OK, I admit to being bad and not working as much on the From the Journal of... update lately. I've had this around for almost two years and decided I really wanted it DONE so I've finished it except for some final editing on the last two parts. I'll probably post those in a couple days. Then I'll get back to the latest Journal update, which is at least half or more done.
This was basically my answer to too much Tara's dead and Willow is grieving, or too many fics on the breakup and eventual getting back together. I just didn't have the heart to finish at the time. Anyway, hopefully it doesn't suck too bad.
Author: Garner
Email: Garner502@yahoo.com
Feedback: It’s always nice to hear what others think, good or bad.
Distribution: Go ahead and post this where you want. I would like to know where though as I probably don’t know about the site and may want to go there.
Spoilers: Through the end of season 4, that’s it.
Rating: R, maybe, PG-13 at least.
Pairing: W/T forever!
Disclaimer: These characters were created by Joss Whedon, somehow, and the actors that played them. I don’t own them, get any money from them, and hope that I take better care of them than others did.
Summary: Willow and Tara spend some time together near the end of the summer between Seasons 4 and 5. Willow’s birthday is coming up and Tara has an idea to make Buffy and everyone’s life easier.
Note: I started this piece back near the start of Season 7 when most were writing sad stories after Tara’s death, or dealing with the breakup and the insanity that was Season Sux. I wanted something that was lighter, happier, and without so much angst. In short something kinda fluffy and fun. Begun September 2002, finished April 2005. Some pieces just lie around and take forever to come out. I hope it was worth it.
OFFERINGS
Part 1
“You’ve been acting pretty mysterious lately,” Willow stated, her hand tracing its way down Tara’s arm.
“W-what do you mean?” the blonde asked with as near an innocent look as she could manage.
Willow of course saw through it, which Tara anticipated, so she tried a little more direct distraction, grabbing the redhead’s hand and kissing the fingers lightly. This action elicited the expected response as the girl cooed softly and snuggled closer despite the lingering early August evening heat. Tara had always preferred the hot weather and the further warmth from her favorite girl made her sigh happily. She put her arm around the smaller body and leaned her head against the other’s.
A moment later Willow straightened and looked askance at her girlfriend.
“Ooohhh, missy, you have so got some answering to do!” She exclaimed in mock seriousness. “Acting lovey dovey and leading my thoughts astray, you’re more devious than I thought.”
“Well you better keep an eye on me then,” Tara smiled and winked. “Or better yet, your whole cute little body. I’ll make sure I’m up to something.”
“You’re all vixeney tonight,” Willow laughed and Tara gave her ‘who me?’ look.
“Yes you. Now spill before the tickle inquisition take’s drastic action!”
The Wiccan’s high pitched squeal pierced the UCSD quad’s air and drew some amused and disgusted looks from the few students hurrying to night class. The pair had taken to having evening picnics to watch the sun set. For some reason the summertime seemed to have less supernatural activity than the rest of the year and so they had more time to relax and spend with each other. Between that and summer session classes the season seemed to pass so quickly that it was like nothing of importance had happened. That wasn’t true of course. Willow had gotten to know Tara better, and the bond between them had only become deeper. She couldn’t even recall a time when her blonde beauty hadn’t been with her. It was like they had always been together, but just unaware of each other.
It also meant that Willow had learned all of the other girl’s most ticklish places, and she put that knowledge to good use. Tara responded by squirming, squealing and giggling so enticingly that Willow just kept on, enjoying the contact and infectious laughter.
“Do I have to separate you two? I think someone just called the fire department to come hose you down before the campus catches on fire.”
“Buffy!” The pair said in unison and collapsed on top of each other in a fit of completely uncontrollable laughter.
“They couldn’t possibly be coming here,” Willow finally managed.
“Seeing as they’re on constant call for you and Riley,” Tara finished with a broad grin.
The Slayer plopped down on the couple’s orange blanket saying, “Someone’s in a good mood tonight.”
