The Late Shift (FIC)

[Kalita]

Woo-hoo! Always in favour of doing laundry. I particularly prefer the agitation and spin cycles...

A-hem...

[Pixie]

Wow! Excellent! LMAO at "Why can't you do it in the TV room so you can watch TV at the same time?" Will we get to see Willow's reaction to this story? I think she'd be embarrassed and a little mad, but secretly find it hilarious.

BTW, I hope no one is using fabric softener when doing laundry; you don't want to get a rash :-)

[supermus]

Laundry. LOL! You never cease to come up with great running jokes. Now for my laundry joke:
Nothing like a good "no whites" load to lift a girls spirits.

[This message has been edited by supermus (edited February 20, 2002).]

[wiccachica]

Ahhh yes....Pixie...I'm sure we will get a look at Willow's thoughts on this...but first....an...

**INTERMISSION**

So that a few confused souls can catch their breath…a little non-musical intermissional quiz…

See how well you have been able to understand and translate the confusing Troll dialect……

I’d like to think we could all recall the answers right off the top of our heads…but I’ll consider this a Reading Comprehension Quiz…. Cuz even I had to look some of this up….

MILD

1. What is the name of the antagonist who lives in the Big Gray House?

2. What is the name of the Donut Shop across the street from The Magic Box?

3. What novelty cup did Willow bring down to Tara filled with Rosenberg 2001?

4. What outfit was Tara wearing in the Club Discotekka?

5. What color was the Big Red Door?

6. What is Willow’s favourite lip gloss flavour?

MEDIUM

1. Who was actually the Dorothy? And Why? (less than 200 words, please)

2. Even though they were like sisters, what WON’T Buffy EVER let Willow borrow?

3. What was the price of the items in the bargain bin at the Doug’s Adult Book and Toy Emporium?

4. Finish this sentence: If it looks like a duck…walks like a duck…and smells like a duck….

5. What does Saturday Night mean in the Summers Home?

6. What did Spike make Tara say that made Willow a little jealous?

7. What was the name of the girl who hit on Tara at the Bronze? ( I know you don’t remember…even though I wrote her name like fifty times…. You’re still gonna go look…aren’t you….)

HOT

1. What is the name of the Tattoo parlour?

2. Are you ever going to say you’re Doing Laundry again without the tiniest glimmer in your eye? (hee)

3. Reshelve these books in order:‘Blood Rites of the Eternal Damned’ , ‘Baking with Julia Child’ and ‘Emmet Otter’s Junkband Christmas’…..

4. How DOES one occupy a Kinky Willow? (just one way…please…the old heart can’t take all your great ideas for this one)

5. What else could the troll possibly think up to entertain you?

   And here’s a the REAL Whammy….

6. What species of flower did the sheep brush against three days before it was shorn? ( if you get this…you are hardcore into the weird fic…… and I may have to love you….)

Have a great Morning!

Niki

IP: Logged

UniDagger
Doll's Eye Crystal


Posts: 87
Registered: Jul 2001 posted February 21, 2002 11:40               

---

Eeek. Theres a test? I didnt know thered be test! I didn't study. My dog ate the computer. And..and...I forgot my pencil..and and...there was this huge UFO that came and stole all the vowels from my vocabulary. (The ones u see were borrowed).

------------------
"Gay Now"
So you're gay?
Yes
Will you be gay tomorrow?
Let me check my calendar...yep. Looks like I'll be gay all week.
******

IP: Logged

IP: LoggedUniDaggerDoll's Eye Crystal


Posts: 87
Registered: Jul 2001 posted February 21, 2002 11:40               

---

Eeek. Theres a test? I didnt know thered be test! I didn't study. My dog ate the computer. And..and...I forgot my pencil..and and...there was this huge UFO that came and stole all the vowels from my vocabulary. (The ones u see were borrowed).

------------------
"Gay Now"
So you're gay?
Yes
Will you be gay tomorrow?
Let me check my calendar...yep. Looks like I'll be gay all week.
******

IP: Logged

posted February 21, 2002 11:40                Eeek. Theres a test? I didnt know thered be test! I didn't study. My dog ate the computer. And..and...I forgot my pencil..and and...there was this huge UFO that came and stole all the vowels from my vocabulary. (The ones u see were borrowed).

