The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe - Willow & Tara Forever

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 Post subject: Re: Left Of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 1:26 pm 
woo hoo, update!



now i gotta go read it!



-Aimee :D

*****
"Pope John Paul today confirmed his opposition to gay marriages, said they're unnatural. Gay marriage is unnatural. Then he put on a pointy hat, his dress, and returned to never having sex at all." -Bill Maher



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 Post subject: Re: Left Of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 2:11 pm 
GREAT update, jomarch! All of the conflicting emotions that Tara was feeling were so clearly shown...

Quote:
Again, she hoped she was doing the right thing, and that Willow would forgive her.


Doesn't she know that Willow would forgive her for ANYTHING? But, no, I don't think it was the right thing!



And Willow is going to be alright, right? She has to be...



Can't wait for more...



-Aimee :D

*****
"Pope John Paul today confirmed his opposition to gay marriages, said they're unnatural. Gay marriage is unnatural. Then he put on a pointy hat, his dress, and returned to never having sex at all." -Bill Maher



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 Post subject: Re: Left Of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 2:19 pm 
*ExtraFlameyWT* - Yeah, I think Willow would forgive Tara but I don't think Tara would forgive herself if anything bad were to happen to Willow when she wasn't there.......But Tara is on your side with the 'Willow has to be all right' mantra

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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion

Edited by: jomarch at: 5/9/02 1:21:16 pm


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 Post subject: Re: Left Of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 3:42 pm 
WOW!!!!! That was one helava update. : -->>: I sooooo want Donny to feel real pain. I lookforward to the next update:)

T: "I think we can safely say we've lost our Library privileges"

"Final Exam" by: Tommo



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 3:54 pm 
Oh, how the cliffhangers keep me coming back over and over. Methinks that bastard Donny has an appointment with Mr. Pointy. Great update, jomarch.



-- Ali



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 4:56 pm 
Okay, that was very exciting. Quite the cliffhanger, too. Can't wait for more. :)



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 6:41 pm 
Wow that was powerful. :bounce :bounce I loved that you show that Tara is capable of doing the hardest thing imaginable...leave Willow twice. Although I don't think that is a wise option for her, but I can understand where she is coming from. I just hope that Tara gets to Willow in time so she doesn't suffer to much pain.





______________:evil WOLFLORD :evil ___________________



Sometimes I think of them doing spells and I have a spell by myself.



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center Part 7b
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 7:28 pm 
UH-oh. Run Tara, run.



This was a great part, jomarch! So much angst and sadness, but Tara will get to Willow in time, right?



Right?








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


"Honey, I'm the original one-eyed chicklet in the kingdom of the blind." - Glory


"Futile... like a FOX, baby!" - Tara in The Late Shift by wiccachica



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 Post subject: Update
PostPosted: Thu May 09, 2002 8:49 pm 
*cue Mission Impossible theme song* Drakkenfyre emerges from the shadows. Finds Jomarch, Hey Sweetie, can't stay long, love the update. Can't wait for more. *pulls jomarch closer* "LIke a poet hidden, In the light of thought. Singing hyms unbidden, Till the world is wrought. To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not

*cue music* Drakkenfyre leaves again in the shadows. Whispering Shelley....





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 Post subject: Re: Update
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2002 12:53 am 
Jomarch: Great update, man I really hate Donny and the way he tortures Tara, I hope that Tara finds Willow in time and that she will be OK.



Lonewolf



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 Post subject: Re: Update
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2002 3:00 am 
I love how when Tara said she'd leave that Willow automatically said it wouldn't make a difference "us" leaving.



Poor Tara, blaming herself for Donny's presence. And Poor Willow, because if her girl is hurting then so is she.



I don't like that Donny knew she'd come, and whats this about plans? For Willow? Yikes!

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



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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2002 5:47 am 
*Karzia* - :) thanks for the WOW. And pain for Donny is definitely in the works.



*willowphile410* - Actually, I don't think there should be anymore cliffhangers. And yes, Mr Pointy will make an appearance.



