Close Quarters [AU] (Complete)

[lonelylanding]

yay! they are together! Can teachers get into their room and check on them all the time?

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for excellent update-y goodness... Extra big yay for them being girlfriends... Too bad they where interrupted by the teacher, I kinda hoped that they would have ended up snuggling until morning... Can't wait for their first date in the town, I truly hope that those bitches don't interrupt their date... I truly hope that Tara soon is able to tell Willow about her "fathers" & "brothers" abuse...

[Laragh]

LonelyTara –

AH GOD! So CUTE!!! Laragh, you're so good at writing sweet and writing smut and every little nuanced layer in-between. I absolutely love this fic so far. Willow and Tara are just darling and sweet.

Thanks. To be honest, for me anyway, Willow and Tara as characters are so easy to write as so in-love and caring and passionate about each other, because that’s how they always seemed to me, even in their limited capacity in the show. Plus I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about them lol.

And yes Willow, Heaven is in the kisses. Never forget that!

Very true. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Tara reminds her on the regular

Great, can't wait for tomorrow!

Ah, hope you enjoy, date time!

Thanks for commenting (and well done on dibs!

Alex_Vixen –

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! THEY'RE GIRLFRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! *bounces up and down*

Lol, so you’re glad they’re girlfriends then?

That chapter was soo sweet!!! *pouts* I want a Tara, or a Willow.... *giggles*

Me too dude, lol. But I think there’s a corresponding Willow to everyone’s Tara (or vice versa lol) out there. We just have to find them

Keep up with the good work, dude...

Thanks Glad you’re liking.

Thanks for your comment!

leonhart17 –

They're girlfriends! Yay! so cute!

You know me, I just can’t keep them apart for long!

I love that yet again they got walked in on ;P so funny!

Well they didn’t technically get caught...that might still have to happen

I can't wait till tomorrow!

Hope you like this one, start of their date

Thanks for your feedback!

lonelylanding –

yay! they are together!

I’m excited about it too! I like them together lol

Can teachers get into their room and check on them all the time?

Well they could at my boarding school. They mostly left us alone during the day, as long as we turned up for meals and class and stuff, but at night, sometimes they’d be in as often as every 15 minutes lol. Thought I’d give the girls here a little more leeway for smoochie time

Thanks for commenting!!

Zampsa1975 –

Yay for excellent update-y goodness... Extra big yay for them being girlfriends...

Together is always better then separate

Too bad they where interrupted by the teacher, I kinda hoped that they would have ended up snuggling until morning...

Damn teachers, interrupting snuggle time. I promise more smoochies though!

Can't wait for their first date in the town, I truly hope that those bitches don't interrupt their date...

No bitch-interruptions either

I truly hope that Tara soon is able to tell Willow about her "fathers" & "brothers" abuse...

Might take a little while...

Thanks for commenting!!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I used an online translator for the German (which I know aren't generally that reliable) in this chapter, but I had my friend who speaks German double-check so if there's any mistakes, blame her!

Chapter 5/20

********


Willow fluttered her eyes open at the quiet sound of her alarm buzzing. She threw her arm out to stop the sound and sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes to try and focus them, then stretched her arms over her head, until her gaze landed on Tara’s still sleeping form and she felt herself gasp.


Last night really happened, didn’t it? Please don’t tell me it was a dream...


Tara seemed to sense, even in her dreamscape, that she was being watched and she slowly opened her eyes, smiling when she saw Willow staring at her.


“Morning,” she said lazily before a blush started to rise on her cheeks when Willow just continued to look at her, “It’s rude to stare you know.”


“You’re just so beautiful,” Willow replied in awe.


Tara frowned and stood up from her bed, shaking her head.


“Don’t be silly.”


Tara wandered off into the bathroom and Willow frowned as well, before following her, leaning against the doorway.


“What do you mean, don’t be silly? We, um...last night did happen, right?”


“Of course,” Tara replied, though slightly muffled by the fact that she had her toothbrush in her mouth, “At least I hope it did.”


Willow’s frown deepened and she moved to put a hand on Tara’s arm.


“Tara...baby, look at me,” she said and the brunette complied, “You’re beautiful.”


Tara dropped her head and sighed.


Why is she doing this?


She knew she was nothing special, but if Willow was willing to not only hang around her but actually get into a relationship with her anyway, she was more than happy to be a part of that. She didn’t want the redhead to feel obligated to lie to her though.


“Will, I know I’m not,” she said in a hushed, sad tone, “I don’t know why you want to be with me anyway but apparently you do so...can we just leave it?”


Willow looked gobsmacked and quickly raised the brunette’s head with her fingers.


“First off, it’s what’s in here that makes me want to be you,” she said, placing a hand over her girlfriend’s heart through her pyjamas, “And secondly, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life. The first time I saw you I was blown away by how gorgeous you are.”


Tara shook her head again; it was one thing to think that Willow liked her personality, even she sort of liked her own personality, or at least the one she’d felt able to have since being rid of her father and brother’s clutches...


I still can’t believe that was only a week ago.


...the more confidant and easy-going one. Hell, sometimes she even thought she was a little bit funny and Willow seemed to laugh a lot around her, with her and never at her. But she knew she wasn’t good looking. She’d been made sure she knew that plenty of times.


My hips are too big and I’m fat. Thunder thighs, that’s what Donny always said. Huge calves. Stringy hair. Crooked nose, my eyes are too far apart. I’m a nice girl. Just an ugly one.


“Willow, stop,” she said sternly, before pushing past the redhead and going back into the bedroom.


“No,” Willow said defiantly, following the brunette, “And I really don’t want our first fight to be just hours after we became girlfriends and especially not because you have some completely obscure thinking pattern and think you’re not beautiful.”


“Then stop saying it,” Tara replied, gathering her clothes, “Please.”


