Title: Half of my soul and all of my heart
Author: ladydewinter
Email: ladydewinter@gmx.net
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/K first, but I don't really like them...so W/T eventually :-) And this is becoming B/S as well, it seems.
Setting: The story takes place roughly after The Killer in Me, so spoilers up to then. And if you have no idea about Season Three of Angel you'll be spoilt as well...so don't come running to me *lol*
Disclaimer: Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Anya et. al belong to Joss Whedon and ME and - hey you know whom they belong to. The story however is mine. Oh, the title is taken from a book called "Magic's Promise" by Mercedes Lackey. And there may be quotes from the show included in this story - I haven't really marked them, but if it sounds familiar - I mean it as an homage, I don't wanna violate any copyright, really. Please don't sue me!
Feedback: Yes please!!! I really appreciate it.
Distribution: If you want it, you can have it, just let me know where it ends up.
Summary: Faith, Buffy and Tara are having a conversation.
***
"You think that'll work for a second time?" Faith asked Buffy while preparing to go to sleep. They had just returned from patrol. They had spent the last three evenings with slaying vampires. The First was oddly quiet right now, but they didn't really mind. And slaying put their mind off the dream.
Before they had left that evening, Anya and Giles once again told them the details about the ritual. They had them repeat it several times - up to the point when Buffy told them thast soon she would grow pages and become the same textbook with arms Giles was. He had just glared at her, and left them alone.
Now they were both pretty nervous. Buffy had decided that Faith would sleep in her room that night, so they would be able to talk about the dream afterwards. And she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep without someone to talk to. "I'm far too itchy right now," she told the other Slayer. "It's always the same, when you try to fall asleep you never do."
They both lay down on the bed, waiting for each other to fall asleep. "Faith?"
"Yes?"
"Are you tired yet?"
"How am I supposed to get tired if you're asking me that question every ten seconds?"
"I thought that maybe it would make you relax. Or me. Like counting sheep, you know?"
Faith just sighed and turned around, so that now her back was facing Buffy. She closed her eyes. That was so unfair - they really needed to fall asleep. "This isn't going to work," she said, sitting up again.
Buffy didn't reply. She had sat up as well and was looking at something in front of her. Faith followed her gaze.
"I think it worked after all."
***
"Whoa," Buffy said. "When did we fall asleep?"
"Does it matter?" Faith asked, her gaze still fixed on Tara, who was standing at the window, looking at them, smiling.
"I guess it doesn't." Buffy muttered.
"Hi," Tara greeted them. "How are you?"
"Fine," Faith was quick to reply. "We're fi - we're alright. And you?"
"I'm fine as well, thank you." Tara paused, not sure what to say next. She didn't want to seem too eager for the spell. Buffy sensed that and relieved her. "We found something that might be able to help you. Or, Giles and Anya did, but we - helped. Kinda."
"You found something?" Tara's expression brightened up. "That's - that's great. I mean - that's..." she didn't know what to say.
"Yeah, and it doesn't even sound too difficult," Faith told her. She was really happy it had worked - the dream meeting thing...and that they had found something to bring Tara back. Apart from the fact that they needed her help saving the world, she - somehow she really liked her. "We wrote it down, but then Giles reminded us that we wouldn't be able to bring our notes, so - he made us learn it by heart. B., that was you're cue." Wow, Tara's smile was cute, Faith noticed.
"Okay, wait a second...I got it - I really don't think - I won't repeat what he told me to, that's far too - Gilesy. Anya put it nicely, though: all you have to do is to put yourself in a kind of trance and enter the spirit world. That sounds more complicated than it is: your Giles should know how to do it, if not, it should be in the diaries. You only need a couple of herbs. But what is important is: your anchor - it mustn't be one of your friends. Your anchor has to be Willow."
"I - I don't think I understand," Tara said.
"It's like that: usually, if you enter the spirit world, you need an anchor so you don't get lost. Meaning, you can't go back to your world. But now you don't want to go back to that real world - you want to go to Willow, right?" Faith looked at Tara, who simply nodded. "Good. So - before you do the trance thing, you have to think of her - built the connection. You have to make her your anchor. That really seems to be the most difficult part, as you usually do that by a quasi-physical connection."
"But," Buffy interjected, "as you are soulmates, that should be possible, so don't worry."
"That's it?" Tara asked them.
"Well...at least that is what Anya and Giles found out. The thing is, no one really knows what happens in the spirit world. There -" Buffy stopped. She didn't want to scare Tara off - they all needed her.
"What?"
"There - Anya told us that there is probably going to be a challenge or something," Faith answered. "But we don't know what kind of a challenge. And I don't think you should worry, really," she added quickly. "Because...there have been some other crosses, so it's possible - that means it can't be too hard. You really should try."
