Marilda - Thanks and welcome! So glad to have your reading and enjoying. Here’s another.
Title – Paths Diverged/Divulged Part 30 –
RR #1 - MAuthor – JustSkipit - Debra
Spoilers –Season 6
Rating – Part 30 – R
Disclaimer – Guess what… I don’t own W&T, Buffy or the rest of the BtVS crew. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental and fortunate. Also Rachel thinks I should point out that I don’t make any money from this…
Thoughts in italicsRR #1 - M
Willow tried to get away from the buzzing. “I can’t give you this pillow,” she protested.
“Your phone doesn’t want your pillow, sweetie,” Tara whispered as she brushed her hands over her lover’s bare back.
“Alarm clock,” Willow mumbled, “go it away!” Tara tried to contain her laughter but couldn’t. She couldn’t believe just how adorable the redhead was when she was waking up, particularly when she was being woken up. “Now you and the jellybeans are all laughing,” the girl pouted.
Tara suspected that her girlfriend was now more awake than she let on but that was ok. All she cared about at the moment was the feeling of this woman wrapped in her arms. It was hard to remember that she had ever been without her. Yet it had been just a few months ago that she believed she would never see her again. “It’s your phone, baby,” Tara again whispered, ensuring that her lips brushed the smaller girl’s ear.
“Your house, your phone,” Willow grumbled.
Tara continued giggling: “It’s your cell phone, sweetie.”
“Argggh!” Willow groaned as she sat up in bed. “Why did I give in and get one of those things?”
“I thought it was so we could talk on the phone more,” Tara teased. As the blonde watched, Willow began to stretch, extending her chest in front of her. Tara was mesmerized by the show. “I think you d-do that on purpose,” she teased.
Willow got a glint in her eye as she responded, “Wouldn’t you?”
“Vixen,” Tara accused her lover. Rather than answering the question the blonde swung her legs off the bed and reached for her cane. Looking around and noting the clothes strewn around the room she decided to put on a little show of her own. “Hmmm, my clothes are all over the place,” she mumbled as if speaking to herself. She bent over at the waist to pick up her pajama bottoms and slowly pulled them up her legs, ensuring that her hands stroked her skin on their way up. Spotting a hair band on the nightstand she bent forward again, this time turning slightly to the side to pick up the band.
Willow felt her mouth go dry as she watched Tara’s movements. It had been sexy enough when the girl had bent down to pick up her pants and pulled them on but now her bending over to get the hair band was almost too much. One side of her breast was exposed and the redhead was instantly aware of the way that a glimpse of something can be sexier than seeing it in its entirety. She had seen Tara’s breasts many of times and while she never failed to appreciate their beauty and perfection, this was even more tempting in some ways. Rather than reaching out and capturing her love, however, she allowed her to continue her display.
Tara glanced at Willow, satisfied with the entranced look on the smaller woman’s face before crossing to get her shirt from where it had apparently landed on top of the radio. “Now how did this g-get over here?” she asked. Slowly she untangled the top before stretching it out over her head and beginning to pull it down.
“Hubba hubba,” Willow whispered as she watched. Tara turned toward her, flashing her trademark smile, and that was all it took. That smile was like a beacon to the redhead who started from the bed with every intention of getting her lover to return to it. Throwing back the covers, Willow began her own show, stretching again and tossing one leg over the side to reveal herself for a quick moment before allowing the other leg to join the first.
Just at that moment, Scooby ran into the room. She looked at the two girls wagging her tail with excitement as she realized that they were awake and might want to throw the ball for her. In fact she had a ball grasped optimistically in her mouth as she ran right up to the blonde, nuzzling against her good leg. As soon as Tara reached down to pet the animal, Scooby dropped the ball at her feet and looked up at her expectantly. Willow laughed at the display before speaking: “It looks like she’s glad that we’re awake.”
Tara laughed back as she threw Willow her shirt from the top of her easel. “Too bad,” she whispered, “I had some other plans.”
Willow opened and closed her mouth a few times before moving to embrace her lover. As she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her lightly on the lips she asked, “You never tire of making me speechless, do you?”
“Never,” Tara confirmed, “I kind of consider it my responsibility.” She paused for a minute before teasing, “I guess it kind of juxtaposes the adorable babbling that I love so much.”
