Turn And Face The Light.
By: ImSB
Disclaimer: Nothing of mine here.
Rating: PG
Summary: For Willow .. it's a long, long way home.
Giles is in his study. It's very British old world, dark
timber bookcases house his beloved volumes, plush
red curtains match the heavy wallpaper and carpet.
He sits behind a wonderful seventeenth century desk
and listens intently to his worried guests, Mr and Mrs
Smythes.
Giles: And why do you think, after all these years, this
has suddenly become a problem ?
Mrs Smythes: It's obviously Penny.
Mr Smythes: Darling ..
Mrs Smythes: Ever since that dreadful girl has been
working for us poor Victor has become totally
distraught ..
Giles: Penny ?
Mr Smythes: The new maid .. a complete dear ..
Mrs Smythes: .. a complete slut ! .. she taunts him ..
I can hear her in the bath .. calling to him .. asking him
to "take a good look" ..
Giles: Victor .. ?
Mr Smythes: She only joking dear .. she thinks "we're"
joking ..
Giles: And how exactly does Victor respond ?
Mr Smythes: We have no idea if it has anything to do
with ..
The door opens and Willow enters carrying a large tray
with cookies and tea.
Willow: (cheery) Tea and ..
Mrs Smythes: I swear he's masturbating ! .. groaning and
moaning and the whole house shakes when he climaxes
.. a light fitting nearly fell yesterday !
Willows eyes bulge to the size of dinner plates and she
turns to walk back out ..
Giles: Willow ! .. Victor is a ghost ! ..
Willow stops and turns around.
Willow: They can do that ?
Giles: Well .. not that I knew of .. not a lot of research
done in this field .. oh, sorry I'm being rude .. this is
Willow, my research assistant ..
Willow: Ex - research assistant ..
Giles: Wha.. ?
Willow: If you think I'm swabbing for ghostie goo ..
Giles: Ehem .. (cough) .. now er .. this might be just what
you need right now .. a juicy case to get your teeth into ..
Willow: Juicy ?! .. my teeth ?! ... Euww .. !!
Giles : I meant ..
Mr & Mrs Smythes get up and walk to the door.
Mr Smythes: Now look here Mr Giles .. we came here in good
faith that you would take this case seriously .. we were willing
to pay you handsomely ..
Giles: And me and my good assistant here are just the team for
the job ..
They walk out. Giles sits down, takes off his glasses and sighs.
Willow: I'm sorry Giles .. I'm .. I'm just not ready for all this.
I can't believe how good you're being to me after what I did,
after everything that I said ... and I know it's been months
.. but I'm just not ready ... I don't know how you expect me
ever to be ready ..
She collapses in a huge chair and starts to weep.
Giles walks up to Willow and comforts her.
Giles: I know how hard this is going to be
Willow: Do you .. ?
Giles: And I know I won't be able to do this alone ..
so I've asked the Coven for help.
Willow: The Coven ?
Giles: There are ways to help you .. spiritual ways ..
Willow: Giles, I hardly think I need magic help right now ..
Giles : Willow .. turn and face the light.
Willow stands and turns around to see a bright light in the
corner of the room. After a few seconds she can make out
a face though the haze ...
She pulls away from Giles in great rage and pushes him to
the ground ..
Willow: (Screaming) So this is it !? .. I get a stupid light
that looks like... .. This is supposed to what ..
.. comfort me ?! .. Or is this some stupid Watchers test
like you gave Buffy ?! .. Something to see if I'm getting
over her ?! .. YOU SICK BASTARD!! .. how could you
do this to me ?! .. MAKE IT GO AWAY .. NOW !!
Giles: Willow ...
The light completely materialises into human form and quietly
smiles the most heavenly, peaceful and reassuring smile.
Giles: (soft) .. Willow ...
.. it "is" Tara.
End of Part 1.
Pary 2
Buffy takes two huge brightly coloured beach towels
out of the hall cupboard and proceeds to Dawns room.
Buffy: Ok, now I only agreed on wearing this skimpy
bikini 'cause you said that you guys would all ...
.. Dawn ?
On finding no Dawn, Buffy wanders throughout upstairs
until she get's to her mom's room .. Willow and Tara's
room. Dawn is where Buffy has so often found her ..
sitting on the bed holding Tara's picture. She looks up
at Buffy, she has obviously been crying.
