Silver Lining

[CrazyTaraWitch]

Title: Silver Lining, atleast for now

Pairing: Willow&Tara eventually, possibly some others...

Disclaimer: I'm under 18. I own nothing.

Rating: PG for now, R or NC-17 eventually

Feedback: would be awesome!

Spoilers: through season two, with little bits of later seasons (especially 5), and nothing after season 6

Summary:A very different way
things might have gone
one fateful night
if the monks had had
but a little more foresight...

Note1: it has been a very long time since i've posted a story, so i feel almost like a newb again, so i appologize for anything I do poorly

Note2: Sorry there won’t be much w/t in the beginning, the first parts are background...I hope the POV won’t be too confusing, cause it will change from time to time. thoughts are supposed to be in italics, but i'm having trouble with my posting, so if it doesn't work i'll go back and edit

Note3: this chapter is very short, but i was worried that if i didn't go ahead and post it, I never would, so without further adieu...

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Prologue...
It was a dark night, and so far there was little that hadn’t gone wrong. *I got her hurt, I couldn’t protect her...I thought my love could save her, but all it did was cause her pain.* He shook the thoughts from his head, trying to focus on the task ahead...if he could just get through, just regain control for a few moments... He owed her so much, the least he could do was explain, tell her why he wouldn’t be the same any more...explain that it wasn’t her fault. *God, that look on her face, so wounded...This should have been one of the best days of her life...instead, she will always remember this as the day I gave in...I knew bad things would happen if we were ever together, but I was just to weak...I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway...I gave into how badly my body was screaming out just to be with her, and now I’ll never be able to protect her...not even from myself.*




hope it made since!

[Candleshoe]

My word, it is short....but intriguing. I shall be sticking around....

[will]

It sound interesting.
I hope to read more soon,please update soon.

[Guppy]

More! Please continue. This looks like an interesting beginning.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

sorry, but this update's short too; bare with me, and the stories will get longer, this chapter just needed a cliffhanger that comes earlyon...
anyway, hope you enjoy!

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How could this have happened?!? He was a vampire, there was no way...it was impossible...Willow had checked all the sources--even Giles, though he didn’t know why, had researched. It was unheard of...and yet....



“So...can you drive me Will? I’m way too upset to drive...with everyhting that’s been going on with Angel, or Angellus, or whoever the hell he is, this is the last thing I need, ya know?” The Slayer asked hopefully, in a voice that to anyone but her best friend may have counted as succesfully casual.
“Of course Buffy...can we use your mom’s car, or should I call Her Supreme Bitchyness?” Willow asked bitterly.
“I think I can borrow Mom’s, as long as she knows I’m not driving...She’s not the most confident in my skills normally, and she’s been noticing how run down I’ve been ever since....” Buffy trailed off, still unable to talk about what had happened between her and Angel nearly a month before.
“I know Buffy, and I’ll be there for you; whatever you need.”


“It should be right up here, next right I think.” Buffy said with a crinkle in her brow, turning the map over and over in her hands.
“Are you sure? You’ve never been out here before, and I don’t want to get lost. I mean, it starts with just one wrong turn, but then next thing you know, we’re in Nappa, then it’s Florida, then--”
“Will!” Buffy cutting off her best riend’s anxious babble, feeling her first amusement in weeks. “I know how to read a map. You said you were okay with coming here so Mom wouldn’t find out, but if you’re not okay with it, I can find a doctor at home.”
“Oh God Buffy, no! I wanna help, it just feels so...dishonest, not telling your mom.”
“I know Will, but please, just help me do this. You’re the only one I can trust.” Buffy pleaded, sounding more vulnerable than her best friend had ever heard her.
“I’ll be here for you Buffy, no matter what...but I really do think you should tell your mom...”
“You’re right Willow; if I’m pregnant, I’ll tell her.”

[k-prime]

Okay, hooked. This is a really interesting premise, I'm looking forward to seeing where you take it.

[will]

Wow maybe Buffy is pregnant with angel baby.
Great update it is really interesting i can't wait to read more.
update soon.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

sorry, no update yet, but I just wanted to show my appreciation for your feedback.

Candleshoe, I'm glad you're intriqued, i hope u continue to enjoy!

will, glad u're liking it! keep on wondering...questions will be answered before long!

Guppy, i'm glad u like it so far; i hope you enjoy the rest of the story as much as the start!

k-prime, i hope i can meet ur expectations; to behonest i'm not really sure where this story's going, but hopefully i'll come up with someting good...


i'll try yo get an update out by saturday, but no promises!

