Heartfelt thanks and cyber hugs for reading and taking the time to give feedback; it’s golden and it’s listened to! with several of your great ideas regularly stolen, I mean USED!!! 
More opportunity to get involved as Willow and Tara face
an important naming challenge. Yes, read below and feedback or e-mail your name suggestions (see section in body of story) be sure to specify relevant details.
Wimpy:
Oh, sweet, simply sweet and beautiful first experiences. I really love how Tara explains things to Willow in a much more lovely way than her mother did. It's so much more appealing that way, especially now that she's experienced the "melting". *sigh*
Willow is still so naive, but yet her feelings for Tara enable her to tell her what she wants to do and have done. And Tara letting her know that she's that special one was beyond beautiful. Again, with the *sigh* moment.
Heartfelt thanks for ALL your support both reading and for the lovely PM’s! Their physical relationship will always have a mixture of the goofy and the glorious. I’ll do my best to walk that line with love.
Laragh:You captured the tenderness and uncertainty of the first time perfectly. They listened to each other's bodies and...wow, it really was just amazing.
So very glad you liked it. I was nervous about writing this and I looked at your writing, Robin’s “The Wave”, and BeMyDeputy’s “Queen of Hearts” and FineyMcFine's "Racing the Rain" for inspiration. No offense to anyone else, your stories captured a tender first time moment for me.
Also glad we share a love for “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” See note to Vampyregurl below! There’s more of us than we thought!
SMGOVAN:That was simply Beautiful....
That warmed my heart . . . *sigh* Thanks so much for writing. It means more than you know!
MAGGIE!: (first name basis, I’m in the club at last – woohoo!)
Aww, that was sweet! I love that they got to share that with each other - and I love how honest they are with each other now that everything is out in the open...
Thank you, love needs to shine and be seen!
Nue:owww, so cute ^^I really like how naive and young they are... I miss those days XD
Me, too! Definitely felt some nostalgic yearnings . . . I hope to do their love justice, there is a lot more to tell. Stay with this and thanks so much for writing!
Shel AKA FineyMcFine:Oh Dear Ariel...that was so sweet and really beautiful! *swooning* now. Willow is still so innocent and naive but I bet now she catches up pretty fast:)
So glad it touched you. You are such a fine writer yourself! (see note to Laragh above!) And YES Willow is catching on very fast indeed! In fact Tara is just a little breathless contemplating their next research project!
Nanotech:Thanks for reading and taking the time to write. Your concern was important so I hope we’re good that Tara’s 16 and Willow’s 15 and their both very innocent for their ages. Appreciate your honesty – happiness to you and yours!
Robin AKA LonelyTaraLovely, lovely! *Wipes a tear...*
See note to Laragh above, thanks for bringing me the WAVE and providing inspiration for that scene through your own work!
Zampsa19752001:I really liked their first time and how Tara literally had to explain everything... I definately like Tara's moms explanation to Sheila's...
Yeah. Sheila’s a creepy shrink (as opposed to a good shrink!) who wants Willow to track along the right developmental timetable without thinking about how she is being an utterly intrusive clod.
WillowTaraLover:You're most recent chapter, when they finally sleep together was beautiful, with neither of them being sure what to do and slowly feeling their way into making love with one another, it was just so sweet.
Keep up the awesome work Ariel.
Thank you, O Prince of Pirate Stories, for taking the time to read and comment! Glad to take turns entertaining each other!
Vampyregurl:Their innocence evolving into more mature knowledge, you did very sweetly again with the tickling that results in an accidental grope to move things along.
‘Sweet groping’ indeed! Again with the French! And thank you once more O most delightful of diva’s. Brava, simply, brava! And yes, tickling was a convenient method for starting to touch. (I've used it myself!
)
*sigh* I have to say I memorized "Nothing Gold Can Stay" when I was 12, and I love Robert Frost. But Tara whispering to a sleeping Willow "stay gold" makes me apprehensive (and makes me think of The Outsiders).
Yeah. I did too, actually. And I first heard it in The Outsiders. Ironically, I wasn’t thinking of Johnny’s letter to Ponyboy, but it must have been inside me because Tara looked at Willow and was touched by her innocence. Not Willow’s sexual innocence which Tara shares, but her innocence of horror - of the evil that people do to each other. And specifically it refers to the occasional physical abuse that Tara endures and how it has hurt her physically and emotionally. (You knew that already!)
