First fic, As the Piper plays

[Tempest Duer]

Abel needs a drink! Poor bastard.



...nah.



And your smut writing isn't that bad.

Willow: Hey Buff. One more thing. Buffy: Yeah? Willow: I’m gay. Buffy: Okay, Will. Xander owes me ten bucks.

~Remember to Breathe by Yellow Crayon

[robotguru]

I seem to have two chapter 6's, i'll sort that out tomorrow. I have an A Beat in Time update underway but it's on the college computer which is absolutley no good to me here. The chapters are going to start to get longer, this is chapter 9a



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



Chapter 9 (a)



Extract from Dawn's diary



I talked to that girl today, her name's Sarah. I don't know why but we seem to just…click, as if she knows me completely and I know her, well obviously I don't I've only known her five minutes. Anyway, she's working down at the student bar, maybe I'll see her tonight when i go down there.



Willow and Tara sat in the kitchen talking about their little scout around looking for whoever is causing these disappearances. "Well that was a nice waste of time," Tara murmured.



"Yeah," Willow agreed, they had found nothing. "It's a shame we don't have somewhere like Willi's he always knew what was going on. I wonder where Angel has set up shop these days."



Angel had moved out some time ago, he moved to New York where there had been a spate of demon attacks. Tara moved over to Willow and gave her ear a cheeky nibble.



"Hey, we're meant to be thinking…" Tara had another nibble and Willow gave a small moan, that's when Dawn walked in from the hall. She wore a blue tank top and blue denim jeans.



Dawn made a gagging sound, "oh come on, you two have your own room," Dawn walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a pack of biscuits. She opened them and took a few before throwing the pack to Willow. "Here, if you're that hungry, eat."



Dawn heads for the door.



"Where are you going Dawnie?"



"What? It’s Friday. I'm off to the student bar."



"Well don't stay out too late," Willow warned, "this may not be the Hellmouth but vampires still exist."



"I'll get a cab home, don't you worry." Dawn walked back over to Willow and Tara giving them each a small hug, and quietly said "thanks."



"For what Dawnie?" Tara asked.



"You know, just for being there, I don't know how I'd have gone through the last week without…"



Willow put a finger on her lips and shushed her, "we know Dawnie, just be careful, ok?"



Dawn nodded her head and walked out the door.



***



"A bottle of WKD please love," Sarah, wearing a black shirt and black trousers walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle by the neck. As she stood up, she flicked the bottle, letting it turn 360 degrees in mid-air before catching it, again, by the neck.



She hooked the bottle top under a hook behind the bar and with another flick of her wrist had the top off before putting it on the bar. "That'll be $5.00 please," she said after tilling the bottle in, the young man paid her the money and walked off.



"You know? If you break any bottles flicking them round like that, it'll come out of your wages." Steve had watched Sarah do that with several bottles.



Sarah flashed her famous smirk, "I know, you think I'd do that if I ever dropped one?" Steve laughed before turning round to serve another customer.



"Hey Sarah," Sarah turned to see Dawn smiling at her.



"Hey Dawn, what will you have?"



"Erm, just a glass of coke," Dawn had gone on a drinking binge when she was younger she still hadn't forgotten the outcome. She still drank, just not starting early.



"Ice?" Dawn nodded, Sarah took a sip of her own coke behind the bar before putting some ice in a half pint glass and putting it under a machine befrore pressing two buttons, coke flowed out of a tap and stopped when the glass was full. Sarah tilled it up, "$2.20 please,"



Dawn paid up and hung around near the bar drinking, listening to the music. "You gonna come for a dance?"



"Dawnie, I'm working."



Steve had heard while he was wiping down the bar, "as far as I'm concerned young lady, you're wiping down tables for half an hour while we aren't so busy," Steve winked and Sarah grinned.



"Thanks Steve, I'll be back in half an hour." Sarah walked around the bar and Dawn grabbed her hand, Sarah could feel an odd spark of electricity as they walked towards the dance floor dancing in time with the music.

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



"Ever wonder how i get in the girl's diary? I'm the narrator, an all powerful omnipresent being!" (Me in my fic As the Piper plays)

[sam darls]

Ooh..they're dancing..yay!! I love this fic so much. Thanks Chris. Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[robotguru]

More Willow/Tara action in the next update, none in this one. This just brings chapter 9 to a close.



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



Chapter 9 (b)



Dawn and Sarah danced to the heavy rock beats blasting out of the speakers, “So, having a good time?” Dawn shouted across.



“Yeah, so, you live near here or on campus?”



“LA was my sister’s old stomping grounds and I moved down here with some of her friends.”



“Cool, I think Steve’s calling me back to work,” Sarah put her hand on Dawn’s shoulder and felt a spark, man why does this feel so right? Sarah walked over to the bar and behind it serving customers.”



***



The scene was not a happy one, Cain and Bane had come back and they had no idea where Sarah was. How could you lose her?” Abel raged, The Piper stood in the corner of the room, not looking happy either, a bored look on his face.



