Darn Salem Judges - Get your seat ready for more wiggling as i'm about to update here.
I hope you get this before you go away although with the cliffhanger at the end you may want to wait
Ange - Glad that this story is rereadable, hope you like the update.
Aly - Men pfft wait a sec *notices an extra appendege* Oh yeah, HEY!!!!
well your waiting ends here and well maybe it begins again because there's a nice little surpirse at the end again.
Okay done with the replies and onto a small personal note if i may. There wont be an update until Sunday at the earliest after this, having a bit of a rough time at the moment, just found out my uncle has terminal cancer today and tosay my mum is a little disdraught is the understatement of the century. Pretty sad it can happen to a man in his mid thirties, doesn't smoke, drinks in moderation and has a four year old son. It's gonna be a tough time so bare with me if there is a small gap in updates though writing and coming onto the board is often a nice escape from the drugery that is reality. Anyway thanks for letting me say my piece and without much further ado...
Title - More than a Feeling
Author’s Name - Nathan
Rating - M15+ recommended for mature viewing audience. But hey I’m not ya mum so I ain’t gonna spank ya, unless ya want me too.
Disclaimer - These Char’s belong to Joss and ME and totally not mine.
Also title is also a song by Boston but so also listen to it if you get the chance cause its good.
Feedback - Totally, unless you don’t wanna say anything, but u could if u wanted to.
Summary - Totally AU, this fic doesn’t have a hellmouth, demons the weekly apocalypse or even vamp’s for that fact. It’s set the summer before senior high (I may not be a Yank but I’m pretty sure I know how ya calendar runs). Oh yeah lots of Willow & Tara goodness.
Part 24 will she or won’t she part II“I… want to take you up on your offer, go with you to England.” Willow blurted out before she could change her mind. Giles was rather shocked at the admission, he’d expected her to want to stay after what had happened at the house.
“What about Tara?” He asked, still in his confused daze.
“She… she wants me to go, she thinks it’d be great for me.” Willow replied, her head slumping towards the floor. Giles stood there in silence, not sure what to do with himself so he eventually wrapped the slender girl in his arms and offered a caring embrace. Willow was like a daughter to him or a really close niece at least, and he had grown rather attached to her over the last few years. He hated seeing her upset and he wished he could make it all go away.
“She’s only doing it because she loves you Willow, there is no other reason than that, you’d have to be blind, deaf and stupid not to realise how much she loves you and even then it wouldn’t be a very good excuse.” Giles reassured her as he continued to hold the girl in a comforting embrace.
“I know she does, it’s what makes this whole thing so hard.” Giles looked down at Willow after she finished talking. He tried to smile down at her as he knew he should be happy that she’d be going with him, he just couldn’t bring himself to smile at the moment yet though as tears flowed quite freely down cheek.
………….
Tara sat on the couch in her lounge room channel surfing, but not even really noticing what was on the t.v anyway. Her mind was racing around a certain redhead who had completely overtaken her life these last eight months. She missed Willow already and it would still be a few weeks before she left if she was going at all. Tara stood up and flicked the t.v off.
“If she’s going, I should be making the most of my time with her now right?” She talked out loud to herself. Right on cue she heard a knock at the front door. She made her way over and opened it, Willow was standing on her front porch, and her face slowly raising from the ground to meet the pools of blue that awaited her.
“Willow.” Was all Tara could say, almost not believing that her girlfriend was standing there right now. She looked over the redhead’s body, her legs hidden by a long floral skirt, her stomach and breasts covered by the light cotton sweater that she wore, her long slender arms crossed just beneath her chest. She moved her gaze along her girlfriend’s neck, finding a certain spot she knew she’d touched a thousand time before. She trailed her gaze up the copper tresses, finally coming into sight of the amazing green eyes that she so often lost herself in.
“Come in.” She finally offered as she eventually regain focus, moving out of the way so the redhead could walk past. Willow offered a simple “thanks” and made her way into the living room. She stood next to the coffee table as Tara made her way over.
