Chase the morning (updated: 7/7/12)

[KnightlyLove]

<3

[Promthea128]

Aww, naked snuggles. A slow, believable build on their mutual trust and intimacy. I agree with Finey, though. If Giles comes in, its so not gonna be of the good.

[nightmask]

Ariel: Thank you so much for the awesome feedback

Laragh: I got the naked cuddles idea from a comic book and thought it would be cute with Willow and Tara ^.^

Finey_McFine: I actually wrote that part while listening to this rainy mood web site that plays rain sounds so maybe it influenced my words :]

All in good time you shall find out what happens with Willow and Giles don't worry (wow that kind of sounds like a fortune cookie lol)


KnightlyLove: <3 you are awesome I couldn't have done this without you

Promthea128: yay for naked snuggles


next update directly below enjoy!

[nightmask]

Author's note: sorry it took so long to update once again school is very hard to keep up with...

Part fourteen:

That night Tara dreamt of stumbling through the dark hallway of her house and opening the last door at the end of the hallway, the one with the peeling white paint and scratched up rusty door knob with a broken lock. She pushed her way past the door blindly, and found herself inside of an attic that smelt of old perfume and dusty fabrics that had holes in them from moths.

The small room was filled with all sorts of junk that no longer worked or was simply deemed outdated, there were several broken computers that lay about caked in dust and laced with the white coils of what looked like were once wires. Several carboard boxes were clumped together in a vast pile with either her father’s name on it or her mother’s.
As a child Tara had referred to this room as “the attic”, even though it was just an empty storage room and she had no idea where the actual attic was.

A shiny metal object caught her eye: it was a lock on a wooden chest, Tara brushed the dust off the top of the chest revealing her own name carved into the wood and painted over in gold. Tara pulled at the lock and it to her surprise it easily opened, she flung the top of the chest over on it’s hinges and looked inside. There in the chest were curious looking crystals and rocks and as she looked closer she noticed intricately colored marbles as well. She dug through the box and gathered a few in her hands to get a better look, they felt smooth and cold in her hands. They clacked together as she rolled them gently in her palm and felt their soft glassy texture.

She then set them back down, discovering a new oddity. There was a huge and clear orb like marble that was too big to fit in one hand, and as Tara cupped it in both of her palms and gazed into it, it seemed to glow and cast flickering lights upon her skin.

“Tara....” it whispered, she held it up to her ear, unsure if what she heard was real, “Tara....” it whispered again.

Something invisible shook her and Tara woke up to the soft calling of Willow’s voice. Willow smiled down at her with heavy lidded eyes and smiled like a child who had a wonderful secret who was bursting to share it. Tara blushed realizing they were still both very naked, the window had creaked open again at night and a sneaky breeze rolled in an aroused Tara’s uncovered chest. Willow licked her lips at the sight of Tara’s nipple’s hardening.

“You cold?” she asked nodding at Tara’s chest.

Tara smirked and decided not to cover up, Willow made her feel beautiful and she wanted to soak in that feeling for as long as possible.

“Mmhm” she replied, “You better warm me up” she added snuggling closer to Willow’s body, she chastely kissed Willow’s neck and giggled when the red-head gasped deliciously from her doings.
_____________________________________________________________

Rupert had postponed the search for Willow Rosenberg when it turned one in the morning, he dragged his tired body home and hadn’t bothered to lock Tara’s door, he collapsed on his bed and immediately fell asleep. Dreams flooded his mind and his body relaxed and sunk further into the springs of his bed.
_____________________________________________________________

“I think I’m going to take a shower, you can go in after me," Tara announced, sitting up after a long make-out session with Willow. 

“Okay, do you mind if I use your computer to surf the inernet?” Willow asked. Tara nodded and sat up, pulling one of her many blankets off her bed and wrapping herself within it to shroud the rest of her body. 

Willow waited until Tara closed the door to the bathroom to throw the blankets off of her body and stretch. Willow blushed, remembering the erotic dream she had last night starring Tara. She could feel the wet sticky fluid between her legs drying and now wished that she had gone in the shower first. Willow looked around for some clothes and threw them on before returning to the bed with Tara’s laptop cradled in her arm. She opened the computer and put Tara's music on shuffle, listening to the song and browsing through Tara’s playlists to learn her taste in music.

When Tara returned her hair was wet and shiny, hanging off of her in tangles and shining darkly. Willow got up and met her midway in the center of the room and wrapped both arms around her neck. She moved closer until both their noses touched. 

“You smell nice,” Willow stated, staring deep into Tara’s eyes. They resembled that of light blue sea glass at the bottom of the ocean.

