Now stop with the flirting, Kerry, and try to write us some more.
Pleeze?
by Kalita » Thu Jan 24, 2002 8:28 pm
Now stop with the flirting, Kerry, and try to write us some more.
Pleeze?
by katydid » Thu Jan 24, 2002 8:30 pm
------------------
"She practically has 'genuine molded plastic' stamped on her ass.
by Kerrison » Thu Jan 24, 2002 8:33 pm
Don't tease the bard. It has been too long since this bard has erm....well...let's just say, anyone who knocks on my door won't be turned away. haha.
And I HAVE written some.
I have 2 chapters waiting for my Beta when she gets home tonight. heheh. Love you Jess!
So when she reads those and we write (insert ominous music) the LAST Chapter, I'll start posting. *G*
-Kerry
------------------
"Life is eternal. It has no beginning and no end. The loving friends we meet on our journey return to us time after time. We never die because we were never really born."
by Kerrison » Thu Jan 24, 2002 8:36 pm
:-P
So, despite sounding like the 3's company song, come and knock on my door. I'll be waiting for you.
by Kerrison » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:36 am
**********
Enjoy it. Winding down.
**********
The feeling of a gentle hand on her hip stirred Willow from her light doze. “Mmm,” she murmured, turning into the touch she instinctively recognized.
“Sorry it’s so late,” a gentle voice spoke.
“S’ok,” Willow replied, opening her eyes, barely, to find Tara’s angelic face looking back at her. “Everything ok?”
Tara nodded, her fingers sliding Willow’s hair behind her ear. “Yeah. Just took longer than I thought. I didn’t want to spend all day away from you.”
“It’s ok,” the redhead said again, shrugging, feeling herself slip into wakefulness. . “Miss Kitty and I bonded over a ball of yarn. Dawnie and I baked cookies.”
“Sounds like a good day,” Tara said.
“Nope. Horrible without you.”
The blonde smirked. “Suck-up,” she replied. “Go back to sleep. I told Katrina I’m off for the holidays.”
“Won’t you loose your job?”
Tara shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Besides, I think I know a little herbal shop that might be hiring soon,” she teased.
Willow smirked, rolling back onto her side, away from Tara. “I’ll tell the owner you’re interested.”
Tara slid closer to Willow, spooning against the other woman. “Love you.”
“Love you more,” Willow replied, snuggling back closer to Tara before drifting off to sleep.
**********
“Where are we going?” Willow asked for what had to be the ninth time since they left the house.
Tara sighed, “If you would relax and hush for another two minutes, you’d find out,” she said, pulling off the main road and onto a small dirt road almost hidden by trees.
“Are you taking me into the woods to have your way with me and then leave me for dead?”
Tara glanced over, an amused look on her face. She opened her mouth to comment but thought better of it and just shook her head and sighed.
“Lots of trees,” Willow commented, glancing out the window as her fingers fiddled with the armrest in a nervous habit.
The car slowed as Tara carefully took the tight corner. The scenery changed almost drastically and the car rolled out of the woods, over a sturdy planked bridge, and into the sunlight.
“Oooh. Done with trees now,” Will muttered, craning her neck as she looked around curiously. A hand-hewn fence ran the length of the drive.
Tara smiled as she watched Willow take in the alien environment. “There he is,” she murmured, spotting a distinctive figure in the fenced in area to her left. She steered the car to the parking area and hopped out, waiting for Willow by the back of the car. “You know how I told you that I’d introduce you to Sunny?”
Willow nodded, taking in her surroundings with nervous eyes. Two large white barns stood in a nearby clearing.
Tara chuckled, not used to Willow seeming so obviously out of her element. “It’s a farm, Will, not a torture camp.” The blonde reached over and laced her fingers through Willow’s hand. “Come on.”
Willow stepped closer to Tara as they walked, shoulder to shoulder. “Sunny is a…?”
Tara stepped up to the fence before ducking under it. She waited on the other side for Willow to follow, letting out a piercing whistle. “Sunny’s my horse,” she admitted to Willow when the redhead finally stepped up close to her again.
