Hello everyone. Thanks for the encouragement. I was able to get this little bit written today. Perhaps a little more tomorrow or it will be next week.
A few notes: if you want to blame the long delay in updating on someone. Blame it on Kathryn. She's a goddess and Sidestep Chronicles is amazing. I have been totally caught up in that fic and spending my scant free time on it.
Second: We got DSL Monday! Yeah for us and more pens time.
Third: We're going to the beach this weekend! Yeah!
Well, now back to our story:
Title– Turned – part 12
Author– JustSkipit - Debra
E-mail –
debraser@yahoo.com Feedback – Yes please.
Spoilers–Season 6 through Seeing Red.
Rating– Part 12 – PG Disclaimer – Willow and Tara and any other character that appeared in the syndicated television show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is property of Joss and Mutant Enemy, I’m only borrowing them and am not making any money off them.
Summary – This story goes from the moment that Tara is shot at the end of Seeing Red with three changes to Buffy details. 1. Tara is shot through the spleen rather than the Heart. 2. Buffy is shot in the arm. 3. Spike
did not leave town after the events of Seeing Red.
“Hello! Tara? Tara? Spike? Anyone?”
Tara smiled as she identified Dawn’s voice echoing throughout the large crypt. She called out to the young girl as she placed a bookmark in her book and set it on her bed before moving toward the ladder: “I’m downstairs. I’ll be up in a minute.”
Climbing up the ladder, she saw Dawn sitting in Spike’s TV chair, her coat thrown over the arm of the chair and her backpack at her feet. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?” she teased the youngster.
“Can’t I just come see you because I wanted to see where you live? Well ok, not live? But unlive or whatever? I mean I haven’t been here since you moved in with Spike and maybe I just wanted to see the place,” Dawn stammered through her answer. As Tara smiled and fixed her with a look the teen spoke again, “Ok. I have a history paper due tomorrow and wanted to see if you can help me with it. Willow’s working on something and Buffy sucks at schoolwork,” she smiled.
“Of course I can help you. Do you have your stuff or do we need to go to the library later?” Tara asked.
Dawn indicated her backpack, “I have it here – a rough draft and copy of the assignment. It’s on the history of Sunnydale and how that history might differ from that of other places. Understatement huh?”
Tara gave Dawn a quick hug as she picked up her backpack and started toward the ladder: “Come on. We can work downstairs for while. Do Buffy and Will know you’re here?”
As Dawn started after the blonde, she answered, “Yeah. They said you can walk me home after dark or I need to leave before dark if you’re busy. But they both wanted to see you anyway so why don’t you come for dinner? Well, I mean dinnertime. Hey, where’s Spike?”
Tara stopped at the top of the ladder: “Yes, I’ll walk you home and have dinner. And I don’t know where Spike is. He kind of pissed me off a few days ago and I told him off and haven’t seen him since.”
“Oh,” Dawn suddenly remembered, “Mr. Giles said he wants to look at your tattoo tomorrow so can you either stay at our place or can he come over here?”
“Sure. I think I can probably find some motivation to stay at your place,” Tara smiled. “That way, if he wants to sketch it or whatever he can. Actually I need to talk to him about it. It seems to be cooling and stopping growing.”
Still at the top of the ladder Dawn agreed, “That’s cool. No pun intended, you know. Hey, it’s kind of dark. Can you make some light?”
Tara smiled at the young girl: “Actually why don’t you? I know that you did the lights for Willow’s and my date last week. Did you use herbs or an incantation?”
A bright smile lit up Dawn’s features as she remembered the spell, “Both. First I sprinkled some herbs on the ground, then incanted each spot of light. Willow said that would lend focus.