“Did you want to sit down?” Tara asked cautiously, pointing to one of the seats. Willow just shook her head, and continued to stare at the floor in front of her. Willow’s actions were making Tara more than a little nervous and she began to panic.
“Can you please say something Will, talk to me.” She begged and Willow finally raised her eyes so they were level with the blonde’s.
“I’m going.” She let out softly, the hurt of the decision still evident in her tone. Tara caught on straight away to what she was talking about.
“To England?” She responded, needed to fears to be confirmed. Willow just nodded her head, confirming the blonde’s thoughts.
“Oh, I-I think you made the right choice Will, I-I’m sure you’ll have a great time in England.” Tara replied as her head slumped and her gaze shifted to the carpet. She knew deep down it was what Willow should do, but still it tore at her so badly.
“I’m not going for fun, it could never be any fun without you, I’m going because it’s a great opportunity for an eighteen year old and it doesn’t mean you or I wont be here in four years time.” Willow finally spoke up, allaying some of the millions of thoughts that had gone through her head in making this decision.
“No, no it doesn’t.” Tara confirmed the redhead’s views without lifting her eyes once.
Willow and Tara just stood there, neither looking up at the other as the reality started to set in. It was an uncomfortable silence but neither made any moves to end it. Tara wondered if this is what their last few weeks would be like and she knew right then and there that it couldn’t.
“Do you want to go to the prom with me?” Tara asked out of the blue and startled Willow somewhat.
“Of course, I mean I wouldn’t go with anyone else but you.” Willow half smiled up at Tara and was relieved to see Tara return the smile as unconvincing as it was, it was still a smile.
“I don’t want our last few weeks together to be like this, all awkward and silent, there will be plenty of time for that when I have to watch you get on the plane.” Tara was trying so hard to hold her tears back as she tried to explain why she asked.
“Oh god I have to watch you get on a plane.” Tara broke down and Willow was at her side in a flash. She pulled the blonde into an intimate embrace and slowly stroked the blonde hair of her lover as Tara cried into her shoulder. Willow’s stomach churned at the thought of leaving this amazing specimen of the human race. She knew herself, stepping onto the plane would be the hardest step of her life, but having thought things through continuously, she knew what she had to do.
……………
The few weeks that passed until their senior prom were spent in the most intimate of moments between Willow and Tara. Every time Willow kissed Tara it seemed as though Tara was savouring every kiss, and Willow knew she was doing the same. When they made love, each of them explored every single inch of the others body, neither wanting to forget a single freckle of the love of their lives. They were always holding hands whilst in the presence of their friends, or anyone else for that matter. The contact of the flesh that it caused was vital to their everyday life and neither felt they could live without it. The only thing that would stop you from being mistaken that they were a newly married couple was the intense look each shared in their eyes. The love and passion that they shared was quite obvious but so was the sorrow they felt for their parting which was just over the horizon. The tinge of sadness in their eyes reminded everyone else how lucky they were to be with someone and they all made sure they expressed it.
Buffy clung to Angel’s arm, her lime green evening gown, standing out against Angel’s tux. Cordelia was dressed in a dark navy blue dress, a slit up the side of one leg showing off her hard work as a cheerleader, her dress blended in quite nicely with Donnie’s tux to her right. Anya was dressed to the nines in a long black evening gown. It showed the curves of her slender body quite nicely as she clung closely onto a tuxedo clad Xander. Willow waited for her love at the bottom of the stairs, She was wearing a light purple evening gown that showed off plenty of skin. She’d even let Anya perm her red hair for the special occasion and frilly red locks hung loosely around her ears.
Willow’s jaw dropped as she witnessed the most stunning one of all walk down the stairs. Tara was dressed in a light blue evening gown with her hair neatly pulled back in a braid. Tara smiled as she saw Willow and had to try hard to keep her own jaw from dropping at the sight of the gorgeous redhead.
