Phew, I wrote this thing in one go and my eyes are all droopy now. Anyway, I hope you like it, I pour everything into my writing. *sigh* I just wish it would turn out a little better.
Part 5
Feeling the magic dissipate from her body, Willow stared levelly at the younger form of her best friend, slightly amused at the awe stricken expression she wore. She glanced to her right, feeling a cold chill freeze her heart. Tara stood staring down at her shaking hands, a pained look in her eyes. Without warning, she turned on her heel and ran into the motel, leaving behind three confused young women.
"Tara!" Willow called out, running after her. She was vaguely aware of the sound of footsteps behind her but all of her focus was on the spooked blonde who had fled. She flung open the motel entrance and hurried through the foyer and down the corridor leading to their room. She came to a halt before she reached the door, turning back to see Buffy and her younger self closing in on her. She pressed her lips into a hard line, trying to think of how she could explain things to them. "Wait here." She barked the words, tension seeping into her voice out of worry for her girlfriend. "I wont be long."
Before they could argue, Willow pushed open the motel room door and slipped inside, closing it behind her. To her dismay, she saw Tara curled up beside the bed, sobs wracking her body. She quickly rushed to her lover and dropped to her knees, enveloping the blonde in her arms. Her mind whirled as she wondered if Tara had been harmed in the attack and she ran her hands over the blonde's arms and torso, checking for wounds. She felt slightly relieved when she found none but Tara continued to cry, her head still buried in her arms.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Willow asked, her voice quivering at seeing the woman she loved in distress.
Tara didn't answer, she only leaned into Willow, drawing on her strength, soaking the redhead's top with her tears. Her body continued to shake as she wept and Willow could nothing except from hold on tight. Eventually, the blonde witch lifted her head, her eyes red and puffy, the blue orbs filled with guilt and pain.
"What's the matter?" Willow asked again, her tone soft and soothing. She caressed Tara's back with a hand in a smooth circular motion.
Tara swallowed back her tears, her bottom lip trembling. "I…" She lowered her gaze to her hands and held them up to Willow as if it explained everything. "I used d-destructive magic without a s-second thought… I'm n-no better than…"
"Me." Willow finished for her, pulling away and standing, realisation dawning on her. She turned around, her arms wrapped around her stomach. Tara was ashamed of how she had killed three savage beasts with magic, though it hadn't been of the dark arts and Willow was using much more powerful and destructive magic on a regular basis. What did that make her? Should she be ashamed? She felt her heart sink. What did Tara truly think of her for it?
"No!" Tara cried out, standing and rushing to her lover. "I was g-going to say a demon like Cerberus." She placed her arms over Willow's and pulled her into a hug from behind. She didn't want the redhead thinking she thought any less of her because of her use of black magic. Her own guilt left her for the moment as she tried to comfort her lover.
Willow turned in Tara's armed and she looked at the blond with a child like pleading expression. "Do you…" She paused, taking a deep breath. "Hate me?"
Tara's eyes widened in horror. "Of course not. How can you even think that? I could never hate you." She placed her hands firmly on the petite redhead's shoulders and gave her a small shake. "Never!"
The tension in the hacker's body seemed to lessen a little at Tara's words. "Not even because I use black magic?"
Tara sighed. "I would prefer it if you stayed away from it, Willow, you know that." Willow's eyes dropped as she spoke. "But I'll take you any way I can." She pulled the redhead to her, their bodies melting into one another's, arms grasping on tightly to the much-needed contact. The blonde briefly wondered how things had gotten so turned around, only moments before she had been the insecure one who needed comforting.
The hacker basked in the comfort of the embrace and inwardly vowed to do whatever it took to make her girlfriend happy, even if that meant limiting her contact with black magic. That would have to wait until they were safely back in their own time, though. She pulled back, taking Tara's hands in her own and staring into deep blue oceans. She felt herself drowning in them, the world around her disappearing, and it was only a knock on the door that reminded her they had company. She gave Tara a reassuring smile before moving to the door, pulling it open to reveal Buffy. She stood there, a hand on her hip and an impatient glint in her hazel eyes.
"I'm not big on the whole waiting around all day." She informed Willow. "You gonna explain or shall I take a few stabs in the dark?"
The redhead rolled her eyes, remembering how insufferable Buffy could to be. She popped her head around the door but couldn't see her younger self. "Where's… um, Willow?" It sounded ridiculous to her that she should be asking her own whereabouts.