She thought about bringing Tara to the ocean one day and teaching her how to swim, like how her parents had taken her when she was six. They taught her to swim in the dark waters on the beach with only a few lanterns to lit the way on the shore. She remembered diving under while the inky blue waves would crash down over her head, she would close her eyes and feel like she was floating in outer space. She wanted to share that world with Tara and make her happier than she had ever been. Tara leaned in closer and gently cupped Willow’s face with her palm, before joining their mouths. 

‘Oh godess, I think I’m in love,’ Tara thought. Her mind raced and she felt lightheaded as they slowly broke apart. 

“Go get your cute butt in the shower,” Tara said running her fingers through the redhead’s unkept hair.

Willow grinned and gave her a quick kiss before moving to the bathroom. Tara smiled to herself. She felt amazing whenever Willow kissed her, or even when Willow was around her. She walked over to the bed and turned the laptop screen to face her,choosing a song to play while she got dressed. She held the towel close to her body for warmth and hummed the song to herself, harmonizing with the music pouring out of her laptop. She looked through her closet before choosing a white v-neck T-shirt and a dark blue skirt that came down to her knees. She then searched around for her brush and let her mind wander back to last night’s dream. 

She had seen the room before and recalled that the details in the dream matched those of her memory, though she had never seen a chest there with her name engraved on it. The thought intrigued her and made her want to find out if it actually was there. She thought this over while combing the knots out of her hair, listening to the sound of the shower and waiting for Willow to return to her. Suddenly a thought struck her: why did she not hear her father coming home? He had said he would be back late, but he had never been home that late before. 

Tara got up and walked to the door and gently turned the door knob to check if he had locked it. To her astonishment he had not, ‘Maybe he didn’t come home at all?’ she thought, beginning to worry. 

“Dad?” she called out softly into the hallway. No response came, her heart quickened and she grew very nervous, and she quietly crept down the hallway to her father’s room,trying to keep her eyes on her bare feet to avoid the eerie gaze the portraits of her mother seemed to hold.

Tara knocked softly on his door, but still no reply came. The door hadn’t been closed fully so she pushed it open, it’s hinges creaking slightly. Her father lay on his stomach on top of the blankets on his bed, his shoes were still on and his glasses were next to  his hand. Tara moved closer, unsure if he was sleeping or dead. She brought a hand underneath his nose and was relieved when she felt hot breath hitting her and watched him breathe deeply in and out.

‘He must be exhausted,’ Tara thought, feeling guilty. He did too much to keep food on the table and to keep her safe.

Feeling it was the least she could do, Tara removed his shoes and set his glasses on his desk before returning with a blanket to cover his body. 

She kissed his unshaven cheek before leaving and whispered, ‘”I love you, daddy”.

Tara walked back to her room and noticed the shower was no longer running, Willow sat on her bed with her legs crossed, she wore a yellow t-shirt and brown capri pants which showed off her slender ankles.

“Hey,” Tara said, smiling as Willow looked up and smiled back.

“Hey, so what exciting adventure should we go on today?” Willow asked.

“Come with me, I want to check something out,” Tara replied mysteriously, Willow noticed Tara was being some what secretive and her brain went into over-time trying to guess what Tara had in mind

[Laragh]

Dibs!

Ooh interesting dream!!

I'm so worried about the shit that's gonna go down when Giles and Willow meet. Eek, not good.

Where's Tara taking Willow?!?!?

Update soon!

[Finey_McFine]

Waking up naked together...BOOYAH! And the dream was quite interesting, I wonder 'who' sent that dream to her and the significance of what is in the trunk.

I'm still worried sick about Giles running into Willow!!! When Tara finds everything out, she's gonna blow a gasket. Well, maybe not because she's pretty docile, but Willow will erupt enough for the both of them.

Once again, great imagery! Looking forward to your next update and the mystery of the trunk!!!

[Promthea128]

Pretty sure Tara is taking Will to check out the "attic." Hope so, cause then my curiousity will be satisfied in the next update. Unless for some reason, they can't even make it down the hall. Like if Giles wakes up.

[nightmask]

Laragh: Giles and Willow are gonna meet in the next chapter I swear so brace yourself :]


Finey_McFine: Thank you


Promthea128: Tara is taking Willow to the attic and Giles will appear soon enough :]


Next update directly below :]

[nightmask]

Author's note: Knightlylove thank you for taking time to edit this for me <3 you rock

Part Fifteen:

Tara led Willow down the hallway and stopped at the door from her dream. Every detail was the same. She hesitated before gripping the door knob and twisting it so that the door opened. Willow followed her inside the musty dust filled room.

Willow looked around curiously. “Are we looking for something?” she asked, picking up a worn book with brittle yellow pages falling out. She opened it and blew the dust from the paper, taking in the brown and fading printed words and the foreign language.

Willow turned the book in her hands over to the cover and brushed off the layer of dirt to read the title.

