BuffyFan4ever I figured that Dawn deserved a little closure as regards Simone after all that she's been through of late but the demon hand will return to provide more torture to Dawn in a later chapter.
fhiwda Yeah I'm really putting Dawn through the ringer in this story but it is going to be the making of her. You're bang on about Dawn worrying about Simone's spirit, so award yourself a chocolate cookie.
Ariel Dawn speaking with Simone's spirit was always going to be emotional and, hopefully, powerful but Willow is a captain who cares deeply about her crew hence her also getting choked up. You wrote
Quote:
'Simone will reveal the deadly danger and do some exposition for them, but no. Instead you share some powerful moments and reveal NOTHING!'
Revealed nothing, oh far from it my friend, it's only a little but there is enough there to trigger suspicion off in Willow's mind. All will be revealed in a couple of chapters, or will it mwahahahahahahahahahahhaha
Finey_McFine There are more questions at the moment but don't worry, all will be answered. I've always had a lot of love for Dawn and never thought she was well written for on Buffy till about season 7 so I'm trying to write her as a teen who is forced to grow up very quickly and hopefully getting better as a person, and crewmember, all the time. The experience was heartbreaking for Dawn but she's also had some closure and it should help her move on. Yep, Willow is now aware that there's something bad coming so award yourself a chocolate cookie for picking up on that.
[/center]THE ADVENTURES OF RED ROSENBERG
DEAD MAN’S ISLE [/center]
Author; Willowtaralover
Rating; NC-17 to R for smut, violence and naughty swearing
Disclaimer; Willow, Tara and all Buffy characters are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox. The story and all original characters are mine alone.
Story; Rough, tough pirate captain Willow ‘Red’ Rosenberg is on the search for treasure but finds including romance with a beautiful blonde, betrayal from a previously loyal crew-member and deadly danger in the shape of a necromancer, and his army of undead, who plans to resurrect an evil goddess.
Thoughts are in italics Chapter 22 Friendship and Forgiveness
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously on Red Rosenberg
"Captain, I need to warn you also. There is a great danger to you and your crew. It was on the night I died, I was on my way to Dawn's cabin when I heard people talking in another cabin. I listened closely and heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
The scream was deafening and the image of Simone's entire body was suddenly shattered into a million pieces, as if a crystal glass were suddenly dashed against a marble floor. Dawn could only look on helplessly as once again her beloved Dawn was taken from her. She collapse to her knees completely broken-hearted, too shattered to even cry. As she did the rest of the crowd could only watch in horror as a huge clawed arm thrust its way up through Simone's shattering image.
It was three times as thick as a normal man's arm and seemed to be formed from scales as black as the darkest night that gleamed slightly in the moonlight. The arm ended in a huge hand with three fingers that ended in wicked looking, dagger like claws that looked like they were formed from sharpened bone and could plainly cause great injury to anyone who got to close to them.
There suddenly came a moan from Tara and as Buffy and Willow turned they saw her fall to the ground in a dead faint while the demonic arm appeared to retract through the fire which had now gone back to its usual orange glow and faintly the sound of Simone's scream could be heard echoing over and over again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow quickly went to Tara's side placing the blonde's head on her lap, concern etched on her youthful features. Xander quickly took a water bottle to the redhead which she took gratefully and splashed a few droplets of water on her lover's face. After a few seconds Tara slowly roused with a groan. She placed a hand on her head and closed her sapphire hued eyes cringing for a moment, adding to Willow's concern.
"Are ya a'right there Tara love. Yer not in any agony are ya?"
Tara smiled at her lover's concern and put a reassuring hand on Willow's cheek.
"I'm fine my darling, just a bit of a headache that's all." Tara whispered her voice barely a whisper. She suddenly cringed in agony again as the pounding in her skull seemed to increase. It felt like a hell beast was smashing a war hammer against either side of her head. After the pain had decreased she inclined her head slowly to the side to see Dawn staring mutely at the fire, now back to its familiar bright orange/yellow glow again after the appearance of Simone's spirit.
"Dawn, Dawnie I'm so sorry," Tara's voice was now a rough croak, her throat felt dry and just to say those few words seemed to exhaust her. It was as if the young blonde were an elderly woman than the girl in her twenties she really was.