Willow walked over to her girlfriend and took her clothes from her hands, dropping them on the floor before pushing Tara back onto her bed and moving to lie on top of her.


“What are you doing?” Tara asked in a whisper, her breath quickening from the feeling of the redhead stretched out a top her.


“You. Are. Beautiful,” Willow replied, punctuating each word with a kiss, “So very, very beautiful.”


Tara tried to turn her head off to the side but Willow grabbed her chin and turned her back so they were looking at each other.


“And if you don’t believe it yet – and that’s a very big yet, ‘cause I promise, baby, I am gonna make you believe it. But if you can’t believe it yet, then at least believe that I think it’s true. I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world. Okay?”


Tara searched Willow’s eyes for any trace of dishonesty but saw only truth.


“You do?” she asked in a meek voice.


“I do,” Willow confirmed softly.


Tara wasn’t sure what to think. She couldn’t imagine ever thinking of herself as beautiful, but Willow seemed to be genuine.


Maybe this is part of being in a relationship. I need to trust her.


“Okay,” she said after a moment, smiling a small smile, “Thank you.”


Willow beamed and leant down to kiss the brunette firmly. She felt Tara smile into the kiss and felt a hand rest on the back of her neck until the brunette’s tongue ran along her bottom lip.


She wants to use tongues! Okay, uh, what do I do?! Don’t spaz this up, Willow. Um, okay, just...


Willow opened her mouth and there was an awkward moment when Tara seemed unsure exactly what to do either until the brunette’s tongue tentatively pushed forwards and connected with the redhead’s.


“Mmhh,” Willow couldn’t help the loud moan that escaped her at the contact and started moving her tongue vigorously against Tara’s.


Tara felt Willow start to eagerly duel with her tongue and reciprocated just as keenly until the need for oxygen became too great and they pulled apart, the smaller girl resting their foreheads together.


“Wow.”


“Mmhhmm,” Tara agreed with a lazy smile, running her hand through Willow’s hair, “Can we just do that all day?”


“But we have our date!”


Tara’s face lit up as she remembered.


“Oh yea. Our first date.”


“First of many, beautiful,” Willow smiled, before glancing up at the clock in their room, “But, uh, we’ve missed breakfast. And we can’t leave ‘til after lunch...”


“So we have some spare time?” Tara asked, following the redhead’s train of thought, “Some...smooching time?”


Willow grinned before leaning down again.


“Oh yes.”


***


“There’s a lot of farms,” Tara commented as she looked out the window of the bus she was sitting in beside Willow, “Kinda of reminds me of Alabama.”


“The Swiss are a farming nation,” Willow replied knowledgably.


“Ah,” Tara nodded her head, before turning to her girlfriend, “What else should I know about Switzerland? I didn’t really pay attention on the drive here from the airport. Too nervous.”


“Hmm...” Willow started, searching her memory, “Well, the country is over 700 years old...it has 4 national languages...founded the Red Cross...is notoriously neutral...oh, oh and the CERN! That has the Large Hadron Collider.”


Tara’s face crumpled in confusion.


“The what?”


“The Large Hadron Collider,” Willow repeated, as if it was obvious.


Which to her, of course, it was.


Tara continued to look confused.


“What’s the...Large Hadron Collider?”


“Are you kidding me?” Willow asked in disbelief, “Only the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator!”


Tara’s face just remained blank.


“How could you have not heard of it?!” Willow exclaimed, then got an apologetic look on her face and grabbed the brunette’s hand when Tara averted her gaze self-consciously, “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just been pretty big news is all. How scientists were trying to recreate the Big Bang?”


Tara heard the apology but was more focused on the fact that Willow was holding her hand until the redhead’s words registered.


“Oh, wait. I remember reading something about that in the newspaper. They were afraid of the world ending or something?”


She left out the part where her father had wished that ‘the wrath of God strike down any man who tried to justify his divine design’.


“Pffft, fear-mongering media,” Willow said with a wave of her hand, “No, it was so cool, basically they pushed two separate beams of protons around this like 17-mile tunnel in opposite directions, all at the speed of light. Then it started smashing particles into each other and released this like, huge, and I mean huge amount of energy and that released all this stuff that made this kinda plasma thing and that formed protons and neutrons, which is like, basically matter. So like, if they could see how matter was made, then they could see how the world started and was formed and everything. See, they were looking to find the Higgs boson.”


Tara’s eyebrow raised.


“Uh...whose bosom?”


Willow giggled and shook her head.


“Boson, baby. With an ‘n’. It’s like this hypothetical particle, ‘cause it’s invisible, see, even with like scientific instruments and stuff. But anyway, they think this Higgs Boson is like part of the Higgs field, which basically fills the entire universe. So by finding it, it’ll explain how matter, or well, subatomic particles, which is what makes up matter, really acquire mass.”


“Okay...” Tara replied, following so far, “Okay, so I get the collider thing. Energy gets released and that forms matter...but I don’t really get the um...the Higgs Boson and Higgs field thing. How exactly does that work?”


Willow grinned excitedly and squeezed Tara’s hand as she gestured with her other one.


“Okay, so...right, let’s say that we’re backstage at a concert, okay? And all these groupies are there. Now, the room we’re in, that represents the whole universe and all those groupies, they represent the Higgs field. You with me?”


Tara nodded her head in understanding.


“Great. Okay, now Cher comes into the room, yea? Cher represents a subatomic particle. So all these groupies start to cluster around Cher, ‘cause she’s Cher and she’s awesome. Now, Cher starts to walk through the room, and more people start to surround her but others drop off because, I dunno, they realise they prefer Madonna or something. But anyway, the cluster of groupies surrounding Cher represents the mass that she’s gained while she’s in the Higgs field.”


“No wonder she’s so popular,” Tara said with a grin, “But I get that. So if we know how the tiny bits of matter are formed, we can figure out how...pretty much everything is formed.”


