The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe - Willow & Tara Forever

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS COMPLETED November 2nd 2013
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 10:52 am 
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3. Flaming O
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TITLE THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
AUTHOR Vivienne
RATING PG-13 ....for the moment!
DISCLAIMER All BTVS characters and certain other aspects of this story belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, ME and associates.
SPOILERS Diverges from canon somewhere early in season six.
THANKS To Wayland (Clare) for her unstinting beta-ing.
FEEDBACK I have read so much first-class feedback on the kitten board. I would be delighted to be on the receiving end of some of that.

The Highgate Tunnels


Chapter 1


Rupert Giles opened the French windows wide and took a deep breath of the early morning air. He leaned against the door jamb, thrust his hands deep in the pockets of his dressing gown and took in the view.

Beyond the Italianate patio the autumn sun caught the garden in a still moment, warming the bones of the old oak at the bottom and spotting the lawn with gold.

Below in the valley, a coil of white mist hung over the river. It snaked up the hills on the other side, not quite making it to their tops which stood like a row of green cushions along the horizon. The air was soft with a tang of leaves and wood smoke.

Giles was more relaxed than he had been in years. He felt he deserved this time in his beloved Devon. His secretary at the British Museum in London was the sole person in possession of his telephone number. She had strict instructions to reveal it only in an emergency. Giles had been quite specific about what constituted an emergency. Other than that, he was incommunicado; alone and at peace to complete the pleasurable task of writing up his research from his recent field trip to a little known area of south-eastern Europe. He took another deep breath, pushed his glasses up his nose and went inside.

In the kitchen Giles went about preparing breakfast, humming ‘Les Feuilles Mortes’ as he scrambled eggs and warmed the teapot. Presently, still humming, he carried a tray laden with eggs, toast and a pot of Earl Grey onto the patio where he sat facing south toward the river. He poured a cup of tea and, with a contented sigh, picked up a fork and plunged it into a heap of fragrant, steaming scrambled egg. As he lifted it to his mouth, closing his eyes in anticipation, the phone rang.

‘Giles.’

‘Willow?’

‘Giles, oh Giles.’ The strain in Willow’s voice was evident.

‘Willow my dear girl, what on earth is wrong?’ Giles asked, even though he knew that there was only one circumstance under which his secretary would have given Willow the ex-directory phone number.

Willow must have used the codeword.

An elite handful of people were in possession of a unique codeword. For one of them to use it meant that a threat existed that they could not deal with alone. Given the well-developed, if unusual, talents that each of them possessed, the threat would have to be very great.

‘We have to see you. We need help. Your kind of help.’

For Willow, this was so short and to the point Giles consigned his peaceful academic holiday to the recycle bin in the space of a heartbeat.

‘Yes, yes of course. I’ll get the first flight from Heathrow. Tell me what to bring.’ He was already adding the time of a possible side trip back to the Museum to fetch rare books onto the flight time and the drive to Sunnydale at the other end.

‘I should be able to get there by,’ he looked at his watch, ‘ten o’clock this evening, LA time.’

‘No, no, we’re here. That is here here, if not exactly where you are but not where we usually are. Um, we need to come to you, but don’t tell us where you are.’

‘Willow, you mean you’re actually in... .’

‘No! Not over the phone! Are you in that pretty place with lots of trees where I got better that one time? Because if you are then I know how to get there.’

‘Yes Willow. Willow, who are we?’

‘Me, Tara. Later, I mean soon. Stay there.’

Giles took the phone away from his ear and looked at it thoughtfully.

‘I’m not going anywhere, apparently,’ he said to the dialling tone.

***


Willow replaced the handset in its cradle. She turned to Tara, relief smoothing the anxious furrows that had lately appeared across her brow. Tara straightened up from the wall she had been leaning against in an effort to look relaxed and nonchalant. In reality, she had been covertly scanning the busy stream of people traffic heading in and out of the airport entrance. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind one ear and looked at Willow, hoping for good news.

‘He’s at his Devon house,’ Willow said in a low voice. ‘We can go straight down there. We need to get on the train from Paddington station.’ She adjusted her small back pack on her shoulders and picked up her bag. Tara hefted hers and moved closer to Willow.

‘Are you ok? I-I mean, you look better for having spoken to Giles.’

Willow smiled. ‘Sure, well, you know Giles. He has that way of making you think the world isn’t really crazy, maybe. Or if it is, he knows how to fix it. It’s a British thing.’ She turned and started following the signs for the rail link into the city.

Tara looked at her retreating back wishing, not for the first time in recent weeks, that she still had the ability to make Willow feel better. With a sigh, she slung the soft holdall over her shoulder and followed.

They went to separate ticket booths on Paddington station; Willow bought a ticket to Plymouth and Tara one to Penzance. Both destinations were beyond Exeter, where they would actually leave the train. They stayed apart after that, being careful to keep within sight of one another.

Willow got doughnuts and coffee while Tara watched from behind a newsstand. Then Tara ate, sitting where she could see Willow briefly call Giles to let him know what time to pick them up from Exeter station. Tara was as sure as she could be that they had been neither followed here from Sunnydale, nor spotted since they had arrived, but they both felt it wise to be cautious. They used different doors to board the train, arriving in the same carriage from opposite ends.

Tara stuffed her holdall into the overhead storage and sat down. She put her big, squashy purse next to her on the window seat, hoping that no-one would want to sit there. Fortunately, the noon train was not the busiest and Tara not only had the space to herself, but also an unobstructed view of Willow, who had taken an aisle seat about ten rows in front. Willow settled in and, with her backpack on the table in front of her, took a dog-eared paperback from it and began to read.

She didn’t even try to catch my eye, thought Tara. Under other circumstances this might have been a very pleasant game, pretending they were strangers meeting on a train. As it was, Tara felt lonely, which was stupid, she told herself. Willow was less than thirty feet away; in a little over two hours they would be together in the back of Giles’s car and on their way to his lovely old Devonshire house. Even so, when Willow moved aside to let a young woman sit beside her in the window seat, Tara felt a stab of jealousy. She, a real stranger, would have the pleasure of proximity to Willow for the journey. Tara knew it was unreasonable, but she felt shut out.

She looked in her purse for something to read, but there was nothing. In the scramble to get the first available flight, packing had been low on the priority list. The book Willow was reading had most likely been lurking in her backpack since their last trip.

Tara tried to remember the last time she and Willow had gone away together on their own, not just to L.A. to see old friends. It was always great to catch up with Buffy and Angel, Cordelia too, but it wasn’t the same as closing up the Magic Box for a holiday weekend, throwing a pile of stuff into the back of the car and heading off to the lakes for a few days of heavenly isolation. Lately, that kind of thing had seemed like too much effort. Somehow, it had become easier to stay at home and slouch in front of the TV.

The sound of voices floating down the carriage broke into her thoughts. Tara looked up. The young woman was talking to Willow. They were too far down the carriage for Tara to hear what she was saying, but Willow looked interested enough. She had put down her book and seemed to be listening intently.

The young woman was slender, and well-dressed in a russet wool jacket and light-green silk skirt. Her nut-brown hair was styled in a neat bob, framing her little heart-shaped face. Tara sighed. A girl anybody would be proud to take out on the town, she thought, scrubbing furiously at a streak of something on her faded jeans that might have been ketchup.

