Title – Paths Diverged/Divulged Part 36 –
CommitmentAuthor – JustSkipit - Debra
Spoilers –Season 6
Rating – Part 36 – PG-13
Disclaimer – Guess what… I don’t own W&T, Buffy or the rest of the BtVS crew. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental and fortunate.
Notes - Part is “The End” of this story. But there
will an epilogue. It is already written and will be posted in a few days.
Thanks for reading and for all the feedback and support throughout this story.
Thoughts in italicsWillow found herself awake long before the sun rose. It was an important day and one from which she knew she could never go back. In fact, that was the point. She could never go back. Once this day was over, once these spells were cast, she was absolutely committed. She rubbed the ring on her finger and thought about the unspoken commitment she and Tara shared even long before the blonde had given her this ring. Even with the ring, even with the promise of their life in front of them, she knew that today would be the day marking her commitment, not just to Tara but to her entire world.
I’m awake first! she smirked to herself as she tried to decide how to for once awaken the beautiful woman sleeping next to her. Deciding that tickles were the only way she held her fingers up and began wiggling them as if to allow them to warm up before they met their target. While she was still wiggling her fingers, she was startled by Tara’s voice: “Your best chance would have been if I fainted when I r-realized how early you woke up, Willow”
“Grrr,” Willow playfully growled as she rolled on top of her lover. “Did I ever tell you how hard it is to surprise you?”
“I can think of a few times you’ve surprised me, love,” Tara whispered back and both women knew she was referring to the day that Willow had arrived at her work. Their lips met before the redhead could think of a snappy answer.
Much later Tara motioned languidly toward the window. “The sun’s up, baby.”
Willow took a deep breath as she noted the passage of time. “Well,” she announced, “I guess we stayed in bed as long as we can. It is the shortest day of the year after all.” Tara nodded and both women rose to bathe and prepare for their day. As they dressed and finished putting a few items in their backpacks Willow looked around the room once again. It was hard to believe that this was the room from their dream. She knew as certainly as she knew anything that they would wake in this room for years once Tara had finished Veterinary school.
By the time they reached the door to Mr. Maclay’s office, everyone else had left the house for the day. Tara’s father had told both women that he had some stops to make in town and they knew that he would be gone for hours. Holding her lover’s hand gently in her own, Tara led them toward the large oak desk built into the wall of the room. She passed her hand over the wood, marveling at the workmanship and remembering hours spent with her mother and Donnie as they watched him building the behemoth structure. The ornate designs carved into the legs were the only luxury he had allowed himself in creating the utilitarian desk. “He would n-never destroy this,” she attempted to reassure Willow, “and he couldn’t move it even if he wanted to.”
“I know,” Willow smiled. “I remember each time he’s showed it to me.”
“I’m betting that’s a lot,” Tara smiled. Her father was very proud of the desk and showed it to anyone who was willing to see it every time they visited the house.
The redhead carefully pulled a 10 x 13 envelope from her pack. She had written Buffy’s name and address across the front and applied the appropriate postage. Paper clipped to the envelope was a note saying, “Please mail this.” The girls knew Mr. Maclay well enough to know that his counterpart in Willow’s world would do so without questioning the source or opening the envelope.
Inside were a variety of items, foremost among them Willow’s now 100 plus page journal. What had started as a simple letter to Buffy had become a running commentary on her new life. She described her journey, the people she had found here, and her relationship with Tara. Letters to Dawn, Xander, Anya, and Giles also found a place in the envelope. Easily 25 or 30 pictures of Willow with Tara or with Tara, Michelle, and Eliza were included. She knew that Buffy would send the separate stamped envelope to Eliza and Michelle. She had considered sending a note to her mother and father but couldn’t imagine how she could explain anything to them, nor that they would miss her particularly.
The final addition to the envelope were a series of newspaper clippings that both witches felt would amuse Buffy: “Cubs sweep Yankees to Four-peat in World Series!” and “Jodie Foster shows Pride as Grand Marshal of the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade.” The headline, “Supreme Court strikes down Defense of Marriage Act: Majority Opinion states: ‘what a Stupid Law!’” mirrored something from the Onion.
Carefully she placed the envelope in the center of the desk and surrounded it with five candles. She still had the notes from her spell to reach this world and followed them precisely. Attempting to be prepared for anything that could go wrong, each of her pockets held a Ziploc bag with dirt from just outside the front door of the house and clippings of Tara’s hair. There was no way the witches would allow Willow to accidentally accompany her letter. Finally the preparations for the spell were complete. Tara took a step back but held her lover’s hand securely.
Pulling the Ziploc she had brought with her from the other world out of her backpack, Willow grasped it around the middle. She knew that she wouldn’t need the entire contents but she didn’t want to get it on her hands nonetheless. Not breaking her grasp on Tara’s hand, she began to chant:
The sea to the river.
The mother to the child.
Nu-Eyrishon. Doh-tehenlo. Diprecht.
Meh-uhn. K’shala. Eyrishon.
Slowly she poured the dirt she had gathered from Buffy’s yard so many months ago onto the envelope. The light became brighter and brighter until reaching the end of the chant, a flash of light filled the room. Both witches looked to the desk to find the envelope and dirt gone. Smiling with satisfaction, they uncast the circle and cleaned up from the spell.
When they had returned the candles to their room, both girls picked up their packs and left the house, walking toward the barn. “Are you sure, love?” Willow asked gently.
Tara stuttered but she was determined: “Y-yes, baby. It’s been long e-enough.” They reached the barn, finding Donnie inside.