*Scout* - Thanks and I really didn't realize it was a cliffhanger until Owl pointed it out. I guess I should actually read what I write the next time :D



*wolflord* - Well considering that you've warned me about hurting Willow and brought up dark magics a couple of times, maybe I should re-write Ch8 :grin



*LeatherQueen* - I think she's running really fast and yes, Tara will get to Willow



*Drakkenfyre* - Ohhhhh, spy music. I won't say anything.....And still quoting. Ok, this is for you, the poet



"Poets are the hierophants of an unapprehended inspiration; the mirrors of the gigantic shadows which futurity casts upon the present; the words which express what they understand not; the trumpets which sing to battle, and feel not what they inspire; the influence which is moved not, but moves. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world."

Shelley



*lonewolf22* - Let's just say that this story will definitely have a happy ending and possibly smut. I just have to write it.



*mollyig* - Well, Willow knows that they have to be together and so does Tara. They belong to each other.

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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion

Edited by: jomarch at: 5/10/02 4:49:43 am


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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2002 8:49 am 
great update, glad Spike was able to get to Giles in time. can't wait for Donny to start feeling some pain for a change. wonder what Rack is up to?

Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son

If there are any questions, you may direct them to that brick wall over there.

Is he evil? He smells evil



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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Fri May 10, 2002 6:16 pm 
Quote:

*wolflord* - Well considering that you've warned me about hurting Willow and brought up dark magics a couple of times, maybe I should re-write Ch8



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

Ok.....why does the part of you saying "maybe I should re-write Ch8" give me a bad feeling. I thought we agreed no pain no dark magic? And of course you would wait until I loaned my book of Darkest Magic out. *starts to try to remember number of Dark Magic Supply* I guess I will have to sit back and see how bad this is going to be for Willow.....I will beg you though nothing permanent to Willow. PLLLLEEEEAAAAASSSSSE!!!!!!

I will worship you and praise you and love only you..AND ANOTHER THING NO PEPPERS...sorry girlfriend came by..where was I, oh yeah and be best feedback person and never do dark magic on you and say you are the best..I SAID NO JOSS CAN NOT COME OVER...sorry girlfriend came back by....and send you cute little cyber smiles and read all your stories. Just don't hurt Willow too much. :bounce :bounce



__________________:grin WOLFLORD :grin ______________



Sometimes I think of them doing spells and I have a spell by myself.

Edited by: Wolflord  at: 5/10/02 5:19:26 pm


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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2002 2:23 am 
*Grimaldi* - Thanks and you know Rack is never up to anything good.



*wolflord* - Hi Sweetie, I was just kidding about re-writing Ch 8. Its already done and Willow needs the confrontation with Rack- its all part of the story. I think the only chapter that I did re-write was 7b. I was thinking a lot about death when I was writing it and inadvertently, I wrote GIles's death. But, it wasn't necessary for the story so I changed it. And in the end, I'm happy I did.



What I would like to say is that writing Willow and Tara is so amazing because they are such complex characters. This is due to past writing from the show and the 2 great actresses who bring them to life as well as the continuallly amazing fic on this board. They will face angst and heartache but also much joy and happiness because of their complexity. Their characterization journey has always been important because it conveys hope and love. It conveys that nothing is easy and some things are worth fighting for. Mutant Enemy (and that name is appropriate now) has lost sight of that but the writers at the Pens haven't :) .

By doing that shoddy piece of writing and story advancement, Joss and co. have removed an amazing creative story outlet. A story that may have finally earned them the Emmy they wanted, if they had continued exploring the honest character growth of Willow and Tara. It's sad that the creative team on the show have forgotten that both Willow and Tara are stronger together than they are individually because they made them so(ever since Hush) . But now that is lost. By going for the lazy, shock value storyline, they have given up the most amazingly developed and complex couple on TV (gay or straight) ever. That is just stupid and sad.

Anyway, I won't do that with this story. If I do write other stories, I can promise that the journey may be fraught with angst and some badness (I did put Willow in a wheelchair) but there will always be Willow and Tara and there will always be hope. :D





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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion



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 Post subject: Left of Center
PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2002 10:04 am 
Hey Sweetie, You know I will follow your instincts any time. You lead and I will follow. Been here from the beginning will stay till the end. And a quote for you my sweet:



Waking or asleep,

Thou of death must deem.