“Horse?? As in large version of an arm-eating pony? I don’t know about this, Tara. It’s been my experience that I have some very delectable arms as far as a horse’s culinary taste’s go. I’d prefer to keep both my arms today, thank you,” she said, beginning to babble before the feel of the earth shaking beneath her feet silenced her. “What’s that?” she asked, turning Tara. As she spoke a gentle sound of distant thunder hit her ears.
“That is my boy coming to say hello,” Tara said, her smile unable to be hidden. A large, Palamino horse came speeding around a tree-covered corner of the pasture and aimed himself directly towards the two women. His mane and tale flowed as he happily cantered the distance.
“He’s pretty,” Willow admitted. “For an overgrown arm-eating pony.”
The horse slowed down the closer it got to it’s owner, approaching Tara with a great deal of respect. He walked the last step up to the blonde, nuzzling her shoulder with his nose.
“Good boy,” Tara crooned, kissing her horse’s muzzle affectionately. “How you feelin’ buddy?”
The horse nickered, flicking his ears back and forth in reply.
“Willow, this is Sunny. Sunny, this is your other mommy, Willow.” Tara said, making the introductions sound incredible formal.
“You don’t expect me to shake his hoof, do you?” Willow asked, watching the horse pick up his foot and playfully paw the air in her direction.
“If you want to,” Tara said, chuckling. “Dawn taught him how to do some cute behaviors.”
The redhead declined with a shake of her head. “I think I’ll pass. Puts the delicious arms too close to horsie teeth.”
“He doesn’t like arm,” Tara said. “Prefers apples and carrots.”
“No nibbling of the arm?”
“Nope. He leaves that for me to do,” Tara whispered, her voice causing Willow to shiver with anticipation.
“Good horsie,” Willow offered. “Definitely a job for your mommy.”
Tara turned to Willow, the horse finding the grass near Tara’s feet very tasty. “You ok with this?” she asked, glancing back at her horse. “I mean I know you don’t like them and have that phobia…”
Willow smiled softly. “I think I’ll be ok. You’re my horse tour-guide, though.”
The blonde grinned. “As your tour guide, I should ask: do you think maybe someday you’d like to go for a ride?”
“On him?”
Tara nodded.
“He’s awfully big for me, don’t you think? Big and horsie-like and kinda hyper? Maybe we should start small. Maybe there’s a little dog-sized horsie around here somewhere?”
Tara laughed. “Willow, I know you’re skinny, but I don’t think a miniature horse could carry you.”
“I can lose weight!”
“Why don’t we put you on a really gentle horse and I’ll teach you. Then we can go riding all the time.”
Willow paused, frowning. “All the time when I’m in Sunnydale.”
Tara shook her head, walking over to a nearby felled tree and sitting. She waited as Willow followed and sat next to her. “All the time when I’m in Shore Ridge. And all the times when you’re in Sunnydale.”
“Do you wanna have this conversation here?” Willow asked, not sure if her timing was right.
Tara nodded. “I think we should talk about it.”
Willow nodded. “I can come home for holidays. And probably one weekend a month,” she offered. “I don’t know if I can take more time off from the store until I get some more help there. And I don’t know if I can find reliable help; people who are knowledgeable with what to mix and-”
“Willow, I was serious when I said I’d be interested in the job,” Tara interrupted her, silencing Willow in mid babble.
She looked up, “I can’t ask you to do that! You have a life here; jobs here.”
“I’ve spent almost every day we’re together trying to figure this out. I have a two options figured out so far,” Tara said gently. “Option number one: we trade off visiting on alternate weekends and holidays. Option number two: We do a six-six split. Six months in Sunnydale, six months in Shore Ridge.”
Willow paused, slumping down and resting her forearms on the top of her thighs. “Will you be able to keep your job if you’re living with me for six months?”
Tara nodded. “There’s a large riding facility about an hour and a half east of your town. There’s enough things going on there that I’ll be writing articles until I’m 60.”
“Can Anya spare you from the Magic Box?”
