New Fic: There You Are

[DarkWiccan]

Hullo! Back from Bama...



I told you all that it was an evil cliffhanger.... I wasn't kidding...



Okay, for some of you it wasn't very evil... or even Ee-Veel for that matter...



Alrighty... I'm going to try to get over this sudden head cold that I have come down with, and then I'm gonna set about finishing off and posting "Morrigan Spills the Beans"... which is my secondary title to this chapter. The first being, "It's Not My Fault, Blame the Llamas"... but I realized very quickly that that made no sense... and besides, I never title my posts or chapters anyway...



So there.



Well, I'm off to enjoy chicken soup, echinacea and tylenol cold, as well as a nice box of vick's vapo-rub breathe right strips....



Oh.. and of course, I'll be writing too...



Cheers (ACHOO!)

DW

[miawillow]

DW, I am glad to here that you are back! Too bad about that cold though. You gotta love those breathe right strips! Get well wishes to you. Can't wait for the next update. Thanks again for sharing.

Tara: Every time I... even at my worst, you always make me feel special. How do you do that?
Willow: Magic

[BethanyB3]

Gezuntight, Feel better.

[Rocktoddy]

DW: Haha, you're funny.



I wish I could say how bad I feel for you being sick, which I am, but...



I can't.



Because this means you will be writing, so we'll be getting an update which automatically means I'm a very happy kitten and that means my mom will be glad coz I happily did the dishes for her and... Oh, um, babble.



To cut a long story short, cuz I tend to do that a lot and that almost rhymed and... SHUT UP!

Okay, what I meant to say was: Yay! 'Coz that last update was just downright mean, leaving me hanging on that cliff...



So here's my advice: STAY IN BED, EAT SOME SOUP AND WRITE! WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!!! (Hey, I got it right this time! )



Rocktoddy, always the poet

"You can tell that Buffy is good and Willow is evil because Willow's lipstick is all caked and gross, while Buffy's is dewy and fresh. -Sep, recap Two to Go"
"What's my name? Say my name, witch!" -Tara, FWF; The Package by Wiccie

[DarkWiccan]

Previously in TYA:



Morrigan took a long sip of her tea, shifted a little on the couch and then set her cup down on the coffee table. She let out a long sigh, and then finally began to speak.



“I shall tell you all that I know of Le Fay… and everything else.”



And now back to our previously scheduled reading program...

___________________________________________________

At hearing Morrigan’s declaration, both women’s ears instantly perked, tuning themselves to the priestess’s voice, the better to capture all of the words that were about to pour from her mouth. Tara raised one eyebrow in anticipation and Willow swallowed a semi-audible gulp. Morrigan leaned forward, her elbows on her knees and ducked her head forward toward the pair, her body language making it clear that what she was about to impart was highly secret and for their ears only.



“900 years ago”, she began, lowering her voice as though she feared uninvited listeners might hear, “when I was just a small child of six years, I was taken from my mother’s arms by Vivienne to Avalon where I would spend the rest of my life in the service of the Goddess. What I did not know at that time was that Vivienne had taken me not only to become a priestess of the Goddess, but also to protect me from a destiny that would cause me to aid in the destruction of Avalon.”



Tara and Willow shared a nervous glance. Morrigan quickly moved to allay their silent fears.



“Do not misunderstand me. I was not a willing participant. Avalon was my home. Is my home”, she corrected herself as an afterthought. “I was tricked by Le Fay. We all were. Even Vivienne, her own sister, did not realize until it was too late… But I know… she blamed me. Not entirely… but enough that she felt right to keep me from returning to Avalon before it faded into the mists.”



“What happened?” asked Tara, “What did you do?”



Morrigan let out a long sigh that communicated loss, regret, shame and weariness all at once. Taking in another breath she explained, “It was Lughnassadh. I was sixteen. It was my first time away from Avalon since I had been taken away from my family. We had ventured to the mainland to celebrate the holiday with the townsfolk. Almost all of the priestesses of the isle were there. Even Ghaena, who was already well over twelve hundred years old, was there with her Elvin wife Gryffldwynn, who we called ‘Dwynn’ or ‘Dwynnie’ for short.” The priestess paused, smiling at the memory. But then her features darkened once again as she went on. “I had never met Morgan before. Vivienne rarely spoke of her and when she did, it was with hushed voice and only ever to Ghaena.



“I had been drinking mead that night, as we all had, and I remember sitting on a log, staring across the fire at a handsome young man. Or at least, I thought he was handsome, for I could not see his face. He was wearing a mask that hid his features, all of the townspeople were, it was part of the celebration… some sort of custom. All I could see of him was his eyes, and they spoke in volumes.