"Oh, she's around." Buffy shrugged and walked past Willow, examining the room. "Nice place you got here."
Willow closed the door again and noticed the uncomfortable demeanour of her lover. She decided to do the talking, though she wasn't sure how much information she should give the agitated Slayer. "Have a seat, Buffy, this might take a while."
Buffy shook her head. "Just get to the point. Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I already told you, I'm Willow. The same Willow you know, only four years older." Her voice was strained as she spoke, knowing the Slayer was going to be hard to convince. Besides her usual scepticism, Buffy was going through a particularly hard time with Angelus stalking her and continually toying with her mind. For all the Slayer knew, this was yet another trick.
"Okay, let's say you're telling the truth…" She raised her hand as Willow was about to say something. "Let's keep that part hypothetical for now… I'm not really in believe mode right now. There's a few things bugging me… like the light show back there and…" She pointed at Tara. "Her."
Tara looked up, wringing her hands as she did. "We were using magic." She said simply.
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Magic… I know about that… so you're what? Witches?"
Willow nodded, glad the Slayer was finally catching on. "Yes, remember how I…" She stopped, realising she was about to ask Buffy about something that hadn't happened yet. "Never mind." She muttered.
"Well, from what I've experienced in the past, witches aren't all with the good and righteous. In fact, there's this whole body switching period we went through." She eyed Tara and Willow suspiciously.
Willow remembered the time Buffy was speaking of. Amy's mum had switched bodies with her and tried to sabotage the cheerleading tryouts. That particular memory wasn't working in their favour. Then there was the time Amy had turned Buffy into a rat after she had helped Xander perform a love spell that had gone horribly wrong and turned him into a women magnet. The entire female population had lusted after Xander, including Buffy and herself. Willow shuddered at the memory.
"You have to believe me, Buffy, when I say we are good witches." Her green eyes pleaded with the Slayer's and she was sure she saw something in her give.
Buffy waved her hand dismissively. "And what about her?" Her gaze rested on Tara.
"W-What about me?" Tara looked back, her eyes wide.
"Oh come on, you really expect me to believe that my Willow would be sucking face with a girl." She spat out the last word with a slight tinge of disgust.
Tara looked mortified and she sat on the bed, letting her weakened legs rest. "Buffy!" Willow shouted, her harsh tone bringing the hazel gaze to the redhead. Willow stared the Slayer in the eyes, wondering if a person could tell what the other was feeling or thinking from just a look. She hadn't believed that until she had met Tara, her expressive eyes telling Willow all she needed to know. She had never felt that before with anyone. She could tell that the girl in front of her was angry and suspicious but she couldn't tell any more than that. She concluded that what she and Tara had must only be between the two of them.
"My Willow isn't like that." Buffy continued, trying to push her point across.
Willow's heart sank. Was this how the Buffy in four years time would react? Would she be as closed minded and hostile? The redhead hoped the Slayer was more mature than that and the four years extra experience would give Buffy the sight to see Willow was happy with Tara.
"Not yet." The redhead uttered quietly. At Buffy's doubtful look, Willow continued. "I can't help who I fall in love with Buffy, you of all people should know that."
Her words struck a cord with the Slayer and she snapped back. "How dare you?" Then she paused, realising something. "What do you mean?" She tentatively asked.
Willow then knew she was getting somewhere but decided to progress cautiously. "You and Angel." She said simply.
Buffy's mind whirled as she tried to rationalise. She let out a small snort. "Quite a few people know about that. I'm sure it's going around the demon bars and they're all laughing at me." She lowered her eyes to the floor, quietly seething.
Willow stepped forwards, immediately feeling the need to comfort Buffy. "No they're not. They wouldn't dare." Buffy's headshot up as the redhead moved closer, stopping her in her tracks.
"Oh really? Well, Willow, if you really are who you say you are, you'll know something about me that no one else would." Buffy opened the door for Willow to prove who she truly was.
The petite hacker was becoming more frustrated at the Slayer. She was meant to be her best friend, couldn't she tell who she was? She searched her memories for something that would be useful but her logical mind told her that most things could be explained away. She needed to find something that would settle this once and for all.
