Oz pulled up in front of Spike’s house. He switched the engine off and opened his door, climbed out, and shut it gently. Hey it was his uncle’s van, although it was technically his because his uncle was in prison but still, he didn’t want to damage it.
Willow and Tara climbed out of the van, chatting away about the fact that they were both in love with boys in the band. Tara seemed a lot happier and talkative now that Willow had helped her realise her feelings for Jesse.
Tara had always been relatively shy and reclusive. She stammered lots and was generally nervous about sharing her ideas. She was also, however, incredibly intuitive and could usually tell something about you simply from a glance at you. She worked on the school paper with Anya, who was the editor below the teacher who organised it, Fred Burkle.
But since Anya got a crush on Xander (and Vice Versa), Tara had been hanging out with the Dingoes’ gang. She and Willow quickly became best friends. Tara told her things she wouldn’t tell other people.
For example, Tara’s mother had been a witch. Tara was one too, but the rest of her family accused the pair of them as ‘demons’ and threw them out. She and her mother were doing fine until she died when Tara was 9. The only person in the Maclay clan that was willing to take her in was Tara’s aunt Amy. Amy shielded her from the rest of the Maclays and warned her never to tell anyone bout the magic. The family disowned Amy because it was revealed that she too used magic.
But Tara knew that Willow would understand, and told her. At first she thought that Willow would treat her like a demon, just like her family, but she became fascinated by the craft and began to study it. Willow and Tara became even closer and now that Willow studied magic, they had more to talk about.
Tara became more confidant knowing that her family was wrong and that she really wasn’t a demon. She even ‘came out of the broom closet’ and became more talkative.
In other words, without Willow, Tara would still be the introverted and virtually invisible girl she used to be, rather than the much more talkative, but still shy, girl she was now.
Oz opened the back of the van and handed Willow the guitar and Tara a bag of guitar plectrums.
Tara drew a breath to ask why Spike need so many, but Oz answered her before she said a word.
“They’re his good luck charms.”
“Oh.” Replied Tara.
Oz turned around and put the heavy amp on the ground outside the van’s doors. He locked the van up and lifted up the amp.
Tara knocked on the door, as her hands were the most able.
Spike’s father opened the door and welcomed them in.
Spike walked downstairs, his leather duster billowing behind him.
“Thanks Oz, Red, Glinda.” He said, nodding to each person in turn.
“No problem Spike.” Replied Oz.
Spike helped Oz carry the amp upstairs and into his room. Willow and Tara followed the boys up. They both wanted to see the interior of Spike’s room, to compare it to the rest of his home.
Spike’s house, was nice. It was tastefully decorated with mainly wooden furniture. There was an upholstered sofa in the living room and they had an expensive-looking wide screen T.V.
They peaked into Spike’s bedroom and both girls gasped a the contrast within. Spike’s bedroom had red and black alternating walls. On the walls were posters of old punk bands like The Clash and The Sex Pistols. Most of the furniture was metallic and the carpet was blacker than pitch.
The girls took tentative steps into the room to get a better look. They spotted his Manchester United bed spread and matching pillowcase. Willow smiled at this. Tara looked at the nightstand next to his bed and saw the family photo. In the picture were Spike’s father, a woman that must have been his mother, and a young Spike right in between them.
‘so his natural hair colour’s brown? Go figure.’ Thought Willow as she came to see what Tara was looking at.
Tara stared intently at the photo. Spike looked somewhat nerdier in the old photo. His eyes were still an intense blue and he looked as though he couldn’t have been happier.
She smiled and placed the bag of plectrums on the nightstand, directly next to the photo.
The trio left the room. Spike noticed that the plectrums were by the photo. He picked up the photo and studied it.
He had been 11 years old. It had been a family outing to the park, just before the move to Sunnydale.
He smiled at the memory. His mother, Anne, and his father, William, were looking proudly at their son. It had been a family friend that had taken the photo. Cecily Halfrek Addams, or as Spike knew her, Aunt Hallie-his mum’s best friend.
The last time he’d seen her had been at the funeral, when he was 13. He missed her a lot. She had been like an older sister and his last remaining connection to his mother other than his dad.
He put the bag of plectrums next to his guitar stand. His vibrant red Rickenbacker shined in the light. Spike smiled sadly.
Suddenly, his muse returned and he reached for a pen and his notebook.
He felt inspired, the glint of his beloved guitar sending him a word to use…
It was a word she had taught him. Aunt Hallie had taught him lots of fancy words when he was a kid, this one word standing out the most.
“How’m I supposed to say that one?” he asked.
“It’s easy! Eff-ul-jent. Can you handle that one?” asked Hallie.
“Eff-Effulgent?” he said uncertainly, “Did I say it right?”
“Just perfect. Now come on try this one.” Said Hallie.
She scribbled something down on a piece of paper, and handed it to him.
“WHAT?!” he exploded, “I can’t even read it! It’ll take forever!”
“Will, should I just say it then, to prove that it doesn’t take forever?”
“Okay.” He replied.
Hallie took a deep breath.
“Pneumonultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoneosis.” She said in one breath
“Wow.” Said William, completely awestruck.
“See? It’s not impossible.”
“No it isn’t.” murmured Spike.
He sat at his desk, bent his head and started to write out the new song that was forming in his head from just one word.
Effulgent …
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Yay! We've hit the big 3-0!!!Big thank-you goes out to those that review! You all know who you are! This one's a little short and lacking in Spuffy but we are SO nearly there it's killing me. Review and I'll get the next chapter up, if you don't... well just be glad that I sometimes break my rule of '5 Reviews=Next Chapter...