“Exactly!” Willow replied, leaning forwards and placing a warm kiss on the brunette’s lips, before pulling back and scrunching her nose up, “I’m sorry. Quantum physics isn’t really appropriate first date talk.”


Tara smiled and shook her head.


“No, it was good. And now I know something I didn’t know before. You know, I’ve still never taught you any German.”


“Oh yea,” Willow said, suddenly remembering their agreement, “Well teach me something now.”


Tara got a secretive smile on her face and nodded.


“Okay. Deine Augen sind die Sterne.”


“Is that telling me how to order a coke or something?” Willow asked, “You’re gonna have to repeat it...”


“Augen sind die Sterne,” Tara repeated, before her voice got more shy, “It means your eyes are stars.”


“Aww, baby,” Willow replied, blushing, “Screw the language lesson, keep telling me romantic stuff.”


Tara giggled and squeezed the redhead’s hand.


“Du machst mich so glücklich...You make me so happy.”


“You make me happy, too, Tara.”


Tara blushed and resisted the urge to duck her head, instead locking gazes steadily with her girlfriend.


“Dein ist mein Herz.”


Willow waited expectantly for the translation and Tara blushed harder as she gave it.


“My heart is yours.”


“Aww, Tara,” Willow replied, pulling the brunette into a hug, “I’m yours, too. All yours.”


Tara closed the hug and held on tight, thinking to herself that that was probably her favourite type of contact with the redhead.


Then again, her kisses...and holding her hand is amazing...and when she was lying on top me this morning...


A fresh blush rose on Tara’s cheeks as that last thought entered her mind and she pulled back from the hug, glancing out the window with a smile.


“Wir sind hier.”


“What does that mean?” Willow asked, biting her lip in anticipation.


Tara stifled a laugh and pointed towards the front of the bus, which had stopped.


“We’re here.”

[leonhart17]

Dibs! Could they be more adorable?! Loved Willow's pep talk, and Tara's language lesson and how hyper-intelligent Willow is Can't wait for tomorrow!

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for excellent update-y goodness... Good that Willow managed to break some of Tara's brainwashed walls. I truly hope she manages to break them all very very soon... I really like Willow's teaching method... I also loved Tara's language lesson... Can't wait for the rest of the date in town... I truly hope that Willow's overactive mind very soon connects all the little clues Tara accidentally says, and figures out that Tara's "father" & "brother" were physically and mentally abusing her and starts her snuggle therapy...

[BuffyFan4ever]

I love Shy-Tara. Hopefully Willow can convince her that she is beautiful. Will Tara's father show? I want Willow to beat him up.

I also can relate Nerd-Willow. Although I prefer to think of myself as a geek rather than a nerd (lots of "weird" interests and references, but not as "science-smart").

This chapter shows how perfect Willow and Tara are for each other. Willow can convince Tara that she is beautiful and Tara can convince Willow that "smart" does not always mean "weird."

Perfect way to start the day. Is it tomorrow morning yet?

[Alex_Vixen]

WOOHOOO!! UPDATE!!!

That was SUPER!!!!! *giggles* I LOVE nerdy Willow!! It's soo cute!! And Im glad she could break through some of Tara's walls. Tara is beautiful and she needs to know that. and believe it!!

Awesome language lesson, dude!! so sweet...

I cant wait till tomorrow!! and I want more

[LonelyTara]

Perfect.

[lonelylanding]

you really have willow's character down well

[vampyregurl73]

Laragh

OK, caught this one a few chapters in (Yay for me and my W/T fanfic addiction) but that's ok. I have good reason working on chapters 10 & 11 of my own and still reading along with Hacker's Confidential.

I like this AU and it's damn hilarious what Willow got expelled for. Chalk another one up for the dreaded Maclay men but at least she's on the other side of the world from them.

It would appear that Stacy is Cordelia's evil euro trash twin, love can do a lot for a spine that's already started to grow.

Now, I'm watching for both of your little escapades.

[love_2003]

Super-excited that you have a new story up. I love your writing and that there will be daily updates. Hoping that with Willow's help Tara will realize how gorgeous she is. I'm sure Willow is up to the task. Can't wait for the next update.

[Laragh]

leonhart17 –

Dibs! Could they be more adorable?! Loved Willow's pep talk, and Tara's language lesson and how hyper-intelligent Willow is

Lol, glad you liked And what date is complete without talk of quantum physics and German words of love?

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Hope you like the continuation!

ETA - and YES it is so awesome that he's going to have twins! They're going to be such cute parents!

Replying to this here since I already had yesterday's feedback up lol - oh my god, I know, right?? I can just see him teaching his kids magic tricks and everything. And they can have playdates with Satyana! Lol, I know I don't nor ever will know any of them, but still, it's cute to think about!

Thanks for commenting!

Zampsa1975 –

Good that Willow managed to break some of Tara's brainwashed walls. I truly hope she manages to break them all very very soon...

It’ll be a tough job, but you gotta have faith in Willow!

I really like Willow's teaching method... I also loved Tara's language lesson...

Glad you liked I wanted to highlight both of their abilities within the confines of them just talking to each other.

Can't wait for the rest of the date in town...

Hope you like it (it spreads out over the next couple of chapters

I truly hope that Willow's overactive mind very soon connects all the little clues Tara accidentally says, and figures out that Tara's "father" & "brother" were physically and mentally abusing her and starts her snuggle therapy...

It’s harder to realise things that you don’t want to be true...

Thanks for your feedback!

Alex_Vixen –

That was SUPER!!!!! *giggles* I LOVE nerdy Willow!! It's soo cute!! And Im glad she could break through some of Tara's walls. Tara is beautiful and she needs to know that. and believe it!!

Will is gonna do everything she can to make Tara believe it, promise!

Awesome language lesson, dude!! so sweet...