She sighed. “Willow, don’t worry about that. What about you? Can you spend six months away from your store? I know you’re the heart of that business. What about the classes you teach? And the computer repair you do on the side? I live with people who are used to helping each other out and covering schedules. You don’t have that; you live alone and you run your own life single handedly. Can you just leave everything for half the year?”
“I will,” Willow replied, her voice full of resolve. “For you, Tara, I’d move to Mars without question. So a six month split isn’t unreasonable.”
Tara smirked, twining her fingers with Willow’s again, bringing the hand to her lips and placing a delicate kiss on Willow’s knuckles. “We can expand your business so that you can manage it electronically from here. Maybe you could even let Anya carry a product line in the shop.”
Willow nodded. “Tara?” she asked, speaking quietly.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Does this mean I have to build a barn in my back yard?”
Tara laughed, leaning over and kissing Willow’s cheek. “Only if you want Sunny to live with you, too.”
“Ok. One barn it is,” she said softly, reality hitting her hard.
Her friend sensed her anxiety. “You ok with this?” Tara asked. “We don’t have to make any decisions right now. There’s no rush.”
“No. I’m ok. I just… never thought I’d see you again, and then I do. And never thought I’d kiss you again, and then, even better, you kissed me. And now we’re talking about living together and…god, Tara, with all the bad stuff I’ve done in my life, what good have I done to deserve you?”
“Oh, my Willow,” Tara simply breathed, sliding her arm around Willow’s shoulders.
“So… I guess this means there’s no rush on getting the guest room fixed,” Willow sighed.
“Only as long as you’re going to let me stay in your bed. I don’t intend on having the couch fight every single night,” Tara replied, her horse wandering over as they spoke.
“Nope. No couches for you. Definitely the same bed as me. Snugglies mandatory.”
“That can be arranged,” Tara said, reaching over and scratching Sunny’s ears. “You can pet him, you know. Honest, he won’t bite unless your hands smell like apple.”
Willow reached out and touched the animal, trusting Tara implicitly. “He really likes you,” she commented as the horse placed his nose near Tara’s thigh and merely enjoyed her company.
The blonde woman nodded. “Yeah. Dawnie and Buffy got him for me two years ago for my birthday. He was abused and neglected as a baby. They got him from a horse rehabilitation program.”
Willow nodded, finding the animal hard to resist. She continued to scratch behind his ears, enjoying the happy and silly faces the horse made from her scratches.
“When I got him, he was skin and bones. I think Dawn has a picture somewhere. You could see his ribs outlined through his skin. He wouldn’t let people touch him or get near him. It took me the better part of a year just so I could get him to trust me enough so I could get on,” Tara explained. “He’s still kind of scared about some things because he was abused so much. But for the most part, he trusts us, Dawn and I.” At Willow’s inquisitive look, she explained. “She comes out and rides him when I can’t. I’ve been giving her riding lessons for the past year. She’s really good.”
Willow nodded. “So…you really want me to learn to ride?”
“Yeah. I think it’d be something fun we can do together, no matter where we’re living that month,” Tara replied honestly.
“Ok.”
“Ok?” Tara asked.
The redhead nodded. “Ok. I’ll learn as long as you teach me. But…But at the first sign of any arm-eating behavior, I quit.”
Tara smiled. “It’s a deal,” she said quickly before leaning down to her horse. “Hear that, Sun? Mommy Willow’s going to learn to ride you!”
“You’re a nutball, Tara,” Willow said, snickering at her lover conversing with her horse.
“Hey!” Tara protested, her eyes smiling with amusement. “I’m your nutball, number one. And number two, don’t joke my hobby. You know I love horses, Willow. They’re kinda…like how computers are to you,” she said softly before letting Sunny lick her hand repeatedly.
Willow laughed. “Ok. No joking of the hobby.”
They sat together for a minute or two in silence, each enjoying the other’s company.
“You said Dawn was an aunt,” Willow asked, breaking the silence.
“Yes, I did.”
“I take it you meant aunt of Sunny?”
“Yes, I did.”
