Haasim Mahanaim
The Way Things Were
Chapter 1 A Perfect World
Willow awoke from a peaceful nap in her bedroom. The sunlight through her window suggested it was early afternoon. - For a moment she was worried about the consequence of missing her morning classes. But she then realized that it was Sunday and even had it been a weekend, it wouldn't have mattered. Somehow ever thing felt perfect, but in a way that feels new and exciting even though the sources of happiness in her life have remained constant for as long as she could remember.
She was still feeling groggy and had not changed positions since waking up. Unwilling to leave her comfort of her bed, she resumed her tugging of her blanket, hoping that her companion would release her only source of warmth. But then she realized that there are always alternatives.
Finally refusing to fight for control of her blanket she moved closer to her bunkmate and gently embraced him while her hair softly stroked his face as he slept.
But she ultimately realized that she had awoken him, but judging from his expression, he certainly didn't mind. In fact, in his eyes she could see a person who was hypnotized by her in ways she dared not consider until this morning.
The past night had been the most memorable experience of her life. And she spent that night with someone who she never had thought of as a person who would at a loss for words. Yet, as she quietly stared into his eyes, she saw a person who was vulnerable and excited and enthralled by her all at the same time. They had always shared a deep friendship with each other. But she had always quietly fantasized about what it would be like to wake up in bed next to him and to be able to touch him and embrace him without fear of rejection.
For Willow, Alexander represents all the attributes of a soul mate. Yet, it seemed as if nobody but her ever saw him in that way. And none of that mattered, because for her, Xander was perfect. And it was an amazing feeling to know that just by looking at him she could understand that he feels all of those same things towards her aswell.
After the inseparable couple took a romantic shower, Xander attempted to dazzle and amaze the family by cooking a gourmet breakfast consisting of strawberry covered crepes with cinnamon toast and a fruit drink concoction her charismatically referred to as 'da juice'.
Buffy walked into the kitchen from a night out of town. - Joyce was a mother who made mistakes just like any other parent, yet somehow she seemed to be everything Willow and Xander had wished there parents would be.
Willow and Xander cheerfully greeted Buffy as she entered the kitchen to raid the refrigerator. But Xander quickly offrered her a sampling of da juice and watched eagerly for her to give a reaction.
"Isn't this just Tropicana orange juice?" Buffy was wearing her trademark leather ensemble that resembled the uniform of a biker chick gang. Yet, Buffy always managed to emote a sense of confidence or vulnerability while wearing that jacket often giving people a sense of who she is at the moment, despite her physical appearance.
"No it's Tropicanna Tangerine with rum." Xander then resumed his attention to serving Willow her breakfast.
Buffy then began to move towards an empty stool but then saw Willow give an expression of mild disappointment, which Buffy quickly realized was a hint to site on the other side of the table.
While serving breakfast to Buffy, the two women realized that Xander was wearing an apron with the caption 'kiss the cook". Somehow, it seemed unoriginal for someone of his personality. But then she realized the unfortunate incident when Xander inadvertently used an apron for a Thanksgiving dinner that was given to him from a friend who worked at sex shop. Ever since, Xander was somewhat less intense with his humor, but still likable nonetheless.
"How's your mom?" Willow impulsively smiled as Xander sat next to her, but then reverted to an expression of seriousness when she resumed eye contact with Buffy.
She then gave a brief, but reassuring summary of her weekend in Los Angeles. She explained how the experimental procedure that removed mother's brain tumor, was showing no signs of regrowth.
"It's been six months and they say all of the show she's totally healthy."
"See, I told you she'd be fine."
Willow had a way of always putting everyone at ease. But for some reason Buffy had an intense feeling that something was wrong with her mother despite every indication that stated otherwise. In fact, the feeling felt so intense that Buffy had considered asking Willow to do some mystical investigating to find out if there was any chance her intuition was based on something. But before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door.
But of course, the front door was almost never locked and the footsteps of the visitor could be heard approaching the kitchen.
"Hey guys." Samantha was average height, if she were a man, with long black hair and brown highlights. She had an exotic face that seemed to be the combination of a variety of ethnicities. As usual she wore unassuming clothing that was stylish but mostly functional. - An opened blue jean jacket revealed she was wearing a plain white T-Shirt as a top along with some gray track pants and plain white running shoes.
"Hey." Xander replied.
Sam took a stool and sat next to Buffy while reaching for a jug of the drink on the table.
