RoundRobin Chapter 19-Red Willow

["xenaslave2000 <xenaslave2000@xxxxxxxxx>" <xenaslave2000@xxxxxxxxx>]

chapter 19
Red Willow

NC-17!

Buffy couldn't wipe the huge grin off her face. It had been plastered 
there ever since her talk with Willow and Tara. She had her Willow 
back. She had Tara, and the three of them had sorted through all the 
blame, the guilt and anger that they'd carried around in the time 
that the young red headed witch was gone. Now they could move on, 
become one, and finally be happy again.

Buffy couldn't believe this was all really happening. How long, she 
had she had feelings for Willow, yet never let herself examine those 
feelings, never let herself even ponder any "what ifs." In the years 
that she knew Willow, Buffy continued to try to lose herself, and her 
feelings, in the men that had passed through her life. Each one 
offering her something that she knew could never measure up to what 
she held in her heart for Willow. And now she had Tara as well, and 
the feelings that the blonde witch instilled in her did measure up 
and made the Slayer wobble on shaky legs at the thought that she 
could be so lucky to find two such wonderful women that loved her.

Walking across the dark campus, watchful of any movement around her, 
the Slayer tried to dampen her exhilaration in order to stay focused, 
yet her mind continued to wander to thoughts of the time she shared 
with Tara? and then to images and hopes of what being with both Tara 
and Willow could be like. Buffy had to shake her head more than once 
to clear the steamy thoughts from her mind.

"Come on Summers, get a grip. We have work to do."

She took a left, following the cement pathway that zigzagged across 
the plush greenery of the campus lawns, and continued in her watch, 
both as security for UC Sunnydale, and protector of the human race.

***

They worked quickly. Three of Damien Bester's, sent to retrieve one 
of the ten "Gifts" that would unleash hell on earth.

Tucked safely away, and undetected until now in the UC Sunnydale 
Anthropology Department's small museum, the palm-sized, lapis disk 
sat quietly in its case. A square, white note card next to it read: 
Lapis Lazuli. Early Artwork. Use Unknown. Date Unknown.

In the time since its discovery in the late 1980's, no one had been 
able to read an accurate date on it, or find anywhere, in any text, 
as to what it could be. Many professors in the department had doubted 
highly that it was a mere form of artwork. Lapis had been used in 
Ancient Egypt for sacred statues and ceremonies, and though it was 
not impossible to find in North America, Lapis was not native. Some 
had suggested sending it to experts in other areas of the country, 
but this being Sunnydale, no one wanted to attract attention. No one 
wanted to invite trouble, especially if the disk did indeed turn out 
to be more than just early art.

The disk in question was approximately an inch and a half thick, 
solid as far as anyone could tell, and measured four inches across. 
There was a hole in the middle of the disk, not even big enough to 
slide a pencil through, and from there began a line etched deeply 
into the dark stone, curving to the left and circling the disk 10 
times until it met with the edge. Twelve rectangular squares 
protruded from around the side of the disk, centered between top and 
bottom, not more than a half an inch thick, and an inch wide.

Without mouths to speak, the minions shadowed the walls, keeping 
close, until they reached their destination. The lead pointed with 
one long scraggly finger to the case, seeing more with his mind, than 
white eyes allowed him. The two behind him moved without noise save 
for the shift of their black gowns across the white tiled floor. The 
case rested against the far wall, housing many other stone artifacts 
found in and around the Sunnydale area.

The "gift" sat black and silent in the dark room, waiting for its 
time of use once again. Though there was no illumination to light its 
features, it glowed a soft iridescent as the hooded figures 
approached it, sending soft blue shadows across the wall and 
reflecting back off the glass of the large classroom window to the 
left of the case.

The case was opened and the stone disk removed, disappearing beneath 
the gown of the lead. Without a gesture, the dark minions followed 
their leader back down the corridor, successful in their simple, yet 
terribly important task.

***

Willow sat on the couch, nervous still though things had gone 
smoothly, and much better than she had ever imagined among the three 
women, and waited for Tara to return with hot, herbal tea. She was 
tired, feeling drained from the anxiety and excitement at meeting 
with Tara and then Buffy, but knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. She 
wouldn't be able to close her eyes and welcome sweet slumber until 
she saw Buffy arrive home safely, until she could feel the thin 
blonde in her arms one more time to concrete their kiss from earlier.

