Fic: [AU] Racing The Rain (UPDTED: 4/03/18)

[Finey_McFine]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for all of the lovely comments and the continued support!


bouncer73:
Hey you got DIBS!

AWESOME update..I was just captivated and saw the whole thing play out in my head..and it was in HD too..lol..

Lol, I’m glad my details are working:) Sometimes I think I go overboard and ramble a little too much.

Tara’s house is awesome! Beautiful, yet cozy at the same time…I guess I’n channeling my inner dream house in this fic, lol

Thanks for the feedback!

Promthea128:

I'm wondering when the fecal matter is going to collide with the rotating cooling device, the Paparazzi demons and Morgan's monster.

Ahhh and what a big mess that will make! Let’s hope it’s not a combination of the two.

Thanks for reading and the feedback!


SMGOVAN:

I loooooooved the T-shirt in this update...as any True Star Wars geek should

That’s one of my favorite funny T’s!

Hey, is there a "team Alice" T-shirt out there?

I don’t know and I’m not a huge Twillight fan…but I do love Alice!!

Answers to The Willster’s torrid past coming up! Thanks, I’m glad you liked the chapter!!


LonelyTara:

I'm glad that Willow's team mates realize that Morgan is not a nice girl.

Well, they know, but they feel they need to keep the peace otherwise they can’t function as a team. I think that over the years, they’ve become very good at reeling her in.

I can't wait until the two of them get to try out that tub

That seems to be a common theme in this stream of feedback!

Thanks for the feedback!


Ariel:

The little moments, the details, that's what I call the 'thunk' of reality; the sense of a real world. Love it!

I’m glad you liked it! Not to toot my own horn here, but that was actually one of my favorite moments in this chapter, because I could really picture her standing there picking at that glove completely lost in thought and bored out of her mind. Willow loves playing and she excels, but I think she might be starting to lose interest…senioritis or Taraitis maybe?

Willow, the glamor girl who puts the bad in bad wardrobe!

That’s our girl! Some things even stretch to the AU, lol Even though her wardrobe was truly hideous, especially in HS, I always loved that Willow wore it proudly, right down to her fuzzy smiley face back pack. In this case, she is nervous and feeling a little out of her league, yet she doesn’t bother to change and make herself ‘presentable.’ All the more reason to love her!

Thanks Ariel! I always look forward to your feedback!


Vampyregurl:

Well, if that wasn't a big "SHE'S A FREAKIN' STAR" moment

I felt like, up to this point, Willow wasn’t seeing the big picture. Tara had been to her apt, her game, her party and met her friends. Willow kinda lost track of reality until getting this little glimpse of ‘Tara Macaly.’ A few chapters ago, Willow thought Tara was ‘unpretentious,’ not that she’s pretentious, but I believe in Willow’s head she expected a basic house and got slapped in the face with, holy shit she IS a freakin’ star.

I feel for Willow here, it's not that she's isn't as celebrated, she is, just differently (and probably not as handsomely financially), but it's the awe of the situation.

Unfortunately for Willow, she’s on scholarship. Which means she can’t work, endorse products or accept money/gifts. Otherwise, she risks her eligibility. That’s the conundrum of collegiate sports, especially for women since they don’t really have the option of stepping into the professional sports world and making millions. Kinda sucks.

But I think I might actually be willing, or coerced into doing horrible things for a bathroom like hers... horrible, horrible things

Ditto! I definitely have bathroom envy!

Thanks for the feedback!

singgirl:
You’re welcome!


Laragh:

I'm not even gonna touch on Morgan 'cause she's such a bitch, my blood boils.

She even gives Cordelia a run for her money!

As a massive geek, I salute you for this.

I’m right there with you, lol. I think it’s safe to say that Willow has always done a wonderful job of channeling our inner geekyness!

Thanks! More coming up!!


Zampsa19752001:

Can't wait for Willow & Tara to "test drive" the tub

I’m already writing it…in my head, lol

Thanks for the feedback!


deviantArt:

I was wondering if Willow is such a good player and having lots of success doesn't she has money too ?
The winner's competition doesn't get money ???

Unfortunately for Willow, she’s on scholarship. Which means she can’t work, endorse products or accept money/gifts. Otherwise, she risks her eligibility. Bummer:(

Thanks for the comments!

JustSkipIt:

So... first my condolences on posting a chapter shortly before EasierSaid.

Hahahahahahahahaha….I know, right? It took 40 minutes for someone to call dibs on RR…then I noticed the Neverland notification in my inbox. It was an ‘ah ha’ moment, lol

I'm guessing Morgan had a thing for Will and it didn't happen and Morgan's still jealous? Still, she doesn't have to be a bitch.

Our little Morgan has unresolved issues and if she can’t have Willow…then the claws come out! There’s more explanation in the next update.

Walking with cleats on the floor? Metal spikes or plastic cleats? Either way, get those the hell off.

Metal…damn it! I meant to clarify and I guess I forgot. My bad. I’ll go back and fix it. Which makes it about 100x worse that she was wearing them!!! Lol

Did Tara cook or does she have a cook or did she order in?

She cooked, we’ll see that in the next chapter. On a side note…my Tara will NOT EVER make friggin’ pancakes! Lol This poor girl made them twice in the show? And now she’s stuck in a virtual pancake hell dimension in the fan fic world…eternally doomed to a life of flipping pancakes, lol No offense to anyone that has written her cooking pancakes…I just think it’s funny.

And I’ll be eagerly awaiting your next round of feedback:)

wimpy0729:

Okay, first I gotta say the title of this chapter was a bit of a tease and had my mind going to naughty places..

LOL…that was the fun in naming this chapter! Teasy McTease!

Man, you did an amazing job describing Tara's home.

Thanks! I think I actually got a little jealous writing it.

I hate the thought of Willow feeling insecure

Me too, but I think it’s to be expected. Mild mannered college student vs. ultra mega star, but I think Tara realizes that it’s a big deal and is focused on making Willow feel secure and on the same plane emotionally. Tara also has similar feelings of insecurity, but in reverse. If that makes any sense at all.