The younger girl kept staring at the fire where, but a few moments before her former love had been standing. She gasped for air as she attempted to hold back tears after having seen her beloved’s spirit shattered before her as a hammer would strike a mirror. Xander left Willow's side and went to where the girl stood in open mouthed horror at the sight she had just borne witness to. He nudged Dawn gently attracting her attention. She started and looked at Xander who indicated where Willow and Tara were still on the ground, the redhead giving some water to her lover from a leather water-sack.
"W...what happened, what did you do Tara, how could you lose her like that? You know how much she means to me." Dawn's face was red with a mix of anger and misery. Her hands were clenched at her sides into tight fists, her muscles tensed as if ready for a fight. Her eyes fought a losing battle as her cheeks gleamed with tears that she did not want to shed, not wanting to show weakness in front of everyone. Dawn's shouting had now attracted the attention of everyone round the campfire and they all noticed the irritation on the face of the Captain.
"I'm so sorry," Tara repeated her voice slightly stronger this time. "I was unable to keep the link with Simone. Someone or something broke the connection I had with Simone, something far more powerful than I could ever hope to be. I am so sorry Dawn but there was nothing I could do."
There was so much empathy in both her voice and face, yet still it appeared for a long time as if Dawn was going to explode on her. Finally the younger girl let out a shuddering breath she didn't even know she had been holding and walked over to where Willow and Tara lay on the sand and knelt down on the opposite side to Willow who kept a careful eye on the girl in case she lost her temper again.
As she regained control of her breathing and temper Dawn looked at Tara and all the love and compassion in her face. The blonde reached out taking the younger girls hand in her own, holding it gently, an attempt to help the grieving Dawn. Willow watched the interaction between the two girls but didn’t intervene in any way, knowing the moment was special and private between them both.
"Tara, I’m so sorry that I went off at you like that, I didn't mean to it's just..."
"I know Dawnie, I know. I'm just sorry you didn't get to spend a longer time talking with her but I could see that she was very proud of you, of having known you and having been a part of her life, even for a short time."
Willow didn't say anything but a smile played across her features and she nodded in agreement with Tara's words. Deep inside, Willow herself was proud of Dawn’s progress having seen her grow from an overconfident, angry wannabe to the self-assured young woman she was slowly but surely becoming.
“Well, thank you Tara. Thank you so much for giving me this chance to see Simone again. It meant a lot to me.” Dawn leaned forward to hug the young witch, a gesture which Tara happily reciprocated. Willow looked lovingly at them both, a feeling of great joy suffusing her soul with the thought that here she was, surrounded by those she thought of as friends and family.
For a long moment no one said anything as they took in all that they had seen. Simone's spirit and her unfinished message to Willow, then the demonic hand that had reached up and had shattered her spirit’s form. Again, Dawn was the first to speak, fearful of her friend’s fate.
"Tara, that arm. What was it and what did it do to Simone? Will she be all right? Will she be safe back in the Golden Palace?" The questions were fired off rapidly as the girl looked to the witch, hope and fear both playing across her youthful features. Tara dropped her gaze to the sandy beach, but when she finally looked back up her blue eyes were suffused with sadness.
"I'm so sorry Dawnie but I just do not know. I've never seen anything like it before. As I said before the only thing I do know is that whatever that thing was, wherever it came from, it was a magic far more powerful than my own. If it was from the demon planes then it could be anything as the beings there use only the darkest magicks. My magic is white magic, pure magic powered by love and light. The dark magicks are highly corrupt, they're powered by hate, dissent, fear and all the negative forces in the universe."
"So yer saying it could be anything that ain't from the Golden Palace then," interrupted Willow who, despite having seen Tara's magic with her own eyes wasn't quite accepting of what she was hearing."
"That's precisely what I'm saying," Tara replied her voice grim at Willow's cynicism. Her blue eyes stared deep into Willow's green and the pirate was slightly intimidated by the look on her lovers face.
"Erm yes well, umm on that note I reckons as ta how we should be settling down an’ have a good night's kip, particularly as how Tara here was hurt. We got a guard fer the night watch?" she called out and received a chorus of voices in reply as several of the girls came forward affirming their willingness to help.
