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

General Chat  || Kitten  || WaV  || Pens  || Mi2  || GMP  || TiE  || FAQ  || Feed - The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 443 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 11, 12, 13, 14, 15  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 35 07/07/12
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 2:27 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:51 pm
Posts: 922
Location: Kaskinen, Finland. Citizen of Kitopia
Dibs-y goodness...

Yay for excellent update-y goodness... Yay for another addition to the Witch-y Fu gang...

PS: I really hope your surgery goes ok and you have a speedy recovery...

_________________
We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Buggered

Posting while nude improves your mood...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 35 07/07/12
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:20 pm 
Offline
20. Not one Much for the Timber
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:32 pm
Posts: 3214
Topics: 15
Location: H-Town, Texas
So, things are starting to fall into place and the girls are getting up to speed on everything. I feel like they are in a holding pattern right now, just trying to get their 'sea legs.' so to speak. Nothing really bad has happened, but you can see it coming.

I'm not a Faith fan, but I liked yours:) How you write her is spot on. She's no bs and mixed with a little smart ass...the perfect combination.

I really liked what you did with Joanie and them feeling the connection. It really shows how far they have both come with their powers. They are completely ready to lead the coven, into battle and beyond.

Thanks for you're awesome take on a better outcome than canon...it's much appreciated! :grin

_________________
Shelby - Racing The Rain (IN PROGRESS) / Baby Makes Three (IN PROGRESS) / The Santa Line / Everything She Does...Is Beautiful / Calfornia Grass

"Transform your pain. Release your past. And ... uh ... get over it."
~Willow, Where The Wild Things Are


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 35 07/07/12
PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 4:59 pm 
Offline
6. Sassy Eggs
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:27 am
Posts: 409
Topics: 3
Location: The Wild West
Really nice transition chapter, Heather. I feel the tension mounting and the you're adding just the right amount of new material to set up the next chapter. It's too bad we'll have to wait, but, ahem, I am really in no place to talk about that, am I? Lol. I also think it's really great that you added the whole conversation about Spike and Dawn. I really think there is some closure and healing that has to happen there and I think Tara would be the perfect one to offer comfort.

Great job! Looking forward to more. Heal quickly. ;)

_________________
Tara: " I got so lost."
Willow: "I found you. I will always find you."


Remodeling: The Reconstruction of Tara Maclay / W/T Potpourri


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 35 07/07/12
PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:24 pm 
Offline
5. Willowhand
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:41 pm
Posts: 310
Location: Fort myers FL
Great fic. I powered through this over the weekend and I hope there will be an update soon.

_________________
"Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly." -Rose Franken
"I think when I cease to go to the bathroom, then I can call myself famous." -Amber Benson
"I'd rather be a fake lesbian than a sorority girl."- A Rugby Teammate
"The Hammer is my Penis," Captain Hammer, 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog.'


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 35 07/07/12
PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:33 pm 
Offline
10. Troll Hammer

Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:12 pm
Posts: 1170
Loved the updates. Looking forward to reading what you have next in store for us.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:32 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Image


Chapter Thirty-Six

Pairing: W/T

Angst/Drama/Smut Rating: PG, no smut, not very angsty

Setting: Sunnydale

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters or the occasional bits of dialogue that are being borrowed from BtVS; they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy et al. All original characters are in no way connected to BtVS except by me in this forum. No money is involved; this is simply for my own pleasure, and hopefully that of the people reading too.

Email: riverwillows@me.com

Feedback: If you write it… I will read it…

Author’s Notes: I’d like to thank everyone for all of their well wishes while I recovered from surgery. Your comments and pm's were/are greatly appreciated. As always, I would like to thank my ever patient and encouraging beta Crystal aka Cyteach for all of her wonderful help. Music for this chapter was The Autumn Defense “The Autumn Defense”, A Silent Film “Sand & Snow”, Niki and the Dove “Instinct”, and Straylight Run “Straylight Run”.




Hiding places there are innumerable, escape is only one, but possibilities of escape, again, are as many as hiding places. – Franz Kafka




After Joanie’s announcement, she gathered up her belonging to join the coven at the Summers house. The foursome left the barracks with Buffy and Joanie carrying her bags. Willow carried the notebook with the all of the brainstormed ideas and sketches of the barracks clutched close to her chest. It already held a good deal about what she and Tara could use to augment the wards for concealing and protecting the potentials.


Buffy and Willow chatted animatedly while the girls walked, and Buffy’s mood seemed lighter on the trip home. Tara observed Joanie while they walked trying to gauge how she was handling her new change in status. Her alert dark eyes moved continuously, taking in her surroundings as they walked into the more deserted residential areas of Sunnydale. As they made the turn onto Revello drive, Joanie’s gaze caught Tara’s. Tara raised an eyebrow in silent question, and Joanie just smiled.


Covering the last block and half to the Summers house quickly, the girls bustled into the house. They found the other members of the coven sitting in the living room with Dana, who had a notebook on her lap, scribbling away furiously. All conversation stopped and everyone turned to look at the girls.


“So, who do we have here?” Claude asked.


“This is Joanie, everyone,” Tara said. “She’s a potential.”


Dana cocked her head to one side, giving Joanie a once over. “But she’s meant for us.”


Willow nodded and grinned broadly. “Bingo! You get a gold star!” she teased. “Joanie came as a potential, but her ‘potential’ is not for just slaying so she’s joining us here.”


Buffy took Joanie’s bags, wandered off to the basement door and disappeared. Claude stood up and approached Joanie.


“Hi, I’m Claude,” she said offering her hand with a smile.


With a relieved smile Joanie shook her hand. “Hi.”


Tara pointed to Jake who was stretched out on the floor looking up at them. “That’s Jake,” then motioning to the twins sharing the loveseat. “That’s Livy and her brother Stephan, and last but not least we have Dana. She and Claude came with us from the coven in Tucson. If you have any questions and can’t find me or Willow, she’s your girl,” Tara smiled.


“Hi,” Joanie said again with a small wave to the group.


Buffy reappeared and put her hand on Joanie’s arm. “I put your bags downstairs; there’s an empty dresser and I’m sure someone can help you get settled in. There’s not a ton of room down there, but it’s got bunk beds like the barracks, and you get your choice on the open set of bunks so you should be alright.”


Livy grabbed her whiteboard and wrote on it, ‘I’ll help, come with me’. Joanie, to everyone’s surprise, asked Livy if she and Stephan could read sign language. The twins both smiled and nodded excitedly; Livy tossed the whiteboard at Stephan. Her hands moving in a flurry of gestures as she led Joanie off to the basement.



Willow rocked on the balls of her feet and looked happily surprised by this unexpected turn of events. “Well, this is turning out better than we thought.”



******


Later that afternoon, Buffy was outside with Vi and Tammy running them through exercises with weapons. Dana had the growing group of young witches on the grass leading them through a group meditation.


Tara and Willow were sitting on the couch surrounded by several large tomes open at differing points. One of Willow’s legs hung over Tara’s and she swung it gently. Tara had the notebook they had been making spell preparations in, and a book was in Willow’s lap as she bent over to see what Tara was writing.


“Nope, we’ll want to use this instead, baby,” Willow said pushing her book forward and pointing to the text.


Tara nodded, crossing something out to add the change, and chewed on the end of the pen thoughtfully; she sat back and reading over the page in front of her. “Will, I think this is going to work… and really well.” She looked at Willow smiling proudly.


Willow nodded. “Plus it uses energy instead of blood – and we know blood can be taken leaving the body behind, but energy… if something significant happened to anyone, their energy would change or dissipate altogether. We’re not just talkin’ about the pms crankies here, either. This is almost on a… a soul level.”


“Exactly! This would detect demonic or magickal possession – it would definitely block any little bumpy potentials. This will catch almost anything that altered their natural state of being!” Tara said excitedly. “It would be like taking soul fingerprints. Will, I don’t think this has ever been done!”


Willow nodded as she pointed at the notebook page in front of them. “Those would all be something that altered or disrupted their energy even when their blood would remain theirs. Tara, you’re right, we may have made something completely new. A complete magickal first! We’ve gotta show this to Dana, she’ll flip!”


Willow wiggled gleefully, kicking the leg crossed over Tara’s. “If this spell works like we plan, we can even use the ward here and the battery spell will eliminate the need for… Andrew.” She said his name as if she had sucked on a lemon. “Then he can stay at the barracks or wherever Buffy wants to put him.”


“Wherever Buffy wants to put who?” Buffy asked as she walked into the living room.


“Andrew,” Tara said as she looked pleased with herself. “We’ve got two spells. The one you wanted for the barracks – which we also think would be great for here just as a precaution with all the people coming and going – and we have a spell that would eliminate the need for the human battery.”


“Excellent work from my two favorite witchy mojo workin’ gals. One less person here is all of the good, too, we’re running out of space,” Buffy said. “Xander is moving Dawnie into my room so Dana can have hers, and there’s still one open bunk downstairs. I’ll get Faith to look into uh... creatively reappropriating a few more air mattresses for here, and if we need them, for you guys.”


Both girls nodded. “We’d like to keep the coven close. Dana said we’d have three more and that was before we got Joanie, so we have two to go. Air mattresses or sleeping bags may not be a bad idea, Buff. Any new arrivals can crash down here in the living room with the rotating potentials,” Willow replied.


“We want Dana in on this, and we can get the supplies for these spells before it gets too late today. We can do the barracks while we’re there and drop Andrew off. He charged the crystals today so they’re set for now, and we can wait to do the battery spell until tomorrow or the day after,” Tara added.


“Let me shower and we can go get whatever you need,” Buffy said.


“We can just go now, why wait? You can meet us at the barracks if you really have to, or I don’t know, we can walk ourselves home, Buff,” Willow teased.


“Humor the Slayer, okay? Go ahead and I’ll meet you at the barracks,” Buffy said seriously. “Besides, how many witches can say they have personal escorts from the Slayer?”


“We appreciate your concern, Buffy, really,” Tara said as she rolled her eyes. “But we are big girls, you know.”


“Again with the humoring of the Slayer, okay?” Buffy said, her own resolve face sliding into place.


Tara held her hand up in surrender. “Fine, fine. We’ll see you in a bit.”


Buffy jogged up the stairs, and in due course the shower was heard. Willow picked up the notebook in Tara’s lap, and set it on the coffee table. She wrapped her arms around Tara’s shoulders and pulled her in for a gentle kiss. Sliding her arms around Willow’s waist, Tara maneuvered Willow onto her lap as they kissed tenderly.


Minutes later they were interrupted by a loud clearing of a throat. They pulled away slowly from each other to turn and see their coven staring at them. Some looked on with grins, some with smirks, and one gazing at them with a slightly dazed expression. Joanie was blushing profusely, and Claude stage whispered that she should get used to it, making her blush harder and giggle. Dana nudged Jake in the ribs so he would stop staring with glazed over eyes.


Willow slipped from Tara’s lap to stand, straightening her shirt. “Uh, we’re just about to go to the Magic Box.”


Dana cocked an eyebrow. “And you’re supposed to get there by sucking face?”


Both girls turned bright red. “Watch it, Sparky,” Tara teased. “You’re coming with us.”


“Oh, joy,” Dana muttered crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. “A googly-eyed extravaganza.”


“We think we have the perfect spell for the barracks, and we will be able to use it here too. We’ve also got one that for sure gets rid of battery boy,” Willow said ignoring Dana’s teasing and handing her the notebook with the spell.


“Really?” Jake asked, his curiosity snapping him out of his lust induced haze, as he tried to read over Dana’s shoulder. “What are you going to use?”


“We’ll explain it all when we get back; I think it’s something we all can take part in for charging the crystals for the perimeter around here.” Willow was now bouncing in place, her enthusiasm clear.


“The cloaking spell is one of our own, Willow’s and mine; we think it’s gonna be perfect for what we need. Plus, we’ll have the perimeter here covered… it should make us pretty much invisible to most anything,” Tara explained to the coven proudly.


“Excellent, this should be interesting,” Dana said reading the page in front of her, then turning to the group she smiled. “These two have come up with some of the most unique and effect spells I’ve ever seen.”


Hearing Dana’s praise, the rest of the group looked on in open curiosity and with a new level of respect for their Ladies. She had shared stories from the confrontation the girls had with Amy and Tabitha, but they had yet to see them in actual action. This new prospect of real spell casting stoked the little coven’s enthusiasm.


Buffy bopped down the stairs freshly showered. “I thought you two were leaving?” She said with her hands on her hips.


“We got a little side tracked, but we’re ready to go now,” Willow smiled, blushing lightly.


Claude coughed something that sounded suspiciously like ‘making out’, and the group snickered.


“We also decided to bring Dana along for the extra help and power,” Tara added. “Where’s Andrew? We can drop him off too.”


“Why don’t we take Vi and Tammy with? Then we can get all of the potentials at once; their shift here is over anyway,” Buffy said.


“He was in the backyard watching the girls train,” Claude supplied. “I’ll go get them.” With that she disappeared out through the kitchen.


Claude returned quickly with the two potentials and Andrew in tow, the latter who was munching on a hot pocket. “You needed me for something?” He asked.


Andrew had been keeping a low profile since Willow and Tara’s arrival. Staying out of Willow’s way seemed to be the best way to avoid any confrontation about his part in Warren’s little plan to take over Sunnydale that ultimately culminated in the attempt on Tara and Buffy’s lives – accidentally or otherwise.