Rest assured…the tub will eventually be used…*wink, wink*


[u]Wayland

I have a habit of skimming over descriptive passages, but I wasn't tempted to here. Partly because it was well written and partly because it was so important to the story. It was a perfect illustration of the differences they have to overcome. By the end of the update I had such a clear picture of Tara's home and the way it left Willow feeling a bit daunted and awkward. Personally, I'd prefer her little apartment any day.

Thank you, I really appreciate that! I kinda feel like you in regards to preferring Willow’s apartment. It’s small, cozy and private. Tara’s not pretentious, but she does like nice things and with that level of stardom…a nice crib is sort of expected. I think Willow will eventually adjust.

I'm interested to see how you tell Morgan and Willow's history. The way you've written Willow, I can't see her tolerating such behaviour without some good reasons.

The relationship issues will be explained in the next update, well, some of them. I don’t think Morgan always acts up and being teammates and having to coexist like a family of sorts, I think has made Willow more tolerant of her questionable behavior.

Thanks as always for the feedback!!


[u]Foomatic

I usually like my fics heavy on the angst side, but this is a welcome departure from all that doom and gloom! You've got a fun playful vibe that I'm enjoying a lot.

Thanks Foo! I like the angst stuff as well, but I’m not sure that I could write it, lol

Everything's all cute and cuddly now but I have a feeling that things are going to get pretty hairy the deeper W & T get into their relationship.

Yeah, as in real life, things can’t always be all sunshine and rainbows. As much as we all have that fantasy…reality always seems to slip in there somewhere.

I’m glad you liked it and thanks for reading!!


[u]KioNewgo

I really loved this. It seems (to me) to show Willow's insecurities and her deepening feelings for Tara.

My Willow is used to being confident, especially on the softball field, but in the world of dating…she’s finding it difficult and she’s not really sure how to deal with it. At this point she just needed reassurance and luckily for here, Tara was there to give it to her:) Sometimes we all just need a hug!

Thanks for continuing to read! Some things will be revealed in the next chapter!!!

[Finey_McFine]

TITLE: Racing The Rain

AUTHOR: Finey_McFine

RATING: PG13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other BtVS characters, as well as some random dialog, belong to Mutant Enemy.

SUMMARY: Totally AU, Willow and Tara Meet with not so surprising results! Set in LA with lots of W/T fluff and a little teeny tiny bit of angst, but no Hellmouthyness. Just good old regular day-to-day drama.



FEEDBACK: OK

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Hello all! So, I’m having a bit of bad luck with this chapter, maybe because it’s chapter 13…I dunno. Perhaps I should have gone straight to 14 like how they skip that floor in hotels! I was going to post on Wednesday night, but I had to work late and when I got home I had a glass of wine and passed out, lol. Then I went online Thursday afternoon to post and Easiersaid had just posted a much anticipated chapter of Neverland, in fact I could have had dibs, but decided not to because I had no time to read it. Needless to say, I didn’t post. Then tonight I posted my comment reply and as I was waiting for it to post, my brother called and we spent about an hour on the phone. Soooooo…here’s the dang chapter…finally! Enjoy:)



Chapter 13: Well Done

Twenty minutes later Willow emerged from her shower, barefoot, wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Willow could smell the aroma of dinner cooking and hear the soft sounds of music emanating from the kitchen.

As she entered the kitchen, she saw Tara standing at the stove, stirring the contents of a medium sized pot and humming to the music. Willow slipped her hands around Tara’s waist and rested her chin on the blondes shoulder.

“Ummm, something smells good. What ‘cha makin’?

Tara smiled, leaning her head against Willows and sighed deeply. “Well, I feel I need to tell you that I don’t really cook, so I apologize in advance. In fact, I can do 3 things well: outdoor grilling, the steaming of vegetables and breakfast. So, I’m steaming some veggies for us, baking a couple potatoes and grilling steaks.”

“Ooohhh steaks! Yummy!!” The redhead exclaimed gleefully, turning to kiss Tara on the cheek.

“What can I help you with?”

“Nothing really, I pretty much have it under control.”

“Tara, let me do something. Please?”

Tara turned to face Willow sliding her arms around her waist, pulling her close. “How about kissing me?” She playfully asked.

Willow didn’t answer, she pulled Tara closer and brought their lips together in a deep loving kiss.

“How about you pour the wine? I put it in the wine chiller while you were in the shower. Oh, I thought it would be nice to eat outside on the patio. So if you want, you can start taking things out to the table.”

“No problem, I can definitely do that.” Willow turned and opened the door to the chiller and removed the bottle. “Corkscrew?” She asked Tara.

“Top drawer, right side.” Tara answered.

Willow collected the corkscrew, the wine, and two glasses and made her way outside. She made several more trips and then failed to return again. Tara had been busy prepping the steaks when she noticed that Willow had never come back inside. She crossed the room to the glass French doors and stuck her head out to make sure that Willow was ok.

On her last trip out Willow was met by Ralphie, who had trotted up to her holding a piece of rope in his mouth and they were now deeply involved in a fierce tug of war. Every now and then the little pooch would let go and Willow would throw the rope, only to have him return it and another battle would begin. Ralphie was tugging and Willow was sitting crossed legged by the pool giggling and tugging back.

After watching for a few seconds, Tara went back in, gathered her cooking utensils and the steaks and headed out to the grill. She was pleased to see that Willow already had it preheated and ready to go. She placed the steaks on the grill and went inside to gather up the rest of the food. Upon her return, she found Willow dutifully watching over the steaks.

“Hey, I’m supposed to be cooking for you, remember?” Tara quipped.

“I can’t help it, when we Texans are faced with a grill, cosmic forces just take over. It’s not something I have any control over.” She said, smiling at Tara and poking her tongue between her teeth.

“You go sit, relax and I’ll finish up. How do you like your steak?” Tara put her hands on Willow’s shoulders, turned her around and gave her a gentle push towards the table.

“Medium rare please.”

“Really? Me too.” The blonde said proudly.

“I never could understand how people could eat steak well done. I mean, they take a perfectly good piece of meat, cook it to death and fight to eat it ‘cuz it turns out all tough like a piece of leather. And who wants to eat dry leather? Some kind of crazy person, that’s for sure.” Willow said indignantly.

“Wow, that was quite the tirade, where did that come from?” Tara asked.

“Oh, just a childhood memory, or rather an ongoing argument with Rachael that resurfaces every time we have a cookout. Sorry, just one more thing on my list to tell my shrink.”

