The Kitten, the Witches and the Bad Wardrobe - Willow & Tara Forever

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:42 pm 
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3. Flaming O
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:clap great update. I can't wait for the next update. Willow walking and all. Less restrictions hehe.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:48 pm 
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6. Sassy Eggs
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Somehow I didn't see the previous update... Have justt read the last two chapters,
And I loved both!
:peace

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 7:53 pm 
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Ms. Moderator Fantastico
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How I missed two updates I will never know you are sneaky! They are coming together just fine:) as always I am hooked on your art! Hope u enjoyed your weekend.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:59 am 
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10. Troll Hammer

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I think if leonhart17 had decided to describe W&T's first time in detail she would have written a very good version. But I can think of several very good reasons why any writer might not wish to write that scene and I definitely respect it. And heck, in this world at elast ti occurred earlier than most of us visualize it in canon :-).

In general I like how this is moving along. The Faith mini-arc and Jonathan's (my 3rd favorite character) spell are coming up soon?

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:20 am 
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7. Teeny Tinkerbell Light
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Very true DaddyCatALSO, L, officially consider my peer-pressure removed if it bugged you in any way. There's nothing wrong with leaving things to the imagination. ;-)

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 10:55 pm 
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7. Teeny Tinkerbell Light
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LonelyTara: You're quick like lightning with those dibs! (this post is pretty late - let's see if you're still awake!) I'm glad you liked it (in spite of the scene change - I'll see what I can do about that because you weren't the only one who asked about it - and you're definitely not pressuring me - I appreciate the encouragement! I'll just see what I can come up with, and if I like it, I'll post it, if not, you guys have good imaginations I'm sure :P) Work too hard? No way! I just got home from vacation :P Yeah, I have to say I wasn't a big fan of Buffy's Riley-fever... so I changed it :) Tara's got a little while to go for that, but it comes up again really soon, don't worry!

Laragh: Tara will have some revelations about that very soon, don't worry! Glad you liked it in spite of that :) This one is one of my personal favorites, so I hope you like it!

Zampsa1975: Yay! I made it back to excellent! Glad you're liking Buffy! I heard that from a few people, so I'll definitely look into revisiting that scene... The demon issue comes up again very soon, don't worry!

leftindust: I didn't mean to gut anyone! I'll definitely put some thought into revisiting that scene for you guys! Glad you liked it in spite of my scene jumping :)

Hidden In You1023: So glad you liked it! Thanks for reading and sticking with me!

abarda: Oops, sorry! I'm going to be posting on Wednesdays and Saturdays now since my work is less of a pain right now and I have time for it :) Glad you loved them both!

Willowtree252: I'm sorry! I'm going to updating twice a week now (Wed. and Sat.) and the schedule got kind of rushed last weekend since I was going on vacation... Glad to hear they're coming together well! And that you're still hooked! I had a great weekend! I hope you did too!

DaddyCatALSO: Well. thanks for the support either way. I appreciate it! :) Glad you're enjoying it! Those are coming up :)

Chapter 9 of 15

It was three days before Buffy heard anything from Riley, and the Slayer was climbing the walls in anxiety. She was in the midst of planning an assault on the Initiative to rescue him when the Marine showed up on their doorstep, shaky and confused, but healthy and safe.

Buffy had been hunting the creature Walsh had called Adam relentlessly for a week since then, barely sleeping in between patrols at all hours of the day and night. They were all at Giles’ apartment trying to figure out where Adam could be hiding, or what his plan might be when the hospital called to tell them that Faith had woken up, adding one more stress to their already tense lives. The Slayer sent everyone home to hide, including sending Willow back into hiding at Tara’s dorm.

Tara was quiet as they walked back to campus. For all the danger and fear they’d been dealing with recently, she couldn’t say she hated all the opportunities it afforded for Willow to stay over. Willow was on her crutches, using every chance she had to practice and get stronger, trying to prepare as best she could for the quickly approaching day when she’d get her cast off.

“So, Faith is bad news?” Tara asked. “No one really seemed too happy that she’s woken up out of her coma.”

“Faith is bad news,” Willow confirmed as they waited on the elevator. “And she hates us all,” she added mock-cheerfully.

“Yay,” Tara deadpanned, opening her door. “You know, we really should just get you a key made,” she commented offhandedly, blushing as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

Willow grinned brightly, but kept her voice calm. “Yeah, I mean, that would make sense,” she agreed, her happy smile showing how giddy that suggestion made her. It was true that she’d spent more time in Tara’s room than she had in her own lately. There was even a drawer in Tara’s dresser that was now used to store Willow’s clothes.

They had only been in the room for a few minutes when there was a pounding on the door. They exchanged confused looks, Willow shrugging as she dropped herself into her chair.

“It’s me!” Buffy called loudly through the door. “Change of plans,” she announced. Tara opened the door, the Slayer coming in almost before it was opened more than a crack. “Pack a bag,” she directed, moving to Tara’s phone and dialing without speaking to them again. They could see that she’d been in a fight, a bruise rising on her cheek and her bottom lip split and bleeding.

“Xander, pack up you and Anya and go to my house. Tell my mom we’re on our way.” She didn’t listen to his questions, hanging up the phone and dialing again rapidly. “Giles, get to my house now. Xander and Anya are heading that way and Willow and Tara are with me,” she said. “Tell my mom about Faith. Keep her safe until I get there,” Buffy ordered, grateful that her Watcher didn’t demand an explanation, just agreed.

The witches were staring at her in confusion, but Tara had put some of their clothes into a duffel bag, following the Slayer’s directions without asking why. Buffy sighed, mustering a smile with an effort. “Faith, she was outside Giles’ tonight, she was following you two here. Hence the relocation, and my bloody lip,” she commented, wiping blood from her hand to her pants with a grimace.

“You chased her off?” Tara asked.

“But Faith knows where you live,” Willow protested.

“And now she knows where to find you and Giles and it’s only a matter of time before she finds Xander. We can protect each other better if we’re together,” Buffy said, eyes shifting to Tara. “Ready to go?”

“I could stay here,” Tara said, still confused. “She doesn’t know me…”

“She knows Willow was coming here and that’s all she needs to know. She’d hurt you to hurt Willow,” Buffy said, knowing that she was being harsh, but the need to hurry was rolling in her stomach.

Tara glanced down at Willow in her chair, nodding. “Okay,” she agreed softly.

“What about Riley?” Willow asked. “He was at Giles’ and she had to have seen him.”

Buffy nodded, picking the phone up again. The witches exchanged looks as the Slayer talked briefly on the phone, giving her boyfriend directions to her house.

“How come you didn’t call him first?” Willow asked curiously as they went into the hall.

Buffy shrugged, looking almost guilty. “You know how it is with Faith…she makes things complicated,” she said. “Especially between me and my boyfriends…” She caught Tara’s confused glance. “She has a knack,” Buffy added bitterly. “It just seemed like it would be easier if Riley was out of the loop on this one, but you’re right Will, she’d screw him just to screw with me.”

“She’d try,” Willow corrected her. “Riley wouldn’t do that though. He likes you, not skanky Faith-types.”

Buffy smiled absently down at her friend, grateful for the reminder even as an image of Faith rubbing herself against Angel flashed through her mind. “You’re right again Will, thanks.”

They walked as quickly as they could off campus, Buffy moving constantly around them, eyes straining for the slightest sign that Faith was nearby. They got to the house right after Giles did, Xander and Anya already sitting on the couch while Joyce was in the middle of pouring coffees for them.

“Mom,” Buffy greeted her, relieved to see her safe. She blinked at the tray of coffee on the table, laughing despite the serious situation. “This isn’t a tea party, Mom,” she said, hugging her mother.

“Rupert told me some of what’s going on. Faith escaped?” Joyce asked, frowning down at her daughter while she kept one arm curled around her shoulder protectively.

Buffy nodded. “Yeah, so we’re camped out here until she shows herself or I can find her.”

“You’re not going out after her, are you?” Joyce asked, worried.

“Not tonight,” Buffy agreed. “Riley’s on his way here, so we’ll keep a rotating watch.” She surveyed the group. “Xander, Anya, you guys can sleep up on the futon in the spare room. Giles, you can take my room.” She ruffled Willow’s hair teasingly, smirking as the witch swatted at her hands. “And with your leg, I’m afraid you’re stuck with the couch. Sorry Will, Tara. At least it’s wide, you two should sleep alright.”

There was a knock on the door, and Buffy stood up on her toes to check the window before she opened the door for Riley. Her mother was giving her an arched look when she turned back and she grinned sheepishly.

“I guess I should make some introductions. Mom, this is my boyfriend, Riley Finn. Riley, this is my mother, Joyce Summers.” She caught sight of Tara lingering behind Willow’s chair and she pointed the blonde witch out. “And this is our friend Tara,” she added, not sure how to address the change in Willow’s relationship with her mom and not wanting to say anything without talking to Willow first. “Tara, my mom,” she finished her introductions, smiling encouragingly to the shy blonde witch.

Joyce accepted Riley’s handshake, waving to Tara across the room. “Nice to have everyone here,” Joyce said, shooting Buffy a look of reproof. “We’ll have to do it again on a night when we’re not being hunted by a murderous lunatic.”

Buffy lifted both hands in defense, shaking her head. “Fine Mom, I get the message,” she agreed, smiling accommodatingly at her mother. “We’ll plan something.”

“Would anyone like anything to drink?” Joyce asked the group, smiling when Giles lifted one hand. “I have your tea in the kitchen, Rupert,” she commented, ignoring Buffy’s exasperated look.

“Excellent, thank you, Joyce,” Giles said, adjusting his glasses on his nose as he moved past the stairs toward the kitchen.

“Anyone else? Willow, dear, can I get you anything?” she asked considerately.

Willow smiled, shaking her head. “Thank you, but I’m fine, Mrs. Summers.”

Buffy rolled her eyes at her mother, schooling her face back to normal before her mom’s eyes landed on her again. “Okay, now that hostessing is over,” she commented sarcastically. Her mom went into the kitchen to help Giles with his tea and find something to set out as a finger food.

Buffy moved into the living room, the others following her without speaking. Willow parked her chair in front of the fireplace, Tara lingering close to her in the unfamiliar place. Buffy glanced at them, taking a seat on the edge of the low coffee table, bringing herself to eyelevel with Willow.

“Do you want me to talk to my mom?” Buffy asked, keeping her voice low. “She’ll probably be too distracted by this Faith stuff to notice anything, but I don’t want you guys to feel uncomfortable.”

Willow glanced up at Tara, but the blonde witch shrugged, willing to leave Willow’s coming out up to Willow. “I need to tell her,” Willow said. “Now’s probably not the best time though…” She glanced up guiltily at Tara, but the blonde was watching Anya search for change in the sofa, the witch biting her lip to keep from laughing as Anya triumphantly lifted a quarter into view.

They lingered uncomfortably around the house, everyone waiting for the inevitable attack from Faith. Joyce brought in the cheesy chips Xander liked and a pack of cookies for them to snack on before returning to the kitchen for adult conversation with Giles, leaving the younger adults in the living room. They were growing more relaxed as it got later, feeling reassured that Faith wouldn’t bother attacking them her first night awake after eight months in a coma.

It was after ten when they finally turned the television on and the front window crashed in with no warning in the same minute. Xander flung himself over Anya on the couch, protecting her from the raining glass. Buffy threw herself backwards in an instinctual reaction, toppling the coffee table she had been sitting on, hit a second later by Riley, the Marine covering her protectively. Willow was unable to get out of the way and the projectile that had broken the window, which proved to be Faith herself, took the wheelchair down hard. The scuffle narrowly missed Tara, the witch pressed tightly against the base of the couch.

“Get off me!” Willow shouted angrily, shoving at the Slayer on top of her with both hands. There was a click and a sudden glow radiated from in between them. There was a pause, the two girls staring at each other before Willow backhanded Faith sharply, the blow causing the dark-haired Slayer only to shake her head, obviously confused.

“Son of a bitch!” they both cursed at the same time, Faith scrambling backwards off of the wheelchair and breathing hard.

“I got the cripple!” Willow complained while Faith stared down at herself, wrapping her arms protectively around her stomach, trying to pull the bottom edge of her shirt down.

The ruckus brought Giles running, Joyce close behind him. Riley let Buffy up slowly, the blonde Slayer glaring at her dark counterpart as she faced her.

“If you hurt Willow, I’ll kill you,” Buffy promised angrily.

“No,” Faith protested uncertainly, pointing at Willow, who was now slowly trying to pull herself out of the wrecked wheelchair. “I’m me, I mean, I’m Willow,” she said, poking herself in the chest before pointing at Willow. “That’s Faith.”

“Yeah right,” Buffy challenged. “How stupid do you think I am, Faith?”

“No, really!” Faith said. “I swear it’s me. Um…” She tried to think quickly of something Buffy or Xander would know that Faith would have no way of knowing before the answer came to her suddenly. “Tara! Faith doesn’t know anything about me and Tara. You can tell them it’s me,” she said quickly. “Um, the first time we kissed was when the Gentlemen were here and we couldn’t talk, and you got freaked out and left and I followed you…”

Tara was blushing brightly, one hand covering her mouth in horror as she looked between her girlfriend’s body and the body her girlfriend was currently occupying. “Oh my God,” she breathed from behind her hand. “Willow?” she asked hesitantly.

“It’s me,” Willow said through Faith’s lips, relieved. “I swear it’s me.”

Buffy looked between them, frowning. “Tara? Was that true…?”

“It’s her,” Tara confirmed. “How?” Her eyes traveled between Willow’s body on the floor, and Faith’s body shifting anxiously from side to side.

“I was going to ask you that question,” Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes found Willow’s body pinned in the overturned wheelchair, the cast stuck under the railing. She leaned over, lifting the chair and giving Faith room to wriggle Willow’s body out from under. She didn’t get far before Riley was there, pinning her arms behind her back.

“Gently,” Buffy chided. “It’s still Willow’s body, no matter who’s in there right now.” She put the chair upright before bending over, finding something metal held tightly in Willow’s hand, and she pulled it loose, hearing Faith cursing in frustration in Willow’s voice. “Will, what’s this?” she asked, holding it out to her.

“Whatever it is, it’s broken,” she said, sighing in disappointment. “Giles?” she asked, carrying the device over to him.

He looked at her distractedly, still glancing between her and Willow’s body on the floor. “Willow?” he asked.

She smiled at him, nodding uncomfortably, and tugging at her clothes again with her free hand. “Yeah, it’s me. Until we figure out how to get me out of here.”

He took her hint, his attention dropping to the object in her hand, lifting it gingerly. “It looks to be a Draconian Katra spell, and a quite ingenious little activation…” He trailed off as Buffy shot him a look, clearing his throat. “This device is broken, but Tara should be able to conjure a spell to switch you back. I can get the book and the supplies you’ll need from my house,” he said, resting one hand on Willow’s shoulder in support.

Tara looked up at her name, her eyes dropping back to Willow’s body, Faith still struggling weakly against Riley’s grip. “Don’t hurt her,” Tara said softly before she realized that she’d spoken, and she crouched next to Riley, brushing hair back from Willow’s face. She didn’t recoil from the glare Faith sent her through Willow’s eyes. “Is she hurt?” Tara asked in concern, ignoring the hostility.

She looked up as Buffy’s hand landed on her shoulder. “We need to get them switched back and we’ll get her to the hospital. Faith won’t tell us if Willow’s body is hurt or not,” she said, glaring at the other Slayer trapped inside her best friend’s body. Tara nodded reluctantly, glancing across the room to where Willow was watching her through Faith’s eyes.

“Can you help with the spell stuff?” Buffy asked, glancing between the pair.

Tara nodded and Giles cleared his throat again. “I’ll just go get that book,” he said, handing the broken spell device back to Willow and moving back to the front door.

Buffy looked at her trashed living room, sighing heavily. “Are you guys alright?” she asked as Xander helped Anya up. “I guess you can go home now,” she said, smiling weakly. “We found Faith.”

Anya sent a glare at the Slayer as she brushed broken glass off of her shoulders. “What are you going to do with her?” Xander asked, glancing between Willow and Faith.

Buffy sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t know.”

“As soon as I’m back in my body, I’m going to kick your ass,” Faith growled from underneath Riley’s firm grip, thrashing and groaning suddenly.

“Faith, what did you do to her?” Buffy demanded, pushing Riley back.

“She keeps fighting me,” he said, holding both wrists in one hand and holding her broken leg down with the other.

“Get her up, we’ll tie her in the chair,” Buffy suggested. “Do you have any cuffs on you?” He shook his head and Buffy sighed. “Mom, do we have anything we can use to tie up Faith?”

Joyce frowned. “I think we can find something,” she said hesitantly, watching Riley hold Willow’s hands behind her back while Buffy lifted her friend’s body carefully into the wheelchair. “Faith is inside Willow’s body?” she checked, glancing at Faith. “So, Willow is…?”

“Here,” Willow answered, raising Faith’s hand and waving. “Hi,” she offered timidly.

“This is weird,” Joyce commented, one hand on her forehead as she moved back into the kitchen.

“You’re telling me,” Willow muttered, glaring down at Faith’s body.

Buffy frowned around the room, meeting her mother’s eyes as Joyce returned with a length of thin rope and a broom and dustpan. She handed all of the items to her daughter and Buffy sighed. “Do we have anything to board up the window with?” the Slayer asked, tossing the rope to her boyfriend.

“I’ll help you look,” Xander offered quickly, following Joyce into the basement.

Buffy started sweeping up the broken glass and wood that had shattered when Faith had crashed through the window. Riley tied Faith to the wheelchair, being careful under Tara’s concerned watch.

Willow was shuffling Faith’s feet, looking uncomfortable, and she wandered into the hallway, sitting down weakly on the floor at the end of the hall, staring down at her legs. Buffy and Tara exchanged looks as Willow disappeared from view, the Slayer tilting her head toward the hall as she turned the broom in her grip.

Tara followed her girlfriend, lowering herself to her knees in between Willow’s legs. “Are you okay?” she asked softly, sitting back on her heels without touching Faith’s body.

Willow was staring down at her feet and she blinked. “I haven’t walked in four months,” she breathed.

“Oh, honey,” Tara sighed, resting one hand on her knee as she realized what Willow was struggling with. “I’m so sorry…”

Willow shook her head, sighing as Faith’s long brown hair fell in front of her eyes. “It’s okay, Tara. I just…I miss it, and it’s going to make it harder to go back…” She pushed her hair out of her face with one hand. “Especially if I’m hurt again.”

“Willow, sweetheart…” Tara started, pausing when Joyce and Xander returned from the basement with a large piece of plywood. Willow caught Tara’s eye as the pair came through the hall, the blonde standing up and moving out of their way.

“Tara…” Anything else she was going to say put on hold when the front door opened as Giles let himself in. Tara stayed standing up, glancing down as Willow took her hand, Faith’s hand feeling different in hers from Willow’s, the Slayer’s skin rougher, her grip tighter than the gentle witch’s, but the energy that passed between them was the same as it had always been.

“Let’s get this done,” Willow said, sounding nervous.

