There's a sequel? Yay, yay, yay, yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are gonna include their visit to Willow's parents, right? Sorry, am very impatient. Will be patient, will be patient. Okay. Am going to re-read entire story and Unexpected Consequences, by which time there should hopefully be another new fic by Sass! Yay! I know I already said that, but to quote Willow 'hey, it bears repeating. In fact, I'll say it again'. Yay!



*Skips off happily, now having finished checking for updates at Pens, and heads towards ER Femslash*.



Gem

**Rane018: Why, thank you - and you're very welcome. We definitely all needed a happy ending, and it's been my privilege to write one. *G*



**Katharyn: LOL ... If it >does< get archived before you're done reading, I can send it to you and you can write me little notes in the margins



**VampNo12: Thank you so much ... I'm really glad you enjoyed the story and the characterizations - I had a great time doing it. Though, I have to admit the whole "Your shirt" ... "Take it off" exchange was All Autumn, All the Time. And again - thank you ... it's so nice to hear that I hit what I was going for.



**TX: Heh ... yes, TX. I must forever doubt you, for you are Flounder to my Little Mermaid. And sweetie, I don't need to bean you over the head with a bottle of JC to steal a girl from you - I just have to 'borrow' Miss Ellie's scooter And, uhh, yeah. Definitely 'nuff said - no need to mention Meow Mix ever again, or ANY details about said place *GGG*



You have a "Spice Girls" tape? *G*



**Emily First: Oh, no need to feel bad about that at all... the lesbian friendly truckers was my second-favorite part *G* And thank you *G*



**Miss1234Kitty: Okay, yes and no. Yes, I have an idea and a title for the sequel, but no I have no plans to write it anytime soon. I think most of my friends have forgotten what I look like - and considering the last time I pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth for a long stretch of time I came back gay, they probably think I'm pregnant or something Anyway, when I >do< write the sequel (because I'm sure I will, eventually), it'll be right here on Pens.



-Sass

Sass- thank you for such a wonderful fic. It's been an amazing adventure and I'll look foreward to that sequal, with the dinner scene *winks*

'It's good to be a chicken casserole'-Sass, answering darkness

'My heart is cleverer then I and it knows what to do.'-MC Legends of the Kiss

Quote:

---

All Autumn, All the Time

---

I love it when girls say this.

Autumn

-----------

Well, the reindeer part was nice...

I'm already missing this story, Sass.



Just thought I'd pop in. I'm probably going to read all of this again, real soon.



Jen

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


"It's good to be a chicken casserole," Tara murmured before passing out. -from "Answering Darkness" by Sassette




Tara: Can you just be kissing me now?

Quote:

---

**TX: Heh ... yes, TX. I must forever doubt you, for you are Flounder to my Little Mermaid. And sweetie, I don't need to bean you over the head with a bottle of JC to steal a girl from you - I just have to 'borrow' Miss Ellie's scooter And, uhh, yeah. Definitely 'nuff said - no need to mention Meow Mix ever again, or ANY details about said place *GGG*



You have a "Spice Girls" tape? *G*

---

ROFL. re: Flounder.

True. re: Miss Ellie's Scooter. (cuz lets face it, you looked hot rideing that damn thing)

HA! re: Meow Mix. (you haveing flashbacks to that time and place? I can recall EVERYTHING if anything comes out fuzzy on your end)

NO! HELL NO! and ARE YOU STILL SMOKIN' CRACK? NO! re: "Spice Girls" tape. (However, my husband did bring a 'Spice Girls' CD into the marrage with him. Though I do insist that it stays in his car and never ventures into the house EVER! I'd find that grounds for a divorce)

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

Tara: "C-can you just be kissing me now?" - in 'Entropy'

Tara: "Its good to be a chicken casserole." -in 'Answering Darkness' By: Sassette

Tara: "Evil's....good." - in 'Seeing Red' (shooting script)

Hi Sassette, just wanted to add my belated thanks for this amazing story. It was a ride that I will never forget. Thank you so much for sharing it with us and for allowing some of us to hijack you thread



As always, I am reading everything else you'll be posting to the board but I think Answering Darkness will be my favourite.

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


You must think that something is happening with you, that life has not forgotten you, that it holds you in its hand; It will not let you fall

And Death shall have no Dominion

Wow, Sassette!