“Suddenly I felt a presence next to me. I looked up and saw a woman standing by my side. She had jet-black hair, and lavender eyes and she gazed at me as if she could see straight through me. She sat down next to me and glanced across the flames to see what had my attention. ‘He’s a handsome devil’, she said. I nodded. ‘Why don’t you go up to him then?’ she asked. I shook my head, I was too shy. ‘Tut, tut’, she said, offering me her tankard, ‘have a swig of this, that’ll give you courage enough.’ Something screamed at the back of my mind for me not to take that drink. Something told me that the mead in the vessel was tainted. But as I looked at that young man, all I could see was forever, so on that impulse alone, I took the pint from her and drank. Almost instantly I was filled with a strange warmth and I was overrun with feelings of lust, passion and fire. I wanted him, and I would have him. And I did.”



Morrigan paused, the disgrace in her voice evident. She took a moment to collect herself, and then continued on. “When I discovered myself to be with child, I knew it could only be his. Whoever he was. I stole myself from the island one night and returned to the village to inquire of the young man’s identity. It was then that I learned, to my horror, that it had been Arthur, the king, and… and my brother.”



Tara and Willow both gasped. They had read the stories, the myths and legends, but somehow hearing it first hand, knowing it to be real, changed everything.



“I knew then it had to be ended”, the priestess stated firmly, as if resigning herself to the fact all over again. “I sought out the woman who had given me the mead, and found her in a moss-covered cottage at the edge of the forest near the village. I confronted her. Told her that I knew she had tricked me, and that I knew that drink had been cast upon. I demanded that she brew up a potion to end the life growing inside of me. That I would not deliver the bastard child of two siblings who had no way of knowing that they had lain together. Le Fay refused, saying that she would not end the life of an innocent child who could not help how it had been made into this world. Instead she offered me an alternative. She would take custody of the child at its birth and raise it as her own. I asked her how I could disguise the fact that I was carrying such a load. She sent me to a nearby convent, dedicated to the Christian god, and there I hid away. When the time came I delivered the baby boy into Morgan’s arms and returned to Avalon as though nothing had happened.



“Eighteen years passed, and the boy grew into a man called Modrid. Under the guidance of his adopted mother, he raised an army against his father, my brother King Arthur. When the battle began, Vivienne confronted me, causing me to confess to what I knew and what I had done. Avalon, the sacred isle, was under the attack of Le Fay and in her battle cry the witch had bragged to Modrid being the flesh of, not only the King, but of his sister as well. Vivienne accused me of betraying her with my silence. And she was right. The walls of Avalon began to crumble, the only chance of its survival was for it disappear into the safety of the mists.



“Amidst the destruction, Ghaena came to me with her and Dwynnie’s wee babe Adrianna tucked in her arms. She begged me to rescue their child to the village. That there was a family waiting for her there who would care for her. I remember she said something about destiny and the resurrection of Avalon, but I was so distracted with all that was going on a round me, all I could focus on was fleeing the isle to the mainland and getting Adrianna to the family that awaited her.



“By the time I tried to return home, Arthur was dead, and Avalon had shut its doors to me forever.” Morrigan finished her story, sinking back into the couch exhausted as though the telling of it had caused her to relive it all over again.



Well, that’s all well and good, Willow thought, But… “Why is Emily in danger?” she asked aloud.



“Do you know why your hair is red?” Morrigan queried.



“No”, Willow replied, “You asked me that once before…”



“It’s part of what makes you special”, the priestess went on, “What makes you both special, and it’s why Emily carries the destiny that she has.”



“Could you please be a little more specific”, Tara begged. She had grown quite tired of answers with more questions.



“Tara, you are descended of Ghaena and Dwynn, two women who came together in love and created life”, explained Morrigan, “The same holds true for Willow’s ancestry.”



The married couple sat back in their seats, trying to absorb what the woman across from them had just revealed.



“You mean…” Willow started, and then paused, and then started again, “You mean Ghaena’s my ancestor too?”



“No” Morrigan clarified, “Though she did have a hand in your ancestors coming together. Two thousand years ago, Ghaena was sent on a quest, during which time she traveled with a bard…”



“She told us”, Tara interjected, trying to get the priestess to skip ahead a little.



“Did she tell you who the bard was?” Morrigan asked.



“Not exactly”, Willow answered.



“She was the former lover of a female warrior who had been known throughout the land as a righter of wrongs and protector of innocents. I say former because by the time Ghaena met her, the warrior was two years dead.” Morrigan illuminated. “Ghaena’s quest was to deliver a message to the bard. Or, so this was what she discovered. But she discovered it thirty years too late, because the message was not only for the bard, but for the warrior as well. Ghaena offered to sacrifice her immortality in order to travel back in time and deliver the message to the warrior and bard together. The Goddess granted her request and Ghaena delivered the message, which was in fact a blessing. The warrior and bard came together and created life. And from that life, Willow, you are descended.”



“So Emily is the completion of some sort of circle?” Tara surmised questioningly.



“Yes”, Morrigan confirmed.