------------------
"Gay Now"
So you're gay?
Yes
Will you be gay tomorrow?
Let me check my calendar...yep. Looks like I'll be gay all week.
******

[UniDagger]

Eeek. Theres a test? I didnt know thered be test! I didn't study. My dog ate the computer. And..and...I forgot my pencil..and and...there was this huge UFO that came and stole all the vowels from my vocabulary. (The ones u see were borrowed).

------------------
"Gay Now"
So you're gay?
Yes
Will you be gay tomorrow?
Let me check my calendar...yep. Looks like I'll be gay all week.
******

[nika]

Are oral answers valid?

------------------
"The word 'GULP!'comes to mind." Tara

[Pixie]

Test called on account of laughing WAY too much!

This is your idea of letting us catch our breath?

(As my students say) can we do this with a partner?

quote:

---

Originally posted by nika:
Are oral answers valid?

---

Hey Nika, wanna be my partner?
quote:

[wiccachica]

uhm...Wowza!

The idea of an oral exam had never occured to me...(until now....thank you, Nika)

Allright kitties...partner up! LOL

Brings the term Study Buddy to a whole new level.....

The Late Shift will return to its regularly scheduled dementia tomorrow morning....today...I need to rest the Troll....stock up on more autobiographical experiences..... (now where did I put those dryer sheets....???)

Have a great day!

[This message has been edited by wiccachica (edited February 21, 2002).]

[Owl]

hello.
may i just say, first of all, that i think your troll is absolutely certifiable. in a really loveable way, of course. i have been reading this one all along and enjoying every mindbending, body-switching, twinkie-driving, scooby-floating, detergent-scented minute of it.
and...about the quiz.... i got the dandelion one right away... but i missed the olivia one at first, just like you said.... still hardcore, right? so i just spent some time rereading this, and i came up with a question for you

at the end of chapter 10, tara is hiding something from the other scoobies. the reason that her skin doesn't change.... are you going to address this?

very, very curious and looking forward to the next installment which will make today - which just so happens to be laundry day - that much better.
p.s. i love emmet otter.

[wiccachica]

Owl-

You are tres Fabou! I was wondering if anyone was going to catch that ...and if they did...would they ask me???

And here you are...all smart and whatnot...asking the question that will open up a can of worms so huge that it would have to be put into a 'what-if' kind of story (not that the Late Shift isn't that already) but this one would have really messed with the Scoobie Dynamic...it involved...yes...the age-old what is Tara's REAL background.... and the troll had a very specific story worked up just for that storyline...actually...involving the one and only funk-rock Olivia.....sadly... I didn't have time to pursue it...and I accidently left it dangling out there... for all to read....

I caught it again recently.... but I decided to leave it in...just in case I had an itch to delve into that topic.....someday....when i'm strong enough....and can spend copious amounts of time on the mythology of Osiris and Sakem em Pet etc. etc.... whew... I forgot how huge that was....

...so...blather blather, Niki.....

You sorry you asked??? (hee)

[This message has been edited by wiccachica (edited February 22, 2002).]

[AutumnT]

Where is that darn troll? I need a chuckle this morning. Here troll..... Heeeeerreeeee troll.

------------------
Autumn

I have the sudden urge to dedicate my productive cooperation.

[wiccachica]

Sorry...had a project at work needed finishing.....

Afternoon Edition:

Chapter Sixty Seven: For Every Action, There is an Equal and Highly Unpredictable Re-Action….

" Like I said…entirely MY fault that any of it happened…" Buffy says rapidly from the doorway of the room where all of the Scoobies have magically fled through. " ….So with that said…I’ll just leave you two alone to figure…uhm…how to …uhm…get that look off Willow’s face like she wants to kill us all…..And with that, Buffy shuts the door behind her quickly, leaving me sitting on the rickety old bed with a very quiet redhead.

And now for the big question…..

" On a scale….." I start.

" oh….soooo a Ten right now." She says quietly, cutting me off.

Darn. I knew it. Ten is a tough one. I’ve never gotten a ten before…I’ve never seen one up close.

" So a ten is like….a….what???" I ask hopefully.

I need to know how high the fence is before I start mending it.

