Something Wicca this way comes …
Author: Carly
Rating: T
Category: Drama/Sci fi.
Summary: After Tara's 20th birthday everything appears to be perfect in her life, she's officially a Scooby, one of the family. But when a tragic accident leaves her link to the Scooby's in hospital hanging onto life by a thread, she must keep that connection with the Scooby's alive because she's the only one who can bring her back. Will Buffy and the rest of the gang see it that way or will their grief blind them to the key for their friend's survival?
Tara put down the book she'd been reading and glanced down to the sleeping body beside her. No matter how long she spent reading up on spells or trying to keep up with her, she was always ten steps ahead. She was an amazing woman, a talented Wicca and Tara loved her more than anyone in the world. It was still difficult to believe that of all the women in the world she had chosen her, something about her had made Willow Rosenberg decide she wanted to be with her. It made her heart flutter and she shuffled down the bed to get underneath the covers.
She had just had the best birthday of her life, and now she got to go to sleep with the woman that she loved and she couldn't ever imagine feeling happier. Willow stirred a little and reached out an arm to her. Tara took it and placed her arm around her, drawing her close.
"You done reading?"
"Yep."
"Time for snuggles?" Tara smiled.
"There's always time for snuggles," Willow turned so that she was facing her but didn't open her eyes.
"What were you reading?"
"Just a spell book."
"Again? It's your birthday, no studying."
"Actually my birthday ended a couple hours ago," Willow opened her eyes slowly and smiled.
"Maybe someday we'll be able to turn back time, make everyday your birthday."
"As long as it's this birthday I'd like that," they kissed softly and resumed comfortable positions in which to fall asleep. Tara smiled to herself and sighed as Willow did the same. Perfection.
Buffy had been sitting in the dark for over an hour now. She hadn't even gotten into bed until after one, but now she just wished she could become sleepy and fall asleep. Unfortunately the ability to stay awake in the early hours no matter how exhausted her body was all part of the slayer package. Riley had gone home after the Bronze; she'd wanted to ask him to stay but wanted him to just know. It was stupid she knew that, how could he know unless she asked? But on some level wasn't that a part of his job as the boyfriend? To know when she did and didn't need him close? Or was that just some crazy female thing that men could never understand and complained about with other guys?
Giving up on any notion of sleep, Buffy got out of bed and went downstairs. It had come to this. Warm cocoa. Never failed when she was a kid, had worked through her teens, it was surely a life long commitment thing. Once warm cocoa had seduced you into it's lull of deep sleep, it lasted a lifetime. As she sipped the warm drink in her hands ten minutes later she felt her eyelids begin to droop and a familiar sense of needed to lie down and close her eyes consumed her. Like magic her potion had worked.
As she made her way back up the stairs her mind was thrown to thinking about Willow and how much she had changed in the five years they had been friends. They'd all changed, but Willow, she'd transformed into this beautiful intelligent woman with a girlfriend, from high school geek in love with Xander. It was a good thing she was sure, she had never seen her best friend happier. It was good that her friends were happy. And in love. Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, she and Riley. Riley. She was thinking of him again.
Staring at the ceiling she realized that in fact she wasn't tired after all. The cocoa had worn off and all she could do was wonder what Riley was doing. Why he hadn't offered to walk her home, why he'd waited until the last minute to let Giles offer to bring her. In some ways she was glad, her time with Giles now seemed more important, he was the only one who knew about Dawn. But she would've taken a night off from talk of the Key and this new big bad to spend time with her boyfriend.
As the hours past her by she struggled to relax and induce a need for sleep. By six am she gave up completely and decided to get up and take a shower. After the shower came the need to pick out today's outfit – a white top with jeans and her favorite pair of boots were order of the day, and then she went downstairs to make breakfast. Upon entering the kitchen she was surprised to see Dawn already up and dressed, sitting patiently at the table.
"What are you doing?"
"Waiting for breakfast."
"You couldn't make it yourself?"
"You're living here again, I don't need to anymore," Dawn stood up from her chair and waited whilst Buffy poured a bowl of cereal for herself and walked into the living room with Dawn glaring after her.
"You're always saying I treat you like a kid, well now's your chance to be a grown up Dawn, make your own breakfast," as Dawn began to protest the phone rang and she looked at Buffy with concern. They both had the same fear that nobody called before eight am unless it was bad news.
Buffy picked up the receiver and put down her bowl of cereal.
"B – Buffy?"
"Tara? Is that you?"
"B – Buffy, there w-was an accident, you s-should come."
"Tara, what is it? What happened?"
"It's Willow."