Giving up on the stain, she glanced up at Willow who was now deep in conversation with the other woman. Willow had also travelled in what she happened to be wearing when they left Sunnydale. In Willow’s case that was a well-worn check shirt over an old tee, jeans and battered sneakers. She could wear a garbage bag and still look totally wonderful, Tara thought. A painful longing to be near Willow rose up in her. Maybe I’ll go get a coffee or something when we get moving, she thought. Then I’ll have to walk past her – twice.

The idea almost made her smile, then she saw Willow’s hand flutter, just for a moment, to her neck. This sharp reminder of the reason for their journey cleared Tara’s head instantly. She turned to the carriage window, anxiously scanning the platform for any sign that they might have been followed. Please don’t shut me out, Will, she thought, none of this is your fault.

Whistles blew, doors closed. The 12:06 Paddington to Penzance slowly pulled out of the station into the October sunlight. Tara looked at her own face reflected in the window and told it to stop worrying. Right now they needed one another more than ever; it was not the time to navel-gaze over the state of their relationship. It was time to focus on what lay ahead.


Last edited by Vivienne on Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:52 am, edited 29 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:49 am 
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3. Flaming O

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Feel duty bound to comment on this for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the update itself - well written, intriguing and dripping with world-weariness; love it.

Secondly, the setting - I'm a big fan of Highgate and live quite close. I'm also a sucker for abandoned tube tunnels - have mystery written all over 'em. And now I'm really hoping this'll be set in London's Highgate, otherwise I'll look a bit of a plum.

Thirdly, I don't hang out here that much these days so it was lovely to pop in and find a story that instantly captured me.

Thanks for sharing
foreverchanges


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 1:46 pm 
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Color me intrigued. It seems like a real big bad, rather than the Nerds and "real life." Willow could still be going through her control issues, but it sounded as if it has been a couple years since the story went AU. Angel, Buffy, and Cordelia are in L.A. but where are Anya, Xander and Dawn? Are they still fighting the good fight in Sunnydale, or did they move on as well? What happened that Willow thinks is her fault?

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 1:56 pm 
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8. Vixen

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Great beginning. When a problem alludes to a neck it makes me worried, but she saw her reflection, so that must be good. Right? Keep up the writing.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2011 7:18 pm 
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11. Fish in the Bowl

Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:35 pm
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Hey, Vivienne!

Great opener! Hooked already, girlfriend! And having Clare on your team is all to the good!

Quote:
Rupert Giles opened the French windows wide and took a deep breath of the early morning air. He leaned against the door jamb, thrust his hands deep in the pockets of his dressing gown and took in the view.

Beyond the Italianate patio the autumn sun caught the garden in a still moment, warming the bones of the old oak at the bottom and spotting the lawn with gold.

Below in the valley, a coil of white mist hung over the river. It snaked up the hills on the other side, not quite making it to their tops which stood like a row of green cushions along the horizon. The air was soft with a tang of leaves and wood smoke.

Lovely, rich, vivid description! So here is why it works for me:
• The first two sentences set a tone, ID the person, and create a mood.
• The second paragraph combines just a touch of the macabre “the bones of the old oak” with beauty “spotting the lawn with gold”
• The third paragraph continues, “a coil of white mist . . . that “snaked up the hills. Again, beauty with the faintest touch of unease.

Next you do a lovely job of setting up how precious Giles’ time alone is by the fact that only one person has his number, etc. Also, nice detail about who the person is and where they work. These lines of set-up both set the mood and powerfully underscore how important the phone call and relationships and situation is – sharp writing!

Very nice touch with the level of secrecy in buying tickets to separate/inaccurate destinations and pretending not to know each other on the train. Again, underscores the real fear of being observed/followed and ratchets up the suspense.

Also enjoyed Tara’s stab of jealousy and am intrigued by her remembering that she could no longer make Willow feel better AND the hint of a bite on Willow – the “sharp reminder”

Thanks for your openness to feedback. Feel free to offer critique to me as well.

Bottom line, sign me up for more installments and keep writing!

Ariel
How I Met Your Mother


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:14 am 
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I also am intrigued by the same statements re Tara's relationship with Willow. And how they are running the Magic Box. (Is Anya franchising them, like in my own futurefics *grin?)
I am for some reason especially curious as to what, in *this* universe, Willow was at Giles's home recovering from.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:08 am 
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5. Willowhand
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What a fantastic start. First of all your descriptive writing is incredible. Great job on that. I'm very curious to learn more about what's happening and what seems to he driving this wedge between the girls. Can't wait for the next update.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2011 9:00 pm 
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20. Not one Much for the Timber
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Nice start! I really like all the description in your writing...makes me want to go to London! I'm interested to find out exactly what has driven the wedge between the girls and how they're going to work through it. Update soon??

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 3:53 pm 
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Okay, I promise you more detailed feedback later, particularly if you remind me, but I do want to jump in and let you know that this is made of liquid awesome. So, good job, keep it up, and write more.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 11:01 am 
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foreverchanges
Thank you! You’ll be relieved to know that you are in no danger of resembling a plum any time soon, but it might take a while to get to those dark, mysterious tunnels.
Thanks for commenting, I hope you keep popping by.

Promethea128
Questions, questions :eatme I love it that you are asking questions. I like being dropped into a story right in the middle of the action, so I thought I would start this one the same way. I hope all will be answered as the story unfolds. If not, please tell me! Thanks for responding.

taranwillow4ever
Well spotted on the reflection thing! I’m pleased you like the opening, next chapter coming right up! Thank you.

Ariel
I’m so pleased you enjoyed the first chapter. It’s really heartening to read what you particularly enjoyed, and why. Thank you so much for your time. You are right about having Clare on my team – how lucky am I?
Thanks, Ariel

DaddyCatALSO
Thanks for commenting! Happy that you’re intrigued and I promise to reveal all...eventually.

beautiful love
Thank you very much for feeding back. I’m glad you enjoyed it and I’m pleased to have piqued your curiosity. I’ll do my best to keep it up!

Finey McFine
Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I’m happy that you enjoyed it and want to read more. Update soon? Update now!

BeMyDeputy
Oh wow – liquid awesome, eh? Now there’s something to live up to! Thank you for the encouragement, I hope you like the update.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 11:22 am 
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TITLE THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
AUTHOR Vivienne
RATING PG-13 ....for the moment!
DISCLAIMER All BTVS characters and certain other aspects of this story belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, ME and associates.
SPOILERS Diverges from canon somewhere early in season six.
THANKS To Wayland (Clare) for her unstinting beta-ing.
FEEDBACK I have read so much first-class feedback on the kitten board. I would be delighted to be on the receiving end of some of that.


The Highgate Tunnels

Chapter 2


Giles set about preparing a guest room for Willow and Tara. He put fresh linen on the bed and switched the electric blanket on a low setting to ensure the mattress was properly aired. As he put out a pile of clean, fluffy towels for them, he speculated on why they needed him so badly. It had to be a serious matter, not only for them to use the emergency code word, but to send them on an eight thousand mile dash across the northern hemisphere. Had he been at the museum instead of holed up in Devon like a hermit, Willow could have simply called him there. In his mind he replayed her last call. It had been as cryptic as the first, if less panicky. He opened the bedroom window to allow the fresh autumn air to blow through and rested his elbows on the high sill, cupping his face in his hands.