Things more true and deep.

Than we mortals dream.



Grabs Jomarch is a big hug then runs away, laughing and quoting verse...

"In my world there are people in chains and we ride them like ponies."



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center
PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2002 12:45 pm 
Hey jomarch, fabulous update! Whew! I'm so glad that Giles is okay. And crazy planning Donny is really scarey. But I know you will give us hugs, puppies and smut in the end. Thanks for your e-mail, btw - you are an absolute sweetheart! It definitely helped. I hope you enjoyed your golfing. *hugs*

Life is full of changes...The better you are at letting go of things, the freer your hands will be to catch something new. ~from Off The Map by Joan Ackerman
"It's good to be a chicken casserole," Tara murmured before passing out. ~from "Answering Darkness" by Sassette



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2002 12:23 am 
Hi everyone. Very sorry for the lack of updates. The last 3 chapters have been written and Owl has them. I just had a slight crisis of faith about the writing and posting but Owl has talked me through it.



So the chapters should be posted soon. And thank you for reading so far and for the feedback.



Jomarch :)

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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2002 12:49 am 
Oooh thanks jomarch. I'm catching up with this again. I really like how sinister Donny is; his taunting of Tara is just horrid and yet sits so well with the character you've written here. Lovely stuff.


----------
"Smut now." - Dark Madfic Tommo



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2002 10:03 am 
Okay, everyone... there's good news, and there's bad news.



The good news, which you already know, is, that Jomarch has been talked through her writing crisis. (i plan to reward myself with one very decadent pint of ice cream for that, a little later.... Even though I was just being honest, and it's really jomarch that deserves the ice cream if only for being a very nice and lovely person).



The bad news is that my brain has been involved in a hostile takeover, and the beta isn't ready quite yet. My body, for some reason, decided that it wanted seriously large amounts of sleep the last couple of nights (which have found me slumbering for 12 hours at a time, in my street clothes, on my couch.) Something is horribly wrong. I think I need help. My body is a sleep addict.

Feel free to flog me, or send me bagpipers and other various forms of encouragement as you see fit. I plan to complete the beta for the next chapter tonight. I Will Not Sleep until it is done!

Very sorry to keep you waiting.

*shuffles off to do various non-sleepy things.*



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 Post subject: Left of Center
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2002 10:26 am 
Owl, you poor Sweetie. I am shipping Ed off to you straightaway. *yes, Ed, roadtrip, Yes, Ed, you get to go see Owl* My lord, she is excited!! She really misses you! Ahh, I hear the bagpipes faintly leaving in the distance. Take care of her Owl. Sticky toffee and soup...

"In my world there are people in chains and we ride them like ponies."



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 Post subject: Re: Left of Center
PostPosted: Thu May 16, 2002 6:49 pm 
Owl, liebeleh, ketzeleh. Sleep is a good thing! Besides, you don't want to get sick again. Or else you will suffer....the Wrath of Pixie! :evil *Owl looks sceptical. Pixie leans over and whispers in Owl's ear. Owl's eyes widen and she looks up in awe tinged with fear, nodding quickly and resolving to get enough sleep* Well good, then. Here's some ice cream in appreciation of your achievement in talking Jomarch back from the edge, and panties to encourage you in your beta-ing. * cough*beta-bater* cough* I'm looking forward to seeing the next chapter.



Jomarch - you stay well, also! The Wrath of Pixie can cross seas and continents! *hugs*

Life is full of changes...The better you are at letting go of things, the freer your hands will be to catch something new. ~from Off The Map by Joan Ackerman
"It's good to be a chicken casserole," Tara murmured before passing out. ~from "Answering Darkness" by Sassette

Edited by: Pixie gishmock at: 5/16/02 5:51:00 pm


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 Post subject: update goodness
PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2002 8:50 am 
Okay. Bad beta. *hangs head in shame*

Trying again with the update...

Here goes....





Spoiler Warning - It has some spoilers up to Normal Again and you may want to read my previous story as it is set in the same universe. If you don't want to, it's ok too. Just realize that Willow is in a wheelchair and this would be set around two and a half years from start of current US season.

Feedback - Good God! Yes, please.

