Woo…ok, I’ve decided to break this part down into three parts. Hope you all enjoy this quick instalment, and it will be continued soon. Thanks for the wonderful feedback and being patient!Title: Tainted
Author: Holly a.k.a Taras Shadow
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, WB, ME, UPN, and other characters belong to me.
Feedback: Yes please, everything is welcome
Pairings: W/T- eventually.
Rating:
PG 
Summary:
AU Tara loses people she loves at a young age. Now learning to live with the one person she cannot stand is going to be challenging…until she meet’s another one like her…but can they see eye to eye and help each other through life’s demanding ways…
~Part 7b~ …Happy Sweet Sixteen Tara**~~~~**~~~~**~~~***
Tara looked Willow up and down; the red head was wearing baggy pants and a tight shirt. The blonde inspected the dark denim coat she had in her hand; it had holes in the sleeves. “Nice outfit.” She said honestly, truth was, to Tara, this look was good for Willow.
Willow blushed a little and gave Tara a bag. “I missed you.” She said quietly, smiling a bit.
Blue eyes sought out green ones. “Really?”
A confused look crossed over Willow’s face. “Of course!” She said in partial disbelief. “Tara I…”
“Hey.” Terri came up to the two teens. “Tar, are we still playing?” She smiled sweetly.
“Oh! Yeah, Willow…” Tara closed the door behind the red head, leading her into the living room followed by Terri. “…These are my friends from school, Terri, Marie, Candace and Lexi. Everyone, this is a really close friend of mine, Willow.” All six girls exchanged smiles.
“Well Willow, why don’t you join us, we’re just about to play a game.” Terri said all excited.
Willow looked at Tara and smiled lightly, “Sure, I’ll stay for a bit.”
“Good.” Tara smiled back and ran to get the pens, paper and the hat she left on the chair.
“So what is this game?” Willow asked curiously.
“Oh, um, you write some questions you’d like to hear from another player and we put them in a hat, mix them and then we take turns pulling one out each and whatever question we get, we have to answer truthfully.” Lexi explained proudly.
Taking her place beside the red head, Tara couldn’t help but feel all warm inside. Even if Willow never decided to come inside and stay, Tara would’ve felt like the hell she’s been through with her mother, since Willow left…it was all worth it for that one second she layed eyes upon green orbs when she opened her door. “Honesty is required.” She added.
“Ok, but how do you know if someone’s telling the truth or not?” Willow asked the group.
“It’s all about trust.” Tara replied in a light fashion her voice was noticeably perkier.
Softly brushing her fingers over Tara’s arm, Willow grinned when she noticed a small shiver set out from the blonde. “Ok, so let’s play.”
“Great.” Candace scooted closer and grabbed paper and a pen. “I’ve got questions ready to go.” She bounced back and began to scribble.
“Hey, do you guys want anything to drink?” Tara asked, getting up from her spot.
“Oh, sure.” Terri was about to get up when the red head stopped her.
“No, let me help.” Willow softly spoke, standing up to follow the gorgeous blonde.
Tara grabbed glasses from the top cupboard and strode over to the fridge, looking at her choices slightly, she was about to bend over and grab Root Beer when she felt slender hands grasp her hips and pull her around. “Will…”
“Tara.” Willow breathed resting her forehead against the blonde’s. “I’ve missed you so much, I’ve longed to have you with me…”
“What kept you away?” Tara asked. Her forehead creased into a small frown, all of a sudden curious and aware of the red head’s absence. “I mean, you know where I live, and I’ve been by to see you…” She let the sentence linger when she noticed the pained expression on Willow’s face. “Oh Willow, I’ve missed you too.”
Shamefully hanging her head, Willow let go of the blonde and stepped back. “I shouldn’t have…”
“No. You should have Will, I’m glad you did stop by, I’m very happy that you are here.” Tara softly spoke, tucking red head behind freckled ears. “Very happy.” She whispered.
“It’s been rough Tara, leaving out there, I know you warned me, but I’m stubborn that way.”
“My offer still stands.”