“Uh, y-you see a shrink?”

Willow snickered, “No. That’s something my Mom used to say to us whenever we bitched about something. She’d say, ‘Well, you can add that to the list of things to discuss with your shrink when you grow up, about how your parents ruined your life!’ I think I’m up to 3,192 things so far. Do you?”

“What?”

“See a shrink?”

“No, although most of the people I know do. It’s like the ‘in’ Hollywood thing to do or something.” Tara said, as she flipped the steaks on the grill.

“Maybe they really do need the help.”

“Maybe. I remember after my Mom died, everyone said that I should talk to someone, and gave me a business card for their doctor. I must have collected a hundred cards. It was kinda ridiculous.”

“Geez, maybe I should change my major?”

“Maybe,” Tara giggled. “It’s not that I’m against therapy or anything. I’m sure it’s very beneficial to some people. I just didn’t feel like I needed it.”

“Me either, I always just talked things through with my horses.”

“Willow…” Tara gave Willow a chiding glanced.

“No, I’m serious Tara. If I had something on my mind or was upset, the horse Doc was in and a whole lot cheaper than the real thing.” She said with a grin. “I’d lie on their backs while they grazed in the pasture and talk for hours about pretty much everything. It was kinda cathartic, in a way, like how some people write in a diary. I could say whatever I wanted and they’d listen, without judgment. Plus, no one could ever find the key and read it.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Tara asked as she brought the steaks to the table and sat down next to Willow.

“Absolutely, it really helped me to work things out whenever I had a problem. In fact, I came out to Artemis when I was seventeen. She was my best friend. I didn’t even come out to my family until after my first year of college. It’s not so crazy Tara. Haven’t you had conversations with Ralphie?”

“Ok, you got me on that one.” They both laughed a little and took bites of their food.

“Wow Tara, this is delicious. See? You can cook.”

“Grill, I said grill, steam and do breakfast. Remember?” She said with a raised eyebrow.

“Well, you have definitely mastered the first two and I’ll be waiting with bells on to try your breakfast.” The redhead said, shooting Tara a seductive glance.

“Geez, presume much Willow?” Tara replied, causing both girls to laugh.

They continued casually chatting while they ate, clearing the table after and loading the dishwasher. Tara couldn’t help but notice just how comfortable they were in their current domestic situation. Moving in what felt like a carefully choreographed dance around the kitchen, as if they’d been doing it for years. When they finished the clean up, Tara took Willow by the hand and lead her to the sofa in the family room. They sat quietly sharing several soft kisses before Willow finally spoke.

“Tara, can we talk?”

Tara swallowed thickly before answering. “S-Sure sweetie, you can talk to me a-about anything. Is this a-about what happened with Morgan?”

“Yeah and some other stuff.” Willow said in a small voice. She noticed Tara’s stutter and wanted to do her best to put the blonde at ease.

Tara lovingly stroked Willow’s hand and listened intently while she spoke. The redhead told Tara all about the phone call from the previous night, her talk with Stacey and her own concerns about the ramifications of a public coming out. The conversation flowed and Willow felt much better after getting her concerns out in the open.

“Tare, I feel kinda silly with all these worries and the speculation, but this is something I never, ever considered happening. So, I haven’t had a lot of time to process, but I’m not overly concerned about me, I’m mostly worried about you. It will wreak havoc on the private life you’ve fought so hard to protect, not to mention it could destroy your career and I…I would feel so responsible and I can’t bare the thought of hurting you.”

Tara felt tears start to prick the corners of her eyes. Willow’s life was going to change, 360º upside down and Willow’s main concern was for her. None of the girls that Tara had previously dated were the least bit concerned. Their main agenda had been to get photographed with the blonde as much as possible, hoping their own popularity would rise as well. Willow didn’t seem to care about any of that, there was no hidden agenda. Tara felt her heart swell so much that she thought it just might burst. She’d never felt so many different emotions assaulting her senses at one time.

“Tara? Are you ok? Baby, why are you crying?” Willow’s brow furrowed and her eyes reflected a look of concern. She reached forward and wiped away the tears with her thumb.

“Will, I-I…” Tara stammered to get the words out, but she couldn’t. So, she just leaned forward and cuddled up to the redhead, closed her eyes and took in some much-needed deep breaths.

Willow wrapped Tara in her arms and laid her cheek on the top of her head. Instinctively Willow knew what Tara needed; to be comforted, to feel free to bare her soul and not be judged, and to be loved, unconditionally. Willow realized that Tara had probably not had any of those things since her mother died and she’d since built many protective walls. Willow noted that as the walls came down, Tara became more vulnerable as her emotions began to spill out. As they snuggled on the sofa in silence, Willow thoughts wandered to Tara’s situation, never knowing who she could trust, always afraid to get too close and no one to share those fears with…no one to really talk to.

Some time had passed before Tara sat up and stared intently at Willow. She ran her fingers across her face, randomly tucking a red hair behind her ear. She kissed her thumb and anointed Willow’s soft lips.

“Willow, I can’t say that I don’t care about my career, I do, but it’s not the end all be all. If you’d asked me 5 years ago, you definitely would have gotten another answer, but now…it’s different, I’m different. Besides, it’s not like I’ll get fired or never work again and I’m certainly not in need of the money.” Tara paused, looking for the right words. “I want to live my life for me. Not for the press or the public, but for me. I spent a long time trying to make everyone else happy, but I learned, albeit the hard way, that none of that matters. What matters is what’s in here.” Tara said sincerely, as she laid her hand on her chest over her heart. “I just don’t want to come between you and your friends, just like you don’t want to come between me and my career.” Tara rolled her eyes, “Wow, that sounds really pathetic.”

“Look at us Tare, this is crazy.” Willow shook her head. “How about we just be us? How about we just go about our business like any other ‘normal’ couple would? No hiding, but no big declarations either. If people find out, rather, when they find out…so what? I’m ok with it, but I need to know that you are too.”

“I am Will, I totally am.” She smiled a sweet smile and leaned in to kiss Willow softly. “I wanted to come out for a long time, I just…I never had a good enough reason.”

“And what would that be?” Willow teased, giving Tara her own special half grin.

“Well, if you don’t know that it’s you, then maybe you need more schooling.”

