• Rating - NC-17 Eventually
• Disclaimer - I'm only borrowing these wonderful characters... promise I'll give them back when I'm done.
• Feedback - If you feel so inclined, please leave me any constructive criticism, feed back or just stop in to say howdy, whatever strikes your fancy.
• Summary - 6 years after the end of season 6. Tara's alive but Willow doesn't know that. Willow's alive but Tara doesn't know that.
• Notes - Okay, so I hope you guys enjoy... some parts may be difficult to read, but I promise all will be well in the end... __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part 1
“Em, don’t run so fast baby girl, you’ll scare the ducks.” The little blonde girl laughed excitedly and jumped in a near by puddle, sending water splashing against her red rain boots.
Willow couldn’t help but smile. Three days ago the skies had opened up and rain began to fall from the heavens. It had been a glorious storm, thunder rolling in the distance and lightening flashing in the sky. They had needed the rain, but three days straight was a little much and it had left her little girl restless and hyper with pent up energy. Finally the rain had relented and Emma had asked her mother if they could go to the park and feed the ducks. The redhead had agreed and here they were.
Emma Danielle Rosenberg was a very active six year old. Once at the park she had only spent about five minutes with the ducks then off she ran splashing in every puddle she came across. She reminded Willow of herself in that respect. Always curious, always ready for a new adventure, but quick to lose interest and move on to the next exciting thing.
The little girl raced back to her mother and smiled a sweet lopsided smile, her clear blue eyes shinning brightly. “Mommy can we go to the pet store? My fishies need a new castle!”
Willow smiled down at her daughter and tucked a few lose strands of long blond hair behind her ear, “And what’s wrong with the castle they have now?”
Emma jumped up and down excitedly, holding on to her mothers hands so she could jump higher, “Cause Mr. Bubbles and Sr. Swim-a-lot are gonna need more room for their babies!”
The redhead couldn’t suppress her laughter. Her daughter had gotten the idea that her fish wanted to start a family together and Willow didn’t have the heart to burst the little girls bubble. “Okay baby girl, we’ll stop by and see what they have.”
The blonde squealed excitedly and ran back to her puddle jumping.
A sad smile graced Willows lips as she watched her daughter bend down to pick a flower growing near one of the puddles. The little girl stared at it intently, studying it closely. She looked back at her Mom and smiled before tucking it behind her ear and going back to her game.
It was in these moments when Willow saw Tara in their daughter. Her sweet uneven smile, her intense blue eyes looking at the world with such awe. Her throat constricted as she thought of the other woman. Not a day went by that she didn’t think of her lost love ’She looks so much like you Tara.’ she thought with a sigh. It took everything in the redhead not to break down crying. She missed her lover so much, even now.
“Mommy can we go now? My socks are wet.”
Emma’s voice broke through Willow’s revere. She quickly buried her sorrow, not wanting the little girl to see. “Of course sweetie. Let’s run by the house to change, then we’ll go see about getting Mr. Bubbles and Sir. Swim-A-Lot their new house.”
The little blonde smiled brightly at her Mother and took her hand as she skipped down the sidewalk towards their car.
Willow couldn’t help but think, ‘You would have loved this Tara.’
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It was raining again. Thunder echoed in the distance as she rolled over onto her back, her body becoming slightly tangled in the sheets. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as the rain tapped at the large bay windows opposite her bed. She loved the rain. It always meant that she would get a little extra time to snuggle with her lover. The blonde sighed deeply as she stretched, reaching across the blankets and grasping… nothing. She frowned for a moment, opening her eyes and looking over at the empty space beside her when it finally dawned on her; her lover wasn’t there. Hadn’t been there for a long time. The loneliness creeped into her chest and she sighed again, closed her eyes and draped her arm over her face. She should be used to waking up alone. But her dreams the night before had been filled with passion and love. Sparkling green eyes and fiery hair… She had a feeling that it was going to be a bad day.