“Yes, she’s right. That does add focus. The problem is what if you need light and you don’t have the time to put out the herbs? Or don’t have the herbs?” Tara questioned. As Dawn gave her a curious look, Tara explained further, “Here’s what I want you to do. Get a picture in your mind of the space that you want to light. Then imagine the power that comes through you from the magnetic lines in the earth. That power runs through every living thing and even inanimate objects. Feel that power as it comes through you. Know that even if it is dark where you are, there is light outside or on the other side of the earth. Place the power that makes that light into the space that you want to illuminate. You may want to close your eyes the first time.” Smiling at the youngster, she nodded, indicating that Dawn could begin.
Tara felt very impressed and proud of her friend as she had no sooner closed her eyes than the passageway began to be filled with a soft light. Sensing the light, Dawn opened her eyes and hugged Tara. The light began to grow stronger and stronger as her excitement at completing the spell grew. Softly the older woman placed a cool hand on Dawn’s shoulder: “You are still connected to the light and your excitement is causing it to be inconsistent. Release the light so that it can exist on its own.”
Dawn was about to ask how when she realized that she had already done what Tara had described just by questioning how. Both girls smiled as they started down the ladder to Tara’s room to get some work done on that history assignment.
---
As Dawn entered the Summers’ house, she immediately was greeted by her sister and Willow at the door: “Where’s Tara?,” both women asked simultaneously.
“Oh, she said she needed to run an errand and she’d be here in a few. She walked me to the door,” Dawn explained. No one needed more explanation that Tara was going over to visit her new “friend” Ken.
“Ok. Did you get some work done on your history paper Dawnie?” Willow asked.
“Yeah. I’m done with it. Also, I did a lighting spell to go down the ladder at Tara’s.” Dawn described the spell and how she had controlled it and how it felt different from the last time. Continuing on the subject of the crypt needing light, she commented, “You know that place is pretty creepy sometimes. I mean she lives in a crypt. That’s like a grave. A place with dead bodies.”
Tara laughed as she entered the house, “Actually sweetie, this is a place with a dead body now. You know? Me.”
Dawn tried to backpeddle from her faux pax as Tara and Willow kissed, “I didn’t mean. I mean. I … oh forget it, I’m going to wash up for dinner.” Dawn left the room as Tara and Willow continued their embrace.
“So I heard there was an invitation for me to stay here tonight and tomorrow. Any special motivation?” Tara leered at her lover.
“I think we can find something to keep you busy this evening, Miss Maclay,” Willow smirked back running her tongue over her lover’s lips.
Buffy’s voice from the kitchen brought both women’s attention back to the present: “HEY everyone, dinner’s getting cold. Get in here.”
---
The light from the full moon bathed the witches’ bodies in light as they cuddled in the bed. Both were lying fully satisfied and relaxed, smelling their scents mixed in the air of the room and running their fingertips over skin and hair.
“The moonlight is wonderful but let’s set an alarm in case we fall asleep and forget to close the curtains baby,” Tara suggested.
“Of course.” Willow leaned to turn on the alarm as she continued running her fingers over the skin of Tara’s hip. “Hey,” she commented, “the tattoo is not so hot.”
“I noticed. I think it’s about done. How is it looking?”
Willow bent to look closely at the design. “Wow, it’s so beautiful. I can’t believe your mother did this. I count 76 crosses now and the inscription winds through the whole thing.”
Tara voiced her curiosity, “What does the inscription say?”
Willow laughed as she started tickling the vampire: “It says Giles will have to translate this because I don’t even know what language this is.” Soon the tickling led to other activities involving fingers and skin and laughter and shaking.
Edited by: xita 
at: 11/23/02 9:26:31 pm
at: 10/18/02 9:47:27 am
. The only possible problem I see there is that Tara likes Willow-blood, being tempted non-stop is not without risk.
, it's soooo unfair to have parents like that. Tara being all sad remembering her mother, teary moment there.
But i know whatever its about its gonna end all with the good coz hello its a W/T fic so it can't turn out too bad, right? 
Please??
and if that doesn't work, I'll give back-rubs and 
es and if THAT doesn't work... 
I'm kinda having mixed emotions about that, but you know... I kinda like the idea too. Like it was stated, as long as Willow keeps her soul. Hey, they could have eternity together.