A VISION IN THE NIGHT

[bijoux2]

Hi there, again folks. I really was going to continue The Love Affair With Tara, but I quickly realized that I couldn't. Some stories are just meant to be left alone. It ended where it should have ended, and so I've decided to write a completely different one. This story is a lot longer than the last and I only hope I have the time (and stamina) to finish it. Anyway, here's the beginning. I hope you all like it.





Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters. I couldn't if I tried. Please don't sue. Unless you want an unfinished manuscript, three mutts and a cat.



Time Frame: The period after season six, about four months after Tara's death. If you've read my first story you'll realize that I like angst. (Don't know why) If you're one of these really senitive types, this story is not for you. Please skip it and move on.



Summary: Willow finds her happiness in a mysterious underworld, the likes Sunnydale has never seen.



Feedback: Please do!







A VISION IN THE NIGHT





It was a mysterious thing. Her days were completely different from one another. One day she would wake up and she would almost feel whole again. Her heart, like a giant clamp gripping the walls of her chest, would loosen and she would be able to breath.



She would shower like a normal person and dress and actually smile, and hold normal conversations. And then there were days when she could not function. She feared those times more than her dreams at night, but they would come, as certainly as the 'happy' times, brutal and without warning.



One moment she was laughing and fine, and the next she was lying in bed at eleven o'clock in the morning, paralyzed with sorrow and self-pity, unable to get up.



Willow groaned, flung the thick comforter away from her body, then squinted at the harsh stab of light that pierced through the drapes like a dagger. She had a class today, but she was going to skip it. Yeah, she did that a lot these days. Who cared? She certainly didn't anymore.



One of her professors had noticed the change in her attitude and had stopped her one day in the college hall, and he looked so earnest and concerned that she might have actually listened, if only she hadn't the desire to flee.



"Miss Rosenberg," he had said. "I heard about your friend. It's a terrible, terrible thing that happened, but you cannot let it consume you. You've always been one of my best students, but your grades are slipping alarmingly. I don't know if you've noticed. You only have two more years here. Think about that. Are you going to throw everything that you've worked for?



She had given her heart and soul to doing good and what had that gotten her. Sometimes the bitterness consumed her like madness. Sometimes it would show in her face, along with the wretched pain and grief, and the ones closet to her would notice and they would try their best to help. Sometimes they soothed her, most times they did not.



Willow walked slowly towards the bathroom, and doused her face with water. She looked up, and for one disturbing moment, she had a feeling of disassociation. The gaunt face staring back at her looked so pale and lost that for a split second she was convinced that she was watching someone else.



She reached up slowly and brushed her fingers across her cheeks. She had to eat something, she thought to herself with horror, anything that so that she would not look that way. She had to find some food and force herself to swallow it because she was wasting away. She had to forget about the pain that was clawing inside her, and learn to live again because there were truly things to live for. And she had to stop crying. Willow looked at the reflection in the mirror, and as she thought this, she began crying. Four months. Four whole months, and she still felt like she was dying.



She wiped her face with a towel, and forced herself to stop sobbing. She took deep, calming breaths, then walked silently out of the room.



The Summer's house was empty. Only a few hours ago, Dawn and Buffy had been scurrying about. Willow could amost picture them, Buffy yelling commands in that grown-up, affected way she did sometimes, and Dawn grudgingly obeying.



Willow walked into the kitchen, disheveled in wrinkly pajamas and white sports socks, sat down at the table and sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair, then reached for the luke-warm pot of coffee that was sitting before her, and poured some out in a cup. While she sipped she gave herself silent pep talks. She glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall above the refrigerator, and contemplated.



If she hurried she just might make it for her math class. She gulped down the tepid coffee, rose, and was making her way back towards the staircase, when the sound of the door bell, reverberating through the house, stopped her in her tracks. The bell rang again, loudly and impatiently, and Willow broke from her trance, moved towards the door and opened it.



"Willow Rosenberg?" The tiniest, strangest looking man greeted her politely. He was incredibly short, nearly three feet shorter than her, and his face had an odd, androgynous quality to it. Also, tiny, sharp incisors showed faintly around his mouth as he spoke, menacing and vampirish, although Willow was certain that the man was not a vampire.



"Yes?"



He reached out suddenly and stuck a grimy piece of paper in her hand, and said, "This is for you," in an odd, high-pitched voice, and before she could even blink, the man turned around abruptly and hurried away.



Willow stared after him in confusion. She raised her head to call out to him, but it was too late. The man had disappeared down the quiet street, like a vision, leaving only the note as proof of his existence. After a while, Willow turned away from the road, and stared down at the note in her hand. She decided that the man was crazy, probably some deluded homeless soul, and her first impulse was to get rid of the filthy piece of paper.



But then, curiosity got the better of her, and slowly, she began to unfold it. Tiny, criptic words jumped out at her, and she frowned, realizing that it was a message of some sort, tightly scrawled and nearly illegible.



two peas in a pod are

separated

when the pod is

broken

the pod is broken

but the peas are not



More words were scrawled in the lower left hand corner of the note, and Willow squinted, reading quickly. Meet me at the south Sunnydale Cemetery tonight at eight o'clock and you will know what this means.



She bit her lip, trying in vain to shake the uneasy feeling that had suddenly invaded her soul. South Sunnydale Cemetery? She read the note for a second time, then glanced up at the empty street again. She did not know what was going on, but somehow she knew it was a date she could not miss.

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 9/27/03 6:05 am

[Lady6string]

Hi there!



I really enjoyed "The Love Affair With Tara", and I'm really glad to see that you're continuing with writing fanfic. This one is going to have me checking for updates very frequently, I can already tell. I can't wait to see how you're going to bring our girls back together again. Thank you for this!



~Cyn

[LostWithoutTara]

Great start! Can't wait to see where this leads!

Every time you walk away, I pretend that I'm okay

[WintersDreamer]

First: Great begining !





Second: YA BIG TEASE !







Looking forward to more!

[bijoux2]

hi there again, my fellow kittens. I'm in the middle of school and work and so this fan fic is suffering. This post is going to be short but I promise it's not done for drama. Well, as WintersDreamer pointed out the first post was indeed done for drama, but not this one. It's short because I don't have the time to write more. I'm going to add more some time today, though, if it's the last thing I do. I hope I don't annoy anyone. By the way, thanks Lady6string, LostwithoutTara, and WintersDreamer, for the feedback. I love you guys!

So here it is....





Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters. I couldn't if I tried. Please don't sue.





A VISION IN THE NIGHT





At seven-thirty, she reached for her leather jacket and slipped it on as she hurried down the stairs. The cool, Sunnydale air blowing through her bedroom windows gave every indication of a sudden dip in temperature and she wanted to be prepared. Willow pulled the turtleneck tee shirt that she was wearing under the jacket, further up her neck, and then moved quickly towards the living room to find Buffy.



The two women bumped into each other in the foyer.



"Oh hey, Will," Buffy stopped and grabbed her hand. "We've decided to make tonight, pizza night. We're going to order in and then watch a movie or two. Everyone's been looking forward to it. Xander and Anya will be here any minute and Giles is bringing The Warlock Diaries for the two of you to go through. He said he spotted some spells in there that you might be interested in."



"Oh," Willow frowned. She shifted uncertainly. She couldn't have pizza tonight. She couldn't sit and watch movies with her friends, and read The Warlock Diaries, and chat with Dawn and Anya, when she was leaving now to meet a semi deluded elf-man, who, when she really thought about it, looked as evil as hell, and she was going to meet him at south Sunnydale Cemetery where in all probability, he was going to attack her and suck her blood, and...



"Will?" Buffy was staring at her strangely.



Willow blinked, and then shook her head. "Er...Buffy, I can't. Um, not tonight."



"Not tonight? Why?" Buffy frowned. And then her eyes wondered down Willow's leather jacket. "You're going somewhere?"



"Um...well, yes," Willow said, and began moving towards the front door. "Kind of."



"Where?" Buffy followed her.



"It's kind of top secret."



"Top secret?" Buffy continued to stare at her. Then she reached out her hand to stop her friend. "Willow, do you know how odd you're seeming right now?"



"I'm...er...going for a walk." Willow said. She opened the door, and stood facing Buffy in the threshold for a moment, her fingers deep in her pockets, feeling the cool night air brushing against her back. "I've been cooped up in here for way too long. You have to admit that, Buffy. I've been really poor company lately and I want to change that. I'm-I'm going for a walk."



"You're going for a walk," Buffy repeated nodding. Then her face twisted with a mixture of annoyance and concern. "Suddenly, out of the blue you're going for a walk. And tonight, of all nights, when everyone's coming. Willow we've been planning this for days."



"You guys can still meet," Willow watched her beseechingly. "Only I just have to leave now. I won't be long, I swear. Save a slice of pizza for me."



"Willow," Buffy stood helplessly in the doorway as Willow turned and walked away. "Will? Willow..."



But Willow did not turn back. She walked out towards the main road determinedly, hesitated on the sidewalk for a brief second, then began heading south.

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 9/27/03 8:26 pm

[bijoux2]

hi kittens, another update. I hope you enjoy.





Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy Characters. I couldn't it I tried. Please down sue. You will get nothing, as I have nothing.







A VISION IN THE NIGHT





The cemetery, like an odd concrete park was eerily serene. Surrounding trees were rustling quietly in the breeze, and the headstones, laid out neatly in rows, were being bathed by the silver hue of a giant moon above. Willow walked slowly among the graves, trying not to think, feeling that this was the last place she wanted to be. She felt her throat tighten as the names of the dead flashed before her, and the ever so sad sight of the occasional bouquet of flowers, not yet wilted.



