Actually I wrote this part tonight at work. It is amazing what you can to when you are at work all by yourself with nothing else to do. Does anyone else find work a good environment to write??
Anyway, as always enjoy.
Jill
Title: Expensive at Half the Price – Part 9.
Author: Jill (A.K.A. – WillowPowered).
Email Address: willow_powered@yahoo.com.au
Distribution: If by some miracle you want to pass this on please ask me before doing so. Just drop me an email at the above addy.
Rating: R - Even though most of it is pretty tame there will probably be some violence and some Willow and Tara goodness (coughcoughsexcoughcough).
Disclaimer: Willow, Tara and any other characters that appear in Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the property of Mr Joss and Mutant Enemy etc. etc. etc. No breach of copyright is intended by me, I am just a fan expressing my ummm fan-ness.
Feedback: Are you kidding, bring it on whether it’s good or bad.
Comments: The next bit!!
Note: Plot, what plot??
Characters thoughts are in Italics.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After a brief silence following the revelation that Jade was a witch and from what the Scooby’s could gather a rather powerful one at that everyone started to relax again and enjoy the day.
Anya had taken great delight in telling Willow and their new friends about her and Xanders wedding day, including the number of times that they had sex on their wedding night. This final detail nearly caused Jade to choke on her drink, requiring Sam to repeatedly and rather firmly slap her on the back.
The ex demon had then told them all about how well the Magic Box was doing and the success that Xander was hoping to have with his own construction company. During this part Jade hadn’t been brave enough to drink just in case Anya threw in some more details that fell into the way-too-much-information category. I like her. She says what she thinks and is kind of quirky in a capital Q kind of way.
Dawn and Buffy then filled Willow in on how well college was going. Buffy had decided to go back to college and study psychology part time. She figured that since she was already working as a counsellor at the high school she might as well get the piece of paper to go with it.
Dawn proudly announced that she was getting good marks and hoped to graduate to be the best vet around. She also seized the opportunity to ask for Willows help on some of her homework. The youngster figured that since Willow is the smartest person she has ever met she might as well use it to her advantage.
Giles had briefly filled everyone in on what he had been doing, which by his own admission wasn’t that much. He had been doing some work for the council but mainly providing the Scooby’s with information when they needed help.
Tara had then talked about what she had been up to. She had graduated with very good marks and had been lucky enough to get a job at the Sunnydale Museum. The main part of her job was to catalogue all the items that were on display when they first arrived.
This got Sam’s attention as she too works in a museum. The two women then started to compare notes and talk about art almost lost in their own private conversation. The two of them were excited as they both loved art and while their friends appreciated it they don’t know enough about it to really discuss it like they were now with each other.
There was also a feeling of restlessness amongst the group. Soon Willow would fill them in on what she had been doing the last two years and while everyone was enjoying the conversations going on what they really wanted to hear about was their friend.
Jade could tell that the natives were getting a little restless and after briefly telling everyone about the restaurant and nightclub that she owns she decided to put them all out of their misery and lead into the much anticipated topic of the day.
“Of course when Will arrived managing them took a backseat for awhile.” Looking at the people sitting around her Jade knew she instantly had their attention as soon as she mentioned the redhead’s name.
Willow felt calmer than she thought she would when the conversation turned to her. She knew part of it was because she was sitting next to Tara, but it was also due to the new strength and confidence she had gained during her time away.
While Sam and Jade have often told Willow that she had been the one to stop using magic and reclaim herself she knew that if it had not been for them being there she wouldn’t have been able to do it.
If anyone is going to do this it should be me. They should hear it in my words. Before anyone else can speak Willow takes a deep breath, looks around at her family and begins. “When the accident happened everything crumbled, it all just caved in on me and I couldn’t fight it, I couldn’t breath.” Everyone is quiet, their attention focused on their friend. They all know Willow well enough to know that she would want to tell them, want them to know it all. Even Anya knew to let her friend talk, not to interrupt or speak until she was done.
“Everyone I saw, everything I touched reminded me of what I had done, what I had become.” Turning to Tara the redhead continues. “Especially in our room, everything reminded me that I had lost you, driven you away. I could smell you and feel you everywhere but I couldn’t leave. I guess I was waiting. Waiting to be punished or maybe just waiting to die.”
Willow looks down as she feels Tara take her hand and give it a little squeeze. Their fingers remain entwined as she continues. “After a while I realised that to try and get me back again I had to go somewhere that wouldn’t remind me of it all. That’s when I got my stuff and left.”