"A ‘right, Liana, Alex, Jess yer up first then Dawn, Laragh and Chou-Lee take over at three then at six it's Kat, Amanda and Jules, and ye’ll get ta sleep in fer once." she said this last with a grin that got a laugh from the crew. As everyone began to settle down for the night, Liana, a girl with skin the colour of chocolate brown and shoulder length, raven hair, gave a quick curious glance over at Dawn before falling into step with Alex. Not that Dawn noticed as she was slipping under a blanket laid out on the sand by Buffy to get a short couple of hours rest before her watch.
-----------------------------------------------
The next morning dawned quietly with the blue/black night sky changing to light gray and finally to a sapphire hue reflecting the glassy surface of the sea. It wasn't long before the gulls in the sky began they're cacophonous squawking of which quickly spread to the parrots in the jungle. On the beach, the crew slowly woke from their restful sleep, grateful that they didn't have to wake early as they might normally do on the Slayer but annoyed by the frenzied screeching noise from the birds.
Under their quilted blanket the redheaded pirate Captain reached a hand across to Tara and pulled herself closer so that she could get a warmer snuggle. As she did so a frown crossed her face as she touched something that felt different. It was definitely flesh, of that Willow was certain and yet it didn’t have that familiar warmth to it that Willow could always associate with Tara. As she gently stroked the skin under her hand the soft sigh that emanated sounded different to the redhead's ears. Then she heard Tara gently murmur Willow’s name followed by a quiet snore. She half opened an eye and blearily saw an arm resting on Tara. Not just resting on Tara’s body generally but resting on Tara’s breast specifically.
For a long moment she thought nothing of it and started to fall back asleep. Then a light went off in her head and opened her eyes again, more fully this time. As she looked she saw that at some point during the night, presumably after her turn at watch had ended Dawn had gotten into bed with them on Tara's side and snuggled up to the blonde. A snuggle that as far as Willow was concerned only belonged to her.
Now it was obvious to anyone else that Dawn had been unaware of what she had done in her sleep. Willow didn’t care about that though, she was as mad as hell that anyone else would dare to place their hands upon Tara’s body.
The redhead quickly got to her feet from the makeshift bed on the beach and walked round to where Dawn lay resting against Tara.
“Get up ya lazy swab,” Willow roared while roughly shaking her awake by her shoulders.
“Uh, wha, who the,” Dawn muttered as she awake, startled at her Captain’s angry mood. The girl looked around her in shock wondering what had happened and found herself staring into Willow’s glowering face.
“Get yer filthy meathooks off me woman,” the redhead growled in menacing voice while Dawn just kept staring as she tried to orient herself.
A sudden jolt of pain on her elbow woke her even more and Dawn turned to her left to find herself staring into Tara’s face who was still half asleep herself. The witch’s face suddenly creased a little in slight confusion and she and Dawn both slowly looked down at the same time to see the younger girl’s hand still pressed tight against her friend’s boob. Dawn’s face became the bright scarlet shade of a tomato and she quickly removed the offending palm.
“Umm, sorry,” she squeaked out in a quiet voice to the blonde girl who gave a small smile and a gentle inclination of the head in acknowledgment of Dawn’s apology.
“What the hell d’ya think yer doin’?” Willow asked, still fuming after having found the girl pawing at her lover. She glared at Dawn, fists on her hips in an attempt to intimidate the stowaway. Dawn merely glared back, in no way daunted by the Captain’s threatening scowl.
“What? It was an accident,” Dawn protested her innocence defensively. She understood her hands had been where they shouldn’t but she’d just apologised to Tara, surely that should have been enough.
By now Tara was fully awake and watching the argument between the two girls. She let out a sigh, rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Ya know full well that Tara be the Captain’s, which happens ta be me by the way, she’s
MY woman. So the only one who gets ta play with her tits is me and not you, understood?” Dawn stared at her for a moment before her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms across her chest. Now she was pissed. She could understand Willow and Tara both being upset with where her hands were placed but she had at least apologised and after all it was just an accident. The way the pirate queen was going on about it though, anyone would think Dawn had been pleasuring Tara herself.