“She was meant to call, she’s in America though,” the female, Bane, now in her natural form replied.



“And what a help that is,” The Piper’s voice rang out scornfully, “so, how do you propose to find a girl in the largest country in the world, considering she didn’t even need a ticket to travel here?”



“Be patient wretch!” Cain spat back, “you shall have your girl, it’s just a matter of time.”



The Piper drew his pipe looking at the three stood before him with anger in his eyes, his blue gaze could freeze water, “don’t you ever talk to me like that fool. You have one week, then I find her on my own and the deal…”



“You will have your girl Piper,” Abel cut him off, “you will have her soon.”



***



The music was off and people were being asked to leave, it had been a good first night for Sarah. Sarah now walked around picking up empty bottles and looking for any glasses that would need cleaning before the staff went home. Dawn sat on a chair waiting for her.



Sarah threw the last bottle into a bin with a loud metallic clank. “All done Steve.”



“Yeah, ok you can get off now, you going to be in tomorrow?”



“Sure, from nine?”



”Yup, well come in half hour early, to help set up and you can have that half hour later on in the night.”



“Ok,”



Sarah headed for the door and Dawn caught her up. “Hey, you getting a taxi?”



“Nah, I live on campus,”



Dawn remembered Willow’s warning to be careful, Willow and Tara wouldn’t have said that if they weren’t worried about anything. “Ok, how about I walk you home and get a cab from your place?”



“Ok,” Dawn and Sarah walked together.



***



Sarah and Dawn walked up to the front door of the uni accommodation, Dawn had just rang for a taxi off her phone. “I’ll see you tomorrow Dawnie,” Sarah said quietly, ready for bed.



“Yeah,” Dawn felt herself drawn to Sarah and gave her a light kiss on the lips, Sarah responded before both drew back, looks of shock on their faces. It had seemed so natural. “erm…sorry…that is…”



Sarah put a finger on Dawn’s lips to shush her, “It’s ok, I…” Sarah was cut off by the beep of a taxi and Dawn stepped in.

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



"Ever wonder how i get in the girl's diary? I'm the narrator, an all powerful omnipresent being!" (Me in my fic As the Piper plays)

[sam darls]

Ooh, they kissed..woohoo ..I hope everything is ok with Sarah..Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[allykat]

Cool updates! Looking forward to more!

[littlecrazy80]

Great updates!



*lil´c*

I´m an actress... I don´t pee. Amber in Augsburg



SweetAmber

[Shandem]

awwww how sweet Dawn has a girlfriend

If missing you could blacken stars, there’d be no midnight show. If missing you could make it rain, the seas would overflow. If missing you could make it hot,

there’d be deserts all around. If missing you could silence noise, the earth would have no sound. And so I go on dreaming of when I’m holding and kissing you. For only God knows how much it hurts when, my love, I’m missing you.-Me to my girl V

[robotguru]

Thank you for the beta Tishy oh smut queen.



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



Chapter 10 (a)



While Dawn was out of the house, Willow and Tara had taken the time to get up to fun of their own…



Tara slid her thigh between Willow's legs as she kissed her passionately...a smiple ear nibbling had escalated into so much more as the two women groped each other desperate to feel skin on skin....The fruit of their labor lead them nude and writhing on the bed



Tara straddled the petite redhead as she pobed Willow's sweet mouth with her tongue looking for it's mate..."Come on Sweetie," she said breathlessly pulling back"..."give me some Willow-tongue baby..". Leaning back down Tara got her wish..."YES!," she thought," mmm...Willow-tongue..need more." Willow swirled her tongue around Tara's before gently taking the tip into her mouth to suckle. Running her fingers through her lover's blonde tresses she pulled them closer together almost frantic to feel the voluptous woman on her..in her. Moving her left hand to Willow breat she massaged the perky nipple ever so slightly pinching the nipple with each carress as she bought her hand up to the redhead's silky hair to copy her actions. With a smirk and a twist of her hips Willow straddled Tara and kissed her a final time before releasing her hair to sit up. Smiling at the blonde's wanton look she trail her's nimble fingers down the blonde's chest coming to her bountiful breasts.



Trailing her hand down past Tara's breast then stomach she slowly sunk her fingers into the blonde's hot channel..."heh," she thought," it won't be that easy baby" she finished as she heard Tara groan and watched as her hips tried to ride the slim digits. Retracting her fingers, Willow smirked at Tara's whimper and captured her eyes as she slowly sucked the fingers in her mouth licking the juices off only leaving the thumb out of her mouth. "You're so good baby...taste yourself love..taste your passion for me...taste your want," she said placing her thumb on Tara lips. Tara all the while kept her eyes on Willow as she took the offered thumb into her mouth sucking in fervertly. Groaning at the erotic sight or Tara sucking off her on cream. Willow began to rock on the blonde goddess desperate for some kind of relief



Tara released Willow's thumb for her mouth and Willow trailed her hand down again to Tara's pussy only to pump into her with 2 fingers. "ahhh.. baby your so wet," Willow sighed feeling her hot wetness. "MMMM," Tara sighed rocking her hips her walls pulling Willow in deeper and deeper with each thrust," baby...more please..oh goddess..I need more Willow please baby."



