Title: Live For The Moment
Author(s): Jada - Jade willows & Jessi - Willowlvr
Disclaimer: All characters belong to UPN, ME, Joss Whedon…plain and simple, not us.
Distribution: You can email us both at devoted_2_greeneyes@yahoo.com
Rating(s): PG – If it raises, we’ll let you know.
Feedback: Yes please!
Pairings: W/T definitely!
Spoilers: None
Summary: This is an (AU) fic, that takes place during the present time, in New York.
Live For The Moment
Chapter 1
~~
Death comes to us all, in one way or another. It's inevitable, we can't stop it, can't divert it's attention. When it comes there is nothing anyone can do. You may die of old age, an illness of some kind. You may die during child birth, but some are not given that luxury. In some cases they are robed of life, murdered, raped of there youth. Some never get the release death provides.
A child, the age of seven has never truly lived. She was stripped of that right by the one man, the one person who should have loved her, protected her, helped her rise above the clouds, and beyond. One man took everything she held dear. This man she called father.
~~
Georgia, 1988
A young blonde runs through the halls of an old plantation house.
"TARA!" comes a booming voice from some where in the house. The girl stops dead in her tracks. Foot steps can be heard from behind her. He appears inside a room to her right.
The young girl is terrified, trembling she slowly turns around, "Yes father."
The man smiles, "Tara, where do you think your going?"
Tara swallows hard, "I- I w-was going t-to the b-barn."
Her father looks at her sternly, "No your not Tara."
Tara looks confused, " But D-Daddy I.." her father smacks her hard across the face. "Don''t back talk me girl!!" Tara slides to the floor covering her throbbing cheek. "Yes sir." He turns and walks off, leaving Tara on the floor crying.
~~
New York, present day. Emerson inc.
"Tara, wake up, come on Tar, it's just a dream."
Tara's head snaps up. Tears running down her face, she looks up at her best friend. "Xander."
Xander looks down at her with a concerned look on his face. "Tara are you okay? You don't look well."
Tara stands straightening her clothes. "Yeah Xan, I'm fine. Just a bad dream."
Xander follows Tara out the door nodding his head. "I wish I'd known you then, I would kill that man!"
"No, Xan... he's gone now, there's nothing to worry about."
They exited the large corporation building side by side. Xander stops turning to Tara. "Tara, what was that? What's going on with you? Falling asleep on the job, that isn't like you."
Tara sighs shaking her head, "I know Xan, I just... lately I've wanted something different for my life. Something that's not me, you know?"
Xander looked down at her and nodded, "I know what you mean, but come on falling asleep at your desk, not a good change Tar."
Tara smiled playfully slapping him on the arm, "That was an accident. I didn't get much sleep last night."
Xander smiled as they continued to walk and chat.
~~
Across town. Present day, coffee house.
"So Will, what did the doctors say?" the blonde asked the young red head sitting across from her.
"Not much, Just, you know, just... the same old stuff right now." the red head replied with a far away look in her eyes.
The blonde lowered her gaze, attempting to hide her concern for her best friend. Willow reached across the table and raised Buffy's chin looking into her eyes. "No Buffy, I'm fine, more treatment is all they said. No sadness please, Today we have fun."
Buffy smiled at her life long friend. "We always have fun Will that's just a normal day with you."
Willow smiled. "So what do you want to do today?"
Buffy looked at her and smiled. "I was thinking, park, movie, pizza, gallery, and then clubs."
Willow smiled, "What are we waiting for? Lets get started."
They both jumped up and ran out the door. Walking along chatting Buffy stopped them outside a small cafe. "Hey Will, have you ever eaten here?"
Willow turns and looks at the small restaurant, "No, I don''t think so."
Buffy smiles, "Okay then tomorrow, we eat here."
Willow smiled nodding.
~~
Small cafe
Tara and Xander sat across from one another in silence. Tara was staring out the cafe window mesmerized by something.
"Tara, earth to Tar." Xander waves his hand in front of his friends face.
He follows her gaze and spots the cause of Tara's cationic state. He see's a tall red head about to cross the street in front of the cafe. Xander smiles, "Hey good taste there Tar, but she's not your type."
He notes the way she is dressed. Jeans with paint stains on them, and a sweat shirt. Obviously an artist.
Tara blinks a couple of times clearing her thoughts, "What do you mean!!! Not my type?"
Xander waves his hands in submission. "It's just she seems like she lives by the seat of her pants. You know, never makes plans, doesn't hold down steady jobs, just the complete opposite of you."
Tara got an offended look on her face. "What are you saying Xan, I'm boring? And besides that, how can you tell all that just by looking at her?" She stand up to leave.
"What can I say it's a gift, and no Tara, your not boring, just......"