[AlysonGoddess]

even thought they are short they are pretty interesting and im dying to know how tara fits in so please continue
erin

[Emms]

Good start. So, Buffy might be pregnant, huh? that could be interesting. I would like to see longer updates though...

good stuff, sweetie. Keep 'em comin'

xoxo
Emms

[CrazyTaraWitch]

here's the update, sorry it took so long in coming...I finished writing it over a week ago except for the last word, and spent all my spread time in the last week trying to find the perfect word...which won't make sense when you finish the chapter, but hopefully will later on.
Thanksfor all the feedback!
it's kinda short again, for which i appologize. Next update will be longer, i promise.

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Silver Lining: Chapter 3-

"Hello, I'm Nurse Maclay. You must be Anne Smith." A kind older woman greeted Buffy and Willow as soon as they entered the
clinic in a small town 90 miles away from home.
"Yes, hi..." Buffy agreed nerovously, shaking the extended hand, thankfull for the suprising warmth and comfort it provided.
"This is my cousin Willow." Buffy said more firmly, turning to her best friend, who stood a few uncertain feet back.
"Nice to meet you Willow." Nurse Maclay greeted the shy girl and extending her hand. As Willow tentatively touched her hand
to the other woman's, she felt something pass between them, and suddenly new she was okay."Well Miss Smith, if you'll just
follow me, we should be able to run those tests in no time." As Buffy began to follow the woman, Willow held back, unsure
off whether or not she was welcome. Halfway down the hall, the nurse turned around and smiled at Willow, as if to say, what
are you waiting for?
Returning the smile, Willow followed her best friend into the room, and the tests began.

"The lab should send you the results within the next two weeks." Nurse Maclay promised as she led the young women to the
front door.
"Send? As in, to my house?" Buffy asked in a nervous panick.
"If you'd prefer," the older woman suggested with a knowing look in her comforting blue eyes, "I could have the results sent
back here, and call you in as soon as we got them." Relief washed over Buffy as she sighed audibly. The last thing she
wanted was for her mom to find out she was pregnant through a letter, especially before she herself knew for sure. "That
would be great, thanks so much. We should go," Buffy said somewhat reluctantly, turning halfway to look at her best friend,
before mouthing silently so that only Willow would understand "Mom will be waiting."
"It was nice meeting you girls. I'll see you in a couple of weeks when the results come in, but if you need anything before
that, call the clinic or the number I gave you anytime. I know it can be hard to go through this so young." Nurse Maclay
said sympatheticaly, sincerely wanting Buffy to turn to her if she needed help, or just someone to confide in. "And don't
forget what I said."
"I won't. Thank you Nurse Maclay." Buffy said as she and Willow headed for the door.
"Please, call me Lily."

[CrazyTaraWitch]

Okay, I know i promised a lengthy update, but this is just the first half of the chapter, cause i've been busy...but the second part should be up by saturday.


See Chapter 1 for disclaimer

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Chapter 4-

Tara's mother had been oddly silent for days, ever since Uncle Enyos had visited. Tara's memories of her Great Uncle were vague--he'd only showed up a half-dozen or so times in her life, and her father had never let her spend time with him even on these few occasions. It had taken her years, but Tara now realized why her father wouldn't let her around Uncle: he was scared; scared of the magicks.
Tara now understood that it wasn't simply she and her mother who practiced magic, but they came from a long line of witches. And Uncle Enyos was powerful, which is why her father had kept Tara away from him. Daddy had always hated her doing magic, but one of the few things her mother was adamant about was Tara becoming a witch--and now the teen understood why. Uncle and all of Mama's family had been witches, and they were strong, it was who they were. They weren't just witches, they were gypsies, strong and proud. And now Uncle Enyos was one of their leader, wise and just, firmly rooted in the heritage of their Kalderash people. So what had he done to upset Mama so?




[i]"You are not Lily Maclay! You will never be Lily Maclay! You and Janna, you forget your duties. You forget what you owe to our people."

"As leader of the Kalderash tribe, I forbid it!"

"He must suffer eternally for the pain he caused our people!"

"Crina, you know what you must do."[i/]

These and many other thoughts drifted through Lily's mind as she slept uneasily on the fourth night since her uncle's visit. Ms. Smith's--or rather Ms. Summer's-- test results were scheduled to arrive within the next 12 hours, and she was dreading the moment when she would see the young woman once more, and would be forced to ruin her life forever.

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hope it all makes since!

[counterspell]

Ooh, coolness! I can't wait to see more! <3
(And hey, since when do you get to quote me in your sig? I think I'll eat your rabbit after all! XD)

[CrazyTaraWitch]

wow, i can't believe it's been so long since my last update...actually, i wrote the next part over a month ago and i geuss i forgot to post it, but it is now summer break, so i will revise and post it asap, then get to work on the next chapter, cause for the first time in ages i'm feeling inspired to work on this story. Hopefully everything i planned out when I started it will come back to me once i get back into the flow of this story

also, i would just like to thank in advance anyone that still remembers and cares enough to come back to this story. there are sure to be actual updates now that school's out.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

it's not much, but here's the update. hope someone's still reading to enjoy.