Giles put the book and the ingredients down on the righted coffee table and Willow and Tara joined him, reading quietly.

“Okay,” Tara said as she finished. “That doesn’t seem too hard.”

Willow took the ingredients into the kitchen without speaking, and Tara sighed as she looked back at the book. Buffy carried her full dustpan into the kitchen, dumping it in the trashcan and drawing Willow’s eyes.

“You alright, Will?” she asked, noticing that her friend was alternating lifting her feet. “Did Faith get hurt jumping through the window?” Willow just shook her head, grinding something in a mortar. “Oh,” Buffy sighed as she realized what was bothering Willow, leaning against the counter beside her. “You’ll be alright, Willow. We’ll get you to the hospital…”

“I know, Buffy,” Willow groaned. “This just feels like a tease.”

“Well, you are inside Faith’s body, remember?” Buffy joked, relieved when Willow laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. I guess I should have known,” Willow agreed, smiling weakly.

Buffy leaned against the countertop next to Willow, crossing her arms over her chest. “You told me it was a spell,” she said vaguely.

The witch frowned, glancing over at her in confusion. “What?” She figured it out before Buffy could speak again and she sighed. “Kissing Tara, you mean. Buffy…”

“Hey, I’m not trying to start anything, I’m just glad you told me. I’m glad I didn’t have to find out because of Faith,” Buffy said quickly. She took a deep breath, meeting Willow’s eyes. “I know we talked about it the next day, I guess I just didn’t put it together.”

Willow swallowed thickly. “I was confused and scared, Buffy. I didn’t mean to hide anything from you…”

“Will, I know that. I do,” Buffy assured her quickly. “I’m so glad you told me what was up.” She started to hug her, hesitating as she remembered that Willow was currently occupying Faith’s body, and she settled for nudging her with an elbow.

Willow shot her a look, brow furrowed. “What was that about?” she asked, sounding amused.

“I hit Faith, I don’t hug her,” Buffy said, shrugging. “Felt wrong, even if you’re in there.” She patted Willow awkwardly on the shoulder. “We’ll get this straightened out. Promise.”

Willow smiled sideways at her best friend, shaking her head. “Thanks, Buff.” The Slayer nodded, clapping her on the shoulder again as she went back into the living room to finish cleaning.

Willow finished mixing the thick potion for the Katra spell, carrying the bowl back to the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch next to Tara. Tara had laid out a plastic placemat on the table so she wouldn’t make a mess and she drew out the symbol carefully. Giles handed her a small wooden box and she coated the inside of the box with the remainder of the potion before putting it in the middle of the symbol.

Willow brushed her hands over her thighs anxiously, watching the preparations quietly. Tara squeezed her hand soothingly, sending her a soft smile before she closed her eyes, speaking the spell carefully.

The box started glowing, filling slowly with green light, and the others watched curiously. Tara stopped speaking when the box was full and everyone looked toward the wheelchair.

“Is it ready?” Buffy asked, her eyes jumping between the witches. Tara nodded, handing the box to Willow. “You ready, Willow?”

Willow glanced down at her feet, nodding finally as she stood up.

Buffy followed her, signaling Riley. “Okay, let one of her hands out. And once they switch back, we need to get Faith down,” she warned him. She got a nod from him and she glanced over her shoulder to where Tara and Giles were watching. “Is it going to screw anything up if we hold their hands together?” she asked.

“I’m not going to fight this,” Faith spoke up, glaring at Willow in her body. “Like I want to be stuck inside the lame witch.”

“Then why’d you tackle me through the window?” Willow objected.

“I was trying to take you down. It was the easiest way to distract the rest of these idiots,” Faith corrected her. “You’re the one who triggered the spell too early.”

Willow scoffed, her hands on her hips. “Yeah, because I want to be stuck inside a gigantic slut!”

“Maybe if you were any good you wouldn’t have lost dog-boy,” Faith shot back, straining against the ropes. She moved her eyes to Tara, smirking as she eyed the blonde from head to toe. “Have to say though, you traded up. Oz was nice enough, but she’s really cute. And you can’t beat that rack. Well, I mean, I can, but, you know…” She glanced down at Willow’s body in the wheelchair before speaking to Tara. “You know, sweetness, if you ever feel like being with a real woman, give me a call. I’ll steer you around the curves.”

Buffy quickly got between them, both hands holding Willow back from getting in Faith’s face as the displaced witch lunged forward. “Hey, you two can fight though six inches of glass after Faith’s in prison,” she said.

Faith snorted in protest, rolling her eyes. “You’re crazy if you think that’s happening.”

“Just shut up,” Buffy barked at her, shooting her a glare. “Okay, Will, give me your left arm,” she prompted, locking Willow’s arm firmly behind her back. “Whenever you’re ready, Riley,” she said, nodding to her boyfriend.

They could hear his knife cutting through the ropes, and Faith lifted one arm slowly. Their palms touched, the light blossoming between their hands and they both gasped. Faith wasn’t so out of it that she let Buffy get a grip on her right arm, dodging the other Slayer’s grab and landing a hard stomp on the top of Buffy’s foot.

Buffy groaned, but didn’t let go, curling her arm over the top of Faith’s shoulder as she shifted her injured foot. Faith’s free hand immediately grabbed Buffy’s wrist at her chest and she threw herself forward sharply at the waist.

Buffy was off balance and the unexpected move sent her flying over Faith’s shoulder and crashing onto Willow in her chair. Faith was running before they could stop her, diving out the empty hole where the front window had been.

“Willow!” Buffy said, rolling awkwardly off of her friend, holding her side where she’d hit the frame of the chair. “I’m sorry, Will. I should have…”

“Hospital,” Willow interrupted her, groaning painfully, both hands holding her injured leg.

Buffy nodded, finding her mother over her shoulder. “Mom, car?” she asked, turning back to her friend when Joyce ran to find her purse.

They got Willow into the Jeep, Joyce driving while Buffy and Tara rode with her. Giles assured them that he would follow in his car with the others. Willow was admitted straight in, the doctor taking her away immediately for x-rays.

Joyce watched the pacing girls as they waited in the exam room, Tara and Buffy tracing opposite paths on the floor. She had heard what Willow had said about kissing the blonde girl, combined with the awful things Faith had been saying, and she tried to wrap her head around that new knowledge. The others had accepted the news that they had kissed without surprise, only needing verification that it had happened the way Willow had said. She smiled unconsciously as she thought of her daughter’s best friend, who was as close as a sister to Buffy. Willow wouldn’t have made such a change lightly, so she obviously cared very deeply for Tara. That was all she needed to know to accept the new circumstances.

Tara blinked in surprise as her pacing was halted by Buffy’s mother stepping into her path and pulling her into a gentle hug. “Willow’s a strong girl. She’s going to be fine,” Joyce said reassuringly, holding the hug until Tara relaxed against her, nodding against her shoulder.

Buffy watched in silence, speaking up when her mother pulled back from Tara, knowing that her mom had figured out the truth. “Mom, she wanted to tell you, she just didn’t think tonight was the best time.”

“I understand,” Joyce said, waving away her daughter’s explanations. “Tara, you seem to really care about Willow. That’s all that matters to me,” she said firmly.

Tara nodded without speaking, swallowing nervously. She was spared having to speak as Willow’s chair was pushed back into the exam room by the doctor.

“How is she?” Buffy asked rapidly.

The doctor sighed, consulting his chart. “It doesn’t appear that her accident has injured the bones, but she did strain a muscle in her hip. I’m suggesting another month in the cast, just to make sure she’s as strong as possible before we begin physical therapy.”

Willow didn’t say anything, obviously having already heard the news. Tara moved up beside her chair, crouching down beside it and taking her hand comfortingly.

“We have this new prescription for pain medicine for the pulled muscle,” the doctor said, handing the slip of paper over to Joyce. “Hopefully we won’t see you again before you get your cast off, Miss Rosenberg.”

Willow nodded listlessly, letting Buffy push her chair out of the room, her hands sitting in her lap. They met the others in the waiting room, the Slayer sharing the bad news with the others.

“And Faith is still out there, so we’re still in hiding,” Willow added at the end of the update.

Buffy nodded reluctantly. “We’ll get the window boarded up, and get you guys situated at the house, and I’ll go after Faith,” she said, dropping to Willow’s eyelevel. “I’m so sorry, Willow. I’m so sorry I let you get hurt again.”

Willow sighed, shaking her head even as she grimaced in pain. “It’s not your fault, Buffy. Just smack her around some for me once you find her, okay?”

“Done,” Buffy promised immediately. “Just let me go get these pills, and we’ll go home,” she said, taking the prescription from her mom and dashing off before the others could say anything.

They rode home in silence and Xander finished patching up the window. Willow was yawning blatantly when he finished and Buffy suggested that they leave the living room so that Willow could get some sleep. The redhead tried to pull herself from her chair to the couch, but her arms were trembling too much and she felt tears of frustration slide down her face.

Tara helped her as gingerly as she could, brushing the tears away from her cheeks. “Do you want me to go?” she asked, willing to do whatever Willow wanted her to do. She was glad when Willow shook her head, holding Tara’s free hand in her lap.

“Stay, please,” Willow requested shakily. Tara brushed fresh tears away with her thumb, nodding silently. Hesitating for only a second, she leaned forward to kiss Willow gently, pulling back to wipe more tears away.

“Willow…” Tara started to speak, only to stop when Willow shook her head, her eyes squeezed closed.

“Please, Tara, don’t. I can handle sympathy, but not from you, please,” she requested. “If you finally see me as the cripple, why would you stay with me…”

“Stop it,” Tara whispered, her quiet tone doing nothing to hide how serious she was. “Shh. Willow, I’m with you because I love you. That wouldn’t change even if you never got out of this chair.”

Willow’s eyes were wide and it took Tara a second to realize what she’d said. “Whoa,” Willow breathed. “Really?” she asked. Tara nodded wordlessly, her eyes squeezing closed as her head dropped forward. “Hey,” Willow said softly, pushing her face back up with one trembling finger, though she couldn’t have said just then whether her hand was shaking from pain or from something else. “Tara, I…”

“Don’t,” Tara interrupted. “Don’t say it…just because I did.”

She wanted the hear the words more than anything, but if Willow said it she wasn’t sure she could bring herself to leave before her demon manifested. She'd been thinking about what had happened with the demon locator spell, how she hadn't appeared, sure that she had only escaped discovery because she was still maintaining her human mask. Once her birthday arrived and that mask was ripped away, she was certain that everything would become painfully obvious. The much simpler idea that her father had lied had never even crossed her mind. She was sure that Willow cared for her, possibly loved her, but hearing confirmation would make leaving impossible.

Willow blinked, but nodded. “Okay,” she agreed softly. “Just because I’m not saying it doesn’t mean I don’t though,” she said quietly but seriously.

She’d never put her feelings into words, part of her feeling that saying it out loud would be the death bell for her love for Oz and she wasn’t ready yet to do that, even though she’d already given everything else she had to Tara, and knew that she loved her. She just wasn’t ready to say the words yet.

“Will you lay here with me, or do you want to sleep somewhere else? Or I could sleep somewhere else. I think there’s an air mattress in the basement,” Willow offered, smiling as Tara cut into her babbling with a kiss. Willow let her still trembling fingers slip into Tara’s hair, holding her face close.

“I love you,” Tara said as they broke the kiss gradually, the words slipping out before she realized it and she blushed, covering her face with both hands.

Willow pulled her hands down gently, kissing her again. “Those have got to be the best words ever,” she declared. “Are you sure I can’t…” Tara shook her head, smiling softly when Willow pouted. “Fine,” she said petulantly. “But if you keep saying it, I’m not going to be able to control myself and Buffy’s mom probably wouldn’t appreciate that happening on her couch.”

Tara blushed brighter, grateful that they were alone, and she pressed one hand over Willow’s mouth, shaking her head at her girlfriend. “Willow,” she said chidingly, her warning falling flat when she smiled as Willow pressed a kiss to her palm. “Vixen,” she murmured fondly.

“Lay down with me?” Willow requested, her attempt at winking ruined by the sudden yawn.

“Of course,” Tara agreed, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. “Just let me go tell Buffy that we’re going to bed,” she said, moving the wheelchair away from the edge of the couch before she moved away.

Buffy met her in the dining room, the Slayer already holding out a blanket, Willow’s newest pills, and a bottle of water. “Good night, Tara,” she said. “I’m going out to look for Faith, but Riley’s taking the first watch, and he’ll be quiet. Faith won’t get to her again, I swear,” she promised, fresh guilt stabbing her.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Tara said, frowning at the Slayer. “It was an accident.”

“Willow…”

“Willow doesn’t blame you,” Tara said firmly. “She’s disappointed about having to stay in the cast longer, but it could have been much worse, and it would have been if you hadn’t been here to protect her.” She shot the Slayer a look as Buffy started to protest. “Willow would say the same thing and you know it,” she stated.

Buffy relented with a sigh, smiling at Tara. “You’ve really gotten better about speaking up,” she teased, nodding her head toward the living room. “Goodnight, Tara,” she said.

Tara took the blanket back to the couch, toeing off her shoes before leaning over, one pill in her hand. “Take this,” she prompted, watching Willow swallow it, washing it down with a sip of water. Willow yawned and held her arms out, making it clear what she wanted. Tara smiled, joining Willow on the couch, the redhead’s arms curling around her waist without speaking and Tara spread the blanket over them before she let her hands find Willow’s.

Willow spoke softly after a minute, obviously hesitant. “Tara, about what Faith said…”

“No,” Tara said simply, interrupting her. “I love every single thing about you, and I wouldn’t change anything.”

Willow blushed, glancing down at herself. “I know I don’t have…”

“Sweetie, stop,” Tara interrupted her again before she could continue. “You’re perfect, and I love you.” Willow was still staring down at herself and she let out a deep breath, trying to gather her courage. Tara curled closer to her, stopping her from speaking with a gentle kiss. “You’re the one I want, Willow,” she whispered. “No one else.”

Willow sighed, squeezing Tara’s hands. “You could have anyone though, Tara. You could have someone…better. Somebody that knows what they’re doing…”

Tara frowned, figuring out her girlfriend’s meaning quickly. “Hey,” she said, sliding one of her hands out of Willow’s to guide her chin up to meet her eyes. “Don’t do that, please,” she requested. “You make me feel so good, Willow. Faith doesn’t know anything about us. When we’re together, baby, there’s nothing better. I don’t want just anyone, I want you.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean…of course you wouldn’t…with just anybody, I just meant…”

Tara cut her off with a kiss, hating that Willow had let the things Faith had said get to her, rock her confidence. She deepened the kiss immediately as Willow opened for her, the kiss passionate. She let her hands trail over Willow’s sides as the redhead slid onto her back from her side, pulling Tara with her. This suited Tara fine and she let her roaming hands slow as Willow groaned sharply.

“Shh,” Tara hushed her gently, both breathing hard. She took another kiss, both hands sliding around Willow’s back to hold her close as she pressed kisses over Willow’s pounding heart. “Give me your hand,” she requested softly, bringing one of her own out. Willow obeyed, still breathing hard. Tara guided their hands to her own chest, pressing Willow’s hand under the collar of her shirt so the redhead could feel her heart’s rapid beat. “You do this to me,” she whispered. “Just you.” She met Willow’s eyes. “Okay?” she asked softly.

“Tara,” Willow whispered, dying to return her lover’s declaration of love, but was suddenly hit by a wave of medically induced exhaustion. “You…”

Tara could see her crashing, and she brushed hair back from her face. “It’s okay, baby. Just sleep.” The redhead was asleep before Tara leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead.

*****

The night passed without any further interruptions and the next morning Tara slipped carefully out of Willow’s arms, making sure to put the wheelchair where Willow could get into it. Buffy was already up and she lifted a coffee cup in question.

“Thanks,” Tara said as the Slayer poured her a cup of coffee. “Have you slept?” she asked, frowning at her friend.

Buffy shrugged. “Not so much, but I think I found a lead on Faith. One of the workers at the train station was admitted to the hospital early this morning. He claims a girl with long brown hair beat him half to death and jumped a cargo train south.”

“So she’s gone?”

“If it wasn’t just a trick to draw us out,” Buffy said. “She could just be trying to make us think we’re safe.” She grinned tiredly. “I guess Mom’s going to get her party sooner than she expected. How did you sleep on the couch?” she asked, handing the mug over to Tara.

“Fine,” Tara said with a smile. “Your couch is a lot more comfortable than a lot of couches I’ve slept on,” she commented, taking a sip of her drink.

They could both hear Willow move in the living room and Buffy laughed, already working on pouring another cup of coffee and adding two sugars and a little bit of creamer. “It’s uncanny how she does that,” she said. “The coffee maker is on for two minutes and she knows it.”

Sure enough, Willow wheeled herself into the kitchen a moment later, grateful to whoever had moved the chairs from the dining room table to make driving her wheelchair easier. Buffy handed her the mug before she could ask and Willow took a grateful sip, smiling up at her best friend. “You’re the best, Buff,” she sighed happily. Buffy grinned, taking a sip of her own coffee.

They were joined slowly by the others, Joyce immediately starting to work on an expansive breakfast for them all while the Scoobies all retreated to the living room to discuss Faith’s potential plans for killing them all horribly.

Willow excused herself after a little bit, wheeling herself into the kitchen to where Joyce was working, the other woman giving her a smile over her shoulder while she worked at the stove. “Willow, how are you feeling today?”

Willow shrugged, one hand covering her hip unconsciously. “Oh, I’m fine,” she said. “I wanted to talk to you about yesterday, about what you heard me say, about Tara…” She swallowed, feeling nervous.

Joyce put down the spoon she’d been using and gently pushed Willow’s short hair back. “I heard, and I only have one question.”

Willow blinked in surprise, but nodded. “What is it?”

“Does she make you happy?” Joyce asked softly.

Willow nodded again. “Oh yes,” she breathed, her heart beating faster as she thought about Tara’s confession the night before. “Yes,” she said again, smiling.

Joyce gave her a kiss on the cheek, returning her smile. “Then I’m glad you found each other, because she obviously feels the same way about you.”

Willow blushed, but couldn’t stop herself from feeling pleased. “Thank you,” she said. “Can I help with anything in here?” she asked, changing the subject to keep herself from getting choked up.

“Would you mind setting the table?” Joyce asked.

“I think I can handle that,” Willow said, grinning. Joyce handed her a stack of plates and Willow waited while she retrieved the utensils. The redhead put everything in her lap and wheeled herself into the dining room, setting everything out as best she could, struggling to get her chair around the far side of the table, but succeeding finally.

When she was finished she noticed Tara’s eyes on her from across the room. The blonde blushed at getting caught watching her, but she didn’t look away. Willow smiled back at her, glancing over to the kitchen when Joyce called the others in for breakfast.

Willow stayed where she was, parking her chair at the corner of the table. Tara moved to help the others in the kitchen, but Buffy waved her back to the table at the same time that Willow snagged her hand. Tara took the chair beside her, her hand resting lightly on Willow’s healing leg and she leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek. The others were milling around between the kitchen and the dining room, helping Joyce carry the food into the room.