I laughed; I cried; I blessed the day you were born. I've only recently discovered this fic and I was speechless for days after finishing it. What an amazing story. Simply astonishing. It's become my habit to copy fics and print them out for pleasure reading on the commuter train back and forth to work. This one had me nearly missing my stop more than once. I was completely enthralled. In fact, a few times I forgot I was on the train and found people giving me frightened stares after I burst out laughing over things like "fate was here tatoos" and strip chess! I'd also find myself on the verge of tears or with my heart pounding in my chest. Good God, Sassette, I'm not sure I'll ever forget Willow's trip through Hell. Crawling, clawing her way through the dirt was so vivid. Good thing I wasn't reading that section while travelling under San Francisco Bay on the train. *That* would've giving me the wiggins of a lifetime.



Anyway, I'm going on a bit, but I wanted you to know that this story really affected me. I'm quite reserved and it's not often that I'm actually moved to barks of laughter or red eyed sniffing on public transit. Thank you for creating this story. Not only have you given me and many kittens before me hours of W/T goodness, but you've done it so much better than Mutant Enemy ever could have.



I'm off to read the vignette series!



weathergrrl

What a wonderful story Sassette it had everything you could want and now I'm off to read the sequel.

"For I have dipt into the future, far as the eye could see..."

I just finished reading this after another Kitten recomended it. This was fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I only wish that I had read it sooner.

***

Tara: Hey, Will. This is me. It doesn't all have to be 'good' and 'fine.' This is the room where you don't have to be brave and I still love you.

---

elessar's Willow & Tara Wallpaper

Holy hell, I'm so glad I read this one! I've been reading since like 2 am, and now its 11:30! A sleepless night is worth it!

And, BTW, didn't you say something about twice in the bedroom? I didn't see the bedroom!

Great Great story! I'm too dumbfounded right now to tell you everything I think about it, so maybe later, after I well, sleep a week.

********



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

Good morning. It's 6am on a freaking Saturday and my cats have woken me up, for no apparent reason. I mean, it's fine with me if, y'know, they need cat food, or they're out of water, or whatever - but no. Weezer (yes, I have a cat named 'weezer') just decided that I looked far too peaceful.



And lo and behold, AD has new replies. What does that have to do with cats? Absolutely nothing! I'm struggling vainly for coherency here, people, as (and I may have mentioned this) it's >6am< on a >Saturday<.



So, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has read/is reading/is re-reading this fic, whether you've posted feedback or not. Every now and again I peek over her and look at the 'views' counter, and the fact that it's still going up is mind-bogglingly cool (oh, and Hi, xita! ... I'm presuming you still approve all the posts over here? *G*).



**weathergrrl: Oh, gosh, thanks *G* I have to admit, when I was writing this, I laughed, I cried, I cowered in terror once or twice, and perhaps may have screamed in frustration now and again. But it was fun. Oh - and I was born Feb 1st 1978 ... if you're going to run around blessing the day I was born, you might as well know when that was *G* But again, thank you - I'm very happy I could give you (and apparently the people on your commuter trains) some entertainment ... though I'm sorry about the bit where you almost missed your stop a couple of times. And you're >so< right about the wiggins ... every now and again I remember the whole Willow-Hell-Crawling thing, and it's as vivid in my head now as when I wrote it ... I'm glad to hear that I managed to convey that well enough on paper. I'm never completely sure how well I'm doing describing the pictures in my head ... I'm usually much more confident about describing where, emotionally, the characters are.



Oh, and you can go on as much as you'd like *G* You're very welcome - and thank >you< for reading it.



**LokiPromise: Thank you very much ... I'm really glad you've enjoyed this - I'm sorry the sequel is currently stalled out, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get back into it eventually.



**elessar007: People are recommending this? Schweet *G* I'm really glad you liked it ... as for reading it sooner, well, I'm just happy people are still reading it.



**Washi: Heh - thank you ... I'm glad you read this one, too *G* I'd apologize about the lost sleep, but I lost several nights of sleep while I was writing this monster, so I don't quite feel bad *G* And yes, I did say twice in the bedroom ... I just kinda' faded to black on that one for two reasons: it was a good stopping place, and writing the NC-17 stuff is extremely torturous for me *shrug* It is, by far, the most stressful aspect of writing fic, which is why the Vignette Series doesn't have any (and, actually, kind of the reason 'Lingering Darkness' stalled out in the first place ... I was going to do a hot and sweaty sex scene about where I left off, and between changing computers, moving, and a slight job change, I kinda' dropped the ball on where I was going with that whole story - which is probably WAY more information than a one-sentence comment needs in reply, huh?). But thank you - I'm really glad you liked it.



