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TITLE: Lessons In Love
AUTHOR: Laragh
CHAPTER RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Joss, UPN, FOX, ME and anyone else associated with the television show Buffy The Vampire Slayer own the characters of Willow and Tara and anyone else who may appear, I am simply a lowly viewer, trying to write some happier situations for, who I consider, the greatest TV couple ever.
SUMMARY: Highschool fic! You guys know I'm bad at summaries, so I’m gonna go with my standard 'happy, light reading.'
SPOILERS: Completely AU, so I doubt any. At most, the odd reference or piece of dialogue. Not supernatural, no way am I smart enough to write a magic fic
FEEDBACK: I love it.
Chapter 22
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“You ready?” Tara asked gently after she had taken the keys from the ignition.
“Yea. As I’ll ever be,” Willow replied, casting a reassuring smile across the car.
After dinner the night before and an impromptu bubble fight when they had done the dishes, the couple had elected for an early night, having had an exhausting weekend. Willow had been able to grab enough clothes to last at least a few days, and could wash anything that she needed to, as well as her book bag for school, so she didn’t have to worry about sneaking into her house to get anything. She had found that, surprisingly, she was able to sleep, even with all the thoughts running through her mind and the fact that she’d had a nap already, that Tara’s arms around her just soothed her to the point that she could do nothing but relax.
The morning had come quickly, bringing the prospect of school, which Willow was looking forward to, a distraction of sorts, but it also meant facing the gang and telling them what had happened.
They got out of the car, clasping hands as they walked into the school grounds, spotting Buffy and Anya sitting together on a bench near the entrance.
“Hey Will, Tara,” Buffy greeted, “Where’ve you two been all weekend? Haven’t heard a thing from you guys.”
“Um, around,” Tara answered, trying to hide her blush, both her and Willow sitting on the bench as well.
“Actually, guys,” Willow sighed, “Something happened.”
“Ohh, what? Did you two finally do it?” Anya asked, leaning forward in interest.
“Ahn, why don’t you come over here, with me, I’ll fill you in while Willow talks to Buffy,” Tara said, standing up and dragging her friend away before she had a chance to respond.
“All that woman ever thinks about is sex,” Buffy shook her head, watching them leave.
“She’s right, Buff,” Willow replied in a quiet voice.
“What?!”
“We made love.”
“Will, that’s great. Why aren’t you woo-hooing? Was it not good? Don’t let the first time put you off; my first time was really just sore and uncomfortable. That and I didn’t really love Riley, I mean, I thought I did, but you know…”
“No, Buffy, it was incredible. I’ve never felt anything more amazing in my life.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
Willow took a deep breath and looked her friend in the eye.
“Dad walked in on us.”
Buffy’s eyes went wide.
“Oh that’s not good. Right in the middle of…?”
“Actually at the exact same second that I…that’s not important, point is, he got an eyeful and I got outed all at once.”
“Jeez…what’d he do?” Buffy asked, feeling sorry for her best friend.
“They kicked me out, Buff,” Willow replied in a small voice, hanging her head.
“They kicked you out!? How…What!?”
“Said I wasn’t welcome in their home as long as I refused to ‘change my ways’.”
“Where are you staying?” Buffy asked, her head spinning from all the information.
“Tara’s. Her Mom is being super nice, said I could stay as long as I need. I don’t want to impose, but I believe her, ya know? That I really am welcome.”
“There’s a bed at mine if you need it too.”
“Thanks, Buffy. I appreciate it.”
Tara and Anya chose that moment to come back and Tara sat next to her girlfriend, entwining their hands once again.
“You guys are okay, though, right?” Buffy asked, needing to be reassured that her friends were all right, “All happy and couply?”
“Very much so,” Tara said, giving Willow a kiss on the forehead.
“Morning, ladies,” Xander said as he walked up to them just then, “What’s new?”
“Willow got kicked out after her Dad walked in on Tara going down on her,” Anya remarked.
“Anya!” Tara said through gritted teeth as Willow went pale.
“You gave her specifics?!” the redhead asked, upset.
“She kept asking and apparently I was blushing more at the right answers,” Tara replied in an apologetic tone.
Willow nodded, knowing Anya and knowing that she had an uncanny ability to get information out of someone even if they never said a word.
“I, uh, I…” Xander said from in front of them, a shocked look on his face. He snapped himself out of his daze as two words registered with him, “Kicked out? They kicked you out? Where are you staying?”