“You know, something occurs to me,” Willow commented innocently in a low voice.

Tara arched an eyebrow, smiling at whatever she knew her girlfriend was up to. “Oh yeah, what’s that?” she whispered back.

“I haven’t gotten any proper smooches today,” she answered, tone horrified, but still keeping her voice low.

Tara laughed, shaking her head. “That’s a shame. Do you know anybody that could help you with that?” she asked considerately.

Willow nodded. “I’m hoping this really gorgeous blonde I’m sitting beside could help me out.”

Tara’s eyes shifted over Willow’s shoulder and the redhead turned to see Buffy taking a seat at end of the table next to her. Willow swatted softly at Tara’s arm, shaking her head as Tara laughed. “Not her,” she said. “There’s only I want to get smooches from,” she said firmly.

Tara pointed to herself teasingly even as she leaned in and gave Willow a kiss. Willow was ready to protest the shortness of the kiss but thought better of it as the rest of the table filled up. “That’s okay for now,” she declared quietly.

They ate, Joyce cheerfully questioning Riley, though mostly just to annoy Buffy, and the others helped clean up the dishes while the Slayer took another sweep through town searching for Faith. She couldn’t find any sign that the other Slayer was still in town and she agreed reluctantly that everyone should return to their own homes.

She wanted to stay close to her mother in case she was wrong, but she sent Riley to walk back to campus with Willow and Tara, the witches going back to Tara’s room. Riley left after they promised to keep the door locked until they heard from Buffy, a promise Willow made easily, not eager to be hurt worse.

Willow took a dose of her medicine as she felt her hip start hurting, and Tara helped her into the bed, putting the chair out of the way as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, brushing her fingers through Willow’s soft red hair. “Need anything?” she checked.

Willow cocked her head as she pretended to think about it. “I think I was promised more kisses,” she said.

“Were you?” Tara teased.

Willow pouted, poking her bottom lip out exaggeratedly. “Not in so many words, but…”

Her ploy worked, Tara sucking her bottom lip into her own mouth as her hands held her face close. Tara could feel Willow pulling them down slowly, knew she should stop her, but Willow’s touch felt too good at give up and she contented her conscience with the fact that Willow wouldn’t do anything to risk her recovery, and if she felt okay then Tara shouldn’t feel bad about just letting her do what she wanted.

Buffy hadn’t found any trace of Faith by dark, but she was still staying at her mother’s house just to be safe. It continued like that for another three days before she was finally convinced that Faith wasn’t in town. Their lives quickly fell back into their normal patterns of class, Scooby meetings and patrols, and the ever fruitless search for Adam.

*****
Next Time: Another old friend returns to Sunnydale…

Note - I know that neither Joyce nor Giles freaked out about the news that Willow is dating Tara, but honestly, I couldn't see it for either of them...they're always supportive of the younger generation and I couldn't really see that changing in this instance (and don't worry - we haven't gotten to Willow's parents yet)

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 11:26 pm 
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Hmm....... I sort of expecting Willow and Faith mind-surfing each other for a while there. Like those Buffy/Faith when they switch bodies? More understanding the other (why she do this, why she do that), know what I mean? (without interrupting the awesomeness of W/T of course :kgeek )

Anyway! Good chapter as always. Looking forward for the next chapter :pride


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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:48 am 
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Oh man, too late for me that time, Leonhart17! :) I'm working today, so I had to be in bed early, if you can call 1am early, LOL. This was a fantastic chapter. I agree, I don't think Giles or Joyce would be the type to freak, Joyce especially really seemed to have a soft spot for all of Buffy's friends. I love the shift to Faith accidentally switching with Willow, I thought that was really hilarious, though very sad that Willow got hurt again :(

Tara's first "I love you" to Willow was great, very sweet and heartfelt, it bums me out that Willow even still has a glimmer of Oz in her system, but at least I know things will end happy with those lovely girls together. Now to see how you take us on that wild ride! :D Post again soon!

:wtkiss

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 6:31 am 
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yet another great chapter!! :party

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:01 am 
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Loved the variation of how things played out in the show.

:( I want Willow to say I love you!! Boo Oz. He cheated and fucked off, Tara is clearly your girl.

Anyway. /rant. Sorry.

Great chapter.

Can't wait for more.

:peace

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:54 am 
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Great chapter.
I think Joyce's reaction was good.
And... you really want Willow to be hurt, huh? I guess this was the third time she had to go to the hospital... That's evil. :kdevil

I guess it's Jonathan in the next chapter, right?
:peace

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 10:21 am 
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This was another fine chapter taken on its own terms as part of this story. It was bit painful for me, though, because it was shown how important for Faith's further development her little trip thru Buffy's body, and Buffy's life role, were. And that development was one of the most amazing arcs I've ever seen on screen. I hope it still occurs, somehow, in this version of the 'verse.

Poor Tara; so afraid to hear "I love you." Not a good place to be; Willow, you have a job ahead of you, but I have confidence in you *wink.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:52 am 
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Great chapter. I'm wondering if Ethan Rayne is coming into town. He sure knows how to stir up some trouble.


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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:42 am 
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perchiper: I actually thought about doing something like that, but I figured a lot of the Buffy/Faith understanding came from both being Slayers and the fact that, in spite of their differences, they know each other very well - not so much with Willow and Faith... so that's why I did it the way that I did. Glad you liked it and thanks for reading!

LonelyTara: I'm kind of glad it was too late for you - it was too late for me! I ended up staying up till 4 that morning (not my best idea ever!) I'm glad you liked the changes and that Joyce didn't freak - I just couldn't see her doing it! Don't worry about Oz, that gets resolved very soon :)

Hidden In You1023: Very glad you liked it! Thanks so much for reading!

Laragh: I know you've already read the new one, so I hope your rant is addressed :P Thanks for sticking with me, so glad you're enjoying it!

abarda: I'm glad you liked Joyce's reaction! I know! I'm so mean to her! She really is my favorite though! Nope, not Jonathan... someone else!

DaddyCatALSO: I know! Poor Faith! I'm kind of tempted to write her and Buffy's showdown in L.A. without the previous body switching episodes as background... I think it would be interesting! Willow will take care of Tara, don't worry :)

love_2003: Nope, not Ethan :) Good guess though! Hope you like the new one!

Note: I know the Superstar and Where the Wild Things Are episodes are supposed to come next, and I know we got Tara in canon in both of those episodes, but I tried and couldn't come up with good ways to change those episodes up that would add anything to this story - I know at least DaddyCatALSO isn't going to be happy about it and I'm SO sorry, but I couldn't make it fit for the story! I'm sorry to everyone who's disappointed!

How can there only be five left?! How did this happen!?!

Chapter 10 of 15

Riley had been helping both Buffy and his squad search for Adam in the month since Faith’s sudden arrival and subsequent departure, and he felt the tension rising on both sides as their hunting continued to prove futile. He suggested having a party to give everyone a night off, the night successful at getting everyone to relax slightly, dancing and drinking to take their minds off of Adam.

It took them a day to recover from the overabundance of party refreshments, everyone avoiding loud noises and bright lights the next morning. Buffy was back on the streets that night, looking to relieve her tension by getting in a few good slayings, but she was frustrated in her attempt, finding only two freshly turned vampires who didn’t give her a good fight. She resolved to ask Giles about it at the Scooby meeting the next day.

They all had class until lunch and Buffy went to Lowell House to pick up Riley while Willow and Tara walked to Giles’ apartment together. Willow had a doctor’s appointment to get her leg checked out after the meeting and she was bouncing excitedly in her chair as they went through town, hoping to hear that her strained hip had healed enough that she could be released from the cast. Tara gave her a shoulder to lean on while they went down the stairs into Giles’ apartment, the redhead’s progress faster than ever even in the wake of her strained muscles.

Buffy and Riley joined them only a few minutes after the witches arrived, Buffy telling them about her lack of success at finding anything to hunt, much less finding Adam, while Riley told them that the Initiative was full to bursting with captured demons. In the wake of Professor Walsh’s death, the young Marine had given more responsibility to look after his troops, doing his best to keep the whole place from imploding while they struggled to locate Adam and fix the mess their boss had unleashed.

Both Buffy and Riley paused as the door opened behind them. Willow was whispering in Tara’s ear but she felt the blonde freeze and she turned her head to see what had captured everyone’s attention. “Oz,” she breathed as she saw him, her heart suddenly pounding.

Tara had only seen the young man once and he looked much different now, clean and clothed, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans, but she recognized him instantly, the whispered confirmation making her heart clench. This was it. She was going to lose Willow. She wondered if it made it easier or more painful that it wasn’t because of her demon. At least Willow had been spared ever having to see her like that.

She wanted to bolt, but Willow’s hand was still on her knee, the redhead’s fingers trembling. The palpable tension in the room broke as the phone rang on the desk. Buffy answered it mechanically, her eyes moving from Oz to Willow.

“Um, yeah, okay, we’re on the way,” she said. “Will, the doctor,” she prompted as she hung up the phone.

Willow’s eyes snapped to the Slayer and she took what felt like her first breath in minutes. “Oh, yeah,” she agreed. Her eyes moved up when Tara stood, taking her opportunity to get away as Willow moved her hand.

“I-I s-should g-go,” the blonde said shakily, shuffling her feet and avoiding Willow’s eyes. “S-study g-group…”

She was moving before Willow realized what was happening, out the door and up the stairs before she could go after her.

“Will’s got a doctor’s appointment so we’ve got to go,” Buffy told Oz, giving the redhead a worried look as she stared after Tara.

“Okay,” the young werewolf agreed. “Could I see you later? Tonight?” he asked.

Willow nodded absently, looking up at Buffy in confusion as she tried to catch her breath, the air of Giles’ living room suddenly seeming too thick to breathe. Buffy wheeled her out of the apartment, leaving the others to deal with the unexpected arrival while she carried Willow in the chair to the top of the stairs.

“Are you okay?” Buffy asked, dropping to her knees in front of her friend once they reached the sidewalk.

Willow shook her head, distraught. “Tara…Oz…but Tara…”

Buffy frowned sympathetically. “Will…”

Willow shook her head, her eyes clearer when she blinked. “Let’s just go to the appointment,” she said, her voice sounding choked.

Buffy got them there on time, the x-rays showing that Willow’s leg had recovered enough that she could begin her physical therapy. Willow barely paid attention to her now bare leg, listening distractedly to the doctor’s instructions for stretching and the schedule of her workouts with the physical therapist.

He excused himself to get some paperwork together, and Willow looked at Buffy, absently rubbing at her right knee, the skin feeling strange after so many months in the cast. “Can you call Tara?” she requested anxiously.

Buffy nodded her head at hospital phone on the wall. “I’ve been trying while you were getting the x-ray, but she’s not answering. I guess that means that she doesn’t really have a study group today?”

“No, she just wanted to get out of there,” Willow said. “Did you hear her? She hasn’t stuttered like that in months.”

“She’s nervous,” Buffy offered. “Oz is back, Willow,” she reminded her friend gently.

“But Tara…”

“Tara wants you to be happy,” Buffy said.

“She makes me happy,” Willow answered immediately.

“So you’re not going back to Oz?” Buffy asked, a little surprised at how quickly Willow had apparently made her decision.

Willow groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “I don’t know! I can’t do this! If Oz is back for good it means something, but Tara means something too.”

The doctor returned and Willow quickly signed everywhere he directed her to and wheeled herself rapidly back outside. Buffy followed her quietly, almost tripping when Willow stopped the chair abruptly in the middle of the sidewalk.

“What can I do?” Willow demanded. “Buffy, I don’t know what to do!”

Buffy sighed, shaking her head. “I can’t tell you. Either way someone is going to get hurt. For today, I would say talk to Oz, see why he’s back. You’re going to have to make a decision, but it doesn’t have to be tonight, okay?” She hesitated. “I could go talk to Tara, make sure she’s okay.”

Willow nodded, swallowing thickly. “Thanks, Buffy. Tell her…tell her…” She tried to think of anything that she could have Buffy tell Tara that would make everything okay, that would make her feel better, but could find nothing, even with her normally expansive vocabulary.

“I’ll tell her that you’ll see her tomorrow, okay?” Buffy suggested, seeing the struggle in her friend’s face.

Willow nodded and they started moving again, neither speaking again. Willow pushed herself into Stevenson as Buffy kept going to Fike. The witch was unsurprised to see Oz waiting on her in the hallway and she felt her heart squeeze that it wasn’t Tara at her door.

His eyes saw her cast-free leg and he smiled, one of his small happy smiles that had always made her feel so good. “You’re getting better. I’m glad,” he said softly. “Can we talk?”

Willow nodded, unlocking the door and wheeling herself in, leaving the door open for him to follow her. Oz stayed standing until Willow had pulled herself onto her bed, her hand still compulsively stroking the skin of her injured knee, eyes lingering on the red scars.

“Could I sit?” he asked, his quiet voice drawing her attention and she felt herself nod. The bed shifted as he took a seat by her bare feet, but he didn’t touch her.

“Where did you go, Oz?” she asked, looking at him finally. “You just left me, and I didn’t know where you were, or what you were doing, or if I was ever going to see you again!”

“I’ve been traveling. Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Tibet, anywhere I could find a rumor of a cure,” he said, crossing one leg over his knee so his fingers could play absently with the fringe of his jeans.

“Tell me about it?” she asked, her eyes back on her legs. Oz had been everything she’d wanted for so long, and now he was back. Her mind reeled at the thought. But could she leave Tara? The blonde witch had become very important to her, too important to lose. But if Oz was cured, they could get back together without the fear of his violent wolf.

She could feel a headache coming and she reached for the backpack on the back of her wheelchair, finding the bottle of aspirin she carried in one of the pockets. She swallowed two dry, shaking her head in an attempt to clear it.

Oz was still in front of her when she opened her eyes and she sighed as she accepted that she wasn’t merely having an intensely vivid dream.

“Can I show you something?” he asked instead, eying the imminent sundown outside the window. Willow nodded, curious despite her confusion. He asked hesitantly about her recovery while he waited for the moon to rise, her foot twitching from his touch as he ran the back of one finger across the bottom of her foot. He looked relieved when she told him that she would be able to walk again with practice.

They both looked up when Buffy came in, the Slayer giving them an apologetic smile. “I’m leaving, staying at Riley’s tonight, just came to get some stuff and I’m out of here,” she said quickly. “Will, Tara said she’d wait on you for those notes whenever you get a chance to go over there tomorrow. She said whether you wanted to stay and help her study or not was up to you.” Buffy knew her code left a lot to be desired, but she knew Willow got the message as the redhead nodded seriously.

“Okay,” Willow said softly. “How was her…study group?”

“Um…stressful,” Buffy said, struggling to stay inside of their metaphor. “She’s pretty worried about a test coming up,” she offered.

Willow swallowed, nodding with a glance at Oz. The werewolf didn’t appear to notice that they were talking about anything besides a friend and her study group. “Thanks, Buffy,” Willow breathed. “I’ll make sure to go over there tomorrow.”

Buffy nodded, gathering a bag and bolting out the door. Oz got Willow’s attention when he touched her hand gently.

“Can I show you?” he asked. She nodded without speaking, pointing to her crutches standing against her desk. He brought them to her, the witch putting her right foot carefully on the floor, closing her eyes as she let her bare foot drag over the carpet for a few seconds before she bent it slightly so it wasn’t touching the ground, sure that the weak leg wouldn’t sustain any weight.

He followed her out of the room, pointing toward the lobby doors as she hesitated, not sure where he wanted her to go. She followed him outside, the full moon’s brightness making it easy to see as the realization came to her.

“Oh my God,” Willow breathed, hugging him with her crutches pinned firmly under her arms. “You did it,” she gasped. He’d hinted at it, but to see him standing in the moonlight still human was something she’d never really allowed herself to hope for.

“I did it,” he said quietly, obviously pleased. “I did it for you, Willow.”

Her eyes slipped closed, her face buried in his shoulder. “Oz, I need to tell you…”

“I know we have a lot to talk about,” he interjected. “We’ve got time…”

Willow sighed, trying to muster the strength to tell him the truth. “Come in,” she said softly, leading him back inside the dorm. Everything he’d done for her was stunning, and she loved him for it, but she could tell it wasn’t the same, couldn’t be the same now that she knew Tara, loved Tara. Now she just had to figure out how to tell him.

“Sit down, Oz,” she requested, staying on her crutches. “I have something I need to tell you,” she started, swallowing thickly. “You’ve been gone now for a while, and it really hurt, the way you left. You didn’t even talk to me. I got hit by a car and you didn’t even come see me,” she said, feeling all the pain she thought she’d buried rising up. “But I got better. I mean, physically I’m still working on it, but the emotional stuff…It was hard and it hurt, but I got better.”

“I’m glad, Willow,” Oz said softly. “I shouldn’t have left you like that and I’m sorry…”

“I’m sorry too Oz, but…I can’t do this,” she said, gesturing between them. “I know you’ve done this amazing thing for me, and it really is so wonderful Oz, but I lived for months without knowing where you were, or if you were even alive, and I couldn’t live like that, waiting on you.”

“You found someone else,” he guessed, his face frozen in a stoic mask.

Willow nodded wordlessly, feeling guilty suddenly, but not willing or able to deny her feelings for Tara. “I did. And I love her.”

Oz’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping. “Her? Her who?” he asked even as he figured it out. “That girl, the blonde. I could smell you on her…” he gasped, staring at her.

“Tara,” Willow answered, blushing. “I love her, Oz,” she repeated, biting her lip. “I haven’t even told her that yet…”

Oz took a deep breath, his eyes meeting hers as his fingers stroked the charm wrapped around his hand in an unconscious soothing gesture. “How did…when, when did this happen? You haven’t…” His eyes closed and he swallowed. “Not…”

“Oz, no! Of course not!” Willow protested immediately. “It was after you left. I wouldn’t have…not again. You’re the one who left, Oz,” she reminded him, sighing as he winced back from her accusation. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. You met Tara the same day I did, Oz. It just…I fell in love with her. I wasn’t looking for it, for her, but I really do love her.”

“Are you happy?” he asked, and she could hear his pain in his voice.

“I am,” Willow said softly. “Oz, you’ll always be imp…”

“Don’t,” he interrupted. “I can’t hear that from you.” He stood up and took two steps forward, one hand cupping her cheek gently. “I lost you a long time ago, didn’t I?” She sucked in a shaky breath and he leaned his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, Willow. I’m so sorry.”

“Me too,” she said, feeling tears slide down her cheeks. He kissed her, slow and gentle, and she knew it was goodbye.

She heard him leaving the room but she kept her eyes closed, tears sliding from the corners of her eyes and dripping from her jaw. Her hands were trembling against the grips of her crutches, but she couldn’t bring herself to sit and rest without reassuring Tara first.

She moved as quickly as she could down the sidewalks, realizing in her haste that she had no weapons on her. She could hear Tara moving around inside the room when she got there, the motion stopping when she knocked on the door.

Tara opened it a crack and Willow could see that she’d been crying. “Tara, can I come in?” she asked, shaking on her crutches.

“B-Buffy said y-you w-were going to t-talk to O-Oz t-tonight,” Tara said, not moving out of the doorway.