“You know all the right things to say to capture my heart, Tara Maclay,” Willow told the girl. “Plus which, you used the word
juxtapose so you’re starting the day with bonus points.”
“Hmm,” Tara said, “what can the points be redeemed for?” Willow leaned forward to whisper in the blonde’s ear causing Tara to shriek and admonish, “Willow Rosenberg. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”
“Not often,” Willow admitted as she pulled on her shorts. She held out her hand telling the blonde, “Let’s go and see what there is to eat. I will make you a sumptuous repast based on that book I’m writing.”
“I’ll help,” Tara reassured her as they started from the room with Scooby trailing behind, the ball clutched firmly in her mouth.
Within minutes Willow was whipping eggs and grating cheese for an omelet while Tara cut fresh fruit into decorative shapes. “Very cute,” Willow complimented as she reached over to take a slice of an orange. Tara kissed the girl’s cheek before continuing to cut the fruit. While cooking each girl took turns throwing the ball, which Scooby brought and placed in a free hand. “Love?” Willow asked. After Tara’s nod Willow continued, “Do you ever worry about Scooby? I mean about her jumping on you? What if she knocks you off balance or hurts your leg or something?”
Tara nodded thoughtfully. “I understand what you’re w-worried about, Willow,” she answered, “but she won’t jump on me hard.”
“She is very gentle,” Willow agreed.
“Very,” Tara told her as she placed the fruit on the table and mirrored Willow’s kiss on the other girl’s cheek. “And also…” Tara started speaking as they sat down to eat. The two girls joined hands as they looked at their plates and said a soft thank you for their blessings. Tara lifted their joined hands to place a light kiss on Willow’s skin before releasing it and picking up her fork.
“And also what?” Willow asked after waiting a minute for Tara to speak.
“And also what what?” Tara asked.
“No you said ‘and also,’” Willow explained.
“You just said ‘and also,’” Tara answered.
“What? No I said ‘and also what’ after you said ‘and also’ which you said before we said the blessing. You said ‘and also’ but then you didn’t say ‘and also what’ not the way that I said ‘and also what’ but you didn’t continue after saying ‘and also.’” Willow finally stopped speaking with the sound of her lover’s round full laughter.
“Lovely, adorable, everything,” Tara whispered as she again kissed the redhead’s hand.
“Harrumph,” Willow pouted as she continued eating, “you tease me for your own enjoyment.”
Tara smiled widely as her eyes sparkled: “You bet I do, my love.” Willow hadn’t been really upset to begin with, but the way Tara looked at her and the way she said, “my love,” melted her completely. She smiled back and reached across to snag a piece of pineapple off the blonde’s plate. “And also,” Tara started with a giggle, “my leg is getting s-stronger.”
“From the physical therapy?” Willow asked
“That and just using it,” Tara explained. “You know that I still g-go to physical therapy and I’ve seen improvement even since you arrived.”
“Well, I kind of wondered,” Willow answered, “I mean it seems like you don’t have to use your cane as much and you don’t limp as badly.”
“Oh,” Tara answered, “it still hurts and it’s still hard, but it’s b-better. Just a little, but I’m working on it.”
“Will there be a point that it’s as good as it can get?” Willow asked.
“It’s probably pretty close now,” Tara explained. “The doctors and physical therapists have been amazed that I d-do as well as I do. But I’ll always use the cane and probably never win the Boston Marathon.”
“Not a runner and yet so nubile…” Willow trailed off teasingly. Happy to see the blush that crept over Tara’s soft features, she changed mood slightly, “Well … I’ve uh… been thinking…”
Tara leaned over to tell her lover, “I love the way you think, my love. Let’s finish breakfast first,” before tickling the top of the redhead’s ear with the tip of her tongue. She was of course satisfied by the blush returned by the other girl.
Willow gulped a quiet “Oh God,” before returning to her previous subject: “Anyway. I was wondering. Well… I mean… if … and…”
Tara leaned over to take her lover’s hand. “Take a breath, Will, and then ask,” she instructed her.
Willow did just that before speaking: “Ok. I’ve been thinking. I know that Teresa passed away years ago here but what about your Aunt Amber or Julie? I mean do they exist here? Do you have an Aunt and cousins? Do they have any healing magic? I mean maybe they could help your leg?”
