Chapter Eighteen B
Pairing: W/T
Rating: NC-17 – for the promised smut.
Angst/Drama Rating: This is about a 5 on the 1-10 scale.
Setting: Sunnydale – The Summers House
Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters from BtVS, they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy. All original characters are in no way connected to them except by me in this forum. No money – and trust me I don’t have anything you would want anyway – is involved, this is simply for my own pleasure and hopefully for those who are reading it.
Email:
riverwillows@me.comFeedback: Alas, poor feedback, I knew ye well…
Author’s Notes: As always I would like to thank my beta Cyteach for all her help and encouragement. I would also like to bid foreverchanges a fond farewell and all the best in the new endeavor. You will be heartily missed. This chapter was written in transit – literally. I was traveling over the holidays so a good portion was written in airports in Tucson, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, and Dallas/Ft. Worth (yes, I was a busy girl). I listened to Heatmiser – “Mic City Sons”, Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”, City and Colour – “Sometimes and Bring Me Your Love” and Goldfrapp – “Head First”. The lyrics below are from Heatmiser’s “
Rest My Head Against The Wall".
***Also this is the first time I have done a chapter in parts, due to the close proximity of time frame, it was necessary because if it had been one long post it would have been far too much to read in one sitting. There’s just a few hours between A & B, and overnight between B & C. Therefore chapter eighteen will have parts “B” & “C” for readability.***
My, my, my…looked what the cat – err Giles dragged in – and is there an ointment for it?
I don't know when I lost my nerve
and I started a routine
and I walked across this corner
pinned my eyes to a shirt
cos I’m scared of being seen
locked myself in a stall
rest my head against the wall
still drunk I had a dream in the morning
pin myself to the chore
looking thru the cracks I saw the shadows on the tile
so I knocked on all the unlocked doors
locked myself in a stall
rest my head against the wall
and I’m not sure
that I’ve ever had the nerve
cos I’ve always felt like an easy kill
but I’m pretty sure
that I’m never gonna know
if I’m his kind of pill
unlocked the stall and wandered off
left my number on the wall…Buffy and Dawn were in the kitchen cleaning up supper dishes, when with a satisfied groan Willow flopped down on the couch rubbing her tummy. Tara came down the stairs and smiled at the sight. She sat down next to Willow, who leaned in and smiled up at her.
“That was amazing, baby, I forgot just how good, too.”
Tara kissed Willow’s temple affectionately, then reached down to take over rubbing slow circles on Willow’s stomach. Just then the phone rang loudly in the kitchen, breaking the easy calm that had settled after the girls had dinner.
“I got it,” Dawn hollered.
Tara and Willow could hear her end of the conversation.
“Hi Giles, uh huh, do you want to talk to her? Okay…okay, are you sure? Ya huh, alright, good I think. Uh, okay then, we’ll see you tomorrow, bye.”
Dawn walked into the living room wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“That was
odd, Giles said he will see us tomorrow, and he’s okay. That’s it, he wanted to know if Willow was okay, I said yeah, and then he said he had to go. He sounded really tired, too.”
Buffy walked in and dropped into the chair. Just as she started to say something, there was a knock on the door promptly followed by Xander’s entrance. Willow sat up, her eyes wide with curiosity and concern at Xander’s arrival, and glanced around the room.
“Evening ladies, what’s the what?” Xander asked with forced joviality, looking everywhere but at Willow.
“Hey, Xan,” Buffy said.
“Hi, Xander,” Dawn replied.
Buffy and Dawn looked at Willow, then at each other.
“Are you hungry? We just finished dinner, but there are leftovers if you’re interested,” Tara said neutrally.
“Nah, thanks Tara, I’m good. Could I talk to Willow?”
Tara looked at Willow, who made a subtle nod.
“I need to head out on patrol anyway, guys. Cookies when I get back?” Buffy asked looking at Tara.
Tara smiled and nodded. “Why don’t we go upstairs Dawnie, you can help me finish packing.”
Buffy rose and disappeared with the sound of the door opening and closing; Tara gave Xander a sympathetic pat on his shoulder as she moved passed him to the stairs with Dawn in tow.
Willow sat patiently, waiting as Xander began to pace in front of her; it was apparent he was struggling with what he wanted to say next.
“Xander sit down, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor that you’ll just have to fix.” Willow sighed, “Say what you have to say.”
Xander stopped and faced Willow; he stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at his feet.