“Hey sis,” he called as he walked over to the couple. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and mirrored Willow’s question: “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Again Tara showed her determination as she nodded silently. He took her hand and led her to the saddled horse. “Acorn’s ready to go,” he said as he indicated the horse with his hand. Tara walked slowly around the animal as Donnie fastened her pack on. She petted and stroked her before deciding that it was now or never.
“W-will?” she called and was happy that the redhead immediately moved to stand next to her and hold out her hand. Tara had no doubt that she could mount the horse using her strong leg but she wasn’t sure if she could stand on the injured one long enough to get her foot into the stirrup. Willow apparently understood perfectly as she held out her arm to allow Tara to set her left hand on. Balancing on her injured leg, her cane, and Willow’s arm, she lifted her right foot into the stirrup and effortlessly lifted herself off the ground to bring her other leg over the saddle.
Hearing her lover’s groan Willow was immediately worried that sitting on the horse was hurting the woman. “Baby,” Willow asked tenderly, “does it hurt?”
“N-no,” Tara explained, “it doesn’t hurt but my leg isn’t used to this. We may have to stop a lot.”
“We’re in no hurry,” the redhead smiled.
“Willow,” Donnie interrupted the interaction, “I’ve got your horse saddled.” He continued, “This is Blacky.”
“Hi, Blacky,” Willow addressed the appropriately named horse before mounting.
Donnie led both horses to the doorway and opened the corral gate. “Y’all sure about this?” he asked. “I mean it
is Winter.”
“That’s why we’re doing it t-today, bro,” Tara explained. She leaned slightly over to brush her hand over his blonde hair, whispering, “I love you.”
“I love you too!” he called behind them as he watched the two women walk their horses away from the corral. He was sure they would be fine on their overnight campout. He stood by the corral gate until he could no longer see the pair and then went back inside the stable.
The two witches rode in silence until they came to the first stream. “Which way, baby?” Willow asked.
Tara smiled as she took the lead. She had been to this spot hundreds of times with her mother or grandmother and now she would be taking Willow. She knew that Willow had visited the tree not only in her visions but a few times with the other Tara but obviously she didn’t remember the way.
As she had predicted, Tara’s leg was sore within 30 minutes of riding. After another 15 minutes she announced, “I need to take a break.”
Willow dismounted first and then helped Tara down from her horse. Wrapping her arms around the blonde she whispered, “I am so proud of you, my love.”
Tara didn’t answer but pulled the blanket from her pack and sat down on it, rubbing her leg. Willow mirrored her action and likewise began massaging the blonde’s leg. “I wanted to do this the first night we met but I didn’t want to be too forward,” she reminisced.
Tara giggled. “That would have been pretty forward,” she agreed.
“It was like a dream,” Willow stated. “I felt like I’d been dead for three months and then suddenly I was alive again and had to have been dreaming you. How else could I explain something as perfect as being with you again?”
“At first I thought it was a dream too,” Tara agreed. She pulled the redhead closer, “But it’s no dream. It’s real and it’s us and it’s perfect.” She pressed her lips to Willow’s before hugging her.
After a short break, Willow again helped the blonde onto her horse and they started again. They reached the tree without having to stop again, although Tara was obviously sore when she dismounted. They set up their tent a few yards from their magical oak tree and had a small snack before moving around the tree.
“Are you s-sure you want to do this?” Tara asked.
Willow smiled broadly at her lover. “Without a doubt and absolutely,” she answered confidently. Again she pulled the Ziploc bag from her backpack. She knew, as did Tara, that she could have done anything with the dirt. She could have flushed it down the toilet or dumped it in a parking lot. But it was important that she make a statement. This was her commitment to her life with Tara and she wanted to make it right.
“D-do you want to say anything?” Tara asked tentatively.
Again Willow smiled: “Like what: with this dirt, I thee choose?”
Tara giggled as she answered, “Something like that.”
“Nope,” Willow answered as she tipped the bag upside-down allowing the entire contents to pour from it onto the ground. The wind was blowing and they had carefully chosen their positions so that none of the dirt blew onto either witch or their belongings. Much of it had dissipated before it even hit the ground. The rest poured into a small mound on the ground.
Neither girl moved as they watched the mound of dirt. Piece by piece, bit by bit, it shrank as the wind blew the grains away. While she watched the minute spectacle, Tara used her empathetic powers to gauge Willow’s feelings and was surprised to feel nothing but joy and relief. To any observer, the sight was nothing grand: just two women holding hands and watching the ground. But to them, it was important enough to stand and watch until every discernable grain of sand had blown away.
Finally Willow turned to her lover, a grand smile on her face. Slowly entwining her fingers between the blonde’s neck, she gently kissed her. As she pulled back she leaned their foreheads together. “I love you, Tara Maclay,” she whispered.
“I love you,” Tara agreed, “always.” For a long time the two women stood just like that, enjoying the beauty of the moment and their love.
The End
(Epilogue in a few days...)
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"Your little will can't do anything. It takes Great Determination. Great Determination doesn't mean just you making an effort. It means the whole universe is behind you and with you - the birds, trees, sky, moon, and ten directions." - Katagiri Roshi
it was still a wonderful update can't wait for the next one.
by Auburn » Wed Apr 07, 2004 6:21 pm 
)
but I guess I had a good timing for once in my life on getting back online as I caught the last chapter of Paths 
Debra 
,
It was perfect! 
makes her comment to 
solid with the dirt from her first world. 
the Ep. BTW, you know if you want to write a 3rd part that is okay right? 
.