Willow upped the pace of her rocking and Tara kept in time until Willow brushed Tara’s clit and Tara’s body arched as she rode the agony of an orgasm. Willow, rocking herself on Tara's thigh, inched her fingers out to the tip and slammed 3 fingers into the blonde watching her face as the emotion past over them, she's so damn beautiful..she's a goddess..she's mine. Willow thought as she leaned down to kiss Tara feeling her walls clench desperately at her a sign of the blonde wiccans appending release.



Tara fell limp breathing hard, Willow fell beside her, her arms searching out the blonde goddess on the bed beside her.



***



Extract from Dawn’s diary.



I’ve just got in from my night out, Willow and Tara are quiet, they must have wore each other out before I got home.



I don’t believe what happened, I mean we had a good time but. .I kissed her, not only that but it felt so right. She must have thought so as well because she responded, or was that reflex? I don’t know. Why did I kiss her? Does she think I’m a freak now? What would I have thought if she did it to me? I’m confused and tired it’s three in the morning. Time for bed.



***



Sarah had watched Dawn leave in the taxi, she felt tempted to ask her to stay but she knew Dawn would have to be home with her sister’s friends. Did she kiss me or did I kiss her? Doesn’t matter, it felt good. Woah...did i just think that?



***



Tara awoke first still feeling exhausted, she looked at the clock. Midday. Tara looked across at Willow, her lover, her something more and smiled. Willow’s mouth was curved in a small smile looking peaceful.



Tara put a leg out of bed, why does it always feel so cold when you just come out from under the duvet? Tara walked, still naked, towards the bathroom and walked in turning on the shower.



The rushing water awoke Willow and she walked over towards the bathroom also.



***

Dawn woke up, hearing shrieks come from the shower. She smiled, knowing exactly what was going on. She looked across at her phone on her desk reading the display.



1 message received.



Dawn hit a button and a name stared back at her, “Sarah” Dawn opened the message. “Last night was good. Do you need to talk?” Dawn hit a few buttons and pressed send.

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



"And the glorified bricklayer picks up a spare!" (Xander, The Gift)

Edited by: robotguru at: 2/24/04 8:28 am

[sam darls]

Ooh..are they going to talk? I hope so. Great update Chris..loved it. Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[robotguru]

• Title of the story:As the Piper Plays

• Author name: Chris aka robotguru

• Email address: darkguru@hotmail.com or robotguru2000@yahoo.com

• Feedback: Darn tooting

• Distribution Anywhere if you ask first

• Rating: NC-17

• Pairing Willow/Tara, Sarah/Dawn

• Disclaimer: Willow and Tara are the trademarks of Joss, ME, UPN etc. Sarah and The Piper are mine.

• Note: Sarah and Dawn are now gonna take a slightly lesser role in this fic so i can concentrate more on WT, i'm happy with where they are for the moment. In this post i have adapted ideas and teachings from Christian Wicca (an oxymoron i know but what i've read makes sense)



Cliffhanger alert



Chapter 10 (b)



In a field like setting, we see one woman. Her hair is white, reaching down towards her midback, her clothes loose and white. She seems to have a glow, a radiance. She looks down onto our world…



To her side, a wraith like girl, looking like the other woman but with shorter blonde hair, walks and sits by her mother. The woman looks down at the new arrival and sighs. “The argument you are having with your brother is damaging our world. My brother and Hecate are not pleased”



The girl looks up, her body translucent, a soft tear in her eye. “It is not my fault that he is jealous mother.” The girl sighed, she knew the damage she was causing but to give in would be to allow her brother to sweep the world with darkness. Where there is light, there will always be dark, where there is day, there will be night.



The older woman thinks for a while. “We need a balance, and balance needs a vessel. Find me the body strong enough to be that vessel, find me your Earthly sister.”



***



Meanwhile, back on Terra Firma so to speak, two meet in the cover of a shuttered building. Abel and Bane talk.



“When will we have the stone Abel?” The woman, Bane spoke.



“Do not grow impatient Bane, we wi…”



“I’ve told you to never call me that when that arrogant fool of a Piper is not around.” The voice changes from feminine to an angry masculine voice half way through the sentence. The body morphed from that of a slender woman with dark hair to a male, his body well built and muscular. The male’s hair was black and short, his eyes were black also. His clothes changed from tight fitting leather to looser garments, black all over.



Abel stood back, looking at his now male companion, “As I was saying Lucifer, we will soon find the girl and then it doesn’t matter what that fool plans to do.”



“Indeed it doesn’t, darkness shall cover the Earth and I will have revenge on my sister.”



***



Extract from Dawn’s diary



Sarah asked if I needed to talk after last night, obviously it’s gonna be about the kiss, what does she think? Well she texted me, can’t be too bad can it? I hope not.