Buffy wore her halter top, jeans and the new boots that Riley had recently given her. She helped herself to a few of the carrots stacked in one of the nearby tupperware containers and crunched away, happily at ease. No big bads, not many vamps, boyfriend in town and helping on patrol. Things were going well for a change and she was certain it couldn’t last, but wanted to savor it while it did.
The two witches were thinking much the same thing and Willow said, “We’re just enjoying the summer lull in activity while we can.”
Tara nodded her agreement. “Willow says that things usually stay pretty quiet till school starts back up.” After a pause she added, “W-why is that?
“Don’t know,” Buffy responded between chews. “Maybe the demons and vamps don’t like our sunny california summers.”
That got a smile from each girl and Willow leaned against Tara, their hands entwined as she gave a little serious thought to the matter.
“It is sort of odd, now that you mention it,” she began, her brow creasing slightly. “I can’t remember a single summer since I’ve known you that’s had too much danger or anything like that. We’ve patrolled the times you were gone, for whatever reason, even Giles helped occasionally. But there’s never been anything we couldn’t handle.”
“M-m-maybe it’s...s-something to do with the Hellmouth,” Tara offered haltingly still not completely comfortable voicing her own ideas on Scooby matters. Sometimes it amazed her how much Willow had seen and been through. What validity could her thoughts or hunches have when stacked up to all that experience?
“You mean that the summer’s magical rythmns make it less of a draw?” Willow said her mind both trying to follow the ramifications of the concept and pleased that Tara had seen and contributed something that could be useful and important.
Tara nodded and her hair cascaded in front of her face, but rather than lowering her head she pushed it behind one ear and continued on. “Summer is a time when the life force is at its greatest. The emenations from the Hellmouth might get swamped by the vibrancy of the season.”
“But during fall and winter the effect would be correspondingly less and the various nasties would be called to it.” Willow concluded.
Tara nodded putting forth, “Or at least they might sense it from further away and come to investigate.”
“You are so smart,” the redhead stated, a huge smile crossing her face. “See what a fresh perspective can bring?”
Buffy also nodded but interrupted the mood with, “OK, that’s great, I’m sure, but why are you two all glowey like you just solved some big important puzzle?”
“Oh Buffy, don’t you see? It means that if the Hellmouth responds to the flow of natural forces around it and the magical currents of the land then maybe we could use that to lessen its affect during other times. Why, if it worked we might even be able to completely negate its affect or possibly shut it down. Just think, Sunnydale might not be demon Disneyland calling to every big bad that’s on the continent,” Willow bubbled excitedly.
“W-we’d have to test it of course. See if it did have an energy flow and cycle, but it might work,” Tara confirmed.
Buffy’s wide-eyed stare of shock and amazement combined with the ‘O’ of her open mouth suddenly seemed hilarious to both witches and once again they started laughing.
“You two are teasing aren’t you?” Buffy complained indignantly. “That’s OK, I can get even later, just you wait.”
“No, no,” Willow said. “It’s true, really.”
Tara also tried to mollify the perturbed Slayer, “We really could nullify or lessen the affects,”
“Honestly,” Willow added looking more at Tara than Buffy and both relapsed into another fit of laughter.
Buffy shook her head but couldn’t help grinning at the two witches, and their infectious good spirits. She needed Riley here to help offset the tag team mess-with-the-Slayerfest.
“We really probably couldn’t get it to close,” Tara admitted.
“She’s right. Some demons would still come because they’d heard about it so it wouldn’t be like not having it here,” Willow agreed.
“But it could reduce the random creatures drawn to the area and make it a lot less dangerous for everyone,” Tara continued, her excitement at being able to contribute a useful idea overwhelming her shyness.
“Patrolling would definitely be safer,” Willow opined, also excited by the whole notion and still pleased that Tara had come up with something she’d never seen before.
“Well if you’re both so sure then I’ll just tell Giles all about your theory and see what he says,” Buffy said finally, playing the only card she thought might get the pair to fess up to their leg pulling ways.
“That’s a great idea,” Willow said.
“I-I’m sure Mr. Giles will have some helpful insights,” Tara agreed.