“I did,” Willow said. “I told him…”

“I-I c-can make it e-easier,” Tara interjected, not wanting to hear the words she was expecting. “I-I’m g-going,” she said, letting the door swing from her suddenly nerveless fingers.

“What?” Willow gasped, seeing the packing Tara had already started. “Why?” she demanded.

Tara closed her eyes, knowing she’d never be able to say it if she looked at Willow. “I’m a demon, Willow.” A crash in the hall sent her eyes shooting open again and she moved before she realized she’d intended to, dropping to her knees next to Willow where the redhead had hit the wall and slid to the floor, legs sprawled in front of her.

“Are you o-okay?” Tara asked, one hand landing unconsciously on Willow’s thigh while the other pushed hair back from her face.

“Demon?” Willow repeated slowly, the pieces falling into place in her mind. “That’s why you didn’t want to do the demon locator spell,” she realized. “You were trying to hide.”

“You d-deserve better than a d-demon,” Tara said, pulling her hands back from Willow’s body.

“You’re not a demon,” Willow objected. “There’s no way! I’d have noticed something!”

“It doesn’t a-appear until I t-turn twenty,” Tara said, trembling even as her voice shook.

“No!” Willow insisted. “Tara, you can’t leave! Oz, I told Oz I had someone else, had you - have you,” she corrected herself quickly to the present tense. “He’s gone,” she said rapidly.

Tara shook her head. “That d-doesn’t mean I should s-stay. You d-deserve better…”

“Oz was a werewolf!” Willow protested. “That’s not technically a demon, but he was still a wolfy monster three nights a month! I don’t care if you’re a demon, Tara. I love you.”

Tara winced back from the words, knowing that they were true, but knowing how much harder it was going to be to leave now that they’d been spoken. “Willow, no…”

“No, Tara! You may or may not be a demon, but that doesn’t change that I love you. I’m in love with you, and I sent Oz away for you, because I only want to be with you,” Willow stated firmly, voice growing faster. “If you’re a demon, we’ll deal, but I won’t let you walk away from me because you think you’re not worthy or something ridiculous like that,” she said fiercely, pushing herself shakily to her feet and hopping on her strong leg into Tara’s room, leaving her crutches in the hallway floor.

Tara stared after her in surprise, hurrying to catch her and snatching the crutches. Willow collapsed ungracefully into the bed before she could get there, the redhead breathing hard. Tara gave her a stern look, surprising Willow by throwing the crutches down on the ground angrily. “Willow! You just got the cast off! You better not take one step without those crutches again or so help me…”

“Guess you’ll have to stick around and make sure I don’t break my neck,” Willow challenged instantly. They glared at each other for a long moment before Willow stubbornly pushed herself to her good foot again, daring Tara to do something about it.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Tara stated immediately, pushing the door closed behind her.

“Are you going to stop me?” Willow demanded, breathing shortly. Tara’s answer came in the form of a light shove to her shoulder, a move that normally wouldn’t have wobbled her, but now sent her falling back into the bed. The redhead snatched Tara’s wrist in a lightning fast grab, pulling the blonde down on top of her.

“Willow!” Tara chided, unable to escape from the redhead’s arms. “Let me go!” she said.

“No,” Willow stated firmly. “Not going to happen. Demon or no, you’re stuck with me, baby!”

Tara started to protest, despite how much she wanted to accept what Willow was saying, her words and actions flying in the face of everything her father had said about her demon side. Willow still loved her, regardless of the demon revelation, and it was there in the redhead’s eyes, in everything she was saying.

“Willow…” she pleaded softly.

“I’m not letting you go,” Willow interrupted. “Turn into whatever kind of demon you want to, but I’m not letting that be the reason you break my heart,” she said. “If you don’t want me, don’t love me, I’ll go and you’ll never have to see me again, but you can’t leave because something gets hard. That’s what Oz did to me, and I won’t let you do it too,” she said, feeling tears rising up to choke her.

“I love you, Willow. God, I love you so much,” Tara gasped, burying her face in Willow’s shoulder.

“So don’t leave me,” Willow requested, scattering kisses everywhere she could reach, her hair, her ears, her cheeks, finally finding her lips as Tara lifted her face.

“I won’t,” Tara groaned into a kiss, making up her mind suddenly. Willow had made her decision, had come back to her, staying even after learning the truth about her. And she wanted nothing more than to stay with Willow.

Willow’s hold on her that had been restraining and firm loosened, the redhead’s hands roaming over her back as they kissed and Tara let herself melt into Willow’s arms, willing to follow her anywhere.

*****

The next morning Willow took distinct pleasure in putting Tara’s stuff back where it belonged while Tara was still asleep, returning to the bed as the blonde stirred. “Willow?” Tara asked sleepily, reaching for her but finding only empty sheets.

Willow sat down beside her, smiling down at her lover, brushing the back of a hand over her cheek. “I’m here,” she said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Are you done being a dummy?” she asked softly, leaning over immediately to kiss her.

“I am a demon, Willow,” Tara said as they separated.

Willow shrugged. “I don’t care,” she said sincerely. “If you are, then you’re my demon, and we’ll figure something out, some way to deal.” She let her hand trace through Tara’s hair slowly. “I talked to Giles though, and he said a demon would have shown up on the demon locator we did, even if it hadn’t manifested,” she added, her eyes not meeting Tara’s.

The blonde stiffened, sitting up and curling her arms around herself, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt nervously. “Y-you didn’t…”

“I didn’t say your name, I wouldn’t do that. I just proposed a hypothetical situation,” Willow said. “Adam’s mechanical stuff keeps me from finding him that way, but Giles said any other kind of demon, even one that can successfully maintain a human appearance, would have shown up.”

“I d-didn’t…” Tara said softly, trying to wrap her head around that fact. “I-I wasn’t t-there.” She knew Willow wouldn’t lie to her, and Giles had no reason to lie to Willow, but could her father and brother have been lying to her this whole time? “Oh my God,” she breathed as the truth became clear. They’d kept her in near slavery all those years, for nothing?

She collapsed in on herself, suddenly sobbing bitterly and she felt Willow curl around her protectively, breathing soothing reassurances into her ear. She couldn’t have said how long she cried, hiccupping when she had no more tears left. Her body was shaking, but Willow was still holding her, pressing kisses to her neck and shoulder.

“Willow, they b-beat me, they h-hated me, they made me h-hate myself. I w-worked for them every s-single day. I ran away the f-first time I ever had a c-chance, but they c-caught me, d-dragged me back, made me r-regret ever being b-born, and it w-was all for n-nothing.”

Willow didn’t speak, just held Tara closer, resolving silently that nothing like that would ever happen again to this sweet, precious angel in her arms. “I love you, Tara,” she breathed as Tara’s trembling sobs eased. “They’ll never touch you again, I swear. You’re perfect, Tara. I don’t know how evil people like that ever managed to be given such a wonderful person like you, but hearing what you come from, it makes me love you more,” she whispered. “How could I have ever gotten so lucky to have found you?” she asked.

Tara snorted, shaking her head as she sniffled back fresh tears. “I w-wouldn’t call it l-luck, sweetie. Your b-boyfriend cheated on y-you and y-you got hit by a car,” she reminded her.

“Yeah, well then a goddess brought me a cake and made everything in my life better,” Willow answered. She hesitated, finding Tara’s eyes. “What can I do? How can I make it better for you?”

Tara melted into her arms. “Just stay w-where you are,” she requested, resting her head on Willow’s chest.

“I can do that,” Willow promised.

They were quiet for a long time, each struggling to deal with everything that had happened. Tara’s hands started moving slowly, tracing over Willow’s side, fingers trailing hesitantly past the boundary of where the cast had been. Willow didn’t speak, just tilted her head down to watch Tara’s fingers trace her scars.

“I guess it went okay at the doctor,” Tara said, sliding down to reach Willow’s foot, dragging her fingers from her foot all the way up her leg.

Willow nodded, swallowing thickly. “Yeah. I’m starting physical therapy soon. I don’t remember the dates exactly, I was pretty distracted during the appointment, but I’ve got them written down,” she said, her voice squeaking as Tara’s fingers started the return trip to her foot, followed this time by her lips. “If I hadn’t come here last night, would you have been gone when I came looking for you today?” The question was torn from her lips before she recognized that she had spoken, and Tara’s kisses paused at her knee.

“No,” Tara said, voice muffled and her lips dragging over Willow’s skin. “I wouldn’t have left without telling you why.”

“Good,” Willow said. “I would have followed you,” she said. “If you’d actually walked away, I would have followed you, brought you back.”

Tara smiled up at her, pressing a kiss to the skin below her kneecap. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“Aren’t you glad I saved us both that time?” Willow asked, smiling back at her.

“Very,” Tara breathed. “It gives us more time for other stuff,” she said, smile turning wicked as she resumed her previous activities. Willow jumped as Tara’s fingers tickled over the arch of her foot, groaning as her knee jerked reflexively. Tara sat up quickly, one hand covering her mouth while the other braced Willow’s leg gently. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I just…I think he said something about stretching or something, but I really wasn’t listening,” she groaned, back arching under her girlfriend’s hands.

“I’ll call Buffy,” Tara said, moving off the bed and lifting her phone.

“She’s at Riley’s,” Willow told her, rolling onto her good side, both hands holding her knee protectively.

Tara punched in the right number quickly, waiting impatiently for someone to answer. “Hello?” Riley asked as he picked up the phone.

“Hey Riley, is Buffy there? I need to talk to her,” Tara said quickly.

“Oh yeah, she’s right here,” he said and Tara could hear him handing the phone off.

“Tara?” Buffy asked, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“Willow’s leg. She jerked her knee, but she can’t remember the stretches the doctor told her,” Tara answered, watching Willow.

“Oh, he gave me a sheet, and some braces too, for her ankle and her knee, if she needs them, but I left them somewhere…I mean, they’re either in my room or yours, actually. I can’t remember if I put them down when I was in there. Is she okay? Do I need to come?” Buffy wanted to ask about Oz, but the fact that Willow was in Tara’s room seemed like a pretty clear indicator of what her friend had decided.

“Baby, do you want Buffy to come get you?” Tara asked, and Buffy smiled on the other end of the phone at the confirmation.

“No,” Willow groaned through gritted teeth, her eyes squeezed closed. “I can handle it.”

Tara sighed into the phone. “She’s being stubborn, but I’ll take care of her.”

“Thanks, Tara,” Buffy said. “I’ll come check on you guys later. Call me if she needs anything, okay?”

“Yeah, I will. See you later, Buffy,” Tara said, hanging up the phone and getting back on the bed. “Willow, let me,” she said, putting one hand on her knee, Willow feeling the heat radiating from her lover’s palm.

Willow groaned, letting her head fall back as she relaxed, her pain shrinking back as Tara’s magic took it. “Thank you,” she panted, one hand finding Tara’s and dragging it up to kiss the back of it.

“Of course,” Tara said, smiling sheepishly. “I’m going to say that tickling is off the table until your leg is stronger.”

Willow pouted, but nodded. “That might not be a bad idea,” she agreed reluctantly.

“I’m so sorry I hurt you, baby,” Tara said, taking Willow’s foot with both hands and rubbing her thumbs into the arch of her foot gently.

Willow groaned again, but it was nothing like the groan of pain she’d made earlier. “You can make it up to me if you want to keep doing that,” she offered, stretching.

“I can do that,” Tara agreed, massaging her foot carefully. Willow’s eyes closed, breathing deeply and Tara kept her hands moving up Willow’s leg, rubbing her sore muscles and pressing kisses over the thin scars where the doctors had put pins in her leg. “I love you,” she murmured against the pale skin, heart beating faster when she heard Willow say the words back to her.

Willow was still and quiet as Tara loosened up her leg and the blonde wasn’t sure her girlfriend wasn’t asleep when she finished. She decided it didn’t matter as she slid up next to Willow, the redhead curling into her, muttering quietly. “Mine,” Willow breathed, sliding her arms possessively around Tara.

“That’s right, Willow,” Tara agreed softly. “Just go to sleep. I’m right here and I’m yours.”

“Don’t want to sleep,” Willow said even as she snuggled her head into Tara’s shoulder with her eyes closed. “Just want to lay here with you. Thanks for fixing my leg,” she mumbled.

Tara smiled, pressing a kiss against Willow’s hair. “You’re welcome, sweetie. You should sleep if you’re tired though.”

“Not sleepy,” Willow insisted softly. “Just relaxed and very, very happy. I should have told you I love you a long time ago, Tara,” she said. “But someone told me I shouldn’t. I think she was trying to make it easier on herself to leave me…”

“I’m never going to get off the hook for that, am I?” Tara asked, laughing when Willow shook her head.

“Nope,” Willow said cheerfully. “Just know that it would have been much, much worse if you had actually made it out the door.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tara agreed, squirming as she felt Willow pressing kisses over her neck slowly. “Feeling better?” she asked. Willow nodded against her, thin fingers trailing up her side, pushing her shirt out of the way.

“I’m feeling great,” Willow sighed softly. She moved slowly, Tara stopping her before she could slide up onto her knees.

“I don’t care how great you think you feel, I’m not going to let you do something you’ll regret,” Tara said.

Willow smirked up at her, shaking her head. “Oh, I’m fairly certain I won’t ever regret it,” she disagreed softly.

Tara kissed her gently, moving her onto her back firmly. “You know that’s not what I was talking about, you goof,” she said, laughing. “Your leg isn’t strong enough, not yet.”

Willow winked at her. “It will be soon,” she promised.

“I can’t wait,” Tara said against her lips, kissing her softly, the kiss growing deeper and more passionate as Willow pushed her way into Tara’s mouth. Willow’s good knee bent, curling around Tara’s hip to hold her close. “Willow,” she groaned as her lover’s hands tugged at her clothes. “Slowly.”

Willow shook her head, diving back into the kiss. “We can go slow later. Want you,” she moaned. “I’ll be careful,” she said, dutifully keeping her right leg still.

Tara knew that was the best she could hope for, knew that she really didn’t want to stop, and trusted that she’d be able to tell if Willow was in pain. Willow could feel her give in, Tara’s smile against her lips as her hands pulled her closer.

*****

Despite the drama of the day, by nightfall everything felt as familiar and safe between them as it always had. Tara was doing laundry while Willow read a book stretched out on the bed. Tara had caught Willow watching her several times during the day though, and she stopped folding her laundry to meet her lover’s eyes.

“What is it?” she asked. “You’ve been watching me like a hawk all afternoon.”

Willow shrugged. “I can’t look at my girlfriend?” she asked, skirting the issue with a smile.

Tara shook her head as she joined Willow on the bed. “Of course you can, sweetie, but this isn’t just looking. It’s like you’re waiting on something to happen, for me to do something.”

Willow glanced down at her hands, eyes finding Tara again as the blonde slipped her hand into Willow’s. “I just want you to be okay,” Willow said softly.

Tara frowned, confused. “I am okay, Willow.” She sighed, free hand brushing hair back from Willow’s face. “You mean about my family…” Willow nodded silently, looking almost guilty. “Willow, sweetheart, come here,” she prompted, pulling Willow into her arms gently. “I’ll never be able to forget what they did to me, but I haven’t needed anything from them in a long time.”

Willow smiled against her neck. “You’re so strong, Tara.”

“Well, thank you, baby,” Tara said. “But I only did what I had to do.” She pressed a kiss to Willow’s hair. “And I’ve got much better people in my life now. People that I love more than I’ve ever loved anything.”

Willow raised an eyebrow at her. “People?” she asked teasingly.

“One person in particular,” Tara corrected herself with a smile. “She’s really important to me. She’s strong, and sweet, and beautiful, and I’m completely crazy about her.”

Willow smiled up at her. “Anyone I know?”

Tara poked her gently in her side, squeezing her. “I think you might have met her once or twice,” she agreed.

“She sounds great,” Willow said. “Maybe you could hook us up,” she suggested teasingly.

Tara squeezed her tighter, both laughing. “You know it’s you,” she said, hearing Willow’s laughter fade as they curled together. “I promise that I’m fine, Willow,” she said before her girlfriend could ask.

Willow nodded, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Just please know that you can talk to me, about anything, anytime you need to, okay? I love you, and I just need you to be okay, but there’s no reason you should be, and I just want to help you any way that I can,” Willow said.

“You do,” Tara said, leaning up on one elbow. “You help me every single day.” She took a deep breath, meeting Willow’s eyes. “Part of me still believes that I am what they always said I was,” she confessed softly. “I know Giles wouldn’t lie, and you wouldn’t lie to me,” she said quickly, cutting off Willow’s objections. “I just…it was all I knew, my whole life. ‘I am a demon.’”

“Don’t ever say that again,” Willow interrupted her, voice firm. “I’ll find a way to prove it to you.”

Tara grinned crookedly. “Spike could punch me in the face,” she suggested, laughing weakly.

The redhead scowled, shaking her head. “No way!” she protested. “He’s not touching you. What about symptoms?” she asked. “Ever had any?”

Tara laughed again, bitter this time. “No. Daddy always said that nothing would show up until I turned twenty.”

Willow hesitated, drawing in a deep breath. “What about your mother?”

Tara didn’t speak for a long moment. “She never said a word. And I never noticed anything, but I wouldn’t have. Daddy having to ‘deal with us’ was the way it always was, I never knew anything different.” She drew in a shuddering breath. “Will, can we - can we just not talk about this right now?” she requested. “I just found out that I might get to stay with you. I just want to focus on that.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Tara,” Willow promised earnestly. “There’s no ‘might’ about it, okay?”

Tara hushed her gently, resting one hand on her chest. “I just…give me some time, okay? I’m not even sure I’ll be sure you’re right until my birthday.” Willow looked stung and Tara continued quickly. “Not that I don’t believe you, or think you would lie, I just have believed it for so long, even though it’s horrible, I can’t let it go so easily.” She sighed, letting her head find it’s place on Willow’s shoulder. “You’ll help me, right?”

“Of course I will,” Willow agreed. “I just…even apart from the demon stuff…you lost your family and I hate that for you.”

Tara shrugged. “Your parents aren’t around much either,” she said softly. “I have an idea though. How about you can be my family, and I’ll be yours,” she offered. “Would that be alright?”

Willow blinked, suddenly overcome. “Yeah,” she said softly, her voice choked up. “I think that sounds perfect.”

“Good,” Tara said, giving her a kiss. “You and me then.” She snuggled into Willow’s side, her head finding its place on the redhead’s shoulder. “I had something I was going to ask you yesterday, before everything…happened…”

“What was it?” Willow asked, smiling peacefully, Tara’s tone reassuring her that it wasn’t anything bad.

“Do you like cats?”

Willow smiled down at her, shrugging minutely. “I’m more of a dog person myself, but I’m not like, ‘death to all cats.’ Why?”

“Cause I was thinking of getting one,” Tara said softly. “But I wanted to ask you about it first,” she said, giving Willow a soft kiss. “Because you’re my girlfriend, and I’m in love with you, and I want the room to be Willow-friendly,” she continued, exchanging kisses between words.

Willow nodded happily. “Fun! I’m in,” she agreed, voice soft. “Kitty can be in our family too!” she announced, giggling.