Giles reviewed what he knew. Willow and Tara had been happily running the Magic Box in Sunnydale – presumably Xander and Anya would be looking after it for them now, so there was a distinct possibility that they would know what was going on. He considered calling them, but realised it was four-thirty am in Sunnydale and, in any case, he would be seeing Willow and Tara soon enough. What about Buffy? Was she involved in some way? As far as he knew, Buffy was still in LA with Angel, unless something had changed. Willow had used the code word, but Giles had no way of knowing how many of the gang were in danger. He sighed, looked around the room to make sure everything was in order, then, satisfied, he went downstairs.

Giles opened the cellar door, flipped the light switch at the top of the steps and went down. The cellar was pleasantly cool with a faint earthy smell. He stood, hands on hips, surveying the racks of still, silent bottles. Some of them gleamed at him from places where dust had not yet settled on their glass bodies. As Giles felt his breathing slow, and his thoughts become calm and orderly he realised how tense he’d become.

He took his glasses off and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. I won’t be any use to them if I’m wound up like a spring, he thought, replacing his glasses. He walked over to one of the wine racks, carefully selected two bottles of Nuit St George and took them up to the kitchen.

They weren’t using cellphones, he realised as he set the bottles on the kitchen worktop. He remembered hearing the distinctive sound of a handset being put down at the end of both of Willow’s all-too-short calls. Good, he thought. It was relatively easy to pinpoint the location of a cellphone. Landlines were harder to tap into and didn’t have GPS tracking. His own BlackBerry lay idle somewhere in his study and he had no intention of switching it on now. The others tended to prefer iPhones, of course.

He smiled at the memory of the way Dawn’s face had lit up with pleasure when he’d given her one for her birthday. Dawn! He almost knocked over one of the bottles of wine. Oh God, I hope she’s alright. His mind was racing again. Dawn will be fine, she’s at university miles from Sunnydale – or Devon, come to that, he told himself, now bloody well calm down! He stood still for a few moments, focusing on breathing deeply and evenly, and then forced himself to slow down and concentrate solely on the task in hand.

Methodically, he peeled and chopped garlic, ginger, mushrooms, potatoes and carrots. With precision, he sliced, cubed and sealed rather a lot of fine local venison and then put everything in a big casserole dish with fresh herbs and seasoning. He poured half a bottle of Nuit St George over the lot, set the lid on firmly and put it in a slow oven. Next he made a tray of dumplings, covered it with film and put it in the fridge. Half-an-hour before they ate, he would arrange the dumplings on top of the casserole and replace the lid. Giles washed his hands. He was quite pleased with himself; a venison casserole was exactly the thing for a chill autumn evening.

***


Tara looked at her watch. There was still a full hour before the train was due to arrive in Exeter. Willow was still deep in conversation with the woman next to her so Tara decided to get coffee. The buffet car was toward the rear of the train which meant she would have to pass Willow to get to it. She picked up her purse and headed down the aisle. As she drew nearer, the sound of their voices resolved into intelligible words. Tara saw, with some amusement, that the woman was somehow managing to eat an apple and talk to Willow at the same time.

‘Apples are so good for you, don’t you agree? This is a Royal Gala – not a Gala, a Royal Gala. (bite) The Royal Gala is bigger and sweeter than the Gala, which of course was developed from a cross between the Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red. (chomp) The Royal Gala was cultivated from a sport of the Gala. Of course, (munch) both originated from New Zealand, but I expect you knew that, didn’t you?’

‘Oh, yes, I mean, no, no. How interesting.....you know so much about, um, apples.’ Willow looked mesmerised.

The woman snatched a tissue from inside the sleeve of her immaculate jacket and wiped her perfect little chin. Neither of them noticed Tara walk past. As Tara made her way through the next carriage she was smiling. That woman was out-Willowing Willow! Feeling better, she ordered coffee from the attendant in the tiny stand-up buffet car, deciding to stay there to drink it in case Willow found a way to escape the apple woman and join her.

‘Oh, you’re American?’ The attendant quizzed her as she paid for her coffee.

‘Er, n-no,’ said Tara. With a sense of alarm, she took a quick look around, but there was no-one else in the car.

‘I’m Canadian, actually,’ she fibbed.

‘Ah yes I see. I have friends in Toronto, do you know it?’

‘No, I’m from Vancouver.’

‘Oh, long way from Toronto.’

‘Yes. Thank you.’ Tara took her change and her coffee and left.

She was pretty sure it had been an innocent enough enquiry, but the incident had put her back on full alert. She made her way back down the carriages feeling guilty that she had left Willow alone and had risked drawing attention to herself just for a cup of coffee. Relief washed through her when she saw Willow in the same position, looking at Apple Woman who was still talking. Tara slowed down as she caught sight of the back of Willow’s head.

‘Apples are so important to a child’s health, don’t you agree?’ The woman looked quizzically at Willow.

‘Absolutely,’ said Willow.

‘It is gratifying to see supermarkets encouraging mothers by selling bags of ‘kid’s apples’, but I have to question the quality of the apples.’ Apple Woman added another sodden tissue to the heap on the table in front of her and took a fresh apple from her bag.

‘They put very small apples in these bags. They do it because they think a child will be more inclined to eat a small apple. The problem is, these apples have no flavour whatsoever so, by eating them, the child will not grow to love apples as he or she should. In fact it may even put them off apples altogether.’ She looked shocked at the idea.

‘Oh, well perhaps....’ said Willow, tentatively.

‘No, give your children the best apples from the start. Make a habit of it.’ Another apple core joined its companions on the table.

‘It doesn’t matter if, to begin with, a child cannot manage an entire apple. The point is to establish a bond between child and apple.’

Hidden from Apple Woman’s view, Tara gave Willow’s arm a comforting squeeze as she went past. She had to force herself to let go. The feel of soft, warm cotton full of beautiful, familiar arm threatened to superglue her fingers to Willow’s shirt. Back in her seat she held her fingers to her nose, inhaling the traces of Willow’s perfume.

She took the lid off her coffee and drank it slowly, not least because it was far from the best, being only just this side of drinkable. When she had finished it she looked up and was surprised to see Willow’s eyes on her. Without altering her bland expression Willow winked at Tara with her right eye, which was the one furthest away from Apple Woman. Then she did it again. Tara’s eyes widened with pleasure, she breathed in sharply, feeling her face become warmer and realising that it must be rapidly changing colour. She hastily looked out through the carriage window, hoping that her long, blonde hair would hide her lack of composure from Apple Woman or anyone else who might be watching.

There was no need to suppress what she felt, since that was invisible to all but her. Elation, love and hope coursed through her body in equal measures. Tara glanced at her watch. Only fifteen minutes to go. She gazed at the Devon countryside rolling past with renewed energy and confidence.