Just another of the 'melting" and "singing"....
Another word for orgasm, curiously enough is ‘dying’ and orgasm is referred to as ‘the little death’ just a piece of trivia for someone who can appreciate Morticia Adams. . .
Title: How I met your mother*
Author: Ariel
Email:
blaziak@yahoo.com
Feedback: All feedback welcomed, specific input appreciated.
Rating: R rating for nudity and W/T happiness for this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to take them for a ride!
Summary: A/U before season 1, the summer after Willow's freshman year with a large dose of Queen Cordelia at her bitchy best and teen-aged angst.
*no connection to the sit-com of the same name
Thoughts are in italics.
Part 13: The Morning After
Willow awakened and stretched luxuriously in Tara’s arms. Then she snuggled closer and tightened her embrace, loving the feeling of Tara’s warm skin pressed against hers. “Body kisses,” she murmured. Then she met Tara’s eyes and lifted her lips with the delightful certainty that there would be more Tara kissage. Willow was right, Tara leaned down and took tender possession of her lips and they ravished each other’s mouth with the confidence of young lovers.
“I feel all glow-y.” Willow smiled, and then sat up energetically, “let’s do it over again!” Then an instant later her tummy rumbled and they heard the breakfast bell ring.
They started by groaning but ended up laughing together as they scrambled into their clothes and carefully locked the door behind them. Then they kissed each other once more, silently promising their night together, and climbed down the ladder. Next they ran to their cabin to change shirts.
Willow saw Tara’s shirt come off and she stepped forward to take the creamy softness of Tara’s bra covered breasts in her hands, kissing one then carefully kissing the other. “So they don’t get jealous,” she explained. Then her eyes lit up. “I’m going to name your breasts!”
Tara’s jaw dropped and she felt each cell of her body ignite in the mightiest blush of her life.
Willow looked anxious, “I can, can’t I? I mean, unless you’ve already named them. Did you?”
Tara somehow managed to shake her head ‘no’ while still remaining in a state of shock.
Willow grinned, taking that as permission to unleash her imagination. “Great! We’ll do it tonight.” Her green eyes sparkled with mischief. “Of course this is going to take ex-ten-sive research!”
Suddenly Tara stepped forward and hugged Willow tight, kissing her then leaning back to run her fingers through Willow’s beautiful hair until Willow started bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.
“So tonight’s the night!”
Suddenly Tara grinned back, letting a wicked light flare in her gorgeous blue eyes, “O-only if I get to name yours!”
“Deal!”
Then their eyes met and they started to laugh together as they raced to put on clean shirts and head out for breakfast.
As they stepped onto the outside porch of the dining hall, they saw Jenilee waiting for them. She drew them aside for a moment and smiled. “I believe you have a key I may have uh lost.”
“Key? What key?” Willow blushed. “Oh yeah. THAT key!” She fished it out of her pocket and handed it to Jenilee who winked then flashed a smile. “Welcome to the riding club, girls!”
They both blushed and stumbled off so awkwardly that they were glad to fill their plates at the buffet line without spilling anything on themselves. Then they joined Hallie who was sitting at their table with their kids. She flashed them a cheerful grin. “Glad you two made it! I was about to send out a search party.”
“Th-thanks, Hallie!” Tara’s tone was grateful and Willow nodded her fervent agreement.
“Hope you two had fun!” Hallie observed their blushes with an amused smirk then left to rejoin Lawanna and their kids at their own table.
Devola stared at them critically. “Why are you all red?”
They exchanged glances. Then Willow answered, “Well we ran all the way over here! Uh, did you have fun with Hallie?”
The kids nodded. Towanda spoke up. “We went on a secret mission!”
Lisa chipped in, “We snuck through the entire camp and—“
“Spied on people,” Devola said conspiratorially. “It was great! There’s a whole bunch of cracks and knotholes and stuff. Mrs. Finch puts some kind of cream on her top lip!”
Connie Ferguson chimed in, “And Cordelia puts her hair in rollers and puts goopy white stuff on her face!”
Bettina frowned, “Cordelia’s a big fat—“
Willow and Tara both reached out hands to cover her mouth.
Bettina crossed her arms stubbornly. “Well she is!”