“I can’t, thank you, but I can’t. I’ve started my life, and I’ve met some people who keep me company, not the best people, but it’s not so lonely. I feel really bad for not stopping by, not seeing you when I promised I would, and money’s been so tight that I’ve… and then I smell, do I smell? The others probably think I smell.” Tears flood down Willow’s cheeks.
Tara gently cupped Willow’s face and kissed the fresh tears away. “Shhh, you smell very nice Willow, like strawberries and a mix of Vanilla.” She giggled.
“I use a friends bathroom every two days for fresh water, mine doesn’t have fresh water.” Willow explained. “We should get back out there before they think I hurt you.”
“Not yet.” Tara pulled Willow closer and brushed her lips softly against the other girls.
Letting a sigh escape from her throat, Willow stretched her body against the blonde’s and stroked her back, parting her lips. Feeling Tara respond by tracing her tongue along her lips, Willow moaned softly, threading her finger in golden locks, kissing Tara deeply.
Finally breaking apart, a breath away from each other, Tara looked into Willow’s green eyes, “You could never hurt me.”
“Um Tare Bear?” Willow smiled, she waited until the blonde nodded and continued. “About this game we are about to play… Do we reveal things truthfully?”
“That is the point of the game. You mean if a question came up regarding…us?”
“Yeah.”
Tara frowned in response, not sure how to answer that really. She could tell Willow that they can be perfectly honest without no worries because the two truly do have deep feelings, or she can deny what she feels for the red head in order to save her friendships and reputation.
“Tara?” Willow stood in front of the blonde, placing a warm hand on Tara’s cheek. “We don’t have to you know, I mean, it’s not any of this is serious.”
Snapping out of her thoughts, Tara stepped back and looked at Willow in confusion. “What do mean?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant, I know that your life is probably way more worthy then mine. You have friends and a home and people who really do care for you, you have things to lose.”
“Will, I’m not ashamed.” Tara softly spoke.
“Neither am I…but if you really wanted people to know, would you have really needed the time to think about it?” Willow traced her fingertips over the blonde’s jaw line.
“Why don’t we just go and play and see where it takes us.” Tara finally vocalized.
“Sure.” Willow helped Tara get the drinks poured. “Tar?”
“Yea?”
Willow leaned in and kissed Tara very lightly on the lips before turning and headed out to the living room where the rest of the girl sat and waited.
Grinning to herself, Tara licked her lips and followed her red head.
**~~~~**~~~~**~~~***
“Tray?” Anna called from the kitchen. She was looking at papers and files that she had grabbed from the City Hall.
Walking into the kitchen, Tray-Al stood silently before making her presence noticed. “Mrs. Summers?”
“Oh sweetie, please, have a seat.” Anna Summers smiled and watched as the young teen sat down.
Tray looked around the table and noticed her name on many of the papers. “What’s this?” She asked politely but curious.
“You ran away.” The older woman never looked up.
“I did.”
“Tray…I’m sorry to hear about your father.” Anna said in a pained voice. She had known Michael since they were teens, they were high school sweethearts and a part of her never did stop loving him. He fathered two of her daughters. “You have a sister?”
“Tara.” Tray began to fidget a bit in her seat. “She’s back home in New York with our mother.”
Nodding silently, Anna looked up at Tray and took her by the hand. “Do you regret running away?”
Tray-Al looked down and bit her bottom lip. No, in a way she does not regret getting out of the state let alone the town they used to live in. After Tara’s and her father passed away, their lives changed, and that just wasn’t sitting well with her. She knew that Belinda would be given custody seeing as she had the legal right, but the thing she does regret is leaving the only person in her life, to ever be there for her, behind. “I couldn’t Mrs. Summers. I couldn’t stay there, I had to run and get away from the lifestyle that I would’ve lived if my mother took me in.”
“And what lifestyle is that?”
“Drug and alcohol abuse…she was never there for us before, why would she want to start now?” Tray’s voice had a trace of hatred and anger in it.
“And Tara?”
Tray-Al remained silent for a minute before taking a deep breath. “She would want nothing to do with me now. I left her behind at the shelter in the middle of the night. Alone. That’s what I regret.” Suddenly feeling a little insecure Tray’s eyes flew open to look at Anna. “You’re not sending me back are you?”