Glad you liked!

and I want more

More to come, I promise!

Thanks for commenting!

LonelyTara –

:blush
Perfect.

Had to get my geeky roots in there somewhere lol Glad you liked!

Thanks for commenting!

lonelylanding –

you really have willow's character down well

Thank you I think that’s because I’m a massive nerd too lol

Thanks for your comment!

vampyregurl73 –

OK, caught this one a few chapters in (Yay for me and my W/T fanfic addiction) but that's ok. I have good reason working on chapters 10 & 11 of my own and still reading along with Hacker's Confidential.

Ooh, chapters 10 and 11! I’m looking forward to them!!

I like this AU and it's damn hilarious what Willow got expelled for. Chalk another one up for the dreaded Maclay men but at least she's on the other side of the world from them.

Glad you like! I find it hard to picture a world where the Maclay men are anything but horrible, unfortunate but true. You’re right though, being halfway across the world from them is definitely a better option!

It would appear that Stacy is Cordelia's evil euro trash twin, love can do a lot for a spine that's already started to grow.

Ha, eurotrash twin. True though. Lucky she leaves them pretty much well alone from now on

Now, I'm watching for both of your little escapades.

Well I’m honoured to have you reading

Thanks for commenting!

Oh and PS, it took me ages to write this response because I kept getting distracted by how hot Amber looks in your picture!

love_2003 –

Super-excited that you have a new story up. I love your writing and that there will be daily updates.

Daily weekday updates lol. I’d no weekends too but I’m not around...

Hoping that with Willow's help Tara will realize how gorgeous she is. I'm sure Willow is up to the task. Can't wait for the next update.

Willow is indeed, now just to convince Tara! Hope you enjoy!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing See you all Monday!

Chapter 6/20

********

Previously:

“Wir sind hier.”


“What does that mean?” Willow asked, biting her lip in anticipation.


Tara stifled a laugh and pointed towards the front of the bus, which had stopped.


“We’re here.”

---

“What?” Willow asked in confusion, before realisation crossed her features, “Oh. Right. Come on, then.”


They both giggled as Willow pulled them off the bus, stepping into the square of the small town that was located just five miles from the school. There was a small pond directly in front of them and a large stand off to the side that detailed the layout of the town, with a map. They were pretty much the only people around, with only the odd other person walking the streets.


“Can you read this?” Willow asked, looking up at the stand, “I can make out the streets and stuff but...is that a park?”


Willow pointed to a patch of green that was on the map and Tara peered at it closely.


“Yea, that’s a park...and that’s the town hall,” Tara replied, pointing at a building near the top of the map, “And that looks like a string of cafe’s and stuff...a church...there’s some shops, but it looks almost all residential.”


“Well that’s okay,” Willow shrugged with a smile, “We can just walk around and save our money for another day!”


Tara stiffened as the redhead said that and sighed.


“Um, Willow?” she asked, sitting them both down at a nearby bench, “You should know...I’m, um...I’m not exactly what you might call flush with cash. My Dad has money, obviously, the tuition fees for our school are huge, but um, he’s not one to share. The only reason I have anything in my wallet at all is ‘cause I saved everything my mother ever gave me before she died.”


Willow frowned profusely as Tara spoke. She’d only heard snippets about Tara’s father and life back home, but she was very sure she didn’t like it. She saw the brunette look at her as she finished speaking, then look down and realised she must’ve misinterpreted the frown.


“Well don’t you be worrying about little things like that,” she said quickly, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend’s shoulder, “‘Cause your my girl now, and I take care of my girl.”


Tara snapped her head around, wide-eyed.


“No, Willow, that’s not what I meant, I just meant I can’t afford to-”


She was cut off as the redhead put a finger against her lips and couldn’t resist giving it a small kiss, which Willow smiled at.


“I know what you meant. And we don’t have to do things together that cost money. All I’m saying is that you’re not allowed to worry about it. Money’s so...look at all the girls in our school. They’re defined by it, by how much they have, how much they can spend. Tara, my parents send quite a hefty allowance into my account each month and I have a trust fund for when I turn 18 and I’m not telling you this because I’m trying to be snobby but just to let you know that money isn’t something I care about. I haven’t spent any of my allowance money in months. It’s all just sitting there. And I’ve worded this very longly...which isn’t a word actually, but anyway, very long and very awkward and what I’m really trying to say is...is what’s mine is yours. So, yeah. Now, I think a walk in the park is very much a first date-y kind of thing.”


Willow pulled the brunette up by their still entwined hands and walked back over to the map.


“Okay...so if we’re this big red star, then we just go up there, and...okay, I got it. Come on, baby.”


Tara could only gape after her girlfriend, in shock from the speech she’d just made.


How can someone be that kind and generous and warm-hearted? She’s an angel. She’s my angel.


Willow stopped when she felt that Tara was dragging behind and turned to her girlfriend. She was about to question what was wrong when the brunette suddenly grabbed her cheeks and kissed her fiercely. She almost tumbled backwards at the unexpectedness but quickly steadied herself and held onto Tara’s hips as she responded just as eagerly, neither of them caring that they were standing in the middle of a small, but still very public town or who might see them. They stayed kissing for several long moments until Tara pulled back, looking down shyly as Willow just gulped.


“What was that for?” Willow managed after a moment, her cheeks flustered from the kiss.


“‘Cause you’re amazing,” Tara answered honestly, looking up to meet the redhead’s gaze, “Just thought you should know.”


“You’re amazing, too, baby,” Willow replied quietly with a smile, “And I know it’s only been a day and stuff, even though it feels like forever, and I know this is technically only our first date even though we’ve basically spent every moment together over the past week but anyway...I think we’re kinda amazing together. This, um...this feels, really, really special. And, uh so concludes the cheesy portion of our date. Geeky and cheesy down, hehe.”