“Will, I have to be honest this all just doesn’t seem like it’s of the good, but if you say it’s part of you then at the very least I have to try to be okay with it. Leaving because you have a problem, and coming back saying you now have better control of it, just doesn’t fit.”
With a heavy sigh, Xander ran his fingers through his hair and faced Willow as he said, “I know you’re not my parents, Will, and I can’t compare you to them, it’s not like being a bitter, unhappy drunk.”
Willow shook her head. “No, Xander, in a way it is, but it is different; it’s needing the power so badly that I stopped caring about what I had to do to get it – what demons or spirits I might have had to make deals with. Maybe it’s not addiction in the traditional sense; maybe it’s more about being corrupted. Remember the Mayor? You’ve seen some of the Warlocks and Sorcerers we’ve been up against – they don’t look like anything with a soul or conscience, and trust me when I say some of them don’t look anything like fairy godmothers. All with the sweet and benign my hinny...”
“And it’s true that’s all a part of you?”
She nodded again.
“Then what am I supposed to say, Will? It scares me that something had you in such a way. There’s nothing I can do to help you, I can’t fight it for you – or even with you…but I have to trust you. Tara does, and after everything if
she does then I should too, right? Just give me some time to get used to the idea, okay?”
Xander looked at Willow hopefully.
Quietly Willow spoke, “You have it, Xander, and I know I’m not big with the trustworthiness right now. But think about this, Buffy said she didn’t feel a draw when I cast, doesn’t that prove anything to you? If she could feel me before, then the fact she doesn’t now should mean something too, right?”
Xander came and sat down next to her.
“Xander, you’re my best friend and we leave tomorrow. I don’t want this to hang over us, I don’t want to leave with you still angry with me. I am the magic and it is me, but the way I channel this power is so much different – it’s so much…more. I never understood when Tara tried to tell me, it didn’t seem to register until it was too late. Look at it this way; you wouldn’t go to work without your tool belt or hard hat, right? Buffy wouldn’t patrol without Mister. Pointy, would she? Just like Buffy can’t turn being a Slayer off, I can’t turn this off anymore, and just like Buffy trains, so does Tara, so do I. This makes us the best we can be and the safest we can be too.”
Willow took Xander’s hand in hers, as she looked at him evenly.
“Xander, I understand that you need time, take it. Just understand it doesn’t change,
me – I’m still Willow. I hope you can reconcile geeky, spaz-y Willow with Willow the witch. In the end, there is no
other option.”
Willow waited and watched as Xander processed the last of what she said. Concern still painted his face with shadows as he grappled with this new knowledge; he slowly nodded his acceptance and finally looked Willow with a semblance of his usual affection.
Willow slipped her other hand into his, holding it on her knee looking closely at her friend.
“Are we okay, Xander?” Willow asked earnestly, as she tried to hide her anxiety.
“Yeah, Will, we’re okay.” Xander said as he pulled her into a hug. Willow rested her head on his shoulder as they sat back on the couch, just enjoying the closeness of one another. It was like old times, the easiness of just being with one of your dearest friends.
They relaxed into one another and began to talk, began to laugh, and began to heal.
At the top of the stairs Dawn and Tara sat holding hands, soft smiles on their faces.
Buffy stood up from the front porch where she had been quietly ‘not’ listening and headed towards a cemetery to start her patrol, smiling.
******
Dawn closed the door behind Xander with a smile, and with a happy sigh she turned to go back into the living room, smiling at its occupants.
“I should go to bed, guys.” Dawn pulled Willow off of the couch and into a big, long hug; repeating her actions with Tara. “I’ll see you guys in the morning, yeah?”
Willow and Tara nodded, as they slipped an arm around each other.
“Goodnight, guys.”
“Goodnight, Dawnie,” Tara and Willow responded in unison, and then looked at each other, all three smiling.
Willow turned to gather the empty glasses of milk and the plate of cookie crumbs to take into the kitchen; Tara took two of the cups from her and followed. Humming tunelessly, Willow rinsed the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. Having hopped up on the island Tara watched her girlfriend move around the kitchen quietly, her motions fluid and easy; her comfort was obvious to Tara’s practiced eyes. Willow was happy, and this made Tara happy.
Willow turned to her drying her hands on a dishtowel, with a contented smile.
“Hey, baby,” Willow said softly.
Tara smiled. “Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?” She asked.
