Loco2: we like the lesbianic
so hopefully both subtext maintext and regulartext... and who can resist the nightlight
oneinten: oh yes keep your eye on the clock ticking away
mmm chocolate and spinach??? I'm glad that our desire to never shy away from conflict and growth in lieu of an easy fix is visible, it is one thing we pride ourselves on
Centauri2002: Buffy is indeed in a hard spot, but she does also need to make that leap and learn that somethings she can't be the controller of... well welcome aboard, please feel free to visit the buffet... I personally recomend the cookies and the ice cream... and a good blanket is a treasure when you've found it
Grimaldi: oh yes the mighty walls of Buffy's emotional resistent are shaky, but in a good way that is going to allow her to get stronger rather than weaker... glad you liked
Miss1234Kitty: WOO HOOO another Maffy (my pet name for them together)... and ooo good catch from the previous scenes
Willow had definately lost touch with her sense of adventure, fun and to wrap it all up innocence...
a whole day for us? wow thanks
okay... now the thing everyone is waiting for the update...
Dreamsequence ahead... oh and cliffhanger so everyone pair up and check your safety equipment before reading
******
It had taken some work but Tara looked up with a feeling of accomplishment at the newly arranged books as she and the younger Willow stood beside the now full white cage in the library.
“That’s all of them from in here?” The blonde looked at her young helper and checked.
“That’s all the blank ones in the library.” Willow nodded turning to do a mental double check.
“We don’t have to get the others sorted, you and Willow can do that together, while you both are healing.” Tara said softly reaching down to take the teenager’s hand. “Now you said something about a missing book?” She prompted.
“Rack’s book.” Willow slim small body shivered within layers of clothing.
“Can you tell me where it is?” Tara squeezed the small hand lightly.
“I can show you where to go to find it but I can’t go all the way.” Willow nodded.
“You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to sweetie.” Tara assured her.
“It’s all going to start again soon.” She looked to the roof as if something was alerting her and she squeezed Tara’s hand. “We should go now.”
“Ok.” Tara nodded.
“Are you ready?” The younger Willow questioned as the world began to shift again.
“Yes.” Tara closed her eyes trying to stay as focused as she could while the nauseating transition took place. Though sadly she could feel herself getting used to the falling feeling.
“I have to wait out here.” Willow shuffled a little as the world came to solid again within a dank dirty room. The wallpaper peeled down the walls in water stained streaks and a thread worn couch sat uninvitingly against one wall.
“It’s through there.” She reached up her free hand and pointed to the grey door.
“Will you wait for me?” Tara asked softly hoping that her guide would be able too. She rewarded the nod she received with a smile and then with a light breath moved forward towards the door.
The interior room was in no better shape. The walls were stained and whatever paint had been on them had faded down to the drabbest of browns. The sort of colour that dragged whatever light and life was in the room down and mixed it until it to was nothing more than a muddled tasteless colour.
Tara was alone in the room or so she thought until the haunting fast pant of tiny breaths came from above her. Very slowly she tipped her head backwards. Nothing though could have prepared her for seeing her lover pinned up on the ceiling, held there magically by her own addiction to the power that coursed through her veins. Tara raised her hand to her face in horror.
Sweat soaked red hair clung around Willow’s pale features as her dark eyes appraised nothing and everything at the same time. Her arms and legs were held out from her body though no force or trigger seemed to hold her aloft. It was merely as if the ceiling was the floor and she lay there upon it high and delighted.
“Willow?” Tara made the vague attempt at communication as she stepped further into the room. She wanted to drag her eyes away, look for the book she had made the journey to collect but it was hard to not look at the sight of the woman she loved with all of her heart.
“Oh Strawberry up there can’t answer you.” A familiar voice called from the shadows, as the one player in all of this Tara had not yet met stepped out to introduce themselves.
Tara turned instantly, her eyes going first to the black boots that made a slight tap against the wooden floorboards as their owner came into full view.
“She’s in her happy place.” Willow, the one Tara assumed Maladic had been coming for, stepped out and with a feral smile looked the blonde up and down.
“You are Willow.” Tara forced herself to speak trying to move beyond her natural distress at this latest ‘version’ of her lover.
“We’re all Willow, the whole place is Willow.” The dark creature seethed each repetition of her name. “The pain, the hurt, the shame, the pathetic listless empathy for humanity, its all Willow.”
“The love, the joy, the purity and the hope is all her too.” Tara challenged the harsh words.
“Oh I see you met pre-pubescent Willow.” The Dark One laughed a little. “Isn’t she just so cute?” She rolled her eyes the effect slightly lost with the dark tint they held.
“She frightens you that much that you laugh.” Tara pointed out astutely.
“Frightens me?” Dark Willow stopped.
“Why else would you laugh?” Tara asked softly.
“Because the little ball of fluff you think is going to bring you salvation in this has left you in the only place where you are vulnerable.” She sneered looking up to the ceiling.
“Vulnerable?” It was Tara’s turn to question.
“You made a wish.” The Dark One moved closer taking a slow deep breath. “I can smell it on you.”
“I did.” Tara confirmed forcing herself to stay perfectly in place.
“You were so careful to make sure you didn’t use magic to get here, thought you could outsmart me.” She reached up a pale hand and ran a finger over Tara’s shoulder.
Something inside the blonde literally wanted to crawl away from the touch but the Wiccan stayed firm.
“Funny thing is you never thought about all the magick you’d be brining with you.” Dark Willow’s mouth curled into a broad grin.