Willow chuckled nervously, as if she was embarrassed by what she had said and Tara smiled at her in reassurance to let her know she felt the same, before turning the tone more light.


“So if the geeky and cheesy portions are finished, what’s next?”


“Oh well,” Willow replied, biting her lip, “Um, I guess that leaves the romantic part!”


Willow suddenly dropped the brunette’s hand and ran off, leaving Tara standing in the middle of the town square, completely confused.


Did she just...did she just leave me? Well what the hell am I supposed to do now? Where did she even go? She mentions romance and then just runs off? She...she must’ve finally realised she’s way too good for me. Daddy and Donny were right, I am good for nothing, why would she ever want me? She clearly had a lapse in judgement last night. Probably felt bad that I was having a nightmare and then didn’t want to hurt my feelings when I kissed her. Stupid, Tara, why did you do that? I don’t even know what time the bus back to the school is. I guess I’ll just have to wait here.


Tara walked back over to the bench nearby and sank down onto, tears coming to her eyes and falling down her cheeks as her thoughts overtook her.


How many hours did I get? 14? 14 hours of pure happiness. 14 hours of being her girl. More than I deserve. What am I gonna say to her whenever she gets back? Will she still be my friend? God, please let her still want to be my friend...I don’t think I can cope if I couldn’t at least be her-


“Baby, I’m ba-hey, why are you crying?”


Tara looked up and saw Willow drop something on the ground before she was sitting beside her, as close as the small bench allowed and was pulling her head to her shoulder. She felt warm lips kiss her temple and reassuring words being whispered in her ear.


“It’s okay, honey, I got you. Did something happen? Did you meet some other girls from school or something? If they said anything to you, I’ll...well, I won’t kick their butts ‘cause I know you have that whole anti-violence thing, but I will, I will give them some very choice words about staying the hell away from my girlfriend. And I’ll steal their laptops and put a virus on them so they lose all their work and get yelled at.”


Tara raised her head off of the redhead’s shoulder, looking at her with vulnerable but hopeful eyes.


“G-g-girlfriend? You still want me to be your g-girlfriend?”


“What?” Willow asked, bewildered and surprised at the reappearance of the brunette’s stutter, “Of course I still want you to by my girlfriend. I’ll never not want you to be my girlfriend. Tara, what happened?”


“You l-left,” Tara replied, her eyes still somewhat helpless, “I thought...I, um, I t-thought you d-didn’t w-want t-to be with me anymore.”


“Oh, baby,” Willow replied, cupping Tara’s cheek and picking up the item she had dropped, which the brunette could see was a bunch of roses, “I just went to get you flowers. ‘Cause, you know, we were starting the romantic part of our date? There’s a little shop over there, see?”


Willow pointed off to the side and saw a small building, with a variety of different bunches of flowers in a display in the front.


“I’m sorry I just ran off like that,” Willow continued after a moment, “You know me, act and go, the whole thinking part comes later. I just thought romance and then I saw the flowers and I thought ‘I should get Tara flowers ‘cause she was all romantic earlier with the telling me nice things in German’ so I just went. I didn’t...I didn’t think it’d ever upset you like this.”


Willow watched Tara take in her words, thinking to herself how low the girl’s self-esteem must actually be. Earlier, when she’d had deep issue with being told she was beautiful and now that she’d be so quick to think that everything was all her fault and that Willow wouldn’t want to be with her. She vowed to herself that she would do everything in her power to help the brunette realise what a wonderful, special girl she was, then pulled her girlfriend into a tight hug and whispered in her ear.


“I don’t know who hurt you but I promise I never will.”


Tara stiffened momentarily.


Does she know...? No, she can’t know about that. She saw the bruises when I arrived, but she believed my hiking story. She can’t know about them. She just knows Daddy’s strict and I don’t get on well with Donny. That’s all she needs to know. I don’t want her to think I was weak. I’m not weak with her, I feel strong. I feel like she’s healing me.


She relaxed into the embrace, feeling silly that she’d started crying and jumped to such gross conclusions and feeling more confident in the fact that Willow still wanted to be with her.


“S-sorry for,” Tara paused and took a deep breath, determined not to stutter, “Sorry for ruining our date.”


Willow pulled back from the hug and shook her head with a smile.


“You didn’t ruin anything. You got a little upset ‘cause I was a spaz, which is probably something you should get used to, me being a spaz that is, ‘cause you know, can’t change the habit of a lifetime. And I got to give you a hug to make you feel better. And I think you probably need a kiss too, so...”


Tara felt her heart warm as Willow leaned forwards and placed a small kiss on her lips before pulling back and thrusting the roses towards her.


“These are for you.”

[BuffyFan4ever]

I FINALLY GOT A DIBS!!!!

Great update. I loved how Willow hinted that she knew that Tara was hurt in the past, then let it go without pressing. With time, Tara will see that Willow not only doesn't care what happened to her, but loves her more for what she overcame.

Do I really have to wait for Monday for an update? Sooner please.

[leonhart17]

Willow needs to kick some old man Maclay ass! I want Tara to feel better soon! I'm sure Willow will help with that though

[arsyadriani]

Tara is soo fragile isn't she..well, she should give herself more credit
I hope Willow could pull her out of her shell..soon. is that too much for hoping
great update anyway
soo waiting for tomorrow..

[LonelyTara]

Boy, this Tara, she is a heart-breaker. You're doing a great job showing the hesitancy and self-worth issues that victims of child abuse often suffer. It's sad, but realistic, and makes me care about her character so much more than if she was just all magically "better". It's great that Willow gets her, and wants to help her heal.

Hooray for daily updates. I will hooray it for as long as it is updated to be hoorayed.

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for great update-y goodness... Good that Willow offered to help Tara financially... I'm glad that Tara accepted Willow's apology for suddenly running away from Tara... I truly hope they end up snuggling in Tara's bed after their date, if they are discovered Willow could say that Tara was having nightmares...