***


Giles made sure that the oven was turned to its lowest setting. He locked the patio doors, picked up his jacket and keys and went out to the garage, double-locking the front door behind him. Not that he was expecting unwelcome visitors in this sleepy corner of Devon, but he knew from long experience that one couldn’t be too careful, especially now that Tara and Willow were travelling here with what sounded like a major problem on their hands.

He drove the Citroen out of the garage with some care. It was a silver-gray DS3, still new enough for Giles to avoid making a mark on it and still new enough to give him a thrill of pleasure every time he slid behind the wheel. As it purred up and down the winding hills, negotiating farm vehicles and the occasional flock of sheep, Giles pondered once more on what could possibly have brought the girls racing across the Atlantic in such secrecy. His kind of help, Willow had said, they needed his kind of help. Presumably that meant his particular areas of knowledge and expertise, but without any hint or clue, he could not imagine where to begin.

His thoughts went back to Buffy. It was another two months before he was due to fly out on one of his regular ‘Watcher’ visits. Things had been so quiet of late; trips had been infrequent and had become more like holidays than work for them all. Contact between visits had been equally sparse and, while it had allowed Giles to get on with his own work, he found himself regretting what he now saw as slackness and hoped it wasn’t a factor in whatever the hell was going on.

The early lunchtime traffic around Exeter forced Giles’s concentration back to his immediate surroundings. He drove down the long hill to Exeter St. David’s station, parking the Citroen as near to the entrance as he could. In the distance he could see the Paddington to Penzance train snaking in towards the station. Hurrying on to the platform to meet it, he failed to notice the Mercedes with darkened windows parked behind the taxi rank.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 2:13 pm 
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Oh, boy, scary ending :-).

Giles back home in Old Blighty goes back to a Citroen; *that* was certainly to be expected!

That Casserole sounds yummy. (I think you meant "seared," not "sealed," right?) I know I'm having a they-always-confuse-me-with-the-character-I-play moment here but from what I know of Tony, Aly, and Amber in real life, I don't see any of them touching it, but we already know the characters aren't much like that.

I had never heard that an electric blanket on "low" can help freshen a mattress. Who says fanfic isn't an educational pursuit?

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:26 pm 
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11. Fish in the Bowl

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Vivienne,

Really enjoyed this chapter. You continue creating a world of sight, sound, smell and sensation. The details of the cellar's earthy smell and the stew! Okay, now I'm hungry for some of that and it's NOT FAIR!

Then the nutty apple lady! Very funny! Enjoyed her bizarre rant while remaining grateful that she's in your fic and can't harm me. LOVED Tara's feelings as she's watching Willow on the train.

Then you again ratchet up the suspense. Talking of phones and the emergency. Giles' PANIC over Dawn - what is that about? Of course I want more information!

Then his car, describing how it drives and how he feels about it, rich wonderful detail.

Then finally, menace, lurking in a parked car . . . . waiting.

And I'm waiting for more!

Love it!

Ariel
How I Met Your Mother


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2011 4:20 am 
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Oh no... Well, that Mercedes is certainly worrying. I love the detail you've given about Tara's observations of the train ride and Giles preparing the house. Wow is he domestic. Is apple woman just an irritating seat mate or something more? She worried me because of the detail but could just be weird. Do people really only feed their kids small apples? My son would eat 3 apples a day if we let him. He wants to be a fruititarian when he grows up. We go through a lot of apples in our house. This week all they had in Granny Smiths was this bag of itty bitty ones which aren't bad but some have a bitter tint to their skins. I never thought that was related to size though. Anyway, I'm quite intrigued and quite impressed.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2011 6:42 am 
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Wow, lots of mystery so far, but I like that every update seems to cover only a small fraction of time within the big picture. I like the pace you're taking in telling the story, working out details with sights & sounds and not revealing too much, too soon. There's a very interesting dynamic between Willow and Tara, too. We're not exactly sure where they stand with each other yet, which is nice! One of the many questions... ;) I am not liking that car there however...! Can't wait for the update.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 12:37 pm 
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DaddyCatAlso
You raise a very interesting point. To ‘seal’ it you must ‘sear’ it, yes indeed, you are correct. When I read cookery books and watch the odd TV programme, I notice a bit of shorthand creeping into ‘cookspeak’, the above being an example. Some might call it the evolution of the language, but I’d say it was just sloppy writing on my part! Thank you for picking up on that, the devil is in the detail. I appreciate this kind of comment very much.

The human body loses up to a litre of fluid (mostly in sweat) every night. A lot of this ends up in your mattress, providing a nice breeding ground for microbes and a damp place to sleep. Turn your mattress once a month and use an electric blanket. Even a low setting will keep it dry. There, don’t you feel better now?

Ariel
Aw, I’m very pleased you liked it. The recipe really works – doesn’t matter about exact quantities, just chuck it all in and leave it. Thank you for feeding back, Ariel. There’s more of everything below...apples, car, menace....but you will have to wait for more casserole – or make your own, if you can’t!

JustSkipIt
I might be worried if I saw that Mercedes, to be honest. As for Apple Woman...hmmm, definitely a strange lady, that much is certain. Bags of ‘kids apples’ is a line that some supermarkets over here have been trying to push for a while. There are some perfectly decent varieties that are naturally small, but I suspect that inferior, or unripe, specimens fill these bags as they are often bland or bitter. I don’t think, personally, that three apples a day is excessive, although you might want to err on the side of caution if he suffers from tummyache. I promise you that Apple Woman and I are not related. Truly. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.

Sadie
I’m glad you like the pace. It tells me it was a good decision to take the time to try and weave a proper tale instead of rushing breathlessly through an adventure. TV, for example, – and some thriller novels – make me feel as though I’m falling off a cliff the whole time. I’ll do my best to keep it consistent. Thanks for reading and for feeding back.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 12:54 pm 
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TITLE THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
AUTHOR Vivienne
RATING PG-13 ....for the moment!
DISCLAIMER All BTVS characters and certain other aspects of this story belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, ME and associates.
SPOILERS Diverges from canon somewhere early in season six.
THANKS To Wayland (Clare) for her unstinting beta-ing.
FEEDBACK I have read so much first-class feedback on the kitten board. I would be delighted to be on the receiving end of some of that.


The Highgate Tunnels


Chapter 3


When Willow felt a gentle hand on her arm she knew instantly that the hand belonged to Tara. The warmth spreading through her body from that one, unexpected touch, defrosted parts of her she’d forgotten about. Her eyes automatically flicked to Tara’s empty seat. She denied herself the pleasure of watching Tara walk back to it. Instead, she inhaled slowly and turned to look at the woman next to her.

All Willow had wanted to do was lose herself in a book for the length of the journey. She wouldn’t have drawn any attention either to herself or to Tara. She might have been able to calm herself, gather her focus. Instead, she’d got stuck with a weirdo. Just her luck. The women had introduced herself as ‘Phillipa, call me Pippa’. Willow had managed to get away with an ‘Oh, hi’, as a response, but only because Pippa had immediately started talking and didn’t look like stopping anytime soon.

