by CrazyTaraWitch » Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:36 pm
ok, i'm not entirely satisfied with where this update cuts-off, but I wanted to go ahead and get something posted, so here it is. it's longer than most of my updates, so enjoy:)
Part 3: Paths...
Chapter 2: ...Of Tears
The house was so much the same it was somewhat eery upon entering. Despite what must have been countless repairs by Xander, the furniture and windows all looked exactly as she remembered. Here and there was a new blanket or decoration, but for Tara, walking into that house was like stepping back in time... until she noticed the pictures on the wall.
Gone were the photos of teenagers and young adults at the Bronze and Expresso Pump and dorm rooms, of the days when she was part of the gang, when they were all in college together, except of course for Xander, and Dawn who'd just been a kid. They were replaced by photographs of weddings, Dawn's high school graduation, picnics in the park with Megan,
and--Tara's heart broke when she saw this--of Oz among the gang... not even among, but part of. Just as tears began to well-up in her eyes for all the things she'd lost four years ago, Tara noticed another picture... one that brought a different kind of tears.
Tara remembered the day clearly. It had been a few days after her 21st birthday, and the whole family had gathered to celebrate in the park. Xander & Anya,Willow & Tara, Buffy and her then-current beau Travis, and a couple of friends from Tara's art class had gathered for a few hours at the Bronze on her actual birthday, but it was unanimously decided that they needed a family celebration.
Dawn, Buffy, and Joyce had gone to Willow and Tara's dorm and the five of them had driven to the park together. The sisters argued and swatted each other all the way, while Willow watched from her seat next to them with a small smile on her face, Joyce tried to ignore her girls as she drove, and Tara attempted to play peacemaker, reaching back every few seconds to pull the young women apart and tell Willow she should be helping her, but the redhead was enjoying her lover's frustration and playful annoyance far to much to do such a thing. After arriving at the park, they
had begun to put up decorations for the party. Willow had insisted on a piñata when Tara mentioned she’d never had never had one as child, but the blonde was still shocked to see the monstrosity. Easily the largest piñata Tara had ever seen, it was a 4-foot tall horse with rainbow stripes and tail; Willow had even attempted to glue a rolled-up piece of newspaper painted dark green into the middle of the ‘horse’’s forehead as a horn, but it was putting up a fight, and the redhead eventually gave up with a pout. Once Willow had finished trying to perfect the piñata, Tara had attempted to hang it, only to be yelled at by her lover; the redhead insisted that, as it was Tara’s birthday, the blonde shouldn’t have to do any strenuous activity not typically performed in the bedroom. Tara had begun to argue, until she realized this would mean being able to watch her lover work and direct... she loved watching Will’s body move, and her taking control of the situation; Tara adored aggressive, in-charge Willow.
In addition to the pinata, Will had insisted on quite a few other party-related items. Her absolute favourite, which had been Dawn’s suggestion, enthusiasticaly backed by Buffy, was party hats, if for no other reason than to see Giles in one--and this picture was of just that: Xander, Dawn, and even Anya working to distract the older man as Buffy and Willow came up behind and placed a pink paper hat with multi-colored balloons and confetti on the Watcher’s head, just before breaking down into fits of laughter, quickly joined by Dawn, Xander, Tara, Joyce, and even Miss Calendar. Miss Calendar(she had told them all to call her Jenny on more than one occasion, but her friends had still remembered her to much as a teacher and thus been unable to do so, which meant Tara, to, used her formal, maiden name) had taken the picture, Tara recalled, and given her a copy as part of her birthday present. It had been the last time Tara had seen the fun-loving, playful, mischevious side of the woman she had fallen so deeply in love with. She had loved the picture capturing that, and so the happy tears flowed down her cheeks at the thought of the woman who for her was always front-and-center in the picture, even if to any other viewer she was to the side and part of the back-ground.
"To days to come."
"All my love to long ago.
I hope, we'll have more happy ever after
I hope, we can all live more fearlessly...
~Jas
..GOD! 
. okay thats it missy. we have waited a year and some days for this fic to come back and you have been teasing us and driving us crazy with want. oh there is no way youi are really doing this to me are you? To us? Have we kitties been so bad that you need to toture us in such a sick manner?
; it certainly was not my intention to torture my most beloved kittens or drive you crazy. I really am trying to ressurect this story, so please forgive me?
all good things come to those who wait...but not long, as you're my last reply!
.Willow marrying Oz...*ugh*. Eventually she'll come to her senses now that she's found Tara and send Oz packing.