I am still absolutely thrilled about this newest chapter! After more than 5 years since the last update I really feared you had abandoned your story this time. Now I have trust again that you will always find back to it (just as Willow and Tara will always find each other). So you hope you'll finish this gem before your boys go to college? I hope they don't still go to elementary school right now, lol.
For me the chapter didn't feel rushed at all, just perfect as ever. Although...
Quote:
It was different once they were back in Tara’s bed, their hands more sure than they had been the night before, their smiles more shy in the light of the day. It was different making love in the gray morning light, different now that they had done it before. They lingered together for a while after Willow came, after Tara came, until Tara glanced at the clock and stole away from bed with an apologetic half smile, Willow weakly teasing her from her boneless, prone position about buying all of the blonde’s paintings so she wouldn’t have to leave her side.
… feel free to give more detail to that kind of scene the next time...
I loved how you captured the feelings of both our girls this first day as brand new girlfriends, the little moments of "can that really be true, it's not a dream this time?"
These parts stood out for me:
Quote:
“Nothing,” Tara said embarrassed as she shook her head. “I just. I want to kiss you.”
“Yay me,” Willow said and Tara blushed. When Tara didn’t move toward her, Willow’s brow quirked. “Tara, you don’t have to ask.”
“I know,” Tara nodded, her face saying otherwise. “I mean. It just. It hasn’t really sunk in all the way, you know?”
Quote:
“Go,” Tara said. “I’ll be here.”
It was a simple phrase, but Willow marveled at it. “Yeah,” she said, a soft smile pulling on her lips. “Okay.”
Both enjoying the new intimacy in everyday things like the breakfast with pancakes and watching spongebob together warmed my heart.
That same heart ached for Willow yearning for a sign from Buffy and her mom.
I have a hunch that Buffy will call or even show up personally at Tara's home while Willow is over at Khalil, I'm curious if I'm right.
One thing puzzled me: Tara obviously having 4 paintings now for the LA-show. I only remember 3 ("neon choir", the fire/frost painting and the fog (+ a hint of Willow's hand?)-painting. When Tara started painting "your hand in mine" she still was one painting short for the LA-show, as I recall - so when did she create painting No. 4?
Did she in a sudden strike of artistical genius transform the canvas with Willow's eyecolour into a complete painting before Willow got out of bed in this chapter?
These sentences don't really hint at something like that, though:
Quote:
Tara stood for a long time looking at her work, the wood floor’s chill seeping into her skin. She wouldn’t default with Marissa. She had set up the appointment for the movers last week—the shipping company would be here that afternoon to collect the paintings for the Los Angeles show—and that would be that. She looked at the paintings again and made peace with her decision.
The mistery of the 4th painting will keep nagging me, I'm sure - was it mentioned before and I totally forgot about it? I'll probably end up rereading the whole story - which isn't a bad thing at all!
Thank you again for the gift of this new chapter!

Please don't let us wait another 5 years for the next one, okay?
