Title: Contentment
Part: 12
Email address:
mtnlaurels34@hotmail.comDistribution: I just like to write...but it would be fun to know if this shows up somewhere else.
Feedback: This is my first fic, but I already think I'm going to be a feedbackaholic...your insights will help me steer some of the "fun" aspects of the W/T relationship *wink,wink*
Spoilers: This is completely AU! No spoilage here.
Rating: PG -13...I think I stuck to that rating here.
Disclaimer: Yeah, so I just thought it would be fun to play with the Willow/Tara relationship. I have no rights whatsoever...most of the other characters in this fic are new, so that should be fun.
Author's note This was a tough update for me everyone...I hope it makes sense to all of you. Laura, thanks so much for all of your help. I mean it.
Feed back on this one would be greatly appreciated. Here ya go...
Ch12
“You look like a cute, smurfy blue... caterpillar.” Tara teased as she came back from checking on Doc before retiring for the evening..
Willow’s auburn brows crinkled in indignation at the image Tara’s words evoked. “Hey, didn’t you notice I was giving you my ‘come hither, vixen’ look? Then, you-you call me a bug.”
The disgruntled look continued as Tara sat down on a log nearby to remove her hiking boots.
“I’m sexy...dang it.” Willow grumbled.
Tara’s eyes lost a hint of their mirth as she stared intently at Willow’s beloved face.
Feels like one hour, one year, and one lifetime all at the same time since I told her I loved her. How’s that possible? As she moved her hand along the side of the zipper of the sleeping bag, Tara allowed her hand to graze the length of Willow’s body and watched her lover's skin react to her slightest touch.
The blonde stood and removed the fleece pull over she’d been wearing as well as her jeans, waiting to see the desire, for her, that glowed in Willow’s eyes.
Lowering herself to the ground, Tara straddled the smaller body, effectively trapping Willow beneath her. Still staring into green eyes, one corner of Tara’s mouth tipped to into a smile. “I never said you weren’t sexy, Wil.”
Willow felt more than she heard the huskiness in Tara’s voice. Everything in her reacted to that voice.
What in the world is she thinking about? Willow remained quiet and still beneath Tara’s gaze. The blonde was thinking intently about something...and that something appeared to be her right now.
This is serious. Whatever she’s thinking about, it’s serious. Serious Tara face. This Tara was the heart of every other facet of her personality...her humor, her love, her passion, her spirit. The insecurities and fears written plain on her face...nothing held back. This was her Tara.
The woman I fell in love with. Not Tara the director of Contentment; just Tara...full of life and thought, courage and kindness.
And for whatever reason, she loves me back. She’s waiting. Passionate, impetuous, insatiable Willow was patiently waiting for Tara to make her next move. Tara knew Willow was aching to move her hands from their neatly restrained place at her sides, but she remained still.
How...why does she always give so much of herself? To me? There was Willow wanting to give to Tara more than she wanted for herself. There was Willow’s silence, because she knew Tara saw her, and didn’t have to fear the quiet. There was Willow’s talking because she knew Tara needed to hear the words.
There was the Willow Rosenberg no one else got to see but her.
It was being there the moment, the very second, when their playfulness turned into outright need and they clung to one another...finding themselves.
Loving Willow was the one thing—the only thing in the world—that Tara didn’t fear failing at...
Loving her is what I was made to do.Tara brought her lips to within inches of Willow’s face but did not change her expression, nor did she move any closer.
With Tara’s weight pinning her to the ground, Willow could barely move. However, after several heartbeats passed so close to one another, Willow gave in and craned her neck just enough to capture Tara’s bottom lip between her teeth.
Willow’s tongue moved lightly across the warm flesh, but Tara needed no further prodding. Her mouth slanted over the smaller lips hungrily and she was met with equal passion. Their tongues met, savoring the taste and feel of each other.
Never really breaking contact, Tara pushed away the barrier between Willow’s body and her own. As Tara’s shirt was lifted over her head, Willow’s eyes were caught by the warm light that danced on Tara’s skin from the fire nearby...everything else was darkness; everything except them.
“God, you’re beautiful, Tara. Do you know that?”
