Title - That's The Deal My Dear 2a
Author - The Sorcerer Bard (q_of_q01@yahoo.co.nz)
Pairing - Willow/Tara (and eventually indications of Buffy/Angel, Cordelia/Angel and Buffy/Spike )
Spoilers - General Buffy season 6 and Angel season 3
Setting - AU, most of the things in season 6 have happened but with some differences. Our beloved couple have split up after Will promised not to do magick but then preformed a spell that backfired. This shows them getting back together. Also Giles didn't leave Sunnydale (over which Anya was very annoyed and still isn't letting him forget it.)
Disclaimer & Author's Note 1 - See part 1
Author's Note 2 - I have no idea how much a pint of beer costs in the US so forgive me if I'm either over- or under-charging people.
Author's Note 3 - I haven't seen any of Buffy S6 or Angel S3 so I could get some descriptions wrong.
Author's Note 4 - Part 2a and Part 2b occur at the same time (this is why they are being sent out at the same time).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
That's The Deal My Dear part 2a
It had been almost three weeks since Tara had seen any of the scoobies and she found that she missed them all. Badly.
"Hey Blondie!" a man from down the bar called to her, "How 'bout another beer!"
Tara sighed as she moved to pour a beer into a pint glass. She had managed to get a job at a biker bar on the outskirts of Los Angeles, the manager had hired her under the impression that she knew some sort of martial art. Tara had told him that she could take care of herself, of course she meant through magick but she saw no need to tell the bar owner that.
"There you go that will be four dollars." Tara said as she sat the beer down in front of the patron.
"Cheers." the man said as he lifted the beer in her direction and then proceeded to down it in one go.
For the last week or so Tara had been wondering if maybe she should have given Willow a bit more of a chance.
"I'm sorry Willow." Tara murmured so quietly that no one heard her.
"Maclay! You're off the clock, go home and get some shut eye." the night bartender called as he came out from the bar's back room.
"Okay, night Ted." Tara called as she left the bar and headed down the road to her small two room apartment. It was a dump but the rent was cheep and the owner had no problem with cats, so keeping Miss Kitty there was no problem.
She had made nearly a hundred dollars in tips tonight so she decided that she would go grocery shopping tomorrow morning.
The sun rose slowly over the LA skyline, showing the smog hanging over the city. Tara looked out the window at the street below.
"I really miss Sunnydale." Tara said.
Miss Kitty meowed and came and rubbed up against her leg.
"Okay I'll go and buy some fresh cat food then." she said as she reached down and scratched behind the cat's ears.
She grabbed her coat and headed to the door, "Stay here and be a good little kitty." she called back to the cat.
She was heading to a small grocery store a couple of blocks over, but about halfway there she got the strangest feeling that she was being watched. She kept glancing over her shoulder but could see no one. Of course she knew that didn't mean anything.
If fact she was so wrapped up in trying to see if anyone was watching her that she almost missed the store.
"Hey Rachel." called the middle-aged man behind the counter.
"Hey Geoff." Tara called back. She had taken to using her grandmother's name as a way of hiding. Hiding from what she still wasn't sure.
Tara went about collecting food and supplies to last her the next few days while chatting idly with Geoff about things like the weather and local politics.
"Tell me Rachel, have you heard anything about a club downtown, by the name of Caritas?"
"No why?"
"Well my daughter went there the other night, apparently the host of the club can read your future or tell you your destiny or something like that."
"Hmm, sound interesting, I might just check it out." Tara replied as she sat her basket down on the counter.
"Okay, let's see now ..." Geoff went about pricing the items Tara was buying, "... That'll be sixty three eighty."
"Thanks." Tara handed over four twenty dollar bills as Geoff packed the groceries into paper bags.
"No worries." he said ringing up the sale on the till and handing Tara the change.
"Geoff?"
"What?"
"You undercharged me." Tara said handing the extra ten dollars back.
"Oh drat, I was hoping I'd gotten over that."
Tara just smiled, her thoughts were on what he had said earlier about the club, Caritas.
Dusk was falling when Tara headed out from her apartment to go to Caritas. She had decided that since she had the night off she would check out this host person.
The cab she had called was waiting at the curb outside.
"Club Caritas please." she said as she hopped in.
"Oh one of those people are ya?" the cabbie asked in an accent Tara couldn't place.
"Those people?"
"The ones who are looking for some guidance." the cabbie pulled out into traffic.
"Well I suppose..."
"Bunch of bull if you ask me."
The rest of the trip was in silence. With the cabbie concentrating on the road and Tara thinking about Willow.
"Here ya go girly." the cabbie called as he pulled up in front of a building.
"Thanks." Tara said as she handed him the fare.
The building looked fairly nondescript, until Tara noticed a stair way leading downwards.
She followed it and came across what looked like a metal detector. This didn't really surprise her. What did surprise her was the bouncer. He was over seven foot with purple skin and a moustache down to his waist.
"Step through." he said in a voice like tectonic plates moving.