-Sass

Hi sass

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

Si nos dejan buscamos un rincón cerca del cielo

Si nos dejan haremos con las nubes térciopelo


José Alfredo Jiménez

Sassette, what you have here is a wonderful story, so compelling, such a great read, thx for all the hard work.

BB:Hello Xander...and Anya, how is your money?!

A:Fine!Thank you for asking!

Sassette:



As usual, I always find great stuff long after everyone else. A year later!

Anyway, it took me a while to get through AD, but I finally finished today as I am home sick from work. It totally brightened my outlook today.



I doubt my feedback will be any different from that already given. So, I shall be brief.



Reading Willow ad Tara's thoughts after "Once More, With Feeling", I was hooked. The break-up was hard to read through, but it didn't compare to the angst you put me through while reading the rest of AD. However, it was a good hurt. I absolutely loved your Anya and the relationship she developed with Tara. Their "Excellent Adventure" was incredible. Both Willow and Tara's inner battle to take care of each other by hiding things was worthwhile angst to the final conclusion of recognizing that they both can take care of each other equally. Admitting to themselves and each other that they needed one another in that capacity was certainly intense. You perfectly described a love that trancends all that I could have imagined,ie. Walking through Hell for each other. Your twisty plot with Glory and Tara sharing Tara's body would have sent me through the roof if I had been reading this as you were posting. So, I'm glad I caught up late.



I guess what I'm trying to say isn't as wordy as I am making it out to be. I absolutely loved AD. I thought it was written brilliantly and I was completely captivated by your characters. I will definitely be searching for more of your works.



Your humble kitten,

Lisa/Syd

---

"I want to rock your gypsy soul."~~~Van Morrison

first things first *bows down at sassettes' feet chanting 'am not worthy... am not worthy'*



I found this fic yesterday after lookin on the recomendations thread for something to read, and have been hooked since the 1st chapter. I dunno how i got to sleep last night (must have been b4 u started posting all v those evil cliffhangers) the suspense tonight has not only prevented me from sleeping (it's now 6am.... and i have work in the morning - dont you just love caffine) but also from getting hungry enough to stop (i now haven eaten in 16hrs.... that cannot b good for me)



*G* that last chapter *G* i was just laughing all the way through... and it cant all v been my lack of sleep. i must admit that when i realised that a hell god was going to be the 'big bad' AGAIN i groaned (though i was already far too in love with the fic and your style of writing to even think of stopping - the way you just get into all of their minds... amazing) especially the whole willow's the key thing. but the number of twists and turns in this fickept me on the edge of my seat (i did guess the whole they'd accept each other's love to defeat the darkness thing n that their love would protect them but i loved the way they tricked the gods into letting them out. that never occoured to me)



the one thing that slightly pissed me off (except the whole clifhanger after clifhanger thing but that just made me love the story) was the box the evil book was in. it's probably just me but i thought that puzzle was really easy to solve... fibonacci's kinda well known? wouldnt they want to protect it with a hard puzzel? sry that's just my love of puzzels gettin annoyed that i didnt have to think too hard about it - i'm kinda gd at math so i guess that's it.



i now need to read the whole thing again (and figure out the missing clues from that crossword - cant remember it at the moment but it sounded fun to think bout). oh and thanks to all the kittens that posted on this thread, when sass broke me, all the friendly banter helped fix me in time for the next update.



gonna feel bad about making such a long post in the morning..... later in the morning.... sleep now



Jo

---

2 hrs of sleep, 4hrs of work and 6 overly sweet coffie's later...



I reread my post @ work and am actually quite proud at how coherent it is... considering (in spite of the MANY typo's). oh and i wanted to say just found the epilogue - must have missed u saying there'd b one in all the tears (mostly of laughter - i trusted you too much to cry even when it got bad. i knew the pain could only strengthen their relationship....eventually) i really shouldn't have read that at work.... v. bad idea. grr need to start believing those warnings.



I just realised something - i managed to do that whole post without saying a v. imp 3 letter word, which, though i know it's been used VERY often on this thread pretty much sums up what you r thinking in the brain dead state you're in when you reach the end - WOW.... gotta be the thing i thought most during this fic except maybe huh? and aww...



