you all should know already how much i hate narrating things and how much i love just writing dialogue. so here it is...
takes place the day after tara’s suckage and hospital, willow’s *i owe you pain* and right before glory destroys tara’s wall.
edited to add: WARNING: sad fic
W- (at hospital) I-I’m here to pick up Tara. Tara Maclay.
Desk nurse- What unit, honey?
W- What?
Desk nurse- What is she in for?
W- H-her hand. But-
Doc McCarthy- (walking up to her) Willow.
W- How is she?
Doc- Why don’t we sit down.
W- No. Just tell me. Can I take her home? Please. Is she better?
Doc- How’d you hurt your lip?
W- Huh?
Doc- Your lip. It wasn’t broken yesterday.
W- I-I fell. I haven’t really been- you know. How’s Tara?
Doc- She’s doing fine. When we changed her bandage this morning her swelling had come down considerably. She slept most of the night, too, had breakfast. There were a couple of moments there that she was a bit... incoherent but- We had to strap her down last night. (sees Willow crying) It’s procedure. Just while she slept. She’s fine now, Willow. Is she right handed?
W- Um-,y-yes. No. She’s ambidextrous.
Doc- Good for her then.
W- What?
Doc- It was a compound fraction. She’ll need a lot of rehab, but I’ve seen worse.
W- May I see her?
Doc- Sure. Did you bring some clothes? (Willow nods) Come on. I’ll take you to her. (keeps talking as Willow zones out) We have some medication to keep her calm. Just in case her... dementia gets intolerable.
W- (whispers to herself) Dementia…
Doc- Well, that just sounds worse than it really is. Believe me. She’s the most even-tempered… one we have. (In the elevator) The shock will soon wear off.
W- Shock?
Doc- From the accident.
W- Yeah.
Doc- You have to understand she may not remember who you are right now. So maybe you shouldn’t… Just…
W- I understand.
Doc- Willow, she will be ok... (breaking the uncomfortable silence) My son is gay. Seeing you, and how you’re there for Tara, it’s really great. I remember when he first told us- I… I didn’t understand. I thought I had done something wrong. But I know now it wasn’t me. He’s a great son and I love him.
Willow- (sad smile) I love her. (crying again) She’s my soul.
Get to the floor. Walk down the hall in silence. Willow sees Tara sitting on the bed staring at the floor.
W- (runs, reaches out to her) Tara!
Doc- Willow...
T- (flinches as if she were about to be hit) Noooo!
W- (devastated) Tara. Honey? It’s me.
T- (looks at her a second, no recognition) A-Almonds are peaches. Did you know that?
W- (tearing up) Yes. Yes, they are.
Doc- What?
W- Almonds are from the peach family. We saw it on tv. (being emotionally strong) Tara. I have your clothes.
T- Get pretty. Pretty for the party.
Doc- I’ll leave you two alone. If you need any help… The buzzer is over there. A nurse-
Doc backs out. He realizes Willow is not paying him any mind.
W- Yes. A party. With cake and candles.
T- (looks at her again) Scary candles.
W- (thinking she’s connecting) No, no scary candles. Come on. I’m taking you home.
Willow slowly inches closer to Tara. She wants to take her in her arms.
T- Don’t!
W- Tara?
T- Empty. Starfish have no brains. Just empty. Like the heavens.
W- Take off the robe, sweetie. I have some clothes for you.
T- No, this is my Sunday best.
W- Well, it’s not Sunday, honey. We’ll save them for Sunday. Ok?
T- (beat) Yes.
W- (taking out clothes) Xander is waiting for us downstairs. He’s-
T- Anya’s.
W- (in shock) Yes, he is. Tara?
T- The troll. He, he took my doll.
W- (trying to make a connection, nodding) Anya made the troll. Here. Put this on.
T- I got her back. But I lost her again. I lost her.
W- Shh, darling.
T- Willow, I lost her.
W- (tearing up) You know who I am?
T- (putting on the new shirt) From the w-wicca group.
W- (hurt) I’m- (thinking she knows where she’s going with this) I’ll look for a spell, honey. I promise.
T- It isn’t real.
W- What?
