Title: From Hell To Heaven
Author name: Auburn
Email address: GemmaQT@hotmail.com Rating: Will be NC-17 (18) (as if I'd write anything else.)
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters but the story is mine.
Feedback: If you want to leave it, I will read it.
Summary: Willow is stranded, but can something good come of a bad situation?
NOTES: I wasn't going to post this fic here, but alot of people begged me to so if you enjoy it thank them and if you don't it's all their fault hehe!
Oh and I'm not american so I tend to get things wrong if it bugs you that much...uhm... pretty much nothing I can do about it.
ENJOY! Willow Rosenberg kicked the wheel of her car in frustration as she stood in the middle of a dirt road not getting anywhere fast. Walking around to the hood of the car she opened it up to take a look but only grew more frustrated as the wires and metal gadgets of the engine stirred back at her. She had no idea how to fix such a contraption.
Walking back round she opened her car door and got in, sitting in the silence as the clouds grew darker and nearer she knew a storm was brewing and that was great. Just great.
Checking her cell phone one more time the screen still told her there was no signal and desperation was starting to become an issue. She didn’t want to be stuck out on a dirt road in the middle of the storm; it just screamed horror movie kind of death.
So here she was and there was really only two options she could consider:
Get out of her car and walk possibly finding a phone box.
Or stay in here car and wait to see if another car comes along.
The second option to her seemed ridiculous, as Willow Rosenberg was not graced with the trait of patience.
So hopping out of the car her final decision made, the small woman went to the trunk of her car to retrieve the warmest clothes she had packed and put them on. Her cell phone in her pocket hoping it may retrieve a signal her wallet in her other pocket in case she found a public phone. Checking her watch Willow determined the time 10:30am this was going to be the worst day.... ever!
Running her hand through her tousled red hair Willow set off at a leisurely pace. Every step she took made the dust on the road fly into the air then float back down into a new spot or onto her shoes staining the black leather with the brown colour of the road.
Her arms swung by her sides in time with her steps and her breathing was even, controlled as she tried to relax herself and keep calm as Nothing but loneliness and isolation awaited her with every step.
She wasn’t sure when the rain had started, when one drop had turned into two and two into a million. The drops were more like thuds as they hit the dirt with such force and the dirt instantly turned to mud as it was joined by it’s moist companion.
Her shoes squelched with every step as water began to seep through the seems and into her shoe although the water provided a cooling relief to the burning blisters that had began to form as leather constantly rubbed onto material that rubbed onto skin.
Willow’s clothes began to sag as the moisture seeped into every crevice weighing it down considerably. Her legs began to ache as her jeans became heavy and her shoes constantly got stuck in mud. Red hair clung to her pale face and Willow Rosenberg was lost in a cold, wet, middle of nowhere. The sun stopped trying to find its way through the thick clouds as night came and the moon stayed hidden. All that greeted the redhead was darkness. The further she walked the darker it got.
Glancing at her watch Willow quickly glanced again not believing her eyes, but there were the illumines digital numbers stirring back at her. 6:16pm.
Eight hours she had been walking and it seemed this was it. This was how Willow Rosenberg was going to die.
Until.... was that?....... was it really?
Willow’s heart began to race in anticipation maybe eight hours of walking wouldn’t turn into nine as a faint yellow glow in the distance caught Willow’s eye. It had to be something; anything that would help it just had to be.
Her walking turned into a brisk pace as she neared the source of light, Her heart sang when she realised what it was and quickly began to sprint.
Coming up to an old house the redhead stopped running, her body demanding she slow down and breathe much needed oxygen. Her muscles burned and her skin stung against her harsh movements.
Making her way down the long path of the front garden Willow took in her surrounding. Why would anyone live so far away from civilisation?
The front garden was covered in plants among other things as the darkness of the night covered most of it in shadows, the house looked like something straight out of a horror movie but Willow shoved her apprehension to the back of her mind and just allowed herself to be glad she had found a possible solution to her problem. Anything was better than being stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Finally she made it to the front door and lifted her shaking, weak arm to knock.