She stared into hazel eyes, her foot playing idly over the worn carpet. Then, it finally came to her, a moment that the only the pair had shared. "Remember when we first met?" She waited for Buffy to nod her affirmation. "Well, actually, it was the second time but it was the first time we spoke. Though, I suppose you could say it was the first time we met because I hadn't introduced myself and that's what people often think the official act of meeting is." A small smirk tugged at the corner of Buffy's mouth and Willow stopped herself, took a deep breath, and continued. "Anyway, you came up to me when I was eating my lunch outside the school on a bench. You asked that my name was Willow and I asked if you wanted me to move. I was so surprised that you didn't and that you actually wanted to speak to me and wanted my help with school work and…" She trailed off as the smirk on Buffy's face widened a little.
"Well, there's only one girl that can babble like that." Buffy admitted. Her shoulders sagged a little as she let the tension fall from her. She let out a breath. "Wow, I mean… How did this happen?"
Willow sighed in relief, glad that the Slayer finally believed them. "Uh, well, that three headed demon that attacked you… his name is Cerberus and we came across him in the cemetery four years from now." She explained, moving to stand beside Tara who was slightly hunched over on the bed, lost in thought.
She looked up as Willow neared and forced a smile. She then turned her gaze on Buffy. "Yes, you fought him, the older you, that is. You stopped him from acquiring the tablet that would return him to hell."
"That's when he pounced on us." Willow continued retelling the chain of events. "When we woke up we found ourselves still in the graveyard, only four years earlier."
Buffy stood silently, absorbing the information. It was a lot to take in and Willow was sure she could smell the Slayer's brain fizzling with the volume of information it had to process. She stopped herself at giggling at that, thinking how inappropriate it would be. She sat down on the bed next to Tara, scooping up one of her lover's hands in her own, giving it a quick squeeze.
"I fought him and won?" Buffy said, a tinge of smugness in her voice. "I must be really good then."
Willow glanced at Tara before looking up at the proud Slayer. "Uh, yeah."
Buffy paced over to the window and peered out, seeing the sun was rising high in the sky. She turned around and sighed. "Well, I suppose you'd better come with me. If anyone can figure this out, Giles can." She stated, moving to the door.
Willow looked at her lover, hesitant. Tara chose to speak up at this point. "Wait." When Buffy paused and turned to look at the blonde, she continued. "I don't think that's w-wise. We're not sure what effect our presence here will have on the future. It would be best if we l-limited our contact with anyone."
Buffy cocked an eyebrow. "Isn't it a little late for that?"
Tara nodded. "Maybe… but I'd feel m-more reassured if we stayed here." She glanced sideways at Willow, knowing her lover was nervous about running into the younger form of her friends again, especially herself. "You can reach us here if you find anything out."
Buffy shrugged. "Fine. Just don't go anywhere." She moved to the phone beside the bed and grabbed the pen and pad beside it. She scribbled down the number that was labelled on the top of the telephone and ripped the piece of paper from the pad. She stuffed it in her pocket and moved to the door again. She opened it but hesitated before leaving. She looked over her shoulder at the two young women. "Be careful," She muttered before slipping through the door and closing it.
The two witches sat in silence, staring at the door. Willow let out a long sigh and slumped back on the bed, covering her eyes with an arm. Tara turned and studied her lover's form. She watched the rise and fall of Willow's chest and the way she pressed her lips together so they formed a straight hard line. Tara leaned on her side, supporting her weight with an elbow. She smoothed the fabric at the redhead's stomach with her right hand. Willow removed her arm from her eyes and looked down at the blonde.
"Well, that was an experience." The redhead finally said.
Tara smiled softly. "Are you okay?"
Willow nodded, grasping the blonde's hand from her stomach and running her thumb over the back of it in soothing circles. "Yeah, it's just… weird."
The blonde witch nodded in agreement and shifted closer to Willow, feeling the heat from the redhead's body. "I guess we stay here until they find something that can help us."
Willow frowned. "Ugh, I hate this. It's so frustrating having to wait when I could be doing something." She pushed a hand up into her lover's blonde tresses. "Maybe we should have gone with her."
Tara smirked a little. "But then I wouldn't have gotten you alone."
The petite hacker's jaw dropped open at her lover's words but she soon closed her mouth and her lips met in a mischievous grin. "And why would you want to be alone with me, Miss. Maclay?"
"Oh." Her hand returned to its ministrations on her stomach, causing Willow to shiver at the contact. "That would be telling."