T- The light. It’s an illusion. There is no one there. (smiles widely) Pretty colors!
In car: xander and anya, willow and tara
X- So how you doing back there, Tare Bear?
W- Xander, she probably doesn’t remember that name.
X- What do you mean?
W- She thinks I’m from the wicca group.
X- Well, you were.
A- Yes but Xander she’s her lover now. She doesn’t remember that. Cute little lovey dovey nicknames are not in her memory bank. How tragic. (turns to tara) Tara! This is Willow. You love her. She loves you! Go forth and have lots of orgasms when you get home. (xander lowers his head in shame. Willow is shocked)
T- (finally looks at them) The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue. It’s-It’s the tongue.
A- (smiling wide) Yes. Yes it is.
X- Anya! That’s enough.
Beat.
X- So, what do we do?
A- We’re taking her home.
X- Where? Where is she staying? I mean- Is she staying at the dorm?
W- Yeah. I-I think- Her room. It’s, um, home-y for her. You know? My room, she may not remember it.
X- Right. Are you sure the dorm is the-
T- Cockroach.
X- What?! No! I just fumigated the car!
(willow lifts up her legs, scared)
A- (as does she) Xander!
T- It- It will live nine days. Without its head. Of course. It’ll starve to death then.
Anya- What?
T- Verify it.
X- So, Tara, you didn’t actually see a cockroach, right?
A- What is up with the Discovery Channel information?
W- (about to cry) We watch it a lot.
A- She’s trying to connect with you. She’s bringing up memories.
W- You’ve dealt with this sort of thing before?
A- Not like this.
W- Do you know of a spell?
X- No majicks, Willow! Look what almost happened with Joyce-
W- She was dead, Xander. Is dead. Tara is…
A- If there is such a spell it will be temporary. There really is not point.
W- (crying) There is a point! She’s there! Somewhere. I want her back! I need to get her back.
Anya looks over to Xander. She is tearing up.
T- Grandmother is inside the wolfs belly. Cut him open. She’ll be free.
At the dorm.
X- If you need anything.
W- I know. Besides, Buffy’s coming by later.
X- (hugs her) I love you.
W- I love you too. And you, Anya.
A- (hugs her tight) Good cause I love you too. (lets her go) In a non-lesbian sort of way, of course.
X- We’re leaving. (holds up Miss Kitty, waves her paw at Willow) Say goodbye to mommy Tara and Willow.
W- Bye.
Tara is sitting in the middle of her room, on the floor. She is staring down at it.
W- Tara, honey, what are you doing.
T- I feel it.
W- What do you feel? Majick?
T- (looks around the room) I’m tired.
W- Come on the bed then, honey. We can take a nap together.
T- (looks over to the bed) One bed.
W- Yes.
T- (looks to Willow) It’s wrong. All wrong. No, it’s not. Yes, it is. No.
W- Shh, Tara.
T- (stands up) Stop calling me that!
W- Huh?
T- (getting mad) Don’t say that!
W- Tara, please. Calm down. No one is calling you anything. Do- Do you need your medication? I-I can look for them. (Willow looks in her purse, feverishly)
T- (runs and grabs her hand) Please don’t tell them. My pony didn’t bite you. It’s harmless.
W illow breaks down, crying.
T- (looks at her) Shh, darling.
W- Tara?
Beat.
T- Yes.
W- (hopeful) Is that you?
T- Yes. (Will doesn’t know that to think) (Tara smiles at her) It was very nice meeting you. (yawns)
W- (crying again) No.
T- I need to go now.
W- Tara, please.
T- (gets on the bed, on her favorite side) Sleep. I think I’ll sleep. Yeah, so you two can, you know, really talk.
W- (dawns on her, whispers) In my dreams.
Willow curls up next to her but her body isn’t touching Tara. She wants to reach out but doesn’t.
T- (nods) Aliens crossing. Be careful.
W- I love you, Tara.
T- As vice president… (yawns) of consulting services… I here by… take you… to be mine.
W- Forever.
END.
*****
so? hope you liked.
[This message has been edited by Rane (edited July 02, 2001).]
wonderful Aww, so sad, so sweet. Great job, Rane.