A soft knock at the door brought an end to her musings. Her first attempt at replying was caught in her throat, her vocal cords had yet to get up to speed with the rest of her body. Coughing gently to clear her throat she finally called out to whoever was on the other side of the door. “I’m up!”
“It’s Dawn. Giles said to come and get you, there’s something going on but he wants to tell us all together so he doesn’t have to go over it twice.” The young woman opened the door just enough to poke her head into the room, “Oh, and, umm, Tara? Xander wanted to know if you’d fix breakfast cause Buffy tried, and, well, it was bad.”
Tara couldn’t help but smile, “I’ll be right there.”
Dawn smiled and closed the door behind her and shouted down the hall, “Tara’s coming! She’s gonna fix breakfast so we don’t all die from Buffy’s creation!”
The blonde couldn’t help but chuckle as she swung her legs out of bed and stretched her arms out to her sides. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad day after all.
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Breakfast had gone smoothly. Everyone gathered around the long table and talked and ate. It was a boisterous affair, as all meals with the group tended to be. Tara couldn’t help but glance at the empty seat to her right. No one had mentioned Faith’s absence, they knew that she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. She was grateful for their silent support. At the head of the table, Giles began to speak, breaking her out of her own thoughts.
“Alright, now that everyone is fed and hopefully at least slightly more attentive, I’d like to discuss the current issue at hand.” The patriarch of their family and head of The New Watchers Council stood and removed his glasses, “Tara and I have been unable to discern the origins of the object but we believe, based on initial reports, that it is an item of great power and potential evil.”
Buffy leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head, “What kind of evil are we talking about Giles? Like, big, scary apocalypsey evil? Or little, slightly troubling demon toy evil?”
Tara couldn’t help but smile at the Slayer’s ‘scale of evil’. The blond leaned forward to make eye contact with her, “We’re not sure, but we’re leaning towards apocalypsey evil.”
“Just to be on the safe side, you understand, we really haven’t the slightest clue.” Giles added, returning his glasses to their previous position, “Considering that the demon is was taken from is a lesser demon lord, I think it would be fair to say it’s an object of some importances, what that is specifically, we have been unable to discover.”
Xander, who was still recovering from a slight food coma, lean his head against the table and sighed loudly. “So, we don’t know what it is, we don’t know what it does, we just know that Kat found it on a demon lord after she killed it, so it’s bad. Great, good talk, very informative.”
Dawn rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Think about it Xan, big bad demon risked his life to get it, it’s not in any of our books and no one seems to know anything about it. That means someone went to a lot of trouble to keep this thing a secret.”
“So it’s a secret evil type thing. What are we going to do with it?” The Slayer didn’t like the direction this conversation was headed. She was a doer, she needed a plan. The unknown didn’t sit well with her.
“Why not just break it and be done with it?” Xander looked hopeful, surely it wouldn’t be that hard to break a stone disk.
Tara shook her head, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to destroy it until we know for sure what it does. For all we know that could cause something really bad to happen.”
Giles agrees, “Yes, besides, I’ve contacted an old friend, he has a team of experts willing to assess the artifact. Tara and I will be taking it to them tomorrow.”
Buffy stood quickly, obviously uncomfortable with the idea, “Whoa, no, you can’t be serious? You’re going to take a potentially dangerous… whatever the hell it is… to who knows where so a bunch of people you don’t know can, what? Poke at it? Alone?”
Giles sat down heavily, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Buffy, surely you don’t think I would be that careless?” He glanced briefly at Tara but quickly averted his gaze, his young protégé wouldn’t be happy with him. “We’ll be traveling to the British museum, with protection, and I’ll personally oversee the actions of the team. I assure you, Robert is a very adept anthropologist, I wouldn’t trust this task to just anyone.”
Tara was confused, she was under the impression that it would be just her and Giles traveling with the relic, “Protection? Giles, the slayers are all on assignment and Buffy needs to be here to train…”
“Yes, well, I had hoped to discuss this with you in private, but it would seem that.. well… I-I…”The former librarian stumbled over his words, he hadn’t wanted to bring this up in front of everyone. “You see, Faith has agreed to accompany us to England.”