The foolish, senseless act of a petty, cruel, selfish man-child; it had pushed Willow over the edge in order to save her lover. It precipitated an almost two year absence from the Scoobies on the part of Willow. It had been made very clear to him on their arrival three weeks ago that he might fare better to stay away from both witches or he possibly could end up a toad.


“You’re going back to the barracks permanently; you can make yourself useful there. Wills here has pulled your plug, energizer bunny, no more battery duty for you,” Buffy said. “So grab your stuff and be quick about it.”


Andrew paled and looked nervously between Willow and Tara, who watched him dispassionately. Tara slipped her arm around Willow’s waist while she stared him down coolly.


Snuggling closer into Tara’s embrace, Willow asked quietly when Andrew didn’t appear to be moving. “Didn’t she say to get your stuff?”


Andrew nodded, hastily moving towards the basement door giving Willow and Tara a wide berth as he went. They could hear him scurrying around downstairs, and he came rushing back in with a gym bag over his shoulder.


“Okay, let’s head out,” Buffy said ushering Andrew and the potentials through the door, leaving Dana to follow, with Willow and Tara falling into step behind Buffy.



******



Once the group arrived at the barracks, Andrew and the potentials veered off to go inside. Buffy, Willow, Tara and Dana went to the Magic Box, and Buffy let them in. Tara and Willow began pulling stones off of the shelves and placing them on the table. Tara went behind the counter, looking for a ball of twine and scissors Anya kept there for packages.


“Buffy, can you take Dana downstairs and look for some large chunks of copal? She knows what it looks like and we’ll need it for the spell,” Willow said.


“Sure, is there anything else we should be looking for?” Buffy asked.


Tara shook one of the cardboard boxes, making a rough count of the stones in it. “Umm, some more bloodstone if there is any, and large chunks of clear quartz, as clear as possible, if you can find some.”


Buffy and Dana nodded and disappeared downstairs. Willow was making groups of stones: quartz, bloodstone, and amber. Tara had retrieved a couple of white taper candles, and had just sat down when Anya appeared out of thin air.


“And just what do you two think you’re doing with my stock?” She asked with her hands on her hips.


“Hello to you too, Anya,” Tara replied as she blessed one of the candles.


“We’re making amulets for the new protection spell on the barracks and the house,” Willow replied. “I’m glad you’re here, you can take part in the ritual so we don’t have to do one just for you.”


Buffy and Dana walked back in with several large chunks of stones and two boxes of smaller loose stones that rattled as they approached the table. Dana sat down at the table and put the two boxes in front of Tara.


“I got the bloodstone, and I also found some onyx; I thought that would be a good balance for the quartz,” she said.


“Who is she?” Anya asked as she eyed Dana closely.


“Oh, right. Anya this is Sister Dana Addams; Dana this is Anya, she’s a vengeance demon,” Willow introduced them. “Dana came with us from the coven in Tucson. She’s helping us with our coven here.”


Dana stood and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “I’ve never met a vengeance demon before.”


Anya looked at Dana’s hand, then at Willow and Tara crossly. “So she’s here to help you two thieves steal my stock?”


Willow rolled her eyes. “Yes, Anya, she’s here to help us steal your stock, because we have nothing better to do with our time than plot the slow demise of the Magic Box due to petty theft.”


Dana shrugged and sat down, while Buffy shook her head. “Lighten up, Anya. You benefit from what they’re doing since you’re staying in the barracks.” Buffy sat down, while picking up one of the tapers and twirling it. “It’s not like you have a large client base right now anyway.”


Anya sighed dramatically. “Rub it in that my profit margin has dropped drastically recently. It won’t always be that way, and they’re taking away potential profit…”


“Ahn, this is important and it’s in your best interest to let us do this. Consider it the barter system. You need the protection spell that we will be providing for you, and in turn we need the supplies to do said spell,” Tara said evenly.


Anya threw her hands up. “Okay, okay! Continue to steal from me and reduce my revenue potential,” She said before she pulled up a chair and plopped down next to Buffy. “Whose spell are you using?”


“Theirs,” Dana pointed at Tara and Willow. “Tara and Willow devised one of their own that should really be quite amazing,” Dana smiled as she cut lengths of twine to wrap the stones with.


“Buff, how many potentials are there?” Willow asked.


“We have twenty-one so far,” Buffy replied.


“Okay, so we have twenty-one potentials…” Willow trailed off. “Six in the coven, plus…” Using her fingers, she ticked the others off for a head count. “And another eight of us, okay so that’s thirty-five and we need to double that for here at the barrack and then the house.”


“You forgot to count Andrew, sweetie,” Tara said quietly.


“Right,” Willow muttered. “Andrew. Buffy, why is he here?”


“You’re never gonna believe this, Will,” Buffy grimaced. “Not long after you guys went back to the coven they came back. He and Jonathan tried to open this seal, and he killed Jonathan to do it…” Buffy started.


“He killed Jonathan?” Willow squeaked in surprise.


“Yeah, so of course this seal is under the high school, but apparently Jonathan wasn’t enough. Xander and Dawn caught him out trying to buy large amounts of blood to try the ritual to activate the seal thingy again and brought him back to get the goods on what he knew, when they found him sneaking around,” Buffy said.


“Did he?” Tara asked as she tied a knot in the twine she had wound around a cluster of stones. “Know anything?”


“Not so much,” Buffy sighed.


“And a seal under the high school – a seal of what?” Willow asked. “Boy, what other fun stuff did we miss?”


“The seal of daffodils or something like that,” Buffy snarked. “But that’s when we figured out what we’re up against, and the first potentials showed up, and Jake had already been here for a week. We also got our first meet and greet with the long lost, twice removed granddaddy with the bumpies then too – it was not pretty, Will,” Buffy stopped twirling the candle.


“The First…” Dana said softly.


Buffy nodded. “Nothing like getting your ass kicked, to make your ass hurt,” she said self deprecatingly. “That’s when Giles came up with the idea to use Andrew for the spell on the house and he became our very own little Eveready.”



“I don’t like him. He’s whiny and I’m pretty sure he’s gay; he also has an unnatural obsession for that fellow Warren and hot pockets,” Anya said as she absently played with some of the twine Dana had cut.


Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at Anya. Willow and Tara looked at each other, then Buffy at the mention of Warren’s name.


“Hot pockets?” Dana asked with one eyebrow quirked.


“Yes, he and Faith constantly fight over them. It’s obvious she’s toying with him. I don’t understand the fascination; I mean they’re not even that good,” Anya said with a shrug. “He’s also constantly going on about being ‘evil’ and the ‘dark side of the force’ – what ‘force’?”


Dana shrugged and went back to sealing the twine with wax from one of the white tapers Tara had blessed. Buffy was now trying to juggle several of the sealed bundles of stones; Willow was watching her closely before she grabbed one of the bundles as it flew in the air.


“Buffy, please, not toys. We need these,” Willow said calmly.


“Sorry,” Buffy said sheepishly. “What do the stones mean anyway?”


“Well, the quartz is an amplifier and so is the copal, that’s why we have the big chunks. We’ll place those around to help the overall spell,” Tara said.


“The quartz in the bundles is to amplify the energy of the individual holding it,” Willow added.


“The bloodstone is sometimes called “The Hero’s Stone”. We thought that would be appropriate since we’re capturing energy from Slayers, potentials and witches,” Tara smiled softly. “And it’s not like we haven’t done a little world saving on our own.”


Willow smiled sadly. “One or two times,” she said softly. “And the amber is to capture the energy and store it so we can place the bundles. Oh, and the onyx is to counterbalance the quartz.”


“Right, so it doesn’t pull too much energy from the person during the spell,” Dana said.


“That was Dana’s idea,” Tara smiled at Dana.


“Wow, you guys thought it all out,” Buffy said.


“Yes, very clever,” Anya said. “Can I see the spell?”


Tara tied a knot in the bundle she had, then handed Anya the notebook with the spell she and Willow had built. Passing the bundle to Dana for sealing, she started on another.


“This is really quite unique,” Anya remarked. “You two built this spell?”


“Uh, yup,” Willow replied while she continued to count out stones to be bundled, and Tara smiled at Anya, passing off another bundle to Dana.


“Well, good on you both for an effective spell,” Anya said overly enthusiastic.


“It really should be,” Dana said. “These two are very creative with their spellwork. The things they come up with…” she shook her head and smiled. “One of the reasons I love working with them.”


Willow and Tara smiled brightly at Dana. “Right back at ya, Sparky,” Tara said with a wink, she then looked at Buffy and Anya. “Can you give us a hand making the bundles?”


“So now you want me to help you steal my profits?” Anya asked incredulously.


“Anya, we covered this,” Tara said giving her the hairy eye.


“Fine… right… barter system… spell,” Anya sighed.


Willow pushed sets of the stones in front of Buffy and Anya. They sat quietly tying the stones together and passing them off to Dana to be sealed with wax. Soon they had all the bundles complete, and while the wax cooled, Willow and Tara gathered herbs and sand to complete both the battery spell and the protection/shroud spell for the barracks and the Summers house.


“You ready, baby?” Willow asked.


“As I’ll ever be,” Tara answered and then looked at Dana. “Shall we?”


“We shall,” Dana replied her arms full of crystals.


“Let’s get this show on the road,” Willow smiled.



******



Once all the potentials had been gathered in the main room of the barracks, everything was setup to capture a bit of everyone’s energy. Dana led everyone through a meditation to focus and raise their energies, and then Willow and Tara performed the spell to key the bundles to each unique person. With that aspect of the spell complete, it was time to perform the second part to shroud and protect the building.


“Hey, baby?” Willow said as she pulled Tara aside.


“What’s up, sweetie?” Tara replied sliding her hand into Willow’s.


“I think maybe we should test this spell out so we know it works,” she replied.


“Okay, what did you have in mind?” Tara asked.


Willow waved Buffy over. “What’s the what, Will?” Buffy asked as she approached.


“Buffy, I want to test the spell. So we need some guinea pigs,” Willow said.


“What’s the haps, peeps?” Faith asked joining the group with Dana.


“Feel like being a guinea pig, Faith?” Buffy asked.


“A what?” Faith asked suspiciously, putting a hand on her hip.


“No, Buff, I was thinking maybe one of each,” Willow said, sliding a hand into one of her back pockets as she looked between Tara and Buffy. “Maybe me and one of the potentials?”


“You?” Tara squeaked. “No, no, no, no.” She said shaking her head.


“Baby, there’s only three of the witchy persuasion here to choose from at the moment. You wanna play rock, paper, scissors for it?” Willow replied.


“How about I do it?” Dana said. “I won’t be here much so I can be added later. Faith and I will be your guinea pigs.”


“Now wait just a sec there, Legs. I ain’t volunteerin’ for nothin’,” Faith snarked.


“What’s a matter, Faith? You can’t handle it? Okay then, what do you say, Buffy? Me and you?” Dana said taunting Faith.


“I didn’t say that either, Stretch. I can handle anything you can. Count me in,” Faith groused.


Dana smirked at the girls, who smirked right back. “So what will happen once the spell is in place?”


“Well, similar to the one now that will bar entry, but ours will also force out anyone not included in the spell,” Tara aid. “We just don’t know yet exactly what the “eject” part will look like.”


“Okay,” Dana shrugged. “Let’s get ‘Operation No Stones, No Spell, No Service’ underway.”


Dana and Faith sat apart from the group, watching while Tara and Willow cast the second part of the spell. As soon as they spoke the last part of the incantation around everyone’s energy clusters, there was a loud crack and the sound of an air raid siren. Around Faith and Dana the air began to whirl like a cyclone; the door flew open and they were both thrown out of the door, landing unceremoniously on their rear ends.


Buffy ran over to the doorway. “Are you okay?”


Dana slowly picked herself up from the pavement. “Well, I’m alive,” she said rubbing her bottom.


“Try to get in,” Tara called from inside the circle where she and Willow had cast the spell.


Dana tried to walk through the doorway and was tossed back about fifteen feet landing once again on her butt. The doorway had sizzled with a blue light, and part of her clothes were singed and smoking.


“Well, I can tell that part must be Tara’s,” Dana muttered.


“Faith, you give it a try,” Willow said as she and Tara approached the doorway.


Faith gave a run at the door, trying to force her way inside. The doorway sizzled again, but this time bolts of electricity shot around Faith’s arms and legs, shooting her clear across the walkway and into the brick wall of another building. The imprint of her body was left in the brick and mortar, and she crumpled into a heap.


Dana and Buffy rushed over to Faith with Willow and Tara close behind.


“Whoa,” Tara murmured.


“That was cool,” Willow said putting her arm around Tara’s waist. “Good job, baby.”


A very pale Faith was now standing up, but she was leaning heavily on Buffy. Her clothes were smoking and so was the top of her head.


“Well, that was some shake n’ bake,” Faith muttered.


“Looks like we’ve got a winner,” Buffy said looking at Willow and Tara.


“That’s because we rock,” Willow said with a big grin, and Tara nodded. “We can just add their stones now, and then we’ll just rinse and repeat the second half of the spell when we get back to the house.”


“Are you alright, Faith?” Tara asked.


“Nothin’ a little Slayer healin’ can’t cure,” Faith said trying to smile. She tried to walk but her legs gave out, and Dana caught her. “Oh, dude… I think I need to go lay down.”


“You two just hold tight and let us add you here, okay?” Willow said.


“We’ll come get you when we finish, and then we can get Faith inside so she can get some rest,” Tara added.