Tara scrunched up her brow before answering. “Aunt Amber has some magical ability but s-she has a lot more knowledge than power. Julie is just learning and we’re just starting to train her. She seems to have more power than Amber but not as much as I do or mama or Grandma had.”
“I’m not surprised,” Willow answered, “that’s how it was in our world too, although her aunt was brilliant.” She took a deep breath before continuing, “but what I was thinking was… uh… well I know neither of them is very powerful… but… um… I am.”
“What?”
“I am. Powerful that is,” Willow explained quickly. “I… I could amplify for them. I mean couldn’t I? Maybe not as well as I do with you because of our … uh … well you know.”
“You could amplify for them?” Tara repeated dumbly. Then again: “you could amplify for them?” Tara was quiet for a second before playfully taping the heel of her hand against her forehead in the universal sign for “why didn’t I think of that, damnit!”
“I take it it’s a good idea?” Willow questioned.
“Good idea?” Tara answered. “It’s like the best idea I’ve e-ever heard. I mean it won’t heal it completely but I’m pretty sure it can help to strengthen the m-muscles and lighten the scars.” She leaned across to passionately kiss her lover before telling her sincerely: “Thank you for thinking of it and offering, Willow.”
“Mmm,” Willow flirted, “if I get thanks like that, I’ll amplify for anyone you want.” She was quiet for a second before elaborating: “Just so you know, I want your leg to not hurt you but it will never matter to me if your scars stay just as they are. I think you are the most beautiful, strong, sexy woman I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.”
Tara heard her lover’s words and knew they were completely sincere but wanted to tease her back: “You mean the most beautiful, strong, sexy woman you’ve been to bed with in the l-last 24 hours.”
“Gee, what a fortunate coincidence,” Willow giggled. Both girls looked up as the cell phone lying on the counter began beeping. “That’s very irritating,” Willow assessed.
“It’s your phone, sweetie,” Tara told her.
Willow got up and grabbed the phone from the countertop just as Tara’s started beeping also. “Ok,” Willow said as she held up the phone, “I have no idea how to read a message.” She handed the phone over to her lover and wrapped her arms around her waist to look over her shoulder as Tara punched buttons to look at both phones.
RR#1-M
2:00 pm today – 10:00 pm tomorrow
Rend: T&M
Bring: Outdoor clothes, sporty, ScoobyShe started laughing as Willow assessed the message before declaring, “Nonsense.”
“No baby,” Tara giggled, “it’s not nonsense.” She pointed at the screen. “It’s the first round of the round robin. That’s ‘RR#1’ and this one is Michelle’s. It lasts from today at 2:00 to tomorrow at 10:00 and we rendezvous here.”
“What about outdoor clothes?” Willow questioned.
“I’d say we’re going c-c-camping,” Tara guessed. “Scooby,” she called, “do you want to go camping?” The dog began jumping up and down as Tara got to the word
go. “I’d say she wants to go,” Tara told her girlfriend.
“So we’re going camping,” Willow mused as she stood behind her lover, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Do you think you’ll mind our sleeping in such a tight space? I mean we might be pretty close together.” As she spoke, she began placing nipping kisses along the blonde’s neckline.
“Mmm,’” Tara moaned, “I think I might l-like it ok.” Her speech was made much more difficult by the presence of Willow’s hands, which had strayed up to cup her breasts before rubbing the nipples to hard peaks. Attempting to maintain a little focus she squeaked out, “Do you h-have hiking boots? Camping c-clothes?”
As her lover had smoothly turned into their embrace and was now passionately kissing her, Willow had some difficulty answering her. “Need … shop … later,” she managed.
“One hour?” Tara moaned as both girls stumbled back toward the bedroom.
“…n hour,” Willow agreed.
--
Scooby wagged her tail as she ran back and forth through the house as if supervising the packing. Michelle had arrived about 30 minutes earlier and was throwing her clothes into a bag while all three girls waited for Eliza to arrive in a borrowed vehicle. Willow and Tara’s bag was sitting by the door along with a cardboard box of groceries for the brief trip.