She studied the title, unable to decipher it, and handed it to Tara who gave it a long look as well. “It must be one of my mother’s old spell books,” she guessed, handing the book back to Willow.

Tara carefully scanned the room until she found the chest with her name on it, the one she had seen her dream. She kneeled down and opened the trunk; the inside was empty this time, save for the giant marble orb. Tara picked it up and held it carefully in both of her hands, and Willow sat down next to her to examine the orb as well.

“What is that?" Willow asked. It reminded her of some sort of crystal ball for telling the future, and she lightly brushed the orb with the pad of her index finger to feel it's glassy texture.

As soon as Willow’s finger came in contact with the orb it began to glow a bright orange, while its inside became flooded with dark smoke that swirled until it filled up the entire inside of the orb. They both looked intently into the crystal ball waiting for something to happen.

“Tara,” Willow breathed, her green eyes fogged over and her breathing quickened, all the warmth inside of the room disappeared as a chill crept down Tara’s spine.

“Tara.... Your resemblance is striking... You have you mother’s eyes, her hair, I was told you died with her, all these years have come and gone...” Willow’s voice echoed with another, Tara sensed a ghost like presence possessing Willow’s body.

“W-What do you want?” Tara stuttered, she couldn’t pry Willow’s cold fingers away from the orb that were now colder than ice.

“I want.... I want to finally meet you... something real to.... cling to... leave you.. with the hope that you will go to... all your meant to, all I failed to. In you is a world of promise, we have both been kept in bondage, but you can learn from all my failures...” The voice from inside Willow replied.

“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” Tara replied hesitantly. This certainly was not Willow and it was freaking her out. Who was this ghost and what did they want?

“Even if they know your fate?” the voice questioned.

“That doesn’t matter, please just leave Willow’s body!” Tara begged, shaking Willow’s shoulders in the attempt to rouse her from her unconscious state.

“Very well,” the voice replied. Willow let the crystal ball drop from her hand and fall to the floor, and a few brief seconds later she rubbed her eyes and looked around very confused. “What happened to me?”

Tara didn’t reply because she didn’t know, but it must have been something to do with the crystal ball. She picked it up from the floor, noting the swirling smoke. A voltage of electricity suddenly licked at her body and made her shiver as her vision went black, her whole body seemed to be buzzing, she couldn’t move and images began to flood her mind.

In front of her a tiny young woman with blonde hair lay dead on wooden boxes, a young man and woman looked down at her crying and holding each other, a teenage girl with brown hair slowly approached the corpse and whispered her name.


“Why do you show me this?” Tara called out, but only the voice from before seemed to hear.

“Because you do not know your real name yet. What you see before you is the death of a very powerful slayer named Buffy Summers”.

Tara had no idea what the voice had meant about her “real name” but she did recall reading about Slayers, the ancient warriors with inhuman strength and who kept the delicate balance between the demons and mankind. They all died out when the Master took over.

She was pulled further through the images, a bright sun shone through curtains, it was real, not a fake hollywood sun that she had only seen in movies. It hurt to look at it was so bright and warm. Tara felt herself crying as it's light painted her pale body in the morning glow of the day.

“It’s so bright,” she gasped, when suddenly a form obstructed her view. “There’s something out there...”

From outside the window she could also see a girl with dark brown hair. Her very presence breathed power. Tara walked through the wall like it was nothing and found herself behind a stage with long billowing red curtains that completely surrounded her. She walked forward through the maze of fabric searching for someone, anyone who could tell her what was going on. The brown haired girl from before suddenly stood before her with crossed arms.

“Things aren’t going very well,” she whispered in a sad voice, the same voice that had taken over Willow’s body. This must be the ghost.

Tara immediately felt like it was her fault that things had gone bad for the girl. “What do you mean? W-Who are you? Where am I?” she questioned.

“You don’t understand yet do you?” the brown haired girl asked getting impatient. Tara shook her head feeling very confused.

“There’s something following you,” the girl replied, stepping closer to Tara, Tara shrunk back feeling cornered, she looked over her shoulder to she if indeed something was following her but saw only the red curtains.

“It’s called destiny,” the girl rasped, she closed her eyes and bruises and scratch marks began to tattoo her entire body, parts of her skin turning black and purple, and she fell unsteadily to her knees. Tara kneeled and gently placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder, but as she winced Tara drew back frightened.

“P-Please, I don’t k-know who you are, I d-don’t know why I’m h-here,” Tara said, pleading with the girl.

“My name is Faith,” the girl finally replied, looking up at Tara, her lips cracked and bloody. “Why didn’t they tell you? Why didn’t the watchers tell you the Prophecy?” Faith cried, feeling betrayed.

“What prophecy? Please tell me what’s going on,” Tara begged, but Faith closed her eyes and grimaced.