“So you don’t have any kids I should worry about?”
Tara cast Willow a unique glance before dissolving into a fit of giggles, taking Willow right along with her.
**********
by Quill » Fri Jan 25, 2002 8:15 am
by mollyig » Fri Jan 25, 2002 8:18 am
Lovely update. And I love that they've committed to making a future together - no matter what the obstacles.
------------------
The new Indigo Girls album, "Become You," is in stores Feb. 26, 2002. For
more info, check out Indigo Girls web site at: http://www.indigogirls.com
by The Rose » Fri Jan 25, 2002 9:38 am
Willow's horse fear is so cute and funny.
------------------
Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.
Tara: Willow, I got so lost.
Willow: I found you. I will always find you.
Tara: Nobody messes with my girl!
by katydid » Fri Jan 25, 2002 9:51 am
------------------
"She practically has 'genuine molded plastic' stamped on her ass.
by Scout » Fri Jan 25, 2002 9:57 am
Very enjoyable update and I can live without the smut as long as they end up together in the final chapter. Good stuff!
by KittyKo » Fri Jan 25, 2002 10:02 am
by Kerrison » Fri Jan 25, 2002 10:06 am
Without Jess, this story wouldn't be here.
by KittyKo » Fri Jan 25, 2002 12:00 pm
Lovely story really. This update is so sweet, finaly Will and Tara getting things going. *sigh*
[This message has been edited by KittyKo (edited January 25, 2002).]
by ShaggyKat » Fri Jan 25, 2002 12:38 pm
by Kerrison » Fri Jan 25, 2002 2:37 pm
I think not.
Always a happy ending.
Lol-- I have to find contentment somewhere since it isn't happening in my life!! *G*
------------------
"Life is eternal. It has no beginning and no end. The loving friends we meet on our journey return to us time after time. We never die because we were never really born."
by nika » Fri Jan 25, 2002 3:01 pm
by tommo » Fri Jan 25, 2002 3:18 pm
------------------
"Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one." she muttered... ~ Four Months After by Capt. Murdock
by Bobo's Mom » Fri Jan 25, 2002 5:18 pm
Great update. I've missed this story! And tee hee I was right about Sunny. What's my prize?
Thanks again for sharing this wonderful tale. If you wrote this to work out some personal stuff, I can't even begin to tell you how high my estimation of you is, and what a wonderful place it is I think you're coming from.
Best wishes,
BM
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TARA: Willow and I always know how to find each other!
ANYA: With yoga?
by Charlie » Fri Jan 25, 2002 5:29 pm
------------------
‘When she lowers her eyes she seems to hold all the beauty in the world between her eyelids; when she raises them I see only myself in her gaze.’
- Natalie Clifford Barney
by ShaggyKat » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:00 pm
Sorry I tend to go off on tangents. Love the story.
by Puff » Fri Jan 25, 2002 7:17 pm
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“I…I love you. I just…I just don’t want to be afraid anymore. I want to feel like I am living again.” Legends of the kiss by Mariacomet
by Kerrison » Fri Jan 25, 2002 10:41 pm
**********
Willow sat on the floor, across the coffee table from Dawn. “And there was this really pretty one that was all reddish brown and friendly. He was in his stall when all the others were out in the field and he looked so sad. Tara went over and pet him and the horse was so sweet and-”
“Sounds like you had a good time,” Dawn commented, interrupting Willow’s babbling. Definitely not used to dealing with the babbles anymore, she thought to herself.
Willow nodded, taking a bite of the cookie infront of her and Tara.
Dawn shifted her attention to Tara. “Did you like that new gelding? Andy said he kinda took him off the shelf for you,” she said to her blonde friend.
“Yeah,” Tara said, smirking. “He’s so sweet. Even Willow was brave enough to pet him,” she teased, nudging Willow with an elbow in jest.
“Well?” Dawn prodded.
Tara sighed. “I don’t know, Dawnie. I have enough troubles keeping up with the one I have.”
“You should, Tara,” Dawn prodded, reaching across and snagging a bite of Willow’s cookie. “I think you could take him to some of the competitions. But instead of writing about other people winning, you could win!”