Tara leaned up to kiss her again, Willow’s arms holding her close as they kissed slowly. “I like the sound of that,” she murmured as Willow kissed her again.

*****
Next Time: Tara does something that Willow doesn’t like…

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Last edited by leonhart17 on Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:55 am 
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First off, dibs.

Secondly, I can only thank you endlessly for not dragging your NMR on like they did in the show. As if Willow could've actually felt like it was a choice, it was always Tara.

Thirdly, what a sweet chapter overall! They're each other's family! :) :) :)

Fourthly, I don't like the sound of that ominous 'next time' teaser. The girls are happy! No doing things the other doesn't like! *pouts*

I love this story :)

Especially now the I love you's are out and stoopid wolfboy is gone for good. Can I add boo to him kissing Willow, I know it was goodbye but still. Tara is the only one allowed to kiss her.

Anyway, can't wait 'til Wednesday!

:peace

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:02 pm 
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I didn't even think about Oz coming back. Glad that Tara finally told Willow about being a 'demon'. Tara should know better than to think Willow was just going to let her leave without fighting for her. Now Tara can accompany Willow to her physical therapy appointments and be her at home nurse. ;-)


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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:29 pm 
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Awwwww! Fantastic chapter. The NMR situation was handled beautifully, and poor Tara crying when she realized her family had been lying to her all along! I'm with Laragh, no getting too rough on the girls. I hope Tara doesn't do something *too* bad...maybe she'll do something too sweet?

Anyway, don't make us wait too long. Wednesday feels an awful long way away right now!!

Edit--Five chapters? No, please no! :( *tear* I would love to see the conversation that Buffy had with Tara...

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 7:23 am 
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I loved the chapter! It was sooooo cute! :party
Big yay for Tara telling Willow about being a demon. Bigger yay for them finding out she isn't a demon!
I love NMR and your version for it was really nice... But, I don't know, I kinda missed the 'extra flamey' part. I think it's the best part of the episode!
Now... what do you mean with Tara doing something Willow won't like?? (I know you'll answer it in the next chapter, but... won't it be anything bad, will it? )
Can't wait until Wednesday...
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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
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Very sweet. I have to say I really like that. I always disliked a little bit in the show that Willow chose Tara after Oz changed but before she knew Tara thoughts she was a demon. I mean, it's not quite a level playing field. You know? But telling Oz that she's choosing Tara even though he's conquered his demon and then telling Tara that she still wants her even if she is a demon? That's a truer choice I'd say. Well done.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:09 pm 
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Echoing a lot of the comments above. Very well handled and believeable.

Glad Tara decided to just coem out with it re her "family legacy*." Also better than what we saw and also, well I can totally see why she would be reluctant to talk about it in canon but very willing to in this version, given the differing circumstances. (And I empathize totally with her saying she won't get over it right away; I know from experience, soemtiems you never do.) * Which,as I've said elsewhere, given women takign their husband's names, doesn't really even work as a lie without adding a lot of detail wanking.

And hey, I don't miss Jonathan's events that much; as you said, they probably played out much the same way here.

And Tara doing something Willow doesn't like; you have to eb teasign us, right?

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
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Very nice update. I thought the whole bit with Faith was rather entertaining and missing Buffy completely to get stuck in Willow instead. Not to mention it's Tara that does the spell that switches them back.

Jonathan, shmonathan - that episode was mostly filler. ;-)

Like many other comments, I like how you handled the whole Oz interlude. Because you would think honestly that's when Willow does realize how deep her feelings for Tara concretely are after being presented with her former love.

We also know that a good deal of Tara being abused was hinted at during the show especially in the "Family" episode but to read it kinda spelled out is still hard but you handled it well.

Fun stuff.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:17 pm 
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Laragh: Yay! I love when people dibs! I'm so glad you liked it! :) I didn't realize how sweet that one was until I sat down and started editing it - I just remembered the dramatic bits... I'm posting now since it's technically Wednesday, so no worries about the teaser - you can find out now... Although, the early posting is actually me being selfish because I don't want to be distracted from reading yours tomorrow by posting mine around the same time :P I'm so glad you're loving it! (and how did I know that you would be the one to make a comment on the Oz kiss!) Only Tara-kisses from now on - promise!

love_2003: Yay, I surprised someone! Tara can be a bit insecure sometimes :P Of course Willow wouldn't let her go without a fight :) At home nurse? That's it's own fic right there! Someone needs to write that!!! Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me!

LonelyTara: I'm glad you liked it! I'm not going to be too rough on them! You'll find out what she does now :) Yeah, four more after this one :( (and no plans for a sequel, but I'm sure you'll find some way to change that! - I did start writing the AU season 7 follow up to Every Step though :P)

abarda: I'm glad you liked that! No one should think Tara's a demon! Yeah, I missed that part too, but their confrontation took place in the daytime, and they didn't have to take the campus' power down to rescue Oz, so I couldn't make it fit - sorry! I don't think it's too bad, but you tell me!

JustSkipIt: Yay! Thanks so much!

DaddyCatALSO: :) Thanks! I've never really understood how Tara's mom never knew it was a lie (if she died when Tara was seventeen - which we learn in 'The Body' - even if she had Tara and Donny really young it still seems like she and the kids would notice her not turning into a demon... maybe she was sick or something (like blacked out or had seizures or something) and he would tell her that it was demony stuff when she woke up...) I tried to find a way to fit him in for you, but I couldn't make it happen! Nope, not teasing, but it's not as bad as it sounds!

vampyregurl73: :) Yay! I'm glad you liked it! I thought it would be funny to have Faith and Willow switch since they're pretty vocal about hating each other :P I'm so glad you liked how I handled the Oz part! And Tara's revelations! Hope you enjoy the new one!

How is this going by so freaking fast?!?

Chapter 11 of 15

Willow made quick progress in her physical therapy, working hard in every session. Her leg was getting stronger, but she wasn’t able to walk on her own yet, just a few steps with the parallel bars as a safeguard, her leg aching as she practiced, but she persevered, spending hours at the gym every week of the three since Oz had left town again.

Tara looked around the gym as she came through the doors, eyes finding Willow immediately, though the redhead’s back was to her so she was able to watch her progress without being caught. She waved as Willow made it to the end of the beams and turned, the redhead smiling tiredly at her as she wiped sweat from her forehead.

“Hey, baby,” she greeted Tara, kissing her quickly. “I thought Buffy was picking me up today.”

“Change of plans,” Tara answered. “She’s out looking for Adam again. She and Giles hired Spike to steal some stuff from the Initiative. Are you up for some computer stuff this afternoon? They wanted you to crack some disks, or something.”

Willow nodded, taking a long sip from a plastic bottle of water as she blotted fresh sweat from her face. “Yeah, no problem.” She quirked an eyebrow as she noticed something in Tara’s hand, held out of sight behind her back. “Whatcha got there?” she asked, pointing with her water bottle.

“Oh, it’s a present from Xander. He made it for you. He’s at work, but he asked me to bring it to you,” Tara said, holding out what revealed itself to be a carefully carved and polished wooden cane.

“Xander made this?” Willow asked in surprise, taking it. “It’s great! Look how pretty it is,” she said happily as she turned it over in her hands. “It has a tree on it! Like a willow tree!”

Tara laughed, kissing her on the cheek. “I’m sure he’ll be glad you like it, sweetheart.” She picked up Willow’s bag and crutches as the redhead tried her new cane. “Ready to go?”

Willow nodded, limping slowly toward the door on her cane, her other arm holding Tara’s arm for balance. “Yeah, I’ll take a shower when we get home.” She paused, glancing sideways at Tara. “Where are we going anyway?”

“Giles’ apartment,” Tara answered. “Buffy took your computer over and Spike’s supposed to be bringing the disks there.”

“Well, as long as he’s not there I can use Giles’ shower,” Willow said happily.

She looked surprised to see that the Summers’ Jeep was parked at the curb, and Tara opened the passenger door for her. Willow was buckled in whenever Tara got behind the wheel. “Joyce didn’t want you walking home so she let me borrow the car,” Tara explained as they pulled out into traffic.

“That was nice of her,” Willow said. “I don’t know if I could have made it over there on my feet.”

Tara smiled, one hand finding Willow’s knee while she drove. “It looks like you’re doing better though,” she said.

Willow put her hand over Tara’s. “Yeah. It hurts and it’s hard work, but my leg is getting stronger every day. And now I have this super new cane to help me,” she commented, grinning at her present.

“We know you can do it,” Tara said supportively. “There’s nothing my girl can’t do.”

“Darn tootin’,” Willow agreed, her grin now aimed at Tara.

Tara pulled the car into the loop at Giles’, carrying Willow’s bag and waiting for her at the top of the stairs down to Giles’ apartment. Willow leaned on her cane, taking the stairs one at a time while Tara walked slowly beside her, arm around her waist to help her.

Giles was home alone when they knocked, Willow’s computer beeping on his desk. “Oh, thank the Lord,” he said, relieved. “Your infernal machine won’t cease its racket, and it’s driving me absolutely out of my mind,” he complained.

“I’ll take care of it,” Willow said, patting him comfortingly on the shoulder and moving slowly to his desk. A few keystrokes and the computer was quiet, Giles sighing in relief and rubbing at his temples. “Now that I’ve done you a gigantic favor, could I borrow your shower?” she asked, grinning sweetly.

“Of course you may,” Giles answered, waving her request away easily.

Tara smiled as Willow stood up on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” she said cheerfully, following Tara as the blonde carried Willow’s duffle bag into the bathroom.

Giles was pouring himself some tea and he poured a cup for Tara as she returned from the bathroom. “Willow seems to be recovering nicely,” he observed, taking a sip of his drink.

Tara nodded, smiling proudly. “She’s been working hard.”

“If I know Willow, she’ll be as good as new sooner than anyone could expect,” Giles stated confidently. Tara took a sip of her tea, leaning against the counter as she pulled herself into a barstool.

“You’re right. She’s already ahead of the doctor’s projections. They didn’t think she’d be able to take a step without the crutches yet,” Tara told him, smiling unconsciously. “Have you heard from Buffy this afternoon?”

Giles shook his head. “She brought Willow’s blasted machine here and went back out, but I haven’t spoken to her since then.”

They both looked up as the door opened without a knock, Xander and Anya filing in. He grinned, waving to the pair in the kitchen. “Hey guys, where’s Buff?”

“Still out Adam hunting,” Tara said, smiling. “How are you two today?”

“Xander’s been delivering clothing,” Anya said matter-of-factly. “He’s been too busy to have sex even though it’s his day off from his real job.”

Tara blinked, flustered, and she could hear Giles’ choking on his tea. The shower turned off in the bathroom, the pipes creaking in the walls sounding loud in the awkward silence. “That’s too bad,” Tara mustered sympathetically.

Anya nodded her passionate agreement. “It is,” she said quickly.

Willow joined them after a few minutes, the others lingering in awkward silence. “What’s up with you guys?” Willow asked, laughing as she took a seat at Giles’ desk in front of her computer.

“Hey, you’re using the cane I made!” Xander said instead. “Do you like it?”

Willow nodded happily, throwing her arms around her best friend. “It’s so great, Xand. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Will. I’m glad you like it,” he said, grinning widely. “And I’m glad you’re walking.”

Willow nodded, reaching down to adjust her knee brace. “Kind of walking. More or less,” she agreed.

There was a ruckus outside the apartment, the door crashing open as Spike bolted in, his jacket pulled up over his head. He brushed smoke away from himself, pulling a stack of disks out of his pocket and throwing them at Willow.

“Hey,” she protested, looking at the disks strewn across the desk. “These had better be labeled.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass if they’re labeled. I stole them, job done. Now where’s my money?” Spike demanded.

Giles came out of the kitchen, scowling at the vampire. “You’ll get your money when Willow tells us you’ve brought us something of value, so I’d suggest you help her to work faster if you can,” the Watcher said, shooting a look at the vampire.

Spike sighed. “Fine. I think they’re numbered.”

Willow rolled her eyes at him. “Yes Spike, thanks so much for that, but I do know how to read,” she shot at him, finding the first disk and sliding it into her computer. “Now to crack a government encryption on my laptop.”

“You’re the whiz,” Spike said sarcastically. “Just get it done so I can get my money.”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best,” Willow agreed, already distracted by her computer screen, her fingers flying over the keys.

Xander and Anya took seats on the couch while Spike huffed and went into the kitchen to rummage through Giles’ fridge. Tara watched Willow work on the computer with an affectionate smile on her face. She moved off of her chair, hearing the others talking without listening to them, and she crossed to stand behind Willow in her chair, leaning over her shoulder and stroking her fingers slowly through Willow’s damp hair.

Willow’s eyes closed uncontrollably at the touch, leaning her head back into Tara’s hand. “That’s going to be distracting,” she muttered even as she smiled.

“I’ll stop,” Tara murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck before she slid her hand out of Willow’s hair. “Do your thing,” she prompted her, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll go sit down and be good.”

Willow tilted her head back to pout, a beeping on her computer drawing her attention back to the screen. Tara gave an affectionate smile to the back of her head before returning to her chair at the kitchen bar and pouring herself another cup of tea.

Buffy and Riley came in before too long, both beaten and bloody. Willow jumped at the sight of them, the Marine leaning heavily on Buffy.

“What happened?” she asked, turning to follow them with her eyes as they moved toward the quickly vacated couch.

“Adam handed us our own asses,” Buffy groaned. “Up in some caves north of town. He came at us from deeper inside the caves so it’s worth checking out if he’s hiding in there.” She looked sympathetically at Riley, standing up as he relaxed into the couch cushions. “He killed one of the commandos, Riley’s friend Forrest,” she said regretfully. Tara tossed a dish cloth across the room to the Slayer, Buffy wiping blood away from Riley’s face gently.

“So we’re going back to the caves?” Xander asked.

Buffy shook her head. “No, not until Will can get something out of those disks. We can’t walk in there unprepared again.” She looked over the back of the couch at the redhead working at the desk. “How’s it looking?”

“It’s going to take me a while to work on this,” Willow told her regretfully, shaking her head.

Buffy sighed, nodding. “Okay, anything we can do to make it go faster?”

Willow frowned. “No, but I’ll work as fast as I can,” she promised.

“Okay,” Buffy said. “Thanks. Let me know as soon as you find anything.” Willow nodded, already working again. “Giles, anything we can do to take down Adam? Anything?” she asked desperately.

He shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. “There’s nothing I can think of that we haven’t already covered.”

“I’ve got these,” Riley said, finding a folder in his pack and spreading some papers on the coffee table. “I got them before the Initiative complex went to hell. The demons are packed in there tighter than sardines, and after the professor died most of the troops haven’t been sticking to any of the routines. It’s crazy down there.”

“You have specs for Adam?” Xander asked incredulously. “These could have been helpful a few weeks ago.”

“Hey! Back off,” Buffy ordered. “We don’t have time for fighting amongst ourselves.”

“I only just found them,” Riley said apologetically, holding the now bloody cloth to the still bleeding wound on his head.

“We’ll see what we can do. I’m sure it’ll be useful,” Giles said, sitting down and pulling one of the diagrams to him.

They each worked relentlessly for hours, studying the diagrams of Adam’s structure searching for a weakness while Willow worked on the computer at the desk. It was closing in on two in the morning before Tara approached Buffy, everyone weary and rubbing bleary eyes.

“Willow needs to sleep. We all do,” Tara said softly, touching her friend gently on the knee. “You’ve been going nonstop for days, Buffy. Adam won’t be intimidated if we all fall asleep on him,” she teased, grateful for Buffy’s weak smile, obviously mustered with an effort.

The Slayer nodded. “You’re right.” Her eyes shut heavily. “Will you take Willow home, make sure she gets some sleep?”

“What about you?” Tara asked.

Buffy nodded toward the spare room. “Me and Riley will stay here. I don’t want to be anywhere near Lowell House right now, anywhere Adam can find us.”

“Is it safe for Xander and Anya to go home?” Tara asked, glancing to where Anya was dozing against Xander’s leg while he was rubbing at his eyes with a stack of papers in his lap.

“Yeah, it should be fine. Adam only saw him once. Besides, he doesn’t think he has anything to fear from a human,” Buffy said, dropping her head into her hand.

Tara nodded. “Okay,” she said softly. “Xander,” she called, raising her voice to get his attention. “We’re all going home to get some sleep.”

He nodded, nudging Anya awake. “Let’s go home. I’ll see you guys in the morning, okay?” They left quietly, Tara joining Willow at the desk.

The redhead jumped as she recognized Tara’s proximity. “Oh, sorry, baby. You scared me,” she said, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

“We’re going home. You need sleep,” Tara prompted her, brushing hair back from her face gently. Willow nodded without comprehension, only blinking when Tara moved to close the computer. “Can I just close it, or do you need to do something with it?” she checked, not wanting to mess up Willow’s work.

“Oh, um, you can just shut it and I’ll plug it in when we get back,” Willow said.

Tara arched an eyebrow at her. “The computer is staying here, sweetie. You won’t be awake long enough to work anymore tonight.”

Willow’s mouth dropped open to protest, anything she was going to say lost in a yawn and Tara gave her a knowing look. “Okay,” Willow admitted. “I am a little…exhausted.”

Tara helped her up, Willow leaning on her as well as her cane. “You just have to make it to the top of the stairs, baby. You can stretch out in the backseat of the car if you want to.”

Willow yawned again. “I think I can make it back to the dorm.”

She was still awake when they came through the door, but she collapsed into the bed and was asleep before Tara turned back from locking the door behind them.

A beeping alarm clock woke them both too early, Willow sitting up mechanically and striking the clock with more force than necessary.

“Morning,” she slurred, rubbing her eyes as Tara curled deeper into the sheets. “You go back to sleep,” Willow said, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead.

Tara laughed sleepily. “How do you expect to get there?” she asked. “You can’t roll the chair all that way by yourself, and you can’t drive yet.”

Willow paused in climbing out of bed, frowning. “Oh yeah,” she said. “Sorry, Tara.”

“No problem, sweetie. I want to help. And I don’t sleep great without you anyway,” she said honestly, smiling sheepishly as Willow blinked at her before leaning over to kiss her.

“Now I don’t want to get out of the bed,” Willow murmured against her lips, kissing her again. She pulled away with a groan. “But we have to help. It should only take me a little while longer to crack the disks.”

“Little while?” Tara asked.

Willow shrugged. “Um, yeah, maybe the rest of the day if I can figure out the pattern they used to encrypt the discs this morning.”

“The rest of the day?” Tara said in surprise. “That’s a little while?”

Willow nodded, her eyes already hurting at the thought of staring into the computer screen for the rest of the day. “As long as it gets done,” she sighed.

“I guess you’re right, but as soon as Adam is put down, I’m keeping you in this bed for at least three days,” Tara said, helping Willow to her feet.

Willow raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Three days? Are you sure my leg will be strong enough to handle that?”

Tara shook her head teasingly, pushing at the side of Willow’s head. “I think your leg will handle three days of sleeping just fine,” she said, arching an eyebrow at her.