Dana shooed them away as she helped Faith sit back down resting against the wall. Willow and Tara turned on their heels to hurry back inside the barracks.



******



Within minutes Dana and Faith had been added to the spells surrounding the barracks, and by the time Buffy carried Faith inside to a bunk, she was already in a deep sleep. With Faith out of commission for the night, Buffy went around the barracks making sure everything was under control.


She found the girls in the rec room waiting for her, and watching a few of the potentials playing a first person shooter game on one of the consoles there to help keep them occupied. The group was just about to leave when Tammy came running into the room and almost trampling Dana, who was already on her feet.


“Buffy!” Tammy panted.


Bracing the girl and keeping herself upright, Dana asked, “What’s your hurry, girlie?”


“It’s Charity,” Tammy said nervously.


Buffy rolled her eyes and groaned. “What did she do now?”


“You’re not going to like this,” Tammy stalled.


“Tammy, just tell me please,” Buffy said with a sigh.


“She, well, Buffy…” Tammy shuffled in place. “Charity talked Lisa-Marie and Celeste into going on a patrol.” She finally spit out.


“You couldn’t just spit that out!” Buffy said. “How long ago did they leave?”


“I came straight to you when they left, so maybe ten minutes,” Tammy answered.


Buffy looked to Willow and Tara, who were already on their feet and ready to go, then she asked, “Which way did they go, do you know?”


“Don’t worry about it, Buffy, we can find them,” Tara said slipping her hand into Willow’s.


“Great, let’s go,” Buffy said through clenched teeth. “I am so gonna kill her.”




TBC…

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Last edited by vampyregurl73 on Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:42 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
Dibs!

Good to see that you are back, and that things are progressing nicely.

Yay!

R

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:37 am 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:51 pm
Posts: 922
Location: Kaskinen, Finland. Citizen of Kitopia
Yay for great update-y goodness... Big yay for Willow & Tara figuring out a kick ass spell to protect their new family... Lol for Faith & Sparky being guineapigs for the spell test... I guess Celeste is due few lightning bolts up her ass for getting her fellow potential in danger and trying to mess with Willow & Tara...

_________________
We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Buggered

Posting while nude improves your mood...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:02 pm 
Offline
20. Not one Much for the Timber
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:32 pm
Posts: 3214
Topics: 15
Location: H-Town, Texas
Hi Heather!

I can't help but feel apprehensive despite the awesome protection spell the girls cast. I feel like they are just waiting for the other shoe to fall. In fact, I'm extremely nervous for Dana for some reason. I just keep thinking that every trip out of the house could be her last.

In this chapter, as in S7, I am having a hard time keeping up with all the different potentials, not to mention the witches. There are a lot of players on the field right now and they are not all playing with a full deck, lol.

There were lot's of great moments in this chapter, but I especially liked Dana giving W/T some grief with the "sucking face" comment. :p Nicely done!

So glad to see you back and writing again! Thanks for keeping this story alive. :peace

_________________
Shelby - Racing The Rain (IN PROGRESS) / Baby Makes Three (IN PROGRESS) / The Santa Line / Everything She Does...Is Beautiful / Calfornia Grass

"Transform your pain. Release your past. And ... uh ... get over it."
~Willow, Where The Wild Things Are


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:25 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Richard aka Azirahael,

Thanks! It's good to be upright and walking and chewing gum at the same time!

Thanks for your comment.

******

zampsa19752001,

Lol, of course our girls got it covered! Yeah, I thought using Faith and Dana aka "Sparky" would be fun as guinea pigs. I think you mean Charity(?) and yes, she gets more than she bargained for - just wait and see!

Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback!

******

Shelby aka Finey_McFine,

Thanks for the well wishes, much appreciated.

Hmm, other shoe to drop with the protection spell, eh? I actually have plans for a bit of a tie in with so I can't tell you anything more - mums the word. ;)

Don't worry about Dana, she's to important to lose... for now... maybe... Besides who else would actually give Willow and Tara grief and not be afraid of being turned into a toad or something?

LOL, any of them with a full deck! As is, that would make things too simple! lol Yeah, when I'm done with this ask me how I keep coming up with names for everyone, it made Crystal laugh when I told her. Yes, there are a lot of people - witches and potentials, so it is a lot to keep up with, and that's part of why I'm only focusing on a core few of OC's - I can only do so much, lol.



NEW CHAPTER BELOW.

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:01 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Image



Chapter Thirty-Seven

Pairing: Santa and Mrs. Claus, Barack and Michelle, Rum and Coke... c'mon who else?

Angst/Drama/Smut Rating: Starts out PG-13 for a bit of blood and works its way to full on NC-!7

Setting: Sunnydale

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters or the occasional bits of dialogue that are being borrowed from BtVS; they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy et al. All original characters are in no way connected to BtVS except by me in this forum. No money is involved; this is simply for my own pleasure, and hopefully that of the people reading too.

Email: riverwillows@me.com

Feedback: If you wanna write it, I like reading it.

Author’s Notes: As always I’d like to thank my beta Crystal, especially after being “forced” to read pages and pages of smut, over and over again (such a hardship I’m told :grin). And for Richard aka Azirahael, this smut is for you my friend, you asked for this type of scenario, so you got it! Italics are used for emphasis. Music for this chapter was Flyleaf “Horizons”, Ellie Goulding “Halcyon”, The XX “Coexist”, and Bat for Lashes “The Haunted Man” (all of which I recommend).




The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. - William Arthur Ward


******

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable. - Bruce Lee




“Tammy, you stay here, okay? Don’t let anyone else leave, and if they have a problem with it tell them to take it up with me,” Buffy scowled as she moved towards a weapons chest near the door. She rummaged through the large box and then grabbed a short sword. She tossed stakes to the three witches.


With a flick of Tara’s hand, a bright neon pink light appeared and bobbed cheerfully in front of her. “Take us to the missing Potentials,” Tara said and the light swirled for a moment before it zoomed away.


“Follow that Tinkerbell!” Willow said with a goofy grin, then turned to Tara. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”


Tara smiled warmly and kissed Willow’s cheek, the gesture made Buffy roll her eyes. Taking the lead at the door, Buffy rushed off into the steadily darkening evening. The group followed Tara’s ‘Tinkerbell’ closely; it led them quickly to a park near the rebuilt high school. It was surprisingly well lit, and the three potentials were clearly visible caught between the swing set and a jungle gym.


Much to their misfortune, the Potentials were surrounded by a quintet of uber vamps. The foursome watched for a moment and it became clear that the Potentials were being toyed with. The vamps were taking swipes at them; cutting them enough to wound while providing maximum pain, but not to immediately kill. Looks of grim determination hardened the features of Willow, Tara, Buffy and Dana as they moved swiftly towards the Potentials.


Willow and Tara rushed ahead of the group, and without words, they began to cast. The air around them began to crackle with energy as they prepared their spells. Willow hit one vamp with a cyclone of flame and watched it burst into flames but not fall to dust. It charged at Willow bellowing its pain and rage. Willow began to cast again as the vamp bounced off of the shield she quickly formed around herself.


Dana had levitated away the vamp that was tormenting Celeste; it hissed as it clawed at the air trying to reach Dana as it rotated out of reach. It also became obvious that Celeste was hurt the worst of the three Potentials. She was crumpled on the grass, barely sitting upright, bone white and bleeding heavily from deep a wound on her thigh. Several nasty gashes on her back continued to weep blood, although they were slowing.


Tara’s spells were more effective, however. She hit one vamp with her ice spell, drawing moisture from the vamp itself; she turned it into an immobile solid block. Turning in one smooth movement, she cast at another vamp. The bolt of electricity hit and began to fry it from the inside out as the creature hissed and popped before it exploded loudly.


Buffy rushed through the cloud of dust without hesitation, and sprinted towards the frozen vamp. With a graceful yet powerful roundhouse kick she shattered it into pieces. Not missing a beat, Buffy continued to close in on the last free vamp.


Buffy was giving as good as she got with the remaining vamp, obviously working out some frustrations on it. She was going for all the creature’s soft spots – of which there weren’t many. She repeatedly went for its knees, throat and eyes – anywhere that should have been soft and painful.


Tara turned to help Willow, but the overpowering scent of ozone and burning flesh filled the air. She watched as Willow sent another snake-like tongue of flame to dust the vamp as it clawed and howled while battering bodily at Willow’s shield.


Willow and Tara raced towards one another, and quickly joined hands. Taking a combined shot at Dana’s floating vamp, they dusted it in one go. Then Willow and Dana dashed over to the injured potentials. Dana immediately began to work on stemming the flow of blood from Celeste’s thigh, while Willow wasted no time going to work on Lisa-Marie, who was bleeding from a stomach wound and holding her right arm at an awkward angle close to her body.


Charity was plainly in shock – all wide glassy-eyed, and with a complexion the color of Elmer’s Glue. The blood dripping from her chin came from a deep laceration that ran from her eyebrow – her piercing now missing – to her cheek, making her pallor all the more apparent.


Tara yelled for Buffy to duck, sending a shot at the vamp Buffy was fighting, hitting it with a bolt of electricity causing it to cease its attack. That gave Buffy enough time to draw her short sword and separate its head cleanly from its shoulders.


As the dust cleared, both girls sped towards the small cluster around Celeste and Lisa-Marie. Dana had stopped Celeste’s bleeding, but she had passed out from the pain. Willow had done an unmasking spell to reveal just how much damage had been inflicted on both girls.


“You!” Buffy grabbed Charity by her shirt collar and shook her violently. “Do you see them?” she pointed at the two seriously injured girls. “This is all because you had to be a big shot!”


“I… I…” Charity stuttered.


“If you ever pull a stunt like this again, so help me…” Buffy raged.


“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Charity gasped out, and then she dropped to her knees to vomit loudly at Buffy’s feet.


“Buffy, let her be,” Tara said putting her hand on Buffy’s arm. “At least for right now we have other things to worry about. We’ve got to get Celeste and Lisa-Marie back to the barracks and we’re going to need her help to do it safely.”


“This is so not over,” Buffy said staring down menacingly at the heaving girl.


“Uhh,” Charity moaned as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.


“Tara, help me with Lisa-Marie.” Tara put her hands on Lisa-Marie’s shoulder from the back. “Your shoulder is dislocated, and I think your arm is broken too,” Willow said. “Your stomach wound isn’t too bad, in comparison. Now fixing your shoulder, we can do that, but well, that’s gonna hurt. But it will at least feel a little better than it does now.” She tried to smile, unconvincingly at best.


“We can get your arm taken care of after that, okay, sweetie?” Tara spoke to the girl gently.


“Okay, on the count of three,” Willow said looking the girl carefully in the eyes and waited for her to nod in agreement.


“Okay, here we go, I’ll make it quick,” Willow placed her hands on Lisa-Marie’s shoulder, “One… two…,” With an almost imperceptible nod, she and Tara forced the girl’s dislocated shoulder back into place, the girl shrieked as it was shoved back into place.


Tara placed her arm gently around Lisa-Marie’s waist comforting the wounded teen as Lisa-Marie took deep breaths trying to keep herself calm. Willow gently wiped at her tears and smiled half-heartedly, trying to soothe her as much as possible. “It’ll be better now, I promise. Okay?” The girl looked at her with a tear stained face as she nodded again.


“Buff, we need to get them out of here, and like nowish,” Willow said. “Dana can levitate Celeste, and Lisa-Marie can walk back. We can close in around them, but we need to be ready just in case; it’s just… Celeste really needs a doctor. Buffy, her leg…” Willow shook her head sadly.


Buffy looked down at Charity sitting in the grass holding her knees close to her chest. “Hey, snap out of it, we need you. She needs you,” she said harshly.


Dana used a spell to ease both girls pain, as she levitated Celeste carefully. Lisa-Marie stood close by as the other four surrounded them cautiously. Willow then encased Dana and the two injured girls in a shield as an extra precaution after watching Charity stumble repeatedly, she knew she would be of no real help. The group slowly made their way back to the barracks. Willow and Tara could feel the anger rolling off of Buffy; her crossed arms and silence was only more proof.


Once they arrived at the barracks, a hasty call was placed immediately to the Summers house to arrange transportation for the injured. Shortly after Xander arrived at the barracks, Celeste was bundled into the back of the car with Dana and Lisa-Marie riding shotgun. The nearest functioning hospital was almost an hour away, and Xander had no time to spare on the clock.



******


The barracks was all abuzz with rumors about the mayhem during the evening’s events after the group made it back. Even Faith managed to crawl out of bed to try and help with Celeste and Lisa-Marie. She also quickly got the busy bodies in hand with a few sharp words and barely veiled threats before she shuffled her way back to her bunk. The rumors were only made worse when Buffy remained angry and silent letting Willow and Tara run the show until the three were ready to go back home with the next shift of potentials.


Buffy hadn’t said anymore to Charity and watched at a distance as Willow and Tara patched her up and sent her to bed. They were hoping this would give Charity some time to regroup before Buffy confronted her again. Her overzealousness and foolishness had possibly cost them the life of a Potential at worst, and a serious, maybe permanent injury at best, and to one that she had called a friend no less.



******



Willow, Tara and Buffy walked back home with Coya and Mimi. The Potentials walked ahead of the pensive trio, trying their best to remain alert as they had been taught. Willow and Tara were hand in hand, while Buffy walked with her hands jammed into her coat pockets and her brow furrowed in thought.