By now many of the girls were fully awake and had gathered in a large circle round the three figures central to this particular mini drama. They were looking forward to some fun and possibly even a good fist fight as it was well known throughout the Slayer crew about Dawn being headstrong and her numerous clashes with Willow.
“I’ll put my ‘damn meat-hooks’ wherever I bloody well please!” And to emphasize the point she squeezed Tara’s breast as a point of defiance, entirely forgetting that there was a woman attached to it. A woman with blazing blue eyes and a look that inspired terror
You could have heard a pin drop, the silence was almost deafening, broken only by the waves rolling to the shore. Everyone was so shocked and amazed by what had just occurred before them. Dawn, the youngest member of the crew had placed her hand on the body of the Captain’s woman. Everybody knew you didn’t do this, certainly not if you valued your life. Several of the Slayerettes were actually slightly in awe of Dawn’s actions as more than a few of them had cast admiring glances Tara’s way, even if the girl herself wasn’t aware of them.
The Slayerette’s weren’t the only ones in shock by what had just happened. Tara, Buffy and Willow all gaped, open-mouthed at Dawn and her actions which none of them would have believed were possible from her.
It was Tara herself who finally broke the silence.
“Dawn, would you kindly remove your hands from my body.” If Tara’s glare was icy then her tone of voice was definitely sub-zero. The younger girl turned her attention from glaring at Willow to the blonde girl and saw the hostile look on her face then turned her attentions to her hand on Tara’s boob. Again her face became as red as Willow’s hair and she quickly, albeit reluctantly, removed her hand from Tara’s body.
“Sorry,” Dawn said in a quiet, meek voice, suddenly very nervous of having angered the girl that she considered a friend.
“Thank you,” Tara said curtly after Dawn had taken her hand off her body.
“Aye, I should think so too,” Willow yelled at the younger girl, fury still emblazoned on her face making it as red as a poppy. “What the hell where ya thinkin’ Dawn, oh wait yeah that’s right , ya weren’t thinkin’ were ya, like as always.”
“Oh that’s right Willow, blame me as always, don’t stop and think it may be your fault. You know full well that the first time was just accidental in my sleep. I only put my hands on Tara’s ti...her boobs,” Dawn swiftly corrected herself aware of Tara’s eyes boring into the back of her head and she didn’t want to offend her further. “I only put my hands on her boobs purposely because you decided to make a big deal out of it even though I’d already apologised.”
All this time Buffy was holding her hand over her mouth trying to suppress the laughter that was threatening to erupt from her at any second seeing her sister getting herself into trouble not only with Willow but Tara too.
“STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!!!!.” Willow froze with her mouth open as did Dawn, both staring with terrified fascination at Tara, who resembled the war goddess Karakka ready to strike. Her blue eyes, normally like that of a summer sky, were now cold and icy like a glacier. If looks were daggers Dawn and Willow would have died instantly. They turned to each other, fear plain on both their faces. “I am sick and tired of you both arguing and bickering all the time. You two behave more like children than the adults you’re supposed to be. You Willow, do I like a piece of meat in a butchers shop awaiting someone to get their ‘hooks’ into me? And you Dawn. Just what in the hell did you think you were doing just then, placing your hands on my breasts? Do you take me for some kind of squeeze toy?”
The two girls began babbling apologies and excuses but Tara the Vengeful was not easily appeased. They saw a glare in Tara’s eyes that terrified them both more than anything they had seen or experienced before. Indeed so afraid were they that Dawn and Willow were practically holding each other for comfort, fear writ large on both their faces.
“We’re in trouble aren’t we Will?”
“Aye girl, that we are,” Willow replied nervously. “Right, now listen carefully. I want ya ta slowly step back wi me.” As she felt the redhead move back a step Dawn followed in her wake only for Tara to also move a step forward on them.
“What’s plan B Will.” Dawn was nervous. She had become so used to the warm friendliness of the witch, to see her now all angry and intimidating, it quite unnerved the girl, especially as Tara was edging ever closer towards the two, fury still plain on her face. In a panic they both turned, crashed briefly into each other before beginning to sprint towards the shelter of the jungle. Willow paused for a moment and turned back in an attempt to save grace
“I’m off to go hunt some—“
Tara inhaled to begin shouting again and Willow took one look at the blonde’s red face and flashing eyes; then sprinted after Dawn who had not bothered to wait for her captain.