“Wow, you look positively stunning.” Was all Willow could manage to splutter out as her eyes struggled to stay within their sockets.
“You look great too, I love you hair.” Tara smiled back, her soft tone heavenly.
“Oh that was me, I did her hair and made her look beautiful.” Anya shouted excitedly, raising her hand high in the air and jumping up and down to bring attention to herself. Tara smiled at her as Xander just nodded his head in embarrassment. All the parents filled the Maclay household as pictures were being taken one of each respective couple, one of the guys, one of the girls and finally individual ones. It filled the house with a certain amount of joy and brought smiles to everyone’s faces.
………..
Couples rocked up together and mingled amongst themselves at the party. There were people dancing, others talked privately while some of the less popular kids found themselves sitting at tables by themselves.
Tara noticed all of them and felt extremely sorry for the people here alone, as she knew it was only a matter of time before she joined their ranks. She had intended to cling onto Willow the whole night but the sight of so many happy couples meant she needed to get away from it all. She found a quiet spot away from the party and pulled out a carton of cigarettes she’d stowed away in her purse. She pulled one out and lit it as she placed it between her lips. She inhaled deeply, a sudden sense of relief washing over her.
“Didn’t know you smoked.” Buffy stated as she spotted Tara light up, she’d seen the blonde sneak of and followed to see what was up.
Tara didn’t even flinch at Buffy’s words, which may have made someone else jump a mile as the smaller blonde had practically some out of nowhere.
“I don’t.” was her simple reply as she offered the carton in Buffy’s direction. Buffy hesitated a moment before taking one and putting it between her lips. Tara lit it up for her and Buffy breathed in, coughing and spluttering at the sudden foul taste in her mouth.
“See I’m an old pro, lungs are all gooey already.” Buffy said, between spitting out the taste in her mouth. Tara giggled at the sight and took another quick puff on her cigarette.
“You don’t have to Buffy, I was just being nice.” Tara smiled to her friend who keenly returned it.
“Thanks, blah, they taste awful, I don’t understand how you can sit there and put that thing in your mouth. Does Willow know about this?” Buffy’s tone suddenly changed to a concerned one and Tara’s face drooped at the mention of the woman she loved so much.
“No, I don’t usually do this, it’s the first time I’ve done it since being in New York, I started doing it after my mother died.” Tara explained to Buffy as she removed the cigarette from her mouth, looked at it and quickly squashed what was remaining. She sighed and slumped back against the wall. Slowly sliding down it until she sat on the ground. Buffy found a ripe spot right next to her and parked her own but down so she was sitting next to Tara.
“Two weeks Buffy, two weeks is all I have left before she jets off.” Tara sighed, she didn’t bother to look at the blonde as she spoke, she instead gazed of into the stars.
“I know, it terrifies me to think what it’s gonna be like without her around, she’s been here forever and now she’s not.” Buffy replied, she glanced once over to Tara then joined her in gazing at the stars.
“I know I may seem a little self centred about this sometimes Buffy, but I want you to know that I think Willow leaving is probably just as hard, if not harder on you than it is me.” Tara turned her gaze towards Buffy and git a smile in return from Buffy who had shifted her gaze back at the taller girl once she started talking.
“You’re right I’m gonna miss her, but not nearly as much as you will Tara, you two have a bond that is so unique, I think everyone else is gonna miss you two being together just as much as we will Willow. You guys are our rock, you’s are so strong in your love and yet it’d be so easy for you two to be so hidden and not so forthright with it. I just hope every other relationship doesn’t fall over because Willow is leaving.”
“You better not, I’m gonna need to live vicariously through you guys for four years.” Tara smiled back at Buffy.
“Wow, you really think you can last four years?” Buffy asked, more amazed than shocked.
“You said it yourself Buffy, it’s a unique bond, and if I have to wait four years or forty years, I know I’ll get my Willow back.” Tara once again pushed at the tears that always threatened to overwhelm her when she talked about the redhead in these last few weeks.