She closed her eyes, and choked back a sob, then glanced at her watch and looked around. It was fifteen minutes passed eight, and her date was yet to show. She felt no fear now, just sorrow, because she was standing alone in a cemetery, and impatience because she was beginning to have even more doubts about the elf-man. She almost wished that he was a vampire, because he would have most certainly tried to bite her by now, and she would have escaped...or well, would have tried to anyway, and therefore fleeing from this terrible place.



Willow sighed, glanced at her watch again. She dug her hands inside the pockets of the leather jacket, kicked a stone with her foot absently-mindedly, then after ten more minutes had dragged by, made the decision to leave.



She walked quickly. She hurried passed the tombstones and bouquets, wondering how she had managed to wait there for so long. She was thinking this, and walking, feeling a deep sense of annoyance because she was now missing warm tasty pizzas back home, and movies, and conjuring spells with Giles, and she was thinking how ridiculous she was to miss that, when suddenly, as if morphing from thin air, someone was moving aloneside her.



Startled, Willow froze and jumped back. But the elf-man grabbed her, tightly, and muttered,



"Keep going."



They walked quickly for about five minutes among the tombstones and graves, until Willow found her voice again, and pulled him to a stop.



"Hey, wait a minute..."



"Hurry!" The man hissed urgently. His face looked downright scary in the semi-darkness. "I'll explain everything in a moment, but I can't do that here."



"But..." Willow frowned.



"Come on," The tiny elf gripped her painfully with boney fingers, and Willow had no choice but to continue walking. They moved passed the cemetery, deep, deep into the surrounding bushes. The man guided her quickly through the darkness, through the black, looming trees, until finally, breathing hard, he stopped. He released his tight grip from Willow's arm, and without saying a word, bent and pulled a slab of thicket from the ground. The soil and grass moved in a great big chunk, revealing a small, tunnel-sized hole in the ground below.



"Quickly," the man said, nodding his chin towards Willow. "I'll help you down."



"What?" She stared at him in shock. Then she stepped back, shaking her head. "Whoa, wait just one moment there, elf-man..."



The man frowned. "It's Bargo."



"Bargo," Willow swallowed, still shaking her head. "I can't go down in that hole because, see, you kinda look very much like a vampire. Sorry," she added hurriedly, and watched him apologetically, "but you kinda do, and well, I can't go down there because you might just bite me, and I would very much not like to be bitten tonight..."



"I'm not a vampire," The man replied, impatiently. He shifted the slab of soil in his arms and a few pellets of dirt dislodged themselves and rattled some dry leaves on the ground. "You have to trust me. I'll explain everything once we get down there. I'm taking a great risk standing here like this."



"Well..." Willow frowned uncertainly.



"I promise I won't hurt you," The man said, and somehow they way he said it, gently, and looking at Willow straight in the eye, caused her to believe him. Silently, she walked over to the hole. The man placed the slab of soil near the entrance, then turned to help Willow climb down.



Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as she slid into the hole. She gripped the man's fingers and felt tentatively with her feet and then crawled, very slowly inside.



Half way down the hole she felt her body give way, and suddenly the elf-man had dropped her, and she fell about ten feet to the ground. She groaned in shock, and then heard the man drop down beside her.



He fell nimbly to his feet like a cat, then rose and dusted his hands across his legs. Willow stared at him, feeling too dazed to speak.



"Well," the tiny man said, and grinned, and the gesture nearly stopped Willow's heart, because now his incisors were plainly visible, and his face was unsettling, grotesque one moment, and then charmingly benign the next, adding frighteningly to his whole, canine, vampire persona. "I think it's safe to say that we've successfully avoided the evil predators of the night."



"Evil Preditors?" Willow repeated, in a small voice. She was watching him cautiously, still sprawled on the ground.



The man chuckled, reached his hand for her and pulled her to her feet. He was tiny, but very strong.



"Willow Rosenberg," he said. "I'm terribly sorry that I had to put you through this. But with time you will see that it was absolutely necessary. I'll introduce myself properly. I'm Bargo, and this is the tunnel of the Nalps. In a moment, we will be making our way to the Hidden Barracks. You'll be proud to know that you're one of only a handful of humans who's actually going to see it."



Willow stared at him, speechless. Then she noticed a flickering light at the corner of her eyes and looked up. Flaming torches were held in rusting sconces on the dirt walls, giving the tunnel a bright, but eerie glow. She followed the lights for as far as she could see, and realized that the twisting, undulating tunnel was a hole without an end.



"Yes," Bargo smiled, and touched her slightly on the arm. "It's a long way. We'd better start going."



****





They walked the long tunnel in silence. After a while, Willow glanced at the tiny man at her side and asked, "Why am I here?"



The man said, "That you will know, with time."



"Will I ever see my friends again?"



"Of course," he laughed.



Willow digested that, and then she looked up at the flickering flames in the walls, and she relaxed a bit. "This tunnel must have taken ages to be built."



"It's been here for more than a hundred years," Bargo said.



"Really?" She turned and watched him. Then she took a whiff of something unpleasant and she twisted her nose. She had smelt it the moment she had fallen into the hole, but she had tried to ignore it. The stench was becoming unbearable.



"What's that smell?"



"Hemlock bush," Bargo replied, and then noticed her confused look. "It keeps the vampires away."



"Uh huh," Willow nodded. She looked at the small bush clusters on the ground near the walls with new eyes. "Nothing like a little hemlock bush to scare away those nasty little creatures. Ever heard of a cross, or a stake?"



"We don't know why the bush works," Bargo said as he walked, "but its been helping the Nalps for centuries."



"Nalps?" Willow shook her head. "I've never heard..."



"Night and Lost People," the elf-man revealed. "We're half vampire, half human. We've been bitten, but somehow we've never quite evolved into vamps. It's an old age mystery that we've been trying for a very long time to solve. Some Nalps swear they've never been bitten, and that too we're trying to figure out. Anyway, not many humans know about us. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for vampires. They're relentless in their efforts to catch us and 'finish the job' so to speak. They can smell us from miles away, hence the reason for the hidden tunnel."



"You're half vampire," Willow said. Then she shook her head and muttered to herself. "I'm walking alone in a tunnel with a half vampier."



"We don't bite humans," Bargo replied. "We can't."



"No," Willow said, and she was suddenly hit with a feeling of utter disbelief. "Of course not, because you're a Nalp, and Nalps are more human than vampire and the very thought of drinking human blood fills you with revulsion."



"Something like that," Bargo said, seriously.



Willow looked at him and sighed. "Okay, say I'm not going crazy right now, I just want to know, you know, out of curiosity, what exactly do Nalps eat?"



"Rodents, anything that's not human."



Willow took another deep breath. She dug her fingers inside her pockets raised her soulders, and tried to concentrate on the journey.



****



They walked for probably an hour, and then, just as Willow was beginningg to think that they were never going to stop, Bargo suddenly stiffened and looked up.



"We're almost there."



"Thank God," Willow muttered.



"Just ten minutes more."



They moved up a slight incline, walked a short distance more, and then they were standing at the end of the tunnel.



Before Willow could ask 'what now?' Bargo jumped up suddenly, using the wall for support and pulled down an old, worn out rope ladder. He began climbing it, and then looked down at Willow so that she could do the same. They climbed for a few minutes, reached the top of the tunnel, and then Bargo gently pulled the rope. He pulled once, twice, and then Willow was able to see the stars, and the night sky, and a faceless figure who had pulled aside the opening of the tunnel. Bargo climbed out, and then he and the strange person helped Willow out.



In the dark, she noticed that the figure was that of a woman. She was not as short as Bargo, and she almost looked human, except she smiled and tiny incisors showed at once at the corners of her mouth.



"This is Hexall," Bargo said to Willow. He was looking at the woman gently and it was obvious that he was deeply in love with her. "My partner."



The woman continued to smile. There was something very gentle and wise about her. "Willow," she said, in a voice that rose softly in the chilly air and kissed the leaves of the surrounding trees. "Bargo brought you in time."



Willow stared at the woman.



"Come," she gripped Willow's hand, and then stopped and pointed. "Look over there."



Willow turned and noticed a giant glow through the trees. She squinted and realized that the glow was a giant bonfire. Clusters and clusters of mysterious, dark figures surrounded it.



"Welcome to the Hidden Barracks," Bargo, who had come up quietly behind Willow and Hexall, said. "Go on, Willow."



"What?" She turned back to look at him.



"Go on," Hexall dropped her hand. "Go and find your pea."



"My What?" Willow did not move.



"Walk to the bonfire," Bargo insisted, giving her a gentle push, "and you will find you pea."



Willow stood not moving, and then she turned again and looked at the crowds of people surrounding the giant bonfire. She took a hesitant step. Then she left Bargo and Hexall looking quietly after her, and made her way to the crackling light.



No one paid her much attention. The Nalps were all chattering silently, warming their fingers, protecting themselves from the night air, and some laughed, and there were children Nalps scurrying here and there, and mother Nalps calling after them.



Some looked hauntingly human, and Willow thought with horror as she passed a man cradling a baby in his arms, who would bite a tiny, innocent baby? Then her heart broke because everyone looked so cold and dirty. Do they all live here? The bonfire was burning giant Hemlock bushes, and the stench was intoxicating. It's a whlole different world. Buffy will never, ever belive me. And she walked slowly passed a family of four, and a young boy, who looked up at her and smiled.