“Can I help you?” A soft voice asked yet in spite of the softness Willow’s delicate state made her body jerk in shock. She turned towards the voice that seemed to come from her right and her eyes widened in surprise.
Stepping out of the shadows that covered the porch of the house a blonde haired woman took attentive steps towards Willow as though she was sizing the redhead up and Willow stood with her mouth agape, her frail, wet frame stayed still as she took in the sight.
“Are you ok?” The woman tried again walking a safe distance around the redhead until she reached her front door.
The question reached Willow’s ears and the soft voice warmed her.
“My car broke down and I’m stranded... it took me eight almost nine hours to walk here and.... I’m not going to hurt you.” Willow found she needed to say that last part although she wasn’t sure why. She saw kindness in the blonde woman’s eyes but also a little fear and the last thing she wanted to do was make this woman uncomfortable in her own home.
Nodding softly the blonde opened her door and waved her hand for Willow to enter, shutting it after her she walked through a narrow hallway into a spacious kitchen.
Willow felt the warmth inside the house surround her chilled, wet body and shivered. Following the blonde into the kitchen she took in the house decor, it seemed a little out dated for someone she presumed was her own age but comfortable and homely, more welcoming then her own apartment she mused.
She was brought out of her reverie by a soft; warm hand placed onto her wrist as the blonde guided a cup into her palm. The warm liquid inside the porcelain radiated its heat through the barrier and onto the redhead’s skin eliciting a moan from Willow’s lips. She immediately blushed and took a sip from the steaming mug.
“What is your name?” The woman asked, her back turned as she put something into the oven.
“Willow.” The redhead answered and returned the question.
“Tara.” The blonde half smiled as she turned to face her guest.
“Tara... That’s a nice name.” The redhead thought out loud. “ I’m sorry to be a nuisance, if I can just use your phone then I’ll be out....” Willow found herself being silenced by a hand held in the air.
“The phone doesn’t work at the moment due to the storm.” The blonde explained. “You are more than welcome to stay here.”
Willow shook her head vigorously. “No I’ve already inconvenienced you I don’t want to be anymore bother.”
Tara chuckled lightly. “You won’t be any bother you will be company. Please stay?”
Willow felt rather than heard the plea in the blonde’s voice and her heart sank for the woman who was so obviously alone. Standing and placing her now empty mug into the sink she nodded “I owe you everything.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow lay in a nice comfortable bed, her head was reeling with everything that had happened to her that day. She chuckled to herself at how her day had started alone in her hotel room to where it had ended in a beautiful blonde’s bed, well guest bed but still... it counted.
The past few hours she had been getting comfortable and Tara had made her very welcome offering her a shower and vegetable soup to warm her from the inside. The blonde had also made her drink one of her personal concoctions insisting it would stop any impending fever that was likely to immerge due to being out in the storm so long. Willow had obliged and was surprised the taste as quite pleasant.
Feeling the soft sheets snuggled around her Willow allowed herself to think about Tara for a moment. What was such a beautiful, kind woman doing alone in the middle of nowhere? Tara hadn’t talked much her words were few and far between, it was the body language Willow had begun to read and if she had read correctly Tara was alone, isolated in this house with nobody to share anything with. It made Willow appreciate her friends and life back home and everything she had.
A knock on the bedroom door brought Willow back out of her thoughts and Tara attentively peeked her head around the wooden barrier.
“Is everything ok? are you comfortable?”
Willow sat up and switched on the lamp beside the bed and checked the clock, she had been lying there for at least an hour. “Tara?”
“Is there something you need?” The blonde worried hoping there wasn’t something she had forgotten it had been such a long time since she had a guest.
“No thank you. You‘ve been the perfect host I promise.”
The blonde dipped her head covering her face with her hair, Willow saw the faint blush before it was covered.