I really want to shower before leaving the house, I told Sarah I would meet her at half one in the park, by the sounds coming from the shower I’m gonna have to wait a while. It’s good to know that Willow and Tara can still enjoy themselves, that I’m not stopping them from doing anything they want to. When I was younger, they were more careful not to do anything around me…delicate little Dawnie could have been corrupted by love…psh!



Last night was fun, I danced around, had a few drinks as well. Sarah had half an hour off when the bar was quiet and half an hour towards the end, we had a good time. I never expected to kiss her though, I guess I’m confused because I’ve never kissed anyone before, male or female.



Some would say it’s because I’ve lived with two lesbians. I remember how hard it was for Willow and Tara to get the right to look after me when Buffy died, everyone was like how I’d be corrupted. If I were this old then it wouldn’t have mattered as I am old enough to choose who I live with. I needed them, the paper pushers in charge had to see that eventually.



Anyway, judging by the lack of squeals, the bathroom is free, time to shower and use the rushing water against my ears to ignore Willow’s and Tara’s screaming that’s almost bound to start in the other room at some point or another, at least I’m a heavy sleeper when it comes to nights.



***



Willow and Tara had moved to the bedroom, one towel wrapped around the both of them, enjoying the skin on skin contact. They drew away to get changed before they could engage in activities that would require another shower. Willow turned, now half naked to Tara, not helping but notice her perky butt. “Baby?”



“Yeah sweetie?”



Willow sat down on the bed, “I’m gonna go look around see if I can find out what this mojo is, you alright to do the weekly shop alone?”



Tara turned towards Willow, “Yeah I’ll be ok. Be careful sweetie.”



“I will.”



***



Sarah sits on the bench, looking at her watch. It reads 13:25. She thought about last night, or rather this morning, what happened seemed so natural. People have said that magic cannot be changed by love, yet in a way love is magic, it gives just as much a rush.



A man walked near to Sarah, he was pretty hard to miss. He looked young and his hair was snow white...and those blue eyes, so cold and piercing.



***



The Piper was a day dwelling creature, still more human than demon. He knew however that luring people away in broad daylight would be a mistake, people would see him. No one knew who he was nor who his father was and he would keep it that way.



On a park bench he saw a girl, he wasn’t about to give her a second look but…the power…the girl turned towards him and though her hair was a different colour she bore an uncanny resemblance to someone in his past, Alice Elliot.



The Piper was about to walk up casually when he saw a brown haired girl walk towards the girl, this girl also had power, though he could see that she had never tapped into it. The Piper walked on. Next time he saw the girl, she would be his enemy.



***



“Hey.” Dawn had caught Sarah by surprise and she jumped slightly.



”Hey.”



Dawn sat down nervously, not quite sure of what to say. “Look…about last night…I mean I didn’t mean to…”



“Love is never about meaning to Dawnie, love is natural, like the Earth, like…” Sarah had been about to say “magic” but she had just been drove out of one town for that and she didn’t want to freak this girl out so she finished, rather lamely, “…flowers.”



Dawn knew a coverup when she saw one, Buffy had used them all the time before her mother knew she was the Slayer, the one girl to stand between all that is evil, but she let it go. If Sarah wanted to tell her anything she would in her own time. “Did you say love?”



Sarah blushed, that had just slipped off the tongue. “Yes Dawnie,” Sarah gave a half smile, “Love. I’ve never felt this way Dawn, I’m confused but I know what I’m feeling.”



Dawn inched closer and put her hand on Sarah’s.



***



The sky was darkening as Willow walked along, she had been to all the old bookstores and had been on the internet in the library and had then followed up any leads, a few guys knew a lot about the underworld and she had been following up leads all afternoon, unfortunately, word gets out. Three vampires stood in front of Willow as she walked through an alley. “We hear you have been asking questions, ones our Lord does not want answered.”



Willow backed away, she had been cutting back on the magic since it nearly destroyed her relationship with Tara and she felt sure she couldn’t takedown three vampires…her back hit solid muscle and she turned…five vampires.



One vampire struck towards Willow and she ducked, wishing she had brought a stake. As she ducked one punch, she got hit by another. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a quiet voice. “Be gone followers of darkness.” The wraith like girl, her body more solid, now stood between the fallen Willow and the vampire gang, with a wave of her hand, the vampires burned to ashes. The girl turned towards Willow. “Our mother wishes to speak to you.”

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



"And the glorified bricklayer picks up a spare!" (Xander, The Gift)

Edited by: robotguru at: 2/28/04 1:40 pm

[The Rose24]

Good to see an update on this.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

[sam darls]

Chris..great update, but grrr..cliffhanger..I can't wait for the next part to read what happens. Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[robotguru]

• Title of the story:As the Piper Plays

• Author name: Chris aka robotguru

• Email address: darkguru@hotmail.com or robotguru2000@yahoo.com

• Feedback: Darn tooting

• Distribution Anywhere if you ask first

• Rating: NC-17

• Pairing Willow/Tara, Sarah/Dawn

• Disclaimer: Willow and Tara are the trademarks of Joss, ME, UPN etc. Sarah and The Piper are mine.