Willow smiled back, and glanced at the fire, crackling and bursting loudly in the night. Then she stopped walking and rubbed her fingers together feeling the chill as it seeped through the leather jacket. She turned, smiled at the few children, looked up and scanned the clusters of Nalps. Their clothes look so old and worn and filthy.



Her eyes moved slowly, from Nalp, to Nalp. And then suddenly, her heart stopped. The hair on the back of her neck rose, and the salivia in her mouth turned to paste in an instant. Willow stood frozen, stuck in the act of rubbing her hands, and she didn't know what it was, maybe the familiar slant of the head, or maybe a distinct movement of some sort, but whatever it was, it had caught her attention.



She blinked a few times, and then felt the shock as it enveloped her body. The figure, only a few yards away, looked so alone and sad, standing with fingers splayed over the fire, tattered, hooded jacket nearly consuming her entire body. But Willow knew that figure like her own. She shook her head fighting back truth and logic, and she heard her voice, in a strangled whisper,



"Tara..."



A few Nalps looked at her with concern. Willow ignored them. She rushed blindly, pushing her way through them, and then she called out, a little louder this time,



"Tara!"



The woman looked up quickly.



Willow stopped, because she knew that she was seeing a vision in the night, a ghost that had haunted her dreams and tormented her soul. She stood there weeping softly, unable to move any further. The woman looked deeply shocked as well. She gripped her chest and took a small step. Willow looked back at her, feeling the pain and anger and sorrow lift from her heart, and the unbelievable joy and happiness flood through her body, and she said softy, even as she was crying,



"Tara..."













*if you've read this far, then it was worthwhile writing it. Update soon!

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 9/29/03 3:30 am

[Lucy Moore]

We 'uns love to read a new 'take' on everything that can possibly happen...This little story is looking suitably intriguing...Looking forward to reading more.

******



fiat justitia,ruat caelum



Read Lucy and Emily's FanFic.

[Arwen276]

DEFINITELY looking forward to more...

but I have a bad feeling that Tara has become a NALT?

Hope I'm wrong though...





~Arwen

[Washi]

I just read all of it, and I'm gonna join the chorus of "More!"

Really loving it.

-------------------



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB

[WintersDreamer]

Ok........ I'm feeling very aquatic right now..... I've been hooked, let to run the line out and now I'm being gently but inexorably reeled in..... and since I'm about to be landed.....would you PLEASE make the next update ssssoooooonnnnnn (whine)!



Seriously, your description of the hopelessness and despair of the homeless was very good.

Great build up and great story.

[bijoux2]

hi, everyone. I'm so glad that people are actually liking my story. (Even though it's angsty, and a little odd). Thanks so much for the feedback. It makes us writers feel so good. WintersDreamer, please don't land yet. Things have been crazy, hectic for me lately. But I promise, I'll give an update soon. I just hope I don't disappoint.



dominique

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/2/03 4:38 pm

[nika]

That was very beutiful in a haunting kind of way. I really liked it, that last bit was very intense.

[bijoux2]

hi, my kind and loyal readers. Another update! Hope you like it.



Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters. I couldn't if I tried. Please don't sue. Unless you want three mutts and a one-eyed cat. Okay, so the cat has two eyes, but still, I have nothing!!





Here it is,





A VISION IN THE NIGHT







The woman continued to grip her chest, as though she too was seeing a ghost. Willow moved again, reached out tentatively, like a blind person trying to see with her hands.

She touched Tara's cheeks, and nose, and her thumb brushed gently across Tara's lips. She touched Tara's hair, brushed a few blond strands. Then her breath caught, and she shook her head and said, dully,



"I'm dreaming."



"No," Tara whispered.



"I have to be."



"You're not dreaming, Willow." Tara said, and suddenly she was crying as well. She guided Willow's hand away from her hair, towards her mouth, and kissed Willow's fingers gently. "I'm here."



"But..." Willow stared at Tara. Of course she was dreaming. She had to be, and it was the most painful, wonderful, excruciating dream she ever had, and she did not want to wake up. Not ever.



"H-how did you f-find me?" Joy, confusion and anxiety flashed across Tara's face all at once.



But Willow was barely lilstening to her. She traced her fingers across Tara's chest, stopping on the spot where the bullet had ripped through four months earlier. "I saw you myself. I held you. You-you were..."



"I know."



"Then how?"



"I don't know a lot."



"I'm not dreaming?"



"No, baby," Tara reached up and kissed her. They hugged each other tightly. Willow did not want to let go. She felt Tara's heart beating wildly against hers, and she closed her eyes. She had dreamt of this moment so many times. She had cried out for it, but her dreams had never seemed so real. Now she was petrified to open her eyes again in case it all vanished. Tara was kissing her cheeks. She pressed her lips against every inch of skin, then on the warm moistness of Willow's mouth. For a moment they both tasted the slight saltiness of tears.



A few Nalps were watching them curiously. Willow opened her eyes slowly and looked back at them. Then her gaze traveled to the bonfire, and she stared at the flames as they shot angrily towards the sky. She was in a daze.



Tara gripped her hand tightly and whispered, "Come,"



They moved away from the Nalps, away from the crackling Hamlock bushes, towards the trees. Willow followed silently. Tara guided her in the dark, to an old, brick ruin. Two flaming torches hung above the entrance of the large building, and the glow accentuated the ancient, crumbling walls and the rustiness of the galvanized roof.



Tara led her her inside one of the small lighted rooms. The floors were dusty and the room was bare, save for three tattered sleeping bags laid out in a corner, and a tiny bundle of worn clothes on a wooden table near a shuttered window.



Tara let go of Willow's hand. She removed the large jacket from her body, dropped it near one of the sleeping bags, then folded her arms tensely around her midriff. Willow looked across at her silently.



"T-this is where I s-stay during the day," Tara said after a long while. "I h-have two friends. Th-they're very kind to me."



Willow did not respond. Something had caught her eye near one of the sleeping bags, and she walked over towards it, crouched and picked it up. It was an old photograph of herself. Willow stared at the smiling image, and then she felt a pang of rage.



"You've been here all this time," she looked up sharply at Tara. "I thought you were dead and you've been here all this time."



"Willow..." Tara said with distress, shaking her head.



"I was dying inside because I thought I would never see you again," Willow went on, her voice low and measured. "I felt as though my heart had been ripped out of my chest..."



"I wanted so much to tell you, Willow."



"Then why didn't you?" Willow stared at her. Then she looked down at the photograph in her hand and began crying again. "Why?"



Tara moved over towards her and touched Willow comfortingly. Then she reached back, and Willow saw the pain etched deeply in her face.



"I was dying too, because I knew how much you were suffering and I wanted to tell you I was here. I wanted to tell you more than anything in the world."



"Then..." Willow shook her head in confusion, wiped her cheek.



Tara swallowed. Then she turned around, but not before Willow noticed the look of deep shame in her eyes.



"I didn't want you to f-find me...l-like t-this."



"Like what?"



"A Nalp."



There was a brief moment of silence. Then Tara turned around again and said, brutally, "That's right, Willow. These pathetic creatures out there? I'm one of them."



"What made you think I would care about that."



"I care."



"Tara..." Willow reached out and touched her, but Tara moved away. She walked over to one of the windows, opened it and looked out. For a long moment, she stood rigid, with her back facing Willow.



"Who told you I was here?" She asked. Her voice sounded hollow. "Was it Bargo?"



But before Willow could respond, someone said suddenly behind her,



"Yes, Tara. It was me."



Bargo and Hexall were standing at the entrance of the crumbling ruin. They moved slowly inside.



"Willow," Bargo said, looking at her kindly. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I'll answer some of them for you. But don't be angry with Tara. She suffered greatly as well."



"Yes," Hexall walked over to Tara and touched her lightly on the shoulder. "She was always crying and I didn't know why. Then one day I asked her and she told me, and she looked so sad and helpless that I knew we had to help her."



"Come," Bargo beckoned Willow. Then he moved towards one of the sleeping bags and sat down with his legs crossed.



Willow moved. She walked up to Tara who was still standing near the window with her back turned, and she reached out and took her hand. Tara turned around slowly with her head bowed.



"Look at me," Willow said softly. She placed her fingers under Tara's chin and raised her head. "I love you. I don't care what you are now. I'm just so happy..." and as she said that fresh tears started in her eyes again, and Tara saw that and began crying as well. "I'm just so happy that you're here and that you're alive. I've dreamt about it so many times that I don't even want to breathe because I'm still not convinced it's all true. I was a shell before, and now I'm whole again."



Tara's blue eyes searched Willow's green once intensely for a moment.



"Okay?" Willow reached up and wiped Tara's tears. "Okay, baby? She reached out, and Tara gripped her tightly as though she was drowning. Willow took a deep breath and pressed her face at the nape of Tara's neck. She smelled Tara's familiar smell, remembered the protective softness of her arms, and Willow knew that she could never, ever live without it again.



Bargo and Hexall were both sitting on the sleeping bags, watching them with satisfaction. Eventually Willow and Tara broke their embrace and turned towards the sleeping bags. They were still holding each other, afraid to let go. Bargo looked up and smiled. Then he said to Willow,



"Now, we'll tell you everything."











* I realize this update is short. But the next one won't be, I promise.

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/3/03 2:02 am

[WintersDreamer]

YES, FINALLY!!! (muppet dance time!)

and it was well worth the wait.... well it could have been longer... but still, it was worth it. Very sweet and angsty with just enough grrrr from Willow for Tara not letting her know where she was. Hopefully, the next update will be soon (unsubtle hint) and will be MUCH longer (VERY unsubtle hint) and we will learn all sorts of cool stuff.....