The table was silent and all eyes were trying desperately to look anywhere but at Tara. The blonde witch stood up and placed her hands on the table in front of her and refused to lift her gaze. After a tense moment she spoke, her voice cold, “I’d like to speak with you, Giles. Alone.” She then turned and left the room.
Giles, to his credit, had the decency to look throughly reprimanded as he followed her out of the dining room and into the kitchen.
Tara’s back was to the door and she leaned heavily on the counter top as she stared absently out the window. She heard the footsteps, then the door close, before she spoke, “How could you arrange this behind my back?”
“I didn’t intend to… I know you both parted on bad terms but…” The watcher stopped, then sighed, “You’re right. I should have spoken to you.”
“Yeah, you should have.” She turned and met the mans remorseful gaze, “I haven’t seen or spoken to her in months and you go and spring this on me? She just planned to show up without a word and I’m suppose to be fine with that?”
Giles nodded and removed his glasses, “I’m sorry. I know this has been difficult for you.” He put his glasses back on and took a step towards her, “But you must understand, there was no one else I trust to keep you and the relic safe.”
Tara sighed and fought to hold back tears, “She was my best friend, Giles. She could have called.”
Giles smiled sadly and put his hand gently on her shoulder, “My dear girl, she still cares for you deeply, I doubt she knows what to say. She’s not exactly the type to handle this sort of thing with grace.”
Tara chuckled despite herself, “No, she isn’t.” She breathed deeply and nodded, “Alright. I’m still mad at you, but I understand.”
“I can accept that.” He nodded and held his arms out. His smile returned as she quickly accepted the offered hug. “I am truly sorry.”
The blonde sniffed and squeezed the man she considered a father tightly. “I know.”
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… on you I knew We’d spend this life side by side I still feel the same though you’re so far away I swear that you’ll always be mine
Forever love I promise you Someday we’ll be together Forever love I won’t give up No matter what I’ll be waiting for you Forev…
… already there Take a look around I’m the sunshine in your…
…I miss the years that were erased…
…What would you think of me now So lucky so strong so pro…
…That ripples through your close It’s closer than my hands have been Oh I’m jealous of the wind…
Willow’s head dropped onto the steering wheel with a soft thud as she groaned loudly. ‘The radio hates me.’
Emma giggled from the back seat, “Mommy, you’re silly.”
The redhead couldn’t help but smile as she lifted her head and glanced into the rearview mirror at her daughter. “Mommy doesn’t think the radio is very nice.”
“I think the last song was pretty Mommy.” The little girl fidgeted in her car seat, “Where are we going? I want to take my fishies new castle to them.”
Sighing softly, Willow shook her head, “Sorry kiddo, Mommy has to stop by work for a few hours. Do you mind going to Jamie’s house to play for a little while?”
While at the pet store Willow had gotten a call saying that her presence was desperately needed at the museum. The fact that it was a Saturday didn’t seem to matter much, so the redhead was being forced to cut her Mommy daughter time a little short.
“Alright! Jamie’s house! Jamie’s Mommy makes the best cookies! She puts potato chips and…”
Willow just rolled her eyes playfully and smiled as her daughter rambled on about her best friends Mom’s cookie recipe. She was just glad that Emma wasn’t upset that she had to go into work on their day out.
Once she had dropped the excited little girl off and promised to be back as soon as she could, she made the drive across town to the museum. Willow had been working at the British Museum for the past four years. When she first began interning at the museum as a grad-student, she was surprised to learn that most museums had a ‘special’ collection not permitted for public viewing. More specifically, demon relics. The British Museum was home to many such pieces and once the curator learned of Willow’s particular skills, she was asked to assist them in the handling of these relics. Willow agreed, mostly because it meant that she would be getting paid and with Emma being only two years old at the time, she desperately needed the added income. Having spent the past year scrapping by on what little she earned by working for the University library, she welcomed the extra money.