“Buffy...” Willow started.


“Don’t, Will,” Buffy said tersely. “Don't defend her. She went off half-cocked, and we had to clean up her mess.”


“I’m not saying what she did was a good thing,” Willow replied. “But look at her, Buff; she’s all broken up about it.”


“As she should be, but she’s definitely feeling the cost of her actions,” Tara added.


“And so am I!” Buffy answered bitterly. “Like I don’t have enough on my plate, that I need her stupidity added to the mix!”


“No, Buff, you don’t. But I doubt this is what she had planned either; it was incredibly careless,” Willow said. “But we’ve all been careless at one point or another. The cost is going to be really high for Charity, and even higher for Celeste. She’s in horrible shape…” Willow took a deep breath and pulled Tara close to her. “Tara may be the only one that’s been that bad.”


Tara smiled sadly. “Yes, you’ve died, Buffy, and don’t get me wrong, that’s beyond harsh,” Tara put her hand on Buffy’s arm gently. “But you’ve never been trapped inside your own body. That’s its own special sort of hell.” Her expression grew distant for a moment, and Willow slipped her arm around Tara’s waist, dropping a kiss on her shoulder as they walked.


Buffy looked at the pair, her confusion written clearly on her face. She wasn’t picking up on what they were getting at, so she waited for them to continue.


“Buffy, you have the use of all your limbs,” Willow said softly. “The truth is Celeste could lose her leg – it’s that bad, Buff. Imagine what that would be like for you as a Slayer, and then imagine what it would be like to do that to another Slayer,” Willow shook her head miserably. “Charity has to live with that, knowing she’s responsible for that kind of pain and suffering.”


“Oh,” Buffy murmured. “I didn’t know it was that bad for Celeste.”


“Lisa-Marie will be okay once her arm is set, but they’re all gonna have scars,” Tara said. “Buffy don’t forget it wasn’t all Charity either. She may have been the ring leader, but the other two made the choice to go with her, they could’ve said no.”


They arrived at the house and led the Potentials inside. Joanie and Livy were sitting in the living room signing back and forth in a very animated conversation. Making quick introductions to the young witches, all the girls went into the kitchen for some food, leaving Willow, Tara and Buffy standing in the foyer in front of the stairs.


Reading Buffy’s mood, Willow and Tara decided to head into the kitchen for something to eat, leaving Buffy to slowly climb the stairs to her room with her thoughts. Her expression even more concerned than it had been, as she digested the new information about Celeste. She was going to have to handle this a little differently, but she knew she couldn’t just let it go.



******



The chatter stopped when Willow and Tara walked in to the kitchen, and everyone looked at them curiously. Ignoring the girls, Tara went over to the refrigerator, and Willow headed for the pantry. Tara immediately began pulling out the stuff for salads and found some left over fried chicken from the previous night. Willow came back with macaroni and cheese, and a can each of corn and green beans.


While Willow pulled out pots and began opening the cans and setting the water to boil, Tara had her hands full with fresh vegetables and the chicken she had pulled from the refrigerator. Tara set everything on the island, and she quickly went to work on making two decent sized salads. The group of girls already had two large bowls, one filled with popcorn and the other with chips that they were grazing from while getting to know each other; the group had stopped to watch the pair as they began to cook.


“Wow, I thought only we ate like that,” Coya observed.


Tara looked up from slicing a tomato, and smiled. “We found out at when we were at the coven after major casting we can really put some food away too.”


“Usually happened after combat exercises, not just the big spells,” Willow added. “Seems like we need to replenish our energy just like Slayers and Potentials do and eating everything in sight is one of the fastest ways we can do it.” She smiled and popped a slice of tomato into her mouth, then fed a slice to Tara.


Tara dropped a kiss on Willow’s mouth before she began to chew, and Willow hummed her pleasure with a smile. Turning back to the stove she added the noodles for the mac and cheese before she stirred the vegetables that were beginning to heat up.


Tara had their salads ready and handed one to Willow. They both leaned against a counter and began to scarf them down while everything else finished cooking. Willow stirred everything again before she polished off the last of her salad and retrieved a bowl to put the mac and cheese into.


Tara turned off the vegetables, then started to plate up food for them. Putting vegetables and chicken on the plates, she waited for Willow to add the cheesy noodles. Willow grabbed utensils and another drumstick as she passed the plate of cold chicken to gnaw on as they made their way to the dining room table to eat in peace.


The four other girls had watched them move effortlessly around the kitchen, managing to never get in the others way while being efficient as they made their supper. Livy signed to Joanie that they always seemed to move that way. Almost like it was choreographed in its ease and practiced movements. Joanie played interpreter for Coya and Mimi, as the four took their bowls of snacks to the living room to watch some television and leave the two older girls alone.



******



After they ate, Tara made a plate for Buffy and left it in the refrigerator after she put a post-it with her name on it. Willow cleaned up the pots they used, and then loaded them into the dishwasher. She was drying her hands as Tara bent over to stash Buffy’s plate away in the refrigerator.


Quickly tossing the dish towel aside, Willow moved behind Tara so that when she straightened up, she could wrap her arms around Tara’s waist. Letting the door ease shut on its own, Tara leaned back into Willow and rested her hands on top of Willow’s. Tara closed her eyes and murmured her approval while enjoying the soft kisses and nibbles along her neck.


Tara turned in Willow’s arms, and she tenderly stroked Willow’s face from brow to chin. She kissed Willow’s mouth at one corner, and then the other before pressing her lips fully in a sweet kiss against Willow’s. Sinking her fingers into Tara’s short silky locks, Willow held Tara close as the kiss went from light and sweet to passionate.


They both moaned softly into the kiss and tightened their hold on one another. Tara stroked Willow’s back, caressing her lightly. As their kisses grew in want and need, Tara hands wandered down to rest on Willow’s bottom, pulling their hips closer together.


The loud sounds of laughter from the living room broke in on their little world, forcing them to part. Breathing heavy, Willow and Tara gazed at each other with soft loving smiles. Tara stroked Willow’s cheek again, and gently grazed her thumb over kiss swollen lips.


“Take me to bed?” she asked.


“My pleasure,” Willow replied entwining her hand with Tara’s.


They walked into the living room and all the conversation ceased in the room again amid the sounds of canned laughter coming from the television. Ignoring the gawking cluster of girls, Willow and Tara quietly made their way to the stairs and disappeared. Once they had disappeared from view, Livy’s hands moved in a flurry as her cheeks reddened and Joanie burst out laughing.


“What? What did she say?” Coya asked smiling at the laughing pair.


“That it was time to break out the ear plugs,” Joanie replied still snickering.


“Huh?” Mimi asked slightly confused.


Joanie turned off the television and rose with Livy, who signaled for the two Potentials to follow them downstairs.


“Let’s just say the walls are thin around here,” Joanie said, and Livy, whose cheeks flushed even more and her eyes twinkled, nodded her head vigorously.



******



Willow carefully closed and locked their bedroom door. Turning, she watched as Tara, already topless, shimmied out of her shorts and panties then lay down naked on the bed. Resting her hand on her stomach, she began to absently draw slow circles on her skin as she watched Willow in silence.


Willow’s eyes traveled the length of Tara’s nude body stretched out before her. Licking her lips, she tugged her shirt out of her own shorts, pulling it free and lifting the tank top away as quickly as she could. She kicked her shoes free and continued to undress; within seconds she joined Tara on the bed.


“Baby, I know I’ve already said this like a million times before, but you are so beautiful,” Willow said softly.


Tara smiled sexily. “You just want me for my body,” she teased.


Willow scooted over and lay on her side facing Tara. Taking the hand that had been on Tara’s stomach, she gently kissed the palm, then the tips of each finger, sucking on them lightly. Willow placed Tara’s hand on her breast as she leaned forward to nuzzle Tara’s warm neck.


“Just one of the many, many reasons, my beautiful girl,” Willow murmured as she kissed Tara’s ear and nibbled on the lobe.


Willow started to place hot open mouthed kisses along Tara’s shoulder and throat. She took small bites of the skin and sucked on them just hard enough to bruise. A thin dark trail of love bites left in the wake of her mouth now appeared on Tara’s fair skin.


Tara pulled Willow closer to her and cupped her breast, rolling the nipple between her fingers. She tugged not so gently at it every time Willow left a new mark on her. Willow’s hand drifted up to one of Tara’s exposed breasts, her nipples already a dusky rose in color, hard and taut. Willow caressed the skin, and subconsciously Tara started to roll her hips, as her breathing became more labored.


“Gently,” Tara breathed as Willow toyed with her nipples. “They’re sensitive.”


“Aww, are we feeling a little hormonal, darling?” Willow asked before moving down over Tara’s collarbone.


Willow quickly made her way down to capture the nipple she wasn’t playing with in her mouth. Willow moaned, and so did Tara. Willow grazed her teeth over the sensitive flesh, swirling her tongue around the areola as Tara’s hand grasped the back of her head to hold her mouth in place.


“Yes,” Tara mewled. “We have a little less than two weeks before I cycle, love.”


“Mmm, then I’ll be a week behind you,” Willow mumbled into Tara’s chest.


“Can we talk about something other than our cycles right now, sweetie?” Tara panted.


“How ‘bout we not talk at all?” Willow growled, temporarily releasing the nipple before sucking at it again hungrily.


“Yeah… not talking… good,” was all Tara could manage.


Willow could feel Tara moving next to her, and she pulled her head away from the nipple she was deliciously teasing to latch onto Tara’s mouth. The kiss was deep and passionate; their tongues slid over one another, slipping from one mouth to the other. Tara had turned onto her side and pressed her body flush against Willow’s, her hands pressed flat and tight against Willow’s back as though she were trying to mesh their bodies together.


Finally, their kisses slowed to allow for air and for hands to wander over already exceptionally sensitized skin. They let their touches stoke their desire for one another higher and higher, while they nipped at each other’s lips, shoulders and necks.


Willow shifted, sliding her leg between Tara’s, who immediately began to grind against the firm muscle of Willow’s thigh. Willow groaned again, feeling Tara’s heat and wetness coat her skin; she dropped her mouth back to Tara’s throat, this time sucking hard at an already bruised spot.


Tara gasped at the sensation of Willow’s mouth on her skin, and rolled her hips harder and faster against Willow’s thigh. Willow knew that in her hormonal state Tara would be able to come from this and having her nipples tormented if she let her continue, so she eased her thigh down and away, much to Tara’s whimpered discontent.


“Willow,” Tara whined.


“Yeah, baby?” Willow answered innocently.


“Don’t tease,” she pled.


“Baby, have I ever left you unsatisfied on purpose?” Willow asked seriously.


“Well… no… but Will,” Tara took Willow’s hand, grazing the tips over her trembling skin and pushed Willow’s fingers inside her. “See how hot I am for you, baby?”


With a groan, Willow licked Tara’s collarbone and sucked on the skin there as she pushed her fingers as deeply as she could inside Tara. Feeling for the rough patch inside, she began to massage it, causing Tara to bite down on her shoulder and hiss.


“Ohh, baby, yesss,” Tara moaned.


“You feel so good, Tara,” Willow breathed. “You’re so wet, honey. I absolutely love it when you’re like this, how… deliciously you throb around my fingers.”


“It’s you, Willow. You make me this way, you make me feel this way,” Tara said as her muscles clenched against the fingers massaging her inner walls. “Soo good, love, so very good,” She murmured as she looked deeply into Willow’s eyes.


The heat from their bodies was making them slick with sweat as they pressed as close to one another as they could; it beaded along their brows and down their backs. They stroked each other, panting and shaking, but once again Willow stopped, pulling them back from complete release.


“Will-low!” Tara whimpered.


Willow chuckled. “Baby, trust me?”


“Of course. What are you up to?” Tara asked, cheeks flushed and supremely frustrated.


“I wanna play a little,” Willow smiled.


Tara smiled back. “What exactly did you have in mind, darling?” she asked cupping Willow’s breast and toying with the nipple.


Willow closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the feel of what Tara was doing to her before responding. “I want my turn with our new toy,” she said a little shyly.


Your turn?” Tara asked, quirking an eyebrow.


“Mmmhmm,” Willow nodded. “What do you think about that, sexy?”


Tara’s eyes flashed with unbridled lust as she nodded in return, before she pulled Willow in for a positively steamy kiss. Raking her short nails down Willow’s back all the way to her bottom, Tara kneaded the firm muscle beneath her hands.


“I think you should fuck me, Willow,” Tara husked into Willow’s ear.


Willow groaned from deep in her chest at Tara’s words, and had to take several breaths to calm herself before she could move. Flipping them so Tara was flat on her back, Willow ground her hips into Tara making them both sigh with pleasure. Tara brought her legs up to wrap around Willow’s hips while Willow held herself up on her arms looking down into Tara’s face as she rolled her hips. Willow smiled then held herself still.


Tara cocked her head to the side as she looked up into Willow’s sweetly smiling face. Tara placed her hand against Willow’s flushed skin and stroked her cheek tenderly. Shifting off to the other side of Tara, Willow took the hand and kissed the palm.


“Love you,” Willow whispered.


Tara smiled up at her. “You know I do, sweet love,” she replied.


Willow dropped one more kiss onto Tara’s lips, and then she slipped from the bed and went for their box of toys stashed in the armoire. Tara wiggled as she watched Willow move across the room, enjoying the fluidity and beauty of a naked Willow.


