allykat - Is this soon enough? Miffed is great!
Taras Shadow - Nope, not the last of Mr. Obsession, nope.
littlecrazy80 - W/T Forever!!!
Imjustme - I'm updating...how about you?
Please?
amberfan87 - I'm glad we understand each other, sis! You have your guys, I have mine...s'all good!
bt bob - Oh man...you're making me blush (that's odd, you're the blushee)! That just made my day
xita - Yeah, Tara is just way too nice. And she is trying to tell Julian to leave her alone, but she's saying it too nicely. Hence, Tara = nice = sometimes good, sometimes bad? Man, I'm confusing myself...
Seldomly Naughty - Helloooo there, Sexually Charged Tish!
Oh wait...you're taken
*moves away reluctantly*
Arwen276 - Don't worry, Julian's a completely normal human
ambersagoddess - I'll take the one cookie, and your so-called secret.
bindingwiccan - Is he really that scary? I was trying to make him come across as a nice guy...
Title: A Promise Once Made
Author: jadeo0
Feedback: Loved it? Hated it? I don’t care. Just tell me why and I’m a happy camper.
Disclaimer: This ain’t mine. None of it. Except for the dorky hotness of Julian (Mmm…).
Spoilers: Season 5 – This is set about 4 years after “The Body”
Pairings: W/T
Summary: A promise that Tara made in her teenage years is coming back to get her.
Rating: PG-13 – R, it depends, but I’ll give warning
Notes: As this is set in the future, and branches off from canon after Joyce dies, we’ll assume that Glory/Ben was defeated, and Dawn was saved in time at the tower. So Buffy lives, and life goes on with the slayage until Valentine’s Day, 2006.
Part Seven “Hey, guys!” Willow’s face broke into a grin as she entered the Magic Box. After a wonderful morning in bed with Tara, she’d felt almost obligated to see her friends and help them out with the newest baddie. She stopped, confused. “Uh, what’s going on?”
The Scoobies were gathered around the round table…playing Scrabble. Hadn’t they done this last time? Once more, Xander and Anya were looking hopeful, Giles was looking stuffy, and Buffy was looking glum. A modest pile of money lay at the side of the table, awaiting the victor.
“There aren’t any vampires to hunt anymore,” said Buffy off-handedly. “No new Big Bads to stop – I call for a break. I would prefer a different break, but Scrabble seems to be the favourite these days, you know?”
“Aha!” Xander jumped up, grinning triumphantly. “Bosoms! Six letters! And that will add up to…” he paused, frowning “…ten…points, now that’s not fair! That was ingenious!”
“Xander, honey-bear, calm down.” Casually, Anya pulled him back onto his seat, pointing at the new letters they’d gotten. “We’ll get their money yet!”
“Frank,” stated Giles. “The “f” is a triple letter, so twenty points.” Adjusting his glasses, he scribbled down the number.
“Giles, would you lighten up?” Buffy looked dismayed as she put “dog” onto the board. “You’ve already won three times today.”
“I have never lost a game of Scrabble in my life, and I plan to keep it that way,” Giles replied stiffly. “Anya?”
Tentatively, the ex-demon began to transfer her word to the board. Everyone around the table became silent as they read the word. “Bunny,” said Anya, looking up proudly. “The “u” is a double letter and “y” is on the triple word. Thirty-three points.” She smiled. “I’m willing to overcome my fear of those evil creatures if it puts us ahead.”
Grudgingly, Giles added the number to their total. “You’re up by three. And pseudo. Nine points.” He crossed his arms across his chest.
Buffy sighed. “You know, I just don’t think I’m a Scrabble kinda girl!” She placed her chin between her hands and pouted.
Willow walked over to the Slayer and studied Buffy’s rack of tiles. Smirking, she began to lay the tiles on the board. “Diction. Double on the “c”…thirteen points.” She glanced over at the blonde. “Good?”
Buffy nodded numbly, vacating her seat. “You wanna play, Wills?”
“Thought you’d never ask!” Willow grinned, sliding comfortably onto the now-empty stool. “I’ll give Mr. Giles here a run for his money.”
“Don’t be so sure about that, Willow.” Giles chuckled, procuring a handkerchief from his right jacket pocket and wiping off his face. “I happen to know some very g –“
“Dawn, don’t do that!” Anya jumped up, waddling over to the brunette. “You can’t bring Emma close to those crystals. Some of them aren’t cleansed yet, and a bad spirit might rub off on her. And if that happens, I’ll get Halfrek after you!” She grabbed the baby girl away from Dawn and walked back to the table.
“Don’t worry, Dawnie, she’s always like that, being pregnant and all,” whispered Xander. “You can play with her later.”
Dawn nodded, grinning. “So Will, how’s the boy situation going? Have you and Tara made up yet?”