“Why does Le Fay want to hurt her?” Willow inquired.



“The restoration of Avalon will bring about her destruction”, the priestess answered, “She’ll do anything to stop it. She has spent the last millennia tracking down your ancestors and systematically trying to kill them. Luckily, Ghaena has always been a step ahead of her and was there in time to ensure the continuation of the two blood lines.”



“Did…did Le Fay kill my real mother?” Willow asked hesitantly.



Morrigan lowered her head sadly. “Yes”, she said, “She disguised herself as a hospital nurse. Thank Goddess Ghaena was able to save you in time before the blood poisoning cost both of your lives.”



Willow blinked back a sudden rush of tears. Tara took her wife’s hand and held it close against her thigh, gently massaging Willow’s knuckles with her thumb.



“How do we figure out who Morgan is?” Tara queried, feeling Willow squeeze her hand more tightly.



“It’s hard to say”, Morrigan admitted. “She can take on the shape of anyone she wishes. Including us, your friends, enemies, total strangers… anyone. But there are clues.”



Tara and Willow leaned in, anxious to hear anything that would help them to keep their precious daughter safe.



“Firstly, she rarely works alone”, the priestess noted, “she will have spies of birds, beasts and man. Though she can steal other’s faces, she tends to let her minions do most of the work, and when you do meet her, she will appear to have no aura, or her aura will be difficult to read.”



“Why does she hide if she can be anyone she wants?” Willow asked.



“Mostly thanks to Ghaena”, Morrigan explained, “for she can see through Le Fay’s tricks. And inevitably, every time Le Fay has disguised herself as a friend or family member, the victims figure it out. So with the tight-knit family you both have, it would be too much of a risk to her discovery.”



“Why wouldn’t Ghaena tell us any of this?” The blonde had to ask, she needed to understand why they had been kept so much in the dark.



“Ghaena has always worked in shadow. She believes that sometimes having information can be more dangerous than lacking it. She was only doing what she believed to be best. Don’t be angry with her. She loves Emily and fears for her safety. The more powerful the child becomes, the closer we all are to the restoration of Avalon and with that the danger to her well-being increases.”



Willow and Tara nodded gravely, their understanding complete.



*****



“Emily?” Miss Henckle said, catching the young girl’s attention as she was headed off to lunch.



“Yes, ma’am?” The small redhead replied eagerly.



“Would you mind eating your lunch in here and helping me with a few things?” the teacher asked.



“Sure!” Emily answered happily, always enjoying the feeling of being “teacher’s pet”.



“Excellent”, Ms. Henckle smiled.



TBC…

[Grimaldi]

great update Morrigan's story was very interesting, and suddenly i have the feeling that Ms. Henckle is not who she seems.

Dude, we're surrounded by perverts!

2nd place??? That's just a fancy term for loser!

Just because you have coffee with someone, doesn't make you a lesbian

[BFR from Paris]

Ms Henckle is Le Fay!!!

Run, Emily! Run!!



(am I right? )

[Loco2]

ooh, i was right before (by the looks of things) unless you are messing with us



well, things are pretty cleared up here, s'good to understand



i second that "run emily, run" !! and i'll add a "lock her in her office and set fire to it!"





thanks for update

¥ ¥ ¥ Behold my symbols!! ± ‡ ¤ » †
"Oh, bugger off, you BROLLY!" - Anya to Giles on his use of the english language
"We'll all be a lot happier without the constant whining....Mom, Buffy, Tara, Waah" - DMW to Dawn

[tkheaven]

That was quite a story...



Oh My Emily! Run Run Run!!!

Tk's new and improved "GrrArgg"

-----------------------------
Tara was similarly riveted, her body on slow burn as Willow's lips parted and her mouth opened, the food slipping inside and being consumed. Never in her life had Tara ever wanted to be a chicken casserole so badly...Later that night..."It's good to be a chicken casserole," Tara murmured, before passing out. ~ Answering Darkness by Sassette

[dslagel64]

“The Goddess granted her request and Ghaena delivered the message, which was in fact a blessing. The warrior and bard came together and created life. And from that life, Willow, you are descended.”







Willow is a descendant of Xena and Gabrielle! Awesome!



Many thanks for this gripping story, DarkWiccan.



Dave

[The Rose24]

I knew something wasn't right about Mrs. Henckle. There were too many coincidences.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.

Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

Willow: Hi, um Tara. I was wondering maybe you want to go out some time for coffee? food? Kisses and gay love?

[VampNo12]

DW quite an insightful update! I found Morrigan's story quite fascinating, and it does shed some light on Le Fay and her motives. Poor Will finding out Morgan was responsible for her biological mother's death, and that Ghaena saved Willow (as a baby) from the same fate. Now with the news that ("The restoration of Avalon will bring about her destruction.", as well as Morrigan answering "Yes" to Tara asking "So Emily is the completion of some sort of circle?"), I have a very bad feeling about Miss Henckle (ie something tells me Emily enjoying being "teacher's pet" isn't all that is cracked up to be). Lastly, I understand Ghaena's lack of imparting information as her way of "protection", but I still think W&T would of had a better chance to safe-guard Emily if they knew the whole story from the beginning (ie when they first met Ghaena). Can't wait to see what happens next!

