No replies this time Kittens. Just a BIG thanks to all who are reading. I think I’ve finally got the feel for this back! Also, welcome to Vamp_Willz! Hope you continue to enjoy RTL!
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Title: Ride the Lightning Author: Babbles4twillow aka Allie Distribution: Just ask. Feedback: Yes, please. I’d really appreciate some on this chapter, now that I’m back. I’m a bit worried about whether I’m actually back, or just here. Rating: M Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, I get nothing from it but smiles, no compensation (money-wise). The only things from this story that are completely mine are the idea, the words, and two characters, Sera and Calah.
Thanks: Always to my wonderful Bestie/Beta Astron Special Thanks: To Julie, Lexi, and K. For the support.
Notes: Hope the wait was worth it!
Thoughts in italics! **************************************************
Chapter 19 - Family
Sera clenched her eyes closed as tight as she could; even her eyelids felt weak. Her whole body was screaming at her, confusing and conflicting messages: ‘You’re cold!’ ‘It’s too hot!’ ‘It hurts!’ ‘It’s numb’. In the state she was in, it was all too much to take. Sera was aware, yet unaware. She had no clue what was going on, or why she was consistently being jolted. She was aware that she was being jolted, quite painfully. She was also extremely aware of the arms that were holding her. These arms were safe. Who the arms belonged to, she didn’t know. If she opened her eyes, she knew pain, yet then again, she seemed to always know pain, a hot iron of pain slicing through her side. She knew beauty, too; all the things she could see around her were stunning in their beauty and color. Sera felt sadness at this knowledge, however. For some reason she was flying by all the beautiful things so fast that she didn’t get a chance to appreciate it. And it made her dizzy, hence the closed eyes.
She heard things yelled out in voices that sounded familiar, but there was only one that she actually listened to. It whispered things to her, yelled out to others. This voice was always so urgent.
“You’re going to be okay. I’m going to get you there,” the voice told her.
“Please. Please,” it begged. Sera didn’t know what the voice was begging for, but she found herself silently praying that the voice got what it wanted.
“We have to go faster! She’s burning up!” The voice yelled out, and other, undistinguishable voices called back.
With those safe arms wrapped tightly around her, and the voice keeping her grounded, she started to fall into a fitful sleep. Then Sera said something, out loud, that she didn’t understand at all.
“Please, don’t let me die,” Sera said, her voice and eyes clear, but her mind muddled as she looked up into the face of the owner of the voice and the arms. She closed her eyes again.
“I won’t,” Charna promised to the dark-haired woman, tightening her grip on the reigns, and her arms around Sera. She started noticing small details around her, trying desperately to focus on something other than Sera: the froth building around the horse’s neck, the calls of the others behind her, Luna running in front of her, the way the wind was blowing through the – the wind!
“Wind, my sister,” she prayed. “Be with us.” The wind picked up around them, cushioned the horses’ legs, and they started moving faster. “Goddess, my heart, be with us.”
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Giles stood outside the front of the castle, leaning against the stone. It was cold behind him, giving him focus. Something was stirring in the undercurrents of the group; a quiet uncertainty that was clearly evident to the observant man. It seems that the only ones that hadn’t been affected were his son and Buffy. The quiet girl seemed to have broken out of herself, first during sword practice, then after, moving to speak with Riley often and exuberantly. He smiled as he remembered a thought, from earlier in the day, that Buffy’s babble came in close second to Willow’s.
His theory was that the group had experienced the same phenomenon as he had the other night. Jenny had visited him in his dreams. This wasn’t a new thing; the fact that it wasn’t a warm memory, but a whole new experience in which she talked to him, had let him on that something was going on. Rupert shook his head. Tonight, he was taking a break; he’d had enough of vague warnings and prophecies. Sighing as he released the tension that had built up in his body, he looked around and took in his surroundings.
Everything was so still. No noise from the life of the forest. He cursed himself for not paying attention, narrowing his eyes as he searched through the dark. There. Two figures moving hesitantly towards the front gate. It was too dark from him to see them properly, but he could see that they weren’t approaching with harm in mind.
Giles stood straight, thinking to himself, Has it started already? How many more will come this night? And the next? He ran his hands through his hair, and began walking towards them. As he got closer, he could start to distinguish features. He inhaled deeply when he recognized one of the two, Well. This should be interesting.
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Dearest Tara,
I am unsure whether you will ever get this letter, or if I will be alive if you do. That is why I’m writing this, leaving you sleeping alone in our bed. I want you to know how much I’ve come to love you, if I haven’t told you enough. You brought light into my world that had been so filled with darkness. In the time you’ve been here, you’ve taught me so many things: more than I ever knew about love and magic. You keep me grounded, reminding me daily that there is a reason to fight. Before you, I was on the verge of giving up. You make me smile when all I feel that I want is to curl into a ball, or scream at the sky. I don’t even throw lightning anymore, because I know I don’t have to keep it bottled in. I can be alone with you, and I don’t have to be strong; I don’t have to be brave. I like that. I want, no need, you to take care of yourself. If anything ever happens to me, the castle, my money, everything I have, is yours. Take care of my home and family, will you? Until I return? Trust in me that I will return. Trust in the Goddess to let me. There is no way I could be anywhere without you for long.
I didn’t want to tell you this before it happens, you have enough worries. Morgan told me something in my dream. I’m going to die by the hands of Donald. She also told me something else: we need to trust in each other and the Goddess, fully. My life is in your hands. I’m not sure exactly what she means by that, except that you will find a way, through the Goddess, to bring me back.
Don’t cry for me, love. I know that’s a ridiculous request, but I am with you, always. You will find me, and I will find you. Remember my love for you; I won’t be gone for long.