She worried about seeing Dawn and Xander again too. She left without 
a word to any of them, yet they had all wanted her back. Tara and 
Buffy forgave her, but would the Slayer's sister be willing to do the 
same? Willow knew she hurt Dawn, had dragged her to Rack's without a 
thought of her safety, despite the questions and concern Dawn had 
shot her way. She was sorry for her actions, so sorry it hurt her to 
the bone, but she ran instead of making amends. Ran in order to stop 
causing her friends pain. Ran from her guilt.

Now she was back and in the house she'd called home with Tara, Buffy, 
and Dawn so long ago before her magic abuse hurt the ones she loved. 
Dawn was at a friend's house and not expected back until much later. 
That was fine with Willow, because as much as she loved Dawn and 
wanted to see her again, wanted to tell the youngest Summers just how 
sorry she was, and ask for forgiveness, Willow was terrified of 
meeting with her.

"And Xander must be so angry with me for just leaving?" Willow 
thought, guiltily.


"What are you thinking?" Tara asked, placing the steaming mug on the 
table in front of the red head.coffee "Oh." Willow smiled, thankful 
for the other witch's return. "Nothing really. "A little o-
overwhelming, isn't it?" Just tired."

Tara sipped the hot liquid, savoring the spice of cinnamon, never 
taking her eyes from Willow.

"Oh yeah? everything is? so confusing. This prophesy business 
especially." "I know. I w-wish there was more we knew." "Well, 
research girl's back now?"

Willow trailed off, remembering her early days in the Scoobie gang, 
when everything seemed so simple. She knew who the bag guys were. She 
worked alongside the Slayer to defeat them. Somehow she got it all 
mixed up and started blurring the line between being a good guy and 
being the bad.

"Hey." Tara placed her hand on Willow's arm, pulling her attention 
back again. "Everything's going to work out."

Willow turned and looked Tara directly in the eyes. Her green orbs 
were brimming with tears, ready to spill. The worry and doubt in 
those eyes made the blonde's heart ache with compassion and love.

"Do you really think so?" The red head asked.

Tara touched Willow's cheek, softly, her fingers warm and comforting.

"Yes. I do." She leaned forward and kissed each of Willow's eyes, 
feeling the warm tears on her lips as the red head swallowed back her 
urge to cry and fell against the warmth of the blonde. "About 
everything." She added, cupping the other girl's face along her jaw 
line.

Tara knew Willow wasn't just worried about the prophecy and the very 
large and in charge evil they were going to have to face. She still 
hadn't seen Dawn or Xander and even though Tara knew that all would 
be forgiven, that both would just be happy to have their Willow back, 
she couldn't deny that it would be very hard on all parties involved.

Tara kissed Willow's temple, first once then two more before moving 
across her forehead and down the bridge of her nose. Tiny, soft 
kisses of comfort. Her full lips pressing into the pale features of 
her love only briefly before moving on. She inhaled deeply, the 
solely Willow scent she knew so well and smiled against the warm skin 
as the red head wrapped her arms around the blond and pulled her 
closer.

"I missed you." Willow whispered, nuzzling Tara's neck.

The blonde said nothing, opting instead to tip the smaller girl's 
head back so that they could look into each other's eyes.

"I love you, Will. I never stopped."

And with that, Tara seized Willow's lips with her own and kissed her 
with all the passion she'd been holding in since their kiss in the 
back of the Magic Box.


***

Pastor Conway tapped the eraser end of his pencil against the tip of 
his nose.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not 
in us." He scribbled a few short notes on the yellow legal pad in 
front of him.

He picked up the stained coffee mug to the left of the pad and with a 
grimace, gulped down the rest of the lukewarm liquid. On the side of 
the mug was a picture of a cross and the words, "God is Great!"across 
it. Below that was printed, "First Lutheran Church of Midway, Md."

"And the truth shall set you free." He whispered, pushing himself 
away from the small pine desk.

Gathering his books and notes, Pastor Conway switched off the lights 
in his office and headed out through the vestibule. He stopped to 
rummage in his pocket for the church keys when he heard a large crash 
from within the sanctuary.

"What-?" He turned quickly and opened the large, dark oak doors.

Fifty-two rows of pews on either side of a red runner were between 
him and the area just in front of the alter. The Twelve Stations of 
the Cross were colored into the glass lining the walls, mocking 
Conway as he stood, unable to move.

The top of the alter, a large marble piece brought from a burned out 
church in some forgotten German city, lay in three pieces. The dust, 
visible, even in dim lighting, still lingered in the air. Conway 
looked on as three hooded figures moved about the alter, digging 
through the apparently hollowed bottom piece.

Finally gaining his voice and his ability to move, the Pastor dropped 
his books and notes and began a swift run up the center aisle.