*go s off to find lingering darkness*



I actually dreamed about what other problem could b instead of just fibonacci on the box - should i really b sharing my dorkishness? nevermind - i thought bout fib squared, but that would give too high numbers to do the whole shapes with that number of sides thing which i liked so i thought maybe prime fibs? except that'd pretty much b the same except without 8 and with err *thinks for a bit, gives up grabs scrap of paper scribbles for a sec* 89.... ok again with the too big(plus how come i could do that in my head in my dream - i'm clever unconsious... wish i was awake as well). ok i give up, writers really do know best stupid me for doubting you ... i just think willow would be more like oh? that's it (like when the innitiatives files start decoding themselves after she'd reached a certain point) when she realises what it is (if i can do it it'd be EASY for her) also i always thought tara was clever and so she would probably know fibonacci.



i've really gotta stop overanalysing this. sorry i really do love the fic inc the puzzle... this is just how i am. i guess because you've got my idea of their personalitys so right in every other respect this bugs me a bit... silly me. i'm still obviously too tired to think properly....



Jo (couldnt figure out how to just edit her previous post)

Edited by: xita  at: 2/17/04 7:05 am

... because I clearly haven't done that on here in ... almost a year? Gosh.



**SlayerSydney: Yes, you found it a year later - but look at it this way ... it's finished. No waiting for updates (unless you went and found Lingering Darkness, in which case you're >still< waiting for an update ... sorry about that).



I'm really glad you enjoyed this story - and it's nice to hear you liked the beginning parts. I pretty much had to write those to write this fic, but I'm surprised I posted them, because they don't necessarily fit with the rest of it. Still, it was needed for me to really think out where there heads were at that point so I could work out exactly where I thought they were coming from and go from there. As for the breakup being tough to read - it was tough for me to write, too ... but that was really the point of the fic. I wanted to write through all the horrible breakup stuff so I could get them back together in a realistic "we've worked through our issues" way ... but then that niggling idea in the back of my mind that Willow was being influenced by >something< to get as bad as she did kind of blew up into epic proportions.



I have to admit, I occasionally (and shamelessly) reread Tara and Anya's Excellent Adventure and crack myself up. My favorite part of writing this fic was getting to write the rest of the Scoobies as well, I have to admit ... and that I got to write about them in terms of their relationships with Willow and Tara. With a large group of friends like that, there has to be this core of caring to bind them all together, and I just had fun with it *G*



And I see W/T's love as the core of that core. After the events of S5, and the summer-in-between where presumably Willow was the person everyone looked to, and Tara was the person Willow looked to, it just seems like a natural progression. Buffy comes back, only not quite herself, and then for the purposes of my story, Willow and Tara become the focus of this very evil being ... it's natural that the state of W/T's relationship kind of mirror's the state of the group as a whole.



And now I'm rambling - so thank you for reading *G*



**schrodinger cat: First thing's first - no bowing *G* And, y'know, when I first saw a post from you, I had to go look up what schrodinger's cat was? I had totally forgotten that one.



Anyway - thank you, though I'm sorry for the lack of sleep and food. I'm now considering going back and editing this fic to include an occasional instruction to the reader to get up, walk around, stretch, eat something, and maybe take a nap.



I, too, groaned when I realized a hell god was going to be the big bad again *G* I had the same reaction to my "love conquers all" ending, too. And then I just kinda' went with it ... since I knew it was cheesy, I could wear the cheese: the cheese would not wear me *G*



Ooohhhh ... and now I get to talk about the fibonacci puzzle box *G* I don't think I ever explained why, to my way of thinking, Willow solved that puzzle in about three seconds and Tara didn't. Because Tara IS smart, and it's not a complicated puzzle, mathematically speaking, so you have an extremely good point.



So, here's why, in my opinion, Willow got it and Tara didn't: When Willow sees a triangle, she sees three points connected by three lines creating three enclosed angles (and, when it is an equilateral triangle, she sees three 60degree angles). When Tara sees a triangle, she sees a trinity. She sees a maiden, mother and crone. When Willow sees a pentagram, she sees five points connected by five lines. Tara sees spirit over earth, air, fire and water (or, in the case of an upside-down pentagram, spirit >under< earth, air, fire and water - which gives her a wiggins). When Willow sees an octagon, she sees eight points connected by eight lines. Tara sees, umm ... a stop sign, actually *G*



My point is - when Willow looks at shapes, she sees numbers. When Tara looks at shapes, she sees symbols. I definitely see Tara is a visual thinker, but not a >mathematical< visual thinker. And without breaking those shapes down to numbers, you can't make the fibonacci connection.



But you >are< right ... Willow would be disappointed by how easy that puzzle was; however, she wouldn't be 100% sure she was right until the box opened ... and once the box opened, she was too busy thinking 'ow' to be disappointed *G*



-Sass

This fic has been named one of my personal favorites. I really love the interactions with the scooby group. And how love conquers all. I really hope to see an update on lingering darkness.