“We’ll head over to his apartment a bit later and see what he says,” Willow concluded.
“Now that looks like fun.”
The sudden male voice behind the Slayer made her whirl around. Standing over the three women was a taller, thinnish, light haired young man wearing jeans and a bright colored polo shirt. Buffy didn’t recognize him, though Willow seemed to.
“Hey Jason, what are you doing out of the computer lab?” the redhead asked.
“I finally finished my project and was just going to head out to the bars for a little celebration. Interested in joining me? I might even have a few friends for the rest of you gals, too.”
“Um, well, er,” Willow sputtered blushing at the sudden attention
Buffy put her hand over her mouth to hide a smile at her friend’s discomfort. The shy computer expert certainly wasn’t used to having guys ask her out, and this one obviously didn’t know her very well.
“Sh-she’s w-w-with me,” Tara’s hesitant voice came to her girlfriend’s rescue.
“Hey, that’s no problem. Like I said I know a couple of guys that could join us,” Jason persisted with a smile.
“Does the word ‘lesbian’ mean anything to you?” Buffy asked.
“Huh?” was the boy’s befuddled response.
“I’m sorry,” Willow said finally rallying and finding her voice. “I don’t usually get asked out and I’m sure you’re a great guy and all, but,” and here she took one of Tara’s hands in both of hers, “I’m kinda already spoken for.”
Buffy wasn’t sure who looked the most embarrassed. Tara, Willow and Jason all had faces a different shade of crimson.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Um, I didn’t know. I, uh, mean...didn’t you used to go out with that guy from Dingoes Ate My Baby?” Jason stammered. “You sure you’re just not trying to fool with me?”
“No, yes, wait what?” Willow’s brow crinkled and Buffy couldn’t help laughing.
“I’m not laughing...at you, Jason,” the slayer rushed to assure the young man. “We just don’t get to see Willow so at a loss for words.”
“Normally sh-she just keeps babbling on,” Tara confirmed smiling shyly behind her hair.
Willow glared at her alleged friends and, taking a deep breath, finally got out, “Yes, I used to date Oz, but that was a long time ago,” here she gave Tara her ‘miffed’ face, “though now I’m beginning to think I chose the wrong person. Anyway, I’m flattered and all, really, but right now there’s only room for one person in my life. I’m definitely not trying to make fun of you.”
Jason smiled and shook his head, muttering, “Figures, just my luck,’ then more loudly, “Hope I didn’t offend you or anything. Well, if, uh, things don’t work out give me a call. For now I’ll just try and recapture that finished project mood. Good bye, all of you.”
The boy hurried off and Willow turned to Tara.
“Wow, did you just get all defensive over me in front of a stranger?” She asked, actually thrilled that her shy friend had found the courage to speak up. “And, I believe I might also have heard an attempted joke, one at my expense which we’ll have to work on, but a humorous interjection nonetheless.”
Tara’s face lit up at the Willow babble and when the couple kissed it was Buffy’s turn to flush and look off into the darkening campus. She was certain that she and Riley were never this bad. Then again...
“I just w-wanted to say something. You look so surprised,” Tara was saying. “I d-didn’t mean to answer for you.”
“No, Tara, that was fine. I am with you and it was so cool to hear you say it. I can’t believe you’d think I’m worth defending.”
Clearly the young Wiccan wasn’t used to having praise passed her way in public. What little of her face that could be seen behind the blonde hair tumbling forward was a deeper red than the remaining tomatos. She murmured something unintelligible.
Willow felt the familiar heat in her chest deepen as she gently took the other girl’s chin and lifted her face so she could look into her dazzling blue eyes. She still found it hard to accept that the intelligence that looked out of them would hold her so dear. What had she done to deserve this? After Oz had left, and her world imploded, she never expected to be so happy again. And yet, here was a divine creature that looked at her and made her feel like the rest of the world faded away.
Willow smiled and sighed softly. Right now she wanted nothing more than to be alone with Tara back in her room with the sheets clinging stickily to their bodies and Tara’s soft flesh pressed against hers. The feel of her moist tongue...