Everything about Pippa was neat, Willow thought. Her hair, her clothes, her make-up – neat and perfectly controlled, as if the woman’s exterior was a shiny package concealing the person within. Willow found this unsettling, it increased her tension. Her hand went briefly to her neck. She forced it back down and tried to concentrate on Pippa’s peculiar conversation but her thoughts kept turning to her fears. She dared not look at Tara. Although the train was not full, anyone could be on it, anyone at all. Even Pippa, harmlessly weird as she seemed, might not be safe.

Willow had just about reached breaking point when Tara squeezed her arm. I am an idiot. Total, Willow thought. No, worse than that because I’ve hurt her. What’s worse than an idiot? A Will-idiot. I’m a willidiot. Stop that! You’re not making any sense now. No more thinking! Willow shifted slightly in her seat so that she could see Tara. She watched Tara slowly drink her coffee. When was the last time I made her a decent coffee? Or really appreciated it when she made me one?

At last, Tara finished her drink and looked up. Keeping her face expressionless (she hoped), Willow slowly and deliberately winked at Tara. Tara didn’t seem to react, so Willow did it again and was almost undone when she saw the startled pleasure on Tara’s face as she turned to the window to hide her blushes.

Willow turned back to Pippa, feeling strong enough now to put up with her gross eating habits and her odd conversation until the train reached Exeter.
When an automated voice announced their imminent arrival, Willow squinted in Tara’s direction and gave her a thumbs-up from under the table.

‘I think I’ll go get a coffee’, said Willow, putting her unread book in her backpack and standing up.

‘No need to take your things with you, I’ll keep an eye on them,’ said Pippa with a sticky grin.

‘Oh no, I mean, that’s really kind of you but, um, I need to visit the restroom and I’ll need my bag.’

‘Of course,’ said the woman. ‘Would you mind awfully bringing me back a juice?’

‘Sure,’ said Willow as Pippa rummaged in her purse for change.

‘Please, just give it to me when I get back.’

‘Make sure it’s apple juice, won’t you?’

The train was slowing down. Willow struggled to keep her voice even and her movements unhurried.

‘Sure thing,’ she said over her shoulder as she left the carriage and bolted through the next one just as the train rolled to a halt.

Willow pulled open the heavy carriage door, stepped down on to the platform and looked around her carefully. She seemed to be the only person getting off this end of the sparsely occupied train. Anxiously, she peered down the carriages towards the engine. Relieved to see Tara alighting, she began to look for Giles.

***


Tara pulled her bag from the luggage rack, picked up her purse and quietly made her way towards the front of the train. A quick look at Willow showed her still locked into a one-sided conversation with Apple Woman. For a moment, Tara worried that Willow might miss their stop, but an under-the table upright thumb showed that she was not as hypnotised as her glazed eyes suggested. Tara walked down a couple of carriages, stationed herself by a door and waited.

Tara saw him first. Although it was only two months since his last visit, for some reason it felt like much longer. His hair was longer than she remembered, a little tousled, and his trousers were creased. He still wore the remnants of a summer tan. Tara was surprised at how relieved she was to see him. Feeling some of her own tension drain away, she shouldered her bag and strolled over to meet him.

Willow got there first. She saw Giles, gave a little cry and went barrelling down the platform straight into his arms. By the time Tara caught up, Willow was weeping softly into Giles’s tweed jacket. Tara brushed away the jealousy that welled up in her at the sight of Willow clinging to Giles - as though she’d had no-one else to turn to! Why hasn’t she cried on my shoulder? Why does she act as though I’m not there for her? What is wrong with us? Tara might only half-know what was wrong between them, but she knew perfectly well that it wasn’t Giles’s fault, so she said simply, ‘Giles’, and put her arms around both of them.

The three of them stood like that, in a tableau, while carriage doors banged shut, the whistle blew and the train pulled out of Exeter to continue its journey to deepest Cornwall. On the track revealed by the departed train lay a freshly discarded apple core.

‘Girls, girls,’ Giles said tenderly, quite overcome by the strength of their greeting.

‘Giles, it’s so good to see you,’ said Willow.

‘Evidently,’ he said.

‘We made it,’ said Tara with a huge grin.

‘Well, let’s get home and you can tell me what all this is about. The car’s outside. Come along.’

With one arm across each of their backs, he led them out of the station.

‘Oh, new car?’ Willow stopped as Giles took his keys from his pocket and pointed them at the Citroen.

‘Yes,’ said Giles, beaming, ‘the, um, latest model. I thought the thorium gray with the onyx black roof most attractive. Of course I ordered one with all the, ah, extras – sat-nav, wi-fi and so on.’

‘Shiny!’ Willow’s open-eyed enthusiasm for the new had not diminished over the years.

She clasped her hands and smiled back at Giles, who blushed with pleasure. Even though she was strained and tired, her child-like zest for life shone through in small moments like this. Tara’s eyes misted.

Giles walked around to the driver’s door, opened it and reached in. There was a soft click as the rear door unlocked.

‘There, if you put your bags in, we can get going.’ He slid into the car and busied himself with his new toy.

Tara lifted her bag into the trunk then stood aside while Willow stowed her backpack.

‘Will,’ she said, gently taking one of her arms, ‘are we - are we ok?’

Willow turned to her. Gone was the warmth she had shown Giles only seconds before. Her face was pale and withdrawn.

‘This is not just about us,’ she said, as if Tara’s question had been selfish in some way.

Tara inhaled sharply, feeling her face redden. Why does she have to do this? Tara hadn’t meant to confront her like this, in a public car park at a moment when any real conversation between them would be nigh on impossible, but it seemed like so long since they’d talked and Willow’s reaction to Giles had caught her on the back foot. She took a deep breath.

‘I know that Will, but I’m worried. About you. And about us.’

Willow’s eyes softened, she put her arms around Tara, drawing her close, but what she said next was lost in Tara’s ragged gasp of relief and the thrum of the Citroen’s engine starting up. Willow broke away, they got in the car and the moment was over.

Seconds after Giles manoeuvred the car out of its parking space; the Mercedes engine purred into life and joined the afternoon traffic on the hill behind the Citroen.

Willow settled herself comfortably in her seat with a sigh. She reached for Tara’s hand, found it and interlaced their fingers in a firm grip.

‘Great to see you, Giles,’ she mumbled, sighed again and promptly fell asleep.

Tara clasped her fingers over Willow’s and, looking at her with the utmost tenderness, drew them gently to her lips. Had she been ask to describe her feelings at that moment, it might have taken her a while. For weeks now, Tara had trailed around after her, feeling useless while Willow tried to take on the world alone. Why must she do that? You would think that by now she would know better, Tara thought. But that was Willow, and Tara knew that at those times, she just had to hang in there until the dam broke. It wasn’t just the current situation, though. There was more to it than that – although ‘that’ would have been enough to deal with.

Tara gazed at her sleeping lover. She worried over her paler than usual skin and the deep hollows under her eyes, but felt reassured by her peaceful expression. Willow’s long eyelashes were quite still, her eyelids barely flickered, her breathing even and relaxed. Tara smiled gently as Willow squirmed a little as if searching for something then, finding it, laid her head on Tara’s shoulder.

Tara sat back in her seat, exhaling a long breath. She noticed the October sunshine and the inexpressibly beautiful Devon countryside rolling past the car window. Maybe it will be alright now. Giles will be able to help. He’ll know what to do. We’ll get through this. We’ve got through worse.

