A/N: Chapter 3! Just a quick note: in this story, the end of Entropy with Willow and Tara kissing didn't happen, and they're still living apart. Also, I know Tara doesn't stutter like this all the time. I'm doing it to show that she's slightly uncomfortable with the conversation she's having with Anya. So no complaints, all right? :O)
Anya stood behind the counter of the Magic Box, silently thanking God for the miracle that was the glamour spell. Using a simple incantation, she'd managed to majick herself into a white button-down shirt and a pair of khakis. She'd also taken care of the alcohol smell left clinging to her body with a simple stick of insense.
It had been a slow day, which she actually didn't mind for once. She was tired and hungry and looking forward to getting back to the crypt to talk with Spike, who-- oddly enough-- she'd been thinking about all day. She was rather excited about staying with him, even if it would be for just a couple of weeks. 'It'll be nice to not be lonely,' she thought, smiling to herself. 'And it'll give me some time to think things through away from any of the Scoobies. Well, the *inner* Scoobies, anyway. '
Anya gave a start as the bells on the door of the shop burst into a chorus of tinny chiming and pulled her out of her train of thought. Her face instinctively lit up into a "please-buy-something-from-me" grin, but quickly melted into a more genuine "glad-to-see-you" smile as she saw who had come into the shop.
"Tara!" she said brightly, coming out from behind the counter to greet the witch.
"Hey, sweetie," Tara replied, giving her a quick hug. "How are you d-doing?"
Anya shrugged. "Oh, I'm all right." She let out a small laugh. "You know, considering."
Tara smiled, a look of empathy crossing her face. "Yeah. I, um... I heard about w-what happened with you and Spike last n-night."
Anya's happy expression wavered. "*You* saw it, too?"
Tara shook her head quickly. "Oh, no! N-no. I just... Willow told me. She was worried about B-buffy seeing it. I guess she was p-pretty upset." She paused a moment before adding, "You know they were s-seeing each other, right? Buffy and Spike?"
Anya shook her head in the affirmative. "Yes," she replied. "I found out about it last night. We all did."
Tara nodded. "Xander said you d-didn't go back to get your things or to t-talk anymore and I was really worried about you. I know how b-bad things can get after something like that happens."
Anya gave her an appreciative smile.
"I was w-wondering where you stayed," she continued. "Because you're always welcome to stay with m-me in the dorm."
Her smile grew. "That's very nice of you, Tara," she said. "But I found a place to stay already."
Tara looked mildly surprised. "Oh, really? Where?"
"Spike's crypt," Anya replied. "It's not a sexual thing," she added quickly, seeing Tara's surprised expression deepen. "He offered me a place to sleep so I took it."
Tara recovered from her obvious shock gracefully, and said, "Well, I'm glad you found s-somewhere to go. It does help to m-make it easier."
Anya nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does. And it's nice to be around someone who understands what I'm going through on all levels, you know?"
"Yeah," Tara replied, smiling thoughtfully. She gave Anya's shoulder a small squeeze, then cautiously asked, "Do you... do you h-have feelings for him?"
Anya shrugged slowly. "I don't know," she told her. "I mean, yes, I find him very attractive, and he's been very sweet to me... but I'm not in love with him or anything like that. Why?"
Tara's face took on a sad quality as she answered, "I just d-don't want to see any friendships ruined b-because of all this. We all... we all n-need each other."
Anya bit her lip. "I know. But I don't see why Buffy would care if I was staying with Spike. From what I've heard, she pretty much just gave him sex and heartache. It's not like she loves him."
Tara was quiet for a moment before countering gently, "Actually, I think she d-does... it was in the way she talked about him t-to me. The color of her aura when we'd d-discuss what was happening with them. There's so much p-passion and feeling. I think she *is* in love with him, but she's v-very afraid and confused about how sh-she feels."
Anya frowned. "I guess it's possible. But I still don't see why I shouldn't stay with Spike. What happened between us last night was for comfort, not because *we're* together now. Orgasms do seem to naturally follow two people getting drunk after all."
Tara nodded. "I know. I'm not saying you *shouldn't* s-stay with him. I'm just saying to b-be careful. He still loves Buffy, even though she h-hurts him so much. And I d-don't want to see *anyone* hurting."
Anya took a deep breath. "You know, neither do I. But pain just seems to come from everywhere these days."
"Yeah, it does," Tara agreed. "Things fall apart. They fall apart s-so hard. But that d-doesn't mean they can't be put back together."
Anya nodded, casting her eyes down, and added quietly, "Even if they have to be put back together in a whole new way..."