“You guys brought Miss Kitty out here?” Buffy’s incredulous proclamation jarred the redhead out of her reverie and into another sudden flush. A quick flash of white and black fur disappeared in the bushes quite a ways from the blanket.
“Wh-what? Who?” came the witch’s reply.
“Oh, we always bring Miss Kitty out with us,” Tara stepped in.
“She loves the fresh air and the chance to sniff about,” Willow said, her thoughts now back in a coherent stream. Preferably a nice cold one with no hot, blonde, naked witches included.
“Aren’t you afraid she’ll run off?” The slayer asked.
Both of the other girls laughed and glanced sidelong at each other.
Tara answered first, “We kn-know her true name now and all we have to do...”
“Is call her by it and she’ll come back.” Willow finished.
“OK, any more of that and I start hitting people,” Buffy joked and the pair at least looked chastised. “So a little magic and she’ll return.”
“Pretty much,” Willow agreed. “We’d never chance losing her otherwise.”
Tara took the last slice of apple and chewed slowly, looking overhead at a lone, wispy cirrus cloud barely visible as the evening deepened. She loved the evening, when the colors of day were muted by the oncoming darkness. It seemed like an enchanted time between the harsh reality of day and the inky menace of night. A brief period when anything was possible and the soft grays made everything malleable. A moment when she almost believed that there really was nothing evil about her, just something special that deserved Willow’s love.
They talked on of their summer classes, and though Buffy wasn’t taking any herself, she still feigned enough interest to keep the conversation from lagging. They all munched on the remaining food and shared an easy camaraderie free of impending doom that was all too rare.
Eventually as the stars became visible, Buffy made to leave, the night’s patrol needing to be embarked upon. While Willow gathered the debris of their evening picnic, Tara softly spoke several words just barely inaudible.
A moment later a tumultuous cavalcade of limbs and fur charged towards the blonde witch, launching itself the last three feet or so into her arms. Buffy stood watching in amazement as the feline then went limp, presenting its belly for much rubbing and attention. A remarkably loud purr resulted from the desired actions.
“Miss Cutey Fantasticso!” Willow exclaimed and moved to assist in the kitten loving. “You should get a pet, Buffy. They’re supposed to be all de-stressy. You could probably use some of that.”
“Yeah, and the next Big Bad that comes along grabs it and eats it. Or worse. I don’t think I need that kinda stress relief, thank you.”
Miss Kitty climbed up onto Tara’s shoulders and rubbed her muzzle against an exposed ear. The witch giggled slightly until the kitten playfully nipped at the earlobe.
“Hey Miss Naughty, that’s my job,” Willow said in mock outrage, a little pout pursing her lips.
Tara gave the offended red head a quick kiss and Buffy moved off saying, “And that’s my cue to cut out. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
The pair waved goodbye and the Wiccan coaxed Miss Kitty into a knapsack so they could sneak her back into the dorms.
“The cat’s in the bag, man,” Willow stated in a husky voice, smiling.
Tara gave her soft laugh, like always. Even though it wasn’t that funny, she just found all of Willow’s little peculiarities endearing.
Before long they had their stuff together and hurried back to Their Room. That’s how Willow always considered it now, though in truth it was just Tara’s. They spent so much time there together that Buffy often joked about having a single. Willow wondered if it was a bad sign that she was starting to think of certain things, like a lot of the magical supplies, books and candles as joint property.
‘Ours,’ she thought savoring the word. ‘Not hers or mine.’
She’d never felt like that with Oz, that’s for sure. Maybe it should have scared her, the deeper connection and growing level of attachment. What was the word her mother would use? Co-dependency, that was it. Walking into ‘their’ room, Willow couldn’t help being amazed at the level of co-dependency they were exhibiting. Or how good it felt.