The Scooby’s remember the day they realised that Willow had gone and for a moment the pain is back. Buffy comforts Dawn who has started to cry, while the others, including Sam and Jade, are losing their own battles to keep their tears at bay.
“Giles had given me Jades name and contact details when I spoke to him just before I left. In the end I figured that I might as well go to her for help because I didn’t fully trust my judgement when it came to what I should do next.” Willows voice broke on the final words of the sentence as her tears started falling unchecked. Tara moved to gently rub her back with her spare hand.
Seeing her friend is struggling to continue Sam decides to tell part of the details until Willow is able to go on. “When Will first came to us I think it is fair to say she was a mess. We moved her into the house so we could be near her 24 hours a day if she needed us. Lucky she did move in because quite often she did.” Willow offers her friends an apologetic smile as she listens to Sam speak.
“At first the withdrawal was very hard on her. The tremors, the nightmares and seizures all took their toll and a couple of times she really had Jade and I worried.” Tara stiffens and then looks hard at Sam for a second to make sure she heard her correctly. “W-w-wait a minute. S-s-seizures, what s-s-seizures.” She hadn’t meant to interrupt but in all the time that Giles had provided them updates on Willow he had never mentioned seizures. If he didn’t tell us about these what else didn’t he tell us about.
The rest of the Scoobys must have been thinking the same thing because suddenly Giles has several pairs of eyes glaring at him. “I thought it best to keep some of the . . err . . details to myself, I didn’t want to worry any of you unnecessarily.”
Buffy opens her mouth to give Giles what for but before she has a chance to speak Tara asks for more information. “S-s-so these seizures, where they bad? And what exactly h-h-happened during them?” Sam and Willow both had their heads down, not wanting to see the hurt and concern on the faces of the group.
After a short silence Jade is the one to explain. “Well some are pretty mild but most of them are very intense and painful. All the muscles in your body begin to spasm or tighten and your heart and brain feel like they are going to explode. It’s also very hard to breath which is the main worry because it is possible to stop breathing altogether.” Glancing around at the group Jade hopes that she hasn’t freaked anyone out but she knows that it is best that everyone know what their friend has gone through.
After several minutes Dawn finds her voice as the pain she feels for her surrogate sister turns to fear. “So do you have these seizures anymore?” Before Willow has a chance to answer Xander throws another question at her. “Will, when was the last time you had one of these things.”
Willow swallows hard, tightening her grip on Tara’s hand as she answers. “Well firstly, it is possible that I will keep having them, there is no way to tell for sure if they are gone. And Xander the last one I had was about five weeks ago.” Everyone falls silent as they each process this information in their own way.
The realisation of how much Willow has gone through to get back to herself hits the Scoobys hard and suddenly none of them are sure if they are ready to hear all the details of what she has suffered. There is an air of silent agreement amongst all present that this isn’t the time or place for this conversation. Everyone wants to simply enjoy Willow being home without the emotional roller coaster ride of how she got there.
Maybe they are being selfish but Willow had only been back for a few hours and they want to celebrate, not wallow in pain that could surely wait just a little while longer at least.
Tara has resumed rubbing Willows back while her other hand remains clasped in the redheads. They had both started to relax and Willow had moved to lean into Tara with her head resting on the blondes shoulder. As always they are drawn towards each other but today is more intense than either of them can remember. Their love and concern for each other is there but the main element urging them together is their need. Their intellectual, emotional and physical need for each other.
Seeing Tara and Willow together has a calming affect on their friends who resume their chatter from earlier in the day.
All too soon for everyone it is time to leave. It will be dark soon and Sunnydale being Sunnydale it is so much better for your health to be inside once the sun goes down. Reluctantly everyone helps to pack up and they head off towards the cars. Willow and Tara walk hand in hand near the back of the group. It is as though they are afraid to let go of each other in case this is a wonderful dream where they will wake up as soon as they let go.
Arriving at the car park everyone is reluctant to make a move. Buffy is suddenly hit by a thought, “say have you guys got a place to stay? We can always make room at the hotel deSummers for you.” Willow chuckles softly, “actually Buffy we are ok, Jade and Sam are staying at my place.” Xander is impressed, “hey Will has a place, how cool.” And seeing as she has a place that must mean that she is here to stay, I’m liking this day more and more. The rest of the gang smile broadly as similar thoughts cross their minds.