Towanda grinned, “Hey, it’s time for a new swear word of the day!”
Bettina continued her glowering, “’Cordelia’ is my swear word!”
Lisa disagreed, “Can’t use someone’s name.”
“Can too!”
Towanda made a seven-year-old’s attempt at diplomacy. “Just shut up about it, Betts, okay?”
“How about ‘vomit’?” Suggested Devola.
Connie and Kate grimaced but Debbie asked admiringly, “How did you get so disgusting, Devola?”
Devola grinned, “I had to take special classes.” Most of the girls cracked up laughing, then the serious discussion continued until Debbie recalled a train trip through Southern California and “Cucamonga Breath” became the swear words of the day.
A moment later Mrs. Finch announced the morning Counselor’s meeting and the group gathered again in the circle of chairs.
“Good morning, everybody. Any comments before we get started?”
Tara raised her hand, “I want Willow b-back for the riding program.”
Cordelia’s dark eyes flashed, “But we agreed that she would help me with crafts since Faith is already helping you.”
Tara’s voice was firm. “No, we agreed to try it for one day. F-faith does a good job on riding, but I need Willow to help with the paperwork and m-manage the schedules!”
Willow grinned and moved her body closer so that they were sitting leg to leg.
Mrs. Finch wavered, “Well, you do have Faith—“
Tara cut her off. “Y-you s-said the program was important and to ask for wh-what I need. I need Willow.
“And we know for what!” Cordelia hissed under her breath.
Tara’s face felt hot, but she pretended not to hear and looked steadily at Mrs. Finch. “Willow and Faith. I n-need them both.”
Mrs. Finch made an exasperated gesture. “Fine! You may continue for the remainder of the week and I’ll let you know if I approve. Can we move on? Thank you!”
The rest of the meeting was fairly routine, just reminders about being sure the kids wore sunscreen, drank enough water, and actually brushed their teeth and showered.
As everyone stood up to leave, Mrs. Finch shot Willow and Tara a glance. “I’d like to see you two in my office.”
“W-we have an advanced riding—“
“Now, please.”
Tara and Willow exchanged glances, then Tara hurried to find Faith who was in the kitchen, scraping plates and loading the dishwasher. “Faith! Mrs. Finch wants to see us right now. C-can you get the young advanced class saddled? Keep ‘em in the Corral.” She shot Faith a reassuring glance. “I’m asking about m-more money for you.”
Faith’s grin lit up her face. “Great, T. Hey, why don’t I saddle up Midnight for you?” Tara started to thank her but she waved it off. “No worries, I got it!”
“Hey, T.” Suddenly the grin slid off Faith’s face. “You don’t think, I mean this isn’t about the party is it?”
Tara’s face was grim. “L-let’s hope not.” She left the kitchen and re-entered the dining hall.
Then she turned to Willow and slid an arm around her waist. “Ready?”
Willow smiled a little unsteadily, but gave her waist an answering squeeze. “Ready.”
The walk to Mrs. Finch’s office was, as usual, far too short. They entered, finding her just hanging up the phone.
“Sit down, girls.”
They sat, instinctively edging their chairs closer together and clasping hands.
Mrs. Finch sighed. “Your cabin’s Senior Counselor will not be coming until either the middle or the end of next week. Can you two carry on with your girls until—“
Tara’s smile was luminous. “Oh, yes!”
Willow bounced in her chair. “Absolutely! Willow and Tara Cabin-ification continues!”
Mrs. Finch smiled. “Good!” She looked confused for a moment. “There’s one other thing . . . “
Tara jumped in. “Uh, M-Mrs. Finch. It’s about Faith and some other stuff.”
“Go ahead, Tara.”
Tara took a deep breath and felt a reassuring hand squeeze from Willow.
“F-first, we haven’t settled the m-money stuff. Willow and I are getting J.C. pay and at least one of us should get the extra m-money for a S-senior.”
Mrs. Finch looked a little taken aback.
“L-look, I know we’re not 18 and we’re not experienced counselors, so j-just give most of the extra to Faith and keep the rest. I already get paid more as a program m-manager so that’s okay.”
She looked at Willow for confirmation and got an enthusiastic nod.