[Alex_Vixen]

AWWWW!! you want to make me cry, dont you?? *pouts*

Im glad Willow was able to make Tara see she still wants to be with her. And Willow SHOULD learn karate so she can kick Tara's dad and brother's asses!!!

I cant wait until the next update!!

[vampyregurl73]

One of the reasons I'm enjoying this is because there doesn't seem to be the element of magic. It' just two girls with vastly different upbringings that are equally damaged by the people that are supposed to take care of and love them unconditionally.

Willow's the outwardly cocky, self-assured geek and Tara is the fragile girl with no self-esteem. Two sides of the same coin and depending on how deeply you intend to explore those facets more similarities can possibly appear.

I still wanna know what the "compromising" situation was...



P.S.
Oh, yeah I found that picture the other night, gotta love the internet. It's supposed to be a shot from a BTVS episode too. Hot girls rule.

P.P.S.
10 is being beta'd and 11 is in progress. I've ended up rewriting both but both 12 and 13 will just have minor edits so that should make the beta-ing process a bit quicker.

[love_2003]

Wondering if Tara will ever feel comfortable enough to tell Willow how she really got her bruises. Although I'm wondering if Willow doesn't already suspect.

[sapphoselene]

this is such a fun and quirky story... you have a great way with story telling... in just a few short sections you have given them such depth

awesome job hun

[Morrigan]

This is a sweet little story. It's interesting to me when people regress W/T back to high school - The social dynamics of that time of life are so different from those experienced in college that it shapes the relationship in interesting ways.

[arsyadriani]

no update for today?

[lonelylanding]

I can't wait to read about the rest of their date. Poor Tara I hope that her relationship with willow raises her confidence and self esteem

[Laragh]

BuffyFan4Ever –

I FINALLY GOT A DIBS!!!!

Congratulations!!!

Great update. I loved how Willow hinted that she knew that Tara was hurt in the past, then let it go without pressing. With time, Tara will see that Willow not only doesn't care what happened to her, but loves her more for what she overcame.

Quite right, I think she will too

Do I really have to wait for Monday for an update? Sooner please.

I would do weekend updates if I could, but I’m not around a computer for the next few weekends. At least not my own computer, so I don’t have the story on file.

Thanks for your comment!

leonhart17 –

Willow needs to kick some old man Maclay ass! I want Tara to feel better soon! I'm sure Willow will help with that though

Willow will definitely help! And hey, it’s only a 20-chapter story, and there’s for sure a happy ending!

Thanks for commenting!

arsyadriani –

Tara is soo fragile isn't she..well, she should give herself more credit

She should. But it’s hard with her past :(

I hope Willow could pull her out of her shell..soon. ..is that too much for hoping

No, not too much. Willow will certainly try her best!

soo waiting for tomorrow.. no update for today?

Monday-Friday daily updates ‘cause I’m away from my computers at weekends for the moment. Sorry for the confusion!

Thanks for commenting!

LonelyTara –

Boy, this Tara, she is a heart-breaker. You're doing a great job showing the hesitancy and self-worth issues that victims of child abuse often suffer. It's sad, but realistic, and makes me care about her character so much more than if she was just all magically "better". It's great that Willow gets her, and wants to help her heal.

I’m glad it’s translating well This is the first time I’ve ever written Tara’s abusive past being such a recent fixture in her life, in my others she’s been years over it so I was a little worried that it wouldn’t come across right. Thanks for the reassurances

Hooray for daily updates. I will hooray it for as long as it is updated to be hoorayed.

Lol, 20 chapters worth of ‘hooray’ then!

Thanks for commenting!!

Zampsa1975 –

Good that Willow offered to help Tara financially... I'm glad that Tara accepted Willow's apology for suddenly running away from Tara...

They’re both very kind and forgiving people

I truly hope they end up snuggling in Tara's bed after their date, if they are discovered Willow could say that Tara was having nightmares...

I promise some kisses and cuddles. And lol, that’s a good excuse!

Thanks for your feedback!

Alex_Vixen –

AWWWW!! you want to make me cry, dont you?? *pouts*

I’m still trying not to lol, but if I do, I’m sorry!

Im glad Willow was able to make Tara see she still wants to be with her. And Willow SHOULD learn karate so she can kick Tara's dad and brother's asses!!!

“Black Belt Redhead takes down Girlfriend’s ‘family’.”

I cant wait until the next update!!

Hope you like the continuation of their date!

Thanks for commenting!

vampyregurl73 –

One of the reasons I'm enjoying this is because there doesn't seem to be the element of magic. It' just two girls with vastly different upbringings that are equally damaged by the people that are supposed to take care of and love them unconditionally.

Willow's the outwardly cocky, self-assured geek and Tara is the fragile girl with no self-esteem. Two sides of the same coin and depending on how deeply you intend to explore those facets more similarities can possibly appear.

You know, I toyed with the idea of having one of the reasons that Tara was sent away was that she tried to continue Wicca practices after her mother had died but I finally decided (mostly because I felt I didn’t know enough about the religion or it’s practices) to leave it out. I’m kinda glad it worked out that way, I’m better with the non-metaphorical portrayal of feelings

I still wanna know what the "compromising" situation was...

Ah, the reveal is in...chapter 12 I believe.... *goes off to check* 13! Chapter 13. It’s nothing too bad though lol

P.S.
Oh, yeah I found that picture the other night, gotta love the internet. It's supposed to be a shot from a BTVS episode too. Hot girls rule.

The internet rocks. And really? Huh, I cannot remember a time when Tara wore a black shirt in the show lol I’m really tempted to go back and watch every scene she’s in to try and pinpoint which episode it was

P.P.S.
10 is being beta'd and 11 is in progress. I've ended up rewriting both but both 12 and 13 will just have minor edits so that should make the beta-ing process a bit quicker.