"It's okay hun." a voice from inside reassured her. Tara looked towards the voice and noticed that it came from a green skinned demon with small red horns on it's head, "Caritas is a violence free zone."
For some reason Tara trusted this demon, so she stepped through and got her first real look at the place. There were tables scattered around the room all facing a stage on which a frog like thing was attempting to sing Jennifer Lopez's 'Love Don't Cost A Thing'.
"Don't let ol' Croaky scare you, this place is a pussycat." the demon told her.
"I ... I came to see the host?" Tara made it a question, by this point they were near the bar, behind which were stacked dozens of multicoloured bottles.
"Well then take a good look." the demon said throwing his arms wide.
"You're the host?"
"Got it in one hun, but you can call me Lorne" he answered with a smile, before turning to the bartender, "Bob, a soda water for the young lady."
"T-thank you."
"You're here for guidance aren't you?"
"Um yes." Tara said accepting her drink.
"Thought so, well you wait here," Lorne said indicating a conveniently empty table next to them, "And I'll be back to help you in a bit, I'd help you now but I'm on in a few seconds."
He began to walk away then stopped and turned back to her, "And the drinks are on the house."
"Thank you."
Lorne just smiled and turned away, heading towards the backstage area.
Tara sat at her table slowly sipping her drink and thinking of Willow. It was almost all she could think of recently.
"Give it up for Ribbita!" came Lorne's amplified voice from the stage as he walked on clapping, "And now ladies and gentlemen for your entertainment I will now perform a requested favourite."
With that he launched into a jazzed up version of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Tara sat watching and listening. The more she looked the more she decided that this club was the place to be.
When Lorne finished and he had relinquished the mike to a bright orange demon, he made his way to Tara's table.
"You're a witch aren't ya hun?"
"Yes."
"Thought so." Lorne sat down and the bartender brought him a pink drink, "Ah thank you Bob, great bartender, knows how to make brilliant Sea-breezes." he said taking a sip.
"Y-you were going to help me?"
"Yes with your destiny correct?"
"That's what I was told."
"Then that is what I will do, normally I have people perform a number but in this case I'll for go that."
"I can if you want." Tara offered.
"Well okay, hun, maybe later." Lorne took another sip of his drink, "First before I tell you what you want to know I'll give you this titbit ... when love comes through the door grab it and don't let go."
"Okay." Tara sounded a bit sceptical.
"Now you want to know your destiny right?" When Tara nodded her continued, "Your destiny is..."
To Be Continued...
Author - The Sorcerer Bard (q_of_q01@yahoo.co.nz)
Pairing - Willow/Tara (and eventually indications of Buffy/Angel, Cordelia/Angel and Buffy/Spike )
Spoilers - General Buffy season 6 and Angel season 3
Setting - AU, most of the things in season 6 have happened but with some differences. Our beloved couple have split up after Will promised not to do magick but then preformed a spell that backfired. This shows them getting back together. Also Giles didn't leave Sunnydale (over which Anya was very annoyed and still isn't letting him forget it.)
Disclaimer & Author's Note 1 - See part 1
Author's Note 2 - I have no idea how much a pint of beer costs in the US so forgive me if I'm either over- or under-charging people.
Author's Note 3 - I haven't seen any of Buffy S6 or Angel S3 so I could get some descriptions wrong.
Author's Note 4 - Part 2a and Part 2b occur at the same time (this is why they are being sent out at the same time).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
That's The Deal My Dear part 2a
It had been almost three weeks since Tara had seen any of the scoobies and she found that she missed them all. Badly.
"Hey Blondie!" a man from down the bar called to her, "How 'bout another beer!"
Tara sighed as she moved to pour a beer into a pint glass. She had managed to get a job at a biker bar on the outskirts of Los Angeles, the manager had hired her under the impression that she knew some sort of martial art. Tara had told him that she could take care of herself, of course she meant through magick but she saw no need to tell the bar owner that.
"There you go that will be four dollars." Tara said as she sat the beer down in front of the patron.
"Cheers." the man said as he lifted the beer in her direction and then proceeded to down it in one go.
For the last week or so Tara had been wondering if maybe she should have given Willow a bit more of a chance.
"I'm sorry Willow." Tara murmured so quietly that no one heard her.
"Maclay! You're off the clock, go home and get some shut eye." the night bartender called as he came out from the bar's back room.
"Okay, night Ted." Tara called as she left the bar and headed down the road to her small two room apartment. It was a dump but the rent was cheep and the owner had no problem with cats, so keeping Miss Kitty there was no problem.
She had made nearly a hundred dollars in tips tonight so she decided that she would go grocery shopping tomorrow morning.
The sun rose slowly over the LA skyline, showing the smog hanging over the city. Tara looked out the window at the street below.
"I really miss Sunnydale." Tara said.
Miss Kitty meowed and came and rubbed up against her leg.
"Okay I'll go and buy some fresh cat food then." she said as she reached down and scratched behind the cat's ears.