“With me,” Tara said, wrapping one of her arms around her girlfriend’s waist.
“Whoa, that is crazy bad. I’m sorry Willster, is there anything I can do?”
“Just you guys being here is good,” Willow replied, looking around at her group of friends, “Thanks for being my friends.”
“I think this calls for a group hug,” Buffy said, starting said hug by wrapping her arms around Willow.
Xander put a hand around Tara and Anya respectively and brought them both in, closing the five of them in a slightly awkward, yet loving embrace. They broke apart a moment later when the bell rang loudly through the corridors. Xander turned to head to Gym class, claiming if he was late one more time he was going to get a detention, while Anya headed to History.
“I’m in Calc,” Willow said, shrugging her bag onto her shoulder.
“I know,” Tara said and leaned down for a chaste kiss, “Go get your math on.”
Willow giggled a little and went towards her math room.
“You’re in English, right Tara?” Buffy asked, gathering her books, “I’m in French, same direction.”
“Cool,” Tara replied, falling into step with the blonde, “Buffy, can you do me a favour?”
“Sure.”
“Lunchtime, can you tell Willow that I had to meet with my English teacher so I won’t be there?”
“Uh, yea, of course. Why couldn’t you tell her before?”
“Because she’d wonder how I knew he wanted to meet with me before I even went to class. But you can say I caught you after French and let you know.”
“Why do I feel like this story is missing a massive chunk?”
Tara sighed and bit her lip.
“I just have to do something. But it’s nothing bad, I promise, and she’ll worry if I don’t show up.”
“Alright, Tara, I trust you. But you better not be doing anything that could hurt her. I will whip out my tiny little fists if I have to.”
“It’s not, Buffy. And I wouldn’t. And if I ever do, you have my full support in beating the crap outta me.”
Tara stopped outside her classroom and looked at Buffy pleadingly.
“I’ll let her know. Good luck with whatever.”
“Thank you, Buffy. Thanks so much.”
***
Tara knocked on the door and waited. She had weighed up the pros and cons of going to see the Rosenbergs by herself and decided it couldn’t get much worse in terms of parental relations for her girlfriend, so it couldn’t hurt. She also assumed this would be the best, if not one of the only available times, since they seemed to be away almost all the time, but since they’d returned early, she guessed they wouldn’t have had a chance to organise anything so soon. She was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening.
Ira looked confused, surprised and somewhat dismayed to see the young brunette standing in his doorway.
“Mr. Rosenberg,” Tara greeted in a confident voice.
Above all else, she was not going to let herself feel get any bad feelings about her relationship again.
“Tara, isn’t it?” Ira replied, cordially.
He didn’t know what the girl was doing here, he assumed that she knew what had been said the evening before, that his daughter had gone to her house when she left.
“That’s right, sir. I was wondering if I could speak to you and your wife about Willow? I know you might have nothing to say to me, but I think there’s a few things you need to hear.”
Ira sighed and stepped to the side. He’d been so shocked to see his little girl in such a compromising position the night before that he felt he’d maybe reacted a bit hastily and certainly harshly, with some of the things he’d said, but his wife had been just as distraught at the revelation, and he had followed her lead.
“Thank you,” Tara said, stepping into the house.
She heard the door close behind them and saw Mr. Rosenberg move towards the study at the back of the house, indicating for her to follow.
“Sheila, we have a visitor,” he said, entering the study and seeing his wife reading over something.
Sheila looked up and had a confused look on her face. Tara saw the look and stepped forward.
“We haven’t met, Mrs. Rosenberg. My name is Tara and I’m your daughter’s girlfriend.”
She saw anger fill the older woman’s eyes at the mention of the word ‘girlfriend’. Apparently, Ira did too.
“I think we need to listen to her, dear.”
“Oh, very well,” Sheila relented, rolling her eyes, “You better take a seat.”
Tara sat down on one of the chairs in the room, opposite the elder couple and cleared her throat.
“I know that yesterday came as a shock…to all of us. But you should know that that’s not how Willow wanted to come out to you, she was going to sit you down and discuss it.”
“Regardless of how she told us, our reaction would have been the same,” Sheila remarked.
“With all due respect, ma’am, I think the…situation heightened some emotions slightly. I think you need to reconsider everything’s that happened. I am very much in love with your daughter and she loves me back. Neither of us went looking for a relationship, but it found us anyway. And for what it’s worth, I’m not a bad kid. I get good grades, I’m in two AP classes, like Willow, and I don’t drink or do drugs. I’m doing the SAT in May, like Willow as well and I’ve got a good relationship with my mother.”