• Note: Christians worship The Trinity "Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Christian Wiccans also worship The Trinity but believe that the Holy Spirit is feminine. Proverbs talks about "Lady Wisdom" and some books that weren't included in the "Authorised King James Bible" call it Sophia. In this fic, Sophia and The Holy Spirit (Spirit in this fic) are two seperate entities, mother and daughter in fact.



Cliffhanger warning... you know you love them really.



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Chapter 11



Willow looked at the girl in front of her, confused. "Our mother? I-I don't have a sister."



The girl shook her head, this was going to be hard. "Yes Willow, our mother. Well one of our mothers anyway, we have two."



Willow looked at the girl like she was crazy, "Look, not that I'm not grateful for what just happened but I think you have the wrong person. I've lived with Ira and Sheila Rosenberg all my life, yup a Rosenberg that's me. Besides, I don't think it's possible yet to have two mothers, if you mean biological anyway."



The girl stepped forward, Willow wanted to turn and walk, no run, away but she felt that she couldn't. The girl touched Willow's hand and the world in front of her disappeared into a blinding flash of white.



***



When Willow is able to see again, she finds that she is in a white room. In the room she sees that she is with the girl and also with an older looking version of the girl, only she has white hair down to her back. The woman has a regal air you would associate with royalty and her skin seems to have a glow. Her white floor length dress is almost as dazzling as her hair.



A door opens in the corner and Willow sees a woman she does know, well one she knows of from pictures anyway. The woman's black hair flows in a ponytail down her back, her skin seems pale. She also has a glow, but it seems darker and more malevolent than that of the other woman. This woman was Hecate.



The girl steps forward, "I have brought my sister."



The woman Willow has yet to have a name for looks her up and down before speaking to the girl. "Very good Spirit, you may leave."



"Yes mother." The girl walks out of the room.



Willow looks at Hecate and the other woman, trying to get her bearings. Here she was with a Goddess she knew and it was a safe bet that the woman she did not know was a Goddess also. A child who called the woman she doesn't know "mother" claims that she is her sister...Willow was starting to get a headache.



"You look confused my child," the lighter woman cut into her thoughts.



"W-who are you?"



"Some call me Lady Wisdom, Christian Wiccans believe that I am The Holy Spirit and worship me as female within The Trinity, other books have called me Sophia. Name me what you will, I am your mother Willow."



Willow looked more confused than ever, "One sec, Christian Wiccans? Any Christian I've seen hates witchcraft…besides, I'm a Jew."



Hecate cut in, "And so was Jesus, a bit too goody goody for my liking though, Sophia is right, she, excuse me, we are your mothers."



Willow stared at the two women, is this a trick or am I in a dream or…"I know who my parents are, my parents are Ira and Sheila Rosenberg."



Sophia looks sad as she regards Willow, "We had three children. Our first child, a boy we named Lucifer, he was born with the seed of evil in his heart, he tried to take power that was not his to wield, we sent him far underneath the Earth. You would call it Hell."



"Our younger child," Hecate cut in, "Was born with the seed of good, she is the child you have just seen. We called her Spirit though Christians know her as "The Holy Spirit". Her brother, jealous of our favour, seeks to overrun the Earth with his darkness, though it damages the Earth, our younger child fights and she keeps the darkness from spreading. In her aid, I gave a group of men the power to give a girl the strength to aid this fight, she was known as The Slayer."



"We had a middle child, conceived with the potential for both good and evil. For that child's protection, and so that the goodness in her could develop, I went to Earth to give birth to her. There, a couple adopted and looked after her. That child's name was Willow."



Sophia walks over to a corner and picks up a box, inside that box is a piece of paper, a Birth Certificate. Sophia walks over to Willow and hands her the piece of paper, on the certificate it says "Willow" but no surname is given. Above her name, is the name "Mary", again with no surname given. Willow looks at the certificate, "You say your name is Sophia and that you are my mother but this name says Mary."



Sophia's body changed, her clothes changed to a blue dress with a shawl over her head, her face changed also. Willow knew a character from the nativity when she saw it, she remembered…correction…she thought she remembered seeing Dawn in a Christmas nativity. Sophia spoke, "I once went to Earth under the name Mary so that a child could be born, a child who was to be the Saviour of his people, I went to Earth again under the name Mary, though I didn't look like this."



Sophia touched Willow's arm and immediately, she knew, she couldn't say how she did, she just knew that this was the truth…and Willow's confusion was replaced with a flash of anger. "So if you were up here all this time, where were you when I was beat up in second grade? Where were you when all this Hellmouth stuff started up, where were you when a Hell God tried to destroy the Earth and brainsucked my girlfriend? Where were you when…" Willow's voice had started quiet but had begun to rise.