“I can’t tell you, but I can show you,” she said after a while. She lightly touched the tips of her fingers to Tara’s forehead.
_____________________________________________________________

Willow watched Tara become perfectly still, the only indication that she was not a statue were her harsh intakes of breath. Tara was clinging tightly to the crystal ball, which trembled in her grasp. Willow couldn’t pry it from Tara’s hands, watching in horror as Tara’s eyes glassed over in an almost milky cataract color.

“Tara, please, baby? Talk to me what’s going on? Your scaring me!” she pleaded.

Tara did not reply she sat there unmoving, the dark swirls of smoke inside the crystal ball rolled faster and more violent until it resembled that of a mini storm violently twirling about. Willow was too busy concentrating on Tara that she did not hear the door open.

“What the hell is this?!” a voice roared from behind Willow. She turned and all the color drained from her face.

[Finey_McFine]

DIBS! Sorry it took awhile...had to deal with a hysterical child.


Anyway...Wow! Big reveling chapter...loved it! I was so excited to see the update!!

Ok so, Tara is a slayer? Is that the 'demon' that Giles is trying to hide with the pills? I have to say, I so did not see that coming or Faith. Nice twist! I kept wondering, 'How is she going to eradicate the vamps?' Now I get it:)

Unfortunately, now Willow has to deal with Ripper alone while Tara is in a trance. There are just too many unanswered questions with your cliffhanger....tease!

Ugh!!! Update again soon please!!!! Too much suspense!

[Laragh]

2nd dibs!!!

*braces self for next chapter*

Damn, a ghost possessing Willow's body! Talk about scary!

Damn, Faith!?! Colour me intrigued!! What the hell's going on???

Eek, Ripper's home! This ain't good!!

Update soon, pretty pretty please????

[Promthea128]

Okay, Tara can't be a Slayer, because Faith is still alive. Possibly a Potential, but it seemed like her "Destiny" (insert epic, ominous voice) was bigger than that. Faith is mind-crying out for help, W and T can launch a rescue now. After they figure out what it means, and deal with Giles/Ripper. (He could be either of them at this point.) Does Giles know about Tara's Destiny? If he does, and she is the great hero who can save them from vampiric tyranny, he should be helping her all he can, instead of his misguided, controlling over-protectiveness. I thought Tara's 'medicne'
was just sugar pills, but now maybe they're Destiny power surpressers? Was Tara's mom a Scoobie?

[nightmask]

Finey_McFine: Tara's not a slayer she's something more powerful :] hehe I'm such a tease

Laragh: I tried to update as soon as possible but I had to finish my art homework so I've been really busy lately bleh :/ I can't wait for vacation.

Promethea128: I swear your like a mind reader :] Tara's not a potential though. Tara's mom wasn't a scoobie, but faith's ghost pretty much followed Tara around her whole life, she's only able to contact her now, because Willow is now present and she is also involved in the prophecy.



update directly below

[nightmask]

Author's note: I need a beta so if anyone wants to help me out please send me a message :]



Part sixteen:
Rupert stood in the doorway to the storage room of his house, Willow Rosenberg, the person he had spent all last night searching for was in his house performing magic with his daughter. The words of the fortune teller he killed echoed in his head, the old woman had warned him of a stranger who would steal the heart of his daughter and make Tara loose her trust in him.
He couldn’t allow that, Tara was his daughter, how could she do this to him? Keep a secret like this from him, he gave her everything and protected her every day since the day she was born. Then he began to wonder what else she had been keeping from him, she had never told him she was gay, she never told him she knew magic, she never told him any of her secrets.

His face grew hot with rage, he clenched his fists, Ripper began to take over and course through his veins like adrenaline. He rolled up his sleeves and exhaled through his nose loudly. Willow looked up at him frightened by the man standing over her small form, his shadow blocked out the light and made her shiver. Before Willow could get up or get any words out Ripper had her by her hair, he roughly pulled her to her feet and stared her down with a venomous look that spoke for him.

It was then that Willow saw it, she looked down and saw the tattoo that haunted her dreams. It’s black ink seemed to be alive as the veins under it throbbed wildly, it was the mark of a watch-man. Tara’s dad could be the man that killed her parents, and he would definitely kill her now that he caught her practicing magic. Willow squirmed under his grip and clawed at his fingers with her nails in a futile attempt to pry his hand away, he didn’t flinch as she began to draw blood from him.

“Let me go!” she screamed at him, he looked down at her and then looked over at his daughter, Tara looked like she had just taken acid, her eyes were empty and she had a half-conscious expression on her face.

Tara seemed oblivious to everything around her and the crystal ball that was clenched in her grasp began to shriek and whirr like a machine over heating. Ripper looked back at Willow with disgust.

“What the fuck did you do to her?!” He spat, he roughly released her hair and flung her to the ground by the collar of her shirt.