Now, four years later, she was not only a respected and sought after academic but she had also taken over the position as curator of the ‘special’ collection. She loved her job. In a way, it made her feel like she was still fighting the good fight, all be it in a different capacity. She kept the most dangerous relics out of the hands of not only demons, but careless humans who would sell these items on the black market.
Once she pulled into the parking lot she grabbed her umbrella from the backseat and began making her way to the entrance of the building. As much as she loved her work, she loved her daughter more, and she was eager to get this over with so she could return home and continue her ‘Mommy, Emma day’.
“Oh thank God. Dr. Rosenberg.” A young man rushed towards her. His shaggy, dark hair fell in slight curls as he ran, nearly tripping over himself. Once he reached the redhead he pushed his dark rim glasses back into their rightful place and doubled over as he tried to catch his breath.
Willow gave the man a bemused smirk. Marcus was a good person, only in his early 20’s, he carried himself like a much older man… most of the time. It was only on rare occasions that his behavior revealed his youth. “Breathe Marcus, then tell me what’s going on as we walk.”
The dark haired man nodded as he straightened up. He let out a puff of air as he straightened his clothing. “Sorry, it’s just.. This is big. Really big. I can’t believe they found this!”
“Found what?” They walked quickly through the museum towards the private collections. Willow wasn’t quite sure what her colleague was talking about, but he seemed very excited.
Marcus paused at the door to the collection and swiped the ID badge hanging from a lanyard around his neck. The door beeped and unlocked, allowing him to push it open. The young man couldn’t contain his excitement any longer. Once the door closed safely behind them he began babbling, “The relic we got in yesterday, it’s complete. Not a fragment, not a replica. It’s authentic, I’ve never seen anything like it! Do you know what this means? I’ve never seen a complete artifact! Not of this nature. It’s absolutely astounding! Do you know what this means?!”
Willow was impressed. Marcus had barely stopped to breathe. As a former babbler, what the young man before her had just managed was quite the accomplishment. She would have commended him on a job well done if the meaning behind his words hadn’t fallen over her like a wet blanket.
“Of what nature, Marcus?” She paused, standing still in the middle of the room, waiting for his answer.
His dark eyes were wide with the thrill of the discovery, “The relic is a complete demon artifact.” His words were hushed. Few in the museum knew about such things. The relics they had of that nature were kept under strict lock and key. No unauthorized personal had access. And only four in the building were authorized. Himself, Olivia, Willow and the Director.
Willow’s expression grew serious, her lips set in a thin line and she addressed her assistant, “Are you sure?” Though they dealt with demon relics on a daily basis, it was still rare to find a complete piece. Most were fragmented or broken in some way.
Marcus nodded, “Positive, Liv confirmed it herself.”
She nodded, “Is it still with her?”
The young man barely nodded before Willow half sprinted in the direction of the lab. Though this was Marcus’s first complete artifact, it wasn’t hers. She had seen many in her time at the museum and each one was handled with the utmost care. It was a delicate task. Learning the origin and purpose of these relics wasn’t something any of them took lightly. One wrong move, one wrong word could have catastrophic consequences.
Once inside she spotted Olivia, one of the few individuals she truly trusted. The Croatian was a master at identifying fake artifacts and a brilliant linguist. Her interest in the ‘other worldly’ happenings had lead her to this facility and specifically this team.
“Is it true?”
Olivia turned to face the doctor and nodded. Her long, dark hair was tied loosely in a bun and her dark rimmed glasses were perched on the bridge of her nose. She was a beautiful women, her sharp features and subtle curves made her the subject of envy and desire.
Her striking blue eyes found Willow’s green and she smiled. “It’s true. I haven’t finished the translation but it’s defiantly demon. And it’s intact.”
Willow peered over the other woman’s shoulder as she carefully examined the script carved into the stone relic. It was only about the size of a CD, but much thicker with intricate carvings along the outside edge. It was difficult for her to make out what the carvings were. Placing her hand on the linguists shoulder she leaned in closer.
Olivia smiled sensuously over her shoulder at the redheaded doctor, “Why Dr. Rosenberg, are you trying to get fresh?”