Hecate raised a hand to cut off Willow's angry tirade, "We are not able to directly influence the events on Earth, that is something only Spirit can do and only when she is on Earth as a human. Though you do not know it, she has on occasion helped you, helped your fledgling powers to grow. It was unfortunate that Lucifer decided to make one of his portals to Earth in the very place we sent you to live, Sunnydale."



Willow's anger faded slightly, her voice now quieter. "So why are you talking to me now?"



It was Sophia that answered her, "Your brother and sister are locked in a battle, and truly, your sister cannot win. Where there is light, there must always be darkness, where there is good, there will always be evil to fight against it. The Earth is falling apart and it needs Balance, only then can this fight be stopped, Your body is the only body strong enough to be that Balance, born of us and born with both good and evil inside your heart. Your body is to be the Vessel. However, you can only be the Vessel if you allow yourself to be."



Willow thought for some time, taking in what had just been said. When she answered, her voice was quiet. "Yes mother, I will be the Vessel."



"Willow? WILLOW!!!" Willow's head snapped up as she turned around, the voice seemed to come from somewhere near and yet distant as in echoing, and it was Tara's voice…she sounded scared and upset, it nearly tore Wilow's heart in two...her vision was becoming blurry..."Willow please wake up!"



***



Willow's eyes snapped open and she found herself on the floor, she stood up and Tara backed off uncertainly. Tara looked scared, Willow's hair had turned white and her eyes were now black.



"Y-y-you've been doing dark magick again! Is that why you wanted to be away from me today Willow?"



"Many people new to Earth based religions and mystery religions are often quite confused by the terms white magic and black magic. The bottom line is that all forms of magick is natural and neutral." It was Willow's mouth that moved, but though her voice seemed to be coming out, there was also another voice with it. " Despite what some people may think, natural phenomena used in magick like psychic powers (energy manipulation), pre-cognition (divination), and post-cognition (understanding the past to help you determine a positive present and future), have no moral gradient; they are neither good nor bad - they simply are facts of the natural world. More importantly, they are the building blocks of the magickal world."



"I am the Vessel." Willow's voice was now her own, "Incapable of good or evil."



"The body whom I have inherited, Willow, daughter of Sophia and Hecate…" the voice that had spoken out alongside Willow's earlier was once more speaking with Willow, "…has shown that magick can be good," at this Willow closes her left hand, when she reopens it, she holds a ball of white fire. "And magick can be evil," Willow now closes her right hand and when it is reopened, it holds a ball of black fire. "How the wielder uses it defines his magicks, not magicks in general." Willow claps her hands and now holds one larger flame that is a bluish grey. Willow, who had been looking at her hands since the flames appeared, looked up at Tara. "I am the Balance."



Willow's hair and eyes turned back to their natural forms. Willow looked unsteady for a moment and then gave a bloodcurdling scream…then fainted.

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



"And the glorified bricklayer picks up a spare!" (Xander, The Gift)

[sam darls]

Wow..amazing update Chris. Loved it. And what a cliffhanger?!! leaving us there..hehe. Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[Seldomly Naughty]

Go Chrissy go Chrissy..this is soooo cool...we talked about it but it didn't sound as cool as it does now..I'm so glad you add the explaination part...I hope your other updates can top this...hey update soon too...I'll be wait..not long..*does Willow mock voice* for I am the vessel..that'll kick your a** if you don't..hee hee hee..see ya chrissy..



((actually I'm talking to you now while I'm giving feedback but uuhhh *shrugs*))

[robotguru]

• Title of the story:As the Piper Plays

• Author name: Chris aka robotguru

• Email address: darkguru@hotmail.com or robotguru2000@yahoo.com

• Feedback: Darn tooting

• Distribution Anywhere if you ask first

• Rating: NC-17

• Pairing Willow/Tara, Sarah/Dawn

• Disclaimer: Willow and Tara are the trademarks of Joss, ME, UPN etc. Sarah and The Piper are mine.

• Note: No cliffhangers this time...I've tormented you enough already lol.



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



Chapter 12



Sarah and Dawn had talked for a while before going to the mall. They were now walking towards Dawn’s home, hands intertwined. Both were silent for a while in their thoughts.



Should I tell her about being The Slayer’s sister? About being the key? Willow said she still felt strong power. What if someone else comes after me? Will I be putting Sarah in danger? Do I have the right to?



Sarah’s thoughts followed a similar path.



Should I tell her about being a witch? Should she know why I’m here, what I’m running away from. Why did I get attacked by a vampire? Are we safe even now?



“Sarah?”



Dawn’s voice brought Sarah out of her thoughts. “Yeah hunny?”



“There’s something I…” Dawn stopped talking when she heard a blood curdling scream, worse, a familiar blood curdling scream. “Willow,” she breathed. She grabbed Sarah’s wrist “Come on, run!”



Sarah ran along with Dawn heading towards the sound of the scream.



***



Tara ran towards the prone body of Willow. Willow’s skin had taken a light glow earlier but now looked pale. Tara checked Willow’s breathing and pulse, she was still alive. Her pulse was racing but she was alive.



