you know?”
“Tara lost her sanity and Willow found her.” she reminded her sister while running a hand thru Dawn’s hair. “Well, it’s the other way around this time. Willow lost her sanity and Tara‘s gonna find her.”
Dawn prodded again, “But how do you know?”
Buffy took a deep breath. She didn’t want to drudge up bad memories, but she needed to help her sister see her point. “Dawnie, Tara faced off against a hell god to protect you. And she only loves you like a little sister.” Buffy paused momentarily. “Imagine what she would be willing to do for Willow.”
Buffy’s words slowly crept into Dawn’s mind and took hold. “Wow.” was the only response she could utter when she processed what Buffy had just told her.
Buffy nodded. “Yeah, wow.” She reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Come on. Bedtime. We’ve got some more places to check tomorrow.” Buffy looked at her sister with a big cheesy grin. “Piggyback ride?”
Dawn looked indignantly at her. “I think I’m a little old for piggyback rides.” she told her sister as she defensively crossed her arms.
“Oh yeah?” Buffy said grabbing Dawn like a sack of potatoes. The slayer ran across the living room and up the stairs.
“Buffy!!!!! Put me down!” She shouted as she bounced up and down on her sister‘s shoulder. Seconds later, Buffy unceremoniously dumped her on her bed. Buffy chuckled and then leaned down and kissed Dawn on the forehead. “Night Dawnie.” she said heading for the shower.
As she closed the door, Dawn smiled. “Now that’s my sister.” Her heart soared to see her sister acting so carefree. This was the part of her sister that had been missing for so long. Dawn wondered exactly what was bringing it back, then silently prayed that whatever it was just wouldn’t go away.
---------------
Willow stood outside the door to Giles apartment shivering. Partly because she didn’t know how he would react to her and partly because her jacket wasn’t exactly rain proof. ‘How was I suppose to know that I would land during monsoon season?’ She set down her bag and rang the buzzer. She heard footsteps slowly approaching the door. ‘This is it.’ she thought.
Giles opened the door with a smile. “Can I help…“ He stopped as meaningful thought totally escaped his mind momentarily. When he regained his faculties, her name was all he could choked out. “Willow.“ He stood stiff, not knowing whether to offer warm greetings or not. He thoroughly examined the redhead. She was thinner, pale, and soaking wet. “Dear lord. What’s wrong?” he inquired.
Willow stared at the carpet at her feet and felt like a chastised young girl. “I, ah, screwed up. I got messed up with the dark mojo…and I need help.” the last words were barely audible.
His shock at seeing the distraught young woman was quickly overcome as parental instincts took over. He reached forward and wrapped her in a warm embrace. “Come on. Let’s go inside, shall we?” he said slowly pulling back. He bent down and pickup up her bag.
Willow sniffled once and nodded.
Giles’ flat was small, but comfortable enough for one man. He walked over to the bathroom and set the bag on the sink. He reached in a pulled out some fresh towels, laying them on the toilet lid. He walked back out of the bathroom and regarded one of his adoptive daughters. ‘No smile, no spark, no energy, no life’ he rattled off in his mind. He released a deep sigh. ‘Clearly no Tara.’ Willow was still standing in the entrance way, unsure of what to do or how to act. Giles walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. “Why don’t you go take a nice hot shower? Freshening up after such a long trip will do you good.” he raised her chin to look into her eyes. “We’ll talk afterwards.” She nodded and headed for the bathroom.
Giles walked into his kitchen and put some water on to boil. Tea was definitely in order. He picked up the phone and looked at the clock. ‘3 AM in Sunnydale. Buffy should be home by now.’ he thought dialing a number he knew by heart.
-----------------------------
Next up...a strange discovery and more FATE WAS HERE stuff for our girls.
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Love will find a way.