“Tara, you know once Willow goes, your, you know, still gonna wanna hang right?” Buffy asked sheepishly, hoping against hope that the taller blonde would still find her friendship needed once Willow left.
“Of course, I don’t think of you as Willow’s friend any more, more of a Willow and my friend.” Tara smiled after the initial shock of the question.
“Good, because after Willow, you’re probably the closest female friend I have.” Buffy smiled sadly up at Tara.
“Hey I’m gonna need a friend through all of this as well, we can help each other though it.” Tara smiled and pulled Buffy into a friendly hug. Buffy was a bit apprehensive at first but it didn’t take long for her to settle down.
“Trying to steal my girlfriend here hey?” Willow asked playfully as she came across the hugging duo.
“Hey Will, I was just keeping her warm for ya.” Buffy smiled up at her best friend.
“I should go find Angel, don’t want to leave him around Xander to long.” Buffy laughed and got up to go look for her boyfriend.
“So?” Tara asked as she looked up at her girlfriend.
“So, I say we go inside to dance before we retire to that hotel room you booked for us.” Willow smiled down at Tara as she offered her hand to help the blonde to her feet.
“Vixen.” Tara smiled up at Willow as she accepted Willow’s offered hand and got to her feet.
“Is it just me or does it smell like cigarette smoke out here?” Willow asked as her nose settled in on the smell.
“Someone probably came out here before.” Tara shrugged as she quickly popped a mint in her mouth and then led the redhead back around the front to the rest of the population.
…………..
They had soon retired to the rented hotel room. They’d both laughed when Donnie and Cordelia were crowned king and queen of the prom and Anya had chided Xander for not being cool enough and told him in college he was joining the football team. Willow had made sure not to let go of the blonde’s hand once more throughout the night, as she didn’t want to loose her again. They had gotten a strange look of the young man at the front counter who handed them the keys. They guessed it was pretty obvious what they’d be using the room for, especially the way the clung to each other in the foyer.
The lovemaking had been sweet and pure. They’d just sat on the bed kissing, slowly moving their hands all over the others body for what seemed like hours. They made sure that every climax they experienced was as intense if not more so than the previous one. They’d finally given way to the exhaustion that overcame them from a passionate night together and had drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
In the morning Willow rolled over in her naked state, reaching her arm out to wrap around her lover. The emptiness of the bed caused her open her eyes in a startled state as she longed for the touch of her lover.
“Tara, Tara where are you?” She called out, hoping the blonde was in the adjacent bathroom. When she got no reply she started to get worried. She wrapped the sheet around her body and made over to the bathroom. No sign of her blonde goddess in here and now she really started to panic. She went back into the room and noticed Tara’s clothes from the night before were gone. She walked over and opened a closet where she and Tara had stored clean clothes before they headed out to the prom. When she only saw her set there, her mind wen into overdrive. She sat back down on the bed, hoping against hope that Tara had just gone out to get something.
After waiting for what seemed like forever Willow had decided that Tara wasn’t coming back and made her way to the shower. She showered and changed into her own set of clean clothes and gathered everything that was hers. She made her way down to the front desk where she met the same young man from the night before, she wondered if he lived here but then realised she didn’t really care. She handed over the key.
“There anything I owe you, money or the what not?” She asked, getting her credit card ready.
“No your blonde friend payed for everything when she left.” The young man responded with a chirpy smile that annoyed Willow. He took the key and hung it up on the rack behind him.
“What time did she leave?” Willow asked, hoping he would be forthcoming with the information.
“About seven o’clock this morning.” He replied in the same chirpy voice. Willow looked at her watch and noticed it was now ten thirty. Her face slumped at three and half-hours of lost time with her love.
Willow made her way outside and hailed a cab. It was a lonely ride and all Willow could think about at the moment was what was running though Tara’s head.