Giles waited until he had left the city traffic behind before attempting conversation. He had noticed the girls’ brief exchange as they put their bags in the car. He hadn’t heard the words but he was conscious of both their long journey and their anxiety, so he gave them time to get their bearings even though he was desperate for information. He turned west out of the city, dropping the sun visor against the slanting afternoon rays.

‘So, how are you both feeling now?’ Giles said gently, ‘Ready to tell me what all this is about?’

There was no answer. He looked in the rear-view mirror. Both women were asleep, Tara’s head resting on Willow’s, shades of red and blonde intermingled like drifts of autumn leaves.

‘Ah,’ he smiled, ‘nothing like the suspension on a Citroen.’

He looked away from the mirror and back to the road in front of him. There was no reason why he should have taken particular notice of the dark-windowed Mercedes a little distance behind.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 12th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 2:13 pm 
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10. Troll Hammer

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Not sure why, whenever a British fic writer has American characters speak or think in Briticisms, I can't help but think it's cute. (On the other hand, when a fellow 'Murrican gets British or Anzac phrasing wrong, it really annoys me.)

I'm feelign empathy for Tara's worries; I can take security in knowing she's part of a story on the Kitten and things will thus work out :-).

Red and gold leaves; I was thinking the very same thing when I wrote my song lyric "Blinded by the Ashes" during their s-6 break-up "We were sumemr gold and autumn red." Also when I picked names for their daughters in my future-fics. SOme of which are in the past now actually.

I am also picking up on how well-paced this is. And reminded agian how over 8 years without a car (and thta was a '94) have left me compeltely unaware of contemporary driving equipment!

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 8:14 pm 
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You just have to keep us on the edge don't you... lol. Very enjoyable update. I still am dying to know what is going on. Which is obviously your goal. But I'm enjoying the scenic view as you work your way there. Great descriptions of the tension between the girls though I am a little worried about what is happening between them. I'll leave it in your capable hands though.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 8:33 pm 
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20. Not one Much for the Timber
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Hey!

Sorry I missed leaving feedback on the last chapter, I'm still reading and loving the fic though!

Glad to see that they arrived in one piece and met up with Giles without incident. I could totally feel Willow's pain with Pippa. It's horrible being trapped next to someone like that on a train or plane, etc. I also caught the reference to the apple core on the platform...is she following them???? :hmm

The tension between the girls is palpable and has me worried. As well as the mysterious black Mercedes. Now you've left me wondering!!!!!!

Looking forward to your next update!

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Fri May 20, 2011 8:51 pm 
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11. Fish in the Bowl

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Vivienne,

Another update – yayness! :banana :eatme :banana :eatme :banana

I love the rising fear, the creation of paranoia: anyone/everyone can be harmful and threatening. From Miss Philippa-call-me-Pippa with an apple core on the track to various others.

Loved Willow’s wink to Tara, touching that it meant so much.

Hinting at the tension/trouble between them; obviously so much more than simply taking a lover for granted. Very eager for more . . .

Quote:
There was no answer. He looked in the rear-view mirror. Both women were asleep, Tara’s head resting on Willow’s, shades of red and blonde intermingled like drifts of autumn leaves.

‘Ah,’ he smiled, ‘nothing like the suspension on a Citroen.’

I love this on a variety of levels:
• First, their exhaustion and strain
• Second, the poetic, beautiful description of their hair
• Third, the humor of that poetry turned to a happy consciousness of great car suspension!

Then finally, we end with the evil Mercedes lurking along behind them! Nice tension, still building.

Thank you - I LOVE this story! :flower

Ariel
How I Met Your Mother


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:28 am 
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I swear, I'm working on actual feedback for you. I have a document with the first part of it written. But I have a whole fuck-ton to say (that's an English fuck-ton, which is 2.2 metric fuck-tons), and putting it together is taking time.

Briefly: YES. Good. More. Yay England!

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:59 am 
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There are a few things to worry over here.first the mercedes and apple woman (hard as it is to fear an apple person). Then the obvious strain between the girls...badness. I don't like it and I want more soon.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 12:07 pm 
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DaddyCatAlso
Hi! I love Murrican, but it wasn’t until I started writing this fic that I realised I’m not nearly as good at it as I thought I was. I’ve just realised that I’ve used ‘car park’ when I probably should have said ‘parking lot’, for example. Ah well. Do pick me up on Briticisms if you have the time. Thanks for your comments!

beautiful love
I’m pleased you’re enjoying the story so far. I’m afraid I’ll have to keep you in suspenders for just a little while longer – but not much, as I’m starting to worry about Giles’s blood pressure –so bear with me! Thanks for stopping by.

Finey McFine
Pippa is definitely weird. Following them? I would hope not, but then, I’m just hoping. I’m so with you on the Mercedes though. Every time it shows up it totally creeps me out. Sssh now, don’t worry about the girls. You know they’ll be ok in the end. I’ll take good care of them . . . eventually. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.

Ariel
It’s a pleasure to read your comments, Ariel, and I thank you for it. Don’t be afraid to pick up on anything you don’t like, or feel could be improved, as well as what you do like. I’m very happy that you’re enjoying the story, so here comes some more of it . . . .

BeMyDeputy
An English fuck-ton? Now I’m seriously impressed and very flattered. Fucketty-fuck, an English fuck-ton . . . I need more coffee . . . .

JustSkipIt
Definite badness. More badness on its way. And probably more after that. That Mercedes is wholly and utterly bad....I think. Apple Woman . . . well, you never can tell. I’m with Giles.

Everyone
I’m very grateful for all the feedback I’ve had for this fic so far. I’m painfully conscious that I haven’t fed back on anyone else’s story as yet, a situation that I intend to rectify as soon as possible. I’m not as well-practised at it as many of you are, or as I’d like to be and, well, there’s only one cure for that, isn’t there?

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Last edited by Vivienne on Thu May 26, 2011 1:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 19th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 12:31 pm 
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TITLE THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS
AUTHOR Vivienne
RATING PG-13 ....for the moment!
DISCLAIMER All BTVS characters and certain other aspects of this story belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, ME and associates.
SPOILERS Diverges from canon somewhere early in season six.
THANKS To Wayland (Clare) for her unstinting beta-ing.
FEEDBACK I have read so much first-class feedback on the kitten board. I would be delighted to be on the receiving end of some of that.

The Highgate Tunnels


Chapter 4



The Citroen turned into the short drive and pulled to a halt on the gravel outside the front door. Giles switched off the engine and glanced in the mirror at the sleeping beauties behind him. Again, he wondered what had brought them here in such alarm. They both looked so relaxed and peaceful; it was hard to reconcile the sight with the tension in Willow’s voice on the phone, or with the overwhelming relief of her greeting on the station platform. Well, explanations could wait for a little longer. His concern now was to get them safely indoors, settled and fed. Then he looked forward to satisfying his curiosity.

Tara stirred at the absence of sound and motion. She opened her eyes, looked around, and then gently kissed the top of Willow’s head. Willow stretched, yawned and sat up, but not before giving Tara’s hand a little squeeze.

‘Oh Giles, we’re here already, wow.’ Willow unbuckled her seat belt, leaning forward with a smile.