[This message has been edited by jessan15 (edited March 08, 2002).]
by Pixie » Fri Mar 08, 2002 7:32 pm
by Lonewolf » Sat Mar 09, 2002 12:27 am
Lonewolf
by ForeverPiper » Sat Mar 09, 2002 11:18 am
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Uh...I don't think you should say 'sex poodle' in your vows. - Tara in Hell's Bells
by jessan15 » Sat Mar 09, 2002 2:08 pm
Title: Lost & Found - Part 10
Author: Jessan
Feedback: Yes, bring it on...I can take it. Sniff. LOL
Summary: Two witches going in different directions...for the moment
Spoiler Warning: Up to and including "Wrecked" in Season 6.
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me...no copyright infringement intended. Joss is my God. All hail the glorious one. (It just called out to me.)
Rating: PG-13
-----------------------------
Buffy heard the phone ring but really didn’t want to move. Suddenly she remembered that it could be Willow and launched herself out of the bed to answer it.
“Hello. Willow?!” she gasped.
Giles cleared his throat. “Ah, no. Not exactly. Good morning Buffy.”
Buffy’s heart sank. She checked the time and went into panic mode. He knows the time difference and would never call at this hour without a good reason. She automatically thought the worst. “Giles, I so can’t handle an apocalypse right now.”
“Ah no, Buffy, nothing like that.” he cleared his throat. “Willow’s here.”
Buffy’s eyebrows shot straight up. “Where here? There here. I mean there there…”
Giles sighed loudly. “If your ramblings refer to England, then yes.”
Every emotion hit Buffy at once - anger, fear, relief, joy, hope sadness. She wasn’t sure which one she should start processing first. She settled for confusion. “No offense Giles, but what’s she doing in England?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
Buffy quickly filled Giles in on everything that had happened since he left.
---------------------------------
Willow emerged from the bathroom feeling slightly better. Despite the cleansing, she still felt dirty. She had felt that way for about two weeks. No matter how hard she scrubbed, she couldn’t remove Rack’s touch. It was there and it always would be. She was going to have to live with it for the rest of her life.
Giles looked up from his phone conversation and succinctly brought it to an end. “I have to go. Thank you for everything. I’ll call again soon. Goodbye.” He picked up the tray with two steaming cups of tea and carried it to the living room. He gestured towards the couch. “Sit, please.” Willow slowly walked over and sank into the softness of the sofa. She pulled the towel from atop her head and wrapped it around her shoulders to keep her robe from getting wet. She could feel Giles stare without looking. “I know you’re waiting, but I’m not sure where to start.”
Giles smiled. “It’s been my experience that the beginning is an acceptable starting point.” He tried to convey thru his words that there would be no judgment or condemnation. Willow was clearly putting herself thru enough of both. “Talk to me Willow. I can’t offer a solution unless I know the problem.” he reasoned.
Willow took deep breath and let the flood gates loose. “After the Tabula Rasa spell, Tara left. She said she couldn’t trust me. I was sad, then I just got distracted. I changed Amy back and we went on a magic bender. Everything Giles. Transmogrification, reality altering, mind control. Without Tara, I didn’t care and I just wanted things to be different.” Willow’s eyes clouded over as she rambled on. “I went somewhere Giles.” she said crossing her arms and starting to violently rock back and forth. “He touched me. He gave me a casting high that was unlike anything I had ever felt. Except…” her voiced faltered.
Giles moved from his chair to sit next to Willow on the couch. If she needed him, he wanted to be close by. “Except for what?” he gently prodded.
“It was like when Tara and I did magic together. There was this incredible high I got from it. It’s hard to explain.”
Giles nodded his head. “When love and magic mix the results can be very…stimulating.” he said removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. In only a few sentences, Willow had cleared up so much.
“Anya could have come up with a better word.” she said humorlessly. “Anyway, it had been a while. And it was intoxicating.” Willow began crying. “I came home that morning and spent 2 hours in the shower. I felt so dirty.” She repeatedly shook her head. “I didn’t want Rack, I wanted Tara, so much.” She ran her hands over her arms trying to fight away the chill in the air. “I re-animated some of her clothes…so it would be like she was holding me. Sort of like making me feel better for what I had done to her if that makes any sort of sense. Despite all that…I went back.” she whispered. She reached over and grabbed Giles’ shirt. “And that’s not even the worse part. I took Dawn! How could I take Dawnie to someone like him!?!” she wailed as she buried her head into his chest.