*
"Let me get this straight." Xander started, leaning on the heavy library table. "There's another you running around the city, another older you." His brow furrowed as the words sunk in. "Weird."
"Sounds kinda cool." Interjected Oz, who had his arm wrapped around Willow's waist. "In a twisted way." He added after receiving a few odd looks.
Willow had been told by Buffy to return to the school to inform Giles and the others of what had happened. She had finally gotten back after taking an overly long time checking every street she came across for a giant hellhound before continuing on her way. When she had burst into the library she had blurted out the story of her older self and the blonde girl, editing the part where she had seen them in a passionate embrace. She just wasn't ready to face that yet. Giles had remained quietly pensive the entire time.
"And you say they were using powerful magics?" Giles finally said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Willow nodded. She was sure the glint in his eyes was worry. "But they saved us. Me and Buffy." She felt the need to defend her older self and her companion.
"Where is the Buffster?" Xander asked, taking hold of Cordelia's hand. She had sat on the edge of the table next to him when Willow started her story.
"She said she was going to question them. Find out what they were doing here." Willow told them, wondering if her best friend was all right.
Cordelia smirked a little. "I hope she doesn't hurt them."
"I would be more worried about her." Everyone turned to look at Giles. "From what you say, Willow, these two sound like powerful witches." He looked directly at Willow. "The one you say resembles you… her eyes were black?"
Willow nodded. "Totally black and then when it was over they just went back to normal." She remembered the incident with a small shiver. Oz hugged her tighter, feeling the change in her. "And she didn't just resemble me, Giles. She was me."
The Watcher paused before continuing, seeming to roll the facts around in his mind. "This is most worrying. The eyes, they're a sign of the use of black magic."
"Whoa, Will's into bad mojo. Is there something you haven't been telling us?" Xander asked the overwhelmed redhead.
Willow shook her head adamantly. "I would never…" She trailed off, trying to figure out her older self. If that Willow was practicing the dark arts then what other bad things was she into? If that woman was who she claimed to be, then she had certainly changed over four years. A lot.
Giles walked into his office, deep in thought. "I'm going to look for materials on time distortion and dimensional displacement. I'd appreciate it if you could help me with the research." He called from within.
Willow allowed herself to be led to a chair by her boyfriend, sitting down almost mechanically. It was all too much for her. Seeing an older version of herself was bad enough but knowing that she would be using the dark arts totally blew her mind. On top of that, the older Willow had seemed to be very friendly with the blonde girl. She looked up at Oz who was talking with Xander, their conversation muted to Willow's unhearing ears. Wasn't she with Oz in the future? The thought scared her.
"So, Willow." Cordelia's voice broke through her thoughts. She looked up at the smiling dark haired girl. "How do you look in four years? Still wearing those geeky clothes?"
Willow frowned at her words. She thought back to her older self. She remembered the figure hugging jeans she had worn and that she actually had a figure. Then there was the top hat sat nicely on her shoulders. She noted that her blonde companion had a fuller figure, slightly more attractive in her eyes. Oh my god, she thought, I'm thinking that about a girl?
"Uh, I… I… no." She settled on saying.
Just then, they all turned at the noise of the library doors being opened to see Buffy stroll in. She gave them a brief wave and Giles came out of his office with a bundle of books. The Watcher dropped them on the table and turned to the Slayer, expectantly.
"Hey." Was all she said.
"What happened?" Willow asked, eager to know what was going on.
Buffy locked her green eyes with hazel. "She's the real deal." She looked back at the others. "They were brought here by that walking fur ball after my future self kicked his butt." She smiled a little, despite herself.
"Why is he here?" Giles asked.
"Well…" Buffy stopped, thinking. "Um, they didn't say. I forgot to ask."
The Watcher sighed, inwardly wondering how he knew that one was coming.
"But I have a phone number, so you can call and ask." Buffy grinned, taking the crumpled bit of paper from her pocket. She handed it to her Watcher and he examined it.
"Right. I'll go do that." He turned to the others who sat at the table. "You can research the act of time travel." Collective groans sounded around the table as he moved to the phone. Giles tapped in the numbers from the sheet of paper, lifting the receiver to his ear. After several rings, he heard the familiar click of the phone being answered.
"Hello?" Came the familiar sound of Willow's voice. Though it sounded older and slightly out of breath.