After rummaging in a box she pulled from deep in the back behind some clothes, Willow turned around with said toy in hand, smirking. “Lights?”


Tara shook her head. “I wanna to see your face.”


Willow blushed lightly, causing the skin over her chest and shoulders to glow adorably, and make Tara to laugh loudly. “What?”


“You have a bright red sex toy in your hand, but when I tell you to leave the lights on, that’s what makes you blush,” Tara teased.


“Oh, yeah, huh?” Willow murmured, tilting her head to one side as she considered the situation. “Well, a girl has to have some modesty left.” She pouted playfully.


“Nope, not here, and definitely not right now,” Tara replied firmly. “That should have been checked at the door as soon as you locked it, baby,” Tara leered.


Willow crossed the room in two quick paces, diving for the bed and Tara. Stashing the toy under a pillow, she began peppering Tara’s face and neck with kisses, and Tara started to giggle. Then letting her hands wander down Willow’s back, Tara pulled her in to kiss her in earnest. Their mood went from playful to horny to needy in mere seconds flat.


Tara rolled them over and straddled Willow’s hips. She began to swivel her pelvis over Willow’s in tight circles for maximum friction and contact. Willow raised her knees so Tara had something to lean back against, and trailed her hands up Tara’s flat tummy to cup her breasts. Willow let go of Tara for a moment and grabbed the pillows and pushed them behind her as best she could so she was semi-reclining.


Now propped up, Willow let her hands wander again. She gently traced Tara’s shoulders and collarbone, up and down the length of her long, slender neck. Willow smiled as Tara’s eyes darkened to a deep blue while she massaged her breasts and rolled her nipples between her fingers just hard enough to make her moan.


One hand wandered down to the curls between Tara’s legs, and Willow began to stroke her wet sex. With a soft touch that deliberately grew more firm, Willow built Tara back up. As Tara got more aroused, she rubbed herself against Willow harder, increasing the pressure on Willow’s clit as well.


Willow’s hands now concentrated on Tara’s nipples, pulling, pinching and rolling; trying to draw as much sensation from them as she could. Tara covered one of Willow’s hands with her own, and then shifted slightly so she could ease her own hand down between their grinding centers.


Leaning over, Tara sucked one of Willow’s nipples into her mouth as she pinched Willow’s clit firmly. Holding it for a moment before letting go, and rubbing small circles around it; Willow moaned and lifted her hips to push back against Tara’s hand.


Tara smiled against the nipple in her mouth. Sliding her fingers down, she circled Willow’s entrance before pushing her fingers just inside her, not entering her fully. Pulling back out she repeated her teasing until Willow began to whimper.


“I’m not the only one who’s hot and wet, honey,” Tara whispered just loud enough for Willow to hear.


Willow just nodded, her pupils dilated with desire. She picked up the toy from where she left it now exposed since the pillows had been moved, and handed it to Tara, breathing heavily.


“Do the honors?” she asked breathily.


Tara just smiled as she moved off of Willow’s hips, dragging her thigh across to tease. She used the two fingers she had been teasing Willow with moments ago, she began to tease her again. Slow soft strokes around her clit and occasional pinches increasing its sensitivity, followed by firmer strokes around her entrance, just dipping inside the hot dampness. Willow’s couldn’t keep her hips still; every time Tara started to enter her they rose in a silent plea for Tara to enter and fill her.


Once her fingers were well coated with Willow’s own juices, Tara held the toy up so Willow could watch as she coated the end the she was going to slip inside her. Willow moaned and closed her eyes. Then she felt something cool pressing against the super heated skin of her entrance. Tara was rubbing that end against her, warming and coating it even more.


“Ready, love?” Tara asked.


Willow nodded. “Whenever you are, baby.”


Tara smiled, then tilted the toy and slipped the end inside Willow. Holding it firmly, Tara let Willow become accustomed to the pressure before she began to move it inside Willow a little. Willow bucked against the toy, biting her lip at the fullness she felt.


“Feel good, baby?” Tara asked licking her fingers and knowing from her own experience that it would be rubbing Willow’s g-spot.


“Oh yeah,” Willow panted, and opened her eyes, dark green with golden flecks in them, to gaze at Tara. “Are you ready?” she asked.


Tara nodded, and lifted herself over Willow again. Making sure the pillows were still going to keep Willow in the semi upright position, Tara began to kiss her. Willow’s hands slipped around to Tara’s back to hold her close as they kissed. Tara pulled back just enough so that their nipples could brush against the already slick skin making them both moan.


Tara reached down for the toy now sticking up at an angle from Willow’s center and aimed right for her. Placing the tip at her entrance, she eased down on it a little. Willow put her hands on Tara’s hips to help guide her. With a few strokes Tara worked her way down the shaft, groaning once it was buried completely inside her.


“How does it feel, baby?” Willow asked watching Tara’s face.


Eyes closed, Tara nodded as she eased up a little, the motion causing the end inside Willow to move. “Oh,” Willow squeaked.


Tara looked down at Willow from her angle and smiled cockily. “Uh, huh.” She moved again a little harder this time.


“Oh, Tara,” Willow breathed.


Willow leaned forward to capture one of Tara’s nipples and suck on it hard. She used her hands to urge Tara to move again, as they developed their rhythm. Willow switched nipples, stoking Tara’s pleasure with her mouth as well as the toy between her legs. Tara rolled her hips causing the end inside of Willow to rotate with her, and forcing a low guttural noise from deep in Willow’s chest.


“Baby, do that again,” Willow begged before she latched back on to an unattended nipple.


So as she rose, Tara swiveled her hips just enough to cause the rolling sensation inside Willow. Willow’s hands scratched down Tara’s back, leaving her own set of marks. Tara’s hands rested on Willow’s shoulders, as she clutched at her and sped up her strokes, rolling her hips in time with their thrusts.


“Oh, Willow,” she moaned.


“I love you on top, baby,” Willow gasped. “You’re so sexy, Tara. So gorgeous.”


“I love you, Willow,” Tara panted. “Harder, love, ooo, harder.”


Willow reclined further back into the pillows so she could brace her feet on the bed and push back with more force. Tara was bent slightly forward over Willow, who clawed down Willow’s front so now she had a matching set of marks, front and back.


“Yess,” Willow hissed between clenched teeth.


Tara started tweaking Willow’s nipples, and this got even more forceful thrusts from her lover. Large round drops of sweat rolled down both Willow and Tara’s neck and between their breasts. Willow pushed back harder into the pillows so she could really snap her hips and push harder into Tara.


“Oh, gods, yes, Willow!” Tara yelled.


“Oh, Tara, you’re so good!” Willow said.


“Will, I’m gonna…” Tara moaned loudly.


Willow picked up the speed of her thrusts again and howled. “Yes, baby, yes! That’s it, Tara, come for me, sweetheart!”


And with a long keening sound Tara came so hard, she drenched them both. She shook so hard that her vibrating body set off Willow’s orgasm. Collapsing on top of Willow, Tara continued to pant and shake in Willow’s arms. It was all Willow could do to clutch at Tara while she rode out her own tremors.


Several minutes later, they were still wrapped tightly around one another waiting for their breathing to finally return to normal. Willow gently stroked Tara’s back, and began to kiss her neck lovingly. Tara’s hand wandered up and down Willow’s arms, caressing her lovingly.


“I love the way you look when you come,” Willow whispered.


Tara just giggled and buried her face in Willow’s neck, and then she finally looked at Willow. Pushing damp hair out of Willow’s eyes, she kissed her nose and said, “You’re pretty damn hot when you come too, sweet love.”


Willow got a mischievous look in her eye and rolled them both over, keeping the toy still deep inside Tara earning a low growl from Tara. Willow pulled her hips back slowly and eased forward into Tara gradually. Tara closed her eyes and whimpered, her breath becoming shallow again. Willow moved her hips again, using a few short deep strokes to tease Tara, who looked at her biting her lower lip. Tara shuddered against Willow, and lifted her hips to take in as much of toy sprouting from Willow as she could.


“Wanna go again?” Willow asked.


Tara wrapped her legs around Willow’s hips and smiled wickedly. “I do seem to recall asking you to fuck me earlier.”


Willow growled and with a quick snap of her hips said, “My pleasure.”




TBC…

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Last edited by vampyregurl73 on Sun Nov 24, 2013 11:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 36 10/29/12
PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:02 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
Dibs!

*Sputter!*
(polishes glasses)
The cheek, woman!

all i said was "When does Willow get a turn?"
mutter mutter "Asked for it indeed," mutter mutter.

anyway, good to see how uber vamps fare against magic: not well.
i always thought most of the drama on the show was rather artificial, in that someone had to be stupid, for it to BE drama.

Like uber vamps being a huge problem, because Willow won't cast spells on them.

I have a hard time with the season 7 stuff, even when there's goodness in it, like The Rainbow Writers alternate Season 7.
simply because it's so dark, and the characters are so... not themselves.
and there's usually a sense of creeping doom about the whole thing.
Really never gonna watch it.
*Shudder*

Anyway, there's a sense (for me) that 'Together we can do anything' and i can't wait until the dynamic duo bring down the hammer on the big bad.
There's a hopefulness to this season 7 for me, so i'm looking forward to it. :bow

Bring it on! :bounce

Flower for you! :flower

R

P.S: yes, i really did take off my glasses and polish them.

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:11 am 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:51 pm
Posts: 922
Location: Kaskinen, Finland. Citizen of Kitopia
Yay for great update-y goodness... Yay for Übervamp dust party... I hope that Charity doesn't do the Faith routine and join the Dark Side... Big lol for after spell flinging fridge raid... Extra big yay for After Übervamp Slayfest Love Making...

_________________
We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Buggered

Posting while nude improves your mood...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 1:09 pm 
Offline
5. Willowhand
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:41 pm
Posts: 310
Location: Fort myers FL
Alrighty, we've got fires burning ALL over town, eh?
Woot for major ubervamp dustage. Although, sad to have potentials getting roo big for their breaches. Cie la ve.

_________________
"Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly." -Rose Franken
"I think when I cease to go to the bathroom, then I can call myself famous." -Amber Benson
"I'd rather be a fake lesbian than a sorority girl."- A Rugby Teammate
"The Hammer is my Penis," Captain Hammer, 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog.'


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2012 6:56 pm 
Offline
11. Fish in the Bowl

Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:35 pm
Posts: 1487
Topics: 2
Location: California
Hi Heather,

Enjoyed the pairings heading: Glad Mr. and Mrs. Claus still got it goin' on! :love

Just caught up with all the chapters I've missed - GREAT spellwork! Love how clear and logical you make it while still keeping it interesting!

Like Joanie, glad she knows sign language. Also many chuckles with Faith. Like Dana, too. Still keep hoping she and Faith spar some time - think that would be some kind of hijinks.

LOVE THIS STORY - KEEP IT COMING!!! :kgeek :kgeek :kgeek :whip

Ariel


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 4:15 pm 
Offline
4. Extra Flamey
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:44 am
Posts: 160
Location: Seattle, WA
Hi Heather!

I'm so glad to see you back in action and feeling better and updating again :) As always I am absolutely loving this story! I think the writers should have consulted you before they wrote all that horribleness in season 6 and continued into season 7. I love that this is such a unique piece but completely plausible and believable within the original story line. It is a truly brilliant piece of work and I can't wait to read more!

~Leo


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:14 am 
Offline
20. Not one Much for the Timber
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:32 pm
Posts: 3214
Topics: 15
Location: H-Town, Texas
Wow, when Buffy gets pissed...she gets pissed. I hope she doesn't completely lose.

Quote:
“Let’s just say the walls are thin around here,”
Never addressed in canon, but with all the bed rooms in the Summer's house so damn close together, you know it HAD to be an issue. :blush

I really loved that in the middle of a pending apocalypse, Willow and Tara seem to not be bothered by any of it. They go about the mundane task of making dinner as if their world were completely normal. I guess in their world chaos is the norm, but still...you know what I mean.

Of course that last part was hot and absolutely drool worthy. :drool Nicely done!

_________________
Shelby - Racing The Rain (IN PROGRESS) / Baby Makes Three (IN PROGRESS) / The Santa Line / Everything She Does...Is Beautiful / Calfornia Grass

"Transform your pain. Release your past. And ... uh ... get over it."
~Willow, Where The Wild Things Are


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:49 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Here's a "The world didn't end/merry christmas" present for everyone! Have a happy christmas!

******

Richard aka Azirahael,

LMAO. Aww poor boy, did this chapter fog your glasses, my Giles?

I like what you pick up on my version of season 7, and I would agree that actual season 7 had an overall sense of impending doom even in the lighter episodes. I think that may have also been because they knew the show was ending as well, but that's just my theory.

I also like your "together we can do anything" vibe. It's not just for Willow and Tara - which really it is in a BIG way - but also that with a little help from our friends (new and old) we (The Scoobies as a whole) can do anything.

So, overall I'm glad you like the chapter and the possibilities in my version, thanks Richard.

******

zampsa19752001,

Yes, lots of little hints dropped on how things will be. Uhh, besides the sex that is. :grin

Thanks for reading!

******

Missocki,

Fires burning all over town... yes, indeed...

Aww, c'mon I have to pick on somebody so the potential got the short end of that stick - besides I have soo many of them floating around - I have to do something with them, they get bored. :wink

Thanks for the feedback.