“I... but...” Tara suddenly panicked.
“It didn’t even cross your mind did it?” The Dark One laughed finding the whole scenario highly amusing. “Didn’t stop to think I’ll be walking straight to the source with enough heritage to blow this world wide open?”
For a second Tara thought she was going to lose thought it was all going to go horribly wrong. After all what this Willow was saying was right. From all admissions, everything she’d been told by Madalene, she had a lot of magic inside her. She had even more magic now then ever and she had brought all of that magic with her. It was only as she panicked that she remembered something, something that calmed her and made her draw in a light breath before she answered the dark woman before her.
“But I can’t even float a pencil.” Tara replied honestly with a slight smirk.
“I don’t care if you can float a pencil, I want the rest of what you can do.” The Dark One licked her lips as unopposed she reached her hand out and put her palm flat against Tara’s collarbone.
For a moment Tara closed her eyes not at all sure what would happen. With her eyes closed she couldn’t see the Dark One’s look of pleasure fade into one of pure rage.
“Where is my magick?” She pulled back her hand and looked at the blonde in disbelief. “I know you have it in there.” She went to put her hand back.
Blue eyes flicked open at the sound of the dark angry voice and as The Dark One tried to find what she wanted her jaw locked painfully so that the sound of her teeth gnashing together was audible.
“What have you done with my magick?” She cursed again.
Tara’s hand reached out and closed around the slender wrist holding the pale veined hand away from her body.
“As I said, I can’t yet float a pencil. I can make a simple little ball of light but somehow I can’t see that is a skill you would desire.” Tara breathed a little more calmly as she looked at the dark sorceress.
“You tricked me!” She seethed her hand held in place by Tara’s.
“You can’t take what I’ve not unlocked.” Tara met the snarl with calm clarity. “Not even you can take my spark from me.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Dark Willow ripped her arm back. “You think I can’t wait for the next chance? You think I’m not always going to be here biding my time?” She looked up again to the body against the ceiling. “I am here. I am Willow.”
“No.” Tara shook her head. “You’re not Willow.” Following dark eyes for a moment she looked at the panting woman on the ceiling. But again she turned her gaze back to the black dressed figure before her. “You may be a part of her, but you are not her.”
“I am more a part of her than you want to admit.” The Dark One growled.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” For the first time since her previous worry Tara frowned.
“I’m the part of her that frightens you, I’m the part of her that you can’t control. The rest bows and jumps at your prompting but not me.” The dark creature stood her ground.
“How can you say this, I’ve never had to face you before. I’ve never had to deal with this Willow.” Tara’s voice wavered, as did her confidence.
“You don’t remember your magic and you don’t remember how we made you our puppet.” The Dark One stepped closer again. “Seems you have forgotten many things.”
“Your words, your attempt to win this will not work.” Tara fought to find focus.
“Won’t they?” She held up her arm and tapped her wrist. “You still need something but you’re running out of time.”
“The book.” Tara suddenly remembered. “Where is it?” Blue eyes darted around the shabby room.
“How would I know?” The Dark One cocked her head to one side.
“You know.” The blonde’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Are you going to beat it out of me?” A smirk crossed pale evil features. “Oh Tara I didn’t know you had it in you.”
“If you know me, as Willow knows me, then you’ll know I have no clue of what I am capable of.” Tara shook out her hands and arms a little and altered her stance taking on what she hoped was still a passive aggressive one.
“Just remember I kicked your precious Slayer’s ass and that was without magick.” The Dark One put her hands up.
“I’ll keep that in...” Tara breathed out in a measured breath and then stopped as she looked at the familiar face, looked past the changed facade. “Mind.” She finished quietly dropping her stance and changing her look to one of compassion.
“Come on. Fight me pretty girl.” The dark Willow urged her to start the battle but Tara’s look turned into a smile as she slowly shook her head.
“Its what you want isn’t it? Pain, confrontation, a chance to hurt as you’ve been hurt.” Again Tara shook her head. “A chance maybe even to let me win.” She added softly.
The Dark One snarled though she didn’t move as the air in the room changed. A sound something like the crude sound of a bandage being pulled off skin slowly echoed as the body above began to peel off the ceiling. On shaky legs Willow stepped up to stand, her gravity still opposite to the others so that her feet were stamped against the texture of the plaster above and her head at full height came into Tara’s vision.
“Get out of here.” She urged her eyes still dark but the look of ecstasy gone. “Please.” She reached her hand down and out to the blonde.
“I came for something and I am not leaving without it.” Tara replied softly shifting her eyes to look at the still ones before her.
“Please.” Willow pleaded again in a whisper as she turned her arm up so that Tara could see within her palm was a miniature book, only the size of her small hand but made of the most ancient leather. “Go.”
Tara reached up and closed her fingers around Willow’s hand feeling the hot leather press into her palm.
“I love you.” Tara whispered quickly pulling her hand back in an instant. The hanging figure closed its eyes and nodded softly and then without looking anywhere else Tara ran.
******
"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."
To The Land of The RainbowWriters
I'm just glad Buffy is starting to feel, instead of keeping everything inside.
Makes me cry everytime.
oh you know if I could orb around I'd be taunting my co-workers all day... that and I could orb to Beth whenever I wanted... ooo okay new train of thought 
... well you know we can't make the dreamwalk all roses and easy answers.... but hang in there Tara will find a way I am sure... 
Poor Tara. 