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Author's Chapter Notes:
I hope this chapter makes sense :)
Buffy stepped forward, extending her hand to greet Tara. “Hi, nice to meet you Tara.”

The somewhat mousey brunette with the warm eyes and kind smile shook her hand gently. “Hello. I’m a little early, I didn’t interrupt anything with your boyfriend?”

“Oh, he’s not – no, you didn’t.” What was the point in explaining anymore? She darted a nervous glance over at William who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. She refrained herself from rolling her eyes at him. “Uh, William, you don’t have to stay for this.”

“Is it all right if I do?” he asked.

“I’d really prefer you didn’t,” Buffy told him. “I kind of want to do this alone with Tara.”

William sighed. “All right, pet. I’ll be waiting inside.”

“William, really—“

“No, it’s all right. I know you secretly want me to stay.”

Buffy this time did roll her eyes. Man, but he was persistent. He winked at her and strolled off, hands shoved in his pockets, whistling.

“Is out here okay to chat?” Buffy asked Tara.

Tara smiled, sitting down on the fountain. “Here is fine. Very beautiful estate. I’ve been here a few times to visit my aunt.”

Buffy looked toward the mansion, before sitting herself. “Yeah, it is nice,” she said, emotionless.

Tara chuckled. “Once more with feeling.”

Buffy smiled weakly. “It’s too big for me. You know how you walk into some places and you feel right at home, and then others you feel alien when you’re there?”

“Most definitely.”

”I feel alien here.”

“Could it have something to do with the fact that you’re in a different country?”

“No, because I felt most comfortable at Will...iam’s,” Buffy said, blushing.

Tara grinned. “I understand. Could it maybe have to do with the spectral activity here?”

“Do you feel it?”

“I do. It’s strong.”

“And imposing,” Buffy muttered.

“I’ve come to learn that spirits are much like little children when they don’t get their way. They demand attention when they know the person in question – which would be you – can hear and see them. I don’t get the impression from them that they wish to do you any harm. They just want to be acknowledged that they too live here. They only wish to live with you harmoniously.”

“That’s exactly what I want. I just don’t want to feel that when I don’t acknowledge them every time they feel the need to present themselves, that I’m being stalked or forced out.”

“They don’t wish to make you feel that way, Buffy.”

Buffy sighed. “The thing is, I’m just not that good at this sort of thing. I never have been. My mode of dealing with this so called gift has been to block them out.”

“I see. Has that worked?”

“At times.”

“So essentially, you just want to be better able to control it.”

”Right. I don’t want to be bombarded or woken up in the middle of the night, or visited while I’m out to lunch, you know?”

“Sometimes ghosts are random, Buffy.”

“Tell me about it,” Buffy muttered.

“And however you handle them, they will not always stay respectfully away, however, I can give you some pointers on how to live better with your gift.”

“I’m all ears.”

Turning into Buffy, Tara instructed her to close her eyes. “This is a simple exercise to sort of create a block, a buffer if you will, between them and you. Imagine a bright white light surrounding you, blanketing you all around your person, make it as wide as you can. When you have that image in your mind say ‘Within, without, make a circle all around and all about. So mote it be.’”

Getting the image strong in her mind, Buffy then repeated the words and opened her eyes. “That it?”

Tara smiled, “You can try doing that before you go to bed too, and in your room imagine that light encompassing your entire room. Easy right?”

“Very,” Buffy said enthusiastically.

“You can repeat that little chant as many times as you like until you feel that you’re, well, in your own safe little bubble so to speak. When you feel that you want to take it down a bit, simply state out loud to them that you will talk to them. That way, you keep the bubble up to protect you and buffer you, but you’re letting them know you’re opening yourself to them.”

Buffy grinned, “Baby steps.”

“I have an idea for the house itself.”

”Which is?”

“Well, for one, I would suggest investing in a candle. Any color, any scent, any size. My suggestion is to light it in a central location.”

“The ballroom would be perfect for that!”

“Okay, the ballroom it is,” Tara smiled. ”Light a candle in there once a month, on a day of your choosing, but I suggest the Full or New Moon where spirit activity is the strongest. Lighting it in that room suggests that you wish them to stay in that central location. Or, you can choose an area where you feel them the strongest.”

“They are all over the house,” Buffy said, slightly exasperated.