Willow folded the towel and set it on the counter. “I don’t remember the last time I felt this
good, Tara. I actually feel happy. I know we are going back to The Grove tomorrow, but that’s okay. It’s not forever – unless we want it to be, but home is still
home.” Willow flashed a wide happy grin, and then shrugged. “I don’t know, it could have been a whole lot worse – I guess I was expecting a whole lot worse – to be honest I thought I deserved a whole lot worse. They all surprised me, even after I told them everything they’re
still here…
you’re still here.” Willow moved in front of Tara, easing her knees apart to stand between them. She cupped Tara’s cheek gently in her hand as she stared intently into Tara’s clear blue eyes, the love she was feeling written so plainly on her face.
Tara leaned in and gently brushed her lips against Willow’s. She slid a little closer to the edge of the counter, while hooking her fingers in the belt loops of Willow’s jeans to pull her closer, deepening their kiss. Willow’s finger’s found their way into Tara’s hair, running the silky strands over her palms before she brought her hand to rest at the back of Tara’s neck to hold her in place.
Their kisses escalated from soft and sweet to fierce and lusty; they pulled apart gasping for air with their skin flushed and their eyes dilated and shiny.
“Maybe we should go finish what we started earlier, what do you think?” Tara asked breathlessly.
Willow just nodded vigorously, stepping back to help Tara hop down from her perch on the counter. Tara’s feet had barely hit the floor before she was being tugged behind Willow to the stairs. As they reached the top stair, Tara saw her bedroom door swing open gently and light appear from within.
Willow led Tara in and the room was aglow with what at first Tara thought were few dozen tinkerbell lights, all pulsing with warm light around the room. As she looked closer she could see they were actually individual tongues of flame. Willow closed the door behind them as she watched Tara approach one of the tongues of flame and hold her hand to it; it gave off no heat so she ran her fingers through it quickly. It shuddered like a flame would but nothing else. Taking a deep breath, Tara blew on it and again it flickered like a flame would but it didn’t go out.
Willow slid her arms around Tara from behind, kissing her shoulder and her neck while her fingers played just below the top of Tara’s jeans. Tara leaned back into Willow, her hand making its way into Willow’s hair as she nibbled along her neck.
“How?”
Willow stopped kissing her, but her fingers kept moving over Tara’s skin leisurely. “The tinkerbell spell was the inspiration. I used it to work on my focus and how specific I could be, but instead of asking for a tinkerbell, I conjure a flame. More control, less energy, because it’s inanimate and tinkerbells are cognizant. I have two versions, one that will burn anything that comes into contact with it and is impossible to put out; then this one that is purely for illumination; it doesn’t burn and as long as I concentrate, won’t go out.” Willow’s hands were trailing along Tara’s sides and stomach; she grazed the underside of Tara’s breasts. With gentle squeezes and pinches to the skin under her fingertips, Willow urged Tara to turn around to face her.
“Very creative of you,” Tara breathed. Tara latched on to the soft skin just above Willow’s collar bone, licking and sucking as her hands made their way to cup Willow’s bottom and firmly massage the flesh, bringing Willow up on her tip toes with a whimper. Tara began to tug hurriedly at the hem of Willow’s shirt; Willow lifted her arms to allow Tara to pull the shirt off.
Pulling back from Tara, Willow said, “Wait, please? Let me undress you?”
Tara licked her lips and nodded her assent.
Willow began to circle her, and the tongues of flame began to dance. “Have I ever told you how beautiful I think your skin is?” Tara swallowed thickly and could only shake her head. “No? Lift for me baby,” Willow breathed as she pulled Tara’s shirt up and tossed it to the floor behind Tara. Willow rubbed her cheek along Tara’s now bare shoulders, with a contented purr that made Tara shiver. “Silky and warm…heavenly,” Willow breathed into Tara’s ear.
Willow kissed down Tara’s spine to her bra latch, and with soft fingers quickly undid the little hooks. Flattening her tongue she licked the skin underneath where the hooks had been, sucking gently as the straps still held the bra in place. Undoing her own bra with one hand, then dropping it to the floor, she pressed herself into the newly exposed flesh of Tara’s back and groaned with pleasure as Tara whimpered. Willow gathered Tara’s hair gently and slid it over one shoulder so it fell down over her breast. “Your hair has gotten so long baby,” Willow murmured into Tara’s shoulder as she eased the straps down and her bra fell to the floor.
Tara cleared her throat and said softly, “I haven’t cut it since you left, Will.”