Ira smiled a small smile at the brunette, he had liked her the first time they’d met and even with everything else going on, he couldn’t help but warm to her now as well. That and the fact that she clearly loved his daughter.
“No father?” Sheila sneered.
“He’s not a part of my life, Mrs. Rosenberg but that’s his own choice, not mine. Look, I understand if it’s gonna take time, if ever, for you to accept me as your daughter’s girlfriend…But Willow is exactly that, your daughter…and as strong as she is, that you would just kick her out of the only home she’s ever known is killing her.”
“Young lady, I don’t know who you think you-”
“Oh would you give it a rest, Sheila,” Ira exclaimed, “Listen to her. Our child is hurting and what, we don’t care? I was there when she cut her knee or fell off her bike, and this is no different.”
Sheila, shocked that her husband had stood up to her for the first time in…well, ever, turned and gaped at him.
“You are not suggesting we accept her…lifestyle.”
“I’m suggesting we accept our daughter, no matter who that may be. I don’t want her to be gay either, to face that kind of discrimination…but that’s exactly what we did, we discriminated against our own child. And for what? Because she found love? We should happy it’s with such a nice person, not some junkie or-”
“With a girl!” Sheila exclaimed, indignant.
“A girl maybe, but a delightful girl. She could see what we clearly can’t, Willow is special and deserves to be treated as such!”
Tara sat in the chair, wide-eyed at the conversation before her and suddenly felt like she was intruding. Not knowing what to do, she just stayed quiet.
Sheila sighed and rolled her eyes once again. She knew her husband was right but refused to acknowledge it. Her and Willow were so different, she knew, the only thing the elder Rosenberg had passed on was her red hair. Without saying another word she stood and left the room, bringing her textbook along with her.
Ira massaged his temples and shook his head. The last time him and his wife had disagreed, or even really talked, about anything was so long ago that it was extremely tiring just doing it. He suddenly remembered Tara was still in the room. He raised his head and looked at her.
“Tara, I am still very conflicted about everything, but I do appreciate you coming here today. You made me realise a lot about my family, and myself, a lot of which I don’t like. I can’t speak for my wife, and quite frankly I think her actions have spoken for her, but…forcing Willow out of her own home was an appalling action. She is, of course, welcome back.”
Tara stood up, surprised at how everything had played out.
“Sir, I think you should maybe tell her that yourself.”
Ira nodded in agreement.
“If I collect her from school, could you make sure she’s at the entrance? You are in school today?”
“Yes, I’m on lunch right now. And I can definitely make sure she’s there,” Tara replied.
“Good. Thank you. Do you, um, need a lift back to school?” Ira asked, unsure of what the protocol was for thanking your daughter’s secret girlfriend for making him come to his senses.
“Oh, not necessary. I have a car. But thank you.”
“Okay then. I’ll walk you to the door.”
Tara nodded and they both made their way to the front door in silence. Ira held it open.
“Thank you, Tara. If my daughter has to be in love with a girl, I’m glad it’s you,” he said as Tara walked through.
Tara seemed genuinely pleased at the kind-of compliment and smiled one last time in thanks before walking down the driveway, getting into Alexis and driving back to school.
Ira watched her drive away, then turned back into the house. He was going to talk to his wife and he was not looking forward to it.
***
“Stupid English teacher, taking away from my Tara-time,” Willow pouted as Tara walked her to her locker.
For fear that the Rosenbergs wouldn’t actually show up after school, she had kept up the pretence that she had been meeting her teacher at lunch, meaning this was the first time they’d seen each other since that morning, Willow gathering her books, ready to leave school.
“You’re being all quiet, are you okay?” the redhead continued.
“I’m fine. You ready?” Tara replied with a smile.
“Yea.”
They walked towards the carpark, Willow getting confused when they veered slightly to the entrance of the school.
“Where are we going?” she asked, perplexed.
“I just want to check something.”
“Tara, what are you…” Willow trailed off as she saw her father standing there, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, “What?!”
Tara gave the man a small wave and turned to her girlfriend.
“You need to go. You guys should talk. Call me later.”
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It was so beautiful!!!
... I hope Willow, Tara & Ira 
some sense into Sheila so she can be happy and proud about Willow... Big 
craving somewhat taken care of for the day, I suppose I better head off to do my own homework... 
ookay..shutting up now
that what would happen when you got hot for someone 