1. How the heck is Willow going to get her out of there without her being Vamp nibbles. (only one allowed to nibble Tara is Willow - it's a Cosmic Law)

2. What will Buffy do about the Tara and NALF's..

3. How are they going to feed Tara - I'm getting visions of Bunnicula.....

Well my aquatic self is feeling much stronger and has turned toward the sea and is swimming strongly.....

Anywho....

Update soon... and thanks for the great story.

[good2cats]

Hi,
This is story is quite unique and I'm loving every part of it.I can't wait to find out more. Keep up the great work.
Be well,Karen

[bijoux2]

Yeah, I know I promised a longer update. Please forgive. I hope at the end of this you won't feel too or ...anywho, I hope you still enjoy.





Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters. Please, please don't sue me.





A VISION IN THE NIGHT





"We found her one night in the bushes near the tunnel," Bargo said, quietly. "She was soaked in blood and unconscious and at first Hexall and I thought she had been beaten by the vampires. At a glance we didn't think she could ever survive."



They were all sitting in a small circle on the sleeping bags. Willow had an arm around Tara, and upon hearing Bargo's last words, she turned and ran her hand gently across Tara's back.



Hexall had lit an extra candle and it was flickering warmly on the wooden table, casting a yellow hue to the surrounding brick walls.



"With the help of a few Nalps," Bargo went on, "we managed to bring her here, to the Hidden Barracks. It was then we realized that her wounds were only superficial. Just a few minor scratches. It was the strangest thing because her shirt was soaked with blood, and there was a strange hole in the fabric, as though she had been shot. But we inspected her carefully, and we found that there was nothing truly wrong with her.

We couldn't make up our minds if she had been bitten or not. There were no outward marks on her neck or anywhere else to show that the vampires had gotten to her."



"She was still unconscious," Hexall shook her head, remembering. "And so I washed her and changed her clothes, and then Bargo and I waited for her to come to. I remember hoping and praying that she would be okay, that nothing really awful had happened to her. I remember hoping most of all, that she had not been bitten.

But when she woke up a few hours later my hopes were dashed. I knew she was a Nalp then, just as certainly as I knew my name. She gripped my hand so tightly that I lost all feeling in it, and she demanded that I get her something to drink. With a heavy heart I brought her water, but of course she didn't want that."



"Tara is our mystery girl," Bargo said. He looked up at Tara affectionately. Then his face darkened. "She doesn't remember anything about the night we found her, and we don't know why she was lying in the bushes, who brought her there and why she was soaked in blood. She's a Nalp, but there was never any sign on her body that she was bitten by a vampire. Also, if you look at Tara, you'll see that she's different to us. For one thing, you couldn't tell her apart from a human. Most Nalps have," Bargo drew back his teeth and pointed to the sharp incisors poking slightly from his upper lip. "these. Tara does, but it shows only when she's feeding."



Willow turned again and looked at Tara curiously. Tara stiffened and bowed her head.



"There are some Nalps among us who swear they've never been bitten." Bargo continued, thoughtfully. "Tara joins that group. They have all the qualities of a vampire, yet they look much more human than the usual Nalp."



"When you say, 'all the qualities of a vampire'," Willow said slowly, "w-what exactly do you mean?"



"Well," Hexall replied, looking at her. "Tara cannot go out during the day. Most Nalps can, although they'd rather not because most humans mistake us for vampires."



"Oh." Willow nodded, still frowning.



"Also, Tara has to feed every few hours," Bargo revealed. "Her cravings can become quite acute."



There was a short silence. Then Willow looked at Tara sitting stiffly next to her and reached for her hand reasuringly.



"Hey," she said with a grin. "I have a semi-vamp girlfriend. That's just way too cool."



Tara shook her head unhappily. "I know it's disgusting."



"It's not disgusting," Willow squeezed her hand.



"We're still searching for answers," Bargo said. "We have so many questions but so little answers."



"Do you remember," Willow watched Tara uncertainly, "Do you remember...getting...shot?"



Tara nodded. "But only after I was here for about two months. My last memory until then was when Xander and Buffy were angry with each other and we were in the room talking about them making up. Then suddenly, I was a Nalp and here and..." she closed her eyes tightly and took a sharp breath.

Willow watched her sympathetically and stroked her hand.

"I didn't know what was going on. I thought maybe I was going crazy or something. My first impulse was to go home, to find you, but then I knew I couldn't. Not like this. I was so miserable because I knew that you probably thought I was dead."



"We'll figure it out," Willow said, her face twistingg with determination. "The answer is out there somewhere. All we have to do is look and we'll find it."



Hexall looked at her and smiled. She was watching Willow with an expression that said: I like this redhead with the freckly face and wide, expressive eyes. "I agree with you, Willow," she said.



"But," Tara shook her head worriedly. "W-what if we n-never find out why I'm here. I'll still be a Nalp..."



"Then we'll deal with that," Willow replied. "I don't care anyway. If Bargo told me right now, that in two minutes you'll morph into a fly, I'll still be happy."



Tara smiled slowly.



"I mean it," Willow said softly. Tara's body relaxed into hers, and Willow tightened her hold on her, then reached up and kissed Tara on the forehead.



Bargo looked across at them for a moment. Then he coughed politely and stood up.



"Come on, love," he said to Hexall. "I think our friends here need a little privacy. Let's give them some time together."



Bargo reached his hand down, and Hexall took it and stood. She touched Tara on the shoulder for a second, and then the two Nalps walked quietly out of the room.



"They're so sweet," Willow smiled, looking after them.



Tara shook her head. "I don't know what I would have done without them."



Willow turned to her. She reached for Tara's hand and then suddenly she was filled with an overwhelming feeling of happiness. "I still can't believe you're sitting here in front of me," she said.



Tara regarded her lovingly for a while. Then she said, "Well," in a voice that deepened slightly, "maybe this will help." She leaned forward and kissed Willow on his lips, deeply and passionately. Willow closed her eyes and let the feeling of love and desire consume her. Their tongues brushed softly, and then Willow pulled away and kissed Tara's neck and throat. She felt a sob rise suddenly deep, deep from inside her. She pressed her face against the warm silkiness of Tara's hair, and tried to control the rush of emotions coursing through her body.



Tara felt her love, gripped Willow tightly and whispered, "I missed you so much."



They leaned back after a long while, and stared longingly at each other. Willow caressed Tara's face, and then she smiled through her tears, reached down and picked up the photograph of herself that she had placed again near the sleeping bags.



"What's this?"



Tara looked down at it sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd notice that I took it."



Willow watched her with disbelief. "You mean you came to the house and took it?"



"Yeah," Tara nodded. "I can't tell you how risky that was. Bargo and Hexall were totally against it. I could have easily been attacked by a vampire. But I missed you so much. I just wanted something to make me feel as though you were near me. I came to the house when I knew nobody would be there. And...um... that's not all I took."



She unzipped the sleeping bag and pulled out half a dozen more pictures, and some of Willow's tee shirts.



Willow stared at the pictures, at the small pile of her clothes, and she threw her head back and began laughing.



"Oh my God. You klepto!"



Tara started laughing as well.



"Did you leave anything for me to wear?" Willow continued to tease. She picked up one of her tee-shirts, inspected it for a moment, then picked up another. "I certainly didn't miss them."



"I took a few magic books as well," Tara started to say, standing, and then both she and Willow froze. Someone had suddenly screamed outside, and then there was yelling and the abrupt sound of people running.



Willow frowned, noticing Tara's terrified look.



"What the hell is going on?" She stood up to look out the window, but before she could do that, Bargo suddenly burst into the room.



"Hurry!" He yelled at them, out of breath. "Vampires!"



"What?" Willow stared at him, reaching for Tara's hand immediately. "But-but I thought you said...The Hemlock bushes..."



"A few recalcitrant vampires sometimes break through our armor," Bargo told her, as he guided them quickly outside. Panicked Nalps were scurrying here and there. Only moments before, the Hidden Barracks had been serene and quiet, nearly obsured by the large, facile trees. Now it looked as though it was being run over by a stampede of fleeing cattle.



Hexall was crouched in the dark waiting for them, and as Willow ran, holding firmly to Tara, she barely noticed the slight figure hiding behind one of the crumbling walls.



Hexall joined them, and they ran away from the barracks towards the bonfire.



"Hurry!" Bargo yelled above the noise and chaos. "To the tunnels!"

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/6/03 2:40 pm

[good2cats]

Hi,
Help! I NEED MY NALPS FIX.Please please please update soon.I am not good at hanging in limbo.(Too impatient)
Be well, Karen

[Grimlock72]

Amazing... I just found this story and it's quite large already. Don't know why I missed it this long. Very nice setup of a real totally other world, reminds me a bit of Lord of the Rings style of world with the underground tunneling and such.



Poor Tara, ashamed to go back to Willow. Even though Willow says she doesn't care, at some level she probably will care. I'll bet she'll try to figure out a way to turn Tara back to her normal self. In the meantime she'll of course still love Tara, I doubt that will EVER change.



Can't Willow handle those vampires and help the Nalps a bit ? Assuming she still wants anything to do with magic that is. Nalps definitly need better protection or at least some alarm system.



I esp. like the way you've introduced a sort of mini-vamp people and the way the live. Points to Hexal and husband for keeping Tara safe and for going out and getting Willow for her.