"Dare I ask? Did you make da juice."
Xander nodded while watching Sam pour a drink.
"Anyone with the sense to know that booze is a requirement for breakfast is alright in my book." Sam playfully smirked after her little comment and turned her attention to the group. "So is everything okay?"
They all a nodded in a agreement while Buffy quietly said "Yeah." Sam then asked. "Happy your mom is ok?" Buffy again nodded in agreement. Sam then turned her attention to Willow. "And you're happy that you're in a fulfilling hetero-sexual relationship that satisfies you childhood fantasies?" after receiving another affirmative nod from Xander and Willow, Sam took one last sip of da Juice and sat up from his stool.
"Alright, excellent. See you later." She then walked out of the kitchen and despite not hearing footsteps or a door being closed they assumed she had left the house.
Buffy starred at the doorway. "That was weird."
"What's weird?" Willow asked.
"She didn't try the crepes, I thought she loved crepes." She then returned to eating her breakfast while Willow and Xander demonstrated their inability to refrain from bodily contact for more than five minutes.
After a few moments they heard footsteps approaching the kitchen yet again. Assuming that Sam had not yet left the house they quietly sat in the kitchen lost in their own thoughts.
A woman then walked into a kitchen, "Morning guys. - Where's Dawn?" Before she received an answer Tara approached the refrigerator but was quickly confronted by Buffy.
"Who are you?" Buffy was not sure if the girl standing before was a threat or not, but she was trespasser and she had no idea why this women had a look of shock on her face as if she belonged in this home.
"Buffy what's wrong with you?" Tara was pinned against the fridge while Buffy questionly looked at the young woman.
"How do you know my name? And who's Dawn?"
Before Tara could answer, Sam suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "Buffy, just a sec. -Tara that trance thing you were trying hasn't worn off yet."
Tara seemed confused, but not disoriented. It was a frightening feeling, but she had been in situations where magical spells had given the illusion of familiarity so she decided to trust Sam's explanation as they walked out of the house.
While Tara waited outside, Willow and Buffy spoke to Sam inside the house while standing next to the front door.
"Who is she?" Buffy asked.
"Just a friend."
"She said something about a trance."
"Just magic stuff, she's harmless."
"She's into magic?" Willow quickly seemed enthusiastic to learn more. "Why haven't we met her before?"
"Oh, I guess I never got around to introducing her. Anyway, we'll hang out some time, ok?"
Sam left the house with Tara and brought her back to her small house on the outskirts of Sunnydale. She was still feeling some anxiety from what happened earlier, but after some added reassurance Tara began to relax. Sam and Tara then hugged for a moment and snuggled on the living room couch while watching television.
Samantha softly stroked Tara's hair while her body pressed onto her, lost in her thoughts, quietly trying to justify her deception and the ongoing manipulation that must not be discovered. - In retrospect, Samantha realized she should have anticipated that the mystical energies within Tara would alert her of changes in reality. Samantha had decided that this was all for the best and despite a period of discomfort and anxiety Tara's life will be a fulfilling one. Meanwhile, Buffy and her sidekicks would get a second chance to preserve the happiness Samantha desperately wanted them to have.
However, now knowing that Tara is inclined to perceiving changes in reality, Samantha must now take steps to ensure that Tara does not discover she is not meant to be in this world. - Such a discovery would be too cruel for Samantha to endure and she feared how far she would go to prevent them from destroying what her creation.
In order to create this reality, events and lives had to be altered or brought back or left in the limbo of oblivion. Buffy would no longer have a sister, but Samantha never cared much for Dawn and her presence would only destabilize the state of happiness she has created. And its not as if the essence of Dawn was wiped out, instead, her life would continue as the entity she was always meant to be. - Free of the troubles and worries of this world. Meanwhile Alexander's alternate lover, Anyanka, never truly redeemed herself in the eyes of Samantha and since her attempt at love proved to be a failure, Samantha decided she was not a needed component for this perfect world.
Outside the thought of Samantha's mind, Tara had fallen asleep. - Samantha then turned off the television and gently carried Tara into their room.
Everything was perfect. And Samantha knew that there would be consequences for her actions. - A god must not interfere in such a bold manner. But Samantha knew that regardless of what lied ahead, she had done a wonderful thing, something entirely altruistic and virtuous of a benevolent god.
And as the bedroom closed, Tara woke up and Samantha decided took take this opportunity to prove how loving she can be.