‘Ah, you’re awake, good. Shall we go in?’ Giles smiled back at them both and started getting out of the car.

The women followed suit, retrieving their bags from the trunk of the hatchback, catching up with him as he unlocked the front door of the house. He gestured them in ahead.

Willow dropped her bag on the hall floor and looked around. How long had it been since she stood here? Five years? Six? The image of a deer flitted through her mind. A young deer on the ground, the light fading from its eyes. Willow shuddered at the memory of that awful time. She had come here, and, with help, had found her way back from that dark and terrible place. Since that time she - and Tara – had practised only the gentlest of magics. Magics designed to help and heal, to ease and to nurture.

Willow felt light-headed. The steady rhythm of the grandfather clock at the foot of the staircase steadied her. Tick-tock, tick-tock, we know, you’ve had a shock, it seemed to be saying to her.

Her breathing slowed to match the swing of the pendulum, her head began to clear. The scene with Tara and Giles at the station came back to her. Willow’s relief on seeing Giles had overwhelmed her. It was only then that she had realised the extent of her fear. Fear for herself, yes, but so much more for Tara. Drained and shaky, she’d walked to the car wishing she’d been strong enough to make Tara stay in Sunnydale. So she’d snapped at Tara and instantly regretted it. It’s been so long since we had anything to fear, thought Willow, and now I am afraid. She shouldn’t have come, but she did. So here we are. Okay. Willow knew she was glad that Tara was here, and she tried her best to stop fighting it.

‘Willow?’ Giles was peering at her.

‘Are you okay, baby?’ said Tara.

The grandfather clock receded back into its place against the panelled oak of the hall. Willow became aware that Giles, both bags over his shoulder, was half-way up the stairs with Tara close behind.

‘Oh, yes – yes!’ Willow hurried to join them.

Outside, the Mercedes drove past the house. A minute or two later, it came back the other way and slowed down as it neared the entrance to Giles’s drive. One of the darkened windows rolled down for a few moments, then closed again as the car went past.

‘I hope this is alright,’ Giles said, putting down their bags. ‘It was all a bit of a rush, I’m afraid.’

‘Oh Giles, it’s perfect, thank you!’ Willow looked around the pretty guest room with its comfortable bed and rather old-fashioned country furnishings.

Tara nodded and smiled her thanks, gazing longingly at the pile of fluffy towels and trying to remember the last time she’d had a chance to bathe or shower.

‘You have your own bathroom,’ Giles said, opening a panelled door to reveal a small, but obviously well-appointed en-suite. He looked at his watch, ‘Shall we say forty-five minutes until dinner?’

Tara and Willow had not been oblivious to the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen. They looked at the former school librarian with an affection born of years of knowledge and shared experience. It came to them both how much he had, and continued to, care for them and their companions. How much he had risked, how often, and how much he had lost. Seeing the expression on both girls’ faces, Giles blushed.

‘Oh now come on girls, it’s only a venison casserole.’

‘It might be just a casserole to you,’ said Willow.

‘But to us it’s. . . it’s. . . .’ mere words failed Tara and she simply put her head on one side and gave him a gentle smile.

‘Well, er, I have dumplings to see to,’ Giles pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and hurried out. ‘Forty-five minutes,’ he called over his shoulder.

He had to clear his throat two or three times as he went down to the kitchen. Honestly, it was just a venison casserole, no need to get so emotional. But he was smiling to himself as he removed the wrap from the tray of dumplings.

Tara sat on the bed and looked at Willow. All the hope she had gained from her reassuring winks on the train had been lost in Willow’s snippy moment in the car park. Only to be restored immediately by her contrition and affection. Tara sighed.

‘Look, I know you don’t want me here, but. . . .’

‘No, no, it wasn’t about not wanting you, it was about keeping you safe. I thought we’d been through all this.’ Willow’s eyebrows drew together in anguish.

And through it all they had been, on an epic scale, with much shouting and many tears before they left Sunnydale. But Tara had stood her ground and Willow, forced to capitulate, had reluctantly bought two tickets instead of one. Hardly aware of anything but their own hurt, and their fear for the other, they had thrown things into bags and left for the airport in choked silence. During the long flight Tara had tried, with the utmost gentleness, to repair the damage. In the end she had to content herself with checking out their fellow passengers in case they had been followed. Willow had stayed behind the wall she was so good at putting up around herself.

‘It’s me they want,’ Willow went on. ‘I couldn’t bear to think of anything happening to you. I thought if you were at home, you could just carry on as normal and Giles and I could deal with this.’ Even as she spoke the words she knew how ridiculous they sounded.

Tara cocked an eyebrow. ‘So I sit at home and mind the shop while you go half-way around the world and fight the monsters? Yeah, right.’

She paused for a moment and then looked at Willow.

‘Will, who do you think I am?’

Willow took a deep breath as the last pieces of the shell she’d unconsciously built around her fell away. Oh Tara, my Tara, she thought, and staggered a little with the force of emotion that swept through her.

Tara was on her feet and at Willow’s side in an instant. She took Willow into her arms. They stayed like that for a long moment until both their heartbeats steadied, each feeling the closeness and the warmth of the other. Another long moment of absolute peace followed, and they knew that they were together again. Tara drew her head back a little to study Willow’s face.

‘What?’ Willow smiled.

‘Just checking,’ said Tara.

‘Checking?’

‘That you’re ready for this,’ Tara murmured, leaning in for a kiss.

‘Oh no, when did I last brush my teeth?’ Willow’s face screwed up in delightful mock consternation.

‘Don’t care, this one is way overdue,’ Tara held her closer.

When they came up for air, eyes sparkling, Tara said huskily; ‘Now, how about a bath?’

‘Do you mean a bath? Or a bath type bath?’

Tara’s slow grin and dilated pupils left Willow in no doubt about which kind of bath she was suggesting.

‘I think there might be time for that kind of bath if we concentrate,’ Willow said, picking up a stack of towels and heading for the bathroom.

‘My powers of concentration are particularly good, right this minute,’ said Tara following her and shedding clothes as she went.

Giles hurried to garage the Citroen in the gathering dusk. He looked up at the lighted bathroom window from which squeals and giggles emanated. Glad they’re feeling a little better, he thought as his foot squished on something that was decidedly not gravel. Back inside, he examined the sole of his shoe. It was decorated with the remains of an apple core. Now where on Earth did that come from? he wondered. He slipped off the shoe and took it to the kitchen to clean.

Tara, wrapped in a big towel, rummaged through her bag for clean clothes, eventually pulling out a rumpled sweatshirt and jeans.

Willow, already dressed, sat on the edge of the bed watching, her hair washed and dried to a deep russet gleam. How could I treat her so? she thought, How could I forget? I forgot us. Her eyes welled, spilling tears down her cheeks. She sniffed. Tara turned at the sound and crossing the room, took Willow’s head in her hands.

‘Will?’

‘Oh Tara, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,’ she folded her arms around Tara’s waist and buried her face in Tara’s midriff. ‘Why do I do it? I don’t mean to,’ she went on, ‘I love you so much, how can you stand me?’