Disclaimer - All characters, names etc belong to ME. I am just borrowing them for this short while in order to make them do what I want for a change instead of waiting to see what happens every Tuesday.

Rating - PG

Title : Left Of Center



Chapter 8



Willow had just finished meditating when the phone rang.



It was Buffy, asking if Tara was there, and informing her that the whole gang would return shortly with Giles. She tried to sound upbeat, but she knew that Buffy could sense

her apprehension. Willow was worried. There was no sign of Tara, and it was

getting dark out. Her theory about meditation allowing her to amplify her

connection with Tara didn’t pan out, and all she felt was fear. Cold, numbing

fear.



She was currently having an internal debate on whether she should just

go out and look for her. But she also had to keep reminding herself

of her promise. It was driving her crazy, just waiting around. Waiting for

Tara to come back to her, for Donny to make his move, for something … anything. It was totally frustrating. She was so tired of just being

reactive, of not being able to anticipate any of the badness that was always

around the corner. She should be able to predict it by now with eight

years of practice fighting on the Hellmouth. ‘Oh, look! Another year. Another Apocalypse or Big Bad should be just round the corner.’ She sighed. Perhaps she was getting too jaded. Maybe when Tara came back, she could suggest a holiday. Just the two of them, visiting a place far from the Hellmouth. Somewhere

like Africa or Scotland.



She looked out the window again, and observed that the sun was setting. But what

really caught her attention was the fact that Tara was standing across the

street, looking at the house. Her heart leapt. Tara was okay, and she was

finally home. But why was she just standing there? Didn't she want to come

in? Did something happen? Willow couldn't wait any longer. She wheeled

herself to the front door, yanked it open and sped down the ramp. She

had to get to Tara and find out what was wrong. The street was otherwise deserted, and

the sidewalk lights had not yet been switched on. Willow's only focus

was to get to her girl. But when she got across the street, Tara was gone, and in

her place stood Rack.



"So Strawberry…. Did you miss me?" He smiled, and two vamps joined him

from behind the tree. "Did you like my little magic show? I guess I really

fooled you with that glamour spell,” he said, rubbing his hands together. "Now I'm going to have me a little taste. That Key really whetted my appetite

for some more good magic. Maybe, after you, I should give that little girl

another visit. What do you think?" he asked as he slowly walked towards her.



Willow could see that he was still high on Dawn's energy, and that made him

dangerous. She didn't want to panic though. He was taunting her, and she had to

keep a cool head. She knew she probably only had one chance to get away. She’d have to ram her wheelchair straight at them. It wasn't going to be easy, and she would

only be able to surprise them once. So she had to pick her target. She decided on the tallest of the three, as he would have the highest center of gravity. Sometimes Physics was so cool and helpful. She would have to remember this example for the next time she tutored Dawn. …If there was a next time.



Willow tried to look afraid so as not to give away her plan to Rack. As soon as he

was within two feet of her, she grabbed on to her wheels and pushed with all

her might. She shot forward right into the tall Vampire on his left. The

Vamp, in his effort to jump out of the way, had no other choice but to collide with

his buddy and Rack. All three of them wound up in a heap on the road. As Willow

moved passed the Vampires, she uttered a confusion spell for good measure.



Willow was ecstatic. She had done it. She was smiling from relief, but it was short lived. She felt her chair being yanked back. Rack had made a grab for the handle of her wheelchair and was pulling it at an angle. She felt it being tipped over, and tried to

propel herself away from the chair and Rack. She managed to land a few

feet away. Ignoring her fresh scrapes and cuts, she began to drag herself

forward. She had to get away from Rack. She didn't want

him near her, much less touching her, but she could feel him trying to draw

her close with magic. He was still filled with Dawn's power and using it to ensnare her.



Rack pushed the wheelchair to one side and strode towards the fallen witch.

He was getting impatient. That Vampire had told him the witch would be

alone. An easy target. He had said that she was handicapped and couldn't do any powerful spells without the blonde by her side.