Willow quickly sat up, she felt shaky and her head was throbbing the roots of her hair were howling in pain and she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Right then and there she didn’t care if this was the man who killed her parents or not, if he was the father to Tara and treated women this way then she wanted to see him dead.

“I didn't do anything to her!” Willow snarled at him.
_____________________________________________________________

A white light surged through Tara’s eyes and suddenly she was sitting in a field of dead grass, the dirt beneath her hands and feet was dank and cold. She looked onward and caught sight of grand Willow tree that seemed to breath a dark green life of lush color, it’s leaves danced under the white glow of the sun she had witnessed just before meeting faith.

“Ta.... ra............. Ta..... ra........... Tara” a whispery voice called out, it’s origin came from within a weeping Willow tree beyond the branches that swooped down and swayed gently as the breeze caressed it.

Tara carefully approached the branches and parted them, the smell of burning wood and spice wafted through the air, it was a familiar smell that her mother’s old clothes gave off. She walked further into the tangles of the Willow tree until she saw a woman in a white gown, Faith was already with the woman and was resting her head upon her lap. The woman in white gently stroked Faith’s hair to soothe the battered girl and smiled warmly in Tara’s direction.

“Who are you?” Tara asked, her voice echoed throughout the inside covering of the tree.

The woman in white smiled back and replied, “I have many names” her face flickered and changed into that of Tara’s mother, “But you may call me mother”.

The woman in white offered her hand to Tara, Tara gently allowed her hand to be taken and felt a familiar electrical surge flow through her body. Her eyes began to flutter violently open and closed on their own.

“Relax my child, no harm shall come to you, hear, listen and see very carefully for I can only show you this once”, with that Tara could no longer see the great Willow tree around her, she saw dark black smoke, she could not tell where she was.

A man and a woman appeared before her, their features were hidden by the smoke and shadows, they clung to each other and breathed heavily and finally the woman spoke, “They’re really dead Rupert! Their all dead!” she sobbed.

Rupert rubbed her back and held her closer, “All of those watchers, They were all my friends, I’m the only one left.... “ he whispered.

“Rupert, before they died I think they were trying to warn us of something, and now we shall never know” the woman gently caressed her stomach, Tara noticed the large bump and realized the woman was pregnant.

The couple walked on sluggishly looking tired and defeated, a middle aged woman walked up to them, she was dressed in dark red and black. She wore rings and trinkets that jingled like tiny bells as she moved closer towards them.

“ The watchers, before they died sent me to find you if something were to happen to them” she said gaining their attention.

Tara could now fully see the woman’s face, her hair was long and thick, it’s ebony curls flowed down past her waist. She wore no shoes, and her eyes were a deep un-concentrated blue, she was blind.

“Please tell us what they could not” the pregnant woman replied.

[Finey_McFine]

DIBS! Yay...an update, I was thinking about this fic today and was going to PM you if necessary! LOL

So, Tara's not a slayer and they are both part of something bigger...now you've got me guessing. Faith is still alive somewhere? I'm guessing either being held captive or in some sort of dream state?

Speaking of dream states...Tara needs to get the info from 'Mother' quickly and snap the hell out of it so she can save Willow from Ripper. Wow, when she finds out that her father is a watch-man...craps gonna hit the fan big time.

You've gotta STOP leaving us with these big cliffhangers!!! Especially since I've never seen Repo! LOL And YES, you are a big old tease!!

Oh, one last thing...I really loved your description of Tara's dream state. The Willow tree surrounding her, etc. Nice job!

[Laragh]

Eeeek, Ripper!!

Damn, color me completely confused and intrigued!! I need to know more. Faith still being held captive somewhere makes me think of an Attic-like situation from Dollhouse.

Don't worry about speediness, homework for sure comes first...but I'm still shamelessly begging for more soon!!

[nightmask]

Finey_McFine: your in for a treat I wrote a whole part last night Faith is still alive somewhere I think I mentioned that in the beginning, she's being held captive. Don't worry I just use the setting or repo the story is of my own design I'll try not to tease you too much I used Tara's dream's state based off of my own dreams were everyone keeps switching faces it's really weird but it happens in my dreams all the time . _ .


Laragh: thanks for the feedback

Update directly below!

[nightmask]

Author's note: holy crap it is hard to write a prophecy and make it sound all cool and rhymey!

Part seventeen:


The blind woman sunk to her knees and gently placed a hand on the pregnant woman’s stomach, “This prophecy is meant for the unborn, only a woman’s ears can hear it so listen closely and tell her when she turns eighteen.”

“W-Who are you?” The pregnant woman asked feeling uncomfortable.