Looking forward to reading!

love_2003 –

Wondering if Tara will ever feel comfortable enough to tell Willow how she really got her bruises. Although I'm wondering if Willow doesn't already suspect.

Well I think Willow suspects something happened to Tara, but probably doesn’t want to think about it being full-on abuse – purely because she wouldn’t have wanted her girlfriend to go through that. The mind blocks out things it doesn’t want to know sometimes.

And as for Tara feeling comfortable...I don’t know if it’s a comfort level that would make her reveal her past, especially if she’s still scared it will change Willow’s feelings for her.

Thanks for your feedback

sapphoselene –

this is such a fun and quirky story... you have a great way with story telling... in just a few short sections you have given them such depth

Aww shucks Thanks for all your kind words, I’m glad you’re enjoying the story!!

awesome job hun

Thanks!!

And thanks for commenting!

Morrigan –

This is a sweet little story. It's interesting to me when people regress W/T back to high school - The social dynamics of that time of life are so different from those experienced in college that it shapes the relationship in interesting ways.

I’ve always loved the idea of High School W/T. Actually I like any version of them pre-college. I have this idea about writing a story about them knowing each other from when they’re born and have each chapter document a year in their lives – I just basically wanna write toddler W/T lol.

But yea, I agree, I think the social dynamics are very different – you’re still viewed as a child, even if you’re not and you’ve got that wonderful naivety that makes relationships so much easier lol. Although, for this, one I’m trying to combine that innocence with the fact that both girls really do know they’ve found their soulmate, regardless of their young age.

Or maybe I just don’t know what the hell I’m saying lol. I’m still a baby myself, just turned 18

Thanks for your feedback (and I’m still in awe of Never Let You Fall!!)

lonelylanding –

I can't wait to read about the rest of their date.

Hope you like the continuation!!

Poor Tara I hope that her relationship with willow raises her confidence and self esteem

She’s gonna struggle, but Willow will help!

Thanks for commenting!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

********

TITLE: Close Quarters

AUTHOR: Laragh

CHAPTER RATING: PG-13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.

SUMMARY: What happens when Willow and Tara are thrown together far away from home? Tara has secrets, Willow has a lonely past. They both want to be loved. Can they find it together? (Of course they can, this is me!)

SPOILERS: AU fic, so at most minor references or pieces of dialogue

FEEDBACK: Yes please

Chapter 7/20

********

Previously:

Tara felt her heart warm as Willow leaned forwards and placed a small kiss on her lips before pulling back and thrusting the roses towards her.


“These are for you.”

---

“Thank you,” Tara replied, bringing them up to her nose to inhale their scent, “I’ve never gotten flowers before.”


“Well that’s just silly. You deserve lots and lots of pretty things,” Willow responded, grinning, before standing and pulling the brunette up with her, “You ready for the park?”


Tara nodded and smiled as they started walking hand-in-hand down the gravelly streets.


“It gets really snow-y here around winter,” Willow said as they walked, pointing to the many pointed arches on top of the buildings around them, “I’ve only ever seen it coming to and from the airport at winter break, but it’s really pretty. Like something you’d see in a postcard. Maybe we could come out here one day before we go home for the holidays or something, if it’s snowy. We could take pictures! I have a camera stuffed away in one of my drawers somewhere.”


“Sure,” Tara agreed with a small smile, “But, um, I’m not going home for the holidays. I’m staying at the school. My father doesn’t want to pay for the flights. But if it snows before you go, then I’m in.”


Willow frowned as Tara said that. She didn’t want her girlfriend alone for the holidays, especially not alone in their school.


Maybe she could come home with me? No, there’s no way she’d let me pay for the flights. Oh I’ll figure something out.


“Great,” she replied, deciding she’d think about things later, “Hey, wow, Tare, look at this!”


Willow walked them into the entrance of the park; trees scattered everywhere with lush green grass surrounding them, and a small man-made lake just ahead of them. The sky was cloudy, but the sun was peeking out through them, casting a warm glow against the water.


“This definitely beats walking around the school grounds!” Willow said happily as they walked towards the lake, “I’m so glad we’re seniors!”


Tara laughed and smiled as Willow bent down at the lake and ran her hand through it, before looking up and ahead.


“Hey, there’s ducks. We should’ve brought some bread or something. Next time we come into town we should grab some bread rolls at breakfast and bring them with us. Do you think – Ahhhhhhhhh, shit!”


Tara watched as Willow fell backwards, then quickly scampered off, running full-speed towards the other side of the park.


“Again?” Tara asked aloud, bewildered, “Did she really just run off again?”


She blushed when she saw a few people off to the side stare at her, thinking she was talking to herself. She looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary; a duck was swimming along quietly, a little kid nearby was poking his toe experimentally in the water and a frog was just about to jump onto a lily pad from the bank of the lake.


She looked up and saw Willow was leaning against a tree, looking like she was struggling to catch her breath. She walked over, slightly peeved, but more concerned at what was wrong and put a hand on the redhead’s arm. The action made Willow’s head snap around and her eyes widened as she saw Tara.


“Oh god,” she said, breathless, “Shit, baby, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t running from you, I promise, it’s just, there...there was...there was a frog...”


Willow trailed off lamely and Tara just raised an eyebrow.


“I’m afraid of frogs,” Willow said quietly, ducking her head and kicking her shoe against the grass, “I don’t know why, I just always have been.”


“Oh,” Tara replied and pulled her girlfriend into a hug, “It’s okay.”


“You don’t think I’m a massive baby?”


Tara pulled back and shook her head, handing the redhead her roses.


“Of course not. Can you hold those for me and sit down, sweetie, I’ll be back in a second, okay?”