The blonde smirked. “So why don’t you buy him, then, Dawnie?”
Dawn opened her mouth to reply but before she could speak, the door opening and a frustrated scream stopped her.
“Someone make it stop! Lock her up, tie her down, gag her, I don’t care! Just someone make it stop!” Xander screamed, slamming the door behind him as he stormed into the house. He stomped into the living room, seeing the girls gathered around the coffee table. “Oh, Tara, my goddess Tara, thank whatever god-like-creature put you here. Can you be my research gal? Can you find someway to make her shut the HELL UP?”
“Help me out, Xander. Who are we talking about?” Tara asked delicately.
“My fiancé. The ex-vengeance demon. The sex fiend that’s about to kill me! Anya! Please, god, make her stop,” he cried out, flopping down on the couch and covering his eyes with one hand.
Dawn smirked. “Her libido getting to be too much for you finally, Xander?” she asked, arching a teasing eyebrow. She raised her voice; “Spike! Pay up! Anya’s finally worn out Xander! You said he’d make it until Christmas, I win!”
Xander glared at Dawn. “Ok, Dawnie, as much as I love you, EW! No sexual innuendo from you, please.”
Dawn rolled her eyes just as her sister walked into the room. “Your friend’s a dork, Buffy,” she commented, jerking her thumb in Xander’s direction.
“We’ve known that for a while, sweetie,” Buffy replied. “Why specifically this time?”
Willow smirked, piping up. “Dawnie thinks Anya’s finally worn him out.”
Buffy snickered, setting down glasses of milk on the coffee table. “Can’t you give her a sedative?” she teased.
Xander rolled his eyes. “Buffy, would you be opposed to restraining an ex-vengance demon for the next few months?”
“I don’t know, Xan, I’ve never tried to slay everything in sight with a bound and tied woman in my grasp,” the slayer replied.
“Maybe you’d be able to keep up with her, Xander, if you didn’t spend so much time tying her up,” Dawnie piped in.
“Scary visual place, thanks to Dawn! And would you all stop dissin’ my sexual stamina? I’m just fine, thank you. I cannot however, handle her hormone induced crazies.”
“Hormones?” Willow asked, still nibbling on the cookie in her hand.
“Hormones,” Xander replied with a sigh.
Willow glanced over at Tara. “Feelin’ outta the loop,” she confided.
“Me, too,” Tara replied.
“Don’t look at me,” Xander retorted, feeling everyone’s eyes pin on him. “I’m not allowed to tell!”
“That’s right! My secret!” Anya called, storming into the room, scowling. “Myyyy secret, Xander.”
Willow rolled her eyes, turning her attention to Buffy. “I take it this is the same secret we weren’t supposed to know when we got here.”
“Yep,” the slayer replied.
“And the same secret I was called home to research?” Tara asked.
“The same.”
Tara sighed. “Tell us the secret, Anya.”
“I’m not ready,” the woman replied, pouting and folding her arms across her chest.
“Tough demon scabs,” Willow scolded. “You made her leave my nice house, where people weren’t constantly bothering us during alone time, to come here and help you with something. Spill it, Anya, or I’m taking your research gal and monopolizing her for the rest of our lives!”
“Oooh, feisty today,” Tara commented, glancing at Willow with an appreciative eye.
Willow chuckled and shrugged. “You do good things to me. What can I say?” she asked before taking another bite of her cookie.
Anya pouted. “You all are ruining my plan. I was going to have a nice little party with friends and presents. Lots of presents.”
Buffy sighed. “Tell them, Anya.”
“But the party and the presents!” Anya protested.
“Tell them, Anya!” Buffy said again, more forcefully.
Anya turned to Tara and Willow. “I have a parasite.”
Xander sighed. “An, honey, we talked about this. It’s not a parasite.”
“It takes most of my food, makes me sleepy and ill and it grows on me. Sounds like a parasite to me!” the blonde rebutted.