TBC...
In the next installment: Spike and Buffy have a confrontation of sorts. Stay tuned! :O)
Anya stood behind the counter of the Magic Box, silently thanking God for the miracle that was the glamour spell. Using a simple incantation, she'd managed to majick herself into a white button-down shirt and a pair of khakis. She'd also taken care of the alcohol smell left clinging to her body with a simple stick of insense.
It had been a slow day, which she actually didn't mind for once. She was tired and hungry and looking forward to getting back to the crypt to talk with Spike, who-- oddly enough-- she'd been thinking about all day. She was rather excited about staying with him, even if it would be for just a couple of weeks. 'It'll be nice to not be lonely,' she thought, smiling to herself. 'And it'll give me some time to think things through away from any of the Scoobies. Well, the *inner* Scoobies, anyway. '
Anya gave a start as the bells on the door of the shop burst into a chorus of tinny chiming and pulled her out of her train of thought. Her face instinctively lit up into a "please-buy-something-from-me" grin, but quickly melted into a more genuine "glad-to-see-you" smile as she saw who had come into the shop.
"Tara!" she said brightly, coming out from behind the counter to greet the witch.
"Hey, sweetie," Tara replied, giving her a quick hug. "How are you d-doing?"
Anya shrugged. "Oh, I'm all right." She let out a small laugh. "You know, considering."
Tara smiled, a look of empathy crossing her face. "Yeah. I, um... I heard about w-what happened with you and Spike last n-night."
Anya's happy expression wavered. "*You* saw it, too?"
Tara shook her head quickly. "Oh, no! N-no. I just... Willow told me. She was worried about B-buffy seeing it. I guess she was p-pretty upset." She paused a moment before adding, "You know they were s-seeing each other, right? Buffy and Spike?"
Anya shook her head in the affirmative. "Yes," she replied. "I found out about it last night. We all did."
Tara nodded. "Xander said you d-didn't go back to get your things or to t-talk anymore and I was really worried about you. I know how b-bad things can get after something like that happens."
Anya gave her an appreciative smile.
"I was w-wondering where you stayed," she continued. "Because you're always welcome to stay with m-me in the dorm."
Her smile grew. "That's very nice of you, Tara," she said. "But I found a place to stay already."
Tara looked mildly surprised. "Oh, really? Where?"
"Spike's crypt," Anya replied. "It's not a sexual thing," she added quickly, seeing Tara's surprised expression deepen. "He offered me a place to sleep so I took it."
Tara recovered from her obvious shock gracefully, and said, "Well, I'm glad you found s-somewhere to go. It does help to m-make it easier."
Anya nodded in agreement. "Yes, it does. And it's nice to be around someone who understands what I'm going through on all levels, you know?"
"Yeah," Tara replied, smiling thoughtfully. She gave Anya's shoulder a small squeeze, then cautiously asked, "Do you... do you h-have feelings for him?"
Anya shrugged slowly. "I don't know," she told her. "I mean, yes, I find him very attractive, and he's been very sweet to me... but I'm not in love with him or anything like that. Why?"
Tara's face took on a sad quality as she answered, "I just d-don't want to see any friendships ruined b-because of all this. We all... we all n-need each other."
Anya bit her lip. "I know. But I don't see why Buffy would care if I was staying with Spike. From what I've heard, she pretty much just gave him sex and heartache. It's not like she loves him."
Tara was quiet for a moment before countering gently, "Actually, I think she d-does... it was in the way she talked about him t-to me. The color of her aura when we'd d-discuss what was happening with them. There's so much p-passion and feeling. I think she *is* in love with him, but she's v-very afraid and confused about how sh-she feels."
Anya frowned. "I guess it's possible. But I still don't see why I shouldn't stay with Spike. What happened between us last night was for comfort, not because *we're* together now. Orgasms do seem to naturally follow two people getting drunk after all."
Tara nodded. "I know. I'm not saying you *shouldn't* s-stay with him. I'm just saying to b-be careful. He still loves Buffy, even though she h-hurts him so much. And I d-don't want to see *anyone* hurting."
Anya took a deep breath. "You know, neither do I. But pain just seems to come from everywhere these days."
"Yeah, it does," Tara agreed. "Things fall apart. They fall apart s-so hard. But that d-doesn't mean they can't be put back together."
Anya nodded, casting her eyes down, and added quietly, "Even if they have to be put back together in a whole new way..."
TBC...
In the next installment: Spike and Buffy have a confrontation of sorts. Stay tuned! :O)