Buffy: (Sighs) .. we all miss her ..
Dawn: I wasn't thinking of me. Tara was wonderful to me,
she loved me with no good reason ... I was pretty crap to
everyone .. I stole .. I whined .. but she loved me, and I
loved her .. you weren't there for me Buffy .. I mean .. I'm
not blaming you .. you being dead and all .. but Tara was,
well .. you know .. and I hurt .. I hurt so much .. so ... SO
.. what must Willow feel right now ! ? She's lost Tara .. she
must think that she's lost all her friends .. She should be
here Buffy .. where we can all tell her .. everyday .. that
we love her .. and we forgive her .. and we want to share
her pain and, and .. help make her well .. She should be
here Buffy .. I feel so useless ...
Buffy: Dawn .. you "are" useless .. we've all been telling
you for .. Ok! .. Ok! .. inappropriate humour .. but Dawn ..
Willow needs time .. we ring her .. we write her .. I'm sure
she knows we are here for her when she's ready to come
back ... but it's got to be her call .. How do you think I feel ?
.. Xander feels ? .. we all have to be patient ...
Now where's that teeny bikini you promised that you were
wearing .. 'cause I'm telling ya .. I am "not" wearing this
little number on my own !
The front door opens downstairs and the Xandman
announces his presence.
Xander: Ok beach babes .. those West Coast waves are
a waitin ..
Buffy gives Dawn a quick hug, hands her a towel and the
two proceed downstairs.
Xander is dressed for a Gidget movie with the boardies,
the shirt the hat and the shades
Buffy: You better have a pink convertible to get away with
that look ..
She walks outside, inside Xander takes Dawn aside.
Xander: Mission accomplished ?
Dawn holds out her hand, grinning hugely.
Dawn: Teeniest in the store .. I'm surprised they could
actually charge for it !
Xander places a cash reward in Dawns palm and they
proceed to join Buffy in the car.
Buffy is reading a letter in the back seat of Xander's car.
When she sees Dawn and Xander approach she stuffs it
quickly into her bag.
Giles and Tara sit on the bed looking over an unconscious
Willow. Tara stokes her hair gently while Giles holds and
rubs her hand affectionately.
Giles: Well, that went well .. you were right .. I should
have warned her .. but I simply couldn't think of a single
way to ...
Tara: Shhhh ! .. she'll be just fine .. Will's a very strong
girl. No one would just accept this .. no matter what you
would have said .. you can't prepare someone for this.
Giles: Maybe I was wrong to involve you, maybe she would
have been better with another Guide at first .. and you could
have got some experience with ..
Tara: Giles ... I won't let you down .. I, I promise .. I love
Willow .. I wouldn't be here for one second if I thought it
would hurt her in any way .. if I thought I couldn't help ..
Giles: I know, I know .. I'm sorry .. I feel so useless .. so
out of my depth ..
Tara: Not at all ... she respects you more than you'll ever
know .. what happened .. the things she said ... that wasn't
Willow .. that was the magic .. Willow adores you.
Giles: No .. I deserted her when she needed me most ..
Tara: Me too .. so let's just thrash each other with
birch sticks and give up ..
Giles: Point taken ..
Willow: (eyes closed) Who wouldn't have deserted me
.. and if there's gonna be any thrashing going on .. well
.. someone better be thrashing me, 'cause I didn't see
either of you guys kill anybody or try to end the world ..
She sits up and sobs in Tara's arms. Giles finally smiles,
shedding small tears with the comfort of knowing that
he had done the right thing.
At the beach, Buffy strips down to the tiniest piece of
swimwear ever seen outside of the South of France
while Dawn, Janice and friends strip down to ...
some very modest one piece numbers.
Buffy: Very very funny .. Xander Harris .. did you .. ?
All the other girls giggle as Buffy runs off to the safety
of the surf.
Dawn sits down next to Xander on a beach chair and
reaches into Buffy's bag for sun cream. She finds the
letter. She starts to read out loud ..
Dawn: What could nature possibly serve
To equal you're coyest smile ?
A bursting flower, a tropical sunset
A river like The Nile ?
Bah ! All lame by half, for nothing seen
Could ever hope to match
The many wonders I hope to find
Deep within your beautiful ...
... EUWW ! .. that is bloody awful ?!
End of part 2.