“That’s because they want your attention,” Tara told her, nudging her slightly. “By lighting the candle, you’re honoring them and acknowledging them. You’re telling them that you only wish to live harmoniously with them and you’re not going to banish them.”

“I understand,” Buffy said, nodding.

“And I have a third idea that is still in the beginning stages if you want to try it.”

“I’m usually not one to try new things,” Buffy admitted, “on the other hand, I am feeling quite desperate here, so how about I hear you out and we’ll take it from there.”

“Fair enough,” Tara said and took a deep breath. “Okay. You’ve chosen the ballroom as your location to centralize them as best you can, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, my idea is to further cement that by placing two chairs in that room and inviting them, one at a time, to chat with you.”

Buffy furrowed her brow, “Elaborate on that more please.”

“In the room, you place two chairs in the center, light your candle and invite them to talk to you. Tell them, and be firm with them, that you only wish to speak with them one at a time. Tell them that you want to live with them peacefully, that you do not wish to banish them from the home and you’d prefer that they only come to you when you visit that room.”

“I never do though.”

“You will on the nights you light that candle,” Tara pointed out.

“Good point.”

“I only suggest that as a temporary procedure until you are more comfortable with them. It’s not entirely fair for them to not have the lay of the house, and until you feel more comfortable with them being here, I suggest you let them know that it is only temporary. Buffy, the important thing to remember here is, if you are willing to work with them, they will be willing to work with you. They can be an asset to you if you let them.”

“An asset?” Buffy said, slightly incredulous.

“Yes, an asset. Think about it this way: You and William are going out one evening and you use the hair straightener or curler, and you forget to turn it off. They can turn it off for you.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Tara smiled wide, “Yes. There has been so many times I have left a candle burning in my shop and have raced back to snuff it, only to find that it’s already been snuffed.”

“How do you know you hadn’t snuffed it anyway?”

“I knew you would ask me that, you and your suspicious mind,” Tara teased, causing Buffy to smile. “Because I’d seen the smoke leaving the candle as if it’d just been snuffed. And often times, they’ve done it without my not even remembering frantically that I’d left it burning and they’ve left me the candle on my desk as a reminder.”

“Oh.”

“So,” Tara said, clapping her hands together. “How about we start with those first and take it from there.”

Buffy smiled, “Thank you, Tara. Certain individuals have been trying to get me to work with them, and so far, I’ve only listened to you.”

“That’s because I’m the objective third party.”

“And a witch.”

Tara chuckled, “That too. Look, I have some supplies in my car, I was wondering – would you like it if I did a house cleansing for you?”

Buffy frowned, “How do you do that?”

“Sage, an herb, it has cleansing and protective qualities.”

“Is it something I could do?”

Tara blinked, “You want to do it?”

“Well, it is sort of mine.”

Tara gazed at her curiously, “You don’t trust easily do you?”

Buffy shook her head. “I don’t.”

“Believe it or not, I completely understand. You just met me, and having my energy in your house that you already don’t feel comfortable in, can be a little daunting. I’ll just give you the sage and all you really need to do is just go in room to room and burn it around doors and windows and just all over. Trust me, you’ll feel so much better after. The house will feel lighter even.”

Buffy sighed, “Oh that would be nice.”

“I think I’ll go in and visit my aunt for a bit if that’s all right?”

Buffy gave her a look, “Of course it’s all right. Take her out for lunch if you want even.”

Tara laughed, “She would never!”

Buffy laughed, “Tell her I demand she go.”

“I’ll try!” Tara called out over her shoulder as she made her way back in the mansion, passing William as she went.

Buffy grinned as William came over, grinning himself. “So,” he drawled, “How’d the pow-wow go?”

“It went very well. She gave me a lot to start with.”

“So,” he said slowly, wrapping his arms around and nuzzling her neck. “You feel better?”

“Much. Want to take a trip into town with me?”

“I’d love to kitten.”

“Want to help cleanse the house with me too?”

“What do you mean, ‘cleanse’ it? Edina would have a fit if she heard you needed to clean it some more.”

Buffy giggled, “I’ll explain on the way. It’s all ‘witchy’.”

“Does that mean we get to do it naked?” he asked, leering down at her.

Laughing, Buffy pushed away from him and started to run toward the house. “Come on!”





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