Edited by: VampNo12  at: 9/26/02 11:01:42 pm

[Lonewolf22]

DarkWiccan: Great update, Morrigan's story was really eye-opening, I had no idea Morgan was so cruel, and I feel so bad for Willow, to find out that her mother was killed by Morgan, poor Willow. I REALLY, really hope that Emily is OK, please let her be OK. I can't wait to read more.



Lonewolf

[umadamber]

I just caught up with this, and may i say i'm enjoying every minute of it



But damn that Miss Henckle.....please let Emily be ok

Anya: Anyway, I took the money from working for Giles, then I tripled it.

Tara: Triple? Like first money, then money, money, money?

Anya: Yes, I'm thinking about buying something very expensive. Maybe an antelope

[mollyig]

Willow and Tara have learned more from Morrigan. Their question about why Ghaena didn't tell them is fair enough, but I suppose she had her reasons.



About Miss Henckle, I think Ghaena should meet Emily's teacher.

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[Murasaki S]

Great update. It's nice to know the circle is closed. Although I'm confused about one thing: if Ghaena offered to sacrifice her immortality to go back and deliver the message to Xena and Gabrielle, should she still be immortal? And if she is what does it mean? Hmmm...

Hope that Emily figures out whether Mrs. Henckle is the baddie. Can't wait to see what's coming next.

[RaiStarr]

Awesome! A Xena and Gabrielle tie in! LOVE it! Maybe I'm dense (well, actually, there is no maybe about it) but um, why is Willow's hair red? We still don't have an answer to that do we? Can't wait for more and feel better soon!



Rai

[MadeinNZ]

Ms Henkle! I knew it. Its great to get back story. This is a wonderful story.

------------------------------


Anya: I have finesse! I have finesse coming out of my bottom!

[Scout]

Oh, I had this all figured out ages ago - yeah, right! Wow - so much good info. And the Xena and Gabby tie-in - who would have guessed. But I'm wondering about the red hair, too. I mean Gabby's hair was reddish in the beginning, but not as red as Willow's. Maybe we'll get more info about that later.



Exciting stuff, although I'm worried about little Emily now. Update soon, please - thanks!

[Miss1234Kitty]

Okay, so WHY is her hair red? And how does Willow's hair colour make Tara special? I'm beginning to think that DW's just trying to confuse me. Which, admittedly, isn't hard. I'm enjoying the updates more than ever, though. I've given up on the hope that Ms Heneckle might be good. *sulk*



Gem

Tara: There's just so much to work through... and can you just be kissing me now?

[KJchicago]

DW - Okay, I just read the last two parts together. Again, I love the Maclay-Rosenberg family especially how you've written them them in "No Matter Where You Go" and "There You Are". But now I am worried what Ms. Henckle is going to do with poor unsuspecting Emily! Can't wait to see how you continue this.



Thanks!

[DarkWiccan]

So, alot of you out there are still a little confused...



Good.



No, seriously... the answers to most of your questions are already in the story as it has been posted so far.



Go back and read carefully... what common denominator to Tara and Willow both share in their ancestry that would make them "special"?



The hair thing.. should be self explanatory... but it will be laid out even more clearly as we get closer to the end.



Cheers... update soon

DW

[barnabasvamp]

Oh good...Update soon.

Emily watch out!!

I caught the connection to W&T's ancestry that makes them special....I'm sure others will when they re-read the part.

Looking forward to more.

"In front of total strangers won't you kiss me, Flowers for no reason but you miss me - OOH, I wanna be in love"

Melissa Etheridge-Skin

[DarkWiccan]

But wait! There's more!



Previously in TYA...



“Where is Emily?” she asked suddenly, though her tone remained calm.



“At school”, Willow answered, somewhat confused by the impulsive query.



“That’s fine”, Morrigan nodded, “she should be safe there..."



**



“How do we figure out who Morgan is?” Tara queried, feeling Willow squeeze her hand more tightly.



“It’s hard to say”, Morrigan admitted. “She can take on the shape of anyone she wishes. Including us, your friends, enemies, total strangers… anyone. But there are clues.”



Tara and Willow leaned in, anxious to hear anything that would help them to keep their precious daughter safe.



“Firstly, she rarely works alone”, the priestess noted, “she will have spies of birds, beasts and man. Though she can steal other’s faces, she tends to let her minions do most of the work, and when you do meet her, she will appear to have no aura, or her aura will be difficult to read.”



**



“Emily?” Miss Henckle said, catching the young girl’s attention as she was headed off to lunch.