“Wait for me,” she shouted to the fleeing girl as she tried to catch her up before she entered the impenetrable depths of the jungle.
“Hi, come back here I’m not done with you two,” yelled out Tara as she set off in pursuit of Dawn and Willow her dress hitched just above her knees to enable her to run faster. “Next time I see you I’ll turn you into a frog Willow,” she hollered after them but by now they were out of earshot. Finally she gave up and headed back to where the rest of the ships crew were falling about the sandy beach in tears of laughter at the events that had just occurred.
“Oh gods that was hilarious Tara. I’ve never seen Willow as scared before in all the time that I’ve known her.” Buffy laughed out loud as she gave a friendly slap on the back to her fellow blonde. In response Tara merely turned her icy glare on to Buffy whose laugh slowly sputtered to a stop and the broad smile slowly faded from her face as the blonde’s chilly stare made Buffy shiver to the bone.
“Errr yeah, well, I’ll just be over there,” Buffy said suddenly nervous of the witch and she set off across the beach to where some of the pirate crew were practising combat moves, both with and without swords.
Xander, who had slept through the whole incident, came strolling up, shirt over one shoulder so that his body was bare to the warm morning sun and he scratched away at a stubbly chin while yawning hugely. “Mornin’ Tara,” he said cheerfully to the young witch. Even though she ignored him he carried on, totally oblivious to her cool reaction. “Is there any rat left for breakfast?” She turned toward him and he was completely taken aback by the furious scowl on her face. “Shut up Xander,” she snarled at him before setting off back up the trail to the lagoon where she had made love with Willow the previous day. “What, what did I do,” said Xander to Tara’s retreating back, his voice small and helpless.
------------------------------------------------
Willow and Tara traipsed through the jungle, both taken aback by Tara’s reaction and were quiet with their thoughts. As well as being a little angry at each other after the incident on the beach. They had caught a few parrots with their pig stickers, hurling them into the trees as improvised spears, hooking the clawed toes onto their belt so they could be easily carried.
Noon came and the two hunters settled down for lunch. They had lit a small fire and were each roasting a parrot on a long stick after having twisted off the heads of the birds and plucked as many feathers as possible, adding them to the fire causing it to spit little sparks into the air.
They were in a small clearing and seated on a tree trunk. It had plainly been uprooted during a recent storm and a great many other trees in the area had been damaged and bent out of shape. However the trunks of these trees were still connected to the roots and thus were still upright. The trees were of an unusual colouring, the bark, a bright silver while the leaves were of a dark red shade with razor sharp edges, something that Willow, to her chagrin discovered, when having seen small clusters of red berries decided to get some to take back thinking that Tara could possibly use it either as a form of medicine or as a garnish for food.
As she had reached in through the leaves one of them sliced the back of her hand leaving a bloody gash which did nothing to improve her black mood. Both she and Dawn were still shocked at Tara’s reaction. They were both so used to the blonde’s gentle nature that to see her lose her temper the way she had, had taken them both by surprise. So there they sat in silent contemplation both wondering how they could possibly make it up to the girl who meant so much to them.
Surprisingly, it was Dawn who ended the silence between them.
“How’s your hand?” The question was asked quietly, without malice or offensiveness. Just casually and with a little concern, almost as if it were a paper cut as opposed to one from an unknown, possibly poisonous, plant.
“’S a’right, I had worse in me time. Could a’ been worse I s’pose, by now I could a’ had branches growin’ outta me arms and a woodpecker hammering me head.” She grinned broadly at Dawn as she said this and was glad to see a similarly wide smile from the younger girl. Deciding that she was making progress in trying to make things up with Dawn, Willow continued chatting with her. Once and for all she wanted to make peace with Dawn. She genuinely liked Dawn and wanted to see the girl grow and become the fine sailor and pirate she knew Dawn would become. Also she was tired of fighting and arguing with the girl constantly. Whilst the admired Dawn’s spunk and her refusal to back down from a fight or her willingness to work hard with the rest of the crew when she wasn’t guarding Tara. It was, however, the younger girl’s ability to answer back and argue, particularly with Willow, that the redhead found most wearying.