He wrapped his arms around her and slowly rocked her until her sobs began subsiding. ”Why did you ever cast the first spell on Tara?” he gently asked.
“She was upset with me over the magic. I couldn‘t lose her. I thought the spell would make things better. I blew it. She left me not long after that.”
Giles smiled and regarded the small young woman in his arms. ‘She still hasn’t told me everything, but we’re off to a good start.’ He brushed her hair behind her ear. “Willow, sometimes we do things that we think are for the best only to find out later that they’re not. That’s why they call them mistakes.” He set his chin on top of her head. He didn‘t want to ask such a poignant question, but he had to know. “Does she hate you?” his voice filled with apprehension.
“I don’t know. She left. That can’t be a good sign.” she dryly commented.
His eyes widened. “You didn’t ask her before she left?” he questioned.
She shook her head no.
Giles released the young hacker and stood up. He started pacing around the living trying not to blow up at the weeping woman. He stopped and released the fury that was building inside his own mind. “So you ran away! What were you thinking?” he rhetorically shouted as he turned his back to her trying desperately to regain his composure. She didn‘t need the Ripper. He took a calming breath. When he spoke again, his tone was tranquil. “You’re not the little girl I met five years ago.” He knelt down in front of her and took her hand. “You are an intelligent young woman who can’t see the forest for the trees.” he told her, handing her a handkerchief.
Willow blew her nose. After several deep breaths she finally spoke. “What can’t I see?” she asked with pleading eyes for the answers that were escaping her.
Giles removed his glasses and started wiping. His response was frank and matter-of-factly. “You’re not addicted to dark magic. You never were.” Giles put his glasses back on and picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. “Why don’t you go lay down for a little while and let me research some things?”
Willow nodded and walked into the bedroom. She was shocked by his statement. And excited. And scared. ‘If I’m not addicted to dark magic, then what‘s wrong with me?’ she wondered as she laid down on the bed. A single tear slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes. “Tara. I‘m so lost baby.” she whispered as she buried her head into the pillow.
----------------------------------------
Spike walked up to the cabin with a cigarette in hand. All the lights were off in the cabin, so Spike assumed Tara had gone to bed. He stepped on his cigarette butt then thoroughly inspected his shoes. Once he was satisfied that he had gotten off all the deer blood, he opened the front door. ‘Damn deer. I still can’t believe I chased it for two hours. I must be losing my edge.’
He wiped his feet on the rug as an extra precaution and headed up the stairs. He deposited his coat on the recliner and walked over to Tara’s door. He listened at the door and heard the young witch softly whimpering in her sleep. He carefully opened the door and slipped inside. Between the dim light from the candle on the dresser and his vampire senses, he could make out her features perfectly. She looked as innocent as a child, but as beautiful as a goddess.
Tara whimpered again and Spike walked over and sat on the bed next to her. Unsure of what exactly to do, he began talking to the unconscious woman. “S’ok Blondie. You’re safe. No one’s gonna hurt you. I promise.”
The blonde shifted and murmured in her sleep. “Willow.” Her arm gripped the pillow tighter. “I‘ll find you.”
Spike shook his head. ‘Definitely has a bad case of bird on the brain.’ he thought. He reached down and pushed a stray hair out of her face. “Yes you will. You’ll be with her soon luv. Real soon.” He stood up and headed over to the door. “Nothing in this world can keep the two of you apart for long.” he said reassuringly then quietly slipped out of the room.
Spike walked into the living room and tried to decide what to do. He wasn’t really tired yet. He looked over at the pile of videos sitting next to the VCR. ‘Bloody hell.’ he thought. He walked over and scanned the titles. ‘There’s got to be something in here worth watching.’ Finally, he opted for The Crying Game. ‘Sounds depressing, why not?’ He popped the tape in, grabbed the remote and crashed on the sofa.
----------------
Things start heating up as each of our favorite girls get some answers.
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Love will find a way.
by Willow Rocks » Sat Mar 09, 2002 2:21 pm
next part not going to be to long away i hope!
by jessan15 » Sun Mar 10, 2002 1:40 pm
Keep the faith.