Love Eternally, Your Willow-Tree
Willow wiped the tears from her face as she sanded and sealed the letter. She placed it inside the desk drawer and then locked it. She looked over at Tara as she stood, walking quickly towards the door. Astron should still be awake and she wanted to seek her out before she lay down. It was important for her to get things in order. No one ever knew when their time came.
The redhead knocked lightly on the door and it was quickly answered. Astron asked, “Willow? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Willow said as she looked past Astron and smiled at Faith, who was sitting by the fire. “I actually have something I need you to hold on to.”
“Okay. What’s it for?” Astron asked as she took the key Willow handed her.
“It goes to the desk in my room. I need you to give it to Tara.”
“Why can’t you give it to her? You leaving, Red?” Faith asked as she quickly stood.
“Not at the moment,” Willow replied, shaking her head. “You’ll know when the time is right.” Her eyes pleaded with Astron’s, then she saw something she didn’t expect; there was knowledge in both their eyes. “You know.”
They both nodded, sadly. “We weren’t sure if we should say anything.”
“Please, don’t say anything to Tara. There’s a letter in the drawer for her… for after.”
“I understand,” Astron started, but stopped when Riley came jogging around the corner.
“We need everyone outside. Someone’s here,” He told them.
“I’ll go get-”
“No need,” Tara called from the stairs as she hurried down them, stopping Willow. “I felt a presence and it woke me.” She looked at Willow, noticing the small signs that she had been crying, and made a mental note to talk to her about it later.
The group rushed outside behind Tara and Willow; Buffy was waiting at the door. Willow could see Giles’ back was to them, and his hands were clenched at his sides. She could fully see a woman: slight of body, but full of personality, and at least a few months pregnant. Willow couldn’t see who she was standing next to, as Giles was blocking the view, but she could tell that it was a man.
Tara reached for her hand as they came to a stop, and she squeezed it lightly, sensing nervousness in the touch. Worried, she looked over at her lover. Tara’s eyes were closed and she was taking deep breaths. What has her like this? She hasn’t acted like this since-
Willow suddenly stood on her tiptoes, leaning slightly as to see past Giles. The man was not someone who she remembered, but he looked familiar. Everything about him was nondescript: short man, short red hair. Not a face she would have remembered. That’s when she did a double-take. Looking back at Tara, she realized why the man looked so familiar; his face shared features with her lover. Tara’s brother. She could feel her anger building, but she forced it back.
“Giles, move,” Willow said quietly. He looked back at her, unsure, but as soon as he saw her face, he moved. “What do you want?”
“To see my sister,” Junior replied, just as quiet, but with much less authority as Willow.
“Why?” Tara asked, pain lacing her voice. “I’m not going back, Junior. I’m done.”
“It’s Donny. I want no part of what he tried to make me. I left, Tare. The same night you did. I had been planning it for a long time but I didn’t know when the time would be right. I tried to take care of you. I know I didn’t show it, but I was the only thing keeping him from killing you. I had to act the way I did, so as he wouldn’t suspect. But I had to leave Tara. My wife, she needed me.”
“Wife?” Tara asked. Now she was confused.
“We married a few months ago, in secret. Tara, this is Cassandra.” He gestured to the pregnant woman, and Tara nodded a hello, still unable to speak. Emotions were rushing through her: anger, confusion, fear. Donny started speaking again, “I came because I want to help, if you’ll let me. Father has to be stopped, if not just for you, than also for myself, my wife and my child.”
“He won’t come after you,” Tara whispered. Was that what he was worried about? That her Father would win if he didn’t help, and then come after him?
“Tara, its time you knew something about me that I could never share with you,” Donny replied, holding out a hand. He closed his eyes tight when she shrank from him. He opened them as Willow wrapped her arms protectively around his sister. That made him happy. His sister had found someone, someone who cared and would protect and love her. She didn’t know it, but that’s what he had always wanted for her. “I’m not going to touch you, Tara. Just watch.”
She watched warily as he turned his hand palm-down. Suddenly, she could feel a chill, and a building of energy. Tara watched in wonder as a stream of icy air fell from his hand to the ground, freezing the ground beneath instantly. “Y-y-you…”
“I have magic, Tare. I always have. All this time, I’ve been hiding who I am from you, to protect you. I wish I could have let you know that you have a friend, but I had to keep you convinced, so that he wouldn’t see. I’m sorry, sis.” Donny looked down at his shoes, and his wife placed her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s alright, Donny,” Tara said, her voice clear and her stance now strong. “We won’t let him take from us anymore. He took so many years from us. We have to make up for it.”
He looked up at his sister in surprise. She had never spoken like that before, and he was ecstatic to see that his sister had grown so much since they had parted ways. He started to move towards her as she took steps toward him. Donny had never hugged his sister before. Just before they met, all hell broke loose.
A group of riders raced into the courtyard, yelling for help. The castle’s inhabitants barely had time to take in that they had more visitors before the riders were off their horses and rushing to them. A woman stepped forward, a smaller woman in her arms, her eyes full of panic.
“Is she dead?” She said quietly, searching all of their faces for one that would help. She then stepped to Tara. “Can you heal her? Please?”
Tara reached down and placed her fingertips against the woman’s throat, then looked up to the panicked black-haired woman. “I-I…”
Willow, sensing her lover’s hesitance, spoke up, “We can try.” She furrowed her brow when Tara shook her head. “What’s wrong?”
“S-she doesn’t h-have a pulse,” Tara whispered.
The dark haired woman let out a howl and crouched to the ground. Willow watched, her heart wrenching, and whispered, “Goddess help us all.”
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TBC!! Thanks for reading!
Kitten love! ~Allie
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