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[03 Cam]

Im loving this fic...Willow and Tara are so sweet. I think they better run pretty quick, Can't wait for more of this to be posted

[WintersDreamer]

I'm really enjoying this fiction...... but could ya do me a favor and write faster?



Question - why do the vamps hate the nalps so much ??

I'm thinking there will be a face off in the future between Willow and Buffy ..... that should be fun!

By the way that is a really cool anacronym!

[bijoux2]

hi kittens, just so you know, I sat down and typed out the entire update and I couldn't post it I don't want to waste my time again so I'm just testing this to see if I can post it. If not, then I guess I'll have to try posting the update later. Sorry.



dominique

[bijoux2]

okay, so I decided to type it all out again. Sorry about the delay between updates, folks, but my life is truly complicated (Can't go into it here, although I would love to) I really wanted to write this update sooner but I just couldn't do it. Anyway, I spent nearly half the day writing this so I hope you enjoy.



Good2cats, sorry for making you so impatient. It won't happen again, I promise.



Gromlock72, I'm just glad you found this fic and liking it. I hope you keep reading.



03cam, It's always good to see a new response. I hope I don't disappoint.



WintersDreamer, you keep me writing, you truly do. This update is for you!









Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters bla, bla, bla. Please don't sue me, bla, bla, bla,







A VISION IN THE NIGHT





An hour later, deep, deep in the tunnel, the Nalps were deathly quiet. Some were sitting on the dirt floor, with their backs pressed against the crude walls, and some were standing closely to each other in small groups. They looked weary, but calm amidst the flickering glow of the flamed torches above, an exodus of haunted beings in strange clothes, forming a monotony of tattered gray as far as the eye could see.



Willow, Tara and Hexall were among them, but they were further near the entrance of the tunnel. They were waiting for Bargo who had scurried up to the top trying to find out whether it was safe enough for everyone to return to the Hidden Barracks.



Willow took a deep breath and moved behind Tara. She wrapped her arms protectively around Tara's waist, then shivered and pressed her face against the back of Tara's neck.



"Does this happen often?"



Tara shook her head. "I-it's v-very rare."



"So the Hemlock bushes don't really work, then?" Willow frowned.



"They work," Tara brushed her fingers comfortingly over Willow's. "If we didn't have them, we'd have all been vampires by now."



"Oh God," Willow swallowed.



"Don't worry, Willow." Hexall smiled, pulled the worn jacket around her body more closely. "I think the crisis is over." Then she looked up and pointed. "See?"



Bargo was wriggling down the hole. He stopped for a moment, and then instead of reaching for the rope ladder, he pushed his body forward and jumped the remarkable distance to the ground. Willow stared at the lithe Nalp in awe, as he sprang feline-like to his feet.



"We can go back now," he announced, and grinned. Then he raised his voice and addressed his fellow Nalps, who were all moving curiously to the front of the tunnel so that they could hear what he had to say. "We're safe to go back to the top now," Bargo shouted above the sudden hum of voices. "The vampires have all gone. The danger is over. Nalps from the other tunnels have already gone back to the bonfire. We've done this before folks. Women and children first. Let's form an orderly line so that we can get out of here as quickly as possible. And please, no pushing!"



Relieved Nalps were forming queues, conversing loudly amongst each other. Willow tightened her hold on Tara, and whispered. "Other tunnels? There are more?"



"About three more," Tara replied, smiling slightly. "The Nalps have built a small network underground so that they can travel easily to and from the Hidden Barracks."



"Oh," Willow nodded thoughtfully. Then she looked up as Hexall moved closer towards them.



"We'll wait until everyone has gotten out," the woman told them. "It'll take a while, but Bargo will want to see that everyone is safe anyway."



The Nalps were hurrying to the top, clearing out quickly from the tunnel. Bargo, and a few other male Nalps were in the midst of them, assisting the women and children as they scurried up the sturdy robe latter.



It took another hour for everyone to be safely at the top. When it was Willow's turn, she crawled out carefully, and then reached down to help Tara. Hexall and Bargo soon followed, and then the four of them walked back slowly to the Hidden Barracks.



The tranquil, wooded area now looked stark and bare. Shrubbery and thicket had been trampled upon by hundreds of panicked feet and the limbs of some of the trees lay broken on the ground. Just a few yards away, the giant bonfire had fizzled to a small flame. Only an hour earlier, its impressive glow lit up the night sky, but now it crackled weakly, threatening to die altogether.



Willow slid her hand in Tara's, as they walked passed a group of dazed Nalps clustered together, and a woman who was sitting on the ground, sobbing quietly. Children were moving like pathetic ghosts among the trees. Their laughter had been silenced. They were glum now, standing close to their parents, eyes wide and troubled.



Remarkably, the Hidden Barracks was untouched by the vampires. A quick inspection by Bargo confirmed this, and after the Nalp was satisfied that the three women were safe in the old building, he left them, disappearing swiftly among the trees.



Hexall relit a few candles, and the warm hue was comforting in the chilly room. Then she found a thin sheet among the old pile of clothes on the wooden table, handed it to Willow and pointed to the sleeping bags.



"Try to make yourself comfortable," she said. "Bargo will not be back for hours, so it's useless waiting for him."



They all laid down. It would have been a lot warmer for Willow and Tara, if they had slipped their bodies inside the sleeping bags. But that would have hampered their movements and they wanted to be as close to each other as possible.



They slid the two bags together, laid down sideways on top of them, then reached for each other under the sheet, faces only inches apart.



"I feel so helpless," Willow whispered, frowning. "I'm glad you're here and alive. I just wish..."



Tara brushed away a strand of hair from Willow's eyes.



"I want to help them," Willow went on, referring to the Nalps. "And I want to get you out of here."



"Let's take one day at a time," Tara said, softly.



Willow sighed again, buried her face in Tara's shoulder. Then suddenly, something stirred deep inside her and she shifted, kissed Tara on the neck. Her lips moved quickly, pressing urgently against the hollow in Tara's throat, up to her chin and then against the warm dampness of Tara's mouth.



Tara responded, and before they could control it, they were both breathless, and writhing about on the sleeping bags. Tara slipped her hands under Willow's tee shirt. Her fingers moved across the silky landscape of skin, settled for a moment on Willow's soft breasts. But the tee shirt was hampering them both, and they fought to remove it.



Willow was slipping the material through her head, hearing herself breathing heavily, when she noticed Hexall across the room. The Nalp shifted on the sleeping bag, fluffed her tattered sheet fretfully, then turned and pulled the sheet up to her chin. The movement was enough to draw Willow back to her senses. She bit her lip, took an unsteady breath. Tara was looking across at Hexall as well. Reluctantly, she pulled her hand away from Willow's shirt. Then she kissed Willow on the forehead and whispered,



"We can't do this here."



"No," Willow almost growled.



"We'll find somewhere private."



"When?" Impatience and frustration sounded clearly in Willow's voice.



"Soon," Tara chuckled, kissed her again.



They were quiet for a moment, both listening as their breathing grew slowly back to normal. Then Tara kissed Willow again, and said,



"Baby, tell me about the others. I missed them so much."



Willow looked up distractedly.



"How's Dawnie?" Tara asked, and her face twisted slightly with pain.



"Dawnie is fine," Willow replied, moodily. She was still trying to shake away the frustration that was gnawing deep inside her. "She was devastated when she learnt about what had happened to you. But she's fine. I don't know how I'm going to tell her you're alive. God, she won't believe it."



'A-and Buffy?"



"She's working way too hard, but she's fine too. We all missed you. Things were not the same around the house. I was so miserable that I was making everyone unhappy too. They all tried to cheer me up, but that was pretty useless."



"I can't wait to see tham all."



"You will," Willow tightened her grip around Tara, kissed her softly. "I'll get you out of here and we'll all be together again.





*****





Willow did not know when she fell asleep. Hours later however, she felt Tara shaking her gently.



"Baby, wake up."



She groaned, opened her eyes slowly and looked at Tara. Then her gaze traveled up towards Bargo and Hexall, who were both standing near the sleeping bags, staring down at her.



"Um..." Willow mumbled. "What's going on?"



"Honey, it's almost morning," Tara was saying. "You have to head back."



"What?" Willow turned towards her again, sleepily.



"You have to head back," Tara repeated.



"Head back?" Willow shifted on the sleeping bag and frowned. "As in, head back home?"



Tara nodded. Bargo and Hexall said nothing, simply looked at her.



"No," Willow shook her head. "No way."



"Listen to me..." Tara gripped her hand.



"Tara," Willow stared at her. "I just got here."



"Buffy'll be worried and..."



"I don't care."



"A-and you h-have to eat something. There's n-nothing here."



Willow did not respond. She looked up unhappily at Bargo and the kindly Nalp smiled, knelt down and took Willow's hand.



"It's for the best," he said. "You've got to get back now. We've taken good care of Tara so far, haven't we?" His eyes found Willow's, held her gaze. "Hmm?"



She nodded reluctantly.



"Well then, you're going to have to trust that we'll continue to do so. Go home now. Get some rest and come back tonight."



Willow bit her lip, forced back the tears.



"She'll be fine," Bargo said reassuringly. "I promise nothing bad will happen to her."



Willow got up silently. She reached for her leather jacket and slipped it on. Tara stood next to her. She watched Willow as she dressed, then moved closer and hugged her. "Don't be mad," she whispered. "I love you."



"I love you too," Willow replied, feeling the tears as it stung her eyes.