“Hmmm…special Tara schooling?” Willow said, thoroughly enjoying their flirty banter.

“Vixen.” Tara returned, leaning in for a lingering kiss.

When they pulled apart, Willow let out a long sigh. “Tara, just so you know…this thing with Morgan has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with you. This shit started a long[i/] time ago.” Willow stated, bluntly.

“I thought she was your best friend?” Tara asked, thoroughly confused.

“She’s [i]one of my best friends, but not the best friend. That title belongs to my brother Hunter. Morgan and I are…complicated.”

“Th-there’s a y-you and Morgan? As in t-together, together?” Tara sputtered.

“Well, not in the carnal sense, but we did ‘date’ a little.” Willow paused to gather her thoughts. “As you already know, Morgan was my roommate in the dorms, then we moved into the condo. One night we had a party, we were both pretty drunk and we ended up kissing. For me it was the alcohol talking, for Morgan, it was just more. We tried to date after that, but things just got increasingly awkward. I tried to break it off and she went a little…wonky.”

“That’s when you moved out?”

“Yeah, we decided to just be friends. I needed to be away from her and from the entire party atmosphere. I am on a scholarship; I was underage and acting inappropriately. I had to distance myself or risk losing it. Since then, things have ok. She even sets me up on blind dates.”

“Setting you up on dates? I mean if she likes you so much…sorry I’m a little confused.”

“Ah, so here’s where the dysfunction comes in. Tare, have you ever been friends with a large group of girls where there are quite a few lesbians in the mix?” Willow asked and Tara shook her head no in response.

“Well, here’s how it works: Everyone dates everyone else and the only way to really describe it is…weirdly incestuous, not that anyone is actually related or anything.” Willow clarified, struggling to explain the lesbian ‘friendship’ circle to Tara without sounding like a complete idiot. “It’s kinda like everyone is friends, until they’re not. Does that make any sense?”

“Sort of.”

“It’s like everyone eventually ends up dating their way through the group, except I didn’t want to and I had no desire for all the drama. It’s hard to explain. So anyway, Morgan and I were friends until we weren’t. It caused friction within the group. Then after I moved out we slowly became friends again, or so I thought. Anyway, Morgan would always fix me up with people that she knew I wouldn’t like on purpose. Meanwhile, she was busy dating her way through our little circle of friends, trying her best to make me jealous.”

“So, when you brought me to the party the other night, she realized that you liked me and it upset her. She thought that you’d eventually come to your senses after so many failed dates and go back to her. It scared her and she got jealous?” Tara questioned, looking for approval in Willow’s eyes.

“Wow, you’re pretty intuitive, you know that?”

“So now I guess I have to keep a close eye on you, huh?” Tara said, raising an eyebrow.

“Promises, promises,” Willow chuckled, and then took on a more serious tone. “Tara, you don’t ever have to worry about her. Seriously, I would never. With her or anyone else, ever.”

“I trust you Willow.” Tara said and meant it.

That was all Willow needed to hear. She tilted her head giving Tara a look of utter love and devotion. The kiss they shared after that was different. It was deep and intense and lasted for some time. Willow and Tara both began to feel the burning desires within start to rise once again. They reluctantly pulled their lips apart and embraced each other.

“I need to get going, I have an early class tomorrow.” Willow breathed in Tara’s ear.

Tara took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh. She squeezed Willow tighter and snuggled a little closer until there was no space between them. She’d opened herself up a little more to Willow tonight and wanted to feel as physically close to her as possible. Goddess, I wish she could stay. Now I totally get the lesbian U-haul thing. She was inwardly amused, but a little sad none the less.

“Tare, I’m sorry.” Willow said, not wanting to go, but knowing that she had to.

“I know Baby. Call me tomorrow?”

“Absolutely. Thanks again for dinner and for listening to me and all my random neurotic babble.”

“My pleasure.” Tara responded, giving Willow a kiss on her forehead, then her nose and ending up lip locked yet again. “You’d better go before-”

“I know, going now.” The redhead replied, as she rose from the couch pulling Tara up with her. She found her gym bag, unzipping it, the redhead rooted around in the bag until she found her flip-flops, dropping them to the floor and sliding her feet in.

“So, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

They kissed again briefly as Willow finally moved to leave, giving Tara’s hand a gentle squeeze.

The blonde stood in the doorway and watched as Willow climbed into her car and began to drive away. She gave a small wave and re-entered the house, closing the front door and leaning her back up against it. Tara wrapped her arms tightly around herself and smiled. You’ve got it bad Maclay…with a capital ‘W’

[LonelyTara]

Dibs!

So many super-sweet things in this chapter. I love to see them spending time together, and the honesty with which they've been able to communicate their hopes and fears. When they're finally ready to take that step, things are going to be intense! Loved to see Tara cooking for Willow, and Willow being adorable with Ralphie.

“Look at us Tare, this is crazy.” Willow shook her head. “How about we just be us? How about we just go about our business like any other ‘normal’ couple would? No hiding, but no big declarations either. If people find out, rather, when they find out…so what? I’m ok with it, but I need to know that you are too.”

“I am Will, I totally am.” She smiled a sweet smile and leaned in to kiss Willow softly. “I wanted to come out for a long time, I just…I never had a good enough reason.”

Lovely.

I look forward to the next update!

[Grimm]

Although I admit to being a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of Neverland, Racing the Rain is probably my favourite fic (the girl with the silver key a close 2nd) right now......... So, the plot thickens with Morgan... I figured she was crushing on the Willownator. I'm kinda picturing Tara along the lines of Jennifer Aniston during her Friends days.. The whole Apple pie, America's sweetheart kind of thing.... Which means Morgan has noooooooooooooooo chance in hell to compete...and that's gotta be hell on the old ego....Plus the fact that she's a uber bitch does not help ... If I was a betting woman, I'd put my money on Morgan outing our girls to the world in an act of extreme jealousy....time will tell.

[Savannah]

Still loving this story!

I just can't wait to see how everything plays out... e.g. will Tara get there first and make the announcement that she is gay (maybe on the Ellen DeGeneres show! ) or, which I suspect is more likely, will the paparazzi get a tip off from a certain annoying Morgan and an intimate photo of the two be published..