*sits in stunned silence for over ten minutes after reading*



Oh... My God. I just read your whole story in pretty much one sitting for about seven hours straight. Scrolling past everyone's comments, I hungrily searched for your name at the side and lines and lines of text to tell me that the next part was posted.



What can I say? You... Your characterizations were absolutely wonderful, and drew me in so much better than any of the 'official' Buffy books that are out there and published. Thank you, thank you so much for writing this and putting it out here, on the net. I've been searching for a long time to find a Willow/Tara fanfiction that would do them justice, and this is it.



Somewhere along the line, someone suggested something about a movie - this story being used as a movie, maybe? - and I couldn't help it. I started visualizing it as a movie - and it just fit, you know? Each scene (especially in Hell, that blew me away!).



Everything was so complex, so structured, so well put together, I couldn't be lured away. Not even to squeal to my mom about the fic I was reading! Of course I'll do that now, but... You know what I mean.



I'm just so glad I came in when it was all finished! I don't know what I would have done!



Anyway, good, good job. Absolutely brilliant. This is going down as my all time favorite fanfiction featuring these two and the Scooby Gang (you got them so perfect! Anya, usually underated, was sooooo good!) and believe me, I'm not new to the scene.



Kudos, kudos, and my thanks. Again. My afternoon was not wasted. Such a good way to spend my summer two weeks before my senior year starts... I just wish my girlfriend and I shared a love such as theirs... *grin, wishful sigh*



Thank you. *bows down* Now I shall see if you have any more stories!



Best wishes!

- >^_^< v

WildLonelyNeko

I finally got around to reading this 'classic' of the fanfic universe and couldn't stop. It kept me up three nights in a row and I've gotten absolutely nothing done and I'm perfectly happy about that. It really does deserve the nice leather binding and the thick paper. Also, the gold-embossed lettering on the spine. It's a masterpiece and I don't say that lightly. In fact, I think I've written that only one other time on these boards.



So, where do I start? I think I'll have to start in my favorite place, characterization. I said it before in your Vignettes series (I'm the nerd!girl in front who was singing 'You complete my square' with fellow geek extraordinaire, DarkMagicWillow), but you capture the essence of brainy Willow and show us why she is ESSENTIAL to the Cool Monster Fighters' operation. We got a lot of lip service from ME about how smart she was, but never any real evidence. But it's all here. you can feel the gears in her mind working and your references to databases, singularities and Fibonacci numbers show rather than tell us how intelligent and knowledgeable she is. And your TAra is just...perfect. Strong, beautiful and still filled with self-doubt. And reeling from Willow's betrayal. I really love the way you showed her development in this and her utter and complete devotion to Willow.



Then there's the plot, which took the shreds of S5 and turned it into something truly inventive and compelling. I really thought Glory had the potential to be one of the best villains on the show and they really didn't make the most of it, but you do. She's a Hell God for pete's sake!! It would take a little more than Buffy with a troll hammer to beat her down. The Trickster was a truly believable villain, much scarier than The First. And I love how you managed to turn the magic=addiction problem on its head and create an even larger story arc out of existing moments in canon (Willow's ability to curse Angel as a sign of the Trickster's first 'intervention'). Plus, loved the reincarnation angle (I'm a sucker for 'love saves the day' soulmate stories) and the twist at the end.



But it's more than that, it's your evocative writing, the details in every scene that bring them to life. Like the rubber duckey memory when Tara is in mortal danger. Like Willow riding in the car with Angel, vomiting up black dark magic bile. she's dying a painful, horrible, slow death, but can't thinking to herself that the use of language in Wesley's paper was pompous and heavy-handed. Perfect Willow! Plus, the dialogue throughout was just inspired. Funny, witty and intelligent without being tooclever if you know what I mean. You got that balance just right between the humor and the angst/drama. It's that characterization thing again. You know these characters so well, they seem to speak through you on the page. There's a lot of talk in lit circles about the 'transparency of the writer' and you've achieved it here. There's nothing extra here, no showy, writerly, flowery language, just lyrical, elegant language that makes them alive in your story and not just Willow and Tara. Anyone who can transform the rest of the scoobies and Spike(!!!) into characters who are so essential deserves a medal.