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Love will find a way.
by LeatherQueen » Sun Mar 10, 2002 2:00 pm
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"Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind." -Glory
by Blue77 » Sun Mar 10, 2002 6:14 pm
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"Infested roots? Trying to turn me on?" ~ Tara
"I have to try now!" ~ Wil
by jessan15 » Sun Mar 10, 2002 9:09 pm
-------------------------------
Buffy walked into the Magic Box, surprised to find only Anya standing behind the counter. “Hey Anya. No Xander?”
Anya closed the cash register and walked around to the table. “After you called and told us where Willow was, he decided he could go into work.” She took a seat and rested her chin on her hand. “Giles called this morning. There’s a list of books he wants us to go thru about magic. He said something about Willow’s problem not being what he expected then swore at himself for not seeing it sooner.” She studying the first book on the pile. “I think he regrets leaving.” she evenly stated.
Buffy finally sat down at the table and picked up one of the books. “He’s probably sitting there blaming himself for everything that happened to her. That’s how he operates.” She thought about all the times he had apologized to her for the things he was responsible for making her do. She opened the book. “So what am I looking for?”
Anya grabbed a book as well. “Anything that has to do with the merging of magics.” Anya flipped a few pages. ‘It’s not like they were soul-bonded or anything. Now THAT would be disastrous.’ Anya stiffened at her own thoughts. Tara said after what Willow did during the solidifying spell, she wouldn’t cast with Willow again. “Oh my god. They are.” She looked over at Buffy. “I have to call Giles.”
Buffy looked up from her book. “You figured it out? Cool. Now that‘s my kind of research - short, sweet, and to the point..” she said triumphantly closing her book.
--------------------------------------
Tara slept late, but woke up invigorated and refreshed. After changing her clothes, she starting the long process of carting water up from the stream. Forty gallons later, she was quite exhausted. ‘I wish Spike could’ve helped. That stream is further down the hill than I remember.’ She put some water on the stove to boil so that she could brush her teeth and make tea. She opened the attic door and called to Spike. “Interested in lunch?” She could hear the vampire grumbling. He just wasn’t a morning person. Then again, how many vampires are?
“Bloody hell." he muttered, checking the clock. "No luv. See ya for dinner in about 6 hours.” he hollered down to her.
“Alright. I’m going out for the afternoon, be back later.” Spike only grumbled at her statement. She closed the door and set her water to the side to cool. She grabbed some bread and made herself a sandwich.
After lunch, she took a cold shower and finally brushed her teeth. She put on some clean clothes, grabbed some supplies, including a blanket, and headed out into the forest. She walked down the hill to the stream and walked beside it. She enjoyed listening to the sounds of nature as she walked; the birds chirping, the wind whistling thru the trees, and the steady rhythm of the water. ‘It’s so quiet and peaceful. I‘ve missed the serenity. My life‘s been so chaotic lately.‘ she thought.
After about 45 minutes of following the stream, she came to a large stone altar. It was covered with moss and fallen branches. After cleaning it off, she placed some offerings for the Goddess on the altar. Then she spread the blanket out directly in front of the altar. She sat down, cross legged and began meditating. Once she felt focused, she offered tidings to the Goddess.
“Sweet Goddess of all that surrounds me, I beg for your guidance. Grant me your light and your love so that I may chase away the darkness that shrouds my soul.” After a few moments, she opened her eyes. In front of her sat a blonde, middle aged woman dressed in a flowing white gown. It took a moment for Tara to recover her senses. She was afraid to close her eyes, fearing that the vision in front of her would vanish. “Mother.” she beamed.
The woman in front of her smiled, but made no effort to reach out for her child. “It’s been a long time my darling.”
Tara nodded and tears welled up in her eyes. “Seven years. I should have visited sooner, but things were difficult after you were called away.” she couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘died’.
Her mother nodded sadly. “I know. I’ve been watching. You’ve come so far.”
Tara shook her head. “I have.” She looked up at the sun glistening thru the trees, then back at her mother. “Yet, I haven’t.” She desperately searched for the best way to express her feelings. “I found a new home. I found someone special who loves me. And then I let it slip away. I lost myself.” she said looking down at her hands.