Willows eyes went wide and she jerked her hand back as if it were scalded. “What? No! Of course not! I would never.. “
Her hysterics were cut off by a soft chuckle as Olivia spun around in the desk chair she was sitting in. “Breathe Will. I was just joking. I know you’d never… not at work anyway.” She gave the redhead a suggestive wink and turned back to her work.
Despite herself, Willow smiled. “Funny. Alright, we’ll leave you to work on this.” She turned to Marcus, who, to his credit, had tried to appear busy fiddling with some paper work so as to give the two women their moment. “We have to call the Director.”
Marcus nodded, then paused, his brow furrowed, “Now? It’s Saturday… you know how he is about his weekends.”
Willow considered this for a moment, then nodded, “I know, but he’ll want to know. Give him a call.”
Marcus nodded and left the room.
“Hey Willow?” The linguists voice was soft.
Willow turned her eyes finding Olivia’s immediately. “Yeah?”
The other woman smiled and stood, moving to stand directly in front of the redhead. “Why don’t you and I have dinner tomorrow night?”
Looking up slightly at the taller woman she sighed, “Liv, you know I don’t have a sitter on weekends.”
“So? Why can’t Emma come with us? We’ll go to the park… come on Will, why not?”
Willow lowered her gaze, her green eyes suddenly shining with sorrow, her words barley above a whisper, “You know why.”
Olivia nodded and reached out slowly, taking the other woman’s hand gently into her own, “I’m not asking you to marry me. Just let me in a little. I know you have Emma and your first priority is her, I respect that.” She gently cupped Willows cheek, lifting her gaze enough to meet her own, “I just think that we could have something here. I already love Em and I care about you. A lot.”
Willow was conflicted. She honestly liked Olivia. They had been friends since the other woman landed the job at the museum 2 years ago. The tall brunette had become a regular presence at the Rosenberg house. But over the passed six months their friendship had begun to shift. Olivia became more interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with the redhead, while Willow was reluctant. She knew that Tara was gone and her lover wouldn’t want Willow to spend the rest of her life grieving. But the truth was, she didn’t feel that she was ready. She wasn't sure she would ever be ready.
Willow reached up and placed her hand over the one still cupping her cheek and gently removed it, “I don’t… I can’t… please?” Her green eyes shone with unshed tears as she looked pleadingly at the other woman.
Olivia nodded in understanding, her eyes searching the depths before her. She wasn’t about to give up on this remarkable woman. “It's okay, really. I’m not going anywhere.”
The redheaded doctor smiled softly and wrapped tentative arms around the taller woman and pulled her into a tender hug. “Thank you. For understanding.”
The brunette wrapped her arms around Willows waist and pulled her closer then whispered in her ear, “Anything for you.”
They stood there for only a moment before they both pulled back and shared a smile.
Willow was the first to speak, though she struggled to clear the emotion for her voice. “I have to go pick up Em from Jamie’s.”
“Okay, tell her I said hi? I miss the little monkey.”
Nodding, Willow smiled, “I’ll tell her. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
Olivia nodded and returned the redheads smile, “Absolutely.”
Willow turned and quickly walked out of the lab, leaving the linguist to her work. As she made her way to the car her mind was racing and her heart ached. She knew that Olivia was a beautiful woman, inside as well as out, and that she would be lucky to have someone like that in her and her daughters life. But a part of her felt as if she were betraying Tara. She knew on an intellectual level that she was being ridiculous, but she still wasn’t ready to let her lover go.
Before she could reach the door she heard Marcus calling her name and turned to see the young man once more barreling towards her. She held up her hands and frowned at her young colleague. “Whoa, what is up with you today? Training for a marathon or something?”
Marcus bent over clutching at his side as he tried to catch his breath, “Doc, it’s the Director, he said he has to talk to you right away. It’s big…” He finally straightened back up and breathed in deeply before blowing it out, “I’ve got to start working out.”
Willow’s expression dropped from amused to on of confusion, “Is it about the relic? Cause we’ve got it handled for now.”