When they finally pulled up outside Willow’s house, she jumped out of the car, paying the cabbie and flying up her front path. She raced inside, flung her stuff in her room and made her way back down and out the front door. In two minutes flat, she’d gone from pulling up in front of her yard to dropping her stuff of and standing at the front door to the Maclay household. She held her breath for a moment then knocked on the door. She waited patiently, rubbing her hands together to keep them busy. She looked up when the front door opened.
“Willow, what are you doing here?” The confused voice echoed through Willow’s head.
“Steve, is Tara home, I really need to talk to her?” Willow asked pleadingly with Tara’s father.
“No I thought she was with you, did you two have a fight?” Steve asked a little worried for his daughter himself now.
“No I don’t think so, it’s just when I woke up, she wasn’t there. I waited for her to comeback and she never did and the guy as the front desk said she left now I don’t know where she is.
Steve was enjoying a rather quiet time at home alone. Tara and Donnie were both out for the night and he had spent plenty of time relaxing and reading. He’d treated himself to some Chinese food and was generally having a good time by himself. The news that his daughter was now missing though caused him to panic momentarily.
“I’ll try a few places and see if I can get in contact with her, I’ll be sure to tell her that you were looking for her.” Steve although panicking on the inside remained calm and cool and the outside as he wanted the allay the fears of the redhead somewhat.
“Thanks Steve, and when you talk to her, please tell her if I did something, I’m really sorry and I didn’t mean it, whatever it was.” Willow begged up at the older man. Steve softened at the desperate approach of his daughter’s girlfriend. He loved Willow like a daughter as well, she’d spent so much time at his place over the past eight months it seemed as though she was part of the family. He really did hope that if there were a problem it would be fixed rather quickly, as he was well aware of Willow’s departure.
“No worries Willow, you go home and get some rest, you look like you could use it. I’ll be sure to ring you if something comes up.” Steve smiled though the door and received a small half smile in response.
“Thanks Steve, you’re the best.” Willow said as she slowly turned away and headed back for her place. Steve closed the door behind her and made his way over to the phone. The punched in a few numbers and heard the ringing through the phone.
“Hello” Came the voice from the other end of the line.
“Evelyn, its Steve. I think Tara may be on her way up there. If she shows up can you have her ring home please.” He asked into the phone.
“Oh sure thing Steve, is she bringing her friend along again this time.” Evelyn asked about the girl who accompanied Tara during the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
“No I’m pretty sure she’ll be alone.” Steve replied into the phone, he wanted his baby to be alright and knew that if she needed someone it should be him, though he knew she’d go to the place that reminded her most of her mother.
………..
The phone rang and brought Steve out of his mild slumber. He’d fallen asleep on the couch as he waited for Tara’s phone call. The shrill of the phone battered through his head as he leapt up and answered it.
“Hello.” He answered, still shrugging of the after effects of just waking up.
“Hi Daddy, it’s me. I’m at Aunt Evelyn’s place.” Tara’s voice travelled through the line, her voice picked him up out of his daze and he suddenly sat bolt upright.
“Tara, Willow came and saw me, is everything alright?” He asked, worry all over his voice.
“Fine Daddy, just you know, I needed to get away. I look at her and god It breaks my heart to think it may be the last time.” Tara sounded so dejected and it cut through her father like a hot knife with butter.
“You realise if you don’t see her again, you’ve seen her for the last time then?” Steve sounded worried, he didn’t want things to end between his daughter and the girl she loved like this.
“I know, it’s easier this way. If I have to keep looking at her, it’s only gonna get worse. At least now I can start you know, healing.”
“When are you gonna be home?” Steve asked, still showing his obvious concern for his little girl.
“Well graduations on Friday, so I’ll be home before then.” Tara theorised as she went over it again in her head.
“You realise Willow will be there. She’s graduating as well in case you forgot. You’ll see her there and she’ll see you. It’ll be unavoidable.” He made sure his daughter understood everything and he hoped she’d still wanna come back after learning this new information.