Willow didn’t answer, continuing to organize her tiles, but the grin that was plastered onto her face gave it away. They’d made up alright!
“So where’s Tara?”
“She’s with Julian right now.”
Dawn froze. “You’re leaving her alone with Julian?”
“You know,” Buffy started, “I don’t think that’s a smart decision –“
“Look, Tara said she wanted to do this.” Willow raised her voice, hoping that they would listen. “So she’s doing this. It’s not my job to watch over her every step. I can worry about her safety, but I have to trust that she knows what she’s doing, and I do. So when she says that she wants to do this alone, I know she knows what she’s doing.” She visibly gulped, staring around at the Scoobies. “’Kay?” Somehow, she wasn’t so sure that she believed her own words.
~*~
“Hey, really, I’m sorry for yesterday.” Julian thanked the waiter as he transferred the two coffees from the tray to the table. “I just lost my temper.”
“R-really, it’s okay.” Tara smiled. She was relieved, she had to admit. She had worried that Julian wouldn’t agree to this meeting – maybe they’d be able to mend their friendship. “I understand.”
“Why did you call me? I didn’t expect you to ever wanna see me again.” Julian leaned back, taking a slow gulp of his coffee.
“W-well, I’ve been thinking a lot about you,” Tara began, “a-and I’ve talked to Willow…”
“Is she letting you come with me?” Julian looked up, hopeful.
“I-I’m not coming with you, Julian,” Tara said carefully. She had to let him down gently. Julian needed to understand that she was with Willow, and that although she cared for him, she didn’t love him the way he wanted her to. Gingerly, she took the ring out of her pocket and laid it on the table. “I-I want to give this back to you.”
“What?” Unsteadily, Julian reached out and closed his hand over the ring, making a fist around it. “W-why?”
“Y-you made this for someone you love, s-someone w-who you thought would l-love you b-back. I’m not that someone, Julian. A-and I don’t think I deserve this ring.” Tara could feel the wetness that was beginning to coat her eyes, but she held her tears back this time. She needed to finish this. “I-It should belong to someone who loves you t-the way you w-want them to.”
“But you
do love me.” Julian smiled, leaning across the table to briefly hug his friend. “I understand, you know. You love Willow and Willow loves you, and I have no right to barge in on that. Love is a sacred thing, and no one should be able to break true love apart.”
“I’m glad you understand, Julian.” Tara gulped down the rest of her coffee and began to put her coat on. “And I’ll miss you.” She suddenly felt light-headed and sat back down. “W-whoa.” She began to teeter off the stool.
“Are you okay?” Julian rushed to the other side of the circular table, grabbing and steadying the blonde. “Look, do you want me to drive you home?”
“Y-yeah, thanks, that’d be great.” Things were getting slightly blurry now, and Tara was having a hard time finding the door – and she had this overwhelming urge to just curl up in a ball and sleep. Luckily, Julian did her a favour and took hold of her arm, supporting her as they made their way out of the Espresso Pump and into his car. She didn’t need to worry – he’d take her home.
~*~
“Hey, baby, I’m home!” Willow slipped her bag onto the floor as she made her way up the stairs. “You won’t believe it; I beat Giles in Scrabble today and got these nice crisp bills to play with. So I was debating whether I should invest them into the company or take you out to a fancy dinner tomorrow nigh – Tara?” Nobody was home. All the lights were off, and everything was as it had been when they’d gone their separate ways that morning.
“Tara!” She began to run from room to room, a frantic hope that Tara would be lying in wait for her, the area around her strewn with petals and candlelit…but as she traveled through the house, her flame of optimism continued to diminish. “Tara!”
Willow stopped as the only plausible explanation came into her head: Julian. She shook her head, sinking to the floor in defeat. She should have known not to trust him. She should have realized that he wouldn’t just let Tara go! It was dark now; they could be in LA by now. But she had to try – she just had to. She fumbled in the darkness for the phone. “B-Buffy? Tara’s missing. Yuh-huh…Julian…I-I don’t know, maybe two hours?...O-okay, I’ll meet you at the Magic Box…thanks.”
She dropped the receiver. Shaking, Willow opened a kitchen drawer and stashed a gun in her bag before once more running out the door.
It is with words as with sunbeams - the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.
-Robert Southey
Edited by: jadeo0 at: 2/1/04 11:46 am
by amberfan87 » Sat Jan 24, 2004 4:36 pm 
*wink wink* just kidding Jess but update soon.
And he does look kinda dorky, doesn't he...
(sorry, had an urge to use that)
ehhehehe. well, anyway, draw him like jason biggs and ill take Him home!!! 
Tish? See ya got a little sidetracked there, Sweetie...Any chance you can arrange a private meeting for me and your alter ego there? 
can i get another peeekk???
at: 1/29/04 7:37 pm
alright you two, lets keep it down to a dull roar.