“Willow? Tara!” Tara looked around and saw Dawn running up towards her, a look of concern on her face. Also with Dawn was a girl with long raven black hair Tara had never seen before she looked at Dawn, but questions could wait until later.



Dawn ran over to Willow, tears coming from her eyes. The other girl also looked concerned as she looked at Dawn. Willow’s eyes slowly fluttered open, a look of confusion on her face. “W-where am I? I-I-was attacked, then there was a girl…then…then…mother…”



Tara put a finger on Willow’s lips, “Shh sweetie, you’re ok.” Tara and Dawn helped Willow to her feet, Tara noticed that the girl had a look of concentration on her face and quietly muttered some words, a healing power seeming to emanate from her. Who is this girl? Tara and Dawn supported Willow as the girl followed behind murmuring her silent mantra.



***



Sarah had followed behind Dawn, the look on her girl’s face enough to stir her into running faster than she had ever run before. She and Dawn ran until they came upon an alley where a blonde was frantically looking for signs of life in a redhead. The blonde looked at her and their eyes met, immediately, Sarah knew that she was looking at a witch, two witches. Dawn ran over to the women as Sarah looked on, she did what came naturally, she murmured a spell to help aid the healing process.



***



Sarah was now walking next to Dawn, they weren’t holding hands, it hardly seemed the time for Dawn to tell her guardians that she had a girlfriend, she could feel the closeness between the three, friends, closer than that, parents and daughter almost. The group walked up to a door and Tara, Dawn and Willow walked in, Sarah was unsure on whether or not to follow but the imploring look in Dawn’s eyes was all the invitation she needed. She needs me. Sarah crossed the threshold and Dawn shut the door. Tara and Willow walked up the stairs, Willow still a little unsteady.



***



Tara supported Willow onto the bed and sat next to her, stroking her face. “Sweetie, you scared me,” Tara pouted.



“I’m sorry baby…I didn’t mean to.” Willow’s face brightened a little, “I definitely have some names though…erm what were they? Ooh yeah, Piper was one and, and, erm…Abel.”



“That’s good sweetie.” Tara stayed silent for a while, she remembered Willow’s little speech earlier, that wasn’t Willow, well not just Willow, this was still Willow after all, it’s just, there was something else. “Sweetie?”



“Yeah?”



“What was all that about…a-about the Balance and being the Vessel?”



Willow stayed silent, the almost dream coming back to her. It wasn’t a dream, Willow knew it. She could feel herself talking to Tara before she passed out. But before that…she wasn’t even on this plane let alone Earth. “I don’t know…well I do but…I need to sleep.” Willow’s voice sounded drowsy. Before Willow passed out, she felt a great power overtake her body, it was almost too much, any other person would have died. Willow right now though, needed sleep.



Tara could see this and stood up, she still needed to find out who the girl with Dawn was, Willow could give her some answers after she got some sleep.



***



Dawn and Sarah had sat in silence for a while, “Hunny?”



Dawn looked up, “mmhm?”



“What were you saying before we started running?”



Dawn paused for a while, this didn’t seem the right time, she started to try and formulate words that just wouldn’t come to her. “It’s nothing, well it is something obviously but it’s something that can wait. I’m kinda worried about Willow right now so I can’t think…like I ever think anyway but that isn’t the point…dammit I’ve found Willow’s ability to babble!” Both girls laughed helplessly.



Tara walked down the stairs, her eyes taking in the two girls in front of her. They sat close like friends, or more than. Dawn heard the creak of the bottom step and turned to face Tara. “How is she?”



Tara waited a while before answering, “She’s exhausted, something…s-something happened.”



Dawn got up and ran over to hug her, “Will she be ok?”



Tara smiled, “Yes, she will be just fine.” Tara stayed silent for a moment, “Anyway, who’s your friend?”



“Ooh yeah, rude much of me huh? This is Sarah, she’s in my class.” Sarah sketched a wave, “I’m guessing you need a drink huh? I’ll be right back.”



Dawn walked towards the kitchen to get some drinks going and Tara walked over to Sarah. “I know what you did for Willow.”



Sarah’s face is unreadable Ok so she knows about me, I thought she would.



“Thank you.”



Those words brought a small smile to Sarah’s face as she spoke quietly, “I just do what I can…look, you won’t tell anyone will you? I mean I…”



Sarah suddenly stopped speaking, she had said too much. Tara looked at Sarah inviting her to continue speaking, when she didn't, Tara spoke instead, “I won’t.” Dawn came back in with the drinks.

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



"And the glorified bricklayer picks up a spare!" (Xander, The Gift)

Edited by: robotguru at: 3/9/04 7:31 am

[sam darls]

Ooh..great update. I hope Dawn and Sarah talk soon. Love sammi xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[The Rose24]

Great update. it is good that Sarah is there to help Willow.