I just love the celebrity angle with this story! it just adds a really interesting dynamic.

Anyway, I always anxiously await your updates and look forward to the next one! I'm also looking forward to that tub getting a workout...

[bouncer73]

..oh wow..that was simply AWESOME..I have to admit this story is definitely one of my top favorites. Its amazing and the story is still at the beginning so to speak..so much willow and tara goodness to follow..

All I know after a long day at work and coming home to see this story updated was awesome..Your awesome and can;t wait for the rest of it..

Keep it up and I will be lurking around the corners for an update...lol

[Ariel]

Hi Shel,

“Hey, I’m supposed to be cooking for you, remember?” Tara quipped.

“I can’t help it, when we Texans are faced with a grill, cosmic forces just take over. It’s not something I have any control over.” She said, smiling at Tara and poking her tongue between her teeth.

“You go sit, relax and I’ll finish up. How do you like your steak?” Tara put her hands on Willow’s shoulders, turned her around and gave her a gentle push towards the table.

“Medium rare please.”

“Really? Me too.” The blonde said proudly.

“I never could understand how people could eat steak well done. I mean, they take a perfectly good piece of meat, cook it to death and fight to eat it ‘cuz it turns out all tough like a piece of leather. And who wants to eat dry leather? Some kind of crazy person, that’s for sure.” Willow said indignantly.

What do I like? A little 'Texas Talk', the details of their being at home together AND the Secret of Morgan Revealed!!! Also found the whole "date around the circle" deal right on the money.

I share the fear that Malevolent Morgan will out our two!

Finding this very touching, very real, and fascinating! I admit, I'm into the celeb thing, too!

You keep hitting it out of the ballpark, Shel!

Ariel

[xlaurax1]

I loved this update.

I'm really liked the quiet domesticity of their evening together, with Tara cooking - no, wait...sorry, that's grilling - and Willow in the back yard playing with Ralphie, then taking it in turns with the steaks. It was all very sweet.

I'm glad Willow was able to get some of her concerns out in the open, and they were able to comfort each other. And I'm really glad that Tara finally had someone that she can open up to and trust.

I'm in the 'I can just tell Morgan's gonna cause even more trouble than she already has' party, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that develops, and hope she doesn't casue to much pain for the girls.

As always, I'm loving and looking forward to every chapter of this story, can't wait for more,

Laura

[Foomatic]

I knew it! Morgan, you evil skank. Willow should have kicked her to the curb and left her there.

I love that Tara's a carnivore. Heh. I fancy myself a titan at the grill, so I can relate. Baking? Not so much, unless you like your cookies Cajun style (you know, blackened to a crisp? Lol.)

They're so homey and comfortable . . . like they've been together for years, not a few weeks. Love it.

[wimpy0729]

Well, that was just lovely. Their comfort zone with each other is amazing in such a short time, but sometimes, if you're lucky, it happens that way.

May I just say that I love when a woman walks around barefoot. There's just something...yeah.

The way you painted the whole atmosphere was very nicely done. I could almost smell the steaks on the grill.

From my experience, you hit the nail on the head with the "dating circle" and the drama it entails. I love that Willow didn't want to get involved in all that, and that she had sense enough to get away from the party scene. It shows that she has a pretty good head on her shoulders and knows what is really important. And I loved Tara's "U-Haul" moment. Yes, when it just about kills you everytime you have to say goodbye to that special someone, it's so hard not to have thoughts like that.

And finally, the Morgan explanation. That's pretty much what I thought, and it's kind of scary that she still seems hung up on Willow after all this time. She sees her chances with her ever happening slipping away, and she might be desperate enough to do just about anything. Again with the scary.

Thanks for another wonderful update. I'm very anxious to see what happens next. Please update soon!

Wimpy

Wimpy

[Laragh]

Wowsa, what a great chapter!!! Wonderful!!

I agree with LonelyTara, things are gonna get intense.

Also (wow, I'm just stealing everyone's feedback today, aren't I?) I can totally see Morgan outing Tara in a jealous rage. But Tara seems more comfortable with the whole idea than she maybe has before, so while I'm sure the shit will still hit the fan, I'm pretty sure she's gonna be all poised and America's Sweetheart about it

Mmhh...grilled steak...although I prefer mine as rare as it can be while still being actually cooked. It ain't a steak unless there's blood on the plate!

I love, love, love that they're just so comfortable being around each other and being domestic and wonderful.

And as for the lesbian dating circle...so unbelieveable true! I think it's why all my friends are straight. Just too much drama.

Great update!

[zampsa19752001]

Yay for excellent update-y goodness... I really loved their domestic bliss of Tara grilling & Willow playing with Ralphie... I'm really really glad that they talked about their fears and decided to date like a "normal" couple and not make a big news out of it, but I kinda hope that Tara publicly comes out in Ellen... I'm really worried what Bitch M is going to do in her desperate plan to "win Willow" for herself...

[Kajun]

Shel: Loved the Texan faced with a grill line and the tell it to your shrink bit... so funny. Sweet imagery of Willow’s disappearance due to playing tug-of-war/fetch with the wonder dog. Ralphie is obviously healing up just fine. Yah!

Willow's explanation of what happened between her and Morgan reminds me of The L Word. UGH. I tried. I really did. But I ended up hating that show and only watched for Marlee Matlin. Oddly enough, right after I typed that, Marlee appeared on my TV screen –I was watching re-runs of My Name Is Earl. Weird! Anyhoo.. Willow made a smart move by err.. moving. So glad to read that Tara has realized Willow is her "good reason" and she's cool with coming out to the public with the red-head by her side!

You have changed the girls quite a bit from canon, re: sporty, horse lovin’ Willow and star Tara, but maintained the essence of each character. There’s no mistaking these are the W/T we all love so much. Props for successfully capturing the famed Willow-babble. That’s not as easy to write as people think and you’ve nailed it. Also totally love Willow's horse whispering confessions.

Well done.. (the writing, not the steak ) Really enjoying this angst-light ride!

[DaddyCatALSO]

In the really technical fancy restaurants, medium rare *is* red but cooked thru (pink is just plain medium) so I can relate.

And the "dating around the circle" helps me understand Elizabeth Mitchell's character on Chicago Hope a bit better, umm sorry, she was on ER. *Not* going to address the bare feet thing because I know how it'll make me sound.

