FIC: Right In Front of You Part 14

["Callistosdarkside" <callistosdarkside@xxxxxxxx>]

Here's number 14. Note, I've done some site revamping and moving, so the
new link is here:

http://www.geocities.com/callistosdarkside/RightInFrontOfYou.html

Why not check out the home page too, or if you haven't the preview for my
upcoming fic.

Hope you enjoy this part,

-CDS

. Title: Right In Front of You Part 14
. Author: Callisto's Dark Side
. Email: callistosdarkside@xxxxxxxx
. Feedback: The more I get, the faster I write.
. Distribution: Can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/callistosdarkside/RightInFrontOfYou.html (My Site),
http://www.geocities.com/last_days_of_pern, and
http://www.peccath.com/extraflamey/mainframe.htm
. Spoilers: All of Season 5, but events take place before some events in
Tough Love.
. Rating: R
. Pairing: W/T & B/W
. Disclaimer: All characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to the
almighty Joss Whedon and Company, and are only being borrowed for the fun
and enjoyment of us, the super fans.
. Summary: Willow/Tara fic in which the two love birds must manage to deal
with the consequences of a spell that threatens to tear them apart forever.

Chapter 14

Willow buried her face into the book she was reading at the public library.
The ancient text was smaller than usual and gave her a headache.

Lifting her head, she looked around the library with woozy eyes, only to see
what she had seen the last time she looked; old books on dusty shelves.

She tried going back to reading the book, but her mind wandered off to her
recent dream. The one in which she instantly assumed Tara was jealous of
her relationship with Buffy. Which begged the question of why?

******

Buffy ran through the streets of Sunnydale, not caring that she was
attracting the stares of everyone she passed. She just wanted to make it to
the Magic Shop as fast as possible.

As she ran, the images in her dream barraged her brain, the image of her and
Willow dancing, the image of her and Faith dancing, and the image of her
needing to tell Willow something. But every time she saw that image, she
would push it back and try and think of something else.

After doing that for the third time, she finally reached the Magic Shop and
burst through the door, causing the tiny bell to go flying.

Anya, who had been happily counting money jumped as she saw Buffy come
barrelling through the door.

"Geez! What's the hurry?" Anya screamed, clutching her cash.

"Sorry." Buffy breathed as she walked over to the counter and slapped her
hands down, "Where's Will?"

"Willow?" Anya scrunched her nose, "No clue, but she did leave a nasty mess
in a secret back room."

"Back room?"

"Yeah, apparently one of the previous owners had a secret stash of spell
books."

"Where?"

"I'll show you."

Anya led Buffy to the training room and then pointed out the hole in the
wall that Willow had created and the tiny room that was now cleared out,
except for the dust and the bricks that littered it.

The blonde walked over to examine the area momentarily and then walked back
to the main room.

"Those books must be the ones that BuffyBot was reading," Buffy muttered.

"BuffyBot?"

"Yeah, she must've took them back to my our place before heading off again,"
Buffy said fleetingly as she headed for the door.

"Hey, where're you going? I thought you were gonna clean up the mess," Anya
shouted.

******

As Willow flipped through the fourteenth book she had picked out, she heard
people yelling loudly. When she stood up to check out the disturbance,
Buffy appeared from around a bookshelf at running speed.

"Will!"

"Buffy?"

"God Will," Buffy murmured into her friend's shoulder as she wrapped her
arms around the Redhead, "I thought I lost you."

"Nope, I'm right here," Willow said, softly patting Buffy's back.

"How could do that to me?"

"Do what?"

"Not leave a message. I was looking everywhere for you. When I woke up you
were gone and then I called the Magic Shop and no one answered, then when I
got there Anya said you had discovered a secret room and ran off with some
books, then I went looking around campus and the library there, but no one
saw you. I went to the Bronze after that, but still nothing, so I finally
came here as a last resort," Buffy exhaled.

"It's okay Buffy, I'm alright," Willow assured.

"But what if you weren't alright and some demon kidnapped you and took you
away?"

"I think I can handle myself around demons now. Remember, the magic?"

"I know, but still, what if the demon knew magic too and caught you off
guard?"

"I guess that would be a problem."

"Of course it would," Buffy hugged Willow tight, "I couldn't stand the
thought of losing you too Will."

"I know," Willow softly ran her hand up and down the distraught Slayer's
back. "But I'm okay Buffy, really, I am."

"That's what I thought about Glory, I thought everything was okay until she
almost killed Dawn and then she and Tara disappeared to God knows where."