Willow complied and sat with her back resting against the trunk of the tree, putting the flowers down beside her and watched as Tara walked back to the lake and then back to her, something between her hands. The brunette sat down beside the redhead and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.


“What’s that?” Willow asked curiously, tapping the top of her girlfriend’s hands.


Tara removed her top hand and Willow yelped in fright when she saw the same frog she had just run away from. She started to back up but Tara grabbed her shoulder and kept her in place as the frog calmly sat in her hand.


“Tara, let me go,” Willow whimpered, terrified, “Please let me go. And what the hell, I tell you I’m scared and you just bring the little slimy green thing to me? That’s like something Cordelia would’ve done, I didn’t think you were like that.”


Tara winced at the harsh tone, but moved her hand down to take the redhead’s.


“Do you trust me?”


“I did,” Willow spat, eyeing the frog with pure hatred before looking back up at Tara, whose face had fallen by her response, “No, baby, I trust you. Of course I trust you.”


Tara smiled again and looked down at the frog.


“There’s nothing to be afraid of, sweetie. He’s just a creature, like all of us. He won’t do you any harm.”


“But...” Willow protested, scrunching her nose up, “He’s all slimy and croaky and eats bugs.”


“Well,” Tara replied with a laugh, “I bet he thinks it’s weird that our feet aren’t webbed or that we don’t like bugs.”


Willow looked down at the frog again, still suspicious.


“See, he’s not hurting me or doing anything,” Tara continued, bringing their conjoined hands up, “Look...”


Tara turned Willow’s hand in hers and held each of their fingers out, moving it towards the frog. The redhead stiffened but Tara just calmly continued, eventually using her hand to let Willow stroke the frog’s back. It let out a loud croak and Willow jumped back in fright but the brunette just laughed.


“That’s just him saying he likes it,” she grinned, giving the frog a final stroke and bringing him near her face, “Thanks for helping me show my girlfriend you’re nothing to be scared of, Mr. Frog.”


Willow gulped but brought her hand up, stroking the frog of her own accord this time.


“It’s not so scary,” she whispered, smiling at Tara, then back at the frog, “You’re not so scary.”


The frog croaked again and Tara held her hand out, letting it leap from her, getting hidden in the grass.


“How did you do that?” Willow asked in awe, turning to Tara, “I’ve been afraid of those things since as long as I can remember.”


“My Mom taught me to love everything in nature,” Tara replied softly, “That we’re all connected in the web of life. You’ve only really ever been afraid of the idea of frogs, Will. In reality...”


“They’re just living their lives like we are,” Willow finished, smiling happily, “Your Mom sounds amazing. Tell me about her?”


Tara smiled and wrapped her arm around the redhead’s shoulder, her smile getting wider when Willow cuddled into her side.


“Well, okay, um...Her name was Elizabeth. Smith. Elizabeth Smith until she became Elizabeth Maclay. And um... well, she looked like me, except she was pretty.”


Tara heard her girlfriend sigh and decided to amend her statement, still quite unsure of herself but trusting that Willow hadn’t been anything but genuine when she said how beautiful she was earlier.


“She looked like me.”


Willow beamed and threw her arm over the brunette’s waist as Tara began to softly stroke her hair.


“Well, she grew up in England. In London. An only child. She used to tell me how she practically lived in this bookshop, Prose I think it was called. It was near where she lived anyway and apparently she spent all her free time there from when she was like 6 years old, she always loved books. She worked there from when she was 15 until she was 17. She left London then, when her parents died in a car accident. I’ve always wanted to see the city she was raised in.”


“I’ll take you someday,” Willow piped up, happily and genuinely, “We can see Big Ben!”


Tara closed her ideas in joy for a moment at the thought.


“I’d love that...” she said with a sigh, knowing it could never happen, before shaking the thought off to go back to the story, “So, she was a teacher. An English teacher. Or at least she was until she married my Dad, then she became a stay at home Mom. But she still taught me things. We used to read Shakespeare together. Well, she read Shakespeare to me until I learnt to read, then we read together. And we used to go on nature walks, every Saturday morning. We lived on a farm near a forest so there were loads of places we could go. We’d play a game where I tried to name all the different flowers and animals I could see. We did that every weekend right up until...”


Willow turned her head and kissed the brunette’s neck.


“How did she...? Unless you don’t want to talk about it.”


“No, it’s okay,” Tara replied softly, “She had a brain aneurysm. Went to sleep one night and just didn’t wake up.”


Tara sighed for a moment; she’d often thought that her mother had just given up, not able to take the beatings her husband inflicted on her every day. Tara, of course, hadn’t known about the beatings until her mother had died and her father had made it very clear she was taking her place, but a larger more hopeful part felt that her mother wouldn’t have left her had she had any choice in it. She was pulled from her thoughts as Willow spoke up.


“That’s terrible, baby. I’m sorry.”


“Thanks,” Tara replied sincerely, “But at least she died peacefully. She didn’t suffer.”


Not anymore than Daddy already made her. Thank God we’re both away from him...even if my escape is only temporary.


Tara shook her head, not wanting to think about that. Of how her happiness was sure to be short-lived, how she’d be forced back to Alabama as soon as the school year was over. She shook her head again and kissed the top of Willow’s head.


“You’re the only thing that’s made me happy since she died.”


Willow raised her head to look in Tara’s eyes.


“I’m sorry you went through so many years of unhappiness. But I promise I’ll keep making you happy for as long as you let me.”

[leonhart17]

dibs! (I'm back!)

Aww, poor Tara! I loved that she helped Willow with her frog fear, but it sucks about her dad (of course) - I hope they can figure some alternative to her going home (like them running away together? )

[BuffyFan4ever]

Great chapter.

This is the first story I've read where Tara helps Willow conquer her frog fear (usually it's just horses.) I love it.

Too bad about no weekend updates :( . At least I'll have something to look forward to once school starts next week.