She trusted Tara more than anyone else she’d ever known, but in the back of her mind, hidden in a tiny, dark corner like the last overlooked kernel of corn in a grain silo, her insecurities and doubts ever so faintly sang the ‘it won’t last,’ refrain. Sometimes the fears that only surface when it’s 4:30 am and you can’t get back to sleep told her that it was only a matter of time before Tara left her, went off to a more mature relationship. Or decided she couldn’t stand this awkward, geeky girl and that maybe boys were worth trying out after all.
She tried to shake off the nagging qualms that assailed her, but for some reason they wouldn’t leave. Even Miss Kitty’s antics upon leaping from her sack didn’t seem to help. A faint sigh escaped her lips, but the other picked up on it anyway. She moved to the bed and sat down next to the redhead, taking her hand.
“Sweety, what is it? Is something bothering you?” Tara asked in her concerned voice.
Willow looked into the worried face staring back at her with such avid interest, ready to do whatever was necessary to make her feel better, and just as quickly as it came the mood left her.
A smile lit up her face and she leaned her forehead against Tara’s saying simply, “Nothing’s wrong when you’re here with me.”
She kissed the source of all pleasure in her life, and hugged her closely. Miss Kitty scampered over to be part of the fun too, and started clawing Willow’s jeans, not content to be ignored.
“You want someone to play with, don’t you?”
“What happened to her mouse?”
“Hah, she chewed it into unchewablity in, like, five minutes. Her ball keeps ending up in my boots, too.”
Tara shook her head, and flipped Miss Kitty on her back. The kitten’s paws closed around her hand and a little mouth chewed at the webbing between her thumb and forefinger.
“I still don’t know how she gets it there.” Tara picked the offending feline up and stared into her face. “And you’re not telling are you?”
They played with Miss Kitty for awhile until her toys were scattered about the small room. They also chose several magic tomes that seemed appropriate and put them in their backpacks to take with to Giles’ apartment. By the time they were ready to leave Miss Kitty was busy sitting in her drawer, the bottom one, in Tara’s desk doing her pre-nap grooming. A thick flower covered towel had been sacrificed to make the spot more comfortable.
After a while as they walked through the dark streets towards Giles’, Willow sort of hung her head and kicked at stones on the sidewalk. She seemed distracted or disturbed and Tara prompted her for an explanation with a sideways glance.
“I was just thinking about how in one more week the summer session’ll be done and the dorms closed for a couple weeks,” she began, really not wanting to hear Tara’s answer, but figuring she might as well get this out of the way now. The idea of having to spend almost two weeks without Tara was more than she thought she could bear. Her down mood now fully returned, redoubled, and she didn’t even realize she was making her pouty face. “You’re, you’re going to-to go home again then, right?”
After spring finals, before the summer session began, Tara had returned to her family for a short visit, barely fourteen days really, but during that time Willow thought she’d die. Her body ached and it felt like someone had torn a hole in her heart and emptied out everything that was important. Tara had called every night but they never got to talk long enough. It was one of the most miserable times of her life and she certainly didn’t relish going through that again.
‘Not that I’d mind going through the night, and the day and next night, after she came back again,’ she thought with a wry smile.
Tara heard the underlying panic in her girlfriend’s voice and wasn’t sure how to respond. She had hated being apart from her lover too, and she’d been kinda worried that when she returned that maybe the gorgeous redhead would have moved on. Found a new girl that was prettier, smarter, someone she could love more. Or even decided that she really did prefer boys and her college experiment was over. Tara hadn’t told Willow, but she had had a few nightmares about what she would find when she got back. Silly really, but she’d never felt anywhere near this way about someone before.
Willow made her feel as though she was living in one of the most perfect fairy tales; like one her mother used to read to her. The feeling was stronger than the energy that flowed through her when she cast spells, yet as nebulous as the morning mist that had enshrouded her and covered the land near her home when she was young. Even her father and brother had noticed some change in her. Perhaps a newfound confidence or independence? Either way it was not something they seemed to be happy about. Tara did not enjoy the idea of returning home again.
Willow mistook Tara’s long silence for confirmation, and her voice broke ever so slightly as she said, “It-it won’t be s-so long this time. You’ll be-be back before I know it.”