Okay, enough with the gushing. I just wanted to thank you for a truly beautiful and inspired piece of writing. Now I can toss all those DVDs. I don't need canon anymore



btw (ready to step completely out of my dork closet) -- I thought Fibonacci numbers were a perfect choice especially with the ties to the Golden Section, which brings it all back to nature and Wicca. Besides, only us geeks would would figure it out so quickly...or find it sexy. really sexy. Again with the geek!sex. Yay for geek!sex!



xomel

**na71864: Thank you - I'm very glad you enjoyed Answering Darkness and are interested in seeing more of Lingering Darkness. Unfortunately, that fic is still on hold despite my concerted efforts to get it moving again. I'm still very interested in that story, and where Willow and Tara go from there, so I'll definitely be getting back to it, but I can't say when, because I just don't know.



**WildLonelyNeko: Gosh, thanks I'm always seriously impressed when someone says they read this whole thing in one sitting. I, personally, can't sit still that long, and I am famous far and wide for my amazing ability to Not Move Or Do Anything That Requires Effort for long stretches of time. Seriously, I've heard that one a couple of times, and I've considered going back and editing my posts to instruct people to get up and walk around a bit (which, upon rereading, sounds fairly egotistical, but really ... people keep telling me they've read it in one sitting, and then I kind of wince and wonder what kind of back pain that caused ... this fic is a long-winded monster).



I can't say that I've read any of the official Buffy books (getting ahold of one would require that effort thing I'm so very good at not doing ), but I take this as high praise indeed, so thank you. I've heard some of the official Buffy books are excellent. And you're very welcome - it was absolutely my pleasure to write this story. I just wish I had more time for writing now ...



And yes, I know what you mean - being an avid reader, I definitely know what it's like to get totally caught up in what you're reading, and the fact that my story did that for you is a wonderful thing to hear.



And it's probably too late, but yes I have some more stories - I would strongly suggest skipping 'Recycled' and 'Lingering Darkness', though, as those are stalled at the moment and I don't know when I'll be picking them up again (though I definitely will).



**lipkandy: Classic, huh? Gotta' say, that's a little weird to hear But thank you - I really appreciate that you think so highly of this fic. I pretty much went to work, came home, wrote, posted, and slept during the writing of this (and, truthfully, I spent a lot of time at work daydreaming about the part I would write that night instead of paying attention), but while 'masterpiece' implies I'm a master of the craft and I have to respectfully disagree there, I will say that I think of this fic as my magnum opus. Then again, as I've only completed this and a short smutfic, that's probably not saying much.



Ahh ... characterization. I gotta' say, that was my favorite part of writing this, which is why it's so character-heavy and plot-light (and yes, it's plot light ... sure, there's lots of back story, and a big confrontation at the end, but very little other than thinking and researching actually >happens< ... the story is about the characters moving forward more than about the plotline moving forward). As for brainy Willow - you're so right (and I totally remember you from the vignettes thread ... and your excellent Tempus Fugit stories that I read while back and believe I haven't left feedback on yet because I am a truly horrible person ... which reminds me, I was planning on rereading those, because they're good). ME didn't really do more than SAY she was smart, but I think that's at least partially due to the 45-minute screenplay aspect of a television drama - which is why I like fic so much. And God, you've just nailed perfectly exactly how I see Tara - she's such a mixture of strength and vulnerability. That's such a compelling combination to me, and the way she left Willow, despite the fact it ripped the heart right out of her chest to do so, pretty much demanded that I write this fic.



And now the elusive plot to this fic. I have to admit, yes, there is one, but boy was I not planning on having one! It was supposed to be a short reconciliation fic ... just something to get Willow and Tara back together so I'd feel better about the whole thing, but really, I just couldn't do that. It was like I had Willow sitting next to me going "Hey! I love that woman more than anything in the whole world! Why would I DO that!?" And so I just had to know >why< Willow would do such a thing, and the plot grew from there. While I'll buy that Willow's feelings of having been neglected concerning her parents, and the verbal smackdowns she took in high school have made her fairly insecure, I just couldn't buy that as the sole reason Willow did what she did. I just felt it had to be more than that, and pieces of canon just kind of wove together in my brain until I had a reason. So really, this fic's existence is due to my inability to avoid delving into the 'why' of everyone's actions up to that point. I like things to be tidy like that.