******

Ariel,

I think you might be the only one that actually reads the headings and whatnot, because you're the only one that ever comments on them! lol

Hmm, I have your vote for Faith and Dana and Crystal's for Claude and Dana, and I have to say honestly Dana probably won't be paired with anyone. But you can always hope I change my mind.

I'm glad your enjoying the spells and everything in between. Thanks for reading - and catching up!

******

leos_pride,

Thank you for the truly kind words! Brilliant? Wow, thanks, that's an awesome compliment! It's great that you do find it plausible - that's what I've been trying to do while making it completely unique too.

Yeah, I wished they'd asked me too! :wink

Thanks for reading, and for the comment - much appreciated.

******

Shelby aka Finey_McFine,

Well, we know Buffy really gets pissed when she's mad, c'mon... she's Buffy.

Yes! See I'm not the only one that thinks the walls would be thin! I mean, c'mon look at the layout, lol. Plus, I've never had them be particularly quiet either, so...

You also have a point, Willow and Tara have been "fighting the good fight" for years so chaos is the norm for them at this point. So making dinner, making love after killing some ubervamps is just a little more busy day than usual.

Thanks for your reading!



NEW CHAPTER POSTED DIRECTLY BELOW.

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 37 11/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:52 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
woohoo!

More Dry Heat!

Bring it!

P.S: no, not fogged up, they just needed a clean.
That's my story and i'm sticking to it!

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:07 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Image



Chapter Thirty-Eight

Pairing: W/T

Angst/Drama/Smut Rating: A strong PG-13 and a good 7 on the drama-meter.

Setting: Sunnydale

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters or the occasional bits of dialogue that are being borrowed from BtVS; they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy et al. All original characters are in no way connected to BtVS except by me in this forum. No money is involved; this is simply for my own pleasure, and hopefully that of the people reading too.

Email: riverwillows@me.com

Feedback: Of course, as usual.

Author’s Notes: Ok, so remember how I decided to mess with time? And how about my having Dawnie turn Spike into ashtray fodder while Willow and Tara boning, I mean honing their skills at The Grove in Tucson (sorry I couldn’t resist)? I also felt no need to include a misogynistic preacher as a minion for something that could be scary enough without that thrown in the mix. So that cut out the entire Spike sideline from my season seven and this would roughly be placed around the time of the “Lies My Parents Told Me” episode. As always I’d like to thank Crystal for all her help, she’s the bestest! Music for this chapter was just Alexisonfire’s “Death Letter” EP.





"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit. "Does it hurt?"
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams





The sun was shining brightly, and in one corner of the backyard Buffy was occupied with training the two potentials she had brought home with her the night before. Dana was putting the coven through their paces as well. They were divided into two teams of two; one would practice their defensive spells and the other would practice their attack spells before alternating and starting again.


Claude was off with the plants, crooning to them gently as she watered them, coaxing them to grow and flower for her. She had quickly become adept at summoning the root systems of even the smallest amount of vegetation around her to create traps and snares so thick even Buffy and Faith could not free themselves or get through them.


The air was thick with the smell of ozone and smoke; the clash of metal on metal rang and echoed off surrounding empty houses. This was all in the background as Willow and Tara lay captivated with one another; their deep red sheets swaddled around their limbs. Tara was propped up against the headboard, and Willow’s head was resting on Tara’s stomach as she stroked her hair.


“When did morning happen?” Willow asked drowsily.


“After the moon went down,” Tara teased.


“Mmm... I never want to forget how good this feels, baby,” Willow looked up at Tara smiling as she spoke. “Us. Together. It’s all the magic I will ever need.”


“And there was plenty of magic, Will,” Tara smirked.


Willow snickered and slid up Tara’s body to kiss her. They held each other tight, getting lost in the closeness they were sharing. Willow was drawing little entwined hearts up and down Tara’s tummy while she snuggled close into her side. They started to talk about what they were going to do with the coven, when a blood-curdling scream rose from the back yard.


The girls jumped up from bed, dressing hastily, and still barefoot they ran down the stairs and outside. When they burst through the backdoor, they found everyone crowded around a crumpled Dana. She was curled into a fetal position, her hand in fists on either side of her head as she continued to wail.


“Get out of the way,” Willow yelled, as she dropped to her knees beside her friend.


Willow reached out to touch Dana and with a final shrill cry, Willow was flung back a good six feet with a loud hissing noise.


Willow!” Tara screamed rushing to her side.


“I’m okay… I’m okay,” Willow gasped as she started to sit up; Tara wrapped an arm around her to help her, while holding her, she pushed Willow’s bangs out of her eyes, studying her closely. Willow’s hand made a subtle moved towards Dana, as she mouthed silent words.


Dana lay silent in the grass breathing heavily, her eyes screwed tightly shut and sobbing. Claude reached out to touch her mentor, but this time she hit a shield. She tried several times to push through a field that just shimmered down the length of Dana’s body each time she touched it, showing that it surrounded her completely. She looked up worriedly at Willow and Tara.


“It’s okay, Claude. I did that,” Willow rasped, still trying to catch her breath. “Baby, would you look at her aura and tell me what you see, please?” She asked looking at Tara.


Tara nodded and reluctantly let Willow go to move in front of Dana. She sat down looking at her friend with sad eyes. “Everyone, I need you to back away. I want to make sure no one else bleeds in,” Tara instructed.


The curious and wary group moved quickly behind Tara, to surround Willow and Buffy. Buffy herded them back another ten feet to make sure the area was as clear as possible for Tara. There was a watery shimmer over Dana as Willow removed the shield she put around her.


Sitting in lotus position, Tara began to take deep breaths, tuning everything around her out so she could focus on Dana. The minutes ticked by as Tara sat before the moaning Dana. Eventually, Tara turned to look at Willow and just shook her head. Willow joined Tara on the grass next to Dana, and began to speak to her softly. “Dana, sweetie, can you talk to me?” she whispered gently.


Dana whimpered like a kicked puppy, her breath coming in great hiccupping gasps. Her hands were still wound into claw like fists at her temples, her hair threaded through her fingers as she pulled at it as a counterpoint to whatever pain she was already experiencing.


“Dana, hon, I’m going to touch you,” Tara said. Willow slipped her hand into Tara’s before Tara gently laid her palm to Dana’s head.


Willow and Tara stiffened, sitting rigidly upright as Tara touched Dana’s mind. Their jaws snapped shut and they too began to whimper as their mind’s eyes were assailed by a tidal wave of horrific images. A hidden Egyptian-looking tomb and a crimson bladed scythe clutched in the hands of an ancient woman, held out in offering.


Whiplash flashes of young girls lying broken and bloodied in an underground cavern. Hundreds upon thousands of uber vamps snarling, blood soaked and ripping through potential after potential. Then the coven, Willow, Tara, Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies all mangled, torn, and unnaturally still. All the while a horrible horned demon with fathomless black eyes watched, maniacally cackling in malicious glee.


With a strangled cry Willow and Tara fell back onto the grass breaking their connection with Dana. Buffy and Claude rushed over to the collapsed girls. They were gasping and twitching, all the color had drained from their faces leaving their skin looking grey and putty like. Buffy knelt between them, and stroked their sweaty faces murmuring over and over, “Please be okay, please be okay.”


“Quickly, I want you to gently move them all inside,” Buffy said decisively. “Coya and Mimi, I want you to move Dana, I want to lessen the chances of a magical backlash from her again. Jake and Stephan, you take Tara, Joanie and Claude, you take Willow. Move them up to their rooms, but be gentle with them, we don’t know just how badly they may really be hurt.”


Everyone still seemed frozen in place and wide eyed with fear. “Don’t just stand there! Move!” Buffy shouted clapping her hands.


The group snapped to attention and began to scurry about in an effort to follow Buffy’s orders. Livy ran to hold open the backdoor, as the pairs began to carefully move the unconscious women inside. Once the three were safely ensconced in their rooms, Buffy sat down on the top stair. Resting her head in her hands, Buffy rubbed at her temples as she waited for her friends to wake.


******


Hours later Buffy was still holding her post outside the door to Willow and Tara’s bedroom, and the door to Dawn’s room where Dana was staying was also within slayer hearing. Claude quietly came to check on her, offering to allow her to take breaks, which Buffy refused grim-faced as she paced between the two doors listening intently.


Claude stayed with Buffy on and off throughout her watch, allowing her bathroom breaks and forcing her to eat something. It had grown dark, and they were both slowly eating sandwiches when Buffy’s head snapped up and turned towards Willow and Tara’s door. Swallowing hastily, she dropped the food in her hand to the plate she was holding and stood to face the door. Her head tilted to one side, listening and waiting for more movement from inside.


Buffy turned to look at the door to where Dana lay too, tilting her head in the other direction as she now listened to something she heard there. Her eyes darted from door to door, watching to see which one opened first. The door to Willow and Tara’s room slowly eased open, and a deathly pale Tara stood swaying in the doorway. Her eyes were ringed so dark they almost looked bruised, making her lips stand out vermillion against skin so white it looked like marble.


Buffy rushed forward, as Tara lurched dangerously and wrapped her arm around Tara’s waist. “Whoa… easy there, Tara, are you sure you should be up yet?” Buffy asked, her voice rife with concern.


“Bathroom,” Tara murmured. “Wanna be clean.”


“Tara, you can barely stand,” Buffy said gently as she held her friend upright.


“No, need a bath,” Tara replied shaking her head drunkenly. “Need to do a cleansing,” she said taking a deep breath, her words coming hard. “Need you to get Willow too.”


“Tara…” Buffy started again.


“No, Buffy she’s right,” Claude agreed. “She wants to do a cleansing bath, it’s not hardcore or anything but it will help. Maybe someone should do one with Dana too.”


Claude pushed passed the two and went straight for Willow on the bed. “Do you have any blessed soap, Tara?” she called.


“S’in the bathroom… under sink,” Tara managed as Claude gathered Willow in her arms and carried her the short distance to the bathroom.


Buffy followed Claude in with Tara in her arms. “I can do the rest,” Tara said. “Just put her in the tub.”


Claude gently put Willow in the tub, propping her head against the tile as she moaned, and then rushed to the sink pulling the doors open and looking inside. “What am I looking for?”


“The blue Tupperware box,” Tara said, her words coming easier. Holding onto the wall she sat on the side of the tub close to Willow. “Willow makes the soap herself.”


Buffy looked at Tara, an eyebrow raised in surprise. “Who knew,” she mumbled. Tara just smiled weakly and nodded at her.


Claude snatched the box out and slid it across the floor so it hit the side of the tub. “I just need to get in with her, Buffy. Can you bring our robes? They’re on the back of our bedroom door.”


Buffy nodded then rushed out. Tara climbed into the tub next to Willow, and pulled the curtain closed behind her. She slowly undressed herself, and slid down next to Willow. Buffy came back with their robes, and waited just outside the curtain. She could hear Tara struggling a bit with Willow’s clothes, but she also saw the heap that was Tara’s shorts and t-shirt on the floor.


Moving with some effort, Tara managed to get Willow undressed none too gently. Fortunately they both were only wearing shorts and t-shirts. Another heap of clothes hit the bathroom floor before she started to run water in the tub.


“Tara, I’m here,” Buffy said quietly. “Do you need anything?” She heard Willow whimper again, and she bit her lower lip listening to her friend’s pain.


“No, Buffy, we’ll be alright,” Tara replied, her arm inching out under the curtain and towards the box of soap. “When we’re done, we need to get Dana. Willow and I should be able to help her by then though,” Tara’s voice was almost a whisper.


“I’ll be right outside, okay?” Buffy said. “You don’t even need to yell, just talk loudly and I’ll be able to hear you.”


“Thanks, Buff,” Tara replied dropping the open box to the floor.


******


Two hours later, the damp bandeau and shorts from their initiation ceremony, Willow and Tara were wrapping a bra and panty clad Dana in towels and grabbing their robes, to lead her back to her bedroom. The three sat on the bed in silence, still holding each other’s hands. Willow slowly stood, and quietly left to come back moments later with a braided smudge stick of multiple herbs.


She sat on the floor in front of Tara and Dana and lit the end until it glowed. Blowing on the end, Willow got the herb wand to release a steady stream of fragrant smoke. Standing, she offered her hand first to Tara. Once she was steady, Willow began to wave the smoke around her body using the smoke to add another layer to their cleansing baths.


Tara did the same for Willow and together they used the smoke to further help Dana. The air in the room was redolent with sage, cedar and sweetgrass, and charged with energy. When Tara opened the door a wall of smoke rolled out into the hallway.


Buffy immediately appeared in the doorway coughing. “Are you guys okay?” she asked using her hand to fan the air in front of her face.


Willow and Tara bookended Dana on the bed, and all three looked beyond tired but a hundred times better than they had just a few hours ago. Dana smiled weakly at her. “I think we’re all okay, Buff,” Willow said.


“Can you tell me what exactly happened down there?” she asked. “I mean, everything was fine one minute and the next very much with the not.”


“It’s The First,” Dana smiled sadly, shivering and pulling her towel tighter around her shoulders. “He wanted to play with me a little, and got of piece of Will and Tara in the bargain.”


“How do you know it was The First?” Buffy asked.


“It wasn’t just your run of the mill glimpse of things to come type vision because there was a grain of truth in the lies,” Dana replied with a sigh. “Because, I’ve been having these ever so wonderful dreams full of little bits and pieces in them for months now. How many reasons do you want, Buffy?”


“How much can we believe?” Buffy asked as she began to pace. “Which part is the lie and which part is the truth?”