Mrs. Finch cleared her throat. “I will take that under advisement and let you know.” She managed a smile. “In the mean time, please keep up the good work.” She glanced at her watch. “Heavens! Why aren’t you two with the advanced riding class! Hurry!”
Tara and Willow grinned at each other, then jumped to their feet and headed for the stables.
[center]*******************************[/center]
The girl had chin length straight cinnamon colored hair, light brown eyes, and a light dusting of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She was dressed in an English riding costume and had simply mounted Ghost, the white mare. She sat stiffly, without speaking to any of the other girls.
Towanda looked her over, “who are you supposed to be?”
Kate smiled in a friendly way, “You kind of remind me of Velvet Brown in ‘National Velvet’. Are you dressing up?”
The girl rolled her eyes. “I’m dressed for riding English.”
Kate frowned, “I don’t think there are any English saddles here.”
The girl was definitely put out. “What kind of a place is this, anyway?”
Devola smiled, proudly. “We’re the advanced riding class, uh the younger advanced riding class.” She grinned, “They keep us separate so we don’t show up the big girls and embarrass them!”
The girl seemed bored. “Well, I’m definitely an advanced rider. I can gallop and I’m learning how to jump, too.”
Towanda was tired of her. “Yeah sure.”
The girl flushed. “Are you calling me a liar?”
Towanda stared straight into her eyes. “We’re not allowed to gallop yet, so I guess we’ll never know. Lucky for you!”
The girl stiffened and glared at Towanda. She dismounted swiftly to the ground, pulled the gate open enough to get out then remounted just as Faith entered leading Arrow and Midnight.
Tara and Willow ran towards the corral. “Stop!”
“I can so gallop! Watch me!” Then the girl shot through the open gate on Ghost and kicked her into a gallop.
“Stop! Wait for us!” Tara swung herself onto Midnight while Faith mounted Arrow.
“You can’t stop me!” She had a good head start and was putting a lot of distance between her and the corral.
“Willow! Keep them in the corral. Faith, come on!” With that, Tara raced through the gate with Faith right behind her.
The girl laughed with defiant exhilaration, “Can’t catch me!” Then she leaned over Ghost’s back and savored the wind whipping against her face while Tara and Faith galloped behind her and began closing the gap.
Suddenly a gopher popped out of its hole a few yards away and Ghost veered sharply to the right, almost unseating the girl. She screamed, her grip loosening on the reins, as a terrified Ghost ran flat out.
Tara was hunched over Midnight’s neck, coaxing every last bit of speed she could from the powerful gelding. She turned to Faith and shouted, “Where’s she heading?”
Faith was white faced. “The bluffs.”
Tara knew the rest, six foot high bluffs with a panicked horse; injury or death were stark possibilities. “Grab the reins if you can. If she’s too close, I’ll try to grab her before . . . “ Tara didn’t finish the sentence, she almost laid flat along Midnight’s back and she rode faster than she had ever dared ride before.
Meanwhile the girl was frozen on her horse, the reins had slipped through her panicked fingers and her feet were edging out of the stirrups while Ghost galloped blindly towards the bluff.
Faith bit her lip. Arrow was part quarter horse and had done his share of barrel racing. He was a sprinter and this was one race he had to win! She began edging up on Ghost’s left. Her dark eyes narrowed, focusing on her target;
gotta catch the reins, gotta catch the reins!
She heard Tara racing up behind her then on the other side of Ghost but kept her eyes on the prize as she clenched her knees in tight against Arrow and leaned out to the right to grab the reins. She began turning both horses left just a couple of feet from the lip of the bluff.
At the same time, Tara saw the girl sliding off to the right. Tara leaned to the left, flung her arm around the girl’s waist, and jerked her across Midnight’s shoulders. Midnight saw the edge of the bluff, reared in terror, and Tara felt the girl’s weight slam against her chest then drop back across the horse as Tara turned Midnight sharply to the right.
They turned their horses back towards the corral, then Tara and Faith stared at each other, eyes enormous with terror at what might have happened. Faith swallowed, tasting blood from her bitten lip and Tara forced a smile.
“Faith, y-you were amazing!”
Faith smiled raggedly, then quirked an eyebrow. “Nothing to it, T. Nice run, huh?”
Tara took a shaky breath and managed to grin back, “V-very relaxing. We should do it again some time!”