Willow laughed as she sat watching Scooby. In the past few minutes, the dog has piled six balls, two Frisbees, a stuffed animal, three sticks from the backyard, and two shoes with the other camping equipment. “What’s so funny, sweetie?” Tara asked as she joined her lover. She had been helping Michelle finish her packing and was now ready to wait for Eliza too.
“Looks like Scooby wanted to help pack,” Willow explained as she indicated the pile of toys the dog had brought.
Tara giggled, “Yeah, she always does that.”
“Do y’all camp a lot?” Willow asked. She hadn’t really thought about it until now. As much as she was in love with this woman, and that was a lot, in some ways there were millions of things she didn’t know about her. Before Tara could answer Willow’s question the redhead told her, “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of learning about you.”
Tara giggled again as she realized that in Willow’s busy mind this probably passed for connected thoughts. At least they were connected to something in there. “We go on the spur of the moment a few times a year,” she explained. “In the summer it’s pretty hot but that just means we go someplace with a l-lake for swimming.”
Willow smiled at her girlfriend as she linked their fingers together. “I feel so lucky,” she commented. As she saw the confused but happy look on Tara’s face she tried to explain: “I mean I have you and I love you so much and you have such a wonderful life. And you have Michelle and Eliza and Scooby and I guess I have them, too. I mean I hope I have them too. I mean I like them and lot and hope they… you know” She finally trailed off wondering if she sounded like a complete dork.
“They love you too, baby,” Tara attempted to reassure her girlfriend. She wasn’t afraid that Willow would leave; nonetheless, she wanted Willow to be as happy as possible. She knew that they were embarking on a life together and shared friends were just one facet of that life. Both girls started slightly as they heard honking from the driveway.
Willow stood and extended her hand to help pull Tara to her feet. Glancing at the floor she asked, “Can we do a ritual out there?”
“Always,” Tara confirmed as she picked up the light bundle of sleeping bags. Willow loaded her arms with their bag and the groceries as Michelle came out of her bedroom carrying her bag.
“I used to own one of these,” Willow commented as she and Tara buckled their seatbelts in the back seat and Michelle took hers in the passenger seat. Scooby had bounded into the cargo portion and was lying down already.
“A tent?” Eliza asked, confused, as she pulled away from the curb.
“No,” Willow laughed, “a Nissan Pathfinder. My father gave me one for high school graduation.”
“Sounds like I’m not the only rich kid around here,” Eliza teased.
“Believe me,” Willow explained, “not at rich as you but my parents definitely used their checkbooks to say ‘we love you even though we’re really busy.’” Tara hugged her lover closer as she thought about what Willow was telling the other girls. Even though the redhead had told her about her parents’ lack of interest in her life, Tara still couldn’t get used to the idea. How could anyone know this girl and not want to spend every moment with her?
Willow noted the look that passed between Tara and Michelle, a look that seemed to say that they would rather take the love and devotion of their families than money any day of the week. “Why are we stopping?” she asked as Michelle jumped from the car. Before anyone could answer, she noted the sign on the building: “Beer Barn.”
“My sweetie starts her spending here,” Eliza joked as Michelle walked into the shop. In a few minutes she had returned with a case of beer. Scooby made a disapproving noise as the case cut into her limited space in the cargo area.
Michelle turned on the stereo and with the exception of Willow, all the girls sang along. Willow noted that while Michelle didn’t sing as well as the other two girls, she didn’t have a terrible voice.
“How far is the campground?” Willow asked after about an hour.
“Another hour or so,” Eliza answered. “It’s out toward Brenhams. I’m surprised you’ve never been.”
“We never went camping in high school,” Willow explained.
“So Tare, Willow,” Michelle changed the point, “what are you both doing for your rounds?”
Willow looked over at her lover too see what the tradition held. She had come up with an idea for her choice which would take some logistic planning and lucky timing but she didn’t want to tell until it was time. Tara smirked, “I have a great idea, Chelle, but I’m not telling.”
“Me neither, then,” Willow agreed as she leaned her head on the blonde’s shoulder.
“Willow’s taking us to a headstanding competition,” Eliza declared.
“Pudding wrestling,” Michelle suggested.
“Spelling bee for left h-handed college students,” Tara giggled.
“Headstanding in pudding,” Willow added to their guesses.