Tara cuts him off, "No Xander your right, I'm boring. That girl could be just what I need though. " She walks out the door in search of the red head, with Xander close behind.
~~
Central Park
"...and he was really nice. Did I mention extremely good looking?" Buffy had been rambling on and on for the past half hour about her newest love interest, Angel.
"Yes Buffy, total babe. Got it." Buffy looked at her and frowned, Willow was just staring off into space, not listening, just repeating the last things she said. "Will, you okay?"
Willow looked back at her with tears in her eyes. Buffy leaned over and hugged her close.
Sometimes Willow would go off in her own world, to think, and then make a crash landing back to the real world. Buffy knew just to sit and let her cry. She finally looked up at Buffy, "Buffy, why me? Why did this have to happen to me? What have I done wrong? Is this some sort of punishment? Am I a bad person?"
Buffy sadly looked at her best friend, "No Will, your not a bad person. Out of everyone I have ever met, you are the best person there could ever be. I just don't know what to say sweetie. Sometimes there's a bigger plan for special people like you. We'll never know what it is, but I'm sure in your
case it's very important. You''ll be okay Will." she stood up taking Willows hands in hers, "Come on, it's Gallery time."
Willow smiled standing up, "okay lets go." They both walked out of the park, hand in hand.
~~
"Xander, you slowpoke, keep up." Tara was running through the park, trying to catch the red head, with Xander, wheezing behind her, "Tara... do we have... to run... thi......s fa...sssst...?"
Tara looked at him and rolled her eyes. She quickly scanned the park, and see's... no red head. She turns back to the still panting Xander and smacks him in the back of the head, "Thank you wheezy we lost her."
Xander rubs his head and shrugs. "She's probably going to some Gallery some where."
Tara looks at him skeptically, "If your wrong, I'm locking you out of the apartment. You can go stay with Anya."
Xander swallows hard as Tara walks past him.
~~
Gallery
Buffy and Willow entered a small gallery and were greeted by a tall, attractive black woman. "Willow, good to see you. Got any of those new pieces we spoke about?"
Willow smiles hugging the woman. "Not today Stacey, sorry."
They separated smiling at one another. "Well, I'll just have to keep your old exhibit open until you bring in your new paintings."
Willow smiled nodding her head, "That'd be nice Stacey." Willow and Buffy said there goodbyes and began looking at several new exhibit's.
Tara and Xander came running into a small gallery, both breathing heavily
"She better be here Xander, this is the only one we haven't checked." Tara scanned the small gallery. "Xan, do you see her? Is she here?"
Xander was standing off to Tara's right, with a goofy grin on his face.
"Xan, this is no time to be thinking about sex. Help me find her" Tara said walking over to Xander.
Xander nodded in the direction he was looking and looked back at Tara. "I'll have you know, that it's not me that thinks about sex all the time, it's Anya. I found your girl."
"Oh my god Xan," Tara said grabbing onto Xander's arm shaking him excitedly.
"Isn't she beautiful Xan? Look at her." Tara walked off nervously to meet the red head.
She slowly approached the painting the red head was standing in front of, "Rembrandt, he was a genius." she smiles when the girl looks at her.
Willow smiles, giggling softly, "actually her name is Amy Madison, and yes,
she is pretty good." The blonde blushes deep red ducking her head, so her
long hair covers her blushing cheeks. Willow smiled, "Not much of an artist
buff are you hun?"
Tara looked at her smiling, "No not really. I'm Tara."
She extends her hand in Will's direction, Willow takes it in a friendly firm hand shake, "I'm Willow."
They both smile and look back to the painting. Tara looked to the back of the gallery, trying to find something to talk about, she quickly spotted something. She turned to Willow , "So, you seem to know so much about art,"
She starts to walk to the small display, "Who did those?" she points to the paintings in aw.
Willow looks at her and smiles, "You like those?"
Tara shakes her head, "There beautiful." Willow looks at the paintings, "Not my best work, but there okay."
Tara looks at her, her mouth open, "You did not paint those." Willow smiles and points to the signature, “Will, R.'' Tara smiles, "Will, not Willow," Willow looks at her amused, " If you say so."
"Will, lets go. Stacey wants to talk to you about your new pieces."
Willow looks over at Buffy and smiles, "Be right there Buff." She turns back to a red faced, flabbergasted Tara. "Tara, it's been nice talking to you, but I have to go." with that she turns to leave. She stops before reaching Buffy, who is waiting for her, "And Tara, it's Willow Rosenberg. Ya know, Will R." then she walks off smiling to herself.
*Jada* & ~~Jessi~~
Can't wait for more! Okay, maybe I can but not too long please? You know I'm impatient! 