"I will." Tara walked to the window and looked out. "What - what happened here? It feels so - odd. Uncomfortable." She turned around and looked at Buffy.
"Um...you - the other you - you were shot in here." She had the feeling she needed to comfort Tara, but she didn't know how.
"Oh." She was silent. Buffy and Faith waited. "How - how did it happen?"
"Are you sure you know how to do the crossing? Or do you want us to explain it again?" Buffy really didn't want to talk about this.
"I think I know all I need to do the ritual and stuff, don't worry. Now - please tell me what happened? I - I have the feeling I really need to know." Tara joined them and sat down on the bed. "Please."
"Okay - the thing is - I don't know exactly how - what happened." She paused for a second, then she continued. "There was this guy - Warren - he was a part of the trio, three guys who had teamed up to play the Big Bad. I kinda intervened, and then... the next day, Xander and I were down here in the garden, talking. You and Willow were up here, celebrating your being back together, I guess. Then-"
Tara interrupted her. "Being back together? Does that mean we weren't together for some time?"
"Yes," Buffy answered.
"Why?"
"Um, listen, Tara, I - don't you think this is something Willow should be telling you?"
Tara didn't reply. Buffy decided to simply go on with the story. "Suddenly, Warren came running into the garden, carrying a gun. He shot me and then, as he was leaving, he continued firing his weapon, and somehow - I don't really know how, probably you were standing at the window - you were hit by the bullet. You must have been dead immediately. Willow - I'm sure she tried everything she could, but - and then..." she couldn't tell her. She was afraid that Tara wouldn't want to come back if she knew about Willow's black magic trip. She couldn't - she wouldn't risk that.
"What happened next? And what happened to you?"
"Willow saved my life." She glanced at Tara, who noticed the look in her eyes.
"There is something you aren't telling me, Buffy."
"You're right. But I can't."
Tara nodded. "I understand. But thank you for what you did tell me."
"You're welcome," Buffy smiled at her friend. She noticed she was becoming transparent again. "It seems our time is over again."
"I guess you're right." Tara smiled back at her, and then at Faith. "Thank you very much."
"We hope to see you again soon, when we're out of bed," Faith said.
"I hope so, too." With that, Tara disappeared again.
Faith turned to Buffy. "You know, I still don't feel as if we're asleep."
"I know what you mean." Buffy lay down again and closed her eyes. "See you in the morning."
The other Slayer did the same, yawning. "I really don't get it. But at least we met Tara."
***
Author: ladydewinter
Email: ladydewinter@gmx.net
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: W/K first, but I don't really like them...so W/T eventually :-) And this is becoming B/S as well, it seems.
Setting: The story takes place roughly after The Killer in Me, so spoilers up to then. And if you have no idea about Season Three of Angel you'll be spoilt as well...so don't come running to me *lol*
Disclaimer: Willow, Tara, Kennedy, Anya et. al belong to Joss Whedon and ME and - hey you know whom they belong to. The story however is mine. Oh, the title is taken from a book called "Magic's Promise" by Mercedes Lackey. And there may be quotes from the show included in this story - I haven't really marked them, but if it sounds familiar - I mean it as an homage, I don't wanna violate any copyright, really. Please don't sue me!
Feedback: Yes please!!! I really appreciate it.
Distribution: If you want it, you can have it, just let me know where it ends up.
Summary: Faith, Buffy and Tara are having a conversation.
***
"You think that'll work for a second time?" Faith asked Buffy while preparing to go to sleep. They had just returned from patrol. They had spent the last three evenings with slaying vampires. The First was oddly quiet right now, but they didn't really mind. And slaying put their mind off the dream.
Before they had left that evening, Anya and Giles once again told them the details about the ritual. They had them repeat it several times - up to the point when Buffy told them thast soon she would grow pages and become the same textbook with arms Giles was. He had just glared at her, and left them alone.
Now they were both pretty nervous. Buffy had decided that Faith would sleep in her room that night, so they would be able to talk about the dream afterwards. And she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep without someone to talk to. "I'm far too itchy right now," she told the other Slayer. "It's always the same, when you try to fall asleep you never do."
They both lay down on the bed, waiting for each other to fall asleep. "Faith?"
"Yes?"
"Are you tired yet?"
"How am I supposed to get tired if you're asking me that question every ten seconds?"
"I thought that maybe it would make you relax. Or me. Like counting sheep, you know?"
Faith just sighed and turned around, so that now her back was facing Buffy. She closed her eyes. That was so unfair - they really needed to fall asleep. "This isn't going to work," she said, sitting up again.
Buffy didn't reply. She had sat up as well and was looking at something in front of her. Faith followed her gaze.
"I think it worked after all."
***
"Whoa," Buffy said. "When did we fall asleep?"
"Does it matter?" Faith asked, her gaze still fixed on Tara, who was standing at the window, looking at them, smiling.