Tara stopped and reached her hand up to cradle Willow’s chin. Her thumb brushed aside the faint moistness on the other girl’s cheek and their breaths mingled as she leaned in to place a soft, firm kiss on the lips she loved so much. The taste of Willow filled her mouth as the other returned the kiss much more passionately and deeply than the initiator. They stayed locked together for some time, arms wrapped around each other with a fierce possessiveness.
When they broke, Tara gave her crooked smile and let out her breath in a rush. “I h-haven’t made up my mind yet,” she said trying to reassure the redhead though she didn’t know exactly how. “I don’t w-w-want to go home. It hurt a lot to be gone last time and I mi-missed you so much. But I can’t think of any other choice.” She finished, rather lamely too, she thought.
Willow’s reaction however was nowhere near what she expected. A slow smile crept over her face and spread until she was beaming as widely as possible.
“Ohh, I know. I’ve got the whole house to myself and it’s not like anyone will bother us because we’ll be all alone, not that we aren’t normally, but there’ll be more room for Miss Kitty and I suppose Buffy and everyone are around and we’re not really alone in a loner sort of way but you know, and this’ll be so cool and I can make you breakfast in bed and we won’t have to get up for anything it’ll be like the coolest vacation ever!”
Only Tara’s fingers over Willow’s mouth stopped the excited witch, though the redish tinge to her cheeks showed that she probably couldn’t have continued much longer in any case.
Tara’s bewildered expression didn’t cut through Willow’s new jubilant mood so she was forced to ask, “Will, w-what are you talking about?”
“My parents, they’ll be out of town starting this weekend,” she began excitement still evident in the way she grabbed Tara’s arm and her face seemed lit up. “My mom has some sort of professional symposium in Boston and while they’re there she’s going to do some research and I don’t really know what all else, but the point is they’re gone till the end of the month. I’m supposed to be sort of house sitting but there’s no reason you can’t stay there, and Miss Kitty, too. Oh, Tara it’ll be perfect! You won’t have to go home and we’ll be able to be together and we can continue checking into this, unless Giles thinks it’s a waste of time of course, which it isn’t cuz you’re so smart and I know we’ll really be able to help Buffy out and make things less dangerous here.”
On seeing Tara’s exasperated and also slightly dispirited face Willow ground to a halt and looked the other girl directly in her bright eyes.
“That is, if you want to,” she quietly finished.
Of, of course I w-w-want to stay with you. I never want to be away from you for long,” Tara began. Her downward tilted face and veil of hair instantly made Willow wary of the obvious coming, ‘but.’ “But, but it seems like the only reason you’re bringing this up is that your parents will be gone. Th-they don’t know about me, do they?”
Willow opened her mouth to assure her girlfriend that that wasn’t the case, not really, but swallowed once instead. The consternation in Tara’s voice showed she really was, what? Concerned, upset, disappointed maybe? They didn’t talk much about their families and from the hints Tara gave, it sounded like her father was very strict and unforgiving of things that didn’t meet his view of how they should be. Willow doubted he knew about her, but that wasn’t the issue at hand.
She opened her mouth a second time and sighed ever so softly. She took both of Tara’s hands in hers and raised them so that the blonde witch would look up at her.
“Tara, I, I would have asked you to stay with me no matter what the situation was. I just didn’t want to push you into anything. If you had to go home I didn’t want to make it worse by trying to convince you to stay. You have to believe that,” she stated squeezing the other’s hands and made sure she looked squarely into her eyes. “I...don’t really get along with my parents. No, that’s not true exactly, it’s not like we don’t get along, it’s just that they’re always busy with other stuff, it’s like I don’t exist for them except to make sure I’m not in any trouble, I still have enough money, that the scholarship is covering stuff. I guess we’re not close, and never really have been. It’s not that I’m embarrassed by you, or them either I suppose, or anything, it’s just that...”
“That they wouldn’t understand?” Tara helpfully prodded.
