Hey there everyone
Well, now Im back at uni and have my pc back I can finally update! I think there's only really going to be a few more chapters, Im starting to run out of ideas for this to be honest.
This is my first fic, and Im really proud of it but I think it might be time to move onto something else. Ive got plenty of ideas for new fics, dont worry!
So anyway, here we are with a short-ish chapter. I'll try and update more regularly now Im back online.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy.
Same disclaimer applies as before (see early chapters)
Chapter 31
Willow balanced the tray with one hand, while carrying a steaming mug of chamomile tea and a handful of flowers in the other. Carefully nudging Tara’s bedroom door open with her elbow, she slipped through and crept as quietly as possible across the room.
“Will, I know you’re there,” the blonde remarked sleepily.
The redhead quickly placed the items on Tara’s desk and hopped over to the bed.
“I’m sorry, baby, did I wake you?” the concerned girl asked guiltily.
She was rewarded with a coveted Tara half-grin, and it warmed her heart, even if it was accompanied by a red nose, watery eyes and a handful of used tissues. Their night spent standing in the rain had apparently taken the opportunity to deliver the blonde a nasty cold.
“No sweetie, I was already awake. I missed you,” the blonde replied, tucking a strand of red hair behind Willow’s ear, who was now snuggled up close to her.
“I missed you too,” Will replied, “Even if I was only away for an hour, it was an hour too long. This is how every day should always start, and end…and all the stuff in the middle.”
Tara giggled at this remark; it was so cute, only Willow could have said it. Suddenly, her giggle was cut short as it turned into a harsh cough. Willow bounced off the bed, concern etching her features, and picked up a glass of water from the tray on the desk.
“Here baby,” she said, handing over the glass to the blonde who was now sitting up and trying in vain to calm down her cough. After a few sips her chest returned to normal, and she handed the glass back to her girlfriend.
“Thanks,” she said gratefully, her voice still croaky. Seeing that her lover still had a concerned expression, she took her hand and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“So what else is on that tray, darling?”
Willow smiled, glad that her baby was ok. Since the drama with her parents, things had never been better between them. She could think of nothing that she’d rather be doing than taking care of her girl. Leaving the bed briefly, she returned with said tray, and handed over the mug of tea to Tara.
“One tea, m’lady,” she quipped, with a wink, “and flowers for the most beautiful girl in the world,”
“Charmer,” Tara teased, as she took the items. “Where did you get flowers from this early?”
“Hmmm, I kinda took them from the quad. Seems that the sign that says ‘keep off the grass’ actually means ‘you’re not allowed to take the flowers unless they’re for your sick girlfriend and you’re being incredibly romantic,’” she said, looking sheepish. Tara restrained a giggle, knowing that the last time had launched her into a full on coughing fit.
“Awww, baby, you stole flowers for me? That IS romantic!”
Quickly sweeping over her petty crime, Willow placed the tray on her lap and began to reel off the rest of the items.
“Right, we have juice, fruit salad, cereal, toast with strawberry jam- just how you like it- and chocolate.”
“Chocolate?” Tara frowned slightly at Willow’s choice of breakfast.
“Well, chocolate always makes me feel better, so I figured it might work for you too! Anyway, I also have some painkillers for your throat, vitamins to help you get better quicker, and vapo-rub for you your chest.”
“My chest?”
“Your chest as in your cough-cough chest, not as in your highly attractive and bountiful breasts…um…exterior chest…which I should not be mentioning nor touching or anything to do with until you are one hundred percent A-OK,” seeing the look of amusement on the blonde’s face, Willow stopped and took a deep breath, and then poked her girl in the ribs.
“What’s so funny, missy?”
“Nothing, you’re just so darn cute when you babble like that. Especially about my…chest,” the blonde responded with a hint of mischief in her eye. “You know, thinking about it, I might need some help rubbing that vapo-rub in!”
Laughing, Willow pulled her delicate girlfriend into a loose hug, and planted a kiss on her neck.
“Someone’s feeling a little better,” she teased, and then leaned in for a kiss on the blonde’s delectable lips. Their harmony was broken, however, with a loud knock at the door.
“Perfect timing,” the redhead grumbled to Tara, and then in a cheery voice said “Come in!”
Buffy entered the room, followed by Xander.
“Hi Tara! We heard you were sick so we thought we’d drop by and see how you’re feeling,” the smaller blonde explained, as she bounded over to the bed and placed a basket of fruit on Tara’s bedside table.
“That’s very kind of you Buffy, but usually when I’m ill you don’t come within a ten mile radius, so what’s up?” the blonde asked suspiciously.
“Busted! I told you she’d guess, Buffy,” Xander admitted.
Buffy tried to protest, but eventually she had to admit to an ulterior motive.
“OK, OK, the thing is we haven’t really seen much of you lately, you two have been spending all your time together…which we don’t mind by the way, but anyway, we still haven’t thought of anything to get you for your birthday, and we thought that if we were extra nice to you, then you might drop us a few hints,” Buffy finished her speech, with a hopeful look in her eyes.
Despite her early morning grogginess, combined with a nasty cold, Tara had to laugh. Only her best friends could come up with a scam as badly planned as that. Her stream of consciousness was interrupted, however, by her girlfriend.
“Birthday? When’s Tara’s birthday? Baby, why didn’t you tell me?” she asked everyone in the room.
Tara stroked her girl’s arm lovingly, soothing her.
“Sweetie, I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I always get embarrassed on my birthday, you know how I hate big scenes and…I just thought it would be easier this way.”
The redhead nodded, unsurprised by Tara’s reasoning. They’d had enough big dramas for the time being.
“So when is you birthday?” she enquired, wanting to know the full details.
“Next Thursday,” Buffy informed her, from the end of the bed.
The redhead jumped up in panic.
“Next Thursday?!” she squealed. “But it’s Friday now, that’s only six days!”
Tara rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders, having known that this was exactly how her girlfriend would react.
“Now you see why we’ve resorted to bribery,” Xander piped in, agreeing with Willow’s panic mode.
Will moved back over to the bed and took Tara’s hands.
“Baby, I’m sorry if I over-reacted its just that I want to make every day special for us, and on a day as big as your birthday I’d like to preferably have the whole year in advance to think about what to do for it, to make it really amazing for you.”
The blonde stroked her fingers through silky red hair, and murmured to her girl
“Love, every day that I wake up and get to spend with you already is amazing and special.”
It was at that moment that a truly brilliant idea struck Willow, and so she replied with a gentle sigh, and snuggled in closer to the blonde, forgetting all about the other two friends in the room.
TBC
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