Blue eyes, eyes that saw into Willow’s very being, mirrored the wonder of the statement. “I didn’t think so until I saw you look at me.”
The chill from the night air finally broke through to them, but the lovers didn’t move to cover up again. Tara allowed Willow’s hands freedom, and Willow shifted to press her onto her back.
How does she do that? How does she make me feel so...strong? So alive; so much like me...only, I feel like I’m only me when I’m with her. Never complete until she loved me. How does she do it? Willow thought she’d spend the rest of her life trying to answer that question.
Trailing down the line of Tara’s neck, green eyes feasted on the play of golden light that flicked over perfect skin.
Flawless. Willow almost said out loud.
Warm breath lingered over the cooling flesh and Willow’s jaw clenched in an attempt to restrain her passion.
“Don’t, sweetheart.” Tara breathed as she looked up into Willow’s face.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t ever hold back with me...I’m yours, just like you are mine. I want to give to you just as like you to give me, Wil. I need...”
Willow lips cut her off with such force that Tara was momentarily taken off guard...and then she responded in like fashion. Willow’s hands were just as undisciplined as her mouth in their movement along Tara’s body to cup her breast.
There was absolutely nothing separating them now. They were exposed to one another...a million stars bore witness to their lovemaking and there was no shame. No fear of rejection. No worry that their hearts weren’t safe. And then, there was contentment...always that.
--
With the first rays of sunlight peeking through the branches, Tara opened bleary eyes. Red hair disrupted her view for the first moments until she lifted a gentle hand to push the strands aside.
Smoke from the night before clung to the air around them, and Tara’s breath came out in a barely traceable puff. It was a chilly morning, and she was, as yet, not ready to move from the warmth of the body beside her but she was awake none-the-less. Tara pulled the slight body a little closer to her own before subconsciously trying to regulate her breathing with Willow’s.
Like one person.Tara inhaled deeply, tickling her sense with the scent that she’d come to know as ‘Willow’. Sweet. Soft. Like air it self. Only better. More life-giving.
Their scents mingled now. Sometimes it was hard to recall which was distinctly Willow and which was her own. Especially when they were close like this.
I don’t mind losing myself in her.Knowing that they had to leave soon else Ed would come looking for them Tara, as carefully as possible, moved out of the warm cocoon she’d shared with Willow.
She rebuilt a small fire that would last only a couple of hours and began to heat water for coffee before moving to check on the horse.
The movement, as well as the chill of the morning must have finally penetrated Willow’s deep slumber because her eyes were open when Tara returned from her chore.
“Mornin’” She mumbled with a sleepy grin.
Caught once again by Willow’s beauty, Tara only stood and stared for long moments. “And a good morning to you...how did you sleep?”
Willow heard the hint of laughter in Tara’s voice. “Well, when someone finally let me sleep...”
The blonde’s mouth dropped opened in feigned surprise. “Wait just a minute...I seem to recall asking someone else to zip up the sleeping bag so we could stay warm. Then I remember said person disappearing for quite sometime...who kept whom up again?”
Arrogantly, Willow’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, yeah. Forgot about that one.”
“Uh-huh. Sure you did...you’re just asking for compliments.”
And you do deserve them.“So! Wanna pass me my clothes there? My favorite shirt is right by your hand.”
Tara was going to enjoy goading Willow a bit more before making it that easy. “Nope. You either have to go get them yourself like I did, or you have to wiggle your way over to get them.”
Mouth open, Willow only caught the first part of the statement. “I missed you having to go over there to get your clothes? Why didn't you wake me up first?” She said, sounding crestfallen.
Grinning, Tara threw over her shoulder “That’s what you get for being lazy.”
Willow muttered under her breath, “I’m a hard worker...and you know it” just before wiggling her way over to her pile of clothing.
--
“Ready to go?” Tara asked as she led Doc over to Willow, who was standing in front of the old house, now illumined by the sun.
“Yeah, just about. This is a really pretty house, Tara. Why didn’t you ever move up here?”
Warm blue eyes turned to rest on Willow. “I guess the same reason Momma Kris didn’t stay here...it was too big to live in alone.”