“Yeah, but not in the way you might think. I-I don’t think they’d disown me or anything, or even yell and carry on. I think my Mom would just dismiss you as a phase, a, a textbook case of college development or something. My dad might be a bit more disappointed and wonder what they did wrong and look into various psychology books trying to understand exactly where they messed up. Neither would really see you as a person or try and understand how much I love you,” Willow moved one of her hands to stroke Tara’s hair and the side of her face. She hoped she was saying this correctly, but she didn’t think the words were coming out right. “I don’t ever want you treated like some research project or to be dismissed out of hand. You deserve so much more.”
Tara felt her eyes fill and a couple of drops slowly made their way down her cheek. No one had ever looked at her like this, wanted to protect her from harm, even the simple sting from callous emotional treatment. How had someone like the red haired, green eyed beauty who seemed to cherish her so much ever found her? She was so sure she wasn’t worthy of this, that it couldn’t possibly last. She’d never been so happy.
“Oh, baby, don’t cry,” Willow said, her own tears now mirroring Tara’s. She hugged the other girl to her and kissed her cheeks, the tender spot near the base of her ear, desperately trying to soothe her, though for some reason this just seemed to make her cry that much more.
“I say everything wrong, I’m such a big dummy,” she managed between kisses, now upset with herself for making her wonderful girl so distraught.
After a few moments passed, along with a couple cars, the last retreating to the sound of “Get a fuckin’ room,” the blonde finally got ahold of herself. Both sniffled and wiped at each other’s face. They looked disheveled and like they were having the proverbial ‘bad hair day.’ Smiles stole over their faces and before they knew if they were laughing at themselves and each other.
“Well we certainly won’t be helping Buffy much like this,” Tara said as she rummaged through her bag and found a brush and some tissues.
“Yeah, send in the Judean Peoples’ Front Weeping Brigade,” the redhead stated and mimed more hysterics.
“That’ll show’em!” Tara exclaimed also feigning sobbing as well.
Once they looked a bit more presentable they continued walking towards Giles’ apartment, their hands linked together and each glancing at the other as they went.
After a short while Willow ventured, “So you’re not mad at me?”
“Nooo. I-I don’t think I could ever be mad at you. Or at least not for long, you know?” Tara replied.
Willow nodded and looked at the trees and the yards they were passing. Though the houses were lit, it seemed to make the night around them darker. She wondered idly why Sunnydale didn’t have brighter or more frequent streetlights? Despite the very real horrors that she knew the darkness hid, she felt safe while Tara walked with her; like nothing bad could ever dare intrude into the sphere of happiness that surrounded them.
“So,” Willow began again tentatively. “Do you want to stay in town with me?”
Tara stopped for a moment and put her hands on her hips and said aping astonishment, “Willow Rosenberg, are you asking me to play house with you?”
“Oh god yes,” was the redhead’s instant response. “It’ll be all homey and vacationy at the same time.”
“A-and your parents?” Tara asked.
“I’ll tell them a ‘friend’ is staying with me because she can’t go home,” Willow said and then smiled mischievously. “Ooh, I know. We’ll leave Indigo Girls CDs around and maybe some tapes of Ellen or something like that and see if they figure it out.”
“Your very own parental experiment?”
“Exactly. If they take the time to notice and put the effort into it then fine, if not, well...”
“Well t-then they obviously don't care enough to be told.”
Willow smiled at Tara and gave her hand an extra squeeze, saying, “Some things are too good to share lightly.” Then added, “At least for now.”
Continued immediately below...
Edited by: Garner at: 4/22/05 10:30 am
-Cam 
But I am glad you liked the story. Unfortunately it is done and I have no plans to add anything to this. I have several other pieces partially done and not posted or the Journal to continue with so while this won't go on, other stories will. Hopefully not even too far in the future. At least it sounds like the effort to finally get through the story was worth it. Thanks for the comments
. As such part 2 was indeed a bit harder to read since it detailed all the ritual stuff. It also didn't help that I was wondering exactly what Tara was preparing around that time. That made me read faster 'cos I wanted to know.. 