"That's why I'm here Buffy, I wanted to find more books for BuffyBot."

"You could've at least told me though."

"I didn't want to disturb you, I mean, you were sleeping so soundly and I
thought you needed the rest."

"That's what post-it notes are for, Will."

"I'm sorry Buffy, I won't do it again."

"Good," Buffy murmured as she buried her face into her friend's shoulder.

******

"Magic?" Leanna repeated.

"Yes, magic." Tara answered. "It really does work and I know how to do it."

"Prove it," Leanna stated.

"Okay, fine. How about a flotation spell?"

Leanna didn't respond but just watched in awe as Tara floated her cup of
hot-chocolate in mid-air.

"See," Tara said with her palms facing upwards.

"But how?" Leanna questioned as she got up and ran her hand through the air
over and under the cup to make sure there weren't any strings.

"It's all in how you say the words," Tara answered.

"You mean I wasn't saying it right when I tried the spells before?"

"Probably, but I won't know until I hear you say one."

"But how did you end up in our world?"

"I used an inter-dimensional-teleportation spell."

"Yeah," Dawn interjected, "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have a brain
right now."

"Why's that?"

"It's a long story," Dawn answered.

"I'm willing to listen," Leanna replied, "That is, if you two promise to
tell me the complete truth from now on?"

"We do," Tara and Dawn answered together.

******

Ben sat silently in a dark corner at the Bronze, sipping a cold beer when a
tall blonde woman walked up to him.

"Hi handsome," The blonde smiled.

"Hi," Ben replied as he tried looking around the blonde to get a better look
at the woman that just walked in.

"Waiting for someone?"

"Uh huh."

"Funny," The blonde took a sip of her drink, "I've noticed you waiting here
all week, but no one ever comes."

"Yeah, she kinda doesn't know I'm looking for her," Ben replied.

"Well, then she obviously doesn't deserve your patience," The woman said
while sitting down next to him.

"Look," Ben stared directly into her blue eyes, "I'm really busy, maybe some
other time."

"Sure, whatever," The blonde replied, getting up and leaving.

Moments later Ben received a tap on the shoulder.

"Master," The hooded minion grovelled.

"What is it?"

"I believe the Slayer is not coming tonight."

"You said she'd definitely be here!"

"Well yes, she's actually already been here once today, but we do not
believe she will be returning?"

"Whatever, just leave me."

"My wish is your command," The minion replied as he slipped away.

******

Buffy and Willow walked side-by-side with stacks of books in their arms down
the streets of Sunnydale.

"Where do you think they are?" Buffy asked, breaking the silence.

"I dunno," Willow shrugged, "Sometimes I don't like to think about it, cuz
when I do I usually think of the worst," Willow admitted.

"I know the feeling. It's like my worst nightmare times two. Not knowing
if Dawn's in paradise or prison, or heaven or hell."

"That's why I had to get more books, I felt so guilty just sitting around
and waiting for BuffyBot to find something."

"What do you plan to do now?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe I should help BuffyBot read through some of these."

"Do you want me to help?"

"I think we have enough readers, you should still patrol, because the
vampires aren't going to go away just because we have another problem."

"Good old Will, always thinking of others before herself."

"I have to, because I know Tara would want it that way," Willow sighed.

******

"But she looks so helpless?" Leanna said in disbelief.

"Believe me, she was anything but in our world," Tara replied.

"Then it's a good thing she lost her powers."

"Yup," Dawn smiled, "Especially since we get to torment her, well, Anna to
be exact."

All three brunettes broke into laughter.

Leanna shook her head, "I just can't believe I'm talking to an actual witch
from another world."

"Well, I'm still pretty shocked that I'm in another world myself," Tara
replied.

"Could you teach me magic?" Leanna asked.

"Of course," Tara answered.

"Hey," Dawn interrupted, "I've been asking you to teach me stuff forever and
you agree to teach her the first time she asks?"

"She asked nicely," Tara smiled.

"So, I asked nicely, and as I recall I even begged."

"Buffy asked us not to teach you," Tara admitted.

"So, I don't see her around," Dawn shrugged. "And besides, it could save my
life in this dimension."

"I guess she wouldn't object under the circumstances."

"So you'll teach me?" Dawn beamed.

"Uh huh, and Leanna too."

"Alright!" Dawn said, pumping her arm.

"Thank you," Leanna smiled as she pulled Tara in for a hug.

To be continued.