Tara’s mother shook her head. “No. You only think you have.” She willed her daughter to look at her. “Tell me about Willow.”
Tara’s eyes beamed. “Oh mom. She’s wonderful. She’s smart and funny and sweet and beautiful.” she sighed. “Words can’t possibly describe the way I feel about her. She’s my world. My everything.”
Tara’s mother let out a soft sigh. “But she hurt you, didn‘t she?”
Tara nodded and a tear escaped her eye. “Yes. She’d been using dark magic. She got so lost after Buffy‘s death.“ More tears ran down her beautiful face. “Mom, she used her magic against me.”
Her mother understood the ramifications of what her daughter said. There was no greater crime than for one witch to use their power against another witch, especially one they were in love with. “Do you know why she did it?” she asked in her kindest voice.
“Yes. No. I thought I knew, but I’m not sure anymore. All I could see was another person trying to control me.”
“You were blinded by fear. Darling that’s nothing to be ashamed of.” her mother said trying to be comforting.
“I walked away because I felt so violated, but now my days are only filled with regret and sadness. She had a problem and I washed my hands of it. I should have helped her work thru it. I ran.” her voice quieted. “Like I always do.”
“You walked away?”
Tara silently nodded.
“Do you know what I always admired most about you my darling?” Tara looked at her questioningly, but didn’t speak. “You’ve always done what was best for you. You always have and you always will. That’s who you are. After I died, you found the strength to go on. You got away from all the pain that your father and brother were causing you. You found love. You found a family. You found Willow.”
“But I lost her!” Tara insisted. “She chose dark magic over me.”
Her mother defiantly shook her head no. “She chose irresponsibly about the best way to protect you. She was scared of losing you. She never stopped loving you for a second.”
“But after I left, she became addicted. She needed the magic more than she needed me.” she argued.
Her mother smiled. “It’s true. She did need magic. She needed yours. When she thought she couldn‘t have it, she settled for something less. She needed you more than anything, but she had to discover that in her own way. Sometimes you have to lose something to discover how valuable it really was.”
Tara voice was small. “What should I do?” she whispered.
Her mother laughed. “You’ll do what you always have my darling, whatever’s best for you.” she reached out, almost caressing her daughter’s cheek, but not actually touching it. “Blessed be my darling.”
Tara closed her eyes and could practically feel the warmth touching her skin. When she opened her eyes, she was alone. Tara looked up at the sun high above the trees. “I love you mom.” She had some things to think about and a long walk back to the cabin She gave thanks to the Goddess for granting her counsel, picked up her things, and started the long walk back upstream.
------------------------
Willow woke to the ringing of the phone. ‘What? Where…’ She was confused as she sat up. “England. I’m in England.” she explained to herself. She noticed her bag sitting next to the door and decided that she would face Giles in real clothes as opposed to her bathrobe. Once she finished changing, she opened the bedroom door. As she walked towards the living room, she caught the last few sentences of his conversation.
“Anya, are you sure? Dear lord.” he removed his glasses and started rubbing his eyes. “I realize that, but the ramifications of just such and occurrence could be completely devastating to both of them.” There was a brief pause. “Can you contact her? It may be imperative that we get them together immediately to explain the situation.” Another pause. “Let me talk to Willow first. I’ll call you back later. Thank you very much Anya.”
Willow leaned against the doorway to the kitchen as he was hanging up the phone. “I guess they know where I am huh?”
Giles was slightly startled by her sudden appearance. “Oh, uh, Willow. Um, yes. Yes. They were terribly worried.” He started cleaning his glasses. “Buffy said something about waking up the entire campus on your behalf.
Willow joined him at the kitchen table. “They didn’t.”
Giles nodded. “Apparently, they did.” He walked over to the stove and poured a cup of tea. “Did you sleep well?” he asked setting the cup down in front of her.
“Sort of. It was the best sleep I’ve had in ages. Not too many nightmares.” she confessed taking a sip of tea. “Will you tell me now what’s going on? I need to know. I need to stop feeling like this. What can I do?”