‘Will, Will,’ Tara gently pulled Willow to her feet, ‘It’s ok, you’re not doing it now, you’re back, and I love you, too.’

‘How could I be so dumb? You’d think I’d know better by now.’

Tara laughed, ‘Yeah, ok, I’m not gonna argue with that!’ She raised an eyebrow, ‘I’m glad you haven’t forgotten how to take a proper bath, though.’

Willow was quiet for a moment, then, ‘It’s been a while, hasn’t it? My fault, I haven’t been paying attention.’

‘I think that’s down to both of us, Will,’ Tara drew her closer, ‘We can fix it,’ she blew a strand of hair off Willow’s
cheek.

‘And we will.’ Willow sealed her promise with a kiss, which was interrupted half-way through by a low rumbling sound.

‘Was that your stomach or mine?’ Willow chuckled, ‘I’m starved.’

‘Me too,’ Tara looked at her watch, ‘Let’s eat. Oh wait,’ her expression turned to one of anxiety, ‘th-that thing, is it still ok?’

‘It’s fine, yep. Here,’ she took Tara’s hand and placed it at her own neck. Tara took the object in her fingers for a moment, and then let it drop back on the thong that secured it around Willow’s neck.

***


Giles took the casserole out of the oven and put it down carefully on a wooden platter. Removing his blue and white striped oven mitts, he turned up the oven to a high heat, sprinkled water over a couple of frozen baguettes and placed them directly on the middle rack. Next, he opened the second bottle of burgundy he’d brought up from the cellar and took it through to the dining room.

The last rays of the dying sun slanted through the patio doors, catching the silver tableware and the polished surface of the oak dining table. When Giles had put the wine on the table he went to the doors, taking a final look at the garden in the fading light. The old oak was already asleep in darkness, with the lawn and flowerbeds not far behind. Blue evening mist had begun to settle over the river and the hills on the horizon were blending with the sky.

Giles sighed, pulling the drapes across the scene and plunging the room into near darkness. How very different from that same morning when all he had to contemplate was a day of satisfying, solitary writing. And now? His brow creased in thought as he took a box of matches from a drawer in the side dresser. Now he had no idea what was going on or where it would lead.

As he moved around the room lighting the candles in various candlesticks placed about, he recalled Willow’s taut anxiety on the phone and their pale, exhausted faces when he met them off the London train. Still, he thought, at least the bath cheered them both up a bit, and then he blushed a little, embarrassed at thinking it, even to himself.

Finally, he lit the lovely three-branched silver Georgian candelabra, one at each end of the dining table and then went through to the study, quickly banking up the log fire in there before returning to the kitchen to take out the baguettes. As he set them on the side to cool slightly he glanced at the kitchen clock. Right, that’s it, he thought, I can’t take any more. Curiosity and anxiety at a peak, he slammed his oven mitts down and strode out to the hall. With one hand on the newel post he craned his neck up the stairs.

***


‘We’d better go eat,’ said Tara, patting the invisible object around Willow’s neck.

‘Mmm, c’mon,’ Willow took Tara’s hand and led her out through the bedroom door as a slightly exasperated voice came floating up the stairs.

‘Mrs and Mrs Rosenberg-Maclay, dinner is bloody well served!’

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 26th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 5:06 pm 
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11. Fish in the Bowl

Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:35 pm
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Location: California
DIBS!!!

Vivienne,

Lots of moments here. The sleeping ride, their tenderness and reaffirmation of their love.

Holding each other, sheltering in each other's arms . . touching.

More food torture . . . and I'm eating leftovers! :happy

More on the mercedes, linking it to the sinsister apple core of evil; that you make that common item so menacing is excruciatingly wonderful.

Then the ending:
Quote:
‘Mrs and Mrs Rosenberg-Maclay, dinner is bloody well served!’

And bloody lovely! Utterly Giles and a crisp, funny ending. :clap :applause :clap

Keeping writing, as ever! :kgeek :kgeek :kgeek

Ariel
How I Met Your Mother


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 26th May 2011)
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2011 7:36 pm 
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1. Blessed Wannabe
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Posts: 15
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Wow great update. Forgive me for not giving you feedback before, but I have been faithfully reading your updates!

This story has so many levels, I don't even know where to begin. I felt like Giles the whole time I was reading this update, practically clutching my PC moniter, wanting to know whats going on thats so dire! So first, I must commend you for doing an excellent job building suspense. You reveal some small clues as to whats going, but leave enough unsaid to make me clamor for more.

Secondly, I absolutely LOVE the rich, vivid detail you provide. Its the perfect balance - not so much detail that it is wordy and hard to follow, but enough to transport your reader to the world Willow and Tara are in.

Its nice to see Willow and Tara connect and re-affirm their love in this update, as the stress of whatever is going on has clearly been wearing on them(and their relationship to a degree). And "‘Mrs and Mrs Rosenberg-Maclay, dinner is bloody well served" - funny and a cute way to let the reader know the girls are hitched. :wtkiss

Looking forward to more!

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 26th May 2011)
PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 4:05 am 
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32. Kisses and Gay Love
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Quote:
The old oak was already asleep in darkness, with the lawn and flowerbeds not far behind. Blue evening mist had begun to settle over the river and the hills on the horizon were blending with the sky.
I have to pull that sentence out because it's just so so so well done. It emphasizes the incredible job you've done with the texture of Giles - his house, his food, the towels and sheets. I feel like I can almost see the entire tableau. He is the very picture of domesticity and such a wonderful host for two scared travelers. Although...

Given the Mercedes coming by perhaps putting the car in the garage ahead of time would have been a good idea rather than waiting.

I also found this chapter a relief in terms of where W/T stood. From the previous chapters I had that feel that they were on sort of permanent shaky ground. Like that short story Sally wrote for the RKT series years ago. But in this chapter it seems more like a fear of what's after them and a fight born of Willow wanting Tara to stay home so she can be in danger by herself and Tara refusing. That's more like it. And the fact that they got up to sexiness in the shower/bath really shows that maybe they are ok.

Argggh! The apple. Boo hiss. Is this woman made of apples? Does she eat nothing but apples? Is she an Apple supervillian? If she's going to be a supervillian I wish she ate some gross fruit like mango or papaya although I guess that would be even more notable wouldn't it? I mean if you stepped on a mango seed in your driveway you'd notice and you'd probably fall down too. Ok, then Apples it is but this apple lover does not like it! Tee hee.

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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 26th May 2011)
PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 1:22 pm 
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11. Fish in the Bowl
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This is a gorgeous story! The subtleties are delightful, the hint of foreboding is wonderful and terrifying. Thank you for the update!


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 Post subject: Re: THE HIGHGATE TUNNELS (updated 26th May 2011)
PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 6:38 pm 
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20. Not one Much for the Timber
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Hi Vivienne,

I really enjoyed this update. I'm super relieved to see that the tension between them is mostly due to Willow's fear for Tara's safety and not something bigger and relationship shattering. Or maybe it is??? A teeny tiny glimpse/tease of what's really going on. Also glad to see the reconciliation!! :wtkiss

The imagery you have written is masterful. I could picture everything as if I was standing right there. If I had to pick something out it would be Willow and the Grandfather clock. Really great stuff!

Can't wait for more!!

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