She grabbed her coat and headed to the door, "Stay here and be a good little kitty." she called back to the cat.
She was heading to a small grocery store a couple of blocks over, but about halfway there she got the strangest feeling that she was being watched. She kept glancing over her shoulder but could see no one. Of course she knew that didn't mean anything.
If fact she was so wrapped up in trying to see if anyone was watching her that she almost missed the store.
"Hey Rachel." called the middle-aged man behind the counter.
"Hey Geoff." Tara called back. She had taken to using her grandmother's name as a way of hiding. Hiding from what she still wasn't sure.
Tara went about collecting food and supplies to last her the next few days while chatting idly with Geoff about things like the weather and local politics.
"Tell me Rachel, have you heard anything about a club downtown, by the name of Caritas?"
"No why?"
"Well my daughter went there the other night, apparently the host of the club can read your future or tell you your destiny or something like that."
"Hmm, sound interesting, I might just check it out." Tara replied as she sat her basket down on the counter.
"Okay, let's see now ..." Geoff went about pricing the items Tara was buying, "... That'll be sixty three eighty."
"Thanks." Tara handed over four twenty dollar bills as Geoff packed the groceries into paper bags.
"No worries." he said ringing up the sale on the till and handing Tara the change.
"Geoff?"
"What?"
"You undercharged me." Tara said handing the extra ten dollars back.
"Oh drat, I was hoping I'd gotten over that."
Tara just smiled, her thoughts were on what he had said earlier about the club, Caritas.
Dusk was falling when Tara headed out from her apartment to go to Caritas. She had decided that since she had the night off she would check out this host person.
The cab she had called was waiting at the curb outside.
"Club Caritas please." she said as she hopped in.
"Oh one of those people are ya?" the cabbie asked in an accent Tara couldn't place.
"Those people?"
"The ones who are looking for some guidance." the cabbie pulled out into traffic.
"Well I suppose..."
"Bunch of bull if you ask me."
The rest of the trip was in silence. With the cabbie concentrating on the road and Tara thinking about Willow.
"Here ya go girly." the cabbie called as he pulled up in front of a building.
"Thanks." Tara said as she handed him the fare.
The building looked fairly nondescript, until Tara noticed a stair way leading downwards.
She followed it and came across what looked like a metal detector. This didn't really surprise her. What did surprise her was the bouncer. He was over seven foot with purple skin and a moustache down to his waist.
"Step through." he said in a voice like tectonic plates moving.
"It's okay hun." a voice from inside reassured her. Tara looked towards the voice and noticed that it came from a green skinned demon with small red horns on it's head, "Caritas is a violence free zone."
For some reason Tara trusted this demon, so she stepped through and got her first real look at the place. There were tables scattered around the room all facing a stage on which a frog like thing was attempting to sing Jennifer Lopez's 'Love Don't Cost A Thing'.
"Don't let ol' Croaky scare you, this place is a pussycat." the demon told her.
"I ... I came to see the host?" Tara made it a question, by this point they were near the bar, behind which were stacked dozens of multicoloured bottles.
"Well then take a good look." the demon said throwing his arms wide.
"You're the host?"
"Got it in one hun, but you can call me Lorne" he answered with a smile, before turning to the bartender, "Bob, a soda water for the young lady."
"T-thank you."
"You're here for guidance aren't you?"
"Um yes." Tara said accepting her drink.
"Thought so, well you wait here," Lorne said indicating a conveniently empty table next to them, "And I'll be back to help you in a bit, I'd help you now but I'm on in a few seconds."
He began to walk away then stopped and turned back to her, "And the drinks are on the house."
"Thank you."
Lorne just smiled and turned away, heading towards the backstage area.
Tara sat at her table slowly sipping her drink and thinking of Willow. It was almost all she could think of recently.
"Give it up for Ribbita!" came Lorne's amplified voice from the stage as he walked on clapping, "And now ladies and gentlemen for your entertainment I will now perform a requested favourite."
With that he launched into a jazzed up version of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Tara sat watching and listening. The more she looked the more she decided that this club was the place to be.
When Lorne finished and he had relinquished the mike to a bright orange demon, he made his way to Tara's table.
"You're a witch aren't ya hun?"
"Yes."
"Thought so." Lorne sat down and the bartender brought him a pink drink, "Ah thank you Bob, great bartender, knows how to make brilliant Sea-breezes." he said taking a sip.
"Y-you were going to help me?"
"Yes with your destiny correct?"
"That's what I was told."
"Then that is what I will do, normally I have people perform a number but in this case I'll for go that."
"I can if you want." Tara offered.
"Well okay, hun, maybe later." Lorne took another sip of his drink, "First before I tell you what you want to know I'll give you this titbit ... when love comes through the door grab it and don't let go."
"Okay." Tara sounded a bit sceptical.
"Now you want to know your destiny right?" When Tara nodded her continued, "Your destiny is..."
To Be Continued...