The young man cut her off, “I don’t think so. I didn’t even get a chance to tell him much about it, he seemed distracted.”
The redhead nodded and began walking towards her office, “Alright. Thank you Marcus.”
He leaned heavily against the wall behind him and wiped his brow, “Yeah… really need to buy some walkie talkies or something.”
Willow laughed and called back over her shoulder, “They’re called cellphones Marcus!”
The young doctor looked up after her, “Oh…” he then pushed himself off the wall and followed his mentor, “You couldn’t have told me that sooner?”
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“Mommy? Which star is Mama’s again?”
Willow smiled down at the little girl in her lap, her blonde head leaning back against her shoulder looking up into the night sky. She knew that the child knew exactly where the star in question was. but still, she humored her child, knowing she liked it when Willow told her.
“You see the ‘Moose taking a sponge bath’?”
Emma nodded. It was her favorite.
“Okay, look just a little this way.”
The blonde followed her mothers movements as she pointed to the sky.
“See that really bright one, the one that looks just a little blue?”
Emma nodded again, a bright smile on her face. “There she is… that’s Mama.”
The redhead wrapped her arms around her little girl and rested her chin on the child’s shoulder. “Yeah, that’s your Mama.” She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, inhaling the sent of her daughters strawberry shampoo as her thoughts drifted.
It had become an almost nightly ritual. On warm, clear nights the pair would sit out in the back yard, and on the cold nights like this they would sit together on the window seat in Emma’s bedroom and look at the stars. Willow would tell the little girl stories about Tara and her constellations. She desperately wanted Emma to have a part of her Mama and the stars was the best she could do. It’s all she had left of her soulmate.
Emma loved talking to her Mama and would often sit on the window seat in her room alone, look to the sky and have entire conversations with her. Sometimes, late at night, Willow would find her curled up with a blanket by the window pretending to read a story to herself. At first it had taken Willow a moment to realize that her daughter was actually reading to Tara. The little girl would stop and ask, “Did you like that part?” or “Do you want me to read it again Mama?”
On those nights Willow felt equal parts pride and sorrow. She wished with all her heart that Emma could have known her other mother and she cursed the Gods for having denied her child that. And in the same breath she thanked them for giving her this child, this precious reminder of her love for Tara.
Once she got her daughter settled into bed she made her way down stairs to check the locks, old habits die hard, before going back up to get herself ready for bed. Once finished with her nightly ritual she poked her head into Emma’s room to check on the little girl before going to bed. She watched for a moment, the child curled up under the covers, just as she had left her almost 30 minutes ago.
She smiled knowingly and leaned against the door. “What’s on your mind baby girl?” Willow whispered quietly.
“How did you know I was awake?” Her reply was a quiet squeak.
Willow chuckled softly, “Cause I’m your Mom and I know things. Like, I know that you stick your foot out from underneath the covers almost as soon as you fall asleep.”
Emma rolled onto her back and regarded her mother thoughtfully for a moment, “Oh.”
“Having trouble sleeping Em?”
The little blonde nodded. She had been thinking about her Mama again, but didn’t want to say anything. Sometimes, late at night, she could hear her Mommy crying. She knew that she missed her and didn’t want to make her sad.
“Do you want me to read to you until you fall asleep?” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she made her way to her daughters bed and sat down beside her.
Nodding once more, Emma sat up. “Can we read with Mama tonight?”
Tears sprang to Willows eyes but she tried to keep them at bay. Now wasn’t the time. “Of course baby.” she smiled and ran her fingers through Emma’s long blonde hair. “Come on.”
The pair got out of the small bed and made their way to the window seat, the redhead reaching for a small fuzzy blanket draped across the foot of Emma’s bed. Willow lifted her daughter into her lap and wrapped the blanket around her. From this spot both Mother and child had an unobstructed view of Tara’s star.
“Okay Em, which story do you want me to tell you tonight?” Willow spoke quietly and wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter as the little girl looked up into the night sky.