“Goodnight Willow.” Tara said softly as she closed the door.
“Goodnight Tara.” The redhead answered and smiled to herself at the blondes blush. It was very cute she sighed. Turning the lamp back off she once again made herself comfortable in bed and this time drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow hated being woken up, the feeling of being pulled towards consciousness was the most annoying thing in the world to her, but today was an exception. Today Willow didn’t mind as a soft humming noise made it’s way through the door when someone walked past. Sitting up and brushing back her bed mused hair the redhead took in her surroundings and remembered the day before. The worst day ever.... except not so bad once the initial horror and potentially deadly strandedness had been dealt with. A blonde woman had made all things better, had made the night seem brighter somehow. Tara had been Willow’s saviour.
Flipping the covers to the side Willow climbed out of bed and wobbled as her weak legs held her weight, every muscle in her body screamed at her to go back to bed and stay there for at least a week, but her curiosity told her to go downstairs and see what Tara was doing.
Making her way down the stairs as quickly as her painful limbs would allow the redhead walked down the familiar narrow hallway and into the kitchen, she immediately noticed a pan boiling over and moved it, giving the contents a quick stir.
“Good morning.” Tara greeted coming in from the back door. “Thank you for doing that.” she smiled and dipped her head taking the pan from the redhead’s hand.
Willow stepped back giving the blonde space and seated herself gently on to a chair next to the kitchen table. She sighed as her muscles relented a little and the weight was taken off her feet and legs.
“I’m sorry Willow but the phone still isn’t working.” The blonde explained with sympathy etched in her voice. “I’ve been thinking of other ways to help you, but the only way I could come up with is to fetch your car here and let me have a look at it?”
The redhead stood and took a few steps towards her saviour. “It’s not your fault the phone isn’t working Tara and bringing my car here is a good idea although really.... I’m trading that thing in for something that is much more reliable and not likely to leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere and make me have to walk for eight hours in a storm....” she mini-ranted before taking a deep breath.
Tara giggled lightly at her guest and nodded. “Yes I think a more reliable car would be best. I’m making breakfast or at least I was, but I had an emergency out in the field. I’ll start over it won’t be too long.” She explained and dipped her head once again, a move Willow was coming to realise was designed to shield Tara‘s emotions.
“Tara?”
“Yes Willow?”
“Are..... Are you alone?..... out here I mean.... are you alone?” The redhead asked hoping Tara wouldn’t think she was prying, but her curiosity was peaked as to why anyone would live out here.
“I live on my own.” The blonde answered simply with a smile.
“For how long?”
Tara didn’t answer the question straight away, instead she gazed at Willow, her eyes looking directly at the other woman as if she was contemplating the reason for the question being asked.
“Almost five years.” She finally answered.
A silence surrounded both women as Tara made breakfast and Willow rested her aching head on the kitchen table, she watched as the blonde moved gracefully around the room, sorting and organising until the final result sat invitingly on a plate.
By the time Tara had finished preparing breakfast Willow had fallen asleep and the blonde internally argued with herself whether to wake the redhead or not. Willow’s fiery hair splayed wildly across her pale face and her eye lids shielded the green orbs from view. Tara’s final decision was that Willow’s neck would ache and therefore she should wake up her guest.
Gently moving the offending hair from Willow’s face the blonde called the other woman’s name softly.
“Willow... breakfast is ready.”
“Uh....” Was the reply as the redhead tried to hide deeper into the arm that her head rested on.
“Willow wake up.” Tara said a little louder.
The redhead’s eyes opened slowly and blinked against the light that streamed through the kitchen window and into her eyes. Lifting her head slowly she rubbed her face to wipe away the grogginess of sleep and caught an expectant gaze of a beautiful blonde woman staring at her. Realising what happened she blush.
“I’m........ I’m sorry I’m just so tired, so much for keeping you company huh?” The redhead apologised.
“Don’t worry about it, just having you here is a nice change.”