"Hey!" was all he cried, though his mind whirled around obscenities, 
pleas, and threats.

The sanctuary was washed with a soft blue light as one hooded figure 
removed a round, blue, glowing disk from within the alter base. There 
was no noise aside from the muted meeting of Conway's patent leather 
shoes and the red carpeting as he ran toward the three dark figures, 
hardly washed in blue themselves.

"What is that?!" He screamed as he neared them. "What are you doing?"

The disk disappeared underneath garment quickly before all three of 
Bester's minions surrounded the pastor. He swallowed, the sweat 
breaking out on his forehead, as he realized for the first time, that 
he was not dealing with neighborhood vandals and thieves. These men 
were not normal, perhaps not human. He could barely make out their 
features under the dark hoods in the dim light of the church, but 
their eyes were completely white, seeming to stare through him, 
rather than at him.

As they circled him, Pastor Conway recited Psalm 7 quietly to 
himself, his fear and knowledge that he would die, giving way to his 
faith in God.

"Oh Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all 
who pursue me?" He followed their stalk with his eyes, excepting his 
fate. "Lest like a lion they tear me in pieces and snatch me away 
with none to deliver me?"

First one, then the two remaining withdrew daggers slowly and 
silently. The blades gleamed in the dusk that had settled so still 
around the praying man. Centuries of blood and murder echoed through 
the cool steel as the daggers were raised and the hooded figures 
moved closer.

"God is my shield and defense; he is the savior of the true in 
heart." Pastor Conway continued.

They took their time, enjoying the smell of fear that wafted off the 
praying man of God. They enjoyed their tasks when it lead to this, 
the thrill of bloodshed. And as Pastor Gregory Conway screamed his 
last plea to his God, Damien Bester's minions basked in their reward.

***


They barely made it up the stairs. Hands and mouths sought access, 
aggressive and needy in their pursuit. Soft moans and whispers, 
begging for more, for now, drifted around them as they made it to the 
bedroom they once shared. Clothes came off hastily, both women eager 
to be free of the confining articles, needing to feel flushed flesh 
against flesh.

Thigh to thigh, stomach to stomach, and breast to breast they stilled 
and lay silent on the bed. Willow looked down into Tara's large, 
soulful eyes and blinked back tears,overwhelmed at the intensity of 
her need for the blonde. She knew this was happening, that she was 
going to be making love with this beautiful woman she loved and had 
missed terribly. Part of her brain though, kept knocking around the 
awful idea that none of this was really happening, that she would 
wake up in L.A. without a hope of reuniting with any of her friends.

"Don't cry, Will." Tara whispered. "I'm sorry, I-its? its just 
that?" Tara, knowing her Willow all too well, knew she had to quiet 
Willow's fears and make love to her the best she could in order to 
make her feel safe, feel wanted, and loved. She needed to make sure 
Willow knew how much she wanted her. Wanted to make love, and wanted 
to be with her forever.

"Shh?" Tara reached up and placed her long index finger on Willow's 
lips. "I know you're s-scared and worried. Maybe you think th-this 
isn't really happening?"

Willow blushed at how well Tara could read her.

"It is, baby. You're here? with me." Tara let her hands slide down 
the red head's neck and shoulders. "And I love you, Will."

Her fingertips traced lazy lines down Willow's back, making the witch 
shiver. Willow's body trembled for the hot figure beneath her. Her 
sex yearned to feel Tara's touch, to know the blonde witch again 
after all this time spent apart.

"I love you too, baby."

Willow met Tara's mouth, opening quickly to allow for curious 
tongues. They kissed at length, slow and deep, swallowing each 
other's moans as they let their hands roam freely over each other's 
bodies. Their passion flared, conquering any doubts or fears either 
of them held about their union.

Tara tried roll the red head onto her back, but Willow had other 
plans.

"Uh-uh?" Willow grinned and pushed Tara back on the bed, restraining 
her wrists. "Let me?" she whispered and Tara relaxed under the 
pressure.

Willow moved between Tara's legs, pressing into her sex as she kissed 
down the blonde's neck, licking and sucking the soft flesh into her 
mouth. She let go of Tara's wrists and found Tara's bountiful 
breasts instead. She trailed her fingers over the stiff peeks, 
causing ragged groans. The blond wound her fingers through Willow's 
red mane, pulling the hair slightly as she enjoyed the tiny bites and 
kisses her lover was leaving across her chest.

Tara arched her back, pushing her breasts up to meet Willow's mouth 
as the red head's tongue circled her nipple.

"Oh? I missed you?" Tara moaned in response to the touch.

