Laragh: Life happens, especially with the holidays!!
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I LOVE the painting/witchcraft analogy! It's an art and a science and that's why Willow and Tara work so well together doing it!
I didn't even think of it as art and science coming together, but you are totally right! and thank you, I am glad the analogy worked.
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I love how the gang are all working their areas, bringing us to the inevitable conclusion...feels like a real episode of TV, complete with commercial break-length chapters! I was so excited to come here today and have a few to catch up on.
Thank you! It's fun image how this all comes together, trying to fit the pieces. And congrats on the dibs!!
Wills_redemption: Quote:
Like Laragh I love the anology of witches being like natural artists.
Thank you
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Although I long for Buffy kicking Ethan's arse I kind of hope that the next chapter will bring us back to our favourite couple and Willow (finally) waking up.
Here you go.
Ch 15
The first thing Willow felt was warmth, seeping in her skin like sunlight after the clouds had burned away. There was something surrounding her, pulling her back into consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and fell into a watery blue gaze. Tara. Willow bolted up, throwing her arms around Tara’s neck and relishing when Tara’s hold tightened around the middle of her back. Willow tucked her face into Tara’s familiar cheek, her breath heavy and even, the terrifying events catching up to her and letting go in the safety of Tara’s embrace.
“Tara,” Willow’s voice shook, almost pleading, “I was so scared, baby. It was so scary.” Tara turned her head and softly kissed Willow’s temple, her cheekbones, cooing reassurances as she went, easing herself when she felt Willow’s tense form begin to relax. They held each other for another moment and, as one, loosened the grasp and pulled apart slightly, arms still draped around the other. “I’m so glad to see you. I thought-“ the words caught in Willow’s throat as she registered that they were propped against a tree. There were no trees on the rooftop. Tara dipped her head, searching Willow’s confused face, two lines worrying her brow.
“Will?”
Willow’s eyes darted back and forth before returning to Tara.
“We’re not on the roof.”
“No,” Tara confirmed, steadying Willow’s gaze with her own, “but we’re going to get back.” Willow nodded, her mind working slowly as she sought to reorient to her surroundings, to accept that she hadn’t returned to her world.
“But… wait, did the veil open?”
“No, not yet,” Tara sucked on the left side of her bottom lip, drawing it between her teeth. She hated having to tell Willow that they were still stuck, with no real plans of how to get out. Tara smoothed her hand across Willow’s cheek, resting when fingers met the back of jaw.
“How..?”
“Dawn.” Tara half-smiled, “she opened a door. Maybe made it, I’m not sure.”
“You came after me?” Willow leant her head against Tara’s, feeling the soft answering nod against her skin, “thank you for coming after me. But, baby, it’s not safe.” Willow closed her eyes when she felt Tara shake her head slightly.
“I had to. Always,” Tara whispered. They stayed pressed against each other for a moment before Willow lifted her head and sat back, taking Tara’s hands in hers as she did.
“Who’s anchoring you?” Willow asked, worry clear on her face even as she felt so warmed by Tara’s presence. Her worry compounded when Tara dipped her head and picked nervously at the threads of her skirt.
“I um, sorta didn’t wait for Anya, and went on my own, pretty stupid I know.” Tara looked back up with a half-smile that held no repentance. Coming here may have been foolish, but Tara had no regrets.
“No, it was so brave,” Willow felt awed by the love of this woman before her, “but-“
“Definitely brave,” Kathryn interjected, the crinkling of leaves under feet indicating her approach, “and it turns out, necessary. She saved your life.”
Willow whipped around at the voice, having assumed she and Tara were back on the roof, she hadn’t even considered that they weren’t alone. Then, she remembered that Jesse, too, had been there. She found him with a quick search, sitting to the side, just past Kathryn. He looked up when Willow’s friendly eyes landed on him. They smiled softly at one another until Willow’s attention was pulled away by a gentle squeeze on her hand.
“W-willow,” Tara called, then nodded in indication when Willow turned back to her, “this is my mom, Kathryn.” Tara’s smile was wide and bashful, a faint blush spread across her chest and neck and Willow would have melted at the sweetness if she hadn’t been overtaken by sudden nerves.