“Willow?”
“Aye girl, what is it?”
“What was wrong with Tara this morning? She’s not usually pissed at us like that.” “Oh ta hell if I know Dawn,” Willow grumbled in reply. “Ya know I been wi’ more’n a few girls in me time and they all been bloody mad as a box o’ matches. I dunno. Who can say what goes through their minds, damn crazy women.”
Dawn didn’t say anything just nodded in agreement with Willow’s declaration, a sage look on her face. Then she hesitated a moment as she thought back to the redheads words, a crease furrowing her brow. She looked up at Willow who was munching down on a roast parrot then looked back at the fire a quizzical expression permeating her youthful features. At length the girl spoke.
“Willow?”
“Aye lass.”
“You’re a woman aren’t you?”
Willow slowly raised her head and looked over at Dawn with a raised eyebrow and a questioning look on her face. “I was last time I looked, why?”
“Well doesn’t that make you crazy too?”
Willow opened her mouth ready with a witty comeback, then stopped, her mouth open in the shape of an ‘O’ as she took in Dawn’s query. In the end Willow just scowled and gave the only reply she could come up with.
“Shut up Dawn, and eat yer parrot afore it gets burnt.”
Dawn was going to speak up again but noticed the dangerous look in the redhead’s eyes, almost daring her to make a comment, and decided to shut up.
As they ate in a peaceful silence, Willow would glance over in Dawn’s direction every couple of seconds. Deep down she knew that she would have to make things right with the girl after the incident on the beach but didn’t really want to after having seen the girl’s hands all over Tara’s breasts. It stuck in Willow’s craw, the idea of having to say sorry to Dawn, but she knew she had to say something to make it up to Dawn, even if she didn’t agree with it.
“Dawn,” she said, breaking the calm silence between them.
“Hmm umm?”Dawn replied, her mouth full of juicy roast parrot.
“I umm, I er... I just wanted ta say sorry fer yelling at yer on the beach. But ya did have yer meathooks all over me woman.” Dawn had enough grace to drop her head slightly in embarrassment here as she understood how much it took for the pirate to apologise like that. She also realised that she was going to have to be equally contrite.
Ah well, I’ve said sorry so often lately one more time won’t make any difference I guess. “I’m sorry too Willow, I really didn’t put my hands on her boobs on purpose when I was sleeping, it was an accident. I...I had been dreaming that I was with Simone. It was only when you woke me that I realized where I was. And where my hand was,” she finished in a small voice.
“And then ya decided ta get a lil stroppy an’ challenge me eh...” Willow had a wry grin on her face as she understood the apology that Dawn was trying to make.
“I was just pissed at you though for yelling at me for no reason other than something that I didn’t do on purpose it just, y’know, happened. I woke and my hands were ya know, where they were.”
“Aye lass, I know where they were, I got a good eyeful as I recall,” Willow replied with not a little mirth in her voice. She nodded her head wisely as she took in what Dawn said, appreciating the awkwardness the girl felt deep inside. After a moment’s quiet Willow spoke again.
“Dawn, d’ya hate me or summat, it’s just I can’t get me head round yer behaviour most o’ the time. If ya got some kinda problem then we gotta sort it out cos what we’re heading inta, I dunno. But I got a crew I havta protect from fuck knows what and that ain’t just Tara. It includes yer sister and Xander too, so let me know what’s what.”
Dawn was dumbstruck. She had no words to reply with, all she could do was stare at Willow who just gazed back at her calmly. The silence seemed to be everlasting, broken only by the squawking of the parrots in the trees and the crackle of fat dripping from the roasting birds onto the small fire.
“W...Willow, no...no I don’t hate you. I’ve never hated you. I’ve always told you, you’re my hero Will. I know that I’ve done some things that you hated but I promise you I don’t do it on purpose. I wish I could tell you why I’ve done those things but I can’t. All I can do is say I’m sorry and hope you’ll understand and forgive me, but please believe me when I say that I do not hate you.”
Willow could hear the honesty in the girl’s voice and understood herself what it was like to be young and reckless and not give a damn for not so very long ago she had been just like Dawn. Now things were different. Willow wasn’t some naive recruit but a Captain with two ships and crews to think about. She gazed thoughtfully at Dawn for a while before deciding the girl’s future.