However, so far, she had managed to take out the two good-for-nothing vamps that Donny had sired for him. They were slowly getting to their feet, but still looked quite dazed. He was going to enjoy taking from her. He wanted her to suffer. She had to be taught a lesson for leaving him, and for

making a fool of him now. He made a grab for her leg, only to have her kick

out at him. He was amazed that she was still trying to fight him. With a

roar, he lashed out with his new magic. The magic force pinned Willow

to the ground. Despite the unseen weight bearing down on her limbs, she

still struggled on, trying to turn over and crawl away.



"Can't let him touch me. Don't want his magic. Promised Tara," she muttered.

But the spell was too strong, and the more she struggled, the weaker she got. She watched as Rack slowly bent over her and placed his palm on her chest. She could feel him drawing out her power and trying to replace it with his own foul magic. But she

would not allow that to happen. She pushed back with her mind. She didn't

want his foulness mingling with the magic bond she shared with Tara. So she

rejected the high he was offering and instead welcomed the pain. It helped focus her mind. ‘Think, Rosenberg….you need to distract him…’ and then it came to her. She knew what she could do, and hoped that despite the pain and Rack draining her magic, she would still be able to do this one trick.



"If you don't want it, that's too bad. You know this is going to hurt" Rack didn't

care either way. He could feel her power flowing into him. Not as potent

as the little girl's, but sweet nonetheless. It tasted different as well. That must be because of her blonde friend, he mused. He didn't notice the levitating branch behind him, heading straight for his back until it was too late.



Despite the pain, Willow still meant to keep her promise to Tara, and prayed

that her reliance on her old pencil floating spell would pay off. Although her aim was off, she was still rewarded for her efforts when the branch embedded itself in Rack's arm. He

yelped and fell to his side. But Willow's joy was again short-lived. Despite the wound, Rack was still conscious and looked over at her as he pulled the branch out and held it in his hand. He was going to use it to hit her.



"Hey. Do you need some help with directions?" he heard a voice ask from

behind. "See, you look lost, and… Well, I'm no girl guide, but I think I can

help you leave the area. Preferably in a body bag," Buffy continued, looking

quite dangerous. She had sensed Vamps in the area and come running. She

was glad she did. Rack had Willow pinned on the ground. Before running off, she had tried to get Xander and Anya to take Giles and Dawn to their place but knew that they had followed her anyway.



The gang stood behind her, waiting for her cue. Xander held a short

broad sword at the ready, and Anya had a crossbow. Giles and Dawn were further back,

but still looked like they were ready to join in the fight if necessary.



Willow felt relief flood through her. She didn't know what she would have done if Buffy

hadn’t shown up. The pain was receding, and she could think more clearly now. She saw Rack looking back and forth between Buffy and her. Willow could sense that he still wanted her, and it reminded her so much of Tara's nightmare vision. Despite the way that Donny had twisted the outcome of her dream, maybe Tara had known that Willow would have to face Rack all along. But unlike that nightmare, Willow had not succumbed. Rack had managed to take some of her power, but unlike her previous encounters, she did not feel the high. Rack had not managed to corrupt her or her bond with Tara. She had been strong enough.



In the end, Rack’s instinctive drive for self-preservation won out. The two Vamps on the ground were so new that they didn't know who the Slayer was. So when Rack gestured to them, they immediately launched themselves at her. Rack, knowing that fighting now was futile, turned and ran. Willow tried to tackle him as he ran past her but she couldn't move fast enough.



The first Vampire was dispatched rather quickly on account of him running

straight into Buffy's stake. The second one, demonstrating a few more IQ points,

started punching at her. She did a back flip, and directed a roundhouse

kick to his head. That sent him crashing to the ground in front of Anya who

then shot him point blank in the chest.



"Yeah, me! Good Job, me!" she cried out in glee as she watched the Vampire

turn to dust.



"Yeah, Anya. It was all you" Buffy answered drolly as she went to

help Willow. She was glad to see that Willow wasn’t hurt too badly and only

had a few cuts and scrapes. Buffy didn't want to shout at her best friend, but

seeing her get hurt was not something she wanted to experience again.



"What the hell were you doing outside?" she asked as she carried Willow to

her chair.