Chapter 1 A Perfect World
Willow awoke from a peaceful nap in her bedroom. The sunlight through her window suggested it was early afternoon. - For a moment she was worried about the consequence of missing her morning classes. But she then realized that it was Sunday and even had it been a weekend, it wouldn't have mattered. Somehow ever thing felt perfect, but in a way that feels new and exciting even though the sources of happiness in her life have remained constant for as long as she could remember.
She was still feeling groggy and had not changed positions since waking up. Unwilling to leave her comfort of her bed, she resumed her tugging of her blanket, hoping that her companion would release her only source of warmth. But then she realized that there are always alternatives.
Finally refusing to fight for control of her blanket she moved closer to her bunkmate and gently embraced him while her hair softly stroked his face as he slept.
But she ultimately realized that she had awoken him, but judging from his expression, he certainly didn't mind. In fact, in his eyes she could see a person who was hypnotized by her in ways she dared not consider until this morning.
The past night had been the most memorable experience of her life. And she spent that night with someone who she never had thought of as a person who would at a loss for words. Yet, as she quietly stared into his eyes, she saw a person who was vulnerable and excited and enthralled by her all at the same time. They had always shared a deep friendship with each other. But she had always quietly fantasized about what it would be like to wake up in bed next to him and to be able to touch him and embrace him without fear of rejection.
For Willow, Alexander represents all the attributes of a soul mate. Yet, it seemed as if nobody but her ever saw him in that way. And none of that mattered, because for her, Xander was perfect. And it was an amazing feeling to know that just by looking at him she could understand that he feels all of those same things towards her aswell.
After the inseparable couple took a romantic shower, Xander attempted to dazzle and amaze the family by cooking a gourmet breakfast consisting of strawberry covered crepes with cinnamon toast and a fruit drink concoction her charismatically referred to as 'da juice'.
Buffy walked into the kitchen from a night out of town. - Joyce was a mother who made mistakes just like any other parent, yet somehow she seemed to be everything Willow and Xander had wished there parents would be.
Willow and Xander cheerfully greeted Buffy as she entered the kitchen to raid the refrigerator. But Xander quickly offrered her a sampling of da juice and watched eagerly for her to give a reaction.
"Isn't this just Tropicana orange juice?" Buffy was wearing her trademark leather ensemble that resembled the uniform of a biker chick gang. Yet, Buffy always managed to emote a sense of confidence or vulnerability while wearing that jacket often giving people a sense of who she is at the moment, despite her physical appearance.
"No it's Tropicanna Tangerine with rum." Xander then resumed his attention to serving Willow her breakfast.
Buffy then began to move towards an empty stool but then saw Willow give an expression of mild disappointment, which Buffy quickly realized was a hint to site on the other side of the table.
While serving breakfast to Buffy, the two women realized that Xander was wearing an apron with the caption 'kiss the cook". Somehow, it seemed unoriginal for someone of his personality. But then she realized the unfortunate incident when Xander inadvertently used an apron for a Thanksgiving dinner that was given to him from a friend who worked at sex shop. Ever since, Xander was somewhat less intense with his humor, but still likable nonetheless.
"How's your mom?" Willow impulsively smiled as Xander sat next to her, but then reverted to an expression of seriousness when she resumed eye contact with Buffy.
She then gave a brief, but reassuring summary of her weekend in Los Angeles. She explained how the experimental procedure that removed mother's brain tumor, was showing no signs of regrowth.
"It's been six months and they say all of the show she's totally healthy."
"See, I told you she'd be fine."
Willow had a way of always putting everyone at ease. But for some reason Buffy had an intense feeling that something was wrong with her mother despite every indication that stated otherwise. In fact, the feeling felt so intense that Buffy had considered asking Willow to do some mystical investigating to find out if there was any chance her intuition was based on something. But before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door.
But of course, the front door was almost never locked and the footsteps of the visitor could be heard approaching the kitchen.
"Hey guys." Samantha was average height, if she were a man, with long black hair and brown highlights. She had an exotic face that seemed to be the combination of a variety of ethnicities. As usual she wore unassuming clothing that was stylish but mostly functional. - An opened blue jean jacket revealed she was wearing a plain white T-Shirt as a top along with some gray track pants and plain white running shoes.
"Hey." Xander replied.
Sam took a stool and sat next to Buffy while reaching for a jug of the drink on the table.