“I am lady Amalthea, I am known as a soothsayer, for I know what is to come and what shall be. “

Lady Amalthea returned her attention to the womb of the woman she knelt before,

“A destiny awaits you, oh daughter of man!
you shall be named by the earth
and be dealt by gods a mysterious hand.
The star dials speak of a destiny
that entagles the one you find true,
A lover once marred by flame
This lover shall seek only you

The moon drops sing their warning
Of a stranger who may lead you astray
It urges you, ‘Chase the morning!
Yield for nothing!’
for if ever caught in thicket of night, Sweet Sister you must away.
The ocean moans and calls earnestly for the sun
For the acient spells of decay have been cast and Alas!
Hast raped the night of day.
The only way this can be undone
from thine tongue this enchantment you need only say.

' I invoke you great star that is hidden
bright star that stays hidden from me
I evoke thee bright planet of fire
I comand thee!
Dark sky
let sunlight break free'

But before you cast this enchantment
a senescent warrior you must save
A slayer who has been captured
For this final task you must remain brave
There is a line that had been fractured
and in order to set things aright
The last request of the warrior
must be obeyed before the mid of night”

Tara felt herself inhale and had realised she had been holding her breath as she listened to the prophecy of her birth. She watched as Lady Amalthea got up from her knees and leaned in to kiss both cheeks of Tara’s mother. She whispered a soft goodbye and left the couple.


“Who were you talking to?” Rupert asked giving Tara’s mother a disturbed look.

“Lady Amalthea..... Rupert..... we just talked to her, you saw her yourself... I’m sure of it.” Tara’s mother replied.

“No I didn’t see anyone, all I saw was you talking to yourself... you weren’t talking to any spirits or anything were you? Because I thought you promised you would stop using so much magic and that it was becoming too dark and addictive” Rupert replied, he felt betrayed and foolish. How could he believe his wife would ever respect his wishes and give up on magic.

“No Rupert! I wasn’t talking to anything magical...” Tara’s mother began in her defense, but she was cut off by Rupert roughly grabbing her arm.

“I thought I told you that it’s not safe to associate yourself wih magic in these times! What were you thinking?!” he snapped.

Tara’s mother grew silent and fearful of upsetting her husband any further, the couple walked on and dissapeared fully into the smoke.

Tara remained, she was shaking, that man she had just saw before her was not her father. He couldn’t be the man who raised her and protected her all of her life, her father was kind and patient.
Then a dreadful thought struck her of how ignorant she must have been all of her life, her father had a dark side. Unconsciously she had always sensed it beneath his calm exterior she had always known a monster was stirring.

[Laragh]

Dibs!

The prophecy is amazing!! Well done, it's awesome!!

I know it's hard for her, but I'm glad Tara saw some of her father's true colors. Now she needs to wake up so she can protect Willow from him!!

Great chapter

[Finey_McFine]

Great job on the prophecy! Nicely done.

Now all I have to say is, Tara...WAKE THE HELL UP!!! Oh and, kick your father's ass!

[nightmask]

Laragh: Thanks :] the prophecy took me a while to make but I'm pretty pleased with the outcome

Finey_McFine: Thank you ^.^

next update directly below!

[nightmask]

Author's note: sorry it's kind of short :/

part eighteen:


Willow sat up and tears threatened to fall from the cornners of her eyes at any moment, she glared hatefully up at Tara’s father. Rupert sneered back at her, he shut the door and picked up a small box near his feet, he removed two shiny objects from it and walked over to where Willow sat. Willow inched backwards nervously, he was a watchman he couldn’t be trusted.

“Come here or I will force you” he growled, Willow shook her head and continued to scoot backwards like a stubborn child.

Ripper grabbed her wrist and pulled her up to stand before him, Willow winced at the pressure he was putting on her skin, it would surely be bruised at this rate. With his other hands Ripper slowly forced Willow to unclench her fingers, he re-adjusted his grip around her wrist and slipped a silver ring with black markings onto her middle finger. Finally Ripper released her, Willow quickly shoved away from where he stood and began to pull on the ring to take it off.

“Why wont it come off?” Willow grunted, the ring burned her skin it felt tight and acidic on her flesh.

“It’s so you won’t do anything stupid with magic while I figure out what’s wrong with Tara” Ripper replied.

Ripper kneeled down to face Tara, he wrenched the crystal ball out of her hands and threw it at the window which broke from the impact. Tara’s eyes fluttered open, her ears were ringing and she felt dizzy.

“D-Dad? W-What’s going on?” she asked meekly, Ripper looked at her with digust as if she were mocking his intelligence.

“Get up” he snarled at his daughter with disgust, before Tara could get to her feet her father had her by the collar of her shirt, he reached into his pocket and took out another silver ring. Tara’s heart raced wildly, she knew what that ring did, she had seen it on the news, Watch-men used it on witches and warlocks to suppress their magic.