Finey, I think you mom and Easier Said's mom must have been bitten by the exact same animal when they were expecting; you seem to be posting in tandem this week :-).

[wolfsbane]

Yay! I was in the middle of re-reading this when I noticed there was an update. Too cute. I'm glad that Willow was so open about the situation with Morgan *coughbitchcough*. Hmm, this whole okayness with paparazzi sounds good on paper, but will it actually be that way when they're found out? I'm kind of hoping that part comes soon. There's a little masochistic part of me that loves angsty coming outs.

[Promthea128]

Absolutely. Thanks again for dinner and for listening to me and all my random neurotic babble.”

Isn't it great when you find the people who know you at your best and worst, and love you just the same? Insert sappy smile here.

You've got it bad MaClay....with a capital W.

[Silent_X]

Lovely chapter. Glad the girls got to talk everything out- I love how comfortable they are with each other. And I can relate to Willow's horse-talking thing. When I'm worried about something I can tell my cat Shadow and he won't judge me at all. He lets me get everything out of my system and usually listens until come up with a solution on my own.

Now that Willow and Tara have voiced their concerns with each other all they can do is hope that Morgan comes around before she causes a whole bunch o' trouble. Well, that and .

[KioNewgo]

Sorry I haven't left feedback yet, been busy :').
Loved the update, as usual.

I love how comfortable they are with each other . It's relaxed, happy, playful...perfect .
Glad the 'talk' went well. Fucking Morgan...grrr!
It's also quite a change for Tara not being able to cook . Usual she's like, all kinds of motherly lol, quite liked the change .
The therapy talk made me giggle. I could just see Sheila telling Will she needed a therapist!
Glad to see things are good with our girls .
I can't wait for more!

[deviantART]

Great ! I love it .
Tara same to be ready to the whole coming out thing !
I really hope the media won't be hard on them !
Of course Tara got it bad HELLOOO it's WIlow we are talking about !
What the next step ? Coming ou or some loving ?
Thank you

[JustSkipIt]

Hey,
Sorry for the rush but great update. Very nice intimacy and Tara's place sounds lovely.

[HiJinx]

I've been reading this fic since the beginning and I have to say, I love every moment of it. I hope Morgan doesn't make a big mess, but I guess I'll have to wait and see. I'm so curious as to what's going to happen when the crap hits the fan. I hope they take it well.

[Finey_McFine]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for all of the lovely comments and the continued support!


LonelyTara:
Yay McDibby’s!

I’m glad you liked the chapter! I’m hoping they continue to keep the lines of communication open…so important in a successful relationship.

Thanks for the feedback!

SMGOVAN:

Although I admit to being a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of Neverland, Racing the Rain is probably my favourite fic (the girl with the silver key a close 2nd) right now.

Thanks so much!! That means a lot to me!!!!!!

There’s really no telling what Morgan will do at this point. She is jealous, but is she jealous enough to out them? She’s gotta know that if she does that it would wreck even her friendship with Wilow, but who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see!


Savannah:

just can't wait to see how everything plays out... e.g. will Tara get there first and make the announcement that she is gay (maybe on the Ellen DeGeneres show! ) or, which I suspect is more likely, will the paparazzi get a tip off from a certain annoying Morgan and an intimate photo of the two be published..

Hmmmm…the question everyone wants to know!

Thanks for reading my fic!! I do appreciate the feedback!

bouncer73:

Its amazing and the story is still at the beginning so to speak..so much willow and tara goodness to follow..

Yes…much goodness to come and some more softball hijinx!

Thanks for the feedback!! I’m glad you like it!!!!!


Ariel:

What do I like? A little 'Texas Talk'

Lot’s more ‘Texas Talk’ in later chapters…I promise it will be fun and slightly angsty at the same time:)

Finding this very touching, very real, and fascinating! I admit, I'm into the celeb thing, too!

As much as I don’t like to admit it…they fascinate me. It’s like a bad car wreck…you just can’t seem to tear your eyes away!

Thanks Ariel! BTW…I liked you softball analogy!

xlaurax:

I'm really liked the quiet domesticity of their evening together, with Tara cooking - no, wait...sorry, that's grilling - and Willow in the back yard playing with Ralphie, then taking it in turns with the steaks. It was all very sweet.

It kinda speaks volumes about who they are deep down. I think a lot has to do with Willow not being too intimidated by Tara’s celebrity and coming from a large family. Plus, at heart, Tara’s pretty down to earth.

I'm glad Willow was able to get some of her concerns out in the open

So far they’re not tip toeing around much and this will be very important in later chapters.

I'm in the 'I can just tell Morgan's gonna cause even more trouble than she already has' party

That seems to be a popular party!

Thanks for the feedback!

Foomatic:

Morgan, you evil skank.

Uh, this made me laugh out loud! All I could think of was that old, old SNL Weekend Update Skit: “Jane, you ignorant slut!”

I love that Tara's a carnivore.

Yeah, I thought it would be fun to go against the ‘Tara grain’ a little:)

Thanks for the feedback and the PM!


wimpy0729:

May I just say that I love when a woman walks around barefoot.

Me too…can you tell? lol

From my experience, you hit the nail on the head with the "dating circle" and the drama it entails.

I think as a lesbian, we’ve all been there at some point. Probably why most of my friends are straight, lol

She sees her chances with her ever happening slipping away, and she might be desperate enough to do just about anything. Again with the scary.

I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her. She definitely has some stalker qualities.

Thanks! More coming up!!


Laragh:

I agree with LonelyTara, things are gonna get intense.

Yep, they most certainly are!

I'm pretty sure she's gonna be all poised and America's Sweetheart about it

How can our sweet Tara be anything but? Lol We’ll have to see. It’s one thing to talk about it and quite another to live it.

Mmhh...grilled steak...although I prefer mine as rare as it can be while still being actually cooked. It ain't a steak unless there's blood on the plate!

Me too!!! That bit about the rare vs. well done was thrown in for my partner. She read it and busted up laughing. It’s the conversation we have every time we eat steak. She takes a perfectly good filet and gets it butterfly cut and burnt to a crisp!

And as for the lesbian dating circle...so unbelieveable true! I think it's why all my friends are straight. Just too much drama.

Ditto!!