They walked back to the corral, allegedly to rest their horses but in reality to regain their composure while the girl remained awake but motionless across Midnight’s shoulders.
They re-entered the corral soberly, only to be greeted with a corral full of cheering girls.
Devola was almost jumping up and down in the stirrups, “Wow! That was great! Better than the circus!”
Kate’s eyes were shining. “You saved her!”
“Do it again! Do it again!” Towanda begged, “Please! I wanna learn how.”
Tara and Faith smiled weakly at each other. Then Tara dismounted smoothly, secretly relieved that her legs held her up, and helped the girl down.
“C-come with me.” Tara took the girl’s arm and led her inside the barn where they couldn’t be overheard. Then she leaned down to look into her light brown eyes set in an angry, arrogant face.
“Are you okay?”
The girl’s hands were still shaking, but she clenched her fists and leaned forward, yelling into Tara’s startled face. “I didn’t need you! I didn’t need your help! I could’ve handled it!” An instant later she walked over, picked a curry comb off its hook and flung it at Tara, striking the older girl’s cheek.
Tara’s face went rigid. She was shaking with a rage she didn’t know she was capable of feeling. Suddenly her new safe place, her sanctuary had been invaded by violence. Without a word she grabbed the younger girl’s wrist and walked her over to the wheelbarrow with the mucking out implements. She faced the wheelbarrow away from the stall to make it easier to move when it was full.
“Do you know h-how to muck out a stall?”
The girl nodded sullenly.
Tara’s voice suddenly went very soft. “Th-then get it done by the time we get back and do the stall next to this one, too.” She met the girl’s furious eyes. “You c-could’ve hurt or killed yourself or any one of us and the h-horses, too. Think about that and don’t ever do anything like that again!”
Willow approached, concerned.
“Willow. See that she gives these two stalls a proper m-mucking out.” She returned her gaze to the girl. “D-do a good job and wait here after you finish!”
Tara walked away, breathing unevenly, and struggling to regain her composure. Smiling at the class, still mounted and waiting, was one of the hardest things she had ever done.
Faith sensed that she was upset and did a good job of keeping up a constant stream of riding stories and tips. Tara felt a surge of gratitude for her friend’s help and was finally able to return her focus to the lesson and enjoy her first trail ride at camp.
[center]*******************************[/center]
Meanwhile, Willow smiled, trying to take the edge of the situation. “So, I’m the world’s biggest expert on mucking out stalls. That’s all I did my first day here, so ask me if you have any questions.”
She looked closer, concerned by the girl’s silence. “Hey, anybody in there?”
The little girl looked at her wearily. “Do I horn in on your thoughts? No. Why? Because they’re boring.” She looked straight at Willow. “You can’t make me stay here and work.”
Willow was so surprised it took her a minute to find words. “Tara’s the riding program leader and she told you to work.”
“I don’t care,” came the surprising answer. Then the girl simply stood up and started walking off. “I need to see the person in charge.”
Willow clenched her fists, feeling a surge of anger at the girl and pity for the girl’s parents. Then she got busy and mucked out the two stalls.
[center]*******************************[/center]
“She what!” Tara couldn’t believe that Willow’s friendly gesture had been rebuffed so rudely. “C-come on! We need to talk to Mrs. Finch about her.” She paused, brows wrinkled in thought. “You know, I d-don’t even remember her from when we tested everyone.”
Willow nodded her agreement. “Who is she?”
“M-mystery girl. This is definitely one for the Finchmeister.”
They walked briskly into Mrs. Finch’s office, then stopped dead as they saw Mrs. Finch staring at the new girl in amazement. “Veronica, you were scheduled to arrive next week!”
The girl smiled insolently, “I told our driver to take me now. Where am I staying?”
Mrs. Finch recovered her composure and managed a smile for the new arrival. “Welcome to Camp Pine Ridge, Veronica. We’re happy to have you.” Then she turned to Tara and Willow, “meet the newest camper to your cabin. This is Veronica Chase, Cordelia’s cousin.”
I imagine Cordelia's entire family like 'The Plastics' from Mean Girls, lol
. The bit about naming their breasts was hysterical 
And I'm curious to see where you go with bitchy little Veronica Chase.
Will she spy for Cordelia against our girls, or will she end up being their ally? Hmmmm....... 
want to see how the girls get together finally!! 
awesome!