“But where would my father get something like that?” Tara thought to herself and finally it dawned on her, her father was a watch-man and he had been lying to her all of her life.

Tara balled both her hands into fists and set them behind her back, she didn’t want her magic to be taken away from her, it was the only thing that made her feel like she was connected to the earth, to her mother, to Willow.

Ripper grabbed her wrist and twisted it until Tara cried out, finding an opening in his daughter’s resistance Ripper slid the ring onto Tara's middle finger and released her. Tara sunk to her knees and sucked in deep gasps of breath, her wrist had ugly red imprints on it where her father had grabbed her and the same searing sensation inflicted Tara just as it had Willow.

Willow staggered over to Tara’s father and gave him a good kick in the back of his leg, Ripper lost his balance and swore loudly.

“Stay away from her!” Willow yelled, she gently went over to Tara and brushed the curtain of hair that blocked Tara’s eyes from her view.

“Tara? Baby?...... Are you okay?” she rasped.

Tara nodded still whimpering, she was sure her wrist was sprained, it had already started to bruise. Willow stroked Tara’s hand lovingly and placed protective kisses on the top of Tara’s head.

Ripper got up and backhanded Willow leaving her crumpled on the ground, he grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her out of the room. Tara couldn’t get up quick enough and rushed to the door just before her father closed it, she heard the door lock. Without the hallway lights the attic was dark and cramped with broken glass and carboard boxes. Tara banged on the door with her good hand relentlessly. She cried out for Willow until her lungs grew tight and began to hurt.
____________________________________________________________

In the hallway Ripper let go of Willow ankle and straddled her tiny form, he had no problem with hurting a woman, he had done it plenty of times before.

Willow was slowly coming to her senses when she heard a loud thud and the smacking of flesh on flesh, then came the pain it felt like someone had tossed a large brick at her face, she had bitten the inside of her cheek and could now taste hot metallic blood on her tongue. She blinked and saw two enraged eyes behind thick glasses, Ripper punched her hard in the stomach giving her no time to react. She inhaled deeply struggling to breath and what little oxygen came into her body made her shudder.

Willow began to see purple spots that obstructed her vision, she heard another crack and felt the side of her head throb, warm sticky liiquid dripped into the cornner of her eyes and down into her mouth, she coughed almosy chocking on her own blood and saliva before blacking out.

[Laragh]

Grr Ripper hurting Willow

Omfg and Tara. Boy is gonna bitch slapped if he's not careful.

Ack, you can't leave it there! Update soon, (if you have time)

Such a great story!!

[Finey_McFine]

Grrrrrrr!!!!!! He's hurting Willow?!?!?! This means that I must now jump into your fic and kick his ass!!!


Update soon please!!!!!

[nightmask]

Laragh: sorry for the long wait ._.;

Finey_McFine: Thanks for the feedback :]

Update directly below

[nightmask]

Author's note: sorry for the long wait

Part nineteen:

The ripper inside of Rupert began to slowly fade, he eased off of Willow’s limp body and staggered back into the wall gripping his head. His pupils dilated and a sharp pain pierced his skull and quickly dissapeared leaving only a faint throbbing in the side of his head.

“Oh god... What did I do?” he whispered, he was unable to recall what he had just done, he stared down at his hands that had small traces of blood on them, he then saw the body that lay before him.

Rupert knew the face of the beaten up girl, it was the girl he had been searching for all of last night, not only that but he began to recall how similar she looked to the teen he had saved from a fire three years ago. The fire that his partner on the job had started, Ethan Rayne, he had killed the girl’s parents and burned down their house to hide the evidence. Rupert had managed to save the teen and had brought her to a nearby hospital.

Rupert knelt down beside Willow and gently stroked the hair out of her face, he felt sick to think he had done this to an innocent girl. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth he was growing tired of the Ripper taking over his mind and body, he refused to be that crazy man’s puppet anymore. He couldn’t believe what his life had been reduced to, on an impulse he gathered Willow carefully in his arms and walked down the stairs. He wouldn’t let this girl get hurt by him anymore and he most certainly would not hand her over to the Master, he would protect her from himself. Rupert opened the door to oustide, the night was warm and a cool wind blew gently through the air, he walked swiftly to Willow’s appartment and laid her body down on her bed.

Willow’s apartment was small it had only two rooms and hardly any furniture, Books littered the ground and were stacked like towers in various places. Dirty water leaked in certain places from the roof and made the wooden floor swell and rot. The walls were covered in pictures most were torn out of magazines and newspapers, and on the ceiling where the roof didn’t leak were hundreds of cut outs from space and astronomy magazines/ books of stars and planets.The last decoration that caught Rupert’s attention the most was a thin string of fairy lights that hung on the ceiling over the headboard of Willow’s bed. Their glow reminded him of tiny christmas lights, the kind his mother would hang on the family tree. The scent of clovers and pineneedle flooded his senses as he recalled distant memories from his childhood. The soft lights made Rupert feel warm inside, something he hadn’t truly felt since his wife was alive.