"Be careful," Tara leaned back, placed both palms on Willow's face. "Hurry home. Don't stop for anything." Then her eyes darkened and she looked across at Bargo. "Bargo..."



"I'll go with her," Bargo nodded.



"No," Willow shook her head quickly. "It's way to dangerous for you. I'll go alone. I'll be fine."



She held Tara in her arms for a long momet, then turned and hugged Bargo standing next to her.



"Thank you for everything," Willow said, her voice deepening emotionally. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."



"Don't worry about that, little one," Bargo replied. "Just come back here in one piece."



Willow turned and hugged Hexall.



"Thank you," she whispered.



The woman smiled, tapped Willow warmly on the back. "I have a feeling that we're going to be very good friends."



Willow hugged Tara again and kissed her, and then slipped out into the early morning darkness. Bargo followed, escorting her to the entrance of the tunnel.



He helped Willow down, and when she looked up at him for the last time, he said, briskly and authoritatively, "When you get to the top, you'll be in the midde of the woods. But the trees are marked so that you will be able to make your way to the south Sunnydale Cemetery. Look down at the roots and you will see tiny red crosses. Follow those and you should be okay."



Willow nodded.



"Carry a flashlight with you tonight," the Nalp advised, "when you're coming back. So that you won't get lost."



"Okay," Willow took a deep breath. She felt for the rope with her feet. "See you in a few hours. Well, maybe sooner than that because I know I'll get there and I'll miss you all and I'll want to come back immediately."



She looked across at the Hidden Barracks for one last time, and then she waved Bargo and began crawling down. She reached the ground safely, faced the long tunnel before her determinedly.



The flaming torches were flickering merrily in the rusting sconces above. They would be her only company for her hour long journey.













*forgive any mistakes. Update soon!

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/15/03 6:21 pm

[FIRESIGN]

I am very impressed with this fic! You're doing a great job - and the storyline is VERY original! Keep up the good work!



-CZ aka FIRESIGN

[willowsgirl]

I agree, this is a really great story; very well written. The nalps are so cute, even if they are vampires! I remember someone saying it reminded them of lord of the rings, I can totally see that

Keep writing, I wanna find out what happens next!

I guessing that Willow will have to keep this a secret from the other scoobies, thats gonna be so hard



willowsgirl xx

[WintersDreamer]

Wwwwoooo Hhhhhooo! UPDATE!



Couple of questions...

Why didn't Tara use defensive magics when the vamps attacked?

Is it me or is she avoiding saying that she will go home with Willow??? (your making me nervous here).



.....the kissing scene....well.. (insert lllooonnnggg wolf howl here-tex avery style!)



Cool visual images ..



"She reached the ground safely, faced the long tunnel before her determinedly.



The flaming torches were flickering merrily in the rusting sconces above. They would be her only company for her hour long journey."

....Willow resolve face in flickering shadows and light... much too cool!



... and uuummm that was really, really nice and thank you ...but you and all the other writers and betas deserve the the thanks for the time, effort and courage to put your work here, on the internet ...so... THANK

YOU!



HEY! What are you doing still reading...don't you have a update to write!?! go on shoo!

[bijoux2]

Hello Kittens! Gosh, I'm feeling so relieved and happy today. A great pain in my life has left me for two weeks and I'm thinking in that time I'll find the courage to cool things off. My relationships always start so blissfully and end so horribly. sigh. Anyway, enough of that. Update again folks. I hope you like.







WintersDreamer, I'll answer your questions about Tara in the chapter after this, so don't sweat your little head. Just keep reading!



FIRESIGN, I'm glad you like my story. I'm reading yours, 'My First', and I'm enjoying it a lot (and I'm very, very hard to please.)



Willowsgirl, Thanks for the response. Comparing my story with lord of the rings is insane! but who am I to complain.



So here it is,





Oh yeah, kudos to the person who invented the Buffy characters, cuz it wasn't me.









A VISION IN THE NIGHT





She walked the tunnel without incident. There was a moment when she found herself staring up at the flaming torches and wondering if her entire night episode was a fantasy of some sort, an elaborate dream that would end heartbreakingly at any moment. But then, when she was plagued with those doubts, she merely took in a deep breath and the unpleasant stench of the nearby Hemlock bushes would snap her back to her senses.



"I couldn't dream that smell if I tried," Willow whispered to herself, shaking her head.



Her pace shifted to a slight run. She was impatient to get back home. More than once she felt tempted to use magic. She knew just the right spell that would get her home in seconds. But she hadn't used magic in months, and she didn't want to do it now.



It occurred to her sometime during her long journey, that a 'recalcitrant' vampire could easily attack her in the lonesome tunnel, and she steeled herself, bent down and grabbed a handful of the bushes lining the walls. The rank stench nearly choked her, but she quickly stuffed her pockets. Maybe they'll think twice if they try to bite me,

she reasoned, reaching down for yet another handful of bushes.



Finally, after a long exhausting hour, her journey had come to an end. For moment, Willow stood at the end of the tunnel and panicked, wondering how she would make it to the top. But then she noticed a rope ladder tucked neatly in a fissure in one of the walls, and she jumped and pulled it down. Then she climbed it quickly.



She crawled out of the hole like a night rat, squinted at the morning sun as it peeked through the trees and bathed her immediately with its warm glow. She stretched with a groan, breathing in the crisp, unsullied air. Then she emptied out her pockets and rushed towards one of the trees. At the base of the thick oak was a tiny red cross and just the faint hint of an arrow. Willow sighed with relief, and hurried out of the woods, using the secret markings to guide her.



*****



Willow reached the Summers' house forty-five minutes later. She stood in front of the door for a moment before going in. She was processing her night's adventure for the hundredth time, and she froze with her hand on the door knob, and allowed the realization and deep unspeakable happiness of course through her body. Tara was alive! Until then she had barely given herself permission to believe it, and now her mind was screaming with joy. She reached for the door, opened it and hurried inside.



Giles was the first one she saw, leaning against the wall in the kitchen and speaking quietly to the rest of her friends, who were sitting in a small group near the table, their faces tense and worried.



"Giles," Willow grabbed the startled man and kissed him. "I love you. I love you all," she said grandly to the small group, then walked towards the refriderator and opened it. "I'm filthy and tired, but I have to eat first. I need food. Food has to be in my belly this instant."



They stared at her in dumb silence, and Willow raised her eyebrows wonderingly when she noticed their strange expressions.



"What the hell is wrong with you all?" She asked, biting violently into a piece of chicken that she had pulled from the fridge.



"What's wrong with us?" Buffy was the first one to recover. She scowled angrily and waved her hand. "What's wrong with us? What the hell is wrong with us?"



"Um, Buffy," Xander was sitting at the table next to Anya and he raised a finger with concern. "You're kind of repeating yourself there."



"Shut up," she snapped at him, then turned to Willow again. "Do you know what time it is?"



Willow looked back at her sheepishly. "Yeah, I know but..."



"We've all been worried out of our minds," Buffy continued. "We thought...well, we thought all sorts of things. I suppose it didn't occur to you to call me and let me know where you were?"



"I..." Willow swallowed, reached for another piece of chicken and wondered how she was going to explain it all.



"They all thought you were in some dangerous street corner somewhere, numbing your sorrows with drugs," Anya said suddenly. "I was the only one who said no, because I didn't think you would have to go to some dangerous street corner to do drugs when you could easily do that in your room upstairs."



Behind her, Dawn rolled her eyes. "Okay, so, Willow is fine now and everything and I'm half an hour late for school, so can I leave now?"



"I'll give you a lift," Giles removed his glasses and wiped it carefully.



"You guys..." Willow watched them contritely. "You guys didn't stay up all night, did you? I mean, did I ruin your pizza party thing?"



"I had to call back everyone after they left," Buffy said. "We stayed here watching the time crawl by and wondering what to do."



"Sorry," Willow pulled out a chair and sat down. She reached for one of Dawn's pancakes which were lying in a stack in the middle of the table, and took a large bite. "I'll make it up to you. I'll be your personal slave for a week."



"Yes, that sounds about right," Xander nodded, looking at her. Then he shook his head and reached for Anya. "You deserve it, Will, but watching my best friend cater to my every whim is not my idea of fun. C'mon An, let's go."



"Hey," Anya said, frowning deeply. "Speak for yourself."



They left the room with Anya grumbling under her breath. Dawn gave Buffy a quick hug, and then she grabbed her school books and bag, and followed Giles out of the house.



In the kitchen, Buffy waited until everyone had left, then she folded her arms across her midriff, and leaned against one of the walls. She watched Willow thoughtfully as her friend reached for her third pancake and wolfed it down.



"Okay, Will," she said quietly. "I smell the not so subtle smell of something brewing. Spill it."



Willow waved the chicken leg she was still holding around in the air. "Let it be known, Buffy. Chicken and pancakes? Great combination."



"Willow..."



"Why did I stay away from food for so long?"



"Willow!" Buffy moved, restedher palms down on the table and shoved her face in front of Willow's. "What's going on?"



Willow grinned, and then her face lit up. "Buffy, it's so incredible I can hardly believe it myself."



"What?" Buffy was staring at her. "What is it?"



"Tara..."



Buffy leaned back slowly. Then she said very carefully. "What about Tara?"



"She's alive."



Buffy blinked. Willow watched as her friend's entire body tensed.



"I know how that sounds," she continued, quickly. "Believe me, Buffy I hear myself saying it and it sounds odd even to me. But it's true. I saw her myself, I touched her..." Willow's voice caught as she remembered the remarkable moment not too long ago.