The details actually kind of surprised me. Like I mentioned, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I was going to write during the day, then actually sat down and wrote it when I got home from work, and these little things kept sneaking in. It probably would have been a very different fic, as far as those details go, if the scenes and what was supposed to happen weren't already mapped out. At that point, it felt sort of like I was taking dictation, in a way, so there was room for those sorts of things to pop up. Heh - though I just wasn't tempted to write fan fiction pre-Tara, it was always the Scoobies as a whole - their interactions and their relationships with each other - that made me a fan of the show (that, and I actually really liked the movie). I just see these characters as being inextricably intertwined, and while Willow and Tara are my focus, I can't imagine them without the rest of the Scoobs in the periphery. To me, they're all essential ... just Willow and Tara more than the rest.



Okay, you get serious >serious< extra geeky bonus points for mentioning that the Fibonacci Series (and the Golden Section) are used in the study of nature. It didn't make it into the fic (at least, I don't think it did - then again, I haven't read this in a really long time), but that was my internal rationale for why a Wicca would have come up with a puzzle based on the Fibonacci Series. And yay for geek!sex, indeed.



-Sass

I just read this from start to finish in on sitting (loooong day).



Words fail me.

Sass - Hi! I realize that I am a good three years too late in reading this fic which has basically become one of the books of the Bible of Willow/Tara fanfic. I suppose I have no excuse... but I HAVE read it now, and here's what I have to say:






I really don't even know where to start. So, I suppose, *sings* "Let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start" *stops singing*, *reprimands self for singing*.

Umm, so okay. I am probably going to forget a lot of awesome things in this fic, so let me just say that it is simply WONERFUL!!!!! But there are some specific things I must mention:

1. The HISTORY. Tara seeing Willow in her dreams? Brilliant. The Fist Kiss scene? Brilliant. The way you worked in all of the intricacies or Willow's history, Tara's history, their history together in this life, and ESPECIALLY their history together in their past lives? I reiterate and say: Brilliant.

2. A note on the use of the Fibonacci Series: I think Dan Brown *may* have copied you in his best-selling novel, "The Da Vinci Code", which was published AFTER you wrote this. The use of the Fibonacci Series within the context of having to open a box that contains an ancient relic which will SAVE EVERYONE'S LIVES in both stories, well, that is one GIANT coincidence. HMMM... Perhaps you ARE Dan Brown, and you lead a double life. You write your story, disguise it as a Willow/Tara fanfic and post it on this board to see how the bit with the Fibonacci Series plays out! HAHA! I have figured you out, you sneaky sneakster, you.

3. Tara and Anya's Excellent Adventure. The lesbian-friendly truckers. Enough said.

4. Ummmm... The SPELL. Kinda makes me my shiny white aura was being infiltrated by a Hell God so's me an my honey could perform THAT. But then I remember all the other stuff that happened, and I think, oh well, I guess it's good I am not Willow. Being Willow would have its perks, however. The spell... Tara... I need to stop now.

5. The way you handled each and every character. I find that in some, well, who am I kidding, a lot of fics out there, some or most of the characters are not believable and do not transfer spotlessly from the show. Most of it has to do with dialogue. Sometimes it is hard to imagine the actual character saying some of the things he/she says in the fic. But in this fic, the transfer of the ALL the characters to the story is... I don't know, Perfect! That's part of what makes it so good; it is utterly believable. You can have a good plot, well-placed angst, great sex, funny moments, etc, but if you don't get the characters right, you're out of commission. Or, more likely, everyone reads your fic anyway because they are all so obsessed with Willow and Tara and the Buffyverse (or the AUverse) that they can't help themselves. But the way you handled the characters, and I mean ALL of them - Spike and his surprising but endearing fondness for the Scoobies, Buffy and her need for action, Dawn and her insecurities, Giles and his fatherly feelings, Xander, Anya, Angel, of course Willow and Tara - that is why people like me are still glued to the screen while reading this fic a whole three years later.

So, in conclusion, I thank you for this lovely piece of writing. And to you I bow.

*Rushes off to read everything else that Sassette EVER wrote*

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"I'm gonna do my best swan dive into shark-infested waters/ I'm gonna pull out my tampon and start splashing around/ 'Cause I don't care if they eat me alive/ I've got better things to do than survive/ I've got a memory of your warm skin in my hands/ And I've got a vision of blue sky and dry land" - Ani Difranco

Holy....dear.....waaahh.....DAMN GIRL You can write!!!!!! Loved it, every single friggin word and punctuating mark! thankyou!

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My Wrath Is As Fearsome As My Countenance Is Splendid

I'm sort of new to this board, but I just want to tell you that this is honestly the best fic I have ever read. The characters are transfered seamlessly from the show and you have an amazing story to back them up. Thankyou for writing this fabulous fic.