Willow dropped her jaw, looking horrified. “You’ll be in the bed with me, won’t you? Because I need to be snuggled very badly right now.”

“We don’t have time right now,” Tara teased. Willow pouted at her, accepting a lingering kiss as an apology. “I’ll make it up to you when this is all over,” she promised.

“Four days?” Willow suggested hopefully.

Tara pressed a kiss to her temple. “Whatever you want, sweetheart,” she agreed. “We should probably go help the others now though,” she said reluctantly.

“I hope they have coffee,” Willow groaned, leaning on Tara’s arm and her cane, still hurting from her exercise the day before but not willing to admit her weakness.

Tara noticed the tremble in her limbs, but held her tongue, knowing that Willow wouldn’t stop until she’d finished her task. They drove to the apartment in silence, Willow sliding into her chair at the desk. Buffy and Riley were already studying at the coffee table, and Tara retrieved a cup of coffee for Willow, making it the way she liked and taking it to her at the desk.

“Thank you,” Willow murmured, taking a long sip and giving Tara a distracted smile.

Tara joined the others at the table, Buffy and Riley saying something about a power source. The witch sighed, picking up a spell book. She knew she was no good with the technical stuff, but she could help with the magic stuff and she intended to do what she could. Xander joined them, but Anya had decided to stay home, the former demon not coping well with the situation.

It didn’t take Willow long to let out a whoop of simultaneous excitement and confusion. “Hey, I’m in!” she said, frowning at her computer. “It’s not fair though,” she complained. “I got in to a certain point and it just let me in…but whoopee, we got the information!”

“Why would it let you in?” Buffy asked. “I mean, good job, but that seems sort of ominous, right?” She glanced around at the others. “I mean, all of a sudden we know how to get in and what he’s got planned? He’s giving us exactly what we need when we need it.”

Willow sighed, dropping her head into one hand. “You’re right, but what can we do? I mean, look at this,” she said, gesturing to the screen. “This looks like the recipe for a human-demon mutant mash up army.”

Buffy nodded, reading over her shoulder. “Yeah, well from what we’ve found out about him, I don’t know if I can take him down alone. He just wants me there to even out the death toll so he had lots of bits for his army of freaks.”

“What about this?” Tara suggested, holding out the spell book she’d been reading. “This spell is powerful enough to paralyze him long enough for you to rip out his power core thing.”

Willow beamed proudly at her from across the room. “My girl’s a genius.”

Giles read the spell. “It takes an experienced witch to cast this though. Willow?” he asked, handing the book over to her.

“Um, we’ve hit a snag,” she sighed. “I can’t read this. What language is it?”

“Sumerian,” Giles answered. “I can read it, but I haven’t the skill or power to cast it.”

“Even if you can teach Will the language in time for it to do any good, I can’t take her with me to fight Adam,” Buffy protested. “You just got your leg back,” she stated, seeing Willow’s mouth open to argue. “I won’t let you get hurt again. We go in smart, or I go in alone.”

“So all we have to do is put together Buffy’s strength, Willow’s magic, and Giles’ brain,” Xander proposed. “Which is a completely useless suggestion,” he said, sighing in frustration.

Giles surprised them all by objecting. “Actually not.” He explained the enjoining spell as briefly as he could, the other staring at him in amazement as he finished speaking.

“Are you serious?” Buffy asked. “That would work?”

Giles nodded, his arms crossed over his chest. “Yes. We’ll have to be within striking distance of Adam though.”

“Willow…” Tara blurted from the couch. “Willow can’t go in there.”

The redhead rubbed at her knee absently, frowning down at the desk. Xander glanced between Willow and Buffy, trying to think of a solution. “I could carry her,” he suggested hesitantly. “I could,” he insisted when the others gave him surprised looks.

“That could work,” Buffy agreed reluctantly. “You up for it, Will?”

Willow nodded seriously, her face determined. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. We’re going in now?”

Buffy glanced at each of the others. “Soon.”

“Okay. Tara, can I talk to you?” Willow asked, pushing herself to her feet gingerly and Tara followed her as she limped slowly into the spare room. Tara didn’t speak, just watched her quietly. “You’re going to make me ask, aren’t you?” Willow asked, taking her hand.

Tara nodded simply. “Yes, I am,” she said.

“Please stay here,” Willow requested. “Please?” Tara didn’t say anything, just lifted an eyebrow at her. “Please, baby? I need to know you’re okay, and I promise that I’ll be careful and safe, and nothing will happen to me, I swear.”

“What do you think I’m going to say to that?” Tara asked her.

Willow smiled sheepishly. “Tara…”

“Willow…” Tara said, echoing her tone and giving her a look. “Be careful,” she said firmly.

Willow blinked, surprised. “I thought I was going to have to put up a fight,” she said, pulling Tara in by her hand.

Tara sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’d have any luck trying to talk you out of it, and I don’t think I’d be able to help much if I went with you. I’m not good at the fighting.”

“You’re not going!” Willow interjected immediately.

Tara smirked, nodding. “Yeah, I figured that’s what you would say. It doesn’t make it easier to know that you’ll be there,” Tara said. “Please be careful, Willow.”

“Buffy won’t let anything happen to me, baby,” Willow said reassuringly. “And Xander and Giles and Riley will be there and we’ll all be fine, okay?”

Tara nodded reluctantly. “You’d better be,” she said firmly. “If you get hurt I’m going to kick your butt,” she warned her girlfriend.

Willow shook her head with a smile. “I don’t want that,” she agreed teasingly. “I’ll be fine, Tara. I love you,” she said more seriously.

“I love you too,” Tara said softly. “You’ve got to promise to tell me again when you get back, okay?”

Willow nodded. “I can do that,” she said.

Tara smiled softly. “Okay, and I’m doing one thing before you leave,” she stated, unexpectedly moving back to the living room, returning a minute later with a mortar and pestle, a yellow flower crushed in the bowl.

“What’s that?” Willow asked curiously as Tara closed her eyes, murmuring something over the bowl with her eyes closed.

“It will make your arms and your leg feel better,” Tara told her, lifting the collar of Willow’s shirt enough to slip her hand under it, her fingers rubbing the salve into the sore muscles of Willow’s shoulder. She dipped her fingers back into the bowl and rubbed more into the other shoulder before dropping to her knees in front of Willow’s legs and gently rubbing some of the oil from her mortar into the skin over Willow’s knee, her fingers sliding down her calf to rub some more into her ankle, smoothing her hands over Willow’s leg nervously.

Willow gasped at the cool touch, feeling a sharp tingle shoot up and down her leg and both arms. “Whoa,” she breathed, using the wall to hold herself up as her cane fell from nerveless fingers.

“Did it work?” Tara asked, looking up at her and relieved to see Willow’s nod. She slipped the fingers that were still coated in the oil under the collar of her own shirt, touching each shoulder, and then her knee and ankle, murmuring again.

“Yeah,” Willow agreed, bending her weak knee cautiously. “I almost feel like I could walk.” She frowned down at her when Tara hissed.

Tara shook her head, taking a deep breath. “Don’t try it,” she advised firmly. “The strength’s only temporary. Stay with Xander or on your crutches, okay?” She stood up, wiping the last bits of the oil on her own lips and Willow’s, kissing her quickly.

They both gasped, and Tara’s knees started to buckle. She caught herself on the edge of the dresser, breathing hard. “What did you just do?” Willow demanded, her eyes wide. “I feel weird.”

“Bad?” Tara questioned in a strained voice, her eyes squeezed closed tightly.

“No,” Willow said, almost in disbelief. “I feel good, actually. What about you?” she asked, leaning over to look Tara in the face. “Tara, what did you do?” she repeated sternly, working out a theory already. “You didn’t do what I think you did, did you?”

“That depends on what you think I did,” Tara said, mustering a weak smile. “This really hurts,” she gasped. “How do you live like this?” she questioned, looking up at Willow.

The redhead groaned at the confirmation. “It’s only that bad because I haven’t had time to rest after working out. You didn’t…Tara, why did you do that?”

Tara shook her head. “I couldn’t let you go in hurting.” She shook her head, pushing the heel of one hand against her forehead. “This really hurts,” she gasped.

“How long is it going to last?” Willow demanded. “It’s my pain, and I want it back.”

Tara sank to sit on the edge of the bed, concentrating on steadying her breathing, the sudden pain overwhelming. “A few hours. But you probably won’t start feeling it again until the morning. The spell to strengthen your limbs should last longer than the spell I used to take your pain, so you shouldn’t have any blinding moment of pain where it all comes rushing back.”

“If I get hurt in there, will it hurt you?” Willow asked, frowning.

Tara shook her head reluctantly. “No, but if I could figure out a spell that would do it in the next fifteen minutes, I’d do it.”

“No, you would not,” Willow said firmly. “And you better not look for anything like that once we leave. It’s bad enough that you did this…”

“I’d do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Willow. I’d go instead if I thought I could do your job,” Tara said seriously, getting to her feet shakily. “Let’s get you guys ready to go,” Tara said, kissing her on the cheek to dissuade her from further argument. “There’s nothing you can do about it now, Willow. That’s why I didn’t tell you what I was doing. And I think I can help Riley. He doesn’t have Buffy’s healing abilities.”

“Now, wait just a minute!” Willow protested immediately. “You can’t take his pain too! You’ll pass out, or die, or something! And that spell involved kissing, which I guess was to give the spell a target, me, but you’re my girlfriend, and I really don’t think you should be kissing Riley, and I’m pretty sure Buffy would agree with me on this, and…”

Tara kissed her suddenly, cutting off her words. She intended to keep the kiss brief, but Willow was having none of that, and she curled both arms around Tara’s neck, kissing her passionately. Tara was out of breath and stumbled as they broke apart, dropping back onto the edge of the bed weakly. “Wow,” she breathed. “I won’t kiss Riley,” she agreed breathily, giving her an amused look. “Not that I was going to.” She took Willow’s hand soothingly. “I’m just going to do the healing spell on him. The one I used on you the first time we met.”

“You fixed my tummy,” Willow remembered, smiling softly.

Tara nodded. “That’s right. I’m just going to fix his head, and his arms, and his legs, and probably his stomach too.” She grimaced. “He really looked like he was in bad shape,” she commented.

“That’s not going to wear you out, is it?” Willow asked worriedly.

Tara shrugged, leaning on Willow as she got back up. “I’m not going to fight Adam. I’ll just be here recovering, so it’s not a big deal.” Willow pursed her lips, not pleased, but sure that Tara wouldn’t listen to any arguments she presented.

Tara was limping and leaning heavily on Willow as they came out of the bedroom, the others gathering their weapons while Giles collected the supplies they would need for the enjoining spell. Willow led Tara to the couch, helping her sit down and moving her feet onto the cushions so that she was lying down.

“What happened to her?” Buffy asked in surprise, seeing the sudden pain in Tara’s pale face.

Willow scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. “She’s got a stubborn streak,” she answered vaguely.

“Don’t we all?” Xander joked.

“Tara, what happened?” Buffy asked instead as Willow brushed past her to get to the kitchen.

“I helped Willow,” Tara answered. “Riley,” she prompted, waving him over. He looked confused, but limped obligingly over, taking a seat on the coffee table. “I’m going to help you now.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Tara,” he objected. “You’re looking kind of rough.” He blushed, the tips of his ears burning. “No offense,” he added, shrugging.

“It’s not going to hurt me,” she said reassuringly. “It’s just going to make you hurt less.” She held up one empty hand slowly, putting one finger over a cut on his face.

He jumped in surprise, but she didn’t move her hand, her eyes sliding closed. “It’s hot,” he said quietly. “Burns a little,” he told the others, Buffy and Giles stopping their preparations to watch.

When Tara lifted her finger a moment later, the cut was significantly smaller, scabbed over instead of bleeding. “Does it feel better?” Buffy asked curiously.

He nodded, touching the spot in fascination. “Yeah, I can’t feel it anymore,” he stated. “Thanks, Tara.”

She nodded, smiling. “That was just a demonstration. Just put my hand wherever it hurts, okay? I’ll do the rest.” She held her hand out, letting him guide it. She hissed as he put her palm against his ribs. “You broke a couple of ribs,” she said sympathetically.

“Is that going to be too much?” he asked, already starting to lift her hand.

She stopped him, putting her hand gently on his side. “It’s okay, just sit still.” She closed her eyes, concentrating. It took longer this time, but Riley let out a deep breath, pulling up the side of his shirt to check when Tara took her hand back. His skin was red where her hand had been, but his bruises had faded distinctly. “Where else?” she requested, holding her hand back out to him.

Riley hesitated before he took it, looking at Willow standing behind the couch with her arms crossed over her chest, the bottle of water she’d retrieved from the kitchen in one hand. The redhead sighed, nodding. “Just do it. She’s not going to listen if we tell her no,” she said in resignation.

Tara continued to help Riley’s injuries, healing a torn muscle in his thigh, and a deep cut in his calf that had been bleeding profusely, leaving bloody footprints behind to show where Riley had gone in the apartment.

Buffy and Giles resumed their packing, the Slayer studying Willow carefully. “You okay, Will?” she asked, surprised to realize that the witch wasn’t leaning on anything, and her crutches and cane were nowhere to be seen. “Wait a second!”

“Tara did it,” Willow said, nodding toward her girlfriend on the couch. “She took my pain for herself.” She grimaced as the Slayer blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know what she was doing. She took my pain, and amplified my own strength temporarily.”

“So, you can walk?” Buffy asked.

Willow nodded, looking down at herself. “Right now I could run,” she said. “Which could be helpful once we get down there.”

“Yeah,” Buffy agreed. “Riley, how’s it going over there?”

The Marine stood up, stretching each limb slowly. “Not quite good as new, but good enough,” he said.

“Tara, you okay?” Buffy checked, leaning on the back of the couch to look down at her.

Tara’s eyes were closed, but she held up one thumb, taking a deep breath. Willow shook a pill into her hand as she moved to take Riley’s seat on the coffee table and put it to Tara’s lips. “Take this,” she prompted. “It will help.”

Tara opened her mouth obligingly, taking the medicine and a long draught from the bottle of water Willow handed her. “Thank you,” she said weakly, opening her eyes.

Willow nodded, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. “Get some rest, okay?”

“Be careful,” Tara said quietly, fingers finding Willow’s hand and squeezing it gently. The redhead nodded wordlessly, giving her a brief kiss before she stood up, following the others out of the apartment.

The silence in the apartment seemed palpable, and Tara lingered on the living room couch for a few minutes before the quiet seemed too thick, almost stifling. The thought of sitting around and waiting for them to come back seemed like torture and she moved slowly into the kitchen, taking a deep breath as she ran a wash cloth under the water, and finding some cleaner under the sink, scrubbed up Riley’s bloody prints before the blood dried and stained Giles’ carpet.

After that task was done, she started washing the dishes that had been piling up in the sink. Searching for something else to keep her busy, she washed the startlingly large pile of bloody rags that had accumulated around the apartment. She was limping as she searched for them, and most of the ones she found were beyond saving, stiff with dried blood, but she stood at the sink and scrubbed diligently, needing something to do rather than just sit and wait. She was frustrated by trembling limbs after she finished that chore, and had to return to the couch. It felt like an eternity before the phone rang a few minutes later, and she realized that she had been successfully distracted for two hours.

“Willow?” she answered it anxiously.

“Yeah, baby, it’s me,” Willow said. “We’re all fine,” she said immediately. “Adam’s dead. The spell worked great! We’re all kind of wired though, so we were going to watch some movies and crash over here at Buffy’s house. How are you feeling? Is the pain switching spell still hurting you? I mean, I still feel fine, so I would guess that you’re still hurting, but I don’t know, and I should probably stop talking so you can answer…” She paused. “And for the record, I’m still not happy you did that,” she stated before pausing again, waiting for Tara to speak.

Tara let out a breath of relief, her eyes closing unconsciously as she leaned back against the armrest of the couch. “Good, I’m good, Willow. Resting as ordered. You guys have fun, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?”

“No, Tara, you come over here. We’re just watching movies, hanging out,” Willow said quickly, realizing that her girlfriend had misunderstood. “I need to check on you. And you can’t just be at Giles’ all alone if you’re still hurting,” she said. Tara could hear Xander’s voice in the background and Willow spoke again. “And maybe you could pick up Anya on your way over?” she requested obligingly.

Tara laughed, suddenly giddy with relief and joy. “Yeah, sure. You’re okay, right?” she checked again.

“Yes Tara, we’re all okay,” Willow assured her with a soft laugh. “I have something I’m supposed to tell you, remember? Come over here so I can tell you,” she said.

“I love you too,” Tara said.

“Aww, now you spoiled what I was going to say,” Willow whined teasingly.

“Nothing could ever spoil you telling me that,” Tara said seriously.

“Well, come over here so I can tell you,” Willow said. “Oh, and don’t forget Anya,” she reminded her as Xander spoke up again in the background.

“Tell Xander I won’t forget Anya,” Tara assured her. “We’ll be there soon.”

“Okay, baby. We’ll be waiting,” Willow said as they hung up.

It took her longer to limp to the car than it did to drive to Anya’s house, the ex-demon already waiting on the sidewalk, jumping in the car almost before it had stopped moving.

“Xander’s alive,” she announced cheerfully.

Tara smiled tiredly, nodding. “So is Willow,” she agreed.

“I’m very glad their plan didn’t get them all killed,” Anya said.

Tara’s smile slipped, but she agreed, “Yeah, me too.”

They were greeted at the door by Mrs. Summers, the Slayer’s mother letting them into the house immediately. “They’re in the living room, girls. You have fun tonight,” she said, waving as she excused herself to go upstairs.

Buffy was curled up into Riley’s side on one side of the couch, with Giles in the armchair beside the sofa. Willow was on the other half of the couch, her right leg propped up on the coffee table. Xander was leaning against the arm of the couch, and they all smiled as the new arrivals joined them. Anya took a seat between Xander’s knees and he hugged her tightly.

Tara joined the others on the couch, Willow pulling her into the space between herself and the armrest. “Hey, you,” Willow whispered, curling her arms around Tara. “I love you,” she said softly.

Tara smiled, kissing her softly. “I love you too,” she whispered back. She looked Willow over carefully, seeing that the redhead looked to be perfectly fine. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Willow winked, smiling reassuringly. “Adam didn’t drive a car at me, so no problem,” she said teasingly.

“Well, thank goodness for that,” Tara said, squeezing Willow gently.

“How are you feeling?” Willow asked, noticing Tara’s hands trembling. She brushed her fingers lightly over her palm, noting the unmistakable feeling of skin that had been under water for an extended time. “I don’t think you were resting,” she challenged, scowling.

“I was when you called,” Tara responded, smirking weakly. “I cleaned some because I couldn’t just sit around and wait.”

Willow huffed, but accepted that, pulling Tara into a hug. “Well, you’re going to rest now,” she said firmly, snuggling into her side.

“Let’s get this party started,” Xander said, sliding forward to push a tape into the VCR. The couples curled close together, watching the opening credits of the movie. Tara could feel Willow relaxing against her, her breathing getting slow and steady as she fell asleep after only a few minutes. A glance around the room showed that Buffy, Giles, and Xander weren’t far behind her, falling asleep where they were sitting. Anya was watching the movie leaned against Xander’s chest, but Riley gave Tara a smile over Buffy’s head.