"Will..." Buffy shook her head.



"You've got to believe me," Willow watched her intensely. "You've got to trust me. I'm not crazy and I'm not so strung out on grief that I'm imagining things. I saw her. She's alive. Tara's alive."



Buffy said nothing, just looked back at her, her face deeply concerned.



Willow got up and washed her hands in the sink. She wiped her fingers with a dish towel, then turned around again and said,



"Have you ever heard of the Nalps?"



A fleeting look of recognition and surprise crossed Buffy's face.



"I see you have," Willow wiped her mouth.



"The Nalps..." Buffy frowned. "The Nalps are...well, they're a myth."



"They're not," Willow replied. "I spent the entire night with them and they're very real."



"You spent the entire night with the Nalps," Buffy repeated incredulously.



"That's right," Willow replied. "And Tara is among them. You see, it all began with this very strange looking elf-man named Bargo..."



After an hour, Willow had divulged everything. She couldn't tell if Buffy believed her or not, because the Slayer said nothing, just listened as Willow spoke.



"We've got to get her out of there," Willow said, her face twisting with determination. "I don't know how we're going to do that, but we have to."



Still, Buffy did not respond. She seemed to be going over everything in her mind thoughtfully, still struggling to believe it all. At that point, Willow did not care if Buffy believed her or not. She stood up, feelilng the exhaustion as it attacked her body.



"I'm going to bed," she said with a yawn. "We'll talk about it later. Right now I'm feeling very fuzzy. I need some rest."



"Yeah," Buffy reached out and touched her gently. "Go sleep. We'll...um...we'll talk about everything again when you wake up."



Willow made her way out of the kitchen towards the staircase,and as she walked she could feel Buffy staring long and hard after her.



*****



She woke up at exactly seven o'clock that evening. The room was in pitch darkness, and she jumped up from the bed in a panic, switched on the side lamp, nearly knocking it down, glanced quickly at her watch and groaned.



She had slept straight through for nine hours. Willow chastised herself bitterly as she made her way to the bathroom. She had planned to be up and heading out by six o'clock, and here she was still sleeping at home.



She showered quickly, changed and then rummaged through her wardrobe. She pulled out a large, colorful knapsack folded neatly in one of the top cupboards, and then began stuffing it with clothes.



Then she reached for a box near her shoes and her breath caught. The box contained some of Tara's clothes, and until then she barely had the courage to look at it. Now, her fingers moved slowly across the folded tee-shirts and skirts. She picked up a knitted shawl, pressed her nose against it, then reached for a shirt. Just as she was stuffing the items in the knapsack, someone knocked on the door.



"Will," Buffy poked her head inside. "Can I come in?"



Willow looked up and grinned. "Of course. Your home is my home, and my home is yours, Buff," she said, happily.



Buffy moved slowly inside the room. She dug both hands deep inside her pockets, stood near the bed and watched Willow silently as she continued stuffing the knapsack with clothes.



"Will..." she cleared her throat.



"I won't be here for a while, Buffy," Willow interrupted her. "Maybe for a couple of days. But I want you to think about what I told you. I'm going to need your help."



"Yeah, about that, Will..."



"I know it's hard to believe, but when I come back I'll show you proof that it's all true."



"I believe you," Buffy said quietly.



Willow stopped what she was doing for a while and looked up at her. "You do?"



"Yeah."



"Good," Willow nodded, began stuffing the knapcack again with purpose.



"But," Buffy shook her head. "Willow, I don't think it was Tara that you saw."



Willow froze. Her eyes traveled up to Buffy's fearfully. "What-what do you mean?"



"It can't be Tara, Willow," Buffy frowned. "It doesn't make sense."



"I saw her," Willow said slowly, her voice filling with tension. "I touched her. "Don't you think I would know if it was Tara or not?"



"Willow..."



"I don't want to hear this," Willow zipped the knapsack shut, then reached under the bed for her shoes.



"You've got to," Buffy stared at her. "I spoke to Giles about it and he agreed too. This person has to be an imposter."



"No," Willow's fingers moved quickly as she laced up the shoes. Then she got up.



"Willow," Buffy gripped her firmly, stopped her in her tracks. "You and I both know that Tara can't be a Nalp."



"Why?" Willow whirled around and looked at her. Pain and terror gripped her body like a vice. "Why not?"



"Because Nalps are alive when Vampires bite them. Tara died four months ago. I saw her myself. I sat downstairs and saw when the coroners took her body away."



"Some Nalps are Nalps, but they've never been bitten by a vampire," Willow whispered.



"Are you listening to what you're saying?" Buffy's fingers tightened. "None of it makes sense, Willow. Something smells rotten. I'm thinking that someone wants to get to me for some reason, and they're using you to do it."



Willow stared dumbly back at her. Then she slumped down weakly on the bed, buried her face in her hands and began sobbing.



Buffy knelt down in front of her. She wrapped her arms around Willow, held her comfortingly for a moment, and then she said softly.



"I'm sorry, Will. I know you don't want to hear the voice of reason right now, But I'm going to get to the bottom of this, I promise. I'll find out who this imposter is and..."



"No," Suddenly Willow sat up. She looked at Buffy with deep conviction, her face wet with tears. "It's Tara. I know it is. I don't care what you say. I know what my heart tells me and I'm not going to believe otherwise. If you don't want to help me that fine. I'll get her out of there myself."



She broke away from Buffy's embrace, walked over the the wardrobe and grabbed a jacket. Buffy watched her silently as she slipped it on.



"Okay," she slapped her hands down at her side and shook her head with frustration. "You're convinced this person is Tara and that's fine. But I'm asking you to hold on a minute so that I can find out exactly what's going on. Giles is downstairs. Let's talk about this for a moment. We can do some research and see how possible this is. I'll bring him up here and we can go through some books. What'd you say?"



Willow zipped up the jacket.



"Will?"



"Fine," Willow's shoulders slumped with defeat. "Fine, fine, fine."



"Okay," Buffy heaved a sigh of relief. "Don't move. I'll get Giles."



Willow watched as she hurried out of the room. She waited until Buffy had closed the door, and then she reached quickly for the knapsack on the bed. She slipped the bag around her shoulders, heaved open one of the bedroom windows and crawled out.











*Update soon!

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/18/03 8:38 am

[good2cats]

Hi,
Thanks ever so much for the update.I was delighted to find it.What is up with this raining on Willow's parade it's got to be Tara.I eagerly await your next update.
In a unrelated matter,as to your relationship problems I can relate.My solution for myself:I have a thing for staring into beautiful blue eyes-I bought a Siamese cat.Hey, she treats me better than my last two blue eyed girlfriends.
Be well,Karen

[tstcloud]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad Willow decided to leave without consulting Buffy. I have a suspicion that Buffy's solution would have been to kill Tara and all the other NALPs.



Her reaction to the mention of NALPs also makes me somewhat suspicious. If she had encountered one before and killed it, she might be attempting to rationalize her action by calling them a myth.



Either way--I'm looking forward to the update.



T

[bijoux2]

Hello kittens, update time again. Geeze, I sweated over this one, so I hope you all enjoy it. By the way, thanks Good2cats for the adivce. It's so true what you said. I have one cat, Lily, and she's the love of my life. I swear that cat was a human in another lifetime. She kisses me every morning. That's how she wakes me up. She jumps on my bed and rubs her nose against my mouth. She's so cute. I don't know what I would do without her. Anywho, back to the matter at hand. So okay, I realize that the last update was pretty angsty. But it'll get better, I promise. Sometimes we have to write the bad stuff to get to the good stuff. Still, this story will always be a bit angsty because, well, I like angst. Sensitive readers be warned! The rating has been changed folks. Hmm, I wonder why I hope you like.







Disclaimer: I invented none of the Buffy characters. Please don't sue me.





A VISION IN THE NIGHT







Willow stopped at an all purpose store along the way to the South Sunnydale Cemetery, and stocked up on can food. She bought another knapsack, two thick blankets and a flashlight. She scouted the isles thoughtfully, grabbed some snacks and a few seclected pieces of clothing, and then paid for the items.



The knapsacks were heavy, but she barely felt the weight as she walked. She noticed nothing, not the eerie stillness of the cemetery, or the fact that she was walking through the thick woods alone, with only the thin stream of light from the flashlight to guide her. Her mind was focused on one thing. Reaching her destination.



Finally, after a long hour and a half, she was crawling out of the tunnel. She couldn't climb out of the hole with both knapsacks, and she dropped one on the top, crawled back down the rope ladder to get the other. Then she made her way wearily out of the tunnel again. She stared around her, walking slowly with the bags on her shoulders.



Nalps were everywhere. Hundreds of them were grouped together and they were laughing merrily and singing, and some were even dancing. Torches hung festively from the trees, and paper lanterns traced the route to the giant bonfire, and then onwards to the Hidden Barracks. The woods was alive with mirth and song. A Nalp was strumming a guitar, playing an odd folk tune and the grown-ups laughed watching the children as they wiggled their bodies to the music.



Willow moved slowly among them. She watched the festivities for a few surprised moments, and then she hurried towards the Hidden Barracks.



For a moment, she thought the building was deserted. She hurried up the crumbling stairs, breathing heavily, and burst into one of the familiar rooms.



Tara was sitting alone in a dark corner, hugging her knees, and she got up immediately when she saw Willow. She smiled, worry and distress melting quickly from her features.



"Hey, baby," she said softly.