Placing the plate of food in front her guest Tara sat down to enjoy her own, she had so many questions to ask her visitor but didn’t want to bombard the obviously exhausted woman.
Willow ate her breakfast slowly, savouring the taste of the blonde’s cooking. Her eyes kept wandering to the woman sat opposite her, every time she looked up Tara looked down and she realised the shy blonde was probably curious as to what she was doing out here on her own.
“Yesterday morning I woke up in a nice hotel generously paid for by the company I work for, but however expensive. The food was nowhere near as delicious as yours.”
Tara blushed profusely at the obvious complement; her hair covered her eyes as she dipped her head in a move Willow was becoming accustomed to. Reaching out her hand the redhead ran her fingertips over the blonde’s knuckles until the other woman was looking up. She then smiled softly and was rewarded with a smile back from her saviour.
“S-so that’s how you ended up here? Because you were on a business trip?” The blonde enquired, giving in to her curiousness about Willow’s situation.
“Yeah, they wanted me to take a train, but I’m not good on trains at least if I drive somewhere I can make my own stops, you know?”
Tara nodded her understanding. That had explained how Willow had ended up at her home but also fuelled so many other questions. Who did Willow work for? What job did she do? Where was she from? Her curiosity was peeked, but her shyness stopped her from asking and the second time her mouth closed after trying to speak Willow spoke instead.
“I teach computer programming to businessmen and women. Their companies ask for a teacher to teach and my company send me.” She explained. “Originally I’m from Sunnydale California so the drive from there to Arizona wasn’t that bad, it was the drive back that was the winner.” “How did you end up out here Tara?” Willow threw that question in clearly taking the blonde by surprise, but the redhead’s inquisitive nature kept getting the better of her, once she started talking her mouth said things her brain hadn’t told it to.
“I-I..... My mom and I were driving across country and found this house, she fell in love with it.” Was all the woman said before getting up from the table and putting her plate in the sink. Her face once again clouded by her blonde hair.
Willow didn’t doubt the truthfulness of Tara’s answer, but she somehow knew there was more to it than this woman and her mother stumbling upon a loveable house. Her memory told her that Tara lived alone, so where was Tara’s mother now?
Deciding not to ask such a delicate question Willow also got up from the table and placed her plate in the sink. Tara put her hands in the water about to wash them before Willow gently touched the blonde’s arm.
“Let me, please?”
Tara understood Willow’s need to feel useful although she wasn’t comfortable with a guest doing her chores the pleading look in the redhead’s eyes made her relent.
“I’m just going to go out and fix the rest of the wire fence so the animals don’t wander off, I’ll be about half an hour then we can go pick up your car, is that ok?”
Willow nodded her affirmation and the blonde made her way out. Quickly finishing the dishes Willow made her way upstairs to wash up, walking into the guest room she saw her freshly clean clothes ironed and folded neatly on a chair by the window and a soft smile graced her lips at her thoughtful saviour.
* * * * * * * * * *
The journey that had taken Willow eight hours took about 3 hours as Tara drove fast down the deserted road. Yellow dust whipped up behind the speeding vehicle as the tyres left their imprints in the dirt. The drive was quiet as the blonde kept her eyes fixed on the road, although her mind was dancing freely through thoughts and fantasies and Willow slept peacefully, the gentle motion of the truck lulled her aching body to sleep.
Tara kept telling herself not to get attached to her guest, for Willow would be gone in a few days and once again she would be left in the house and the secluded land that was once a home and safe refuge but was now her only way of life. Living in this house by herself for such a time had become the only way she knew how to live and Willow’s arrival stirred in her what she had longed for for so many years.
The woman sleeping beside her awoke as the truck pulled to a stop and Tara found herself watching as Willow slowly came to, her red hair quilting one side of her face making her skin appear more creamy.