Giles poured himself a cup of tea and sat down across from Willow. “Well, there is much to explain. Some of it, you aren’t going to like hearing, but it must be said. It will be rather unpleasant. I’m going to ask you questions that you aren’t going to want to answer, but if you want me to help you, you must. Can you do that for me?”
Willow slowly nodded taking in every word.
Giles picked up his pen so that he could take notes. “When did you an Tara first perform a…I mean, when did you first cast together?”
“Not trying to be all ‘dodging the question’ like, but I need a specific. Verbal or non-verbal?”
“Either. The first time you used your powers together for a singular purpose.” he clarified.
“That’s easy. When the gentlemen came to Sunnydale. We moved the soda machine.” She remembered the first time their hands met. It was electric. No one’s touch had ever made Willow feel like that before.
“Early on in your relationship, did you cast often together.”
Willow nodded. “We would do simple spells 2 or 3 times a week.”
“Were there any particular…” he sat up and removed his glasses. “stimulating spells early on?”
Willow was getting slightly offended. “Giles, you better be going somewhere with this, cause right now, you are sounding like a dirty old man. And that’s not the sort of thing I really need right now. Maybe if you had said something to me in high school I might have…”
Giles reached out and touched her hand. “I’m trying to establish a pattern in your magic use. Nothing more.” he said giving her the most reassuring smile he had in his arsenal.
“Ok, what was the question?” A slight blush crept up his cheeks. “Oh stimulating, right. Um, when we journeyed to the Nether Realms.”
“At that point and time were you and Tara…” he pulled his handkerchief out and began cleaning his glasses. “involved romantically?”
Willow frowned. “Are you channeling Anya?”
Giles was taken aback. “What? No. What would you…oh, I am trying to establish if there is a connection between your personal life and your magical life, if that makes more sense.”
Willow became slightly enraged. “You think that I used her!” She shouted standing abruptly. “I loved her….and-and I still do. Magic may have been how we met but that’s not why I fell in love with her!” She turned her back to him and crossed her arms. “How dare you?” she seethed. She began shaking as the urge to unleash magic on him hit her. She bit her tongue and dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. ‘I won’t. I won’t I won’t.’ she kept repeating.
Giles released a deep sigh. “Willow. I know you love her.” he tried reaching out to her arm, but she jerked it away. “I wanted more background before I told you my theory, but I suppose the sooner the better.” He could tell Willow was fighting an inner battle, so he continued talking to her back. “I fear that you and Tara somehow bonded your souls thru your magics. When you stopped casting together, you went into a withdraw. I don’t know the strength of Tara’s magic, but if it was mixed with her love, then all the dark magic in the world wouldn’t have been enough for you to get where you wanted to be.” he told her sincerely.
Willow finally turned to face him, her face pale and sweating. “Are you saying I’m addicted to Tara?”
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Love will find a way.
[This message has been edited by jessan15 (edited March 10, 2002).]
by Pixie » Sun Mar 10, 2002 9:31 pm
by DaRebel » Sun Mar 10, 2002 9:40 pm
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No, no potions. It's not magic, it's chemistry. You can tell by how damn slow it is! Willow "Doublemeat Palace"
by Owl » Sun Mar 10, 2002 9:42 pm
I wasn't going to say it... but the nasty little devil on my shoulder won this round:
I will never watch a certain Robert Palmer video the same way again. (for you non-u.s. or bitty kittens, this refers to an 80's music video in which look-alike women with slicked-back hair pretend to play instruments and sway back and forth to the tune "addicted to love")
by jessan15 » Mon Mar 11, 2002 5:24 pm
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Love will find a way.
by Blue77 » Mon Mar 11, 2002 5:51 pm
Need more, but it's bedtime for me, need to get up early tomorrow, esp after my lie in this morning - it won't do!!!
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"Infested roots? Trying to turn me on?" ~ Tara
"I have to try now!" ~ Wil
by airam » Mon Mar 11, 2002 8:00 pm
by Tiggrscorpio » Mon Mar 11, 2002 8:10 pm
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She's my everything!
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