A New Look at the Old Quickening
By Carms
Disclaimer:
I don't anyone you can recognize I'm just borrowing them. This is for entertainment purposes only. No money is made from this so there is no need to sue.
Continuity: [Highlander]:
Richie never died. He persuaded Adam to go on a road trip with him and they end up in good old Sunnydale. BTW, Cassandra still hates Methos but she doesn't have the burning need to kill him on sight anymore. [Buffy]:
Willow died instead of Tara in 6th season. (If you didn't know that Tara died I apologize for the spoiler.)
Chapter 4
The sun has just begun it slow ascent on the eastern sky when Willow began to stir. Her consciousness returned in stages beginning with the slow recognition of the soft bed beneath her and the warmth of the blanket draped over her. This is then followed by the comprehending the sounds coming from outside her window signaling to her a beautiful fall morning starting anew heralded by the sounds of their neighbor's leaf blower working overtime. The next thing she felt as she fully awoke is Adam's voice greeting her.
"Good morning, Willow."
Willow slowly opened her eyes to look at Adam not quite comprehending why Adam was in her room so early in the morning. She slowly sat up and as she did so she couldn't help but feel as if she is missing something. Something very important but for the life of her she just can't pin point it. Adam stood up and walked to her window and closed the outer window so to block the sound of Mr. Jones' leaf blower.
"How are you feeling today, Willow?"
It was Adam's approach that triggered something in Willow to recognize that she could not feel his quickening. An event that is impossible because despite Adam's awesome control over his quickening it will always call out to Willow so it can never be fully blocked from her.
"Your quickening! I can't feel it! What's going on?!?" Willow cried out scared and panicked. Ever since she awoke from her first death Adam's quickening has been there as a presence that she has learned to associate with safety and protection.
Adam rushed to her side and reached for her hand to stop it's frantic gesturing. "Shhh... It's ok. Nothing is wrong. Every thing will be fine but first you need to calm down. I'll explain. That's a good Willow. Take big deep breaths."
Once assured that her panic attack has subsided he released her hands and took a seat on the side of her bed.
"What is the last thing you remember?"
Willow's brows furrowed. "I remember meeting you downstairs for our sparring session and I remember getting really upset and then. Oh my goddess! Are you all right? Is Richie?"
"We are fine. I was a little scorched but nothing permanent. On the other hand you gave us a true scare. Your little display with the thunderbolts and the crackling electricity has severely drained your reserves and for a moment there we thought it might have killed you."
"Drained? Is that why I can't feel you? My quickening is at an all time low?"
Adam smiled at Willow. "Yes I suppose you can say that. Your quickening level has been slowly increasing over the past week and today is the first day I actually can detect even a smidgen of a buzz from you. If you concentrate on me you can also feel my own buzz but it will be extremely muted compared to what you are use to sensing from me."
Following Adam's instructions Willow centered herself and using her quickening she sought to reach Adam's. She was extremely concerned and frustrated that so little power responded to her command as oppose to the previously almost overwhelming levels she is use to wielding. After several moments of taut silence Willow released a sigh of relief as she finally managed to focus and sense Adam's familiar buzz.
She opened her eyes to see Adam's relieved smile mirroring the one on her face. "I'm glad we didn't lose you Willow."
His words touched Willow's heart and she reached for his hand to reassure him. "I'm glad I'm still here too. I promise I'll try and control myself in the future."
Adam nodded and gave her hand a quick squeeze before releasing it and standing up. "I'm so glad you feel that way because starting tomorrow bright and early I will be training you how to control your emotions better and how to handle any quickening surges so we never have to go through this again. I can't bear to go through this again."
Adam softly shut the door behind him leaving a contemplative Willow with a gentle smile appearing across her lips as she repeated his parting words to herself over and over again.
~~More to follow as soon as midterms are over!
Disclaimer:
I don't anyone you can recognize I'm just borrowing them. This is for entertainment purposes only. No money is made from this so there is no need to sue.
Continuity: [Highlander]:
Richie never died. He persuaded Adam to go on a road trip with him and they end up in good old Sunnydale. BTW, Cassandra still hates Methos but she doesn't have the burning need to kill him on sight anymore. [Buffy]:
Willow died instead of Tara in 6th season. (If you didn't know that Tara died I apologize for the spoiler.)
Chapter 4
The sun has just begun it slow ascent on the eastern sky when Willow began to stir. Her consciousness returned in stages beginning with the slow recognition of the soft bed beneath her and the warmth of the blanket draped over her. This is then followed by the comprehending the sounds coming from outside her window signaling to her a beautiful fall morning starting anew heralded by the sounds of their neighbor's leaf blower working overtime. The next thing she felt as she fully awoke is Adam's voice greeting her.
"Good morning, Willow."
Willow slowly opened her eyes to look at Adam not quite comprehending why Adam was in her room so early in the morning. She slowly sat up and as she did so she couldn't help but feel as if she is missing something. Something very important but for the life of her she just can't pin point it. Adam stood up and walked to her window and closed the outer window so to block the sound of Mr. Jones' leaf blower.
"How are you feeling today, Willow?"
It was Adam's approach that triggered something in Willow to recognize that she could not feel his quickening. An event that is impossible because despite Adam's awesome control over his quickening it will always call out to Willow so it can never be fully blocked from her.
"Your quickening! I can't feel it! What's going on?!?" Willow cried out scared and panicked. Ever since she awoke from her first death Adam's quickening has been there as a presence that she has learned to associate with safety and protection.
Adam rushed to her side and reached for her hand to stop it's frantic gesturing. "Shhh... It's ok. Nothing is wrong. Every thing will be fine but first you need to calm down. I'll explain. That's a good Willow. Take big deep breaths."
Once assured that her panic attack has subsided he released her hands and took a seat on the side of her bed.
"What is the last thing you remember?"
Willow's brows furrowed. "I remember meeting you downstairs for our sparring session and I remember getting really upset and then. Oh my goddess! Are you all right? Is Richie?"
"We are fine. I was a little scorched but nothing permanent. On the other hand you gave us a true scare. Your little display with the thunderbolts and the crackling electricity has severely drained your reserves and for a moment there we thought it might have killed you."
"Drained? Is that why I can't feel you? My quickening is at an all time low?"
Adam smiled at Willow. "Yes I suppose you can say that. Your quickening level has been slowly increasing over the past week and today is the first day I actually can detect even a smidgen of a buzz from you. If you concentrate on me you can also feel my own buzz but it will be extremely muted compared to what you are use to sensing from me."
Following Adam's instructions Willow centered herself and using her quickening she sought to reach Adam's. She was extremely concerned and frustrated that so little power responded to her command as oppose to the previously almost overwhelming levels she is use to wielding. After several moments of taut silence Willow released a sigh of relief as she finally managed to focus and sense Adam's familiar buzz.
She opened her eyes to see Adam's relieved smile mirroring the one on her face. "I'm glad we didn't lose you Willow."
His words touched Willow's heart and she reached for his hand to reassure him. "I'm glad I'm still here too. I promise I'll try and control myself in the future."
Adam nodded and gave her hand a quick squeeze before releasing it and standing up. "I'm so glad you feel that way because starting tomorrow bright and early I will be training you how to control your emotions better and how to handle any quickening surges so we never have to go through this again. I can't bear to go through this again."
Adam softly shut the door behind him leaving a contemplative Willow with a gentle smile appearing across her lips as she repeated his parting words to herself over and over again.
~~More to follow as soon as midterms are over!