“Can you tell me the one about the horse? The one that wanted to be a unicorn?” Emma’s voice was just as quiet as her mothers. The child knew that this time spent together was special. She knew that both her Mommy and Mama were with her now, and that she was safe and loved.
“Okay… Once upon a time, in a far off land, there lived a beautiful white horse…”
As the story continued Emma kept her eyes on her Mama’s star, and she wondered what it would be like to meet her, wondered what her voice would sound like, what color her eyes were. Her Mommy had done her best to answer those questions for her, but still, she liked to imagine what it would be like to really be nestled between her parents for story time… even if it was just once. Soon her eyes drifted closed as she listened to her Mommy’s voice and imagined her Mama’s arms wrapped around her.
Willow kissed the top of her daughters head and gently maneuvered the little girl into her bed. She sat for a moment, on the edge of the small bed, and smiled down at her child. She gently brushed a few stray hairs from the girls face. She then carefully stood up and lightly kissed her forehead before turning and making her way quietly to the door. Pausing for just a moment she looked back and whispered, “Good night Em, Mommy loves you.” She then slipped out of the room and gently closed the door behind her.
As the redhead slipped into her own bed she couldn’t help but let her mind drift. The events of the day had been, troubling. The Director had informed her that a second demon relic had been found in the U.S. and representatives from the New Council of Watchers would be arriving Monday. Her team was to examine the relic and determine it’s origin and purpose. She sighed deeply as she rolled onto her back. One complete relic was rare, but two in one day? It couldn’t be coincidence.
But that would wait until Monday. She tried not to think about the Council. She knew that no good would come of it. One thought would lead to another and she would end up wide awake well into the small hours of the morning.
She tried not to think about the empty space beside her. Tried not to think about the ‘what ifs’. She knew she could easily get lost in that line of thought. She sighed then rolled over onto her side and stared out the window. She lay still and closed her eyes. She envisioned strong arms sliding around her waist and the feel of a warm body pressed tightly to her back. She smiled softly as she dreamed of warm breath caressing the back of her neck. She allowed herself to relax into the imagined embrace and began to drift off. She whispered into the darkness a moment before sleep finally claimed her, “I love you Tara.”
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Tara sighed in frustration as she tossed and turned in bed. The evening had been spent preparing for the trip to London tomorrow, and avoiding any thoughts of her ex best friend. Faith was to arrive in the morning. She hadn’t seen or spoken to the Slayer in the five months since she left. She didn’t know how that encounter was going to go. She was angry with Faith for just disappearing, yet she understood her need for time and space. She was just as angry with herself for allowing things to wind up as they were. She never should have let things go so far. She should have…
She sighed again and turned onto her back. This wasn’t helping her at all. She needed to sleep. She closed her eyes and began taking slow, deep breaths. She visualized all the things that brought her peace of mind. A field of yellow sunflowers, a crystal clear lake, blue skies. She imagined herself sitting under a tree and leaning back against the rough bark. She could almost feel the warm sun against her skin.
The image in her minds eye began to shift and she could almost feel the gentle weight against her thigh. She dreamed of running her fingers through soft strands of red hair and smiled. She loved this dream. She looked down and smiled softly as deep green eyes met her sparkling blue. Her voice shook and a tear ran down her cheek, “Hey sweetie.”
Her dream girl smiled up at her and reached out a soft hand to gently caressed her cheek and wipe away the tear, “Hey baby.”
More tears followed the first and she desperately grasped the gentle hand against her cheek, “I miss you so much.”
“I’m always here Tara. I’m always with you.” Her green eyes were filled with love and compassion.
Tara nodded and turned to kiss the palm of her girls hand, “You are. I just wish you could be there when I wake up.”
The redhead leaned up on the elbow of her free hand and gently kissed the blonde’s eyes, “Me too love, me too.”
She smiled though her tears and leaned her forehead against her dream girls, “I love you Willow.”
End Part 1
I really hope you guys like part one. Feel free to leave any suggestions or comments. Part 2 will be up soon, but only if there's interest in the story, so, please please please, let me know what you think....
_________________ "Had the price of looking been blindness, I would have looked."
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