Willow smiled around the stiff flesh before sucking it harshly into 
her mouth and grazing it with her teeth.

"Oh!" Tara arched up again, and found her own stiff flesh to 
manipulate when her free hand found Willow's small, pert breast.

The red headed witch moved back and forth, licking and sucking first 
one nipple, then the other. Tara writhed beneath her, her breathing 
becoming labored as her wet sex throbbed in need. She pushed her hips 
up, trying to create more friction, to gain more pressure even though 
what she really wanted was Willow's hand, wanted her fingers inside 
her.

Willow slid her hand down Tara's side, traced her fingers along the 
curves of soft flesh until her hand found the blonde's inner thigh 
and stroked there gently. She teased with feather light whispers, 
noting the moisture her fingers caught as they snaked over Tara's 
trimmed sex.

"Please?" Tara moaned, moving to meet Willow's hand. "It's been so 
long?"

Cupping the blonde's sex roughly, and eliciting a loud moan from 
parted full lips, Willow raised herself up, away from Tara's body and 
looked down at the beautiful body below her.

"You want this?" She asked, pressing into Tara with the palm of her 
hand. "Oh Goddess! Yes!" Tara writhed, pushing against the hand that 
held power over her. "Tell me?" Willow ducked her head and pulled at 
Tara's nipple with her teeth.
"Oh! Ohh? please?" Tara bit her bottom lip, moved her hips, and 
gripped the sheets on either side of her as the pleasure and pain of 
Willow's rough touches passed through her.

Willow pressed harder, her fingers sinking into the swollen wet folds 
she knew so well.

"Please, what?" she asked, kissing lightly along the valley between 
the blonde's breasts.

"Please Willow? please touch me? m-make love to me?"

Without another word, without further teasing, Willow slid her 
fingers into Tara easily, pushing in as far as she could.

Tara pushed her hips down to meet her lover's touch, sighing in 
pleasure. She'd dreamt about this union since leaving Willow, the 
red head always causing her skin to flush, her heart to pound, and 
her sex to swell and weep in hungry need.

They moved together in rhythm, Willow's fingers sliding in and out of 
Tara's velvety chamber slow and steady as the blonde's hips rose to 
meet the thrusts. They became lost in each other; their pleasure, 
both giving of and receiving, manifesting in a chorus of moans and 
sighs that rose up between them.

Adding a third finger, the red headed witch quickened her pace and 
thrust deeper, stretching the blonde around her fingers.

"Oh yes!" Tara cried out, grabbing Willow's shoulder and sinking her 
nails into the pale, freckled skin.

Willow swiped her thumb back and forth over Tara's engorged button, 
causing the blonde to buck her hips, meeting the hard thrusts that 
were causing nothing but pleasure to travel and spread throughout her 
body. When she felt her orgasm swell in her belly, she threw her 
head back, moaning loudly.

Willow felt the tension, knew Tara was on the edge. She slammed her 
fingers into the blonde, her thumb sliding up and over her hard nub 
at the same time. Two, three, four quick, thrusts and Tara was 
arching up off the bed, screaming out her release.


***

Buffy hadn't gotten far when she saw three figures emerge from the 
Anthropology building. Something about the black, hooded gowns told 
her all was not right.

"Hey!" The Slayer shouted as she neared them.

The three turned calm and confidant in their task, to face her.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in there." Buffy offered with a 
raised eyebrow, gesturing toward the building. "And those robes do 
nothing for you." She added, realizing she wasn't dealing with anyone 
belonging to the student population.

The three hooded figures moved slowly, stalking her with their dark, 
silence.

"Okay, let's just get this over with, shall we?"

Buffy wasn't in the mood to play around. If these were just another 
bunch of demons out to perform a ritual to end the world, she wanted 
to kill them quick and move on.

When the blades were drawn she acted quickly, jumping up in the air 
and doing a side-kick to the one closest to her, swiftly knocking him 
back. The dagger fell from his grasp. The Slayer turned quickly, 
squatted to miss an attack by the second and swept her leg along the 
ground, effectively laying the third on his back.

The first one reached his dagger, but not before Buffy flipped the 
second on to his back as well, gaining a blade for herself. She slit 
his throat quickly, jumped up, did a roundhouse, boot hitting squishy 
flesh, and dropped the first back down. The second's attack caught 
her along the shoulder as she was turning, cutting her uniform shirt 
in one straight line. She grimaced, but anger won out over pain and 
as the blade came down for another swipe at her, she caught the dark 
figure's arm, twisting it. When she heard the snap of bone she 
brought her leg up, kicking the minion in his head, then twisted his 
arm back around, burying the dagger he held in his chest.