“Oh God no sweetie. We took you in and we are giving you a chance at education Mr. Summers and I want you to be happy and we’re glad you’re here.” Anna gave a file for Tray to look at. “What I want to do is, is try and get some sort of contact with your sister. I know what it’s like to have a family torn apart. I don’t want that to happen with you and Tara.”
“This is our fathers old address. Our old address.” Tray read the following papers. Frowning, she looked at the address again. “878 Bronsville Dr… Mrs. Summers, I don’t think we’ve ever lived in that area before, I mean, dad has, but not Tara and I…”
“Why don’t you take those files to your room and maybe take a look at them whenever you get the chance.” Anna smiled.
“Where did you get all of this anyway?”
“I have a friend that works at the City Hall. Besides, you came to me… and now I’m taking care of you. It’s only fair I know some part of your background.” Seeing that Tray had accepted that, she smiled again. “Ok, Buffy told me Xander is coming over in a bit. Did you want him to stay for dinner?”
“Of course she does.” Buffy grinned from the doorway.
“Buffy.” Tray blushed.
“I’ll make something good for dinner, Buffy, since your father is out of town again, why don’t you invite Cordelia over as well.” Anna started to clear the table.
“Sure.” Buffy skipped to the phone and dialled Cordelia’s number.
“Thank you Mrs. Summers.” Tray-Al said quietly.
“No, don’t thank me, Xander is a nice and sweet young guy, it’s always my pleasure to have him over for dinner.”
“No, I mean, for the file…letting me look through it. Thank you.”
Smiling, Anna cupped Tray-Al’s slim face. “My sweet girl, don’t thank me yet.”
As Mrs. Summers walked away from Tray-Al, the young teen frowned slightly. < My sweet girl, don’t than me yet… >
“Ok, Cordy’s on her way over and Xander said he had to finish washing his fathers car before he can go anywhere.” Buffy bounced beside Tray.
Tray-Al smirked. “Bouncy Buffy?”
“Oh, yeah…um, I got a call today… from Milo Sedarski.” Buffy blushed. “Totally hot guy, he invited us over to his place next weekend.”
“Us?”
“Yea, you, me, Cordelia and Xander, it’s his birthday….”
“What’s today?” Tray asked, interrupting the small blonde.
“Saturday…um…the 26th.”
“Excuse me.” Tray took off to the bedroom, leaving Buffy stunned in the kitchen.
**~~~~**~~~~**~~~***
“Ok birthday girl, your turn.” Lexi smiled handing the hat over to the blonde.
Tara reached inside and mixed the tiny pieces of paper around before pulling one out. Opening it up, she blushed when she read what it said. “Kiss the girl on your left?” She looked at each of the girls and found them all just staring back at her. “Um, does this count?”
“Seeing as these are all anonymous…we can’t ask who wrote that but while you and Willow were getting the drinks, we decided to add dares too. Didn’t Willow tell you?” Terri asked.
“Oops.” Willow grinned sheepishly. “Tara, we’ve decided to put dares in as well.”
“Nice one Rosenberg.” Tara quirked an eyebrow and smirked, “Funny that… you are to my left.”
“Yes, funny that.” Willow smiled.
The four other girls exchanged looks and grinned, waiting to see if the dare would be fulfilled or not. They looked on as Tara leaned toward Willow and brushed her lips against the red heads, eyes grew wider when the saw Willow respond, pulling her closer.
“Well that was nice.” Willow whispered pulling back.
“Really?” Candace asked curiously.
Blushing, Tara sat back in her place and handed the hat to Candace. “Your turn.”
Willow and Tara glanced at each other once more before returning their attention back on the game at hand.
Tara sighed.
**~~~~**~~~~**~~~***
~Holly~ 
** Edited because I can't count *grins*
“Um…This Is Nice And All…But I’d Rather Have Your Fingers…”
Don’t You Know The Difference Between Like and Love?
Edited by: Taras Shadow 
at: 3/31/03 9:15:08 pm
by deixs » Sat Feb 15, 2003 4:15 am 
this!
at: 5/23/03 9:55:54 pm
..but you know i love you..