Title: Right Here Waiting
Author: Naeryn, aka Megan
Rating: PG-13 for hot lesbian kissage and a slight insinuation of sex.
Distribution: Sure, just tell me where.
Disclaimer: I have no rights to Buffy. I write about the characters anyway. I have no rights to the song Right Here Waiting by Bryan Adams. I use it anyway.
Notes: The song is Right Here Waiting by Bryan Adams; the fic is set in the middle of Entropy. Between coffee and kissage, from Tara's perspective, how she comes to the decision to go see Willow etc.
Tara let out a tired sigh, draping her leather jacket over the back of the chair in her dorm room. She’d just been for coffee with Willow, and now her mind was a roiling maelstrom of thought and emotion. She flicked on the radio and sat down on the end of her bed, letting her head fall into her hands.
Oceans apart
Day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice
On the line
But it doesn’t stop the pain
If I see you next to never
Then how can we say ‘forever’?
She recalled everything she’d felt when she found out that Willow had put a spell on her, making her forget about the fight they had. She hadn’t believed her then that it was just the once, but she did now. Of course, it hadn’t been once; she’d done it again after that. Tara’s mind went over every motion, the quiet walk back to the house, Willow’s defeated look as she slumped against the bathroom walls in tears. She bit her lip, biting back a sob.
Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
She sighed. Part of her really was just waiting for Willow. She knew that as long as there was any possibility of something between them again, she couldn’t move on. Tara couldn’t even consider moving on, in spite of the heartbreak and pain she’d suffered.
I took for granted
All the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter
I taste the tears
But I can’t get near you now
Oh, can’t you see it baby?
You’ve got me going crazy
It was true; she’d taken everything for granted. Not at first, but slowly she came to accept that Willow was there, would always be there. She gave a bitter, mirthless laugh. She could remember every word that had passed between them, since the first time they spoke, and the memories drove her wild with longing.
Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
Tara would always be waiting for Willow. Even if the magic consumed her, even if she turned into some dark, twisted thing living off the power… Tara would still love her. But that wouldn’t happen, would it? Willow had stopped using magic. Of course, she couldn’t stay that way, she’d have to learn again, work with her power from a place of purity, but still…
I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I’m with you
I’ll take the chance
Could she take a chance on Willow again? Tara stood up, shaking out her arms and casting an anxious look around the room. Her gaze fell on her coat.
Oh can’t you see it baby?
You’ve got me going crazy
Making a snap decision, she picked it up, flung it on and ran out her door.
Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
Waiting for you
Tara’s feet pounded heavily on the sidewalk. Was she making a mistake? Was it too soon? She didn’t know. What would she say? Would Willow even want her back? She swallowed her insecurity and turned up the path to the Summers house.
Flinging open the door, she looked around. No one was here, it seemed. It was late enough, Dawn would be asleep, and Buffy was probably out patrolling. Was Willow with her? Unlikely, they wouldn’t put her somewhere she’d be inclined to use the magic.
She took a deep breath to ground herself and headed towards the stairs.
Willow was laying on her stomach, on her bed, highlighting in her textbook. She looked like she had about three different colours going – typical. Tara smiled, content to watch her for a moment. She bit her lip, screwing up her courage, and spoke.
“Things fall apart… they fall apart so hard.”
Willow turned half onto her side, looking over at Tara. “Tara?” She sounded incredulous, like she couldn’t believe that Tara was there. Why should she?
“You can’t ever… put them back the way they were, you know?” What was she saying? She wanted things back… no, she didn’t. She wanted things better than they were, secure in each other but not taking each other for granted.
The redhead sat up, smoothing her skirt underneath her. “Are you okay?”
Tara swallowed hard at the concern evident in Willow’s voice. Once again, her first thought was of her. “I’m sorry, it’s just… you can’t just have coffee and expect…”
“I know.” Willow cut her off, looking a little ashamed. Tara sighed, stepping into the room. Why was Willow looking shameful? They both knew she hadn’t expected anything.
“There’s just so much to work through. Trust has to be built again, on both sides,” she turned to face Willow, looking at her with concern, “You have to learn if… if we’re even the same people we were. If you can fit in each other’s lives. It’s a long and important process…” All true, Tara knew, but not getting her any closer to what she really wanted. “And can we just skip it? Can… can you just be kissing me now?”
The tension, for just a moment, was thick and oppressive as the ex-lovers regarded each other with some apprehension. Then it broke; crashing over both in waves of relief. A huge grin split Willow’s face and she pushed herself off the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around Tara and kissing her, deeply, passionately.
Tara returned the kiss, seeking to devour this woman who was, in all suddenness, hers again. As she kicked the door shut, one thought fluttered across her mind before all was lost to the incoherencies of love and fire.
Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you…
. Love sam xx
