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Catching Sunflowers in Bloom
CHAPTER SIX: SPOKEN

Author: MissKittys Ball O Yarn
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Please leave feedback on the Catching Sunflowers in Bloom thread on the Kitten Board.
Disclaimer: We all know the drill... but I guess it must be said. I don't own anything even remotely related to Willow and Tara nor do I plan to get anything that resembles monetary gain for such creative musing. The great and powerful Joss owns all and I am not but an unimportant bug to be crushed (now that that's been said...)


Tara sat on the hard wooden stool in the darkened barn. She shifted slightly, wincing silently as a sharp sliver of wood poked her once more, stabbing Tara's leg even through the heavy material of the jeans she wore. Ignoring the irritation, Tara set back to her task. She had only a week before Willow's birthday and she wanted to get the necklace done before then. Tara squinted in the dim light. Her eyes refused to adjust to the only source of light in the space; A bare bulb hung from the rafters but It barely illuminated anything beyond a two feet radius.

Tara felt the metal, it was smooth between the fingers of her right hand. Alone, the metal was hard and stiff, refusing to bend, but through concentration Tara was able to soften it enough to mold it into the desired formation. Setting the pliers down, Tara held the small piece of metal in one hand and felt inside her pant's pocket with the other hand. She was feeling for the stone that she had taken from the crawl space in her bedroom earlier this evening, after Willow had gone home for the night. Tara relaxed over her task as her mind began conjuring memories from this afternoon. Even though it had been brief, Tara could still recall in great detail, How it had felt to lay her head on Willow's shoulder, and how breathless it had made her when the soft skin of the red head's neck had brushed against Tara's forehead. Tara felt her stomach tighten when she recalled how it had felt to want nothing more than to stroke the back of Willow's hand with the tip of her fingers...but she hadn't, something inside of her wouldn't allow it. Tara's thoughts were broken as she felt something hard skim against her searching fingers.Tara looked down as she pulled the stone from her pocket.

This particular stone was a pure, deep green color. It twinkled in the yellow glow of the barn, and the reflection of it danced on the surface of Tara's blue eyes. It was uncannily the same color as Willow's eyes. When she finished the necklace she would infuse a protection spell into it. Tara picked up the pliers off of the old table in front of her.

She was concentrating with all her focus as she fit the stone into the metal, but the part of her that was still connected to the outside world couldn't miss the sound of Donny's cumbersome sneakers as they tripped over things laying in the yard. He was on his way into the barn, Tara could feel is aura as he approached. She could feel the antagonistic intent that flowed off of him like water over a rock.

"What are you so busy with out here?"

Tara made no movement at the sound of her brothers voice. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of flinching even the slightest bit. That's what he wanted from her, for her to show fear and they both knew it. Things were different now...her father was gone and the balance of power had shifted in her favor. Her mother would never let Donny hurt her, he knew this and that's why he came no closer than he was.

"Go away Donny," Tara said calmly . She didn't even turn to face him as she spoke.

What's that?" Donny said ignoring her instruction. Coming around the table, he grabbed at the small piece of metal in Tara's hand.

"N-nothing... Go a-away." Tara said again, though she could feel her confidence slipping as he initiated physical contact. She held the necklace away from him. Tara didn't want confrontation at this moment and she certainly didn't want Donny contaminating the stone with his negativity.

"It's for that girl isn't it? your little girlfriend..." Donny said nastily.

Tara said nothing, simply continued to mold the metal around the stone she'd already fitted in the center. She hoped Donny would tire of this game when he found he couldn't intimidate her this time.

"Jeeze Tara... you're so queer" Donny said laughing.

Tara froze, her eyes wide as her brother's words penetrated the secret thoughts she didn't even know existed until that very moment in time. Donny was laughing it off as if it what he'd said had been nothing but a joke, but Tara could hear the undercurrent of seriousness in his voice. She didn't know what to do. What should she say? Tara felt heat creeping up into her face centering itself as a blush across her cheeks. Luckily she had turned away from Donny or he might've seen the "startled deer" look that shown in her eyes. Tara was suddenly very aware of the feel of her heart beating beneath her breast and the blood rushing inside her body suddenly became as loud as if she'd been holding her head underwater . "I said go away Donny..." Tara's voice was menacing as she fought to control her tongue. Though her mother was in charge now, it wouldn't do to put her foot too far into her mouth for she was sure to regret it when her father got home.

"Or what? You'll put a curse on me?" He sneered, taking a step backward.

"What do you suppose your Willow would think of you if she knew you wanted to-"

Tara didn't let Donny finish, she was on him faster than a dog on a stray cat. "Don't you ever say her name again! Do you hear me?" Tara spat the words at him. If the proverb about the tongue being mightier than the sword were meant literally then Donny was sure to have been hanging by his shirt from the nearest support beam. Tara stared him dead in the eye. She felt her blood heating up. Tara knew she had to calm down..But the urge to blow Donny out of the barn using nothing but her mind was a strong force. Tara couldn't allow herself to indulge in such an act, no matter how badly it called to her though, she knew it would be wrong to use magic on her brother and she would respect the laws of magic above all other things.

Tara's fists clenched as she brought them away from where they lay pressed against the sides of her body. Tara couldn't use magic, but there was no law ruling out physicality completely. Tara put her hands on Donny's chest and pushed, not as hard as she was capable of, but just enough to move him out of her way. The necklace fell from her fingers as she ran out of the barn, toward the house.

Tara flew past her mother and up the stairs. Outside her bedroom door is when the tears finally came, wetting her cheeks only to drip heavily from her chin. Tara turned the doorknob. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she went to her bed and threw herself down face first. Tara grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her, but that only made things worse because she immediately smelled Willow's unmistakable scent on the pillow..

Tara remembered the last time they had been in her room, Willow had been holding the pillow as they sat cross legged on the bed, talking. Tara wondered how Willow's smell could linger even days later.

Tara Pushed the pillow away from her as if it harbored a disease. She couldn't deal with the feelings that were kindled inside her from that sweet scent... Maybe her brother was right... maybe she wanted willow as more than a friend, But she didn't want to be different... She was already different enough without being... G- Tara couldn't even get the word to come out.. this would really put things over the top and she just wasn't ready for over the top differentness. Besides, Donny was right..he might be a jerk but he was right... what would Willow think about her if she knew...? Tara felt like throwing up, she leaned over her bed, breathing deeply until the wave of nausea passed. Tara buried her head in her pillow once more.


"Donny... What did you do?" Odessa said harshly as her oldest child came through the front door. Her eyes followed him as he went into the living room and plopped himself down on the floor in front of the couch. He ignored her question, instead Flipping on the television.

"Nothing," he finally stated innocently when he saw that she wasn't going to go away without an answer.

"You are too much like your father for your own good. you know that?" she chastised.

Donny said nothing he simply kept his eyes on the television screen as Odessa opened the front door and slipped out. Walking down the old wooden steps she made her way to the barn. Wild chickens clucked in front of her and Kaneeda whinnied from her bed in the stalls. Odessa pushed the barn door open, wearily checking for spiders before she stepped fully onto the dirt covered floor. She immediately saw a glint of something shining on the ground and bent down to pick it up. It was an intricately carved necklace, the stone in the middle was a haunting green and instantly Odessa knew what had happened. Tucking the jewelry into her apron pocket, she made her way back to the house, reaching the door just as the first drops of rain started to fall.


Continue to Catching Sunflowers in Bloom Chapter Seven


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