“I know.” Tara answered after a short pause. It had only jut struck her and she thought herself dumb. She knew she’d have to see Willow again but for now what she needed was some time to think. She’d done plenty of it and she was sure there was still plenty more to do.
…………..
The graduation had been your everyday run of the mill graduation. Diplomas had been handed out to kids dressed in funny robes. After all was said and done, hats were flung high into the sky to celebrate the end of a long journey.
Willow had hardly taken her eyes off the blonde once she spotted her. She’d hoped against hope that Tara would show today and she thanked the Goddesses when she saw her love. Leaving was a hard enough task by itself, having to add the fact that the person she loved more than any couldn’t bare to be around her. She’d accepted her diploma, dux of the class and made a little speech for the graduation ceremony. While public speaking isn’t high on her list of favourite things to do, writing and practicing the speech had given her mind something to focus on other than Tara, as hard as it was.
Tara had spotted Willow straight away. She tried her darnedest not to look in her direction, a pang of that going away feeling hitting her stomach every time she did. She couldn’t help herself though, the redhead had a certain pull like a tractor beam. Tara’s eye kept looking in Willow’s direction, always looking away before the redhead would turn and catch her. She knew Willow had spent most of the ceremony staring at her, she could feel her girlfriend’s emerald green eyes firmly fixated on her. She wondered to herself if she should even call Willow her girlfriend any more, maybe just the woman she loved unconditionally would have to suite.
After the formalities of the ceremony were complete, Willow rushed over so that she could at least talk to Tara. Tara knew what was coming and had feared this moment since she had spoken to her father on the phone after arriving at her Aunt’s. If looking at Willow filled her with a pain of knowing she could be seeing her for the last time, what would talking to her for the last time be like.
“You kinda left without saying anything, was kinda thinking I might not see you again.” Willow said a bit sad as she finally approached Tara.
“I kinda liked the way you would have remembered me, the last time we were together was a good way I suppose, it seemed special.” Tara tried to reason, her eyes not shifting from the ground where they were now locked.
“So that was it, you really weren’t going to see me any more?” Willow was shocked and even a little more saddened than she already was.
“You don’t know what it’s like Willow, every time I look at you I think is this the last time I look at you. Every time I talk to you I think is this that last time I get to talk to you. It’s hard, you know I’m so happy for you, I really am but for me, I pity me. I feel like a wreck and I just gets so hard sometimes.” Tara was nearing tears, something she didn’t want to do in this public arena. She could sense a lot of people were standing around trying to be nonchalant but were obviously eaves dropping in on their conversation.
“What you don’t think I don’t feel like that too. I get through because I know this is not the end. I’ll come and visit you, you could come and visit me, and we’ll talk on the phone. This doesn’t have to be the end if you don’t want it to be.” Willow pleaded, trying to make some sense to her girlfriend.
“Willow, it’s too hard, four years, only seeing you sporadically. I’ll have to go though this every time one of us has to leave. I don’t think I could take that.” Tara’s hurt was evident in her voice, and her pain stricken face showed it all. Willow was a little taken back by Tara’s words. When she thought of visiting the blonde and talking to her on the phone she only pictured the happy times. She didn’t stop to realise what the ramifications would be once they were separated once again. She knew herself that it would just about drive her insane.
“I don’t think I could either.” Willow replied, sullen by the revelation that her plans for making this work had blown up in her face. “What a waste of a weeks thinking.” She thought to herself. Tara just smiled slyly at her as she tried to pull the sad look of the redhead’s face, though she knew it’d be impossible the way she was feeling herself.
“Promise me you’ll be at the airport tomorrow. I need to say a proper goodbye to you, I want, no I need you there more than anyone. So promise me please.” Willow begged the woman she loved so much.
“I’ll try, I can promise that.” Tara smiled meekly at the redhead. Willow accepted it, but Tara’s words didn’t fill her with a great sense of hope.
………….