As Buffy and Willow entered the clinic, they were surprised to find the main room empty. The red-head looked around, nervous for her best friend, and breath caught in her throat as her eyes focused on a tall blonde entering from the back hallway.
"H-Hi, I'm T-tara Maclay. You m-must be Anne Smith." The young woman said tentatively, not looking at either girl's face.
"Yeah, hi ... So, are you Nurse Macl--er, Lily--'s daughter?" Buffy asked, noticing the resemblance of the woman before her to the much old woman she's seen a couple weeks before, and remembering suddenly that the kind older woman had asked her to call her by her first name.
"Y-yes ... she's n-not f-feeling w-well, and a-asked me to c-come here and g-give you y-your l-letter." Tara said shyly, feeling more nervous than usual, especially as the unidentified red-head smiled at her encouragingly; she was always awkward around strangers, but this felt more intense... almost like being around her brother, and yet completely different; she was exceedingly nervous like she was around Donnie, but almost in a good way, like she was anticipating something good instead of something horrendous.
"Is there somewhere I could open this-in private?" Buffy asked, voice quavering, as she looked at the stranger before her and the best friend beside, who at that moment both felt like strangers, leaving Buffy feeling all alone, despite the love and hope she knew Willow was sending her.
"S-sure." Tara answered hesitantly as she led Buffy down the hall to the bathroom. Walking back into the clinic's main room, Tara felt awkward and out of place, but realized quickly that the young woman before her must feel even more so, and immediately offered her as seat, which the red-head graciously accepted.
"I'm Willow, by the way," she said after a moment of silence.
"I'm T-tara... which you a-already kn-new," she added quickly, ducking behind her veil of blonde hair, worried that the beautiful would laugh at her; but all Willow did was smile.
"So... do you help your mom out a lot here?" Willow asked Tara, partly out of curiosity, and partly for something to say to keep her head from spinning and reeling with the knowledge of what was going on just one room and door away.
"N-not usually, but l-lately she's been s-sick a lot..." Tara trailed off awkwardly as she heard the bathroom door slowly open.

No words came from Buffy as she walked into the room, but her face said it all. Life as she knew it was over, because a new life was growing inside her.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

ok, it's late at night and i can't sleep, so here's another update; it's only the first have of the chapter, and more of the conv will come later. forgive me if it's crap, i haven't taken the time to edit.
Also, I would like to appologize for skipping all over the place with this chapter; I wasn't really sure how else to show what all was going on without making teeny-tiny updates, so I hope it works this way.



The drive home was unbearably quite. All Buffy had said since going to the restroom to read the letter was 'let's go'. 'Let's go.' It sounded so cold, emotionless. It was the voice that few people other than Willow would have known she used when in the most pain.
Willow wanted desperately for Buffy to say something-anything-, but also didn't wanted to push her best friend. Buffy would talk when she was ready; or at least Willow hoped so.

"Mom?" Buffy called tentatively, unsure how to even begin this conversation, but knowing that her mother should first be seated.
"What is it Buffy?" Joyce asked wearily as she entered the room, holding the dishtowel and drying her hands.
"Could we maybe talk? There's... some things I need to tell you."
"What is it hunny?" Joyce asked worriedly, setting her towel on the table as she sat next to her daughter on the couch.
"Remember a couple weeks ago, the night Miss Calendar died? We... we talked about Angel? And I... I told you I couldn't tell you everything? Well, it's time I tell you what really happened that night. And since. And... everything that's been going on in my life for the last couple years, cause the beginnings the only place I really know where to start. So I guess first things first...." Buffy trailed-off as she paused to take a deep breath and prepare herself for what was to come. "Do you remember all those times when people inexplicably exploded and turned to dust right in front of you? Those were vampires. As hard as it is to believe, vampires are real. And I'm the Slayer..."

It had been nearly two months. Two months without being able to say a word. Without being able to break free for even a moment. He--no, Angelus; he would not say they were one in the same; they were not one in the same-- had done so many things, Angel all the while sitting inside, dormant, screaming to be let out, but in the end he was still inside, with no control over what Angelus did. No control over what happened to Buffy. No way even to tell her that he was sorry.
Of course, she knew by now that it wasn't him; that he hadn't chosen to act like this. What she didn't know--what he wanted to tell her more than anything--, was that he wasn't gone, he was still inside, still loving her.



2nd half of the chapter to come sometime after i get back in town next thursday.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

ok, it's late at night and i can't sleep, so here's another update; it's only the first have of the chapter, and more of the conv will come later. forgive me if it's crap, i haven't taken the time to edit.
Also, I would like to appologize for skipping all over the place with this chapter; I wasn't really sure how else to show what all was going on without making teeny-tiny updates, so I hope it works this way.