All of Willow’s movements ceased, and the flames stopped dancing. Willow wrapped her arms tight around Tara burying her face into Tara’s hair and taking a deep breath in. “Then when we get to Tucson let’s think about cutting our hair, you like my hair short like when we first met, right? Or maybe color or something, shed some of the past, what do you think?”
Tara turned in Willow’s arms and ran her fingers through the long red hair, with a soft smile she nodded.
“Yes, I think that would be a good idea, sweetie,” Tara said sincerely, then kissed Willow gently. Willow deepened the kiss, flicking her tongue against Tara’s lips asking permission before slipping her tongue in to coax and play, stoking their passions. Nibbling on Tara’s bottom lip, Willow then made her way along Tara’s jaw line and down her throat.
Swirling her tongue in the divot at the base of Tara’s throat, Willow sucked the skin into her mouth. “I love sucking on this spot, I love the feel of your pulse jump under my tongue, but jugular notch isn’t very sexy, so I’ll have to come up with something else to call it, something as beautiful as you are, my Tara.”
Willow eased onto her knees in front of Tara, looking into her eyes as she slowly went down Willow could see Tara’s pupils dilate in the pools of deep blue. Smiling up at Tara, she kissed her stomach and again rubbed her cheeks against her soft skin, purring as her hands wandered over Tara’s bottom and thighs kneading the flesh underneath.
“I think I was telling you how much I love your skin, yes?” Willow asked as she sucked on the skin just under Tara’s belly button, her eyes cast upward. Tara nodded; her mouth open and Willow could see Tara’s tongue resting against her upper teeth as her fingers wandered through Willow’s hair. Willow tugged the button on her jeans loose with her teeth; lifting the zipper with her tongue, she sucked on it for a moment before she slowly unzipped Tara’s jeans using her teeth. Tara’s eyebrow rose as she watched, and a smirk formed on her lips at Willow’s little show.
Willow pulled the soft denim down around Tara’s ankles, and with light touches that seemed to burn as the flames began to dance again; Willow started tracing patterns up from her ankles, over her calves and up the backs of her thighs. Willow nuzzled the front of Tara’s panties and growled. “So smooth, with just a few freckles, not like me,” Willow’s eyes twinkled as she spoke and caressed Tara’s skin.
“Mmm, I’m not sure where I like best, sweetheart,” Willow looked up at Tara again, alternating between kneading her bottom and light touches over her thighs. “So soft and sweet like cream,” Willow said griping the backs of Tara’s thighs a little harder as she pressed her nose and chin into Tara.
Tara’s breath caught, and she quickly stepped out of her jeans and began to pull at Willow’s shoulders. Willow smiled wickedly up at Tara and remained where she was on her knees. Pushing her chin against Tara again she growled, knowing just where the vibration would hit. “I love the way you smell,” Willow licked her lips. “Good enough to eat,” Willow smiled again.
The flames had started to shift color and slow to a gentle throb as Willow eased Tara’s panties down; once they were past Tara’s knees Willow let go of them so she could press her face into Tara’s wet curls. Wrapping her arms around Tara’s hips Willow ran her tongue over Tara’s sex, and she felt Tara begin to tremble.
“Willow,” Tara warned as she now stood naked before her lover.
Willow leaned back onto her heels and looked up at Tara, her cheeks had flushed and Willow could barely see any blue left in her eyes. Willow’s hands went to her jeans and as she stood, she stepped out of them. Leading Tara to the bed, Willow eased her down before crawling in next to her.
Willow’s eyes trailed over Tara reclined before her; with the utmost sincerity Willow locked into her gaze and said, “Tara, sonnets have been written about the beauty I see before me, civilizations have risen and fallen by words that grace the curl of lips like yours, men have been driven mad and to ruin trying to recapture the divinity I have before me. I have been blessed to have won the favor of a goddess, and she lies here before me,” Willow lay down next to Tara and trailed her finger along Tara’s jaw, down between her breasts, and cupped her hand possessively over Tara’s wet center. “And I will gladly spend the rest of my days making you believe every word I have just said, my darling.”
Willow’s kiss was fierce, passionate and soul shattering. Tara wound her fingers in Willow’s hair as Willow entered her first with two fingers.
With a throaty moan, Tara’s hips rose to me Willow’s fingers. “Oh, my sweet love,” Tara breathed into Willow’s ear after breaking their kiss. Willow moved with long, slow, deliberate strokes, coating her fingers in Tara. Willow pulled her fingers completely free from Tara, and brought them to her mouth to suck on as Tara watched her.