“I really hope Tara’s not taking us to another of those ‘interpretative dance’ things,” Eliza muttered.
“The firedancers were cool,” Michelle argued.
“A quilting weekend,” Willow joined in the teasing.
As the others were laughing she noted that Eliza had pulled off the road and was nearing the gate to the state park. Michelle paid the fee and they proceeded to choose a relatively secluded site set back from the dirt path. It was near the water but not too far from the bath facilities. “Hey,” Willow cheered, “bathrooms.”
“Well, yeah,” Tara explained, “we like camping but we’re not fanatics.” All three girls laughed as they began unloading the car while Scooby circled them, interfering more than helping. They set up both tents so that they were as far away from each other as possible without using more than one camp site and both had their zipper flaps facing the fire area.
The group assessed their work before Michelle asked, “Who wants to go for a hike?”
Willow looked over at her girlfriend who nodded: “I’ll go a short ways and t-turn back when I need to.”
“I’ll go as far as Tara,” Willow explained.
The four girls and Scooby set off at a moderate pace with Eliza in the lead. She set an easy enough pace that Tara was easily able to keep up and the group enjoyed the beauty of nature. To the two Wiccans, being in nature was a spiritual experience and both girls found themselves constantly thanking the Goddess for their blessings. They were all enjoying the peace and quiet of the day when Eliza suddenly stopped walking, shouting “What the fucking fuck?”
Willow giggled thinking of those Marx Brothers comedies where the person in front stops walking but the rest of the group doesn’t and they all walk one after the other into the person in front of them until they collapse on the ground. “What the fucking, fuck what Eliza? Tara asked, shocking her girlfriend somewhat. The other Tara would never have said something like that, even if she was just repeating what someone was saying.
“What’s with the birds?” Eliza asked, indicating a few birds circling overhead with her hand. “They’ve been following us all along.”
Willow extended her arm, holding the leather brace she had tied on at the campsite and smiled as a falcon landed on the leather covering. “These birds?” she smirked.
Eliza’s mouth hung open as she watched the display but Michelle seemed non-plussed by the display. She shrugged as if nothing could surprise her anymore from either witch. Deciding to go easier on the dark-haired girl Tara explained, “Willow has a gift calling animals like I do healing.”
“Figures,” Eliza muttered. The witches weren’t surprised to hear her saying, “No wonder you two are so perfect for each other,” as she turned to continue walking.
Michelle looked at the group and explained, “I think I’ll run, ok?” Everyone nodded and she started away from the other girls down the path. Scooby looked from Michelle’s retreating back toward Tara until the blonde giggled and waved her hand to allow the dog to happily join the runner.
“I’m going to t-turn back and start dinner,” Tara announced.
She and Willow turned back down the path while Eliza continued forward by herself. On the return walk, the girls took the pace much slower as Willow noticed that the blonde’s leg was obviously bothering her much more. “Will we have time to do a ritual out here, baby?” she reminded her girlfriend.
Tara nodded, enjoying the feel of Willow’s soft hand in her own. They were now walking two abreast down the path toward the campsite. “In the m-morning we can do one if you want,” she answered. The return journey took about twice as long as the first half did, but neither girl minded. They were enjoying the clear weather, the beauty of the trees, sound of water bubbling in streams parallel to the path, and the feel of the other girl’s hand in their own. With that contact came the amazing sensation of magical energy traveling through their flesh reaching every part of their beings. By the time they reached the campsite both girls were entranced with the other. Tara pulled her lover into a passionate kiss. “I wish we had time to do more than kiss and start dinner,” she whispered as she allowed her lips to flutter over Willow’s small ear.
“Mmm, me too,” Willow agreed as her hands rose in an attempt to convince the girl that they did in fact have time.
Tara giggled as she pulled the redhead’s hands from her chest. “Not enough time, my love,” she panted even as they continued kissing.
“Do you two ever stop?” Eliza’s voice cut through the air, immediately separating the two girls and causing Tara to blush deep red. The younger girl walked straight through the center of the campsite, pulling a beer from the cooler and opening it to take a drink before pulling two more and tossing them to the witches.
Tara took a drink of her beer as she asked, “I thought you were cutting down on the drinking, Eliza?”