“Hi,” Willow blushed as well, “I mean, hello. It’s so nice to meet you. I mean, incredible, like wow. And your daughter is, too, incredible.” Willow relaxed her impending babble when she felt Tara lift their clasped hands to her lips, kissing it gently. Willow felt delightfully self-conscious, thrilled yet panicked to be meeting her love’s mother. Oh, Willow creased her forehead as an image formed and she addressed Kathryn again, “Were you here, before? Before I… did I pass out?”
“Yes, and yes, you were unconscious, “Kathryn replied then gestured back to Jesse, the young man standing to his feet, “your friend here was keeping you safe.”
“Jesse, hey,” Willow stood as well, urging Tara to follow with a tug on their hands. Tara slid to her feet, using the tree to stabilize her, but she stayed, leaning against the massive trunk, her arm outstretched to keep connected to Willow. Willow glanced back curiously but on Tara’s nod, continued, “Jesse – this is Tara, my, um, my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, I kinda picked that up, Will,” Jesse winked, stepping closer to the couple and gesturing between himself and Tara, “We met, and may I say.” he leaned in, mock whispering, “wow and wowza, Will. Did Xander's head explode when he found out?”
Both women blushed and shared a look, giggling as they recalled Xander’s initial response to them as a couple.
With a puffed chest,and feeling very charming, Jesse turned to see Kathryn leveling him with her eyes, her head tilted and just the hint of a smirk across her lips.
“And you seem like a very respectable couple,” Jesse deflated, quickly taking a step back.
“Uh huh,” Willow teased, unable to stop a wide smile, her girlfriend *was* ‘wowza’. She moved forward, reaching her hand out, intending to playfully swat Jesse for his bad cover. She lost her smile when he stepped back again, out of her reach. “Oh, right, the no-touchy thing.” She leaned back into Tara, who slipped her arm around Willow’s middle, and pulled her back close.
“Girls,” Kathryn began seriously, “as much as I wish there was time for us all to catch up, we have to find a way to get you out, I don’t know what happened with the veil, but I fear if we wait much longer,” Kathryn paused, “ I don’t know what will happen when it’s dawn, and the veil naturally closes.”
Willow felt Tara push more firmly against the solid oak, her arm tightening around Willow’s abdomen. She looked out past the copse of trees, and into the steady wind orbiting them, remembering the low howl of the gale as the dead had groped her, “Those people, they took my energy, that’s what you meant about Tara saving my life, isn’t it?” Kathryn nodded and Willow strained back to look at Tara, “How?”
“This tree,” Tara laid her hand on the bark, its rough texture keeping her grounded, “it’s a Tree of Life, I-I channeled energy back into you.”
“Oh, yay,” Willow shifted in Tara’s embrace, now resting perpendicular to her form, “but also, huh?” A million questions flickered across her features, she addressed the first to Kathryn, sheepishly questioning the older witch, “why didn’t you use the tree for me before Tara got here? I mean I would have been much more useful, you know, conscious.”
“Tara is an earth witch, her source is nature,” Kathryn waited for an indication of understanding from Willow, she wanted to explain this well, “this tree, like other Trees of Life tap into nature’s energy, it's always there but one must make a direct spiritual connection to nature to be able access it, it's about the relationship to your source.”
Willow frowned, a cold chill filling her body, “And my source, is, unnatural?” She looked pleadingly into Tara’s eyes, “Baby?” She was turned by Tara’s strong hands and gathered into a protective embrace, Willow could hear threatening tears in the thickness of Tara’s voice.
“I’m sorry, I sh-should’ve been a b-better teacher.”
“No, oh no.'' Kathryn sighed. She hadn’t wanted to cause this but now knew it was inevitable. “Sit.” she gently instructed, continuing when all three women were firmly on the ground, the couple still pressed into the great tree. Jesse slunk off to the far side of the copse, sitting between two smaller trees and watching the debris whisk by. “Willow, unless your source is demon or another malevolent entity, you are doing just fine. There are many kinds of magic, what is most important is your intent.” Kathryn looked to her daughter, finding the confused and shocked expression she had anticipated.