Tara bit her lower lip, as Willow’s eyes closed in pleasure. Tara pulled Willow’s fingers from her mouth, to guide her hand back down and commanded, “More. And don’t. You. Dare. Stop.”
Willow’s jaw dropped slightly as she obeyed, entering Tara with three fingers then watching the effect on her lover’s body. Tara’s nipples hardened as she pressed her head back against the pillows with a moan. A flush broke out from her navel to her cheeks.
“Yessss,” Tara hissed her approval.
Willow dropped her head to Tara’s breast, flicking her tongue around the already sensitive skin of her puckered nipple before drawing it into her mouth.
Tara pulled on Willow’s hair to get her attention. “Uhh, Willow, faster and harder – NOW.”
Willow quirked an eyebrow and gladly obliged, Tara was so wet she slipped in a fourth finger to keep the friction going and as soon as she did Tara began to shake. Willow could feel her inner walls vibrate as Tara moved closer to climax.
“Oh Willow, I’m coming…for you,” she gasped, and as Willow continued the pace and pressure Tara began to orgasm. As she peaked, Tara began to glow while she arched her back off the bed. All of Willow’s tongues of flame went out as her control faltered and Tara’s glow lit the room.
Willow had never seen anything as erotic as the profound look of pleasure on Tara’s face, still stroking Tara she crested again into a new orgasm and as she did Tara opened her eyes to look at Willow.
Tara’s eyes had changed to the exact hue of blue her aura had when they had meditated together at the Grove. Willow watched as Tara slowly lifted her hand and placed it over Willow’s heart and once again it was like a connected circuit. With Willow’s fingers inside Tara and Tara’s hand over her heart, Willow began to orgasm.
Willow threw her head back as she emitted her own glow, her toes curled, somehow she managed to keep her hand in motion, as Tara began to crest and fall so did she. It was no longer Tara or Willow’s orgasm it was one that they shared. She could feel the force and pressure she applied to Tara within herself. It was unlike any sensation they had ever shared before. The colors swirled and merged, arced and raced around them; sweat dripped slowly down their bodies, and it was with a final keening moan from them both that Willow collapsed onto Tara. Their bodies stilled, breathing in gasps.
“No more, no more, no more,” Tara whimpered.
Willow gently removed her fingers from within Tara and after trying to catch her breath with what remaining strength she had, gathered Tara to her as the glow faded from them both.
“Baby, are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Willow asked a little afraid of what had just happened.
When she got no response, Willow conjured a flame again to sit above the bed as she pushed herself upright to be able to look at Tara, who was in tears.
“Oh god, Tara I hurt you, please talk to me tell what to do. Do I need to call an ambulance?” The fear in Willow’s voice got Tara to open her eyes.
“No, not pain, good tears…I saw your soul Willow, it’s so beautiful…just like you,” Tara whispered, “I’m gonna be sore tomorrow but I think you will too, what did you feel, what did you see, Will?”
Willow kissed Tara’s temple. “You started to glow, like you did at the Grove, your eyes changed too, but when you touched me, it was like we became one body. I could feel my hand inside you, inside me. It was like we were no longer separate Tara, it was…amazing. We’re always amazing, but I felt you, and I’ve never been so…connected to you, baby.”
“I’m cold,” Tara said softly. “We’re gonna have to wash these sheets in the morning. I don’t think there’s just ‘a’ wet spot either.”
Willow pulled the covers up over them giggling. “I think you’re right, if you give me a little bit of time I can change the sheets, but I’m not sure I can stand at the moment.”
“Uhuh, I just wanna sleep now, baby. I want to be in your arms and we’ll take care of it tomorrow,” Tara said as she burrowed into Willow’s shoulder.
“Whatever you want, love,” Willow said softly.
“Whatever I want?” Tara asked a smile in her voice.
“Absolutely,” Willow answered.
“I want you to kiss me,” Tara said, turning her face towards Willow.
“Yes, ma’am,” Willow smiled, kissing Tara softly. “I love you so much, my Tara.”
“Mmm, I love you too my Willow, so very much,” Tara mumbled sleepily.
Limbs entwined the two fell asleep quickly into a warm, deep and dreamless sleep.
******
“Tara?” Willow called as she looked at the bags of things to be shipped ahead of them, noticing a familiarly shaped case but one she couldn’t recall Tara ever having before.
“Yes?” Tara called from the bathroom.
“What is this?” Willow asked, as she stood with her hands on her hips and the bed sheets at her feet.