"I thought he was Tara. He did a glamour spell. I came out because I

thought it was her, Oh, God, Buffy. I need her." Willow was getting

more distraught by the minute as she clutched at Buffy's sweater. She

wasn't hurt too badly, and Rack hadn’t been able to give her any Dark Magic

but the experience had taken its toll, and she wanted Tara. The only thing

that prevented her from passing out was that she regconised the

tiny light in the distance. The light was getting closer and bringing

her love back to her.



"Willow!" Tara cried out as soon as she saw the redhead. She was

breathing too hard and was practically doubled over. Her lungs demanded oxygen as she collapsed into Willow's outstretched arms. Willow hung on to her for a good five minutes. Only when Tara's breathing returned to normal did she say anything.



"Buffy, we need to get her inside. Now," Willow pleaded, and Buffy complied. She scooped the blonde witch up and carried her into the house. She knew that Willow was still worried – that the hacker was following closely behind.



"B-Buffy, you can put me down now," Tara insisted as soon as they entered the

house.



"Yeah, cause you looked like you could have run another few miles back there," Buffy

retorted. But she relented, and deposited the witch into an armchair in the living

room. She made a hasty retreat as Willow came barreling in.



*Baby, are you okay? Is everything alright? Where did you go? I was so

worried. Please don't leave me like that. My heart can't take those bumps.

Is everything okay?*
Willow babbled as she ran her hands all over Tara's

body to check for injuries.



"Willow, I'm okay. He didn't hurt me," Tara replied, trying to calm the redhead

down. She could see identical looks of concern on all the scoobies’ faces as they filed in and gathered around her.



That didn't sound promising to Willow. She needed answers, and fast. "Hurt

you? Who didn't hurt you?"



The fact that Tara didn't want to make eye contact scared Willow, but she

pressed on. "Sweetie, who did you meet this afternoon?"



"Donny," Tara whispered as she looked into Willow's eyes for the first time

that night. Usually, Willow's green eyes held the promise of love and

comfort, but the mention of Donny’s name caused her eyes to darken

significantly. Not to that inky black shade brought on by dark magic, but Tara could see the anger there, and the hurt. She also noticed Willow’s cuts and scrapes for the first time. The bright lights in the house highlighted the fact that Willow had been attacked, something that she had not noticed outside. Tara could also sense Rack’s black magic aura around her love and her heart clenched. Donny had gotten Rack to go after Willow.



"Donny? You went to see Donny?" Anya exclaimed. "Did you kill him?" she

followed on hopefully.



Tara just shook her head. She couldn't deal with it right now, all she

wanted was to curl up in bed with Willow and feel safe again. But she knew

that that was an impossibility. Donny was after Willow and the rest of them. He

wanted to punish her by killing them. She had to make them understand. They had to leave as soon as possible. If she guessed correctly, Rack had already

come after Willow and the dust on the sidewalk outside indicated that he had

brought friends. She could feel that Willow had fought back physically and mentally and that Rack hadn’t succeeded in really hurting her. But what about the next time? What if Buffy had been too late? Or worse…



"We have to leave," she stated evenly, looking at the people gathered around her,

hoping that they would understand and accept her plea. Donny would hurt all

of them just for the fun of it, and he wouldn’t hesitate to use Rack again.



"Leave? Tara, we went over this. We can't leave." Willow was trying so hard

to understand. She could feel such strong emotions coming from her lover -

fear, concern, and guilt. Such strong feelings she knew that Tara was trying to

shield from her, but the feelings were so intense that Tara couldn't stop

Willow from sensing them through their link.



"Which is why all of us should leave. Everyone! Donny's crazy and he wants

to kill all of you, and I c-can't let that happen. We have to leave. Please?"

She looked at Buffy when she said that. She knew that the Slayer would

understand. Willow had told her that she had done the same when Glory got

too close to Dawn. She didn't remember most of what had happened during those dark days, but snippets of memories would surface sometimes. She remembered Willow holding her as she screamed, and burning Spike. They had run away then, and may have even succeeded if their escape was not cut short by the Knights of Byzantium.



She hoped that Buffy would understand, but it was Xander who answered her plea.



"Maybe Tara's right. Maybe we should leave. Anya and I… Well, we ...we're starting a family, and I won't...I can't just sit around hoping that nothing screws that up" Xander let the import of his words sink in.



