Title: Lost & Found - Part 12
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
Notes:
Tara returned to the cabin as the sun was setting. When she walked into the living room, she was surprised to see Spike sitting on the couch. “I didn’t expect you to be up yet.” she said tossing her stuff on one of the chairs. She plopped down next to him on the couch. “Sleep well?”
“Like the dead.” he told her and taking a drink from his beer.
Tara quirked an eyebrow in his direction. “Doesn’t that go without saying?” she said with a perfectly straight face.
“You’re a riot today.” He muted the TV and looked as the blonde witch. “You look different.” He knew something had happened while she was out, but couldn’t determine if it was good or bad.
“Yeah. Happy and sad at the same time is the best way to describe it.” she shrugged. “You just kind of end up with ‘blah’ at the end.”
“So what were you doing out there for so long?” he asked
“Communing with nature.” Tara simply replied.
“Come on Blondie. If you’re gonna lie to me at least try something believable.” Another swig. “We didn’t come all this way so you could talk to the trees.” he commented dryly.
“I got some answers, but they only led to more questions.” she said staring at the empty fireplace.
“Like what?” he nudged.
“What’s best for me.” she sighed.
Spike didn’t even think twice before he spoke. “Willow is.”
“How do I get passed what she did to me?” she said as she looked at the blonde vampire.
“What is it with you birds? It’s always about what we did, not why we did it.” He shook his head. “Like when I got the Buffybot. She was pissed.” He took a swig from his beer. “She should have been flattered. All I wanted was her and was willing to do with her twin. Instead, she thinks its all obscene.” he leaned his head back. “Red did the same thing. Yeah, she did a spell on you, but it was because she didn’t want to lose your love. Again, bad method, good intent.” He stood up and walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer. “Mistakes happen Blondie. People get lost. The question is, can they find their way back?” he grabbed his smokes off the table and walked out on the deck.
“I want to.” she said in a small voice.
“Then what are you waiting for already?” he called from outside.
Tara hadn’t expected him to hear her. She walked over and joined him out on the deck. “A guarantee. A pledge. A promise. Anything that will assure me that nothing like this will ever happen again.”
Spike took a drag of his smoke. “There’s no such thing in life luv. That’s the way it is. Raw. Unpredictable. Ever-changing. That’s Life. There are no guarantees. Never were, never will be.”
She considered his words carefully. He was right. Life was a game of risks. If you weren’t going to take any, then why bother to play in the first place? “Do you regret still having the chip in your head?” she asked smoothly integrating the topics.
“Best thing that ever happened in my entire undead life.” he told her honestly.
“She’ll come around totally, if you can just be patient.” she answered resting her hand on his shoulder.
“I’ve got forever, how long will it take her?” he asked taking another drag of his smoke.
“Not as long as you think.” she said running her hand down his arm. She looked up at the night sky and thought about Willow. ‘We’ll be together soon sweetie.’ she silently vowed to Willow. She looked back over at Spike. “I’ll go make us some dinner.” she told him as she headed back inside the cabin.
‘Willow, you are one lucky lady.’ he thought looking up at the moon beginning its voyage across the sky.
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Dawn picked up the phone at the Summer’s house and was thrilled to hear the blonde’s voice. “TARA!” she shouted.
“Hi Dawn. How’s everything?”
“Uh, everything’s cool. “she said suddenly unnerved. ‘What do I tell her about Willow?’ she wondered. “So how’s the middle of nowhere? Have you tried to dust Spike yet?”
Tara chuckled. “The middle of nowhere is extremely peaceful and Spike is being a perfect gentleman.”
“I thought he was a vampire.” she snidely commented.
“Yeah, that too.” she snickered.
“So what’re you up to right now?” Dawn questioned trying to postpone the inevitable a little longer.
“Cooking dinner.”
“Sounds exciting. So? Any idea how soon you’ll be heading home?” she asked trying not to sound all needy and stuff.
“Spike and I will be home tomorrow after dark.“ Tara reassured the teenager.
“You’re coming home already? That’s good news, right?” Her voice cracked at the last word. She knew Tara didn’t like her insinuating things about her and Willow’s relationship, but sometimes she just couldn’t help herself. And if Tara was gone for only 2 days, then she must have made a good decision, right?
“Well, that will all depend on Willow.” she answered truthfully. “Is she around?”
Dawn’s heart soared at the response, then dropped at the question. Dawn bit the inside of her lip. She didn’t want to be the one to tell Tara that Willow was gone. “No, she was doing something with Xander. Bonding time or something like that.” she said holding her breath. She had never tried lying to the witch before and wasn’t sure if she was going to get away with it.
