Room 223, Monday Around Noon

[life_inshadow]

Tara's room was completely packed up now, even if that kept making no sense to her. It felt like three years of her life should take up more space than the pile of boxes and suitcases actually did

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[wesleynotponcy]

And thaaat would be Tara's phone ringing.

It was a slow day at the Hyperion, the summer was drawing to a close, and Wesley had been feeling nostalgic for Fandom lately. Thus, a phone call.

[life_inshadow]

"Hey, Wesley," Tara said once she'd checked the caller ID, with some trepidation. "The world isn't ending or anything, is it?"

Not that she was asking for any particular reason. But, seriously, she didn't want to move in late to the UC-Sunnydale dorms because she had to go to a demon dimension again.

[wesleynotponcy]

Wesley laughed. "No, no, it's not." Currently. YOU'RE WELCOME, TARA. "I just thought I'd see how you're doing."

[life_inshadow]

"I'm good, considering," she said thoughtfully. "You called at a good time. I'll be in Sunnydale this time tomorrow."

[momslilassassin]

He'd be a poor friend if he couldn't wander down the hallway, right?

"I don't like this part," he said, looking around her empty room.

[life_inshadow]

"It's not much fun," Tara acknowledged sympathetically. "Seems to happen every year around this time, too."

[momslilassassin]

"I missed it last year," Ben said. "Another trip home that turned into a disaster..."

[life_inshadow]

Tara had to think about it for a second. "I did too," she admitted. "First I was with my mom, then I spent a month traveling. I ... didn't really say a lot of goodbyes."

They were the most cheerful people ever.

[brat_inslayage]

The thing was, Kennedy hadn't planned on calling. She'd spent the morning coordinating mover logistics with Giles and Vi (who'd be subletting their apartment) and in general just going super-take-chargey because it was her way of avoiding the freakout of leaving Wednesday morning oh god. She'd just come back from a meeting with the property management office to finalize the lease paperwork and found Willow on the couch in the way-too-empty living room with her computer.

"It's today, isn't it?" she'd asked, and Kennedy had been confused for a few moments until the half hopeful, half scared look on Willow's face clued her in to how she'd mentioned that Tara was supposed to leave for Sunnydale today, and then she pretty much felt the same way Willow looked.

So yeah. Calling felt like a thing that had to happen, with Willow curled up next to Kennedy, close enough to listen in a bit. Could've been a bad idea, but neither of them specialized in really good ideas anyway.

[life_inshadow]

Tara had finally shut the scrapbook and was fidgeting with her hair, wondering if she should bleach a streak in it before college, when the phone rang again.

"Hey," she said easily, glancing at the caller ID. "Aren't you on your way to Brazil?"

[brat_inslayage]

"No, but Bailey is," replied Kennedy, who'd flat-out refused to leave her rabbit behind. "We're heading out first thing Wednesday. You all set for Sunnydale?"

She was trying to imagine Tara's room all empty. It was kind of hard.

[life_inshadow]

"I think so," Tara said, glancing around her room as if she might spot a rogue sock at any moment. "It's weird. My life here is ... just a big pile of boxes."

She made a little hmphing noise. "See, now I'm sad Bailey has to travel without you."

[not_a_parakeet]

"So," Warren said, stepping into Tara's doorway with a wry little smile on his lips. "I think I'm properly terrified, which is kind of silly, all things considered."

And hi! He was going to get to the 'hi' part. Just give him a moment to look properly terrified, first.

"Hi."

[life_inshadow]

"Hi," Tara returned, with a nervous smile. "It's okay! I'd be terrified if we were doing this the other way around."

That ... probably didn't make things better.

[not_a_parakeet]

Not much, but Warren was willing to take a few deep breaths and relax all the same.

"I hear Empire State is a pretty good school," he teased, grinning at the thought, "but then people would recognize me, and there would never be a quiet moment. If the ground opens up and eats us on the first day of classes in Sunnydale or something, at least this way there won't be any paparazzi swarming us when it does."

That was totally an upside, okay?

[life_inshadow]

Tara looked appropriately terrified by the suggestion. "No ground swallowing us up," she said firmly. "Besides, everything's earthquake proof out there."

She had no idea if that was true or not.

She smiled a little, and teased, "Are you sure you'll be okay not being recognized?"

[trigons_child]

Raven knew that Monday was to be Tara's last day in Fandom, so even after seeing her at their night off the island, she had to come by to say goodbye.

"I sorely dislike this time of year," she said with a sad smile.

[life_inshadow]

Tara gave her a wry little smile. "Last time we have to go through it, right?" she said. "Come on in."

[trigons_child]

Raven stepped inside, looking around at the boxes. "I have almost finished my packing as well," she said. "It is strange to have come here with almost nothing, and now to have so much to take with me."

[life_inshadow]

"I know," Tara nodded. "I mean, I ... came with stuff, but it didn't feel like as much as I have now. I guess that's what happens when you stay in one place."