“She’s not gonna show I know it.” Willow mumbled sadly to anyone who bothered to listen. She sat in the waiting room at the airport, looking at her watch every few seconds, the time drawing near to her eventual departure. Everyone else was there, Buffy and Xander of course, Angel was hanging of Buffy’s arm as was Anya with Xander. Even Cordelia and Donnie were there to bid her farewell, as of course were her parents. Giles stood waiting anxiously, he hoped Tara would show, he knew Willow would be miserable enough on the flight, it’s be ten times worse had she not gotten to say goodbye to Tara, He also would like to have said goodbye himself to the sleek blonde.
Willow stood up and nervously paced around, she was flattered with the turnout for her farewell, however the one person she wanted there wasn’t and she’d trade the rest for her in a heartbeat. She glanced at her watch and started to chew one of her nails, this wasn’t going to be good on the old fingers she thought to herself.
“Calm down Will, I’m sure she’ll be here.” Buffy, Willow’s best friend was ever the supportive one. She’d been supportive right from the word go with her relationship with Tara and Willow knew she’d miss the slender blonde whom she’d know her whole life dearly.
“What if she doesn’t Buffy, what if I never see her again.” Willow broke down into tears as Buffy cradled her best friend in her arms. She preyed Tara would show up as she knew this was what the young Wiccan must have been feeling like wherever she was. Buffy glanced over at the clock, forty-five minutes to go.
…………..
Forty-five minutes to go. Tara looked at the clock once again, it was the fifth time in the last two minutes. “She’ll be gone out of my life forever in forty five minutes and I’m sitting here talking to myself.” Tara mumbled to herself as she lay flat out on her bed.
“Then what are you still doing here.” Tara looked up at the voice and seen her father staring lovingly at her from her bedroom door.
“Dad, I didn’t notice you there.” Tara muttered as she moved herself into a sitting position.
“I’ve been here for a bit, Tar you really shouldn’t be here. You owe her and yourself a proper goodbye if this is what it is. If you sit here, in forty-five minutes you’ll be kicking yourself for being there, for missing the one chance you had to see her again. These are the kind of opportunities you don’t spit in the face Tara. She loves you and needs you there and god knows you love her and need her at the moment. When I see the way she looks at you it reminds me of the way your mother used to look at me. I thought it was the most amazing thing in the world and I would give anything to see it just once Tara. Don’t be a fool and waste this opportunity.” Steve’s wise words brought a small smile to the face of his daughter.
“Thanks dad.” Tara smiled as she got up and moved over to hug him. She pulled out of the hug and raced down the stairs.
“Where are you going?” He shouted after her as if he needed to.
“The airport.” Came her sharp reply and with that the front door slammed shut and within seconds the sound of Tara’s engine could be heard revving up.
………….
Seven minutes, seven minutes and counting. Willow looked at her watch and sighed dejectedly, she’d hoped against hope that Tara would be here but evidently she wasn’t going to make it. She moved over towards where Cordelia and Anya were talking quietly between themselves.
“Hey guys, I just wanna thank youse for coming here today and well just being generally nice to me the last year, you can’t know how much it meant to me.” Willow interrupted their little conversation.
“No problem Will, we were just glad you made Tara very happy, she needed it after coming back from a rough time in New York.” Cordelia smiled as she hugged Willow and a friendly manner.
“From what she tells us you made her Very Happy.” Anya smiled as she moved in gave a similar hug to Willow. Willow made her way over to Angel who was smiling shyly at her.
“You make sure you look after her, I don’t wanna have to beat you to death with a shovel, a vague disclaimer is no ones friend.” Willow smiled as she wrapped her arms around Angel.
“You got my word on it Willow, I can promise you that.” Angel sniffed as a single tear trickled down his cheek as he hated the fact that the adorable redhead that he’d grown rather fond of was leaving. Willow moved over to Xander and he immediately opened his arms to wrap her in a hug.
“You know I’m gonna miss you Willster.” Xander laughed through the tears that wear flowing rather effortlessly down his face.