"You're pregnant" Giles looked at Anya for confirmation.



The ex-demon placed her hand over her belly and nodded. She trusted Xander. She

knew that he was suggesting what was best as she knew he trusted her when

she suggested telling D'Hoffryn about the baby a few days ago.



"It's settled, then" Buffy stated, "We all leave. We need a plan and money

and…"



"NO!" Dawn shouted, "We can't run away. That never works. Why do we have to

leave our home? This is the only home I've known and Mom's buried here. We

can't leave" She didn't understand how they could just accept that decision.

Her mom always said running away never solved anything. Buffy tried after

she sent Angel to Hell, and again when she thought they couldn't handle

Glory.



"Dawnie, it's just for now. We can..." Tara tried to comfort Dawn but Willow

cut her off.



"Dawn's right. It's not just for now, if we leave. It's forever, because

that's how long Donny has. He has eternity. I never really considered myself

lucky....I mean, living on the Hellmouth, nearly getting burnt at the stake,

getting shot, being chased by Vampires on a regular basis… That really is

not a good track record by any means, but this is also the place where I

found you," she stated, looking at Tara. "This is also the place where I

found a family whom I love and trust with my life and if we all agree that

it's best to leave then I'll go, but it has to be a unanimous decision."



Giles knew that as the patriarch, he was expected to say something, to give

guidance. But at that point, he was at a loss. He knew that Donny would be

relentless in his pursuit of Tara. It was in his nature as well as that of

the demon. He also knew that he would do anything to ensure the safety of

his charges - anything. And if that meant leaving and using his resources

to ensure that they were comfortable and away from danger, then that was what

he would do. However, he was still a Watcher and had a duty. Dawn and

Willow were right. Running away wouldn’t solve anything, but it would

have to be a family decision. That he was sure of.



Tara looked around and reflected on Willow's words. She knew that despite

what Willow had said, if she chose to leave, Willow would not let her go

alone. She would leave her family behind for Tara. Her speech was to let

Tara know that all the Scoobies felt that way and would always support each other. That decision was unanimous and had been made a long time ago.



She also knew that Donny would always be after them. He wouldn't stop, and he

did have eternity, if his stupidity didn't kill him first. She could pray

that that would be the case. That he would stumble and get dusted or something. But

could she wait for that? Could she expect her family to leave their home and

hearth for her? She knew they would, but would that be fair? They were

used to living on the Hellmouth. They’d adapted and flourished, and so had she.

If they went somewhere else, could they forget the battles, leave behind the

knowledge of Demons and the face of malevolence? She had to accept that

these people, her family, were made to do good. To fight the good fight, as

Willow would say. Besides, Donny would expect her to run. He always thought

that she was weak. She realized that she wasn't weak because of Willow

and the people around her. Donny and Rack were weak. Donny needed her fear

and Rack needed other people's magic.



*And I didn't let him Willow sent *He tried to take my magic and all my power but I didn't let him in*. Willow had proven once and for all that she truly

didn't need Rack or Dark Magic.



"We need a plan," Tara said out loud. "We can't run. This may be the

Hellmouth, but it's our Hellmouth. We shouldn't be the ones to hide. We

need to bring the fight to Donny and Rack." She could see the looks of

relief on Willow and Dawn's faces and she knew that despite wanting to stay,

they would have gone with her if she had insisted.



"Okay. Planning is good, but we just need to kill him, right? That's a plan."

Anya stated matter-of-factly.



"We need Spike," Dawn pointed out to Buffy, knowing that if she called, he

would still come running. Her sister and the Vampire had become friends and

she was glad for that. She didn't think she could handle another

Slayer/Vampire forbidden love relationship. The tears and recriminations

alone were enough to put her off of men. But she could handle their

friendship. Besides, she still thought that he was cool, and working on

being nice. That she could live with.



"I'll give him a call. In the meantime, we need to know how to find Donny.

Tara, how did you know where he was?" Buffy asked, not sure if she would

like the answer.



Willow was curious, too, and held on to Tara's hand to offer support as she

noticed that the blonde was once again not making eye contact.



"I went to Willy's," she said, much to the amazement of the Scooby gang.