That we can figure out, but this is getting worse,” Dana said regretfully.


“What about you, Will? What did you see? What do you know?” Buffy turned to Willow.


Willow studied her hands as she began to speak. “It was flashes, but they kept coming and coming so fast it was nauseating. Buff, there’s also something we need to look for, that part wasn’t a lie.”


That was the grain of truth,” Tara said softly and took one of Willow’s hands between both of her own. “Buffy, look the rest isn’t important. There’s no reason to tell you what might happen, and really we don’t have to, you already know what’s on the line here.”


“We just have you to get to the tomb,” Dana said. “But right now, what I really need is to sleep.”


“Claude made soup. She thought you guys might be hungry after… after whatever that was out there, and it might help,” Buffy said gently. “She was actually really great, she kept checking on me while I waited for you guys come around.”


“We all should have something, we need to keep up our strength,” Tara added.

Dana put a hand on each girl’s knee. “You’re right, we can’t let it know we’re hurt. Is there another robe I could borrow?” she asked as she started to stand, Willow and Tara rising with her, each letting Dana lean on them.


Buffy moved quickly to help as well since none seemed too steady on their feet yet. “Slowly,” She disappeared coming back with a thick fuzzy robe to offer to Dana. “We’ll do this slowly, okay?” her voice gentle. “After you eat, is there anything else that would help you?”


“Meditation,” the three said in unison.


“What do you need me to do?” Buffy asked.


“Nothing. We can manage,” Tara answered.


“Maybe we can have the coven meditate with us?” Willow asked. “The added energy might help, what do you think?” Tara and Dana nodded in agreement.


“Okay, so we have a plan,” Buffy said walking slowly as Dana leaned on her. “I’ll gather everyone up while you guys eat.”


“You don’t have to, they already know,” Tara said.


Buffy looked over her shoulder at Tara with a raised eyebrow. “We didn’t summon them or anything like that, Buffy. They’re our coven, they will know that they’re needed,” Tara replied.


“If you say so,” Buffy muttered.


“She does,” Willow replied, her arm around Tara’s waist, as they followed Buffy and Dana slowly down the stairs.


The group made their way into the kitchen where Claude was standing before a huge pot of soup, humming as she stirred in herbs. Steam swirled above it along with the wonderful scent of homemade chicken soup. Claude turned to look at everyone as they entered, and without missing a beat, reached for three mugs.


She carefully ladled broth into the mugs, handing one to Dana, Willow and Tara. “If you want something more, this is actually soup, so I can get you a bowl,” she smiled sheepishly. “I thought broth might be best at first.”


“It’s really good, Claude,” Willow said and she sipped at the broth again.


“Gosh, that brings back memories,” Tara said with a smile. “It tastes just like your mom’s.”


Claude blushed lightly. “Well, I had a good teacher,” she said as she handed Buffy a large bowl of the thick soup. “It’s just, that after what happened this afternoon; I thought comfort food would be good for everyone. We all kind of had a scare.”



Willow and Tara bobbed their heads in agreement as they continued to gulp down the broth as quickly as they could. Dana smiled appreciatively at Claude, who had been looking at her expectantly as she slowly sipped from her mug. Claude turned back to the pot with a smug look on her face.


As Willow and Tara finished their broth, they went for bowls and followed Dana into the dining room. Claude brought her a small bowl as well as some crackers before leaving the four to eat. Buffy sat at the head of the table and kept looking between Willow and Tara on one side of her and Dana to the other.


“Okay, what gives?” she asked around a spoonful of soup. “What tomb do I have to find?”


The three looked at each other, and Willow cocked an eyebrow at Dana to let her know this was for her to explain. Dana shifted in her seat, and with a sigh, looked Buffy in the eye.


“I honestly don’t know,” Dana answered. “I don’t know where it is yet.”


“Then how am I supposed to find it?” Buffy squeaked in surprise.


“Look, it’s not like I get to have a magic road map or there’s a flashing neon sign that says, ‘Hey, look kids it’s over here!’, Buffy. For all I know, we may have to find it for you, or send you after it, wherever there is,” Dana sighed heavily.


“So it’s not even in Sunnydale?” Buffy asked.


“Yeah, it’s here, Buffy, I can feel it,” Tara said as everyone looked at her. “The tomb didn’t look like your standard mausoleums though, it was different.”


“Different how?” Buffy asked curiously.


“Like a pyramid. It’s old, Buffy, and I know I’ve seen it somewhere here before,” Willow said softly. “I’m just trying to remember where though. It’s not like I haven’t spent more time in all the cemeteries in Sunnydale, with the exception of you and the people buried there, than I’d care to admit,” Willow rolled her eyes. “I think we need to start with Restfield though; it’s old but a lot of it no one cares for anymore.”


“She’s right, one side of the tomb is completely over-grown,” Tara added. “The ground may not even be consecrated.”


Buffy looked at Dana. “Hey, they gave you a place to start, and I’ll draw the tomb for you in the morning,” she said tiredly. “I don’t know where else to point you, but you’ve got to be careful. We can’t lose you over something stupid.”


The foursome ate quietly for a few moments. Soon the effort started to wear on Willow, Tara and Dana. They had already eaten what they could, and Buffy’s bowl was empty as she waited with them.


“Are you ready?” Tara asked looking between Willow and Dana.


They both nodded, and the three slowly started to clean up after themselves before Buffy waved them away. When they walked into the living room the rest of the coven was there waiting for them with blankets to wrap them in for extra comfort. The Twins, Claude, Jake and Joanie formed a circle around Willow, Tara and Dana. As they had been taught, they raised a circle of energy to help them heal and replenish.


Buffy stood in the doorway watching and mulling over the witches’ words. Old tombs were her specialty after all, and there were only so many really ‘old’ cemeteries to go through. Willow had mentioned Restfield specifically. Starting to fidget as she watched the stillness of the meditating group, she decided to get the two potentials and go for a little walk.


Silently, she slipped from the room, and with the potentials in tow, from the house.




TBC…

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:12 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
dibs!

Plus, i love you!

Yay for a pressie on christmas!

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:57 pm 
Offline
20. Not one Much for the Timber
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 7:32 pm
Posts: 3214
Topics: 15
Location: H-Town, Texas
A double update! Woo Hoo!!

So, definitely not as fluffy as Penny Arcade, but equally powerful. I really liked how you wove the only good part of SR into this and I also liked that it was Dana and not Willow that was initially wigged out. Although, it was evident that it effected Willow more than Tara. Just glad to see Tara come around and have the wherewithal to get them cleansed and conscious again. With no "misogynistic preacher " I am wondering who will be the one to challenge Buffy over the Scythe.

Anyway, great as always!

_________________
Shelby - Racing The Rain (IN PROGRESS) / Baby Makes Three (IN PROGRESS) / The Santa Line / Everything She Does...Is Beautiful / Calfornia Grass

"Transform your pain. Release your past. And ... uh ... get over it."
~Willow, Where The Wild Things Are


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:23 am 
Offline
5. Willowhand
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:41 pm
Posts: 310
Location: Fort myers FL
Loved the rehash of Seeing Red's Opening. :)
Whoa, the First hijacking Dana, then the girls? Messed up. Going to get the scythe, cause scythe matters...
The tables are turning, hopefully they can keep it all up!
I just hope Buffy doesn't get herself killed, or you know one of those girls that went with her...

_________________
"Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly." -Rose Franken
"I think when I cease to go to the bathroom, then I can call myself famous." -Amber Benson
"I'd rather be a fake lesbian than a sorority girl."- A Rugby Teammate
"The Hammer is my Penis," Captain Hammer, 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog.'


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:35 am 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:51 pm
Posts: 922
Location: Kaskinen, Finland. Citizen of Kitopia
Yay for great update-y goodness... I really hope that the Scythe retrieval goes without too much problems for the Scoobies...

_________________
We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Buggered

Posting while nude improves your mood...


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 5:20 am 
Offline
10. Troll Hammer

Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:12 pm
Posts: 1170
Hope you haven't forgot about this amazing story.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 4:26 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
What love said.

Really, i wanna see the first go down!

And i wanna see everyone happy.

And in gay love of course :)

R

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 38 12/25/12
PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:48 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
[Wriggles in anticipation!] :bounce :bounce

Squeeeeeeee! :banana

R :flower

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 39 01/17/14
PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:04 pm 
Offline
8. Vixen
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 10:46 am
Posts: 863
Topics: 3
Location: Southern Arizona
Image

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Pairing: W/T

Angst/Drama/Smut Rating: PG-13 and a good 7 on the drama-meter.

Setting: Sunnydale

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape or form own the characters or the occasional bits of dialogue that are being borrowed from BtVS; they’re owned by Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy et al. All original characters are in no way connected to BtVS except by me in this forum. No money is involved; this is simply for my own pleasure, and hopefully that of the people reading too.

Email: riverwillows@me.com

Feedback: Of course, as usual.

Author’s Notes: Wow, I can’t believe it’s taken me over a year to get this posted. I’d like to thank everyone for continuing to read and be interested in the story. I’d also like to thank my ever wonderful beta, Crystal for all her support. At this point I can realistically say “the end is nigh”. I can only see maybe four more chapters before I’ll be able to wrap this up and then an epilogue. As things have calmed down somewhat I will resume posting on a monthly basis until I’m done. Italics are for emphasis. Thanks again for reading everyone! I hope you all had wonderful holidays!





Unexpected Guests…





Willow slipped into bed next to Tara, her lips cool and minty from toothpaste. Tara rolled onto her side, and Willow did the same so they were facing one another. Tara gently ran her index finger from Willow’s temple down to her chin before leaning in to kiss her. Willow wrapped her arms around Tara as she rolled onto her back taking Tara with her, and they settled into each other’s arms.


“Baby?” Willow asked softly.


“Yes, love?” Tara replied.


“Do you think we’re odd?” she asked. “I mean do you think this is odd?”


Tara pulled back to look at Willow. “I’m not sure what you mean by odd, Willow. Explain.”


This… us…,” Willow waved a hand around the room. “I mean, it’s no wonder The First attacked when you think about it. We take out a few of his overly fang-y buddies just when they were starting to have a little bit of fun with a few overzealous potentials, so he kind of had to get back at us,” Willow said. “You know, “eye for an eye” and all that kinda stuff.”


“Okay, I get that, but what do you find odd?” Tara replied.


“See, that’s just it!” Willow said frowning. “What did we do afterwards?”


Tara looked blankly at Willow as she thought for a moment, then recalling their evening with a lascivious smirk, looked at Willow with a quirked eyebrow.


Sighing heavily, Willow continued. “We patched the newbie’s up, came back here, had dinner and made love like we would do on any other night, right? Like there wasn’t anything we should remotely be concerned about.”


“But Will, the fighting, it wasn’t something out of the ordinary. Together or separately, we’ve done identical or almost identical things on hundreds, if not thousands of nights by now. Like you said, it’s what we do,” Tara said as she slowly moved her hand in circles on Willow’s back as she tried to comfort her, since obviously Willow was getting upset. “What should have stood out about this night? The type of vampire, or that you and I did more of the fighting this time?” Tara continued softly looking her carefully in the eye. “What’s really upsetting you, Willow?”


“I don’t wanna be a big gun, baby,” Willow’s eyes filled with tears and her voice small. “Nothing good ever comes from it.” Her lower lip trembled as she looked fearfully into Tara’s eyes.


Tara pulled Willow to her tightly. “You aren’t doing this alone, love. I’m here with you; we’re a team and we have help,” Tara kissed Willow’s temple. “It’s okay to be afraid, Will. We should be, and you’re making sense. I doubt this will be the last time something like this happens. I mean, at least until all the fighting is finally all over.”


“I know we are facing a lot, but this time it just feels different somehow, you know?” Willow whispered.


“Sweetie, there has always been a lot to lose. That has never changed, but normally it’s Buffy that’s the one wearing her big girl pants and the t-shirt with the big bulls-eye painted on it. Apparently, we made this thing worried,” Tara replied. “It just got to Dana first.”


Willow nodded her head, and nuzzled further into Tara’s shoulder. “We’re running out of time, Tara. We’ve got to find the scythe, we can’t keep waiting,” she whispered. “The First won’t.”


“I know, love, I know,” Tara said then kissed the top of Willow’s head and tightened her grip around her. They both were silent, taking comfort in the nearness of the other, until eventually sleep claimed their weary minds and exhausted bodies.




******



Willow bopped down the stairs and into the kitchen. There she found Buffy scowling at the floor like it had wronged her horribly and Faith looking… like Faith. Tara had an unusually filthy look on her face and to say that she did not look happy was an understatement.


“Uh, hi guys,” Willow said suspiciously as she grabbed a coffee mug and filled it.


Everyone was looking anywhere but at her, and as she put milk and sugar in her coffee, she very calmly asked, “Would anyone like to tell me what the frilly heck is going on with all the sourpusses?”


Faith shuffled her feet, and actually looked a little bit nervous as her gaze flitted back and forth between Buffy and Tara, while Buffy’s gaze was steady on Tara. Tara sighed heavily and crossed her arms over her chest, her face darkening even more.


“Go ahead, Faith. Tell her,” Tara said her voice oddly icy, and Willow looked at her sharply with concern.


Faith ran a hand through her dark hair and opened her mouth to speak, then stopped. She cocked her head to one side then the other, and for a moment she had the pained look similar to Xander’s when he has a thought, before she looked at Willow and gave up. She plopped down onto one of the stools with a forlorn expression and began to speak.