He steadily placed Willow onto her bed and was about to leave but felt bad, so he loacted a package of frozen fruit and held it to Willow’s swollen eye, he was careful not to apply too much pressure. He stayed with her until she began to stir and then got up to leave.

“Wait.......what are you.......nggggghhh....what are you...uh... doing here? Where’s.... Where’s Tara?” Willow weakly asked trying to keep herself from falling back to sleep.

Rupert hadn’t expected Willow to have woken so early, he was caught of gaurd and felt embarassed to face his victim, “She’s fine... I’m sorry I really am... I’m a very sick man and I need to sort out a few things in my life... but I promise you this...” he sighed.

“I won’t ever, ever hurt you or Tara again I am so sorry for anything I did” he whispered shuddering, he felt hot tears draining out of his eye sockets, it was a familiar salty taste of release and yet it stung and made him feel shame as he closed the door and quietly walked away.

Willow passed out again before she could see Rupert leave her apartment, the package of frozen fruit fell to the ground as she turned to her other side and into a more comfortable position to sleep in. Willow’s mind was clouded nothing could make her alert all of her senses felt numb as she slept, her body began the long and tedious process of repairing the damage it had previously received.
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Back in the attic Tara sat with her back up against the door, she clutched her knees to her chest and waited for her eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. Every few minutes or so she would attempt again to pull at the ring and see if it had loosened at all, but it remained tight and unmovable. when she tried a few simple incantations they held no physical presence, she felt trapped and more alone than she had ever felt before. The only fresh air that came into the cramped room came from the crack in the window the size of a baseball, the result of the impact with the crystal ball. Tara’s eyes began to burn from all the dust floating around, she wiped at her eyes but this only made it worse and reminded her of how much she wanted to cry.

She had heard the loud thwacking noises just outside the door, she could only imagine what her father was doing to Willow and what she pictured frightened her. All she could do was sit still and listen to her own long intakes of breath, she couldn’t tell how much time had passed and every sound put her on the edge.

She could hear the dull thumping of her heart as it pumped blood throughout her body, the squeaky stiffness of her sinewy joints and muscles that creaked each time she dared to move. The old house that imprisoned her gradually came to life before her ears, she listened to the wind beat against the house and making it moan and shudder. The once hardly audible sound of the pipes now ecoched and moved throughout the house’s structure like pulses pumping life into the house. After hours and hours of adjusting to the darkness and distorted sounds of the night Tara embraced her fear and draped it over her body like a blanket, she was too worn out to care anymore about how scared she felt. The night became her shield and no longer disturbed her restless mind, it let her close her eyes and seek peace that only sleep and dreams could now offer.

[Laragh]

DIBS!

Thank God Giles came back and pushed down Ripper. I'm glad Willow's at least somewhat safe - for now.

Wow, Tara's fear was so...palpable. I really felt it! Please please please let them be reunited soon?

Awesome chapter from an even awesomer (totally a word) story.

[Finey_McFine]

Agggghhhh!!! The tension!!! Thank goodness Giles was able to shake off Ripper and come to his senses. Hopefully he didn't do too much damage to Willow and she's able to find Tara soon.

So, I guess the question now is, whet will Giles do with Tara? Run? Work some forgetting mojo? And what will Tara do to him when she gets that damn ring off?!

I'm hoping our girls get back together soon and take care of this mess!

Really great chapter...I'm still lovin' this story!!

[Promthea128]

Holy Missed Updates, Batman!! Sorry I dropped out for so long.

I swear your like a mind reader :]

Thats what a couple people have said, lol. I just pay attention.

Love Tara's dream state. And fuck yes! Tara united with Willow becomes Bila, Olwen, Saule, Hakoolas, Amaterasu, the champion of the sun, the bringer of light. Really cool prophecy, good job.

Seeing Giles as bad ass is oddly satisfying, even if it is out of character. But I was really glad to see him regain his senses. And it was a slightly warm-fuzzy moment to learn that Giles was innocent, or at least less guilty in the death of Willow's parents.

Poor, scared Tara. They need to be reunited, sort out the Rupert/Ripper drama, save Faith, restore the sun, and defeat the Master. All interspersed with many of course.

[nightmask]

Laragh: thanks for the feedback glad ti see your getting so into the story :] don't worry they get reunited

Finey_McFine: I'm happy I'm keeping your interest :]

Promethea128: thank you :] giles is a pretty complex dude, in one chapter he can be a badass and in the other he can be a pathetic cowardly old man it's kind of funny Don't worry there shall be more Willow and Tara kisses to come :]

new chapter directly below :]