"I guess it doesn't." Buffy muttered.
"Hi," Tara greeted them. "How are you?"
"Fine," Faith was quick to reply. "We're fi - we're alright. And you?"
"I'm fine as well, thank you." Tara paused, not sure what to say next. She didn't want to seem too eager for the spell. Buffy sensed that and relieved her. "We found something that might be able to help you. Or, Giles and Anya did, but we - helped. Kinda."
"You found something?" Tara's expression brightened up. "That's - that's great. I mean - that's..." she didn't know what to say.
"Yeah, and it doesn't even sound too difficult," Faith told her. She was really happy it had worked - the dream meeting thing...and that they had found something to bring Tara back. Apart from the fact that they needed her help saving the world, she - somehow she really liked her. "We wrote it down, but then Giles reminded us that we wouldn't be able to bring our notes, so - he made us learn it by heart. B., that was you're cue." Wow, Tara's smile was cute, Faith noticed.
"Okay, wait a second...I got it - I really don't think - I won't repeat what he told me to, that's far too - Gilesy. Anya put it nicely, though: all you have to do is to put yourself in a kind of trance and enter the spirit world. That sounds more complicated than it is: your Giles should know how to do it, if not, it should be in the diaries. You only need a couple of herbs. But what is important is: your anchor - it mustn't be one of your friends. Your anchor has to be Willow."
"I - I don't think I understand," Tara said.
"It's like that: usually, if you enter the spirit world, you need an anchor so you don't get lost. Meaning, you can't go back to your world. But now you don't want to go back to that real world - you want to go to Willow, right?" Faith looked at Tara, who simply nodded. "Good. So - before you do the trance thing, you have to think of her - built the connection. You have to make her your anchor. That really seems to be the most difficult part, as you usually do that by a quasi-physical connection."
"But," Buffy interjected, "as you are soulmates, that should be possible, so don't worry."
"That's it?" Tara asked them.
"Well...at least that is what Anya and Giles found out. The thing is, no one really knows what happens in the spirit world. There -" Buffy stopped. She didn't want to scare Tara off - they all needed her.
"What?"
"There - Anya told us that there is probably going to be a challenge or something," Faith answered. "But we don't know what kind of a challenge. And I don't think you should worry, really," she added quickly. "Because...there have been some other crosses, so it's possible - that means it can't be too hard. You really should try."
"I will." Tara walked to the window and looked out. "What - what happened here? It feels so - odd. Uncomfortable." She turned around and looked at Buffy.
"Um...you - the other you - you were shot in here." She had the feeling she needed to comfort Tara, but she didn't know how.
"Oh." She was silent. Buffy and Faith waited. "How - how did it happen?"
"Are you sure you know how to do the crossing? Or do you want us to explain it again?" Buffy really didn't want to talk about this.
"I think I know all I need to do the ritual and stuff, don't worry. Now - please tell me what happened? I - I have the feeling I really need to know." Tara joined them and sat down on the bed. "Please."
"Okay - the thing is - I don't know exactly how - what happened." She paused for a second, then she continued. "There was this guy - Warren - he was a part of the trio, three guys who had teamed up to play the Big Bad. I kinda intervened, and then... the next day, Xander and I were down here in the garden, talking. You and Willow were up here, celebrating your being back together, I guess. Then-"
Tara interrupted her. "Being back together? Does that mean we weren't together for some time?"
"Yes," Buffy answered.
"Why?"
"Um, listen, Tara, I - don't you think this is something Willow should be telling you?"
Tara didn't reply. Buffy decided to simply go on with the story. "Suddenly, Warren came running into the garden, carrying a gun. He shot me and then, as he was leaving, he continued firing his weapon, and somehow - I don't really know how, probably you were standing at the window - you were hit by the bullet. You must have been dead immediately. Willow - I'm sure she tried everything she could, but - and then..." she couldn't tell her. She was afraid that Tara wouldn't want to come back if she knew about Willow's black magic trip. She couldn't - she wouldn't risk that.
"What happened next? And what happened to you?"
"Willow saved my life." She glanced at Tara, who noticed the look in her eyes.
"There is something you aren't telling me, Buffy."
"You're right. But I can't."
Tara nodded. "I understand. But thank you for what you did tell me."
"You're welcome," Buffy smiled at her friend. She noticed she was becoming transparent again. "It seems our time is over again."
"I guess you're right." Tara smiled back at her, and then at Faith. "Thank you very much."
"We hope to see you again soon, when we're out of bed," Faith said.
"I hope so, too." With that, Tara disappeared again.
Faith turned to Buffy. "You know, I still don't feel as if we're asleep."
"I know what you mean." Buffy lay down again and closed her eyes. "See you in the morning."
The other Slayer did the same, yawning. "I really don't get it. But at least we met Tara."
***