Tara walked out of the bathroom, stopping next to Willow.
“What is what?”
“That,” Willow pointed. “I don’t remember seeing it yesterday, and I know it wasn’t here…well before.”
“You’re right it wasn’t here then or yesterday. I pulled it out of the closet this morning, and I didn’t think you’d have a problem being with a musician,” Tara said with a smile, as she grabbed the guitar case and opened it to show a Fender CD-100 left handed dreadnought acoustic guitar.
Willow looked at the guitar and then at her girlfriend and back again. “It’s a lefty,” she said. “When?”
“Yes, it is a lefty, and I’ve been playing for almost a year now. I tutored a guy in Art History and he taught me to play in return. He’s a lefty and lent me one of his to practice with until I got my own. So that’s how I learned to play. There’s a whole sweet story about him proposing to his girlfriend, I’ll have to tell you about. We played for her, it was great, she said yes of course, very romantic.” Tara smiled.
Willow looked between the guitar and her girlfriend again faintly amused. “Well, you write with both hands so it being a lefty isn’t a total shock, I love to hear you sing, baby, so now you can serenade me. Do I send it with Xander to ship or does it fly with us?”
“It goes with us, maybe if you’re good I’ll serenade you tonight,” Tara said with a wink.
“Damn, I’m lucky. My girl is hot, and smart, and hot, and a musician, and hot…” Willow teased twirling a lock of hair around her finger.
“Yes, you are and yes she is so don’t forget it, missy,” Tara said with a cocky smile before she dropped a kiss onto Willow’s nose, holding her close.
“We should take these down so we can have them done before we leave,” Willow nudged the bed sheets with her foot.
Tara snickered.
“Xander will be here in about an hour to take the stuff we are shipping, and Giles should be here any time. I still wonder what was up with him; we haven’t seen him at all. I thought he would have been here some while we were back, but nope, vanishing Giles. Do you think he will finally spill about whatever it was he started to tell us and didn’t on the flight here?”
Tara snickered again. “Are we getting a little anxious, sweetie?”
Willow blushed.
“I would have thought you’d be too relaxed and sore to get wound up, honey,” Tara said as she walked back into the bathroom.
It took a minute for what she said to sink in as Willow followed her into the bathroom, then she slinked up behind Tara, unzipped her jeans and slipped her hands down onto Tara’s hips and played with the top of her panties.
“Mmm, how sore are you, baby? It is a good kinda sore, and I can
never get enough of you,” Willow peered over Tara’s shoulder at her via the mirror, kissing her way up Tara’s neck.
Tara whimpered, “Not fair, too sore…maybe later?”
Willow sighed and leaned her forehead against Tara’s shoulder as she zipped Tara's jeans back up. “Oh thank god, baby I don’t think I could right now either, I need a little time to recuperate.”
Tara turned slightly and swatted at Willow’s hip. “Vixen. Go start the sheets, let me finish and I’ll be down in a minute.”
Nipping Tara’s shoulder, Willow acquiesced, “Yes, ma’am.” Before she bounced away.
Tara heard a knock at the front door but it didn’t open, so she knew it wasn’t Xander, then Willow yelled out, “Coming!”
This was followed shortly by, “What the
hell Giles? Tara!”
Tara made her way down the stairs to find Willow at the bottom staring at Giles, who looked a bit worse for wear, and the figure with him in the doorway.
“Giles, hi, what’s the…what the
hell, Giles?” Tara said with recognition of the figure standing slump shouldered beside Giles making Tara as uneasy as Willow at the visitor’s close proximity.
This brought Dawn out of her room and down the stairs.
“Yes, well as you may recall the Council had a list of potential initiates for your coven and…” Giles started to explain.
“BUFFY!” Dawn yelled.
“What are you yelling for, Dawn, I’m right here,” Buffy said coming up from the basement. “Who is…”
“Talk about rode hard and put up wet one too many times, geez,” Tara muttered so Willow could hear her.
Willow just turned to look at Tara, mouth slightly agape and nodded. Turning back to Giles and his ‘companion’ with her face clouded in anger, Willow continued to glare at the pair unsure of what was coming next.
“Yes, if you’ll just let me explain,” Giles tried again. “Then this will all make sense.”
“Giles, no, not in my house, not after everything Willow has gone through,” Buffy said harshly, now that she too recognized the pathetic figure standing beside him, not looking up at any of them.
“Amy,” The four girls said in unison and thinly veiled disgust.
TBC…