“Look, Red, there ain’t no nice way to say this, so here goes it,” she said looking at the countertop. “Seems like Charity has got the hots for you somethin’ fierce.”


“Uhhh, okay,” Willow said with a shrug. “That’s inconvenient, sweet and I’m sure she’s a nice girl, but I’m very much with the taken.”


“Yeah, well it seems like brain child thought, you know, that she might be able to you know,” Faith hesitated, and looked pleadingly at Buffy.


“She thought what, Faith?” Willow sighed in exasperation and set her mug down with enough force to cause the hot liquid to slosh out onto the counter. “Spit it out for cryin’ out loud, you’re making my stomach all acidy,” she said as she snatched up a dish towel to wipe up the mess.


“She thought that if she could impress you enough, you might leave me for her,” Tara said evenly.


“She what?” Willow squeaked as her eyebrows rocketed up her forehead in surprise. Willow looked at the three women and began to laugh. She picked up her mug and laughed again taking a sip. “Oh, c’mon, guys, it’s ridiculous. She really thought that – about me?”


“That whole little vanishing potentials verses big nasty smack down was ‘cause she was tryin’ to impress you, Red,” Faith said quietly. “It just wasn’t supposed to go down that way though, yo.”


Willow leaned against the refrigerator, shock written all over her face. “That can’t be…” she whispered. “How stupid could she be?” Willow said with a mix of sadness and anger. “I mean, I know how it is to crush on someone, but me? Why?” She looked around at her friends, and then a light bulb almost literally went on above her head. “Baby, you know I’ve never given her any reason to think she remotely had a chance.” Willow put down her cup and went to Tara, pulling her arms from her chest to step into her and press against her gently.


“I know why she would crush on you, Will,” Tara said quietly, a soft sad smile quirking her lips. “And I know you’ve never led her on either.”


“Good,” Willow replied looking deeply into her eyes.


Willow wrapped Tara in her arms and kissed her softly. She held the kiss until she felt Tara start to respond before ending it. Turning in Tara’s arms and holding them around her, she looked at both Slayers with a hard glint in her eyes.



“She almost got herself and two other innocent girls killed for her ego trip – for nothing – less than nothing,” she said. “I want as little contact with Little Miss Stalks-A-Lot as possible. This is not a joke, regardless of what she thinks.”


Buffy nodded. “Not a problem, Will. I’ll make sure she won’t do rotations here anymore.”


“Yeah, we can make sure the little nimrod is scarce for you and Blondie,” Faith added with a nod.


“Then we’re done here,” Willow said crisply, turning to Tara she softened. “Baby, come upstairs with me?”


“Sure,” Tara murmured and let Willow led her away.



******



After a long cuddling session that led to a nap, the girls were refreshed and ready to work with their coven. Loud voices were the norm coming from downstairs during much of the daylight hours, so Willow and Tara were taking their time making their way back downstairs. It wasn’t unusual for there to be some racket from the potentials or the coven at that time in the afternoon, and everyone was getting used to the new and varying definitions of “quiet”.


“Willow… Tara!” Buffy yelled up the stairs. “There’s… visitors here for you!”


Willow and Tara looked at each other puzzled; unannounced visitors on the hellmouth in general were not a good thing. Forgoing shoes as had become their habit of late, they started downstairs. They were at about the halfway point when they heard an unmistakable voice.


“Where are my bitches at?” Bunny said haughtily. “They didn’t tell me they were coming to live in some sort of lesbian commune.” He sniffed as he eyed Buffy.


Buffy looked amusedly at the immaculately made up little man flitting around her living room, touching things here and there. Marisol had made herself comfortable on the couch and just rolled her eyes. “Your gaydar sucks, little brother, she’s not gay. Now will you please just sit down and stop being rude?”


“There’s nothing wrong with my gaydar, thank you very much,” he sniped back, eyeing Buffy again with a perfectly shaped raised eyebrow.


“Uhh, not so much with the girl on girl lovin’ here…” Buffy started to protest.


Halfway down the stairs Willow and Tara had heard Bunny’s voice again, and looked at each other and grinned. With a simultaneous shriek of “BUNNY!” they rushed the rest of the way down the stairs.


Bunny turned on his heel, his smile blinding and arms opened wide. “There’s my bitches!”


Marisol and Buffy watched in amusement as the trio babbled at light speed animatedly at each other throughout a long hug. Hands flailed, fingers were shook, but mostly hugs were repeated amidst a lot of laughter.


When they calmed down, Willow and Tara noticed Marisol sitting patiently on the couch smirking at them. The girls squealed again and rushed at her with outstretched arms to pull her off the sofa into another round of bone crushing hugs.


When the love-fest had abated, Buffy was standing looking slightly uncomfortably at the group. Tara sat on the sofa with Bunny and Marisol, each on one side, and Willow rushed to Buffy’s side pulling her over.


“Guys, this is Buffy Summers, best friend extraordinaire and The vampire slayer. Buff, this is Marisol Campos and her brother Benito, or better known as the fabulous Miss Bunny FooFoo,” Willow said grinning broadly and bouncing on the balls of her feet happily.


“Bunny FooFoo?” Buffy said looking at Willow.


“It’s what he does drag under, and he’s amazing! He has better legs than Cordelia did in high school, Buff,” Willow replied, then noticed Tara’s quirked eyebrow and began to blush furiously.


“Drag?” Buffy asked again.


“I’ll explain later,” Willow said smiling.


Buffy huh, and that’s your real name? Glass houses, girl, glass houses,” Bunny retorted cattily.


“And Bunny is any better you sawed off little…” Buffy started replying.


“So what brings you both here?” Tara asked cutting off any further verbal sparring between the pair before Buffy got really upset and things – or people – accidentally got broken.


Taking her queue from Tara, Willow tried to help keep the conversation light and upbeat when she saw Buffy’s eyes narrowing. “Yeah, I kinda doubt you came all this way to visit the lovely hellmouth just because you missed us.”


“Well, actually Lady Rowan wanted me to bring you a book that got left behind. She said it was important and you both would need it,” Marisol replied as she pulled an old large book from the bag at her feet. Jabbing her thumb in Bunny’s direction she continued. “He just came along to annoy me.”


“You’re not the only one,” Buffy snarked under her breath.


Bunny shot Buffy a look, and Tara took the book from Marisol. Opening it she began to look through it, recognizing it immediately. “It’s the grimoire only we could read, Will,” she said as she looked up at Willow seriously.


“Oh,” Willow replied breathlessly and started twisting her fingers anxiously in front of her.


Buffy noticed the change in Willow’s demeanor, and put a hand on Willow’s shoulder giving her a questioning look; Willow just shrugged and smiled weakly.


Marisol moved to the chair to allow Willow to sit next to Tara as she looked through the book. Tara had been thumbing through it when she came to the spell they had first seen back at The Grove. The spell for empowering.


“A book only you could read?” Buffy asked curiously.


“Yeah, Buff,” Willow said looking up at her. “We had to do a little sneaky recon to get the book. It was meant for Amy, one of her creepy little minions found it and was in the process of delivering it when Tara and I pulled the switcheroo on him. It turns out that even if she had gotten her evil little hands on it she wouldn’t have been able to use it.”


“The pages appeared blank to everyone but Will and me,” Tara added. “Even Giles had no luck.”


“Whoa, not even Giles, huh? That must’ve gotten his tweed all in a knot,” Buffy snickered. “Well, what is it exactly?” She asked looking at Tara. “Please don’t tell me it’s another prophesy… I don’t do well with prophesies.”


“No, no prophesies in this book. From what My Lady said, it’s a book of battle spells,” Marisol answered nonchalantly.


“Battle Magic?” Buffy squeaked.


Willow and Tara looked at one another, holding a silent conversation with their eyes. Willow nodded, and they both looked at Buffy.


“Yeah, Buffy,” Tara said and glanced at Willow who smiled. “This book, well it’s special, and it has been passed down through a long line of witches… warrior witches.”


“Warrior witches?” Buffy questioned.


“Yes, girl, warriors,” Bunny sniped.” “Don’t you know these two are legendary?”


“HUH?” Buffy, Tara and Willow replied simultaneously.


Bunny rolled his eyes as he crossed his legs and smoothed out the non-existent creases in his slacks. “There have always been witches that have fought against evil. Just like Slayers, but not,” Bunny said with a melodramatic sigh. “Magick… is an E. O. E., girlfriend,” he smirked.


“Equal Opportunity Employer,” Willow and Tara replied. Tara smiled and slid her hand into Willow’s.


“Yes, girl,” Bunny said. “The last pair of witches to use the book saved the world too.” He smiled sadly at Willow and Tara, and it was a look Buffy didn’t miss.


“They died though, didn’t they” Buffy asked.


The atmosphere in the room was heavy, and Bunny cleared his throat. “Yes and no.”


“What do you mean, ‘yes and no’?” Willow asked.”Either they died or they didn’t.”


Bunny reached across Tara to pat Willow’s hand soothingly. “Will, you know better than that,” he smiled. “I also know you read much of the history of Siobhan and Petra Dahl; you know the story.”


“But that’s just a legend!” Willow replied.


“So are Slayers, and witches, and all the things that go bump in the night,” He smiled again. “We know better than that though, don’t we, girl?”


“So what’s the deal with Chevy and Peter?” Buffy asked. “What made them so special?”


Bunny rolled his eyes. “Siobhan and Petra. Siobhan was her clan’s healer and Petra came from what now would be Greece. We think they met in 1880, but there’s nothing about either of them separately before then.”


“They met while traveling in what is now Indonesia, Buff,” Willow continued. “They fell in love and fought alongside one another until 1883. The last spell they did was to stop an apocalypse that resulted in the volcano on the island of Krakatoa erupting in August of that year.”


“Thousands of people died. Some from the blast and storms caused by the volcano’s eruption. There were survivors. There was a coven that lived on the island, and a slayer that lived to see The Boxer Rebellion at the turn of the century before meeting an… untimely end,” Bunny added looking directly at Buffy.


Buffy looked at Bunny with narrowed eyes. “What are you getting at?”


“I’m not ‘getting at’ anything. The Watcher’s Council aren’t the only ones to keep track of certain vampires of note. William the Bloody has, or I should say had quite the reputation,” Bunny said looking at Buffy evenly.


“It’s true, Buffy. All of that was in the accounts of the eruption I read,” Willow said trying to diffuse the tension growing between Bunny and Buffy.


“But what happened to the lovebirds?” Buffy asked.


“During the spell, it called for them to… merge… in order to harness their strength,” Willow answered.


“If that’s some sort of code for hot sweaty…” Buffy started.


What?” Willow squeaked. “NO! No, it’s not code for… anything,” she said turning a lovely shade of tomato. “They basically became one being and that being caused the eruption that closed the hellmouth. There was nothing left after that, so we don’t know anything else after the eruption took place.”


“Oh… okay,” Buffy said blushing herself. “But what do they have to do with you two?”


“Now that’s the fifty million dollar question, isn’t it?” Bunny answered with a coy smile. “What’s your take on reincarnation, sweet cheeks?”


“Uhhh,” Buffy mumbled as she stared at Willow and Tara. “Reincarnation?”




TBC…

_________________
Heather aka vampyregurl73 aka Riverwillows73
Image
My stories:
"Dry Heat – In Progress (still)" "Penny Arcade - Completed"
Image
My Fic Challenge entries:
"Fireworks" "Promise" "I Did What Last Night?"
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 39 01/17/14
PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:20 pm 
Offline
13. Big Knowledge Woman
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:28 pm
Posts: 1721
Topics: 1
Location: Ohio
DIBS!!!

Hi Heather! Yay for an update, and only a mere year later. Such a naughty Kitten. lol

Okay, after a good night's sleep and re-read when my brain isn't so tired...this ending has me totally intrigued. I really need to go back and read the last dozen or so chapters again. I knew the girls were special, but I didn't know they were this special. I mean, they're "legen...wait for it...dary". Now I'm really worried for them based on what happened to the last ones, or them, it seems. Holy shit.

Now they have to find the scythe, do something empowering, and find a volcano. They "merge", but not the hot and sweaty kind of merging (damnit), cause the volcano to erupt and end The First, and maybe themselves in the process. Again, Holy. Shit. I really hope they find some other way than that this time.

Monthly updates you say? I can't wait!


Wimpy

_________________
Pam aka Wimpy0729
Restlessness ~ Quickies - The Lovers, The Dreamers & Me

"There was plenty of magic." ~~ Tara


Last edited by wimpy0729 on Sat Jan 18, 2014 11:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Fic (AU/Slight Canon) Dry Heat Chapter 39 01/17/14
PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:29 pm 
Offline
9. Gay Now
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:45 pm
Posts: 985
Topics: 15
Location: Beyond the orbit of Mars and accelerating...
Yay progress!

Sigh, no dibs here either.
Not my day i guess.

But, yay for progress!

And i am looking forwards to the big reveals.
Like:
Willow and Tara were together in another life.
How they destroyed the big bad, and how that relates to The First.
And Buffy and Faith getting together in the background.

You know they have to :)

Think i might go back and read this from the beginning.

Keep up the good work! :bounce

R :flower

_________________
“All I feel is sunlight. All I hear is music.” Willow
How i Met Your Mother - By Ariel


My Story: Coming Home


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 443 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 11, 12, 13, 14, 15  Next

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron

W/T Love 24/7 since July 2000
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group