“Yes, ma’am?” The small redhead replied eagerly.



“Would you mind eating your lunch in here and helping me with a few things?” the teacher asked.



“Sure!” Emily answered happily, always enjoying the feeling of being “teacher’s pet”.



“Excellent”, Ms. Henckle smiled.



And now we return to the peril...

_________________________________________



“Here”, said Ms. Henckle as she picked up a stack of papers and crossed from her desk to where Emily was sitting. “These are the multiple choice quizzes the English class took yesterday. The answer form is on top, could you grade them for me while I work on the essays everyone turned in today?”



“Yes, ma’am!” Emily answered excitedly, wiggling a little in her seat as she took the paperwork.



“Great”, smiled the teacher as she moved back toward the front of the classroom. “Let me know if you can’t read my handwriting.”



“Okay”, the young girl replied, settling in to the task at hand.



******



“It’s possible she’s already made herself known to you”, stated Morrigan, taking a sip of tea.



“How would we know?” asked Tara. Willow had momentarily left to the room to check on Michelle. “I mean, other than what you’ve already told us.”



“Any number of ways”, the priestess said thoughtfully. “Someone new. Someone who’s taken an interest in Emily, or even the entire family. It could even be someone that Emily trusts. Le Fay is excellent at earning the trust of children. She’s a trickster.”



*****



“How are you coming along?” queried the teacher, looking up from her papers to check on her student.



“I can’t read the answer to number fifteen”, Emily responded honestly. “Is it an ‘A’? or a ‘D’?”



Ms. Henckle gracefully stood from her desk and crossed over and behind Emily, so that when she bent down, her face was quite close to the small redhead’s ear. She paused a moment, examining the look of intense concentration in profile on Emily’s face, before glancing noncommittally to the paper in front of her.



“It’s a ‘D’”, she answered, standing back up a little.



“It is?” Emily questioned, scrunching her eyebrows together a little.



“Yes”, stated the teacher.



“But… that doesn’t make sense… answer-wise, I mean”, she clarified quickly.



“Why not?”



“The question is, ‘What is wrong with this sentence?’ and then is says, ‘To boldly go where no one has gone before.’” Emily read aloud.



“Yes?” said Miss Henckle, urging her pupil to go on.



“Well, answer ‘D’ says, ‘Incorrect use of identifying pronouns’”, Emily concluded, “That’s not right. That isn’t what is wrong with the sentence.”



“Alright then, what is wrong with the sentence?”



“Um, I think it’s letter ‘A’”, the girl answered, “it says, ‘Split infinitive’. In order for the sentence to be correct it should read, ‘To go boldly’ and not ‘To boldly go’. Right?”



“If you knew the answer, why did you ask?” inquired Ms. Henckle.



Emily felt herself getting a little nervous. Maybe she had overstepped her bounds in challenging her teacher. “Um… because your cursive ‘D’s’ look a lot like your cursive ‘A’s’ and I wanted to make sure?”



“Such a good girl”, Ms. Henckle smiled strangely. “Always doing everything so carefully. Checks and balances.”



Now Emily found herself experiencing a feeling she had never felt in her life when it came to any of her teachers. Fear. Suddenly Ms. Henckle’s close proximity gave the small girl a terrified chill that went down her spine.



*****



Willow re-entered the living room with Michelle tucked into one arm and a bottle of expressed milk in her free hand. “What about that Pat lady?” Asked Willow as she sat down again next to her wife. “I mean, she didn’t earn anyone’s trust. But it was kind of weird how she just showed up at Emily’s birthday. Plus, the whole, ‘I’m a bigoted bitch’ didn’t play too well in her favor.”



“It is possible that she is a spy for Le Fay”, Morrigan conceded, “But doubtful the woman herself. No. I mean someone that Emily really trusts. Looks up to or has faith in.”



“A lot of people fit that profile”, Tara replied, “Buffy, Xander, Giles…”



“Outside of your immediate family and friends?” the priestess inquired, trying to narrow it down.



“Oh, well… um… her teachers”, stated Willow. “She’s always looked up to her teachers. Especially Ms. Henckle…” The redhead drifted off, her mind suddenly racing. “Who was very interested in Emily’s magick lessons.”



“And who brought her to the attention of the guidance counselor”, Tara added, growing increasingly alarmed.



“So that she could skip a grade and still”, her lover went on.



“Be in her class”, they finished together as they both rose to their feet in terror.



“So it’s the teacher?” Morrigan cut-in, trying to clarify the conclusion the married couple had come to.



“Yes, it has to be”, panicked Tara, “Oh God, she’s at school with her right now. Willow?!” She turned to her wife seeking some sort of answer.



“I’ll call Buffy”, stated Willow, now is full Scooby mode. “She can get there faster. She’s listed as one of Emily’s emergency contacts, so she should be able to get her out of class.” As she was speaking, she handed Michelle carefully to Tara and lifted the telephone out of its cradle, beginning to dial. “Use the fax machine in the office to call Anya, tell her we need her to baby-sit Michelle…”



“What about your mom?” Tara asked.