Perhaps she had just returned to her room, the Englishman thought. "Willow, hello. It's Giles here." He said somewhat awkwardly.
"Oh. Hi." Came Willow's reply, her breathing more normal now.
Giles collected his thoughts. "I need to ask you about the demon and why it's here."
"I'd prefer not to do this over the phone. Can we meet up?" Willow asked.
Giles understood Willow's reasoning. The redhead wasn't scared that they were being listened in on, though that was possible, but rather it was easier to explain things in person. Plus, Giles was concerned about the rather hefty phone bill that would be deducted from his pay. "Yes, of course. How about half an hour from now?"
There was a pause at the other end of the line and the Englishman wondered if Willow had hung up. "Half an hour?" Came the reply, finally. "Erm, maybe a couple of hours." Another pause. "You better make that tonight. The Bronze at eight?"
"Uh, well, I'm sure that would be acceptable." Said Giles, a little puzzled.
"Good, good, see you then." The redhead said hurriedly and then her voice was replaced with the dial tone.
Giles shook his head and replaced the receiver. He walked back over to the library table. He watched as Willow flicked through a heavy tome, her mind so obviously not on the pages. Oz peered over her shoulder, his arms embracing her from behind. Cordelia had her arm linked through Xander's and they shared a book, making various comments about the pictures in it. Buffy sat on the edge of the table, watching them all, lost in thought. She looked up, noticing the Watcher approach.
"Get what you wanted?" She asked.
Giles shook his head. "No, we are meeting up later tonight at the Bronze."
Buffy's eyes widened slightly. "You're going to the Bronze?" She let out a small laugh.
"I'm glad you're so amused, Buffy. You will be accompanying me." He turned and picked up a book, opening it at the first page.
Buffy crossed her arms and snorted indignantly. "Oh thanks! I get to hang out with an old guy at the Bronze. This is going to be fun."
Giles gave her a disapproving look while Xander laughed. "Oh, I'm so not going to miss this." Xander chimed.
Cordelia nodded. "Yes, I want to see Willow number two."
"Cool, everyone's coming. At least I wont be alone in my misery." Grumbled Buffy.
"Actually." Giles corrected. "I think it best if Willow stayed at home. I'd hate to think how some people would react to seeing two of a person."
Oz moved round to Willow's side, an arm still around her shoulders. "That's okay, me and Will can stay in and watch some videos." He smiled warmly at the redhead but she continued to frown.
"I think I'd like to be alone tonight." She sighed. "But thanks for offering." She added as an afterthought. She stood and moved out of her boyfriend's embrace. She collected her bag from beside her chair. "I need to get to class." She mentioned before heading out the door. Oz stared after, his face devoid of any emotion.
"Speaking of class…" Xander began, rising from his position. Cordelia shot him a doubtful look. "Okay, okay, so I wasn't going to go to class. It's just the tension in here shot up and I wanted to skedaddle to happier pastures." He grinned at his girlfriend.
"Well, in that case, I think I should be getting to class too then." Cordelia gave them all a dazzling smile and grabbed Xander's hand, dragging him out of the library.
Buffy, Oz, and Giles were left alone. "You gonna desert us too?" Buffy asked Oz.
The musician shook his head. "Nah, I think I'll hang here. Help you guys out." Buffy smiled at him and motioned to the books.
"They're all yours." She said cheerfully.
*
Tara lay entangled in the naked limbs of her lover, her eyes closed, merely enjoying the feeling of intimacy. They had made love all day and she guessed it must be early evening now. She heard a murmur from beside her and felt the redhead shift closer. The petite hacker's hand slid against the skin of Tara's stomach and up to the sensitive skin under her breast. She shivered slightly at the touch, wondering if Willow was actually awake. The redhead shifted slightly more and Tara felt a heat above her face followed by soft lips being pressed against hers. She returned the tender kiss, a flood of contentment surging through her.
When the lips pulled away, she opened her eyes to darkness. She found herself wondering why it was dark and if the curtains had been pulled shut. She looked to her left and into bright emerald eyes, dancing with their own light. Tara smiled and brought a hand up to caress the silky skin of the redhead's cheek. Her mind suddenly kicked in, bringing her to full awareness and she sat upright quickly.
"What's the time?" She asked, looking around for a clock.