~Taz

Wow.... that was amazing... I've been reading this the past week, and it's way up there in the W/T hall of fame... Thanks for the amazing ride, and I really wish it would've turned out like this in the television show.... *shakes fist at Joss Whedon* The characterization was really great too, especially Tara's and Anya's. Anya was written perfectly, and I loved the part with the roadtrip and the lesbian friendly truckdrivers. lol. It was great how in the end Tara got so focused, like she was ready to do anything. There are only a few people I know who can pull off the major transition in her character like that (though there was some in the tv show), and whenever I'm going on to my friends about how it happens in the fanfics I'm reading they don't even believe me.... Anyway, cheers. Awesome read. (I'm a sucker for a happy ending... )
~Miss. Darkmoon

....wow that was really choppy....

By some strange twist of fate and nature, these past two weeks have seen me re-reading this fic and 'the annotated Alice' simultaneously. Yes, they were the most confounding two weeks of my life and yes, I am now completely insane.

Anyhow, now that I'm on a roll with non-lurkdom I just wanted to say that I absolutely love this fic and everything that happens in it and that even on my hmmm maybe 8th? read through and like a billion years since you finished it, I'm still laughing and crying and thudding and WTF!?-ing all over the place. Also, despite the brain leaking out my ears factor, reading this whilst reading Alice was very enlightening. I was making crazy 3am parallels between the two (especially regarding balance and logic) and it really made me appreciate the richness of AD; so much happens both plot-wise and character-wise and you include so much for the reader to think about. It's just a very rewarding story.

I know it's severely late in arriving but I just wanted to thank you so much for this always beautiful and sometimes bewildering piece of writing. So, one zillion times thank you.

Okay, so after three days of reading I just came to the end of my first read through Answering Darkness. I'm calling it my first read because I know that's what it is. I will go back and reread this fic again and again. This as an absolutely amazing story. The events unraveled so fluidly, so naturally, and the characters were just brilliantly written. It was so marvelous, watching Willow and Tara find their way back to each other, to finally come to the realization that they are worthy of love, and that they are meant for each other. The road trip that Anya and Tara took together was just brilliant, and I never thought I would say this, Tara's tentative first steps toward an understanding with her father was wonderful. There's part of me that doesn't believe it, that doesn't trust, but if Tara's happy that's good enough for me. Speaking of happy, watching Willow and Tara run away from each other, from their friends, to do what they thought they had to do to save each other, was just so beautiful. And the happiness that it brought them to in the end, pure bliss. The prose is absolutely lyrical, the visual details and descriptions so rich and lush, and the characterizations were spot on. Though its been many years, I hope that you'll return to this universe, maybe in a shorter piece or series of shorter pieces. Just amazing. There's really nothing else to say, but thank you. Thank you for having the passion and the discipline to create such a brilliant world for Willow and Tara. Thank you.

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Wave ... The Wish of Three Hearts
The Yuletide Present ... In From the Cold

"We're in love. We're lovers. We're lesbian, gay-type lovers."

Okay, that was probably one of the best things i have ever read. It was just awesome, I especially liked how you structured your story, weaving together the different storylines, and how every now end then there were little bits and pieces of information or little actions that served a greater purpose in the end to work things out. I have no idea how you did it, that was just brilliant. Although i have to admit, I was kind of disappointed that you didn't give the truckers a second appearance. When I read this I told a friend of mine: "I can already see it in front of my eyes: the epic battle truckers vs. hell god." No, seriously, everything was just awesome. It doesn't happen very often that i get so lost in a story that I can hardly concentrate on other things for days. My eyes didn't even get tired.

At last I have to apologize. I have done you very very wrong. A while ago I read your vignette "Dreams of Roses", and I kind of didn't get that it was connected to another (this) story and I said to myself: "Well, now, that was kind of stupid. Why did she name her Rose, what is she doing there and magic helicopter...? What the hell?!". Now I know better. I was just really stupid and unaware. I now have to admit that this was also a really sweet piece of writing.

Oh, and I almost forgot (and therefore edited): I loved the small Alice in Wonderland part because when I wasn't reading this story I was playing "Alice: Madness returns". So all of the sudden it was like two worlds crashing together and leaving me there for a moment, confused and wondering, and then in awe (I just love Alice in Wonderland).

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I must go and get ready to play croquet with the Queen.

Awesome isn't the word - quite simply one of the best fics I have ever read, and I've read a few in my time. Plot, pace, writing skills and vision - this has it all. [i]Shabash.[/i]

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Kinda straight now, still not narrow...