Willow trembled in her sleep, calming down when Tara murmured to her soothingly. A second later Anya jumped in surprise as Xander started breathing hard, his girlfriend sitting up to give him a concerned look. He was obviously still asleep, but was struggling to catch his breath. Willow started trembling again, not responding when Tara shook her gently. On the other side of the couch Buffy appeared to be fighting Riley, the Marine struggling to keep her from kicking him.

Giles gasped loudly as he jerked and fell out of his chair, the sound seeming to snap the others out of their sleep, all of them shooting up and breathing hard.

“What was that?” Riley asked, frowning at Buffy.

She shook her head, still breathing hard. “Bad dream.”

“All of you?” Anya asked. “Because all of you were moving in your sleep and you woke up at exactly the same time.”

The Scoobies all looked at each other, surprised. “What? At the same time?” Giles asked, seeing the others nod as he pushed himself back into the chair. “And we were all moving?”

“Yeah, it was weird,” Riley said. “What were you dreaming about?”

Each of them frowned, trying to think. “I was at the high school, in a play, but then I was in the dorm, and Tara, you were there and I was painting on your…” Willow stopped herself abruptly, blushing brightly. “Um, never mind.”

Xander protested immediately. “Hey, no! All parts of the dreams could be important. Like in mine, you and Tara were in the back of my ice cream truck, and I agree with Willow, we shouldn’t talk about the dreams. They were obviously stress dreams and they mean nothing,” he finished quickly, getting glares from all of the girls.

“Did anybody else get attacked in their dream?” Giles asked, frowning in thought as he tried desperately to ignore what Xander had said.

“Yeah, actually,” Buffy said, frowning. “Did you?” He nodded. “By some girl with awful hair and wearing rags?”

“I think she was the first Slayer,” he told her. “We might have offended her by doing that enjoining spell.”

“Now you tell us,” Xander commented. “She cut my heart out!”

“And she was super cryptic,” Buffy complained.

“And she had me dressed like I was back in high school,” Willow added, frowning.

Xander laughed, stopping quickly when Willow shot him a look. “You were cute, Will,” he said quickly.

“I bet you were adorable, sweetheart,” Tara chimed in.

Willow gave her a shy smile, shaking her head. “I was a geek.”

Tara hushed her with a kiss. “You’re perfect, Willow,” she whispered against her lips. They relaxed into the couch, Willow pulling Tara against her. “You’re beautiful, and smart, and most definitely not a geek.”

Willow blinked, smiling against her neck. “It sounds like you kind of like me,” she teased quietly.

“I kind of love you,” Tara corrected her. “Thanks for coming back safely.”

Willow nodded, yawning. “Of course. I couldn’t let a mutant freak keep me away from you.”

“You should get some sleep,” Tara whispered to her. “You guys have to be tired.”

Willow yawned again even as she shook her head. “I’m good,” she objected, pointing at the TV. “And the movie is still on.”

Tara smiled crookedly, nodding. “Okay,” she said softly, sliding one arm over the back of Willow’s shoulders and turning the redhead gently to lean against her. “Comfy?”

Willow nodded without speaking, snuggling closer. She managed to blink at the movie a few times before she was dragged into oblivion. The other Scoobies seemed to be feeling the same pull, quick to follow her to sleep. Anya changed the tape when the first movie was over, the ex-demon munching on popcorn while she watched, Tara and Riley opting to doze with their respective partners.

*****
Next Time: Adam is dead, but the gang has a much scarier enemy to face… final exams!

I know I didn't write the Adam fight, but it would have gone pretty much like it did on the show and it would have made this chapter gigantic, so I kept the scene with Tara... Hope no one's too disappointed.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:38 pm 
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Dibs, and I have to be to work by 8:30 am ouch! So worth is though. I LOVE that Tara took Willow's pain so she would be safe. That's just...so Tara. Leonhart17, you capture her so beautifully! And I'll take that challenge on changing your mind! :D

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:25 pm 
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The cane from Xander was very sweet. Our girl Tara is very sneaky but for the good of the cause and Willow would have fought her if she had know, that's a given. The whole injured Willow kinda negated the need for the "divide and conquer" tactic. Much nicer version of the first slayer too.

Finals!?!?! Did you say finals!?!?! I'm the same horrible boat *looks around suspiciously*, it's not fair to make fun of my pain. ^_~

More!

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:08 am 
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Ah, well I missed dibs 'cause I was, you know, sleeping, but at least someone called it!

Awesome chapter. Though I was waititng the entire time with bated breath about what Tara was going to do that Willow didn't like so I was quite relieved when she just did the pain-taking spell or whatever you might call it :p

So sweet though, all of it. And grr, finals. Don't remind me.

Can't wait for the next!

:peace

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:29 am 
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Very well done. I've often tried to think of ways to get Tara more directly involved with taking down Adam & you pulled it off! And you handled the dream sequence very well, too. (I'd always wondered, okay, I eman I grasped the diea of why, as shown on TV, why Tara and Anya didn't want to join in on the reconciliation/strategy meeting in "Primeval." But why wouldn't they be at Joyce's for the videos after?

I've given soem thought to the whole "women in our fmaily have demon in them" lie. The only reason I can think it would work is that, from the time they're first elarnign language, they are told what's going to "happen" when they tunr 20 and they've just accpeted it. They have their 20th brithdays and just assume it's happened because they expect it. (I touch on it a little in my own fics, thru soem epripheral characters who are related to Tara; if I ever get them combiend into my omnibus fic "Snapshots" and posted ....)

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:12 am 
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Loved the update. I was wondering if Tara was going to try and help Willow with her pain so she could fight better. Looking forward to the next update.


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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
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They're so cute together! can't wait for more

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
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LonelyTara: Middle of the day update! That should help, right? Yay for dibs! I'm glad you like my Tara! Thanks so much! Oh boy... I'm in trouble now... (I told you I started writing that season 7 you challenged me to write, didn't I? I'm having fun with it!)

vampyregurl73: Aww, good I'm glad someone liked the cane - I had this mental image of Willow walking with a cane and I had to include it! Xander making it for her just worked out perfectly! Glad you enjoyed the changes I made :) Sorry about the references to school! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!

Laragh: Haha, sleeping is a good excuse in my book! I didn't mean to stress you out about what Tara was going to do - But she's got to take care of her girl! Sorry about the school reminders I'm torturing everyone with - I'm pretty sure this is the last one that takes place during the school year - the rest are summer/season 5... Glad you're liking it!

DaddyCatALSO: Well, thank you! I've never really understood why Tara and Anya didn't come to the movie night... It's not like they weren't in the episode already...
That's true... I get into it a little bit coming up in this story, but don't really nail down a specific explanation - it's just more of Tara thinking about it and trying to deal with and wondering how her mother never knew (or if she did, and was just going along with her husband) Someone should ask Joss about that someday - see what he has to say - or if someone already has I'd like to read it... (I'd like to read it - post them!)

love_2003: Yup, you guessed it! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thanks so much for reading!

leftindust: I know! They really are! Hope the update is fast enough for you!

I'm going out of town to visit my best friend for her birthday, so early update for you since I won't be on my computer tomorrow!

Ahh we're getting so close to the end! :(

Chapter 12 of 15

The smell of coffee brewing woke Willow up the next morning, the realization that she wasn’t in a bed making her come to consciousness quicker. “Where are we?” she grumbled without opening her eyes.

Tara laughed quietly. “We’re on the couch at Buffy’s house,” she answered, kissing Willow’s cheek gently. “You fell asleep during the movie.”

“Where’s everybody else?” Willow asked, snuggling into Tara’s shoulder and letting her eyes slide closed.

Tara combed her fingers through Willow’s hair lovingly. “They’re upstairs, sleeping probably. It’s still kind of early.” She pressed a kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead. “Go back to sleep, baby.”

“Coffee,” Willow mumbled. “Smells good.”

“It’ll smell good in a few hours too,” Tara promised softly. “I’ll make you a fresh pot later, okay?”

“M’kay,” Willow agreed sleepily as she curled herself closer, one leg sliding over Tara’s.

The next time Willow woke up Tara appeared to be sleeping, her eyes closed, but a smile gave her away and Willow tilted in to kiss her gently.

“Good morning,” Tara whispered, her eyes opening slowly. “You ready for that coffee?”

Willow bit her lip, laughing quietly. “What time is it? Is everybody else up already?”

Tara shook her head. “I’m not sure what time it is, but I’ve only heard Joyce leave for work. Everybody else is still upstairs.”

Willow took another kiss, smiling. “How did you sleep?”

“Good,” Tara said. “How about you?” she asked, smiling crookedly. “You didn’t even wake up when we stretched you out on the couch.”

“We?” Willow asked, arching an eyebrow.

“You fell asleep on top of me,” Tara said. “Riley helped me move you.”

“Sorry,” Willow said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to…”

Tara shook her head, hushing her quickly. “No, Willow, believe me, you’re welcome to fall asleep on me anytime you want.”

Willow blushed, smiling shyly. “Vixen,” she murmured quietly.

“I’ll go get you some coffee,” Tara said. “And some medicine,” she added firmly, arching an eyebrow when Willow started to protest.

“Thank you,” she said instead, sitting up carefully, her muscles sore. “I guess that means the spell wore off,” she mused to herself, rubbing at one arm.

Tara was back a few minutes later, a fresh cup of coffee and Willow’s pills in her hands. The redhead took them without complaint, one hand rubbing absently at her knee.

It didn’t take long for the others to join them, the Scoobies looking ragged and tired. Buffy stared as she realized that Giles had spent the night, putting up one hand to stop his explanation. “I don’t want to know,” she said. His mouth was still open to speak and she covered her ears petulantly. “I can’t hear you,” she said loudly, walking into the kitchen.

“I didn’t,” Giles protested to the others. “I was…Joyce loaned me the air mattress,” he stated.

Xander was staring at him, jaw hanging open. “You and Buffy’s mom?!?” he demanded. “When…what…how?”

“Xander! Eww!” Willow protested. “Giles, don’t answer that,” she requested, limping away as quickly as she could with one hand over her ear, the other using her cane.

Tara and Riley exchanged confused looks while Anya merely grinned widely. “Well done, Giles,” the former demon said cheerfully. “Mrs. Summers is a very good looking older woman and it is commendable that you can still achieve…” Her mouth was covered rapidly by Xander, the young man blushing brightly.

“Thank you!” Buffy yelled from the kitchen. “The next person to talk about my mom is getting a beating,” she promised loudly.

Anya’s next words were muffled by Xander’s hand and Tara laughed. Giles sighed heavily, cleaning his glasses compulsively. Buffy returned from the kitchen with a tray of coffee mugs and she handed one to Giles after a pause, the Watcher looking as if he wasn’t sure if she was going to hand it to him or throw it in his face.

Buffy smiled sweetly at him as she handed it over and he let out a breath of relief. “Thank you,” he murmured, taking a sip after looking into the mug for a few moments, almost as if he was waiting for something to float up from the bottom of the cup.

Tara glanced at the others, smiling. “Is anyone hungry? I could make pancakes,” she offered. She got smiles and nods in returned and she went into the kitchen, smiling at Willow as the redhead rooted through the fridge.

“You’re cooking?” Willow asked in surprise as Tara searched for and found the measuring cups, starting to get the ingredients together. “That’s hot,” she declared, quickly making herself comfortable at the kitchen island.

“You’re just going to watch me make pancakes?” Tara asked, amused. “That’s not going to be boring for you?”

Willow shook her head, both eyebrows lifting in surprise. “No way!” she said happily. “Believe me, I couldn’t be bored watching you do anything,” she said earnestly, resting her chin on one hand and taking a sip of her coffee.

Tara rolled her eyes, but continued her preparations, giving Willow a smile over her shoulder. It didn’t take her long to have a stack of pancakes ready, along with bacon and toast, and she carried them into the dining room for the others. The smell drew them in without her having to call them, and Willow carried in a carton of juice with her, taking the closest chair to the door.

“I couldn’t carry all the cups,” she said sheepishly, and Buffy ruffled her friend’s hair as she went to retrieve the glasses herself.

“No problem, Will. I’ve got them,” the Slayer said.

They ate hungrily, none of them realizing how hungry they had been until the food was in front of them. They spent the remainder of the day lazing around the house, trying to push away thoughts of their looming finals, the more mundane horror settling back in now that the horrific monster had been dealt with. Riley had to leave to attend a hearing, and Giles drove Xander and Anya home and the rest of them back to campus before dark.

Buffy had a free night because of the vampire and demon bloodbath that had taken place in the Initiative complex making patrol rather pointless, but with Riley gone Willow and Tara had insisted that the Slayer spend her free time with them. They settled in Willow and Buffy’s room to study, Tara taking a seat on the floor and leaning against the side of Willow’s bed.

Willow herself was lying with her head at the foot of the bed, her legs both bent at the knees and her feet swinging absently. She glanced over with a smile as Buffy yawned, the Slayer snapping her book closed.

“I give up,” Buffy declared. “No more studying tonight.” She pushed her book over the edge of her bed with a satisfied smile, stretching out on her bed.

Willow laughed as she leaned over to read over Tara’s shoulder. “How are you doing down there?” she asked, fingers combing through long blonde hair slowly.

Tara leaned into the touch, tilting her head back to look up at Willow. “I’m good. I only have one actual test, the rest of my finals are presenting papers.”

Buffy shook her head as she crossed her arms behind her head. “I don’t see how you have any time to write all of those,” she commented, yawning. “I’d never be able to do it.”

“Well, you’re the Slayer, and you have a boyfriend, and your mom to take care of,” Tara reasoned, smiling. “I’ve just got her,” she said, gesturing to Willow behind her.

“She can be time consuming, what with the babbling,” Buffy teased as Willow hugged Tara around her shoulders, the redhead sticking her tongue out at her friend.

Tara laughed, turning her head to press a kiss to Willow’s cheek. “Worth it,” she said quietly, meeting Willow’s lips for a brief kiss. “If you’re tired, Buffy, I can go back to my room, let you two get some sleep.”

She moved to stand up, but Willow didn’t relinquish her grip around Tara’s neck. “Do you have to?” Willow asked, pouting.

Tara glanced sideways at where Buffy was politely ignoring them, nodding slowly. “You’re both sleepy. You should go to bed.” Willow kept pouting at her and Tara checked that Buffy was still ignoring them before she leaned over to suck on her girlfriend’s bottom lip, her hands pulling Willow’s face closer. They both opened for each other, kiss growing passionate quickly and Tara let the lip go reluctantly, her eyes closed as she leaned her forehead against Willow’s. “That’s why I need to go,” she whispered.

Willow nodded, sighing unhappily. “I know,” she said. “Can Buffy walk you home though?”

Tara smiled, glancing back at Buffy again. “All the vampires and demons are dead, sweetie. For tonight at least. I’ll be fine. I’ll call you the second I get in the door, okay?”

Willow nodded, seeing Buffy curl onto her side tiredly, her eyes closed. “Okay,” she agreed reluctantly. “Be careful.”

Tara nodded, smiling crookedly as she gathered her books and left quietly. Willow contemplated studying some more, but the words looked blurry through her tired eyes and she gave it up quickly, closing her book with a sigh. She looked over as Buffy cleared her throat, rolling onto her side to meet her friend’s eyes.

“You know I don’t care if Tara stays here,” Buffy said quietly.

Willow took a deep breath. “Buffy…I know you…just, thanks for being supportive,” she said. “You’ve been really cool about this.”

Buffy smiled. “No problem, Will. You’re my best friend, and Tara’s great. She really loves you.”

“I really love her too,” Willow said, smiling happily.

Buffy laughed quietly. “I figured that out when Oz left.”

“Oz,” Willow sighed. “He found a cure, you know?” she said softly. “He did it for me, and I knew it, and I sent him away.”

“You fell in love,” Buffy said. “You couldn’t just wait around for Oz to come back.”

Willow nodded, pillowing her head against her arms. “Yeah, I’m just lucky she brought me that cake,” she said, grinning.

Buffy laughed. “I’m sure you guys would have found each other,” she said reassuringly. “It just might have taken a little longer.”

The phone ringing kept Willow from answering, and she turned as quickly as she could on her bed to answer the phone. “Hey, baby,” she answered the phone.

Tara laughed on the other end. “What if it had been Giles?” she asked.

“It’s almost midnight, Tara. Who else would it have been?” Willow asked, leaning back into her pillows with the phone to one ear.

“Okay, I guess you have a point,” Tara conceded. “Are you in bed?” she asked softly.

Willow blushed, covering her eyes with one hand. “Tara,” she whispered, surprised. “What…?”

“Not like that, Willow!” Tara corrected her, blushing herself. “I meant that you’re sleepy and you should go to bed soon and not let me keep you up,” she said, laughing into the phone.

“Yeah,” Willow said, yawning uncontrollably. “I’ll sleep soon. You too, okay?”

“Okay,” Tara agreed, smiling to her empty room. “I’ll miss waking up with you in the morning,” she confessed quietly, her voice low.

“Me too,” Willow sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, sweetie. Would it be alright if I came over after I do my presentation for American Studies?” Tara asked.

“Yes,” Willow agreed immediately. “Anytime you want to come over. I don’t have any tests tomorrow so I’ll just be here studying. A Tara-shaped distraction would be perfect.”

Tara laughed quietly. “Count on it then. Sleep good, Willow,” she said as she heard the redhead yawn on the other end of the line.

“Good night, Tara. I love you.”

“I love you too, Will. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Tara said, hanging up.

Willow hung the phone up, the room quiet. “Buffy? You still awake over there?” she asked, not turning to look, just staring up at the ceiling.

“Yeah Will, I’m here,” Buffy said. “What’s up?”

Willow let out a deep breath. “Just, thanks for being cool about everything, with me and Tara, I mean. I don’t know how I could have dealt with this on my own.”

“You would have figured it out, Willow. You’re not a genius for no reason,” she said, laughing. “I’m really glad you told me though.”

“Me too,” Willow agreed.

Buffy hesitated, yawning into the pause. “Have you and Tara talked about the summer?” she asked. “She seems to get jumpy anytime someone mentions going home, and she’s never left Sunnydale anytime we’ve had a break so I didn’t know if she was staying here, or what.”

“She has her reasons not to go home, but I don’t know what she’s planning on doing for the summer,” Willow said. “We’ve been busy lately. I guess I didn’t think to ask her.”

Buffy laughed, curling into her pillow. “If your parents are as absentee this summer as they are every other summer, I bet she could stay with you and they’d never notice,” she suggested.

“Yeah,” Willow agreed hesitantly.

“You don’t think she’d go for it?” Buffy asked, surprised. “With all the hiding out we’ve been doing the last few months, you two have practically been living together anyway.”

Willow rubbed at her weak knee, a habit she’d developed since getting the cast off. “I know, it’s just…making it official, even just for a few months…that’s big.”

“Yeah, it is, Will,” Buffy agreed. “But listen, I was talking to my mom yesterday, and she said it’s okay if Tara wants to stay with us this summer.”