" Ten is like a ‘ I can’t believe you didn’t tell me..how can I ever trust you again…." She says, getting up off the bed, and walking over to where a window should be, but has been covered by a sheet. She puts her arms around herself, pretending that she is looking out, over the vast landscape of the strange place we’re in.

" Should I go?" I ask, getting a ‘maybe you should let me blow off steam for a while’ vibe.

I don’t want to go. I want to desperately get back to the part where we left off in the disco… the part before she knew that the Scoobies and I had kept a pretty huge secret from her.

Boy had ‘fun story time’ turned to all hell fast.

" If you leave, how am I going to stand here all righteous-like, and make you feel guilty…?" She says, un-crossing her arms.

I’m dirt. No. I’m lower than dirt….I’m dust…vampire dust…I’m….

" Then I-I’ll stay. If it helps" I say, and she turns to look at me from across the room.

uhm….what is going on here? Why is she….smiling at me like that? What the…..???

" I had you going, didn’t I? You are sooooo easy! I love that…LOOK on your face…the ‘Willow’s a ticking time-bomb’ look. Goddess, that was great!!!" She breathes.

Willow breezes across the room and puts her arms around my shoulders.

" There were three Willow’s living it up in Sunnydale for a whole day, Tare….you think it wouldn’t get back to me?"

" Y-you knew??" I blather. She looks very proud of herself. In fact…too proud of herself… " How long did you…"

" Spike told me before you guys even came home…I’m sure thinking I’d ream you all right on the spot…and then Nasty Me came upstairs and tried to hit on me… and then you came up and…"

" You KNEW?? And you didn’t tell me you knew???"

Okay…there is no way I can even JUSTIFY being mad about this…I mean…really….so I’ll have to settle for incredulous surprise….. " But you acted like you…"

" Hey… I wasn’t about to look a hot naked Tara nookie session in the mouth…." She says still beaming from ear to ear.

" And later?" I ask.

" And later I wanted to see how long before you all told me…which would have been like….say…. NEVER if not for Dawnie…."

" So you’re not mad?" She presses a kiss on my lips that lets me know that not only is she NOT mad…but possibly very intrigued with the idea that I’m all…vulnerable and off-guard right now….

" No….not mad…unless there is some other life-altering secrets lounging about in that brain of yours…." (she kisses the spot below my ear….and then my cheek…) " Of which I’ll give you a big old get out of jail free card if you want to lay it out there right now…."

She pulls back a little and quirks up an eyebrow…

Okay, Tare…open invitation to tell her….

Should you do it? Should you just go for it…and lay it all out there on the line?

TBC……..

Okay....

I'm leaving this one up to you...the reader....

We can open that can of worms....or.... leave it closed.....

[BytrSuite]

I love this fic. It's so fun to read. I found early on that it's easier to just go with the troll, er the flow or whatever.

Please have Tara tell her. I couldn't stand any more secrets being kept. Just open the darn can of worms and hope for a happy outcome.

And hee, you had me going about Willow being mad. I thought she was mad, too.

[Owl]

Hurrah! That Willow is so sneaky. A ten! I was so scared!!
You know, i never thought i would say something like this, but - bring on the can of worms! That's my vote, anyhow. What can i say - i'm intrigued.
On the other hand, I've come to trust you (and your wacky troll). I am confident that whatever you come up with will be brilliant. I am content to let you take me where you will.

happy friday
-ali

[Pudds]

Make mine a large "Worms"..in fact, I'll take the whole can!

Whatever you decide though, this Fic is the bees knees or is it the dogs elbows...can never remember.

[wiccachica]

Okay....

Can-o-worms it is.....

Pre-warning...I'm sorry that this is left in kind of a slightly darker cliffhanger than I'm used to for the weekend...or any ol day really......but I have to get some work done or else I won't have a job...heh.

Some angst may occur... lo siento...lo siento.... know that our girls will allways land on their feet in the Troll's world...eventually... and with a little stumbling.....

Chapter Sixty Eight: Voices

I thought I heard laughter up there.

It seemed strange…I admit…since we had all basically left poor Tara up there to bear the burden of our secret Three Willows.

But laughter it seemed to be….and then low and insistent talking …and then…an eerie silence. The kind that manipulated a minute and stretched it out as far as the eye can see….elastic…and forever….