Willow paused only a spilt second to think as she listened to Buffy’s phone ring on the other end of the line. “You’re right, mom’s closer. But we don’t want her to panic”, suddenly the sound of the phone being answered took Willow’s attention. “Hello, Buffy?… Oh, Dawn… Dawn is Buffy there?… It’s an emergency… Emily might be in danger…It’ll take too long to explain, is she there?… Where is she?… Xander’s worksite? Good that’s right next to the school. Does Xander have his cell on him?… Fine. How quickly can you get over here?… We need someone to baby-sit Michelle…That’s fine, just get here. Bye.” Willow quickly turned her focus back to Tara as she now started to dial Xander’s number. “Dawn is on her way here, Buffy is with Xander, I’m calling him now.”



“Good”, Tara said, breathing a little… but only a little.



“Morrigan?” Willow started to say as she turned her attention back to where the priestess had been standing, but now found the space to be vacant. “Morrigan?” she called out, “Morrigan! Where did she go?”



Tara could only shrug, the priestess had been there just a moment before. “Maybe she’s gone after Le Fay”, she offered.



“Hello, Xander?” Willow said, acknowledging Tara’s words with a quick nod. “Let me talk to Buffy. Now!”



*****



“Um… I think I can read your writing okay now, Ms. Henckle”, Emily stated uneasily, hoping the words would get her teacher to move away from her side.



“Tell me something, Emily”, said Ms. Henckle, sitting back against the desk beside the young girl. “What do you like to do for fun?”



“Fun?” Emily asked with trepidation.



“In your free time”, the older woman clarified.



“R-read mostly”, the petite redhead answered, tensing her jaw at the sound of her own stuttering.



“What do you read?”



“Books.”



Ms. Henckle chuckled a little at the innocent answer. “What sort of books?”



“All kinds”, Emily replied, doing her best to keep her voice from squeaking and her tongue from tripping. Please make her go away, she thought desperately, please, please, please. I want my mommy. That’s when an idea struck her brain.



“Magic books?” Ms. Henckle offered, trying to get her favorite student to open up a little.



“Um…” Mommy!, she screamed out with her mind.



*****



“Emily!” Tara cried out in fright at her child’s cry, almost dropping Michelle as she handed her to Dawn, causing the tiny babe to let out a wail.



Dawn grasped hold of Michelle firmly as Tara went white with terror after calling out her older daughter’s name. “Tara, what’s wrong?”



“Tara? Baby?” Called out Willow as she came running in from the kitchen with a short list of emergency numbers for Buffy’s sister.



“Emily just cried out to me with her mind”, Tara replied near tears, “Will, she’s in trouble.”



“Let’s go”, the redhead firmly announced, heading straight for the front door. “Dawn, I have my cell phone on me.”



“Right”, said the younger woman, “Be careful.”



The door slammed as the two women bolted from the residence.



*****



“I’m n-not supposed to talk about that”, Emily told Ms. Henckle. Nothing would make her break her confidence with her parents. Not even fear.



“What sort of magic is it that you can’t talk about?” the teacher pried.



“I’m not supposed to talk about it”, she said even more firmly.



“Oh, c’mon”, Ms. Henckle smiled, placing one hand on the edge of Emily’s desk and the other at the back of her seat, effectively trapping the girl with her body. “It can be a secret. Just between you and me.”



Emily started to try and wiggle away from her instructor, “Ms. Henckle you’re…”



“AHEM!” came a loud voice from the classroom door. Ms. Henckle jumped up from her position, spinning around to see who was standing there.



“Ms. Henckle”, said Counselor Geary, “What are you doing?” The attractive black woman stepped into the room. “Hello, Emily”, she smiled.



“Hello”, Emily replied, breathing a huge sigh of relief at the sight of her guidance counselor.



“Shouldn’t you be at lunch?” the counselor asked her, allowing her eyes to fall to Ms. Henckle suspiciously.



“Ms. Henckle asked me to help grade p-papers”, Emily answered.



“That’s right”, the teacher stated defensively.



Charlotte Geary narrowed her gaze a moment. Without letting her eyes off of Ms. Henckle, she spoke to Emily again. “Emily, wait out in the hall a moment. I’ll be right with you.”



“Yes, ma’am”, said the young girl hastily as she leapt from her desk, collecting her books, and dashed toward the hall.



“Close the door behind you, please”, Charlotte called after. Emily did so.



In the hallway, Emily clutched her book bag to her chest and leaned up against the wall next to the classroom door. She tried to steady her breathing as she slid down the wall, landing in a crouched sitting position on the floor. She could hear bits of the conversation going on in the classroom as the blood pounding in her ears began to abate.