Willow’s gaze lifted from its view out of the window to the woman next to her and for a brief moment the blonde’s emotions were completely uncensored. So raw and revealing. Tara quickly diverted her eyes and jumped out of the vehicle leaving Willow sitting in wonder.
Jumping out of the truck she stood by the side of Tara who was inspecting the engine of the redhead‘s broken down vehicle, her brow crinkled in concentration and Willow mentally slapped herself for stirring.
“G-Gear box.” Tara said simply and dug her hand further into the tangled web of wires and gadgets. “It broke.”
“That’s not good right?” Willow knew it was a dumb question, of course it wasn’t good, the car wasn’t working how could it be good? The blonde looked on as Willow internally poked herself, knowing she didn’t actually have to answer the question.
“We’ll tow it back to mine, but I’m afraid there’s really nothing I can do after that Willow.” The blonde sighed. “The only other options you have is to stay at my house until the phone works or I can drive you into town which is Five hours away, It’s up to you.” Walking back to her truck she grabbed a rope out of the trunk and tied it to Willow’s car leaving the redhead contemplating her options.
Tara lead both vehicles down the dirt road that lead to her house, Willow sat in her own car steering it whilst it was being pulled by the truck in front. Her thoughts were filled with home and her friends and the life that was waiting for her when she got there.
But....
As much as she didn’t want to admit it Willow wasn’t entirely disappointed that Tara couldn’t fix her car, yes she wanted to see the people she loves again.
But....
Here she was, stuck in the middle of hell only to be rescued by one of it’s angel, It wasn’t such a bad thing being stuck out here with a beautiful blonde with blue eyes and a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts.
Maybe....
Staying here for a little longer, just until the phone starts working Willow could find answers to all the questions that intrigued her about her obviously lonely saviour.
Tara pulled into the driveway of her home, the muscles in her body tense after being sat in the same position for so long and her head was beginning to ache as thoughts had rushed though it during the quiet drive getting louder and louder. Pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger she allowed herself to rest until her drivers side door swung open.
Holding out her hand Willow offered to help the blonde from her truck and Tara shyly took it.
“Are you ok?” The redhead asked holding her coat over both their heads as rain began to poor and Tara huddled closer for shelter, the blonde nodded at her guest preferring a silent answer rather than having to shout over the harsh wind whistling around them.
Willow wrapped her arm around Tara’s shoulders to hold her coat closely over the blonde’s head to keep her dry and they both made a mad dash for the sheltered porch of the house. Finally making it their breathes heavy with the rush Tara pulled herself away from the closeness of the redhead’s body and frowned as her skin immediately missed the warmth of Willow beside her.
Digging her hand into the pocket of her jeans Tara searched for her keys and then her palm collided with her forehead with a loud slap causing Willow’s eyes to widen.
“Uhm.... do you slap yourself often? because that could be considered a little... well... a little...”
“Insane?” Tara finished for her. She smiled lopsidedly and shook her head whilst pointing to the vehicle they had just ran from.
“Keys?” Willow understood what the blonde was trying to say and tried to find a way to get to the truck with less chance of getting completely soaked. Realising there was no way she stepped from the porch into the openness.
“Willow what are you doing?” Tara shouted at the redhead a little perplexed.
“Getting the keys!” Willow walked at a leisurely pace towards the blonde’s truck.
Shaking her head at her guest the blonde also stepped out into the rain and met Willow on her way back to the porch. Holding her hand out Tara took the keys from the redhead and giggled at her bedraggled look.
Tara’s long blonde hair had been pulled back loosely but the weight of the moisture caused strands to escape and stick to her face and drops of rain trickled down her cheeks gathering at the end of her nose.
Willow lifted her hand and collected the bundle of drops giggling as she did so and the blonde grinned lopsidedly before suddenly running off towards the house.
“Last one in is a rotten egg!” She shouted leaving Willow with her mouth wide open in surprise.
To Be Continued....
Auburn"When in doubt, poke it with a stick!" Edited by: Auburn at: 12/4/04 1:56 pm