“I know, just remember if you become a great stand up comic, remember who laughed at all your dumb jokes as a kid.” Willow laughed through her own flurry of tears.
“You know it.” He responded as he squeezed her once more before she pulled away. She moved in Buffy’s direction who simply stood with her arms out, waiting for the redhead to engulf her.
“My god Will, I can’t believe you’re going.”
“I know, I’m gonna be on the other side of the world, about five and a half thousand miles away.” Willow replied, so far beyond crying her eyes her starting to match her hair colour.
“Wow so far, you’re gonna call like every night right?” Buffy asked as her tears trickled onto Willow’s shoulder as the two embraced each other tightly.
“Every night, morning too.” Willow sniffed as she pulled back slightly.
“I love you Will, I just want you to know that, not in a I wanna have sex with you way, just you know I love you.” Buffy managed to smile between tears, Willow returned the smile.
“I love you too Buffy.” Willow replied as she pulled the blonde into one last hug. Finally after breaking away from Buffy, Willow walked over to Donnie who was standing to the side trying to be a little nonchalant.
“Hey tiger.” Willow said as she made her way over to her girlfriend’s brother. She thought about that, girlfriends brother, it just wouldn’t do, he was more like her brother than that. That’s what it felt like anyway, someone who would look out for her when she needed it and she knew he loved her as a sister as well.
“Hey tiger yourself.” He smiled, desperately trying hard not to cry and loose himself in the moment. He finally gave in to the stubbornness that testosterone often give you and just let his emotions flow.
“You’ll let her know how much I wanted her here and how much I love her right?” Willow asked as she tightly clung onto the younger lad.
“I think she already knows Will but you can count on me to remind her.” He smiled though she wouldn’t have seen it as her head was burrowed into his shoulder.
“I’m really gonna miss you too Donnie, you’ve been great through all this and I just wanna thank you for it.” Willow mumbled into his shoulder.
“I’m gonna miss you too Will, I wish you didn’t have to go, I’m not gonna have anyone to help me with my homework any more, one less familiar face in the crowd at my games.” Donnie replied through his thick mess of tears.
“You’ll do fine, look after her for me ‘kay.” Willow said as she finally pulled out of the embrace.
“Count on it sis.” Donnie smiled and Willow was glowing at the last little sentiment. She made her way over to where her parents were waiting and wrapped her arms around the two of them.
“My little girls all grown up.” Ira said, his face heavily stained with tears from crying since they left in the car.
“Were so proud of you Willow, and remember if you ever want to come home, we’re a phone call away.” Sheila reminded her daughter as she squeezed her daughter one last time. Willow looked at her watch, a bare minute before she had to board, it seem less likely every second that Tara would make a last second appearance.
……………..
Tara looked at her watch as she pulled into the car park of the airport. A few minutes till Willow’s flight would be in the air, she hoped that she wasn’t too late. She raced into the terminal and checked the board for the departures. She looked at the information that she’d been given that she’d quickly snatched of the fridge before bolting out the front door. She noticed the gate number and made a quick dash for it. She found her self on the right side of luck when the line up for the metal detector was empty and she breezed through with minimal fuss. She raced to the waiting area for gate seven.
“WILLOW!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping that she could stop the redhead from boarding by using her voice.
“WILLOW!” She cried out once again as she turned the corner into the waiting room of gate no. seven.
TBC…
Thanks all, kinda drained at the moment so i'm off for an early night. Much peace and love to you all
Cheers
Nath
If life was meant to be a bed of daisy's we'd have chicken crap thown on us all the time.
by ally02 » Tue Aug 06, 2002 7:00 pm 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! don't let her step onto that plane, it's just wrong 
But 4 years come on thats just tooooooo long to be apart! 
Can't wait 4 more!! 
<- he he 
It's so sad that they are unable to talk to each other and I wished that they had had the opportunity to see each other at the airport.
....well I have to say I am shocked by that suggestion