Thanks for the feedback!


Zampsa19752001:

I kinda hope that Tara publicly comes out in Ellen

You’re the second person to say that! Lol Not sure where she’ll come out yet…if she’s not outed first!

Thanks for the comments!

Kajun:

Willow's explanation of what happened between her and Morgan reminds me of The L Word. UGH. I tried. I really did. But I ended up hating that show and only watched for Marlee Matlin.

Uh, I’m right there with you on that one, the not liking the show. I was so upset when they killed Dana that I wrote letters…which I’ve never done before and haven’t done since! I will NEVER understand why these producers/directors think it’s a good idea to take the favorite character and kill them off.

You have changed the girls quite a bit from canon, re: sporty, horse lovin’ Willow and star Tara, but maintained the essence of each character. There’s no mistaking these are the W/T we all love so much.

Thanks! More fun changes to come!



DaddyCatAlso:

I think you mom and Easier Said's mom must have been bitten by the exact same animal when they were expecting; you seem to be posting in tandem this week.

LOL…and not on purpose either!

Thanks for reading and for the feedback!


Wolfsbane

Hmm, this whole okayness with paparazzi sounds good on paper, but will it actually be that way when they're found out?

You hit the nail right on the head. I think Tara is caught up in ‘Willow dreamland’ right now. Part of her knows what’s in store, but the other part is leaving the problem up to ‘future Tara’ to deal with. After all, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt!

Thanks for the feedback!!


Promthea128

Isn't it great when you find the people who know you at your best and worst, and love you just the same?

Yes, and they are few and far between!

I’m glad you liked it and thanks for reading!!


Silent X

Glad the girls got to talk everything out- I love how comfortable they are with each other.

The most important part to building that strong relationship!

Now that Willow and Tara have voiced their concerns with each other all they can do is hope that Morgan comes around before she causes a whole bunch o' trouble.

Let’s hope that she does and does not do anything too stupid in the mean time.


Thanks for reading and for the feedback!


KioNewgo

It's also quite a change for Tara not being able to cook . Usual she's like, all kinds of motherly lol, quite liked the change

Yeah, I thought it was high time we got poor Tara out of the kitchen and away from the pancakes! ‘Put down the spatula and step away from the batter!’ lol

The therapy talk made me giggle. I could just see Sheila telling Will she needed a therapist!

Aahh Sheila! She has yet to make her grand entrance, but I’m sure we’ll see her at some point.

As always, thanks for your continued support!


deviantART

What the next step ? Coming ou or some loving ?

Hmmmm…I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!!!!

Thanks for the feedback!

JustSkipIt
Thanks!!


HiJinx

I've been reading this fic since the beginning and I have to say, I love every moment of it. I hope Morgan doesn't make a big mess, but I guess I'll have to wait and see. I'm so curious as to what's going to happen when the crap hits the fan. I hope they take it well.

Thanks for reading and I’m glad you are enjoying it!! So far, all Morgan has done is confront Willow and showed her jealous side, hopefully she is not stupid enough to totally stab her in the back. We’ll just have to wait and see.

[Finey_McFine]

TITLE: Racing The Rain

AUTHOR: Finey_McFine

RATING: PG13

DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other BtVS characters, as well as some random dialog, belong to Mutant Enemy.

SUMMARY: Totally AU, Willow and Tara Meet with not so surprising results! Set in LA with lots of W/T fluff and a little teeny tiny bit of angst, but no Hellmouthyness. Just good old regular day-to-day drama.



FEEDBACK: OK

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Hello Kittens! Sorry for the middle of the night post…the day just kinda got away from me! Enjoy!!



Chapter 14: Not a Big Ball of Sunshine

Willow was all smiles on the drive home, after spending an enchanting evening with Tara. She was relieved with the outcome of their conversation, something she had spent the better part of the day stressing over. Willow knew that it would be a rough road for both of them, but she also knew that it would be easier to deal with if they were open, honest, and stayed on the same page.

She entered her apartment and did the ritual ‘cat dance’ with Miss Kitty, giggling this time as she lunged forward. You’d think that after all this time, I’d actually be able to stop myself from tripping.

**********

After Willow left, Tara let Ralphie out and noticed that she had a voicemail and a text on her cell. The text was from Kelly wanting to know if the coast was clear to return home. Tara smiled and replied to the message that the coast was in fact clear. The voicemail was also from Kelly, who had called before sending the text. Tara wasn’t used to having to ‘check in’ and secretly hoped that Kelly would find another place to live and soon.

Tara laid in bed, unable to sleep, lost in happy thoughts reminiscing over her evening with Willow. Tara was thrilled beyond words when the redhead showed no fear in opening up to her and that she didn’t seem to be the least bit intimidated. The majority of people that Tara knew tried their best to suck up to her. They were phony and their ‘relationships’ were hollow. Willow was real, solid, and Tara’s feelings towards the college student were intense. Tara also suspected that the feelings were mutual, even though they’d never really said it out loud and they hadn’t made love yet. She could only hope that when all hell broke loose, that Willow would still feel the same way.

Up to this point, their relationship had been fairly ‘normal,’ Tara had somehow managed to keep them insulated and out of the spotlight. A minor miracle, but it hasn’t been all that long. For whatever reason, I don’t seem to be on the radar. She took in a deep breath. I really hate to jinx myself, but I’m sure this anonymous bliss won’t last too much longer anyway, I just hope to God Willow can handle it.

Tara turned on her side, hoping that she could fall asleep soon, when she heard her phone start to vibrate. The caller id indicating that it was Willow. The blonde felt a shiver radiate through her body at just seeing the redhead’s name on her phone.

“Hey, are you ok?” Tara breathed, as she answered the phone.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Um, so I said I’d call you tomorrow and it’s uh 12:01am and well, it’s tomorrow. I just wanted to hear your voice before I go to sleep. Does that sound totally lame?” Willow’s voice was small and she wondered if she sounded completely desperate and ridiculous.

“Will, I’m glad you called. I miss you too. God, just the sound of your voice makes me feel all tingly.”

“So, remind me why I left you tonight? Because right now, I can’t think of one good reason.”

Tara giggled slightly. “Because you have an early class, I have work and we both need to sleep.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like either of us doing that at the moment, now does it?” Willow teased.