With another deep breath, Kathryn prepared herself for the difficult topics she needed to address, “Tara, darling,” Remorseful blue-grey was met by uncertain deep blue as they connected, “There is so much I need to tell you, and I wish we had more time so I could explain, but Tara you have to know, there is no demon in you.”
Tara leaned forward slightly and placed her chin on Willow’s shoulder. Her eyes pressed closed briefly as she recalled one of the most beautiful, and painful, days of her past. “We know.” Tara closed her eyes again when Willow turned and pressed their profiles together, Willow’s left arm bending at the elbow, her hand cupping Tara’s other cheek. This was why Tara risked everything to cross over. Anything and everything for Willow.
“Thank the goddess,” Kathryn relieved. Tara grinned softly at her mother until she felt Willow tense under her, her crinkled brow evident against Tara’s skin.
“Wait, you knew?” Willow asked. The softness of her voice underlied the incredulous shock of betrayal. “And you never said anything to Tara?” Willow faced Tara’s mother, protectiveness overriding any nerves she once had. In her side vision, Willow noted Jesse watching intently.
Tara dropped her head into Willow’s neck, barely whispering, “Baby.”
Kathryn met Willow’s challenging gaze with patient and respectful kindness. Anyone who loved her daughter, who protected the sweet, shy child who had been through far too much, would have her respect. And eternal gratitude. “I didn’t know until I crossed over- until I ended up here instead of a hell dimension.”
Tara’s face shot up from where it rested, tears forming and overspilling in seconds, “Mama.”
Kathryn continued, her tale not quite finished, “Earth magic, natural magic is our tradition, but it’s also the most grounded magic, and yes, the safest, the least tempting.” Kathryn bit the side of her lip, sucking the flesh nervously. Willow thought about the likeness of this mother to her daughter, how often she had seen Tara make the exact same gesture, “I was afraid if I didn’t warn you away from other magics...” Kathryn’s voice trailed off into nothingness.
“That I would experiment, and the d-demon would surface,” Tara finished, understanding clearly. She tuned in to her mother’s reactions, blinking twice when Kathryn nodded her head remorsefully.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You wanted to keep me safe,” Tara acknowledged, “but I hate that I doubted Willow,” Tara looked at her love, needing Willow to know how much she regretted her doubt.
“Hey,” Willow said, smiling brightly, “nothing wrong with stressing safe magic use, after tonight I definitely have a heightened respect.”
“You’re not mad?” Tara checked, eyebrows raised. Willow dipped her gaze, meeting Tara’s and shining as she repeated Tara’s words.
“You wanted to keep me safe.” Tara brushed her lips over Willow’s, communicating eloquently through an unwavering kiss. They held together, foreheads flushed for just a moment before Tara looked toward her mother again.
The two Maclay women stared, conveying everything between them, healing without words; and when Kathryn smiled, she radiated contentment. Tara nodded in understanding, feeling a salve on her soul. Her mother was okay, they were all okay. It was time to find a way home.
“I’m sorry for-” Willow began, chagrined by her accusation of the older Maclay, and stopped, Kathryn was smiling at her simply and shook her head, the unfinished apology already accepted. Tara’s warm breath caressed her ear.
“I love you.”
“So,” Willow shimmied against Tara, lightening the mood again, “you and me, staying next to the tree. Okay?”
Hearing the conversation shift, Jesse crossed back over, the movement alerting Willow and she watched the wind swirl behind him, moving in unnatural patterns.
“So what’s the plan?” Jesse asked, sinking into the thick leaves beside Kathryn.
“Wait, Ka- erm, Tara’s mom,” Willow began, unsure how to address the woman. She one day wanted her to be ‘mom’, or at least ‘mom-in-law’.
“Kathryn, is fine.” Tara’s mother offered and Willow blushed shyly.
“Can you do magic here?”
“It’s different here, but yes. I can’t open the veil though, that is beyond my power.”
“But we have a big giant wooden power rod right here,” Willow gestured up the tree and Tara watched her curiously, if anyone could figure a way out, it was Willow.
“One that connects life and death right?” Jesse spoke up, shrugging humbly at three bemused women, “I mean death is a part of life so I figured, it’s gotta be both. Why else would it be here?”
Willow smiled proudly at her friend, “Exactly what I was thinking.”