Willow dropped the bags near the door and rushed to her. They held each other tightly. Tara pressed her face against Willow's neck and whispered,



"It was getting late. I thought s-something had h-happened."



Willow said nothing, just held her. She felt something stir inside her the moment Tara had walked from the shadows, a kind of profound awakening of her soul, and Willow knew then, with certainty, that her instincts had been right. The terrible pain and doubt that she was harboring in her heart slipped away instantly, and she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling weak with relief.



Tara gripped her tighter. Then she leaned back and stared up at Willow with concern.



"Baby, you're shaking."



Willow took a deep breath. She kissed Tara's cheeks and temples, and then she pressed her lips against Tara's mouth.



Tara kept looking at her with concern. "Are you okay?"



"I'm fine now," Willow said. Her lips found Tara's again, and the gentle moment, the act of their tongues touching, helped to calm her down. She took a deep breath, kissed Tara one last time, then pulled away and pointed curiously to the open door behind them.



"What's going on out there?"



"The Nalps are having a bit of fun," Tara smiled. "Bargo thought that after last night they needed a little cheering up so he suggested the lanterns and music."



"Great idea," Willow replied, nodding. Then she looked around the room. Three candles, almost worn down to their wicks, was burning softly in tiny soucers on the floor. "Where are they?" she asked. "Bargo and Hexall?"



"Out there somewhere," Tara replied. "They were going to wait for you too, but I didn't want them to miss all the fun."



"That's fine," Willow moved away from Tara. She dragged the two knapsacks inside the room, heaved them on top of the wooden table. "I brought some stuff for them, though."



"Really?" Tara's smile broadened.



"And for you too," Willow said. She unzipped the bag and then began pulling out the clothes. Tara reached for the items. She picked up one of her skirts, pressed it against her body and sighed.



"God," she mumbled solemnly. "I needed those."



"Yeah," Willow unzipped the other bag excitedly. "I figured as much. And look, I bought this for Bargo." She flashed a small jacket, dropped it and picked up a few thick shirts. "And these are for Hexall. I don't know her size, but I figured a medium should fit her, even though it's a bit too big" Her brows furrowed slightly. "You don't think it'll be too big, do you?"



"Baby, they're just going to be happy to get them," Tara said proudly.



Willow grinned back. Then she pulled out the two wool blankets from the knapsack and waved them in front of Tara.



"I don't want you sleeping under that thin piece of cloth ever again," she said sternly.



Tara smiled teasingly. "Yes, ma'am."



"I mean it," Willow laid the blankets down on the table. Then she dug inside the bag again. "There's some food in there for me. Canned stuff of course, because, well, there's no fridge here and it's just easy to pour these out and eat. You don't even have to warm them, although that might be kinda gross."



Tara leaned against the table and watched her lovingly.



"And," Willow's face lit up. She pulled out something else from the bag. "And I bought you this."



Tara stared down at the thick, white sweater. "F-for me?"



"Put it on," Willow said excitedly, unfolding the shirt.



"Now?" Tara questioned, but she was already unbuttoning the thick, hood jacket that nearly swallowed her body. She dropped it on the floor, then removed two more dingy, worn shirts.



She was not wearing a bra, and she was half naked for a short moment as she slipped on the sweater.



Willow stared at her. The transformation took her breath away. Tara looked as beautiful as a model in the warmly lit room. Her creamy, blond hair fell softly against her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled. The brightness of the sweater had lighted her whole demeanor, and brought the color back to her cheeks.



"Wow," Willow whispered, smiling.



Tara blushed, bowed her head. Then she glanced at the price tag, still poking from the sweater. "What did you do, baby?" she teased. "Break the bank?"



"It was well worth it," Willow grinned.



They watched each other silently for a moment. Then Tara moved, wrapped her arms around Willow. "Food and warm clothing," she said softly. "I guess this means you'll be staying here for a while?"



"Forever if need be." Willow twisted her face determinedly.



"I won't argue with that," Tara said. Then she smiled. "Will?"



"Yeah?"



"Is that a flashlight?"



Willow turned to the bag again, saw it poking through the clothes.



"Oh yeah," she said enthusiastically. "It helped me so much, Tara. The woods was in complete darkness and..."



"Great," Tara interrupted suddenly, kissing her on the nose. "Hold on to it. We're going to need it."



"Huh?" Willow watched her in confusion.



"Grab the light, Will," Tara urged mysteriously. She rolled one of the thick blankets under her arm and reached for Willow's hand. "Stop talking and lets get out of here."



*******





They moved hand in hand among the celebrating Nalps. The festivities had not abated, if anything the laughter and singing had grown louder. Willow and Tara followed the hanging paper lanterns, and stood for a moment amidst the excited crowd.



Thick clusters of Nalps surrounded the giant bonfire. They were socializing quite roucously, chanting at the tops of their lungs, holding each other by the waist and swaying through their folk songs.



Willow and Tara smiled at each other. The happy atmosphere was beginning to rub off them as well. The Nalps looked back at them and grinned, and their flushed, excited faces and tattered gray clothes seemed like a snapshot from another era.



Willow scanned the crowd for Bargo and Hexall, but her two kindly friends were nowhere to be seen.



The Nalps grew thicker and the songs louder, and Willow, moved by the atmosphere, began to hum, although she did not know what she was humming. Then she felt Tara's fingers tighten in hers.



"Come on," she said, and guided Willow back to the Hidden Barracks.



They moved quickly passed the dark, ancient building towards the woods. Tara flicked on the flashlight and moved knowingly through the trees. There was a small track laid out amidst the thick piles of leaves, and she followed it silently, with Willow struggling to keep up. The Nalps could still be heard singing merrily in the distance.



Tara frowned, trying to get her bearings, holding the flashlight above her head so that she could see better. Then, after fifteen minutes, they broke through the woods, and walked out onto a small clearing. A few yards away, a lake shimmered in the moonlight like a mirage.



Willow stared around her in surprise, but Tara said nothing, just continued walking.



Finally, she stopped near the water, flicked off the flashlight, and laid the blanket down on a small grassy area. Then she removed the sweater that Willow had bought for her, passing it quickly through her head.



"I thought it was a lot more private here than the Hidden Barracks," she whispered.



Willow smiled. She had never seen Tara so bold or urgent.



"Is-is it safe?" Willow asked, glancing around for a moment. "I mean, what about the recalcitrant vampires...?"



"It's safe," Tara removed the rest of her clothes, stood naked in the chill. "This is where the Hemlocks grow. Nalps have never been attacked here."



"Oh," Was all Willow could say. She was still fully dressed, and Tara moved up to her, unzipped Willow's thick jacket.



"Take it off, baby."



"Bossy Tara," Willow whispered, wiggling out of her clothes. "I like."



Soon they were both naked, and they lay down on the thick blanket. Willow moved on top of Tara, and she held her for a moment, feeling the warmth of Tara's body, listening as their hearts thumped heavily, following one, single rhythm. Then they kissed, deeply and passionately.



Tara moved her lips, kissed Willow's ears and neck, sucked the hollow in Willow's throat.



Willow closed her eyes, leaned back, her breath shooting from her mouth visibily in the cool air. She ran her hand along Tara's side, felt smooth skin. Then her hands moved up again, brushed away the blond hair from Tara's shoulder, bent, kissed Tara there.



Tara moaned, held her closer. They moved slowly, sensuously on top the other. Willow pressed her lips down, claiming every inch of skin. She found one nipple, sucked for a moment, then reached like a baby for the other. Tara arched her body urgently, dug her fingers through Willow's hair. Her hands moved desperately across Willow's back, then as Willow moved lower, plunged her fingers through thick, red hair again.



Willow kissed Tara's stomach, slid her tongue around Tara's navel, and then moved her lips lower, lower still. Tara groaned again, and she muttered, "Will..." her voice heavy with desire. She shifted and watched as Willow parted her legs, kissed the delicate skin along her inner thigh teasingly.



Willow pressed her lips further in, and Tara's whole body stiffened, then she arched up in a generous proffering of love and trust. Willow burrowed in, her tongue finding every crevice. She tasted Tara's familiar taste, smelt Tara's familiar smell, and passion inflamed her, coursing through her veins as if it was fire.



Tara was writhing restlessly beneath her. Then, as if wanting to slow the moment down a bit, she ran her hands through Willow's hair, guided her up again.



They kissed heatedly, tongues darting in, tasting what they had missed for four months, mouths brushing desperately. Then Tara shifted, slid her body over Willow's. Her lips scorched every inch of skin, and then she moved her legs, parted Willow thighs, and pressed her waist in gently so that they were touching each other.



Willow felt her wetness join with Tara's lilke a warm erotic kiss, and she gripped Tara by the waist and moved along with her.



Tara's eyes were closed, her face flushed with concentration and excitement. Willow looked up at her in wonder. No one had ever made her feel the wonderful things she was feeling at this very moment. She touched Tara's face gently, brushed her hand across Tara's sweaty brows and cheeks, ran her fingers along Tara's neck and she whispered, "You're so beautiful," panting heavily, moving her hips urgently, searching and finding the distinct rhythm. "I never want this to end."



A second later, Tara bent forward and buried her head in Willow's shoulder. They were both moaning as the slow, burning grip of passion released them both.









*Update soon!

Edited by: bijoux2 at: 10/25/03 12:05 pm

[Arwen276]

Definitely looking forward!!!



it's beautiful and yet sad...with Tara being a Nalp and all...

she's a creature of light yet condemned to Darkness...

at least now they have each other...





more!!



~Arwen

Hear That Baby? You're My Always... Willow