Tara suddenly feels light headed. Oh Goddess she is staying Willow feels her sway slightly and leans in to whisper, “baby are you ok?” Taking a deep, calming breath Tara smiles broadly, “I’m great sweetie, just great.” If I was Buffy I’d be doing one of her rather odd looking victory dances right about now.
After agreeing to meet up the next day Willow, Jade and Sam head off to Willows place while the others leave for the Summers residence, each person reviewing the days events during the short journeys. Today hadn’t been just another day on the Hellmouth, it had been a joyous, scream it out loud so the whole world can hear kind of day. Tonight there would be very little sleep had by all as their excitement about meeting up again the next day would make it impossible.
* * * *
Jade, Willow and Sam are sitting on the couch in Willows living room drinking coffee and happily chatting about the days events.
“Guys I think you better pinch me because I am sure that this is all a dream and I will wake up any minute back in San Francisco having another freak out session.” Jade is about to grant Willows request when a warning look from Sam stops her, instead she lays her hand on the redheads shoulder. “Will, they are amazing people. I can see why you love them all so much.”
Sam decides to be a little more direct than her lover, “Will, she is lovely. From all that you told us about Tara I thought you must have been exaggerating even just a little but I can see you were right. And it was obvious that she is so in love with you.”
Willow takes a deep breath, holds it in for a few seconds and then lets it out. “You think so? I mean because I really couldn’t tell for sure. She is very caring and sympathetic so she could have been just you know, being caring and sympathetic to a friend. To me as a friend, not as a lover.”
Jade and Sam both know where this is headed, a full-blown no taking prisoners Willow babble. Squeezing Willows shoulder slightly Jades cuts her off before she can continue. “Will, it is clear to me, Sam and probably everyone else on the planet that she loves you. I know you are scared that things won’t work out between you. You both have a lot of talking to do but you love her and she loves you so as far as I can see you are more than half way there.”
* * * *
Tara had just slipped under the covers when there is a soft knock on her door. Smiling to herself she answers “Come in.” I wondered how long it would take them As the door opens Buffy and Dawn enter both looking like a pair of excited five year olds on Christmas eve.
Without a word the Summers girls climb into the bed, one either side of Tara. Since Tara had moved back in this had been something they occasionally did, especially when the pain of Willows absence became too much. They would talk and comfort each other until sleep finally took over. But tonight was far different, they were celebrating Willows return and as there was a good chance that they would get very little, if any sleep at all tonight it seemed like the natural thing to do.
Buffy is the first to speak. “What a day huh? Fancy Giles knowing the whole time and not letting on. Who would have thought he had a poker face after all.”
Dawn can’t contain her excitement. “Did you see her? I mean of course you both saw her, but I mean did you see how good she looked. So healthy and goofy, you know she looked like Will again.”
Tara runs images of the day through her head as her smile threatens to take over her face, “she did look good.” Oh Goddess she looked better than good. So beautiful, sexy and touchable. Her smile and those eyes, I could get lost in those eyes.
Dawn notices Tara’s slightly flushed complexion and grins, “Well I guess once you two start with the kissage again we will have to stop having our little slumber parties because I don’t think we could fit four in here. And besides I bet you two could think of better things to do in here alone.”
Buffy's jaw drops open and her eyes bulge threatening to pop out of her head. “Dawn!!”
“Oh come on Buffy, they are crazy about each other. They will be back together in no time, right Tara?”
Tara thinks for a moment before answering. “Well I hope we do Dawnie, I love her so much and I hope she still loves me but we have a lot to sort out and talk through.”
Buffy can’t believe her ears. “What do you mean you hope she still loves you, which picnic were you at today? I have known Will a long time and if there is one thing I know for certain it is that she is so in love with you. I mean the way she was looking at you today, it just rubber stamped it.”
* * * *
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Willow - Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs did ya?
Willow - I'm a blood sucking fiend, look at my outfit . . . .
)!!
so please be gentle with the feedback.
I can't wait for the next update. 
evil you 
but it was soOooOooooooo worth it! 
More, soonish. 
,
Can't wait to read more! Update soon, please? 
I like this, hehe. Willow and Tara, finally together
, and Willow and Tara being all flustered.
Fun!
Willow is a vixen! I don't think Tara minds though.
and see what's up next for our lovely couple and the Scoobies. Update soon, please! 
at: 8/9/03 12:19 pm
at: 7/27/04 6:19 pm