And in this place…that kind of silence was just plain eternity-like.

" Do you think she’s strangling her?" Spike asks, looking up at the ceiling, where the two witches probably stood….one choking the life out of the other in his vampirical imagination.

" They’re just talking…." I say firmly…feeling guilty for bailing on Tara so quickly…I mean… I am the Slayer for goodness sake…..

" I don’t hear ANYTHING…and that does not constitute talking…or make-up sex for that matter." Anya says.

" What do you think is going on?" Dawn says worriedly…wrapping her thin arms around herself. I walk over to put my arm around my sister…to comfort her…she looks frightened my Spike’s idea that Willow is currently killing our Tara….

" I think they are having a quiet moment together…to think…" I start…

……as the door to the room upstairs bursts open and slams unceremoniously against the wall. Willow charges down the stairs two at a time..almost in a run….as white as a sheet….

For one horrible moment I was afraid she HAD actually strangled Tara and was now fleeing the scene of the crime…but a few seconds later, Tara comes down the stairs in an equally hurried panic….

Willow finds the farthest corner of the room, and presses her back into it, like a trapped animal, watching as Tara comes down the stairs after her.

" I shouldn’t have said anything…I shouldn’t have told you…" She’s saying over and over….her face is streaked with tears, and her eyes are wide…and even more frightened than Willow’s own…if that could be possible.

Whatever it is Tara is talking about has transformed the red-haired witch into something I rarely see. Willow is not angry…or hurt…..she is outright terrified of Tara right now.

She holds up a shaking hand to stop Tara’s advance to her corner….

She does not need witchcraft to do this…

Tara stops as though hitting a force field….her lover’s stark fear stops her…

" Don’t…" Willow grates out, unable to look at the blond witch….. and Tara bursts into fresh tears.

" Willow…" She moans….and I can hear her heart breaking with each syllable. My own chest constricts painfully at the sound of true anguish…

…..and then I can see everything that keeps Tara together fail her…and she falls to her knees, and leans forward to curl in around herself as though in the most severe and incapacitating physical pain….

and then she begins to rock over that pain…willing it to release her…and holding it fast to her…in the same motion…. Almost as if she truly wishes to torture herself with it.

It all happened so quickly that we were all stunned into silence… all aching…but unwilling to make the first move…and so unsure of what move that would be…so unsure of what was going on….

" Tara…!!" Dawn cries out…the young are so much more attuned to pain…and she cannot stand to hear it keening from someone she loves… Spike reaches out and takes her arm…preventing her from going to the downed woman…even though he himself looks as though he would like nothing more than to help her.

Willow turns to the wall, almost as though she was willing herself to push through it…she looks so confused…so…afraid….but my instinct to go to her….to comfort her is hampered by the thought that what she was so afraid of was Tara…OUR Tara….sweet….quirky Tara…..

What in the world had been said up there?

And whatever it was….can it be undone?

TBC…..

[aladdin]

This was the worst cliffhanger in my life, please update soon..this night as soon as you can! I love your writing, you just have the best brain around here. Will you consider joining my harem?

------------------
Dawn way, it is: "I take bowl condition nuclear projection."
(Dawns "I'll take a drumstick."-line in babelfish japanese.)

[wiccachica]

Sorry about the cliff of hanging... the next installment will come on Monday morning....

A harem.?...hmmm....I'm all for that...I'd have to have my own room filled with cushy pillows...and a TV...and all the seasons of Buffy and Xfiles on DVD ...and grapes...ooh...lots of those...and chocolate....oh and... my morning cup of Earl Gray...two lumps...and a dab of cream.....and....

Hmm...maybe I'm too high maintenence to be IN a harem....(hee)

[This message has been edited by wiccachica (edited February 22, 2002).]

[willow_thebadasswitch]

Yeah I'm with Buffy...

What in the world had been said up there?

Oh fine... I'll wait til Monday.

[aladdin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by wiccachica:
Sorry about the cliff of hanging... the next installment will come on Monday morning....

A harem.?...hmmm....I'm all for that...I'd have to have my own room filled with cushy pillows...and a TV...and all the seasons of Buffy and Xfiles on DVD ...and grapes...ooh...lots of those...and chocolate....oh and... my morning cup of Earl Gray...two lumps...and a dab of cream.....and....