Willow looked momentarily confused but the expression was soon replaced by urgent realisation. She turned over and grabbed her watch, squinting at it through the gloominess of the room. "It's seven forty five!" Her sleep filled voice shouted in panic.
Tara flung the covers aside and started picking up her stray pieces of clothing, putting them on as quickly as possible. She looked over at her lover who was doing the same but had managed to get tangled in her top. It was then that the redhead realised she had put it on inside out and yanked the item of clothing over her head again. Tara couldn't help but giggle at Willow's frustrated frown and the redhead looked up in annoyance. She had just pulled the garment down over her head again when she met her lover's blue gaze. She looked at Tara with a 'do not laugh at me' glare, her hands planted firmly on her naked hips. This only provoked the blonde further, the giggle turned into a laugh, and she was soon clutching her sides.
Willow pouted and moved towards her lover. "Oh, you think it's funny do you?" She reached out to the blonde and pulled her towards her by the waist, Tara's laughs subsiding.
"Sorry, honey, it's just…" Her giggles drowned out the rest of her sentence and Willow responded by attacking the blonde's ribs. She continued to tickle Tara mercilessly as the blonde doubled over and tried to squirm free but to no avail.
"Promise to never laugh at me again." Ordered Willow as the pair tumbled to the floor and the redhead landed on top of her lover. She ceased her assault on Tara's ribs to give her a chance to answer.
"Never!" Tara shouted dramatically. "I will never give in to torture!"
Willow raised an eyebrow. "We shall see." She continued her attack on Tara's ribs and the blonde squealed. She could see this wasn't going to work though and moved her hands to Tara's shoulders, rolling her onto her back. "You are strong, Miss. Maclay, but I have methods to bend your will." She mock threatened.
"You'll never break me." Tara couldn't help but laugh as she played along.
Willow grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her right hand moved slowly down over Tara's shoulder, down over the swell of her breast and skipped over the rosy nipple. The blonde gasped and tried to move her hands to grab Willow but the redhead held firm and trapped her lover's body beneath her own. Her hand continued its trail southwards and Tara whimpered.
"The Bronze." She said quickly. She felt incredibly turned on by their play acting but a part of her knew they had to stick to their arrangements. Admittedly, that was a very small part of her but she listened to it anyway.
The petite hacker let out a frustrated groan and lifted herself off her lover, pulling Tara up with her. She placed a lingering kiss on the blonde's lips before returning to her previous task of dressing herself. A pang of disappointment hit Tara but she ignored it and pulled on her jeans, quickly zipping and fastening them.
Once the couple were done dressing and had washed quickly in the adjoined bathroom, they rushed out the room and out into the darkened streets. Willow grasped Tara's hand and they walked briskly to the Bronze, neither bothering to speak, both feeling comfortable with just being with the other.
They stopped outside the Bronze and Tara watched as a crowd of people hovered at the main entrance, chatting amongst one another. It looked quite a popular place and Tara remembered Willow telling her about it once but she had never had the chance to go because she had been busy settling into her dorm room and catching up on her classes. She felt a tug on her hand and her girlfriend led her towards the entrance. She smiled timidly at the bouncer who just waved them in.
Tara gazed around at the packed interior. The club had a hazy interior and loud music drowned out most of the conversation. She looked to the large stage and saw a live band was playing. She looked around at all the tables and saw that they were all occupied. The dance floor was full of writhing bodies and the blonde witch thought that most of the people here were couples. Willow wound her way through the throng of bodies, pulling Tara with her. She wondered where they were heading but her question was answered before she could ask as she spotted the table, which was occupied by four familiar faces.
She tensed up a little as all four faces looked up at them. She saw Buffy smile and Cordelia curious expression. Xander's jaw seemed to hang open as he stared at Willow whilst Giles kept a calm demeanour. Willow came to a stop by the table, her hand still clasped in Tara's and the blonde felt her lover's palm become damp.
"Hey." Willow greeted nervously.
"Sorry we're late." Tara apologised with a blush.
"Willow was right." Cordelia said cheerily. "The other Willow." She clarified.
Xander tore his gaze away from the redhead and closed his mouth, looking curiously at his girlfriend. "About what?"
"She does have better dress sense. And hair. And complexion." She complimented Willow in her own special way.
"Uh, thanks, I guess." Willow muttered.
Buffy stood up and offered her seat. "Have a seat guys, I'll fetch myself another stool."