She turned to see the first creature backing away slowly, unsure now.

"Oh no you don't"

She attacked swiftly, catching him off guard again with her speed. 
She pummeled his head with her fists, pushing him against the 
building wall. He tried to reach her with his dagger, but she blocked 
his attack and knocked it from his grasp. He wrapped his hand around 
her throat and squeezed with a mighty force. She strained against 
him, wanting to keep him alive to ask questions, but needing more, to 
survive.

She brought her knee up, connecting with his stomach, but that only 
made his grip tighten. For lack of anything better to do, the Slayer 
pressed her thumbs into his demon eyes, using as much force as she 
could muster until she felt them give way, melting around her fingers.

The minion stumbled back, releasing his grasp on her. He turned as if 
to run. Buffy leapt and shoulder charged him onto the ground. They 
landed with a loud thud. She couldn't keep him restrained however, as 
he continued to struggle and make his way from her grasp.

"Damn!" She thought, hoping to get a few questions answered. She 
realized though, that there was going to be no end to this fight 
unless one of them was dead.

The Slayer gained ground and seized his head, twisting harshly until 
she heard the familiar snap of vertebrae. She let his dead body 
crumple to the ground, rolled off him, onto her back and finally let 
herself breath again. Her throat hurt like hell, and she knew she'd 
have bruises there, even if they'd be gone by the morning.

She moved her flashlight over the still forms on the ground as he 
massaged the bruised flesh of her neck. None of them had mouths to 
answer her questions anyway, she noted. Then she saw it. Not more 
than three feet from where she had dropped the last creature, there 
lay a stone disk, glowing iridescent in the beam of the flashlight.

"Well, what have we got here." Buffy questioned.

She picked up the disk and felt a cold shiver run down her spine.  
Somehow she knew that this disk held power, was a tool of some kind. 
She could practically hear the scream of peoples from centuries past 
and it almost made her drop the object in fright.

"I guess its research time?"

***

Willow fell back onto the tangled sheets, sweaty and spent.

Tara, a slick grin on her face, moved up the red head's body, leaving 
soft kisses along her flat stomach, her firm breasts, the valley in 
between, and ending finally with Willow's mouth.

"Mmm? I love that." Willow sighed when the kiss ended. "I love you." 
Tara countered, snuggling in beside her lover, one arm wrapped around 
the slimmer figure's waste. "I love you, Tara? so much." "I missed 
you, Will." Tara kissed Willow's cheek and nuzzled her neck. "I 
know." Willow swallowed back the fresh lump in her throat. "I-I 
missed you. You and Buffy. All of you."

Tara didn't say anything, only wrapped her arms around her fellow 
witch and held her tight. They lay silent for a few minutes, 
comfortable in the post-coital bliss of their love-making.

"Tara?"
"Yeah?" Tara turned her face to look at the questioning girl.
"What about us? I-I mean? about Buffy? a-and us?"
"Oh."

Tara didn't know what to say, how to answer the questions that only 
the three of them could figure out, together. The Slayer and the two 
witches loved each other, that was clear to see. Tara and Buffy had 
already been intimate, and Tara definitely wanted to do that again.

"Except, maybe we'll take the clothes off next time?" She thought to 
herself.

She knew Willow and Buffy would want to make love. The thought of the 
two women she loved in each other's arms made her body ache. But 
would they be able to work out the three of them, having sex, 
together?

Willow's mind kept drifting to the kiss she shared with Buffy 
earlier. The way their lips had met, broken away and met again, 
massaging and teasing. Their tongues met tentatively at first, as if 
to ask permission before delving deeper. Willow's body began to hum 
in a gentle arousal, causing her nipples to stiffen and her heat to 
grow damp. She had loved Buffy for so long and lusted after her in 
embarrassed secrecy. There was no end to the stockpile of fantasies 
she had about the Slayer.

"You want to be with her, don't you?" Asked Tara, trailing her finger 
up between Willow's breasts.

Willow smiled, closing her eyes and enjoying the sensations Tara's 
fingers caused her.

"You know I do. Don't you?"
"Oh, yes." Tara met Willow's lips one more, kissing her softly. "I 
want you both."

Willow groaned at the seductive tone of voice coming from her lover.

"Then I guess we'll have to get Buffy in this bed then, won't we?"  
Willow said playfully, running her hands up Tara's stomach and 
tracing her fingers along the soft curve of her breast.

Tara shivered. Her arousal spiked again at the thought of Willow and 
Buffy sharing her bed.

"Definitely."



end