“…rank stupidity”, she heard Ms. Geary say. Obviously the end of a sentence.



“I was only trying to…”



“I don’t care what you were trying to do”, the counselor cut her teacher off. “Don’t you ever do that again. The girl is scared out of her mind. Couldn’t you see that?”



“I’m sorry.” Came the answer.



“Yes, well…”, Ms. Geary paused, “Come to my office after school. This conversation is not over.”



There was silence, and Emily strained her small ears to hear further. Suddenly the classroom door opened causing her to jump and let out a small yelp in fear. Ms. Geary looked so very tall from her perspective on the floor.



“Oh, Emily”, said the counselor, extending her hand, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you alright?”



Emily took Ms. Geary’s hand and allowed the adult to pull her to a standing position. “Yes, I think so”, she said, not able to shake the feeling of nervousness and fright that her encounter with Ms. Henckle had caused her.



Charlotte led Emily gently down the hallway of the school and out into the courtyard where her classmates were at lunch. The young girl looked up at the counselor confused as they kept walking past the lunchroom and all the way to the administration building.



“Ms. Geary?” She asked softly, “shouldn’t I have stayed at lunch?”



“I think I have something in the office that will make you feel even better than one of your mother’s famous sandwiches”, Charlotte smiled, winking playfully at the little girl as they walked into the administrative offices.



“Hey munchkin!” called a familiar voice.



“Godmommy!” Emily cried out happily, rushing over to Buffy’s waiting arms, allowing herself to be scooped up into the slayer’s strong embrace.



“I just need you to sign a release form”, the desk clerk said, sliding a clipboard across the counter top.



“I need to set you down for a moment, munchkin, so I can sign this”, Buffy explained, putting her goddaughter down.



Emily grudgingly let go of Buffy’s neck, clearly not happy with having to leave the safety of her arms.



“Emily?” Charlotte stated, kneeling down to the girl’s height. Emily turned to face her. “I just want you to know that if you ever need to, I am here to talk. Okay? I’m on your team, you can trust me.”



“Okay”, Emily nodded softly. Charlotte reached up and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, before standing and excusing herself back to her office.



Emily stepped back over to Buffy’s side, tangling her fingers in the tail of her godmother’s shirt, wrinkling the edge.



“Easy on the material there, kiddo”, the slayer said playfully as she turned to take Emily’s hand now that she had finished signing her out of class. “What do you say we blow this joint?”



The young girl’s eyes grew wide with shock. “But, there’s still three classes left!”



“Three classes with Ms. Henckle”, Buffy made clear, watching Emily’s mood shift southward with the realization.



“Oh… yeah.” Emily agreed, “But… it’s still school. I can’t miss school.”



“Come on”, Buffy urged, pulling the little redhead to the door, “Your Mama said it was okay. In fact, she ordered me to come and bring you home.”



“Mama?” Emily asked in disbelief. Mama was the only person she knew who liked school as much as she did. That she would actually order her godmommy to get her out of class was… inconceivable. Yet still she allowed Buffy to lead her out of the office and off of school grounds. As they started down the street Emily looked up at the sound of her Mommy calling out her name.



“Emily!” Tara cried, breaking into a sprint as soon as she saw her daughter safe at Buffy’s side.



“Mommy!” Emily answered, loosing her hand from Buffy’s grip as she ran to meet her mother, her mama only a few steps behind.



Mother and daughter crashed into one another in a frenzy arms and legs as Tara lifted Emily up into a desperate embrace. Tara showered butterfly kisses all over Emily’s face as the young girl clung to her neck.

“Oh, thank the Goddess you’re safe”, the blonde sighed into her daughter’s hair.



Willow was now at her wife’s side, caressing Emily’s hair and trying to stifle the tears that she found rushing to her eyes. “Are you okay, baby-girl?” she asked, trying to keep a brave face for her child.



“I was so scared, Mama”, Emily admitted, reaching out to Willow, seeking a comforting hug.



“Did you see the teacher?” Tara asked Buffy as she shifted Emily into her wife’s arms.



“No, the guidance counselor brought her to the office”, the slayer explained.



Tara nodded and turned her attention back to Emily and her lover. “Should we go home?”



“I told Xander we’d meet at his house after we got Emily.” Willow answered, feeling Emily’s legs tighten even more around her waist. “I think it’s time for a Scooby meeting.”



The blonde shook her head in agreement. “I’ll stop by the house and get Michelle. Dawn will want to come too.”



“Do you want me to go with you?” asked Buffy.



“No, stay with Emily”, Tara stated, “I’ll feel better knowing she and Will aren’t on the streets alone.”



“I love you”, said Willow softly.



“I love you too”, the wiccan replied, “I’ll meet you at Xander’s in half an hour.”



*****



High up in a tree overlooking the grounds of Sunnydale Elementary, Ghaena and Morrigan sat perched on a branch, their eyes scanning the crowded courtyard as students and teachers bustled about.