“Oh that,” the dark-haired girl explained, “I misunderstood something that Michelle said. She’s not upset about it.” She cryptically continued, “Which is good because I’ve got plans.” She took a sip of beer before assessing, “but I have been trying to drink a little less.”
“What plans?” Willow immediately asked.
Eliza smiled back as she began pulling out cooking supplies. “Wouldn’t y’all like to know?”
I would definitely like to know, Tara thought. The problem was getting Eliza to share. The girl was a notoriously good secret keeper and very good at springing them, too. “We should play ‘I never’ tonight,” Tara offered. It wasn’t that Tara wanted to get Eliza drunk; she just wanted her relaxed so that Tara could try to figure out her surprise. Besides, they hadn’t brought
that much beer.
Willow looked at her girlfriend, completely confused as she began to start the fire. She used the same technique that the other Tara had taught her all those years ago to get the small branches lit before beginning to feed larger and larger pieces of wood.
Why would Tara want to play a drinking game? Isn’t she the same woman who didn’t want me to play with them at Michelle’s party? She didn’t question Tara though, believing that the blonde had a plan.
Eliza smirked as she heard Tara’s suggestion. She understood the girl’s intention, but there was no way she was going to share this surprise ahead of time. And anyway, maybe Tara would have to drink to many more things now that she had Willow. “Sounds good to me,” she agreed.
The three girls worked together to prepare dinner. It was a simple affair of both veggie and meat burgers, grilled vegetables, and macaroni and cheese which Michelle insisted was “camping food.” By the time the runner entered the circle the others were lounging in their chairs telling stories and sipping slowly on their drinks. “Wow,” she exclaimed as she looked around, “looks like y’all did some hunting and gathering.” Everyone giggled as she grabbed a change of clothes and announced that she was going to take a very quick shower. She was true to her word and the group ate the offering just as the sun was setting.
After eating Michelle quickly cleaned up from dinner and the girls returned to enjoy the fire. Willow and Tara were snuggling together against one log while the other couple mirrored their position against an opposite one. “That needs more color,” Willow announced as she waved her hand at the fire and blue and green flames began to lick out of the center.
“I never wiggled my fingers and made magic happen,” Eliza announced.
As she finished her drink Willow noted that everyone but Eliza had taken a drink and teased the younger girl by telling Tara, “I’m surprised that Eliza didn’t drink to that one.”
“Well,” Tara agreed, “I guess Michelle would know.”
“What?” Eliza asked confused until it hit her. “You’re damn right I’ve made magic happen by wiggling my fingers.” She took a long swallow as the group laughed.
“She was targeting us,” Tara told her lover.
“No,” Eliza told her, “targeting you would be saying ‘I’ve never crossed a dimensional portal to find my lover.’”
Willow took a quick drink answering, “Yeah. That would be about as fair as saying, ‘I’ve never been kicked out of school for having sex in a parked car.’” Eliza laughed as she took a drink and raised her can.
“We’re way behind,” Michelle commented. “Unless I say, ‘I’ve never been hit on by my girlfriend’s sister.’”
“Hey, that’s not my fault,” Tara protested before taking her drink. “… as fair as saying, ‘I’ve never won a state championship in track.’”
Michelle took a drink before all four girls decided to put a stop to deliberately targeting one girl. Willow enjoyed the game greatly. She was finding out even more about all three other girls, including her lover. It was surprising to her just how many drinks the blonde was taking based solely on their experiences of the past few weeks. She couldn’t put her finger on it but it seemed that while none of the girls were targeting Eliza specifically, Michelle and Tara seemed to be making sure that the girl drank on nearly every challenge. Perhaps that was why Tara suggested the game? What Willow didn’t know was that both Tara and Michelle wanted desperately to know what Eliza’s surprise was. The girl was terrible about announcing that she had a surprise and teasing people with it without disclosing it.
Willow also noticed that Tara was occasionally using the information she had from her dreams to make Willow drink as on the challenge, “I’ve never had sex in a janitor’s closet.”
“Not exactly fair,” she muttered as she took her drink. Just then she noticed that Eliza had also drunk on that one and raised an eyebrow at the girl.
“You first,” Eliza answered.