Everyone should get along well because three of them are witches, and one is a mystical key. Sarah should be able to be herself and be comfortable.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

[robotguru]

I've rescued the fic from the depths of page 14 lol. Same diclaimors etc as always.



***



It would be another two days before Willow was to awake, the strain placed on her body by becoming The Vessel being more than any ordinary mortal could endure. As Willow drifted in and out of consciousness, never fully waking, Tara had watched over her, her thumb caressing the back of her hand. Dawn had been tempted to miss a couple of lectures at the university but Tara had told her no, she was quite capable of looking after herself. At the forefront of Tara’s mind was the conversation Willow and another being using her body had had with her. What did this mean for Willow? The Vessel? Balance? These thoughts had turned themselves over and over in Tara’s head for the last two days.



The first thing Willow became aware of was the soft caressing of her hand, then, almost as an afterthought, the rumbling of her stomach. “Baby?”



Tara’s eyes had been closed, the sound of Willow’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “S-sweetie, you’re awake.” She leaned down kissing Willow with a much passion and love as she could muster from her body (which was a lot considering it was all for Willow), there was so much she wanted to say, one side of her wanted to cry, the other be strong for Willow; as she wrapped her arms around the redhead’s body she doubt she’d ever be able to let go…and you know what, it really didn’t matter. As she slowly but reluctantly pulled back from the hug Willow tried to rise from bed to follow but her legs cramped, they seemed pretty darn determined to stay static. “It m-might help if you had some food in you, I was just going to do some pancakes.” Tara smirked, “funny shapes or round?”



Willow raised a half smile as she shared in their private joke, “I think I could do with some funny.” Willow looked at Tara for a second, “you’ve not been looking after yourself.”



Tara sighed as she looked down at her lover, “been busy looking after you.”



Willow shifted in the bed to get herself into a more sitting position, “well I can look after myself if I know you’re here so you better darn well look after yourself more in the future.”



Tara tried to protest but got met with resolve face Willow, she smirked as Willow again tried to get out of bed, “am I at least allowed to get you some food?”



Willow blushed, seeing as she had ranted from a pretty much helpless situation, “yeah.”



***



Dawn had been worrying as she came home from her lectures, more on that damned Minotaur, Tara had pretty much been by Willow’s bed for the whole time she was out, that was understandable, but she had not had much food or sleep in the process. Sarah had seen that Dawn had been worrying and the two always sat together in the lecture hall, at the dinner table, in rooms that were set up like ordinary classrooms, pretty much everywhere. But, Dawn still felt guilty that Sarah didn’t know that she was the Key, and for all Dawn knew, that Sarah was unaware of the dangers of being out at night.



As Dawn opened the door, she was met by a smell that made her mouth water, Tara was cooking pancakes. Tara was downstairs, in the kitchen, cooking pancakes! Now, that meant two things, Dawn was gonna scoff herself on pancakey goodness, but more importantly, Willow must have woke up. Dawn ran into the house, barely registering the door slamming behind her, dropped her bag on the stairs and ran into the kitchen. “Hey Tara.”



Tara flipped the last of the pancakes and turned off the stove, turning and giving Dawn a weak smile, “hey Dawnie, good day?”



“Apart from shuddering at the thought of the Minotaur, yeah, so, has Willow woke up?”



Tara picked up a plate and put it on top of three others, “yup, I was just going to take these up.”



Dawn took hold of the plates, knowing that Tara had had very little in the way of sleep, and half walked, half ran up the stairs and into Willow and Tara’s room.



***



Abel and Lucifer sat alone in the darkened warehouse, since The Piper wasn’t around, Lucifer didn’t feel the need to hide his true visage. He scowled, “we have a problem.”



Abel looked at his companion, now, everyone had thought that Cain was the evil one of the two biblical brothers, but it was Abel that was the real danger, a shape shifter, he had grown jealous of his brother, so what better way to get his own back than to have him forced to walk the world for eternity. “Your sister?”



Lucifer’s scowl deepened, “my other one. Willow has entered the body of her human form.”



“So, we have a new player in your little battle of light and dark. So what?”



“Don’t you get it you fool?” Lucifer snarled, “Willow’s human form is a good person, my sister cannot be affected by powers of light, nor can she be affected by powers of dark, such as our Piper. She is made of both quantities equally.”



Abel shrugged, “then it is simple, the side that Willow takes will ultimately win, if you cannot manipulate your sister, manipulate those she loves, The Piper is capable enough of doing that.”



Lucifer smiled, a not very nice smile, in fact, it could barely pass for what humans call a smile, but it was a smile all the same.



***



Sophia and Hecate looked down on the world, unable to interfere in the activities of their children as much as they were unable to affect the activities of all on Earth. “Is she ready?”



Sophia had voiced the concern of both deities, Hecate could only answer, “She has to be.”

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



There can be no rainbow without rain, you cannot know true happiness until you know sadness first.

Edited by: robotguru at: 12/9/04 2:03 pm

[The Rose24]

I had to try to remember what this story is about. I didn't think you were going to finish.



I am ready to see how this plays out.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.