"Dare I ask? Did you make da juice."
Xander nodded while watching Sam pour a drink.
"Anyone with the sense to know that booze is a requirement for breakfast is alright in my book." Sam playfully smirked after her little comment and turned her attention to the group. "So is everything okay?"
They all a nodded in a agreement while Buffy quietly said "Yeah." Sam then asked. "Happy your mom is ok?" Buffy again nodded in agreement. Sam then turned her attention to Willow. "And you're happy that you're in a fulfilling hetero-sexual relationship that satisfies you childhood fantasies?" after receiving another affirmative nod from Xander and Willow, Sam took one last sip of da Juice and sat up from his stool.
"Alright, excellent. See you later." She then walked out of the kitchen and despite not hearing footsteps or a door being closed they assumed she had left the house.
Buffy starred at the doorway. "That was weird."
"What's weird?" Willow asked.
"She didn't try the crepes, I thought she loved crepes." She then returned to eating her breakfast while Willow and Xander demonstrated their inability to refrain from bodily contact for more than five minutes.
After a few moments they heard footsteps approaching the kitchen yet again. Assuming that Sam had not yet left the house they quietly sat in the kitchen lost in their own thoughts.
A woman then walked into a kitchen, "Morning guys. - Where's Dawn?" Before she received an answer Tara approached the refrigerator but was quickly confronted by Buffy.
"Who are you?" Buffy was not sure if the girl standing before was a threat or not, but she was trespasser and she had no idea why this women had a look of shock on her face as if she belonged in this home.
"Buffy what's wrong with you?" Tara was pinned against the fridge while Buffy questionly looked at the young woman.
"How do you know my name? And who's Dawn?"
Before Tara could answer, Sam suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "Buffy, just a sec. -Tara that trance thing you were trying hasn't worn off yet."
Tara seemed confused, but not disoriented. It was a frightening feeling, but she had been in situations where magical spells had given the illusion of familiarity so she decided to trust Sam's explanation as they walked out of the house.
While Tara waited outside, Willow and Buffy spoke to Sam inside the house while standing next to the front door.
"Who is she?" Buffy asked.
"Just a friend."
"She said something about a trance."
"Just magic stuff, she's harmless."
"She's into magic?" Willow quickly seemed enthusiastic to learn more. "Why haven't we met her before?"
"Oh, I guess I never got around to introducing her. Anyway, we'll hang out some time, ok?"
Sam left the house with Tara and brought her back to her small house on the outskirts of Sunnydale. She was still feeling some anxiety from what happened earlier, but after some added reassurance Tara began to relax. Sam and Tara then hugged for a moment and snuggled on the living room couch while watching television.
Samantha softly stroked Tara's hair while her body pressed onto her, lost in her thoughts, quietly trying to justify her deception and the ongoing manipulation that must not be discovered. - In retrospect, Samantha realized she should have anticipated that the mystical energies within Tara would alert her of changes in reality. Samantha had decided that this was all for the best and despite a period of discomfort and anxiety Tara's life will be a fulfilling one. Meanwhile, Buffy and her sidekicks would get a second chance to preserve the happiness Samantha desperately wanted them to have.
However, now knowing that Tara is inclined to perceiving changes in reality, Samantha must now take steps to ensure that Tara does not discover she is not meant to be in this world. - Such a discovery would be too cruel for Samantha to endure and she feared how far she would go to prevent them from destroying what her creation.
In order to create this reality, events and lives had to be altered or brought back or left in the limbo of oblivion. Buffy would no longer have a sister, but Samantha never cared much for Dawn and her presence would only destabilize the state of happiness she has created. And its not as if the essence of Dawn was wiped out, instead, her life would continue as the entity she was always meant to be. - Free of the troubles and worries of this world. Meanwhile Alexander's alternate lover, Anyanka, never truly redeemed herself in the eyes of Samantha and since her attempt at love proved to be a failure, Samantha decided she was not a needed component for this perfect world.
Outside the thought of Samantha's mind, Tara had fallen asleep. - Samantha then turned off the television and gently carried Tara into their room.
Everything was perfect. And Samantha knew that there would be consequences for her actions. - A god must not interfere in such a bold manner. But Samantha knew that regardless of what lied ahead, she had done a wonderful thing, something entirely altruistic and virtuous of a benevolent god.
And as the bedroom closed, Tara woke up and Samantha decided took take this opportunity to prove how loving she can be.