Willow and Tara sat down in the two empty seats, their hands still joined in Tara's lap. She looked around at her companions. Giles seemed to be studying Willow with fascination while Xander was studying her with a slightly more primal reason. Cordelia's attentions, were however, now on her. She shifted in the seat uncomfortably under her gaze.
"I like your hair. Is it bottled?" She asked.
Tara's eyes widened slightly at the question. "Uh, no it's natural." The answer seemed to satisfy the cheerleader and she looked back at her boyfriend, nudging him from his scrutinising.
He shook his head and glanced at Cordelia but looked back at Willow again. "May I be the first to say… wow, you've changed."
The redhead blushed slightly and laughed nervously. "Amazing what time does to you." She gripped Tara's hand tighter.
"Do you want a drink?" Came Buffy's voice as she put a stool down beside Tara. The blonde witch shook her head and the Slayer looked at Willow.
"Mocha." She said simply.
"Oh, the usual." Buffy said knowingly. Some things just didn't change. She moved off to get Willow her drink.
Giles leaned forward on his seat and looked Willow in the eye. "So, tell me about this Cerberus then. What does he want?"
Willow took a deep breath. Straight down to business, she thought. "Cerberus, known from lore as the hellhound that guarded the gates to Hades, was banished to this realm and his only chance to get back is to retrieve the tablet which holds the spell that will send him back. However, in our time, Buffy destroyed the tablet and that's when things got a little complicated. He pounced on Tara and I, sending us all back to this time using some sort of spell, we think." She looked at Tara who nodded.
"We also think he's come here to kill Buffy so she wont have the chance to destroy the tablet in the future." Tara explained.
No one spoke around the table and soon Buffy returned, placing Willow's mocha in front of her. "Whoa, who died?" She muttered, taking a seat.
"Actually, you do." Xander said, playing with his empty cup.
At Buffy's raised eyebrows, Giles explained. "It seems this Cerberus has come back in time to kill you, Buffy. To stop you from interrupting his attempts at returning to hell."
"Aren't I popular?" Buffy sighed, placing her elbows on the table and leaning her head in her hands.
"How are you guys going to get back?" Cordelia asked.
Willow shrugged. "I don't know. We were hoping you could help us with that." She looked from Cordelia to Giles, who nodded.
"I'll do my best to find a way. That I promise." He assured her.
"T-Thank you." Tara said. For some reason, she felt a little claustrophobic in this club, with all of Willow's old friends. They all knew her here, though it was the younger Willow they knew but she had no one. All of it suffocated her and she found it hard to breathe. She leaned in close to Willow's ear. "I'm going to go get some air."
Willow looked at her. "Are you okay?"
Tara nodded. "I just need some air."
The redhead's brow knotted with concern but she agreed. "Okay, but be careful. Don't go wandering off."
Tara smiled at her mothering and rose from the stool, regretfully letting go of Willow's hand. She worked her way through the crowd, being bumped about on the way. She finally made it out of the Bronze and into the cool night air. She took a deep breath and leant against the wall of the club, closing her eyes. It felt better to be out in the open, it felt free.
She felt a tinge of guilt for leaving Willow alone to face the younger forms of her friends but she concluded the redhead would do just as well without her. She sometimes wondered what made the hacker tick, why she would like a girl like her. Looking at the shy reserved girl she had been and looking at the more confident and powerful young woman she was, it made Tara wonder what had happened to make her become like that. The answer was obvious really. It was the magic. Tara imagined what would happen to her if she gave herself over to the magic. She'd probably turn into someone no one would ever recognise as her. Then, a horrible thought came to the blonde witch. Had the magic changed Willow so she wasn't her true self? Was she a lie? Tara shuddered at the thought. She didn't want to believe that.
"There's only one way to find out." She thought aloud. With that, she ran from the Bronze and into the night.
END OF PART 5
Tara: I got so lost
Willow: I found you... I will always find you
by LeatherQueen » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:33 pm 
I love it! I was hoping they'd meet up, if only for the chance to see young Willow's reaction to Tara and Willow together. Buffy's reaction was just a bonus. 
This was great! Poor young Willow, though. I think she's awfully confused now.
Is Tara really on her way to younger Willow?! That would be pretty interesting!! 
cool update! the angst was ok, cliffhangers are 
but Willow isn't really dead, is she? 
you must update soon 