Willow would never ask, but Tara had already made the decision the second it was clear to her that she wanted to move here.
Our home...as soon as possible. We’ll make this our home.“Love you.” Tara whispered close to Willow’s ear.
“Love you, too....and I’m ready when you are.”
Smiling sweetly, Tara helped the redhead onto Doc’s back once again and settled herself as well before wheeling the mount to travel back down the worn path to Ed’s home.
--
Sunday morning. Campers were set to begin arriving at two that afternoon. The staffers would be getting back at anytime now, but Willow and Tara were in the camp office.
Willow was busy printing off nametags, schedules, health forms, and sign-in sheets while Tara stood behind her, idly playing with the strands of soft hair as she read over a memo Ed had faxed earlier that day.
The Program Director, Rick, popped his head in the door and smiled at the scene before him.
I’ve never seen Tara look more relaxed...and on the first day!!! “Hey, Cap. Everyone will be in the lodge in twenty. I’ve got the staff shirts down there already, and here are yours.” He announced as he passed the hunter green shirts to Tara’s waiting hands.
“Oh, and I reminded everyone, khaki shorts.” Rick heard Willow’s laugh as he turned to leave the room.
Tara thumped her fingers on Willow’s shoulders. “What? What’s so funny?”
“I thought about one of my first impressions of camp...and you. I was so taken with the fact that you didn’t wear khakis. Now I know it was a put on. Flannel and khaki. You’re like the punch line to every camp joke I’ve ever heard.”
“Jerk.” Tara replied without hostility.
Willow smiled hugely. “Yeah, but I’m your jerk, baby. Soon, I’ll be a walking punch line m’self. And proud of it.”
The director had to kiss her for that last comment. Just a light peck before she left to check with the kitchen staff about lunch, leaving Willow to finish printing the paperwork.
--
Hours later, Willow watched the uniformed camp staff break from their meeting in the lodge like soldiers following commands. Well timed, each knowing their orders, ready and waiting to begin the season.
Tara looked and sounded confident before her staff. With humor and grace, she challenged each member, encouraged their hearts, and sent them out to do what they all came here to do. Impact lives.
Willow had been given her own assignment, which was to remain in the office to help the camp secretary if there were any questions from parents about the camp, or the new website.
She watched from her lofty place as Tara interacted with parents and new campers. Willow’s breath would often catch a little as she looked on. Smiling cheerfully, answering questions, directing staff...taking the position of leader so very naturally, Tara was luminous.
For her part, Tara kept stealing looks up to the door of the main office. She knew Willow would be looking down on the scene, and she wanted nothing more than to have the woman she loved standing beside her.
I want them all to know she’s my girl. But it wasn’t concern over what parent’s might think that kept them separate.
Years ago, when Tara first came out, she feared what other staffers would think. But she had been respected for the job she did; very few people said anything at all, and she learned to deal with it.
When Momma K first died and she had been left in charge of Contentment, there was concern that parents would withdraw their children...and some did. However, again, Tara’s commitment to excellence in programming and care was rewarded with good retention.
Loving Willow, living here with her, if it were going to make people stop sending their children, then so be it. They’d fight that the way they’d fought in years passed.
But for today, Tara needed Willow in the office. And Willow understood...it was the first step in new life they shared. Doing what needed to be done, and doing it willingly.
The willingly part is the part that makes it all ok. We’re doing this together.Another parent came to greet Tara, and she smiled in genuine pleasure at seeing the father of a freckle-faced camper that was attending for the third year in a row.
“Yes, Sir. We’re ready for another great summer...”
---
Ha...got this in by 9:30pm...just as promised. Whew. I'm tired now. I need to soak my aching muscles...we came in third!!! Yippee. Not so much, cause I don't like not being number one. OK then. I'm leaving. Hope you all enjoyed.
Laurel.
Edited by: mtnlaurel at: 5/25/02 7:00:01 pm
by willowphile410 » Thu May 23, 2002 11:42 am 
I'm loving this story! Great update... I just love how they interact with each other. 
In love with this story that is
at: 5/23/02 4:18:03 pm
/ Amber for life 