“I understand what yer saying Dawn, but I gotta take care o’ me crew as I told ya and I ain’t got the time ta watch out fer ya or ta keep fightin’ with ya. I seen ya work and ya do good, ya make me proud, and Buffy too.”
“But ya gotta unnerstand Dawn, though we’re on a treasure hunt, fer me Tara is the treasure. She is what I bin huntin’ fer and now I have her I don’t need nuffin else. I love her Dawn. I dunno what magic she done ta me but I love her an I’ll give up all I got if it means I get ta keep her wi’ me forever and I ain’t willing ta let anyone else near her either. There was another short silence before Willow continued,
“And Dawn, if ya ever tell anyone what I just told ya, I’ll make ya walk the plank,” and she grinned at her companion in a friendly manner which Dawn reciprocated.
“Does this mean we’re friends again?” She asked of the redhead “Aye Dawn, I reckons as how it does, long as ya follow me orders and don’t piss about, we’re friends again,” and with those words the redhead spat on her hand and held it out for the Dawn who mirrored Willow’s actions, and took her hand in a firm grip and shook it.
For the first time in what felt like for ever Willow felt a great burden ease off her shoulders now she had hopefully cleared the air between herself and Dawn.
“C’mon lass let’s head back,” the redhead said cheerily as she rose from the tree trunk. “But we haven’t caught anything much,” Dawn protested wondering why they were heading back to the camp on the beach so soon.
“Aye, I know girl but they’re sure to have caught plenty of fish at the beach. We’ll just get Tara ta make a fish stew, we only had it what, 175 times now?” She asked the question with a cheeky grin but inwardly was glad the blonde witch wasn’t there or she would be in serious trouble with her lover.
“Nah, more like 300,” replied Dawn returning the grin. “But at least this time there’ll be coconut in it too.”
“Ha, yer like me girl, thinking with yer belly,” Willow laughed as Dawn stood from the tree. She put her arm back over the brunette’s shoulders and Dawn did the same as they set off down the path and back to their friends.
-----------------------------------------------
It wasn’t long before they were back at the encampment, laughing and joking together as if they were the oldest of friends. On the beach the crew had ended their combat practice and were sunning themselves on the sand, swimming in the ocean or sitting around in groups chatting amongst themselves. It didn’t escape willow’s attention that some of the girls from the Slayer had come over whilst most of the night watch had gone back to the ship to prep it for sail. A group of three called to Dawn as soon as she and Willow appeared from the jungle and, slipped her arm from round the redhead’s shoulders and hurried over to them, joining in the excited chatter.
Willow scanned around for Tara, determined to make it up to the blonde. She quickly espied the object of her affections by her blue dress. She, like many others, was lying on the sand under the gorgeous sun apparently asleep. The pirate chieftain walked over to Tara dumping the parrots by the fire for cooking that night.
She knelt as she reached the witch and looked at the girls face, so peaceful in her slumber. A gentle smile tugged at the girl’s mouth and her face was clean and untarnished despite all the events that had happened to her since stepping aboard the Slayer. Just to gaze upon the blonde’s beautiful face made Willow fall in love all over again. She bent her head and kissed Tara’s forehead before uttering her name quietly.
Tara flinched a little as Willow’s shadow blocked her from the sun. Her eyes fluttered as they adjusted to the light before she clearly saw Willow smiling down at her.
“Ya a’right Tara, d’ya have a good sleep?” Willow voice was alive with joy as she asked her questions, fully aware that she would have to eat a large slice of humble pie, something she was willing to do if she were to stay in Tara’s good books.
“I’m very well thank you,” Tara replied, her voice cool. “Are you and Dawn friends or are you still fighting?”
“Nah, we kissed and made up. Well, we didn’t kiss ‘zactly but we shook hands,” Willow said, a smile on her face hiding her fear that Tara was going to alienate herself from the pirate.
“Good,” was all Tara said before turning her eyes toward the sea. The silence was a vast chasm between the girls, each with their own thoughts and fears. Finally Tara ended the quiet. “Willow,” she said in a soft voice, “we need to talk.”
TO BE CONTINUED