“Do you see anything?” asked Morrigan.



“No”, Ghaena replied, her eyes expertly training on one individual, then another, slowly disqualifying them. “Do you know what she looks like?”



“Yes”, Morrigan answered, “I saw Emily’s class photo for last year on the wall. She’s supposed to have the same teacher.”



“Yes”, the brunette stated, more as an acknowledgement.



“There she is!” Morrigan pointed excitedly as Ms. Henckle emerged into the crowded yard, heading quickly to the administration building.



Ghaena followed her companion’s indicative finger and focused hard on the woman, examining her closely.



“Are you sure?” she said after a moment.



“Yes.”



“Quite, quite sure?” Ghaena clarified, her brow creasing.



“Yes, Ghaena, that’s her”, Morrigan affirmed. “I’d swear by it.”



“That is Emily’s teacher?” she asked again.



“Yes!” the dark-haired priestess responded, her tone growing in frustration. Then suddenly, her tone changed to that of worry. “Why? Don’t you think…”



“Take a good hard look, Morrigan and you tell me”, Ghaena challenged.



Morrigan looked down upon Ms. Henckle, and felt her shoulders slump in disappointment as she saw what Ghaena was referring to.



“She’s not trustworthy”, the older priestess granted her, “That’s made evident enough by the color of her aura. But the fact that I can see her aura only proves…”



“That she’s not Le Fay”, Morrigan finished. “Dammit! We’re right back where we started from.”



“Not necessarily”, Ghaena offered, “I have a feeling she’s working for the witch. Track her tonight.”



“What will you do?” Morrigan queried.



The priestess let out a long sigh. “Unwelcome though I may be, my place is with the child”, Ghaena replied. “She is growing more powerful and needs more protection. Particularly if Le Fay instructed one of her followers to make a move. You know how to reach me should I be needed.” She grasped Morrigan’s forearm with her hand, and felt her companion do the same. “Goddess keep you. Avalon’s time is growing near.” With that Ghaena gave Morrigan’s arm one last squeeze before dropping out of the tree to the earth below.



“Goddess keep you, friend”, Morrigan spoke softly after, before returning her gaze to the building wherein Ms. Henckle had disappeared.



*****

TBC....

[areslei]

hmm...now I'm a bit suspicious of the *speculation*









guidance counselor. Course, I'm suspicious of everyone at this point, but there's just something, ya know!? Thanks for the update.

you two are the two who are the two...
Baby, I said it's all in our hands, got to learn to respect what we don't understand...'Fugitive' Indigo Girls

[VampNo12]

Intriguing update DW! Well it's obvious that Ms. Henckle isn't Le Fay, but the way she was interacting with Emily she still gives me the creeps, or as Ghaena states, ("She's not trustworthy."). With this in mind I am quite suspicious of Counselor Geary, especially the part of the exchange Emily overheard with Ms. Geary upset with the teacher saying, ("...rank stupidity"). And with Morrigan sharing that Le Fay is known to have spies, I have a feeling that Ms. Henckle and Counselor Geary are in cahoots (ie Le Fay is Ms. Geary, and her watchful spy is Ms. Henckle). I am looking forward to further clues to see if I am on the right path, and I must also say it was so adorable how Emily was shocked that she wasn't finishing school for the day (and that her Mama agreed, with Emily knowing how important school/learning is to Willow). Can't wait to see what happens next!

[The Rose24]

Maybe Henckle isn't Le fay, but what is her deal?

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.

Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

Willow: Hi, um Tara. I was wondering maybe you want to go out some time for coffee? food? Kisses and gay love?

[mollyig]

Okay I got a bit suspicious at how subservient Henckle seemed towards Geary, when confronted. So I changed my mind about who Morgan is. And then Ghaenna and Morrigan confirmed Henckle wasn't LeFey.



Brilliant twist!

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[saule77]

I'm with areslei on this one... I don't like the guidance counselor. And I don't like Henckle either... So there!



It's gripping... Love any kind of story dealing with Avalon, so this is Heaven since it's mixed with a lot of W/T goodness!



Great update!

"You are Willow Rosenberg, vixen-y lighter of the flame and keeper of my heart.”

(Camp Flutie by Rane)

[BethanyB3]

Nice update DW, so glad it isn't the teach. Didn't think it would be. Not cause of anything having to do w/ the character per se, but it seemed too easy for you. You the lover of twist, turns & false paths. Once again, you didn't disappoint. Thinking the guidance counselor now, but again with you never take any clue on full face value. Always leave room for the possibility I've missed something or more is yet to be revealed. It does keep the reading fun. Good going.



On a separate thought, What made you decide that Tara would be "Mommy" & Willow "Mama" as most put them the other way?

**********************************************

"So what is truth today, may tomorrow only partially be so to a developing soul." ~ Edgar Cayce