Hmm...maybe I'm too high maintenence to be IN a harem....(hee)

[This message has been edited by wiccachica (edited February 22, 2002).]

---

You don't have a heart..but that's OK, now I've got something I can look forward to on Monday..grrrr!

Uhm...doesn't sound too bad..I think I could maintain you..oooh, I'm such a sweet talker. But would I really admit someone to my harem who drinks her Earl Grey with cream? *consider* You know that you'd have to compete in the monthly tap/belly dance combined competition? Oh you're mine now..wuaaahaahaaa.
*leaving to get the comfortable pillows*.quote:

[ForeverPiper]

THAT was SO mean leaving us hanging like that!!!!!! What was it that Tara told Willow that made her so upset? Did I miss something?

[The Next Tara Maclay]

Hm..Very very good!

[DISASTERAREA]

I have just on thing to say...eeek!

[mollyig]

odearwhatcanthematterbe?

Was all happy expecting all wacky funny giggly stuff in this hilarious fic, and you left a brooding angsty cliffhanger???

------------------
"It took a long time to become the thing i am to you,
and you won't tear it apart without a fight, without a heart"
Become You - Indigo Girls

[jomarch]

Ok, I started reading this awhile ago but had to stop intermittenly to pick myself off the floor cos of the funny. This is totally hilarious. I started it with some apprehension as I have just started reading fanfiction and got caught up with all the angst of the other stories but this is so good and off the wall zany. I even took the quiz and did quite well :-). Thanks for a great story and I can't wait for the next installment. oh yeah, could you go slightly easy on the cliff-hangers or at least not make us wait over the weekend :-)

[wiccachica]

Sorry again about the cliffhanger...It was unavoidable.... I don't have the means to post after a certain hour of the day...and through the weekend....

Okay...I had to do some heavy research to the BTVS Book of the DEAD continuum this weekend to match it up to what the troll had before....luckily it falls along roughly the same vignette.

Oh...and Good Morning!

Morning Edition:

Chapter Sixty Nine: Undone

I don’t know what happened up there…and honestly, I don’t care.

All I want right now is to make Tara stop crying…to lessen her pain somehow…but I’m afraid the only way that will happen is if Willow does something…anything to tell Tara that whatever has her so freaked out is going to be all right….and that they can get past anything….

And right now…THAT just isn’t going to happen. Even I can see that.

I’m a teenager…I’m NOT blind…..

Something really awful was said up there, and it had nothing to do with the Three-Willow Fiasco.

I pull out of Spike’s weak grip on my arm. I think he actually WANTS me to go to Tara, but had to put up appearances… for the rest of the group.

Oh no, Niblet…let the blond witch alone…oops…how’d you get out of my iron-like grip???

I run to Tara and kneel beside her, putting a hand on her back. She doesn’t even know I’m there. She’s just rocking, and crying..and I feel so helpless…I’m not even strong enough to pull her to her feet and to a chair.

So I do the next best thing….

I cry.

I mean, If Tara is crying, then it must be worth crying about.

There.

Logic done.

And my surprising tears must break the spell of disbelief that the Scoobies are under…because Buffy and Xander finally move to where Willow is pressing herself into the corner. Buffy puts an arm around Willow’s shaking shoulders, and Xander speaks close to her ear in soft, cajoling tones.

Spike moves finally to help me get an exhausted Tara to her feet. She allows us to lift her from the floor but she seems heavier now, weighed down with a burden that none of us understands yet.… We help her to a chair…where she is inclined to sit, vaguely acknowledging that any of us exist. She’s lost in a place that no one here can fathom

No one but Willow,

Who has let Buffy and Xander turn her away from the wall now, but she refuses to look anywhere in the vicinity of Tara, and this breaks my heart, and a painful stinging behind the bridge of my nose, tells me that fresh tears are on the way.

" Just keep her away from me." Willow says to the floorboards.

And we all look up quickly at each other…perplexed and worried…

…..all of us except Willow and Tara…..

" Will…you don’t mean that…" Xander says…trying to be the ever noble ambassador….and say what we all are hoping is the truth….

…..That Angry Willow usually doesn’t stay long…That she’ll regret saying these things later on…and that things will turn for the better …..