The drive home was unbearably quite. All Buffy had said since going to the restroom to read the letter was 'let's go'. 'Let's go.' It sounded so cold, emotionless. It was the voice that few people other than Willow would have known she used when in the most pain.
Willow wanted desperately for Buffy to say something-anything-, but also didn't wanted to push her best friend. Buffy would talk when she was ready; or at least Willow hoped so.

"Mom?" Buffy called tentatively, unsure how to even begin this conversation, but knowing that her mother should first be seated.
"What is it Buffy?" Joyce asked wearily as she entered the room, holding the dishtowel and drying her hands.
"Could we maybe talk? There's... some things I need to tell you."
"What is it hunny?" Joyce asked worriedly, setting her towel on the table as she sat next to her daughter on the couch.
"Remember a couple weeks ago, the night Miss Calendar died? We... we talked about Angel? And I... I told you I couldn't tell you everything? Well, it's time I tell you what really happened that night. And since. And... everything that's been going on in my life for the last couple years, cause the beginnings the only place I really know where to start. So I guess first things first...." Buffy trailed-off as she paused to take a deep breath and prepare herself for what was to come. "Do you remember all those times when people inexplicably exploded and turned to dust right in front of you? Those were vampires. As hard as it is to believe, vampires are real. And I'm the Slayer..."

It had been nearly two months. Two months without being able to say a word. Without being able to break free for even a moment. He--no, Angelus; he would not say they were one in the same; they were not one in the same-- had done so many things, Angel all the while sitting inside, dormant, screaming to be let out, but in the end he was still inside, with no control over what Angelus did. No control over what happened to Buffy. No way even to tell her that he was sorry.
Of course, she knew by now that it wasn't him; that he hadn't chosen to act like this. What she didn't know--what he wanted to tell her more than anything--, was that he wasn't gone, he was still inside, still loving her.



2nd half of the chapter to come sometime after i get back in town next thursday.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

God, I can't believe it's been almost a month since i updated! i wrote the 2nd half of this chapter weeks ago, but forgot to post it, so now i will do so.
just to forewarn, this part is regretably short. also, i would like to appologize for my stupid comp's messing-up of italization...some parts may seem akward without the emphasis of italics, so please bare with me.


Chapter 6
Part 2

"So, let me get this straight. Vampires are real. My 17-year-old daughter fights vampires. And she has been fighting vampires for more than two years. Without telling me. While seeing fit to tell complete strangers about this part of her life that she completely shuts me out of?"
"Mom--"
"No Buffy, I don't want to hear it. Right now, I don't want to hear anything more you have to say."
As Joyce left the room and began to head for the stairs, Buffy, on the verge of tears, blurted out the only thing that would keep her mother close, the one thing she had sworn to herself she wouldn't say until the right moment, until the best possible time to break the news to her beloved mother. At that moment, all the barely-17-year-old, who was at once so much older and so much younger than her age, knew was that she needed her mother; needed her now as much as any other time in her life, and so without thinking, she whispered, and then practically shouted, the words she hadn't yet let sink in to her own mind.
"I'm pregnant." As she said the words, all the pain and all the anger and all the tears and all the emptiness she had been holding back ever since the night of her seventeenth birthday came spilling out, and as she sank into the comfort of her mother's loving arms, Buffy couldn't imagine ever feeling whole again.

[Willowtree252]

OH MY GOD more please get to

[AlysonGoddess]

hmmmm like it please continue!
Erin

[willowbaby05]

I like it so far. Continue please..
Akyire

[CrazyTaraWitch]

Thank you all for your responses; i'm so glad to see ppl are reading this story:)
you have all asked for more, and who am i to dissapoint?
Here's the first half of the next chapter...it's not much, but there'll be more soon; next part should be up early tomorrow(and by early, I mean not long after I get up, which will be late since it's summer )


Chapter 7


Her mind was overwhelmed. She simply could not process this...She knew her daughter had been having trouble for a long time, but she never expected this. Could she have done more? Should she have tried harder to make things work with Buffy's father? Maybe if she'd accepted Giles as a father-figure... Joyce sighed as she rolled over in bed, willing her mind to stop it's constant badgering so she could get some sleep; she'd need all her strength for the conversation that was to come the next day--or more accurately, later that same day, as it was currently 3:42 a.m.
Joyce had wanted to continue talking that night, get everything out in the open, but she hadn't asked Buffy to say more, because she knew her daughter couldn't. She knew that inside, Buffy was still just a scared little girl, not ready to face her actions, much less the consequences thereof... And so it was as Joyce drifted off to sleep that she made a decision: tomorrow morning, she would take Buffy to the clinic for an abortion.