“It’s not a parasite,” Xander repeated, his voice exceedingly tired. “It doesn’t grow on you, it grows in you.”
“Whatever it is, it makes her pretty much Ms. Cranky-Pants,” Willow muttered, offering Tara the last bite of the cookie, the sweet snatched from her fingers by gentle lips.
“I’m not cranky!” Anya said, sniffling slightly, her eyes watering.
“Is she about to cry?” Dawn asked, leaning over and whispering the question to Xander.
Xander frowned, rubbing his bloodshot eyes “Has it been ten seconds since the last time she bawled? If so, then yes, I’d say we’re in for a flood.”
“Ok, Anya,” Buffy said softly, stepping over to the blonde and putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Tell them so that Tara can get crackin’ on the research before it’s too late.”
Anya sniffled again; “We’re having a-” she started, dissolving into a fit of body-wracking sobs, her head resting on Buffy’s shoulder.
“Baby,” Xander said, finishing the sentence for her. “Anya’s pregnant. And we’re kinda worried about the whole demon gene thing.”
“Pregnant?” Tara asked, grinning broadly. “A little baby Harris?”
Willow grinned at Xander, feeling honestly happy for him. “That’s great, Xander!”
“It would be if her hormones weren’t out of control,” he said softly, pointing to Buffy and Anya. A distinctly wet spot had formed on Buffy’s shoulder, caused by Anya’s tears. “And then there’s the panickies about the demon baby issue. Not generally a great mood-lifter to think you’re kid’s going to have vengeance powers. I mean what’ll happen if I tell him ‘no’ to something? Does he sneeze and blow daddy up?”
“Xander-splatter. Appetizing,” Willow commented, pushing the plate away from her with a curled nose. She looked over at Tara who’s face showed her concentration. “Watcha thinking?”
Tara frowned before speaking. “I’m thinking that finding the answer to their questions shouldn’t take that long. And…” she said, turning to Willow and allowing her frown to fade into a smirk.
“And?”
“And that once I find the answer, you and I can spend all day tomorrow together.”
Willow smirked. “It’s a date,” she said, watching Tara turn to Anya and Xander.
“You guys get one more night of uninformed panic. We’ll find an answer by tomorrow,” the blonde said, reaching over and taking another cookie off the plate, offering a piece to Willow. “Xander-splatter free,” she said, her voice hushed, the cookie taken from her fingers and followed by a gentle kiss to the digits.
“So…what are we rooting for?” Willlow asked, “Boy or girl.”
“Horn-less,” was Xander’s dry reply.
**********
------------------
"Life is eternal. It has no beginning and no end. The loving friends we meet on our journey return to us time after time. We never die because we were never really born."
by BytrSuite » Fri Jan 25, 2002 10:48 pm
I so love this story.
by Quill » Fri Jan 25, 2002 11:47 pm
------------------
"My faith in love is like blood...I spill it freely."
by Kerrison » Fri Jan 25, 2002 11:49 pm
Now that I have the whole thing written....I'm very tempted to post it all just so you guys can read it!! Lol. But I won't.
by Pixie » Fri Jan 25, 2002 11:59 pm
by AutumnT » Sat Jan 26, 2002 12:08 am
quote:
Originally posted by Kerrison:
I'm very tempted to post it all just so you guys can read it.
Oh C'mon. Please? I've really enjoyed this story. The dialogue just has such a wonderful note to it.
Autumn
quote:by Kerrison » Sat Jan 26, 2002 12:13 am
I love their dialogue, too, to be honest.
Of course, there are days I sit and whine to Jess because I just can't get it right. After all, I'm new to Buffydom; only about a year old. And last year I didn't even watch all the time b/c of my schedule.
But I do love the way they speak. Sadly its JUST like my friends and I!
We used the word "slayage" the other day.
In a sentence. Grammatically correct. In class.
Pathetic, I tell you.
Yet amusing!
------------------
"Life is eternal. It has no beginning and no end. The loving friends we meet on our journey return to us time after time. We never die because we were never really born."
by AutumnT » Sat Jan 26, 2002 12:17 am
Autumn
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