For Keeps
AUTHOR: Eris
DISCLAIMER:
No infringement of copyright is intended. You know the drill, anyone appearing
on or mentioned on BtVS are ME's.
RATING: G
PAIRING: Mr. Gordo and Tara
SUMMARY: Tara
makes the hard decisions
WARNINGS and or SPOILERS: None
Tara looked around the room, taking
in every little detail. As much time as she had spent in the Summers' house, she
had never really spent much time in here, in Buffy's room, being the new and
all. Not like Willow and Xander had over the years, and so she thought it best,
easiest maybe, if she were to begin the process of preparing and packing Buffy's
things for storage.
But as she sat silently trying to decide exactly where to begin, she was finding
it much more difficult than she had ever imagined. It felt almost as if she were
violating Buffy's spirit in some way by trying to box it all up. Everything
suddenly seemed so personal ... but then, it was. That was the point.
Still scanning the room, her eyes finally came to rest on a soft peach presence.
Getting up, she retrieved the bright-eyed little treasure from its perch on the
shelf. Mr. Gordo. This was Buffy's favorite toy out of everything she owned.
Willow and Dawn had spoken so highly of him, and so often, she had originally
thought he was a person. A teacher even, or possibly another Mr. Giles. Imagine
her surprise and embarrassment at finding out he was just a stuffed animal.
Returning, Tara sat cross-legged on Buffy's bed, holding him, stroking his soft
fur. Maybe he was a teacher: Mr. Gordo, Hug Therapy 101. He was definitely cute
and gave off the good warm fuzzies. But, and this was strange, upon looking
closer, he also had an energy about him, an aura of brilliant green. Stuffed
animals shouldn't have auras. Inanimate objects shouldn't have auras unless they
were objects of power. This played at her for a long time as she sat and stared
at him trying unsuccessfully to delve deeper.
Maybe he was enchanted? Or, or tainted... Oh wait...hadn't Willow said she used
to make him dance for Dawnie? But no... that couldn't have happened since Dawn
wasn't... She sighed. This little guy was a true enigma, and she wondered what
kind of secrets he still harbored. He'd probably seen it all over the years by
belonging to the slayer.
Rising, she grabbed the first empty box and set it down next to the shelf.
Moving to place him into it, she suddenly stopped. She couldn't do it. No, this
was Mr. Gordo. Mr. Gordo had been important to Buffy. And now he would be even
more important to Willow and Dawn. Mr. Gordo had to stay. He'd have his little
trotters full with the monumental task that lay ahead, and suddenly Tara
realized what she had detected in him. He wasn't so much a teacher as a healer.
Then again, maybe he was both. He'd just taught her a valuable lesson. She now
understood why Willow and Dawn held him in such high regard.
Smiling thoughtfully, she returned to the bed, hugged him tightly and gave him a
soft kiss on the snout before placing him on the coverlet in what was now the
beginning of the "to keep" pile.