But this isn’t Angry Willow.

This is Frightened Willow….and something else….something I can’t quite place.

" Why don’t you ask her HOW MUCH I REALLY mean it…." She says, her voice tight. She shakes free of her friends to run back up the stairs again.

The door up there slams definitively, and we all flinch under it. Even Tara seems to be affected by the sound.

She is wiping at her face…trying to compose herself now. She is trying to twist her blonde hair into manageability.

It’s a futile battle.

We try not to…but it’s basically impossible not to…stare at the only half of the drama left in the room. It’s rude…we know…but there are ruder things in the universe…..

Anya drags up another rickety old chair and sits directly in front of her.

" I’m not going to beat around the bush like I usually do, Tara. I need to know what’s gotten Willow all spooked….. and whatever it is…is it going to affect me…in any way…any way at all.??"

" Ahn….." Xander moans….but Tara actually nods a little.

….It’s okay. She’ll be okay….

She’s finally coming back to us.

She’s our Tara….sure she’s a little wan around the edges, probably from the images of what just happened ricocheting around in her head.

Yes, I’ll tell you….but once you hear this…. The expression on her face warns.

I reach down and take her hand in mine.

I’m not afraid of her.

I can never be afraid of Tara……

" I should have told her…right away….right after it happened….but the longer I kept it to myself…the harder it was to think of a way to tell her at all…and eventually…I began to think it was all part of the reason I needed to stay away from her…..that…or part of a dream….I wasn’t sure which part of it she was…."

" Who?" I prompt her softly.

" Olivia…" She says miserably.

TBC……

Okay...before I start on this afternoon's...I have to dance on over to Lisa of Nine's Fic and get my Chapter 29 fix!!! Yes....I'm a Mitten....and I'm damn proud!

Niki

[This message has been edited by wiccachica (edited February 25, 2002).]

[Pixie]

AAAAHHHH!! Who knew there could be so much angst in the troll?!? Who's Olivia? What could possibly make Willow so afraid of Tara? Incredulous and nervous minds need to know!

*Pixie changes tactics and tries cajoling* C'mon wiccachica, you can tell another mitten. I know we do it hanging from cliffs, but this is too much!

[mollyig]

Pah! (the sound of righteous indignation)

She apologies for cliffhangers, and then leaves us pondering who Olivia is!!

------------------
"It took a long time to become the thing i am to you,
and you won't tear it apart without a fight, without a heart"
Become You - Indigo Girls

[Sassette]

Olivia's the girl who was hitting on Tara the night W/T got their tattoos.

-Sass
And can I just say this is just about the worst place in the world to have caught up to this fic! Ahhh! The angst!

[wiccachica]

Into all lives a little angst must fall…it only makes the happy parts a little sweeter……

Disclaimer: Always know that no matter what kind of angst I throw out here....that our girls will always end up all right....

This is only a transition Chapter and does not qualify as the Afternoon Edition....more to come....

Chapter Seventy: We All Have Tells…..?

" Olivia….Giles’ girlfriend did this???" Xander says wonderously…. " ….I mean…she was so…nice…and British…"

" I think she means the Olivia from the Bronze. Olivia from CarniVal….." Dawn says…looking at me for affirmation. I nod.

" The one that was macking on you the night of the infamous tattoos….." Spike says…partly to hear it out loud, and the other part to clarify for Xander.

" Oh…okay…you were saying…important stuff before I ….went and…became a moron…really loudly with the jumping to of conclusions….…and….go on…." Xander scrapes up another chair beside me.

" I-I don’t know where to s-start…it’s all so…unbelievable…even I’m having a hard time understanding it…fully…" I say
" Start with this Olivia girl….Are you talking about the night at the Bronze?" Anya says.

" No. This was after….just after I’d…left…W-wil….left the house….." I say miserably.

" Wait…so this Olivia was some kind of rebound girl….a little Tara indiscretion with the Olivia tart has Red in a tizzy, right?"

Oh, Spike…if it were only that easy….

" No, Spike. Olivia was not some rebound girl…and the only indecretion was that I stopped…when I should have just kept walking….Olivia was no tart…. She was a messenger…." I say and decide to tell them the story starting from that night….. the night Olivia decided to ruin my life…..

TBC……..