Naturally, both Buffy and Willow exploded, each trying to get a word in.



"Willy's? That's in the bad part of town. Granted, there's not a whole lot of

town, but still..."



"Baby, are you sure you're okay? He didn't say or do anything, did he?"



"No, no. I'm fine, nothing happened. Although, he may congratulate you when

you go the next time, on account of your brilliant plan and all," Tara added,

nodding towards Buffy. She looked slightly happier and had a twinkle in her

eye.



"My brilliant plan?" Buffy questioned, not really understanding, but waiting

for the punch line.



"Yeah, Willy figured that you sent me to play good cop, insane cop and that

I would go all Xena-like on his ass if... if he didn't give me Donny's address"

Tara answered proudly, hoping to put a smile on their face… and maybe a

blush on Willow's.



She wasn't disappointed, Xander's jaw dropped as did Anya's. Buffy and

Dawn was smiling, and Willow was blushing furiously. And most important of

all, Giles was back to cleaning his glasses. Yes, she thought to herself -

if they could laugh and joke in the face of odds like these, they were bound

to make it. Willow and she were strong together, and as a whole family, they

were unbeatable. Donny and Rack had better watch out.









Edited by: Owl at: 5/21/02 11:08:20 pm


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 Post subject: Re: update goodness
PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2002 10:51 pm 
Woo hoo! They're going to go all paybacky on Rack and Donny's asses! I like the emphasis on them as a family.



Great update, jomarch! I'm so glad to see it. And Owl, tortchik, thanks for posting. * coughbeta cough

Life is full of changes...The better you are at letting go of things, the freer your hands will be to catch something new. ~from Off The Map by Joan Ackerman
"It's good to be a chicken casserole," Tara murmured before passing out. ~from "Answering Darkness" by Sassette



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 Post subject: Re: update goodness
PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2002 11:20 pm 
I'm really enjoying this. Willow's determination to not allow the darkness inside her again; her fierce need to protect Tara; the way that the two of them are constantly connected. It's all kinds of good. :)



P.S. There's a chunk in the middle that's all in italics. You might have missed a tag.


----------
"Smut now." - Dark Madfic Tommo



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 Post subject: Re: update goodness
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2002 12:14 am 
Thank you, Tommo.

A space slipped into the code where a space should not have been. Sneaky little bugger. I appreciate the help. Goodness knows I need plenty of it...



Drakkenfyre... when you get here...

Memorandum:

Am sending Eddie back to you. I have Ed, and Jomarch has Blodwyna, I think, so... seems to me that leaves Eddie some space to play her pipes for you. I know you'll take good care and feed her only the best soups and toffees....



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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2002 12:52 am 
Greetings from Sydney



Owl, I think I love you.



You are an amazing beta. Postcards are on the way. Thanks for posting for me.



By the way, Blodwyna is enjoying Sydney quite a bit .

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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion



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 Post subject: Re: FIC - Left Of Center
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2002 1:04 am 
Quote:
Donny and Rack had better watch out.


hell yeah! excellent last sentence! I hope they get the snot kicked out of them. what meanies.

~La

You know you've been in Korea too long when you are walking around town with a newly arrived foreign English teacher, and when s/he asks “Do you ever get used to people staring at you?” you respond with, “Have people been staring at us?”



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 Post subject: fic -left of centre
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2002 1:19 am 
Yay ! update! i love this fic ,very well written ! :grin



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 Post subject: Re: fic -left of centre
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2002 1:53 am 
Pixie gishmock - Hi Sweetie, postcards are on their way as well. And yes, by the next chapter, Donny and Rack are going to get what they deserve. Hopefully, it'll be quite a ride.



tommo - Hell yes, they will always be connected and together :) . That's just the way its suppose to be. Its a pity ME totally lost sight of that. BTW, I totally love your new sig. Can't wait to catch up on your fic. Hopefully I can do it this weekend.



Owl - Again, thank you for betaing and posting and being overall an amazing person.



La - Well, I think you're going to enjoy Ch 9 then. Total ass kicking for Donny and Rack.



Fidds - Thanks for reading and enjoying it. Hope you like the next 2 chapters as well.





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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion



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