“Oh. Ok,” Willow agreed. “Tara, the other Tara, came to my old high school to help us fight this big demon. We had sex in a janitor’s closet right before blowing it up to kill the demon.”
“You blew up the janitor’s closet?” Michelle asked.
“The school,” Willow corrected, “we blew up the school.” Rather than elaborating she raised her can to Eliza and told the girl, “your turn.”
“We didn’t get caught every time,” the girl smirked. Willow was impressed to note that Michelle truly seemed to have no jealousy about Eliza’s exploits before the two girls got together. Perhaps she was just truly confident in their love.
“My turn,” Michelle announced. “I’ve never kissed a boy,” she stated before taking a drink. She was surprised to see everyone but Michelle take a drink. “Theater,” both Tara and Eliza offered by way of explanation.
Eliza realized her friends’ intention and but there was no way she would let her surprise slip before it was time. However, she did decide to even the score a bit. “I’ve never made out in the stable at Brenhams,” she stated, knowing that it would force her to drink as well as Michelle and Tara. And if Willow and the other Tara were anything like these two girls, there was no way they kept their hands off each other in high school.
Willow briefly wondered if her actions in the Brenhams in the other world counted and decided that everything else she had done in the other world had counted so this would too. She had just finished taking her drink when she realized that everyone was drinking. Everyone. Including Tara. “What?” she allowed to slip out of her mouth. “You made out in the stables at Brenhams?” she asked. Even though all three girls had started drinking some water for their turns to ensure that they didn’t have too much alcohol, she was more than slightly drunk from the hours the game had gone and she couldn’t control her jealousy as Michelle had done. “Who did you make out with in the stables? I mean not that you can’t have had a life before me but what? And I mean what? What little slut did you make out with?”
She looked across the fire to see Michelle sheepishly raising her hand. “One slut present and accounted for,” she joked as the other two girls laughed at Willow’s jealous rant and Michelle’s admission.
Willow blushed bright red as she attempted to apologize: “Oh. I mean I’m sorry. I forgot. I mean I never remember that you two….” She took a breath before muttering, “…stupid multiple realities.”
“And on that note,” Eliza announced, “time to end the game with I’ve never had sex in a tent.” She and Michelle took a drink and rose to go to their tent as she tossed over her shoulder, “but I’ll ask again in the morning.” Both witches were blushing as they took care of the fire and crawled into their sleeping space.
Because they hadn’t had that much to drink none of the girls were hungover in the morning. Michelle enjoyed another run while Eliza took Scooby down to the lake so she could swim and fetch sticks. Tara and Willow walked a short ways to the base of a tall oak tree. Agreeing that it was a beautiful spot and based on Tara’s assessment of its magical energy, they chose it as the location for their meditation. Neither girl realized that hours had gone by until Scooby came running up only to stop a few feet away. Although Tara had trained the dog to never interfere with a ritual, it didn’t stop her from panting heavily from her morning’s exertion and the two witches decided to put a stop on their refreshing meditation. The trip back to Austin was uneventful, filled with story telling and singing from everyone but Willow.
---
"I was working on a proof of one of my poems all morning and took out a comma. In the afternoon, I put it back in again." - Oscar Wilde
Hola, Debra 
But you're Debra, so it's all good. Well done 
It's definitely a touchy and emotional subject. I'm not sure how I would have approached it from the actual writing perspective. My emotions would kinda take over, ya know? I'm glad Willow shared her feelings with Tara. I'm sure she didn't want to bring any sadness to this Tara's birthday, but it was important to bring it up. I think Willow and Tara are at a really strong point in their young relationship. The level of trust and loyalty seems to grow with every update. This, plus Tara allowing Willow to see her scars...again, it's all good!
I feel bad for Michelle though to actually be related to that woman. Elizabeth needed to be put in her place a long time ago. 
Tara needs to open her present!
(I'm probably starting to sound like a broken record 
)
Go Tara! It's good to see her being so assertive and confident and finally facing Beth. I feel sorry for Michelle, though, but it was a much needed conversation!
at: 11/21/03 8:20 pm
Debra 
doing? Well I hope. 
and 
are so cute. 
I have the world shortest fuse when it comes to my temper. It must be cause I'm a Irish redhead. 
more. Update soon, please? 
. She deserves love and happiness. 