There was a long pause. Dawn feared that Tara knew she was lying. Finally, she spoke. “Buffy around?”
“Patrol.” she simply answered.
“All by your lonesome, huh?” she asked feeling bad about not being there.
“Yeah, but talking to you makes all things better.” Dawn happily told her. That was something Dawn never would have to lie about. Tara could always make things better, whether is was with a stupid joke, a funny face, or just a warm hug. “So tomorrow night…is that a promise?”
“Yes, absolutely, positively, beyond a shadow of a doubt - kind of promise.” Tara responded.
They talked for several more minutes. Fortunately, Tara didn’t ask anymore about Willow. Finally, Dawn hung up the phone. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. 24 hours to figure out how they were going to tell Tara that Willow was gone. It would be ugly. ‘I wonder what the chances are for an apocalypse before tomorrow night?’
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Back across the pond , Giles and Willow were sitting in the University of London’s main library, with many books spread out on the table in front of them. After Anya had called, Giles decided that they had to find all the information they could as quickly as possible. Anya was very quick to point out what would happen if the witches stayed as they were. Giles could still hear Anya’s words running thru his head. “Remember what Tara was like after Glory got a hold of her? That’ll be Willow pretty soon. Maybe even worse.” If something scares the 1000 year old ex-demon, it’s for a good reason.
They had been researching ‘the magical bonding of souls’ all night. Giles lowered his book and checked his watch. ‘Almost 4 AM’ He set his book down. He leaned over and gently tapped Willow’s shoulder. “We really should go get some sleep. Exhaustion isn’t going to help us accomplish our task.”
Willow shook her head. “Giles, we still don’t have any way to undo this bonding. I can’t keep Tara involved in something that she doesn’t want.” She proclaimed adamantly and returned to her reading.
Giles stood and then pulled out her chair. “Giles…” she started to protest, but was silenced as a hand covered her mouth. “You’ve been going non-stop since this afternoon. There is no immediately danger to either of you, unless you are determined to push your body passed the point of exhaustion, which I am positive is already the case.”
Willow closed her eyes. She knew he was right, but she wasn’t concerned with her own needs right now. The only thing that mattered was Tara. “Can we take some of these volumes with us?” she said pointing towards several open texts on the table.
Giles smiled. If she was relenting to at least leaving the library, it was a step in the right direction. “Yes. I actually hold high credentials with the university.” he told as he removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Select what you want and I’ll return the rest to the selves.
Willow rolled her eyes as she sifted thru the books. ’Forever the librarian.’ she thought.
After checking out the books Willow wanted, they headed towards the car. Once they walked out into the darkness, Willow realized just how tired she really was. As she looked up at the sky, she wondered how she would explain everything to Tara about the soul bonding. “Giles, how am I gonna tell Tara about this? She can’t stand to be in the same room as me. Heck, she hasn’t even spoken to me in weeks. Not that I blame her after everything that happened, after all it was my fault and I did do some terrible things…”
Giles gently interrupted her babbling. “Willow, while I have dearly missed your endless prattling, I’m afraid I am hardly in the mood to deal with it at this precise moment.”
Willow eyes went wide. “Did you just nicely tell me to shut up?”
Giles blushed. “Ah, um, well yes. I believe I did. Sorry.”
“You’re worried, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice hollow.
Giles wanted to leave her with nothing but hope, but he was very confident about anything at this point. “Willow.” He briefly pondered side-stepping her question or a nice little white lie. He was too exhausted to do either. He unlocked his car as he answered. “As things stand right at this moment, yes I am.” he finished putting some books in the backseat and then got in himself. As Willow closed her door, Giles grabbed her hand. “We will find a solution to this. Somehow. I promise.”
As Giles started the car, Willow stared out the window. She looked up at the stars and recognized ‘The Big Pineapple’ immediately. “I’m holding you to that Tara.” she murmured as she leaned against the window and quickly fell asleep.
Giles stared curiously at the redhead. ‘She’s so tired, she’s delirious.’ he thought as he made the final turn towards his flat. ‘At least I hope that’s all it is.’
How could Giles possibly have known that she actually responding to her lover on the other side of the world?
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Hmmm, what's next I wonder? Another warm moment with Spike and Tara...and maybe one very upset witch.
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Love will find a way.
[This message has been edited by jessan15 (edited March 12, 2002).]