Willow sat up in surprise, looking across the room at her friend. “Buffy, really?”

Buffy nodded, smiling. “Yeah. It’s completely up to Tara, but just let her know she’s got a place at my house if you guys aren’t ready to make the leap.”

Willow took several quick, shaky, hopping steps, crossing the short distance between their beds, Buffy catching her as she started to fall, both of them laughing. “Thanks, Buffy,” Willow gasped. “You’re the best.”

Buffy laughed as she hugged her best friend. “No problem, Willow,” she said, helping Willow sit up, both of them yawning. “Now, we should get some sleep,” she suggested. “I don’t want anyone’s girlfriend mad at me for keeping you up any longer.”

“I wouldn’t tell,” Willow yawned, her eyes drooping heavily.

Buffy laughed, supporting Willow back to her own bed. “I think she’ll be able to tell,” she commented, guiding Willow under the covers before she clicked off the lights and slipped into her own bed.

*****

Tara knocked softly on Willow’s door, hearing her girlfriend call for her to come in. Willow was lying on her bed again, studying. She looked up when Tara came in, smiling distractedly.

“Hey,” Tara greeted her quietly.

“How was your presentation?” Willow asked, patting the bed beside her as she moved to give Tara space to join her.

Tara smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “It was fine. I didn’t even stutter,” she said, something like pride in her voice.

Willow grinned, laughing. “That’s my girl!” she cheered, hugging Tara excitedly. “Good job, baby. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, Willow,” Tara said, laughing as Willow’s eager hug pulled them down, out of balance. They rolled as Tara’s fingers tickled Willow’s sides teasingly. Willow squirmed, knocking her book off the bed. Tara stopped tickling her as Willow panted for air, leaning over to pick up Willow’s book while the redhead caught her breath.

Willow brushed her fingers over the pages, glancing at Tara shyly. “Tara, can I talk to you?”

Tara could feel the change in the atmosphere and she nodded. “Of course. What’s wrong?”

Willow shook her head quickly. “Oh, no! Nothing’s wrong, I promise, I just…I wanted to ask you, but I didn’t want to pry…”

Tara stopped her with a soft kiss, feeling Willow relax slowly as they kissed. The redhead’s hands slipped over the back of Tara’s neck, pulling her closer. “You can ask me anything, sweetheart,” Tara whispered against Willow’s lips. “What is it?”

Willow leaned in for another short kiss, her eyes sliding closed. She pulled back slowly, one hand resting on Tara’s cheek as she took a deep breath. “Do you want to…well, what I mean is…do you, what are your…”

Tara hushed her again, smiling encouragingly. “Just ask, Willow. Whatever it is can’t be too bad, right?” she asked, starting to feel nervous herself.

Willow nodded. “No, you’re right, it’s not bad, I’m just nervous. Sorry,” she said with an apologetic smile. “I don’t know if you know this, but you’re dating a spaz.”

Tara laughed, brushing Willow’s hair back gently with her hand. “I only date spazzy women,” she said, shaking her head. “Now, what did you want to ask me?”

Willow smiled more naturally. “I just wanted to ask you about this summer, I mean, your plans for this summer,” she said. “I assumed you wouldn’t be going home, but I didn’t know if you had a place to stay already, or if you maybe would want to stay with…me,” she said, her eyes bouncing around the room, anywhere but at Tara.

Tara sucked in a surprised breath, blinking. “Willow, really?”

Willow nodded sheepishly, still looking around her room. “Um, yeah, I mean, if you want to, or need to, or anything. And if you don’t want to stay with me, Buffy said her mom doesn’t mind if you want to stay there, but I’d love it if you’d stay with me. We’ve got plenty of rooms, so you wouldn’t have to stay with me, but you could just stay in the house…”

“Willow,” Tara interrupted her gently, one hand guiding her girlfriend’s face up to meet her eyes. “What about your parents?” she asked hesitantly. “They don’t know…”

Willow shook her head, biting her lip. “No, they don’t, but it’s not because I’m ashamed, because I’m not. I love you more than anything, and I’m going to tell them, I just haven’t seen them.”

Tara’s eyes widened. “You haven’t seen them?” she asked, surprised. She knew that she’d never met Willow’s parents, never heard her on the phone with them, and had never seen Willow go to her own house, but she’d been assuming that Willow just hadn’t mentioned seeing them or talking to them. “Not once?”

Willow shook her head again, sighing. “No,” she said, almost embarrassed. “They get the reports from my doctor, but I only saw them once at the hospital, a few days after the accident.” She shrugged. “They travel a lot,” she said sheepishly.

“So they won’t be around this summer?” Tara asked. Her fingers moved slowly through Willow’s hair, feeling her heart break for her girlfriend. “I’m so sorry, Willow.”

Willow blinked in surprise. “Oh, no Tara, it’s really not a big deal. I’m so used to it. I just don’t want you to think I’m trying to avoid telling them. I just had wanted to tell them in person, but I’ll call them right now if you want me to. I’ll call my dad’s secretary right now and tell her that you’re my girl, and I’m sure that he’ll get the message within an hour.”

Tara quirked an eyebrow at her. “An hour?”

Willow nodded, sighing. “She’s not a very good secretary,” she said. “I bet he’d call me back if I told him that way though,” she teased weakly.

“Willow,” Tara said softly. “Honey, I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell anybody you don’t want to.”

“I want to tell everybody I see, Tara,” Willow interrupted her earnestly. “I just haven’t seen my parents, but I’ll go door to door and tell everyone that I love you.” She rolled to her feet, taking a moment to get her balance, putting weight on her right leg gradually. “I’ll go right now,” she said, taking one tentative step.

Tara sat up quickly, wrapping her arms around Willow’s waist from behind and pulling her to lean against herself. “Sweetie, it’s okay,” Tara assured her immediately. “I know you love me, and I know you’ll tell them when you’re ready. I’m not expecting anything from you, baby. And you’re sweet to offer me a place to stay.”

“But?” Willow questioned, leaning back into Tara, the blonde on her knees on the bed.

Tara sighed, pressing a kiss behind her ear. “But I’m not sure your parents would be okay with it,” she said reluctantly.

“But other than that, you’d live with me?” Willow asked in surprise.

Tara laughed quietly against her neck. “Haven’t we been halfway living together already?” she teased softly. She rested her chin on Willow’s shoulder. “You don’t think it’s too fast?” she asked more seriously.

Willow was quiet for a moment, thinking it over seriously. “No,” she said. “Not if you’re okay with it. I don’t want you to feel any pressure. I’m not going to be offended or hurt if you want to stay at Buffy’s house. Or if you don’t want to stay with either one of us…”

“Willow,” Tara sighed. “Sweetie, I’d love to stay with you, if it’s really okay with you.”

Willow turned her head enough to see Tara’s eyes, smiling happily. “It’s really, really okay with me,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Tara corrected her. “I don’t really like the motel that much,” she confessed.

“The motel? You can’t stay at that place!” Willow protested. “It’s horrible! Faith used to live there!” She turned quickly to look Tara in the face. “Have you stayed there before?” she asked, surprised.

Tara shrugged, nodding. “Yeah, last summer. I don’t really didn’t have anywhere else to stay.”

“Well you do now,” Willow stated emphatically. “That place is gross.”

Tara laughed, curling her arms around Willow’s neck. “It’s not that bad, Will.” She smiled crookedly. “I’m sure your house will be much nicer though,” she said reassuringly.

Willow grinned, leaning in slowly. “I guarantee it is. My parents both have very nice taste, even if they’re never around to enjoy it.” She kissed her gently, fingers moving through soft blonde hair. She could feel Tara’s hand in her hair, guiding her closer. She stumbled as she tried to step closer, forgetting their proximity to the edge of her bed, and they tumbled to the side, breaking their kiss to laugh giddily.

“I’m sorry, Willow,” Tara gasped. “Are you okay?” Her hand found Willow’s knee, stroking gently through her thin pajama pants.

Willow nodded, still giggling. “I’m fine, baby. And I promise you that I’ll tell my parents about us as soon as they come home. I have no idea when that might be, but as soon as I see them, I’ll tell them.”

“It’s fine, Willow,” Tara said. “I know you love me.” She pressed a kiss to her girlfriend’s forehead. “That’s all I need to know.”

“I’m glad, but I need them to know,” Willow said quietly. “They are my parents. They should know how happy I am with you.”

Tara nodded, meeting Willow’s eyes. “I could stay somewhere else, if you want to tell them before…”

Willow shook her head against a pillow. “I want you with me.” She blushed. “Unless you’d rather stay with Buffy. She only lives a few minutes away from my house, so I could come over, and I promise I won’t be upset if you want to stay there instead, because I know it is kind of fast for us to live together, but I love you and I love spending time with you and I’d love to spend the summer with you and take you to the beach and to the Bronze, but we can do all of that without you living with me of course, but we’d be able to stay in and watch movies together, snuggle on the couch, and…”

She was cut off by Tara’s lips, the blonde kissing her passionately. Willow quickly forgot everything she was saying, caught up entirely in returning her lover’s affection. Tara’s kisses moved to her neck as Willow tried to catch her breath.

“What was I saying?” the redhead panted, holding Tara’s head to her. “God, you’re good at that,” she groaned as Tara sucked her earlobe into her mouth. Tara laughed without stopping her kissing, but rolled rapidly to Willow’s side as they both heard the doorknob start to turn.

It was obvious what they’d been doing, but Buffy didn’t comment, just winked and shrugged apologetically as Willow glanced over at her with a sigh.

“Hey, guys,” Buffy said. “Sorry about that.”

Tara and Willow both sat up, the redhead waving her friend’s apology away. “No problem. We were just talking. Tara’s going to stay with me over the summer.”

Buffy grinned. “That’s great,” she said happily. “We should be neighbors next year,” she suggested, putting her books down on her desk with a satisfied sigh. “One test down, four to go.”

“Wait a second,” Willow said, frowning. “What do you mean neighbors?”

Buffy gave her a look, glancing between the witches. “You know, neighboring rooms. You and Tara, and me,” she said slowly, pointing to the pair and then to herself. “We should get rooms that are next to each other, or across the hall, or something.”

“Me and Tara?” Willow asked dumbly. “What about me and you? You don’t want to be my roommate anymore?” she asked, hurt.

Buffy shook her head rapidly. “No, Willow, of course I do! You’re my best friend and I love living with you. I just figured that you and Tara…living together over the summer, you probably wouldn’t want to stop when the school year starts again.”

Willow and Tara exchanged glances, Tara smiling encouragingly, her expression giving Willow no clue what her girlfriend was thinking. “We, we haven’t really talked about it,” Tara offered, smiling nervously at Buffy. “I don’t want to take your roommate away.”

“I know Tara, and I’m not trying to get in between the two of you,” Buffy assured her. “Will, I just want you to be happy.”

“I am happy, the way it is,” Willow said, glancing between her girlfriend and her best friend. “Buffy…”

The Slayer stopped her quickly, shaking her head. “I didn’t mean to start anything, Willow. We just need to think about it.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Willow said, sighing heavily.

Tara glanced between them, frowning. “Willow, honey, you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to be hurt if you want to live with Buffy.”

“I want to live with both of you,” Willow complained. “It’s no fair.”

Buffy laughed, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. “That’s why I suggested being neighbors. Then you guys don’t have to worry about being interrupted during your…private time, but we can still be close by.”

Both witches blushed brightly, Tara covering her face with both hands. “Hush, Buffy,” Willow ordered, pulling Tara’s hand down and pressing a kiss to the back of it. “We’ll figure it out,” she said. “Or, I guess I’ll figure it out since it’s my decision.”

Both of the others gave her supportive smiles, neither one wanting to put any pressure on the redhead. Tara gave her a quick kiss, rubbing her back gently. “How was your exam, Buffy?” she asked, changing the subject.

“It was fine,” the Slayer said, shrugging. “How about you two? You had a presentation this morning, right Tara?”

Willow grinned as Tara answered. “It was fine,” she said, smiling shyly.

“She did great,” Willow bragged. “I mean, I wasn’t there, but I’m sure she did great. No stuttering or anything,” she said proudly.

Buffy laughed as Tara blushed. “Well, good job, Tara. Will, how was your studying?”

“Good,” Willow said, glancing sideways at Tara. “It was time for a break though.”

The Slayer laughed, grinning. “I know what you mean,” she agreed.

“When does Riley get back anyway?” Tara asked, still blushing brightly.

“Later today,” Buffy said happily. “He said he’d call when he was back in town.”

“So we won’t see much of you tonight,” Willow teased, smirking at her friend.

The Slayer sighed heavily. “We still have exams,” she lamented.

“Like that’s going to stop you,” Willow said, rolling her eyes.

“Because it was stopping you,” Buffy replied quickly, arching an eyebrow at her friend.

“Okay,” Willow protested quickly. “I think we can talk about something else now,” she decided, her blush matching Tara’s.

Buffy laughed, nodding. “That’s fair,” she agreed, leaning over to grab a book out of her bag and quickly flipping it open.

They each resumed studying, Tara and Willow stretched out beside each other on Willow’s narrow bed. Riley called early in the evening, right before sundown, and Buffy agreed to meet him for a short patrol while Willow and Tara chose to stay in. The blonde had finished all of her presentation preparations, so once she reached the point where she couldn’t study anymore for the one final exam she did have, she spent her time scrounging up something for them to eat from the meager supplies in the dorm room.

Willow looked up in surprise as a plate interrupted her stare at her textbook, her eyes following Tara’s arm up to her face. “How on earth did you find the stuff to make a pizza?” Willow asked, impressed as she sat up and took the plate.

Tara shrugged. “It’s not hard,” she said. “I’ve worked with less,” she commented, smiling. “You guys have a toaster oven so that made it easier, and the crust is actually tortillas, but it’ll taste pretty much the same as a thin crust pizza.”

“I suck at cooking,” Willow said, laughing. “So I’m very impressed.”

Tara laughed, sitting down beside Willow on the bed. “Well, I’m glad it’s so easy to impress you,” she teased. “What do you eat during the summer when you’re home alone?” she asked, curious.

Willow shrugged, taking a bite of her dinner. “Ramen noodles, or take out if I remember to eat in time to get out and back before the sun goes down,” she said easily.

Tara gaped at her, surprised. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen this summer,” she declared firmly.

Willow looked at her, belatedly realizing that Tara was concerned about her. “Hey, I mean, I’m fine. It’s not like I starve or anything. Sometimes I just get distracted, reading, or on the computer, or something.” She smiled, leaning in for a kiss but faltering when Tara dodged her.

“No kisses until you eat your dinner,” the blonde said teasingly. “You need to take better care of yourself,” she chided gently, smiling.

Willow pouted, taking another bite of her slice of pizza. “Fine,” she agreed petulantly, smiling after a second as Tara gave her a quick kiss. “That’s better,” she said, smirking.

“Eat your dinner, you goof,” Tara said, laughing and pushing lightly at her girlfriend’s head. Willow grinned, finishing her first slice pointedly, pushing a big bite into her mouth with one finger. “If you choke, you won’t get any dessert,” Tara said, smirking at her.

Willow blinked, her mouth full. “I know we don’t have anything in here that even you could turn into a dessert,” she said after she choked down her bite.

Tara was still smirking at her. “Are you sure about that?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow at her teasingly.

Willow took a shaky breath, glancing around the room in sudden nervousness. “No,” she said slowly, drawing out the word.

Tara held her smirk for a long moment before she broke down into giggles, shaking her head. “Well, you were right, I didn’t find anything to make for dessert,” she confessed, biting her lip. “Forgive me?”

Willow laughed, pushing lightly at Tara’s arm. “You little vixen!” she cried, laughing happily. “You so owe me!”

“What do you have in mind?” Tara asked, leaning over for a kiss. “Buffy’s gone for tonight,” she reminded her softly, lips brushing against each other as she spoke. Willow pressed forward, kissing her deeply for a few short moments before Tara pushed her back with a gentle hand on her chest. “Dinner first,” she prompted quietly. “We’ve got all night, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Willow shook her head silently, smiling as she stole a short kiss. “Definitely not going anywhere,” she whispered emphatically, winking as she pulled back so that she was sitting upright. She ate diligently, leaning back as she finished with a satisfied sighed. “You’re amazing,” she said, rubbing her stomach. “Can I keep you?” she asked, smiling at her as Tara turned to look down at her.

Tara laughed, one hand resting lightly over Willow’s on her belly. “I’m yours as long as you want me,” she agreed, laughing. “Did you eat too much?” she asked tenderly, her fingers trailing over her girlfriend’s shirt gently.

“Someone made me,” she answered, winking up at her. “How’d you make something so good out of random stuff you found in here?” Willow questioned, giggling as Tara’s fingers slipped under her shirt, tickling softly.

Tara laughed with her, shaking her head. “It was easy, but I’m glad you liked it.”

“I’m going to get so fat if you cook like that all summer,” Willow groaned happily.

Tara laughed harder, swatting her hand lightly against Willow’s flat stomach. “I doubt that very much, love. You’re at the gym every other day for hours. I’d have to cook some very bad food for you to beat that,” she said, smiling down at her.

Willow blinked up at her, her expression softening. “You called me love,” she said quietly, sitting up onto her elbows.

Tara nodded simply, smiling. “Because I love you,” she said. “Is it okay that I call you that?” she checked, already leaning over to meet her lover’s lips.

Willow’s kiss told her exactly what she thought of the term of affection, the redhead turning them to press Tara into the bed. Their position was awkward, both of their legs hanging off the side of the bed. They broke apart to laugh as Willow’s knees slipped repeatedly off the edge of the mattress. Willow’s lips were immediately on Tara’s neck, her hands sliding them gradually back on the bed while Tara let herself be moved, laughing.

“I guess this means you don’t mind if I call you that,” she commented, arching into her as Willow nipped at her neck, soothing the bite gently. “I’ll keep that in mind,” Tara gasped, Willow’s hands sliding under her back to hold their bodies together.

“Tara, love, less talking, more kissing,” Willow requested breathily.

Tara kissed her, laughing happily before kissing her again, giving up speaking in favor of fulfilling Willow’s request.

*****
Next Time: The girls have parental issues…

I know not much goes on in this one, but I figured the gang needed a (more) relaxed chapter and some time to chill...

HOLY CRAP Willowtree252 FASTEST DIBS EVER!

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Ripples - Pretty Much Perfect and The Sequel to the Sequel, Who's That Girl?
Every Step That I Retrace/Always Leads Me Back to You/But I've Loved You All Along
Road to Recovery, The Call/The Lightning Strike, The Sun Will Rise


Last edited by leonhart17 on Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Road to Recovery - Updates every Sunday and Wednesday
PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:00 am 
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Ms. Moderator Fantastico
Ms. Moderator Fantastico
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Location: Next to an Angel in Houston Texas
Dibs I cant believe it is almost to the end. I hope you are already thinking ahead to a new story. You are right about this chapter it gave a lot of back ground for everyone. Made them have more substance i cant wait till the next update. :pinky :pinky :pinky :pinky :pinky :pinky

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If you were a cave what kind of cave would you be


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