“I see your point,” Tara agreed, and let out a deep breath. “Will, if you don’t have p-plans, I was wondering if you w-would like to go to a party with m-me on Saturday night? It’s a Halloween party, full costume.”

“Oh wow, I completely forgot that Halloween was this weekend. Of course I would, but it’s kinda late to find a decent costume, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t really want to go as a slutty maid or a slutty pumpkin or a slutty anything for that matter and that’s probably all that’s left in the stores and I really wish that you were here to stop this babble.” Willow somehow managed to put a stop to the babble, more than likely because she was out of breath.

“Sweetie, no need to panic. I have a whole team of people at my beckon call and tons of wardrobes, so I’m sure we can come up with something. I was thinking that we could do something couple-y, like Sonny and Cher, or a pirate and a parrot? You know something off the wall and totally fun.”

Willow’s face broke out in a wide grin. Not only did Tara want to do a couple’s costume theme, but she was taking her out, out. She was finally going to meet some of Tara’s friends, solidifying their budding relationship even more so.

“I think that’s a great idea! Tare, do you think that we could see each other before Saturday night? It just, it seems like such a long way away and I…I just want to see you,” Willow sputtered, hoping that she didn’t sound too desperate.

“Willow, I want to see you too. I just know that you have practice every night and I’m working during the day so, I wasn’t sure when or if, but I definitely want to.”

“Well, I think tomorrow’s out. I have class, then I’m at the vet clinic, then practice...” The redhead trailed off, as her mind went into overdrive trying to come up with a plan.

“What about Thursday night after practice? I don’t have to work Friday and you don’t have an early class.” Tara held her breath, hoping that her suggestion was adequate.

Thursday…three days away? Does she not want to see me sooner? Ok stop Willow, you’re just tired and it makes perfect sense. Thursday is fine. You can’t expect her to want to see you everyday, can you?

“Thursday sounds great. Do you want to come here or I could come over there or we could go out…?” Willow wasn’t quite sure of the exact details, but didn’t want to assume anything.

“How about you come here again after practice, if that’s ok?” Tara asked.

“Perfect. Um, it will be kind of late is that ok?”

“W-Willow, would y-you like to spend the n-night? I mean not to, you know, but it’ll be l-late and you’ll be tired and neither one of u-us has to be up early and I can m-make you that breakfast I promised and-”

“I’d love to,” Willow interjected, noticing the blondes pronounced stutter and cutting her off before it got any worse. “By-the-way, I think you caught a touch of ‘Willowbabble.’ It must be contagious, too bad I’m not there to help ease the symptoms.”

“Hmmm, too bad indeed,” Tara purred. “So, we’ll talk tomorrow sometime?”

“You mean, later today?”

“Absolutely! Goodnight Sweetheart.”

“Goodnight Baby.”

*********************************************************************

Willow was dreading the day ahead of her and clearly starting to feel the stress of her senior year. She was up at the crack of dawn trying to complete homework before her morning classes and had downed several cups of coffee already. She was getting dressed trying to figure out when she was going to have time to eat lunch when she realized that it didn’t matter because she didn’t really have the time to make anything. “Shit!” She exclaimed, as she glanced at the clock, grabbing her softball gear, her backpack and scurrying out the door.

Morning classes were brutal and Willow’s head was throbbing. Her Advanced Animal Biology professor assigned a huge project that was due the second week of December and her Zoology professor assigned a paper that was due around the same time. It was not lost on the redhead that both were due right before finals. Willow was also taking Advanced Calculus/Analytic Geometry as well as Advanced Physics. All she could do was pray that neither of those professors threw in last minute projects or papers. Add in softball, time at the clinic, Tara, and Willow’s head was literally spinning. This is ridiculous. I can’t keep this up. Something’s got to go and there’s no way in hell I’m giving up Tara time. The clinic, it’s the only thing that’s droppable. I never thought I’d say this but, thank God fall-ball is over in a couple of weeks.

The day rolled on and Willow had no idea what time it was until her stomach began to rumble. Glancing at the hospital clock, she saw that it was just after 1pm and realized that she’d been going 8 hours on a bowl of cereal and 5 cups of coffee. She needed a break, but didn’t see one in the near future.


The bell on the front door jingled as the blonde entered with a satchel slung over her right shoulder and gripping Ralphie’s leash with her left hand. As she removed her sunglasses and slid them to the top of her head, several people in the waiting room gasped with the realization of who had just walked in the door and a low murmur began to spread through the small group of people. Several patrons began snapping pictures on their cell phones, while others simply sat and stared. She approached the reception desk and waited patiently for the young woman to finish on the phone and acknowledge her.

“Hi, can I help you…oh my God!” The girl said with a look of complete shock.

“Um, Hi. I’m looking for Willow Rosenberg. Is she here?”

The girl was rendered speechless, her mouth moving, but no coherent sounds were emerging. Tara Maclay was standing in front of her and asking for…Willow? Nothing was making sense.

“Are you ok?” Tara asked the girl.

“Yeah, I mean yes. Thank you. You uh, you want to see Willow?” She asked incredulously.

“Yes please, she treated my dog about a week ago,” the blonde replied.

“Oh, ok. I recognize him now. Hold on a second and I’ll get her for you.” The girl said as she rose and disappeared through the door behind her.

As Tara waited a few people came up and asked for autographs and pictures, which she happily complied. A few minutes later Willow emerged from a door off to the side and Tara’s face broke out in a huge smile. Willow had initially been worried when Cassandra had bounded into the back out of breath to tell her about the famous visitor, but upon seeing Tara, the redhead also broke out in a similar grin.

“Tara, Hi! What are you doing here?” Willow asked, wanting to hug her, but also painfully aware that there were dozens of prying eyes upon them.

“I had a break and thought you could probably use some lunch right about now,” Tara replied in a hushed tone, as she patted the satchel.

“Wow, thank you I-” Willow attempted to say something and was not only cutoff by a truly hideous voice, but nearly knocked to the floor as someone forced his way between them.

“Ms. Maclay it is a pleasure to have you in our establishment. What can I do for you today?” He said, as he got right up on Tara, who was attempting to back up as this unwanted man had not only invaded her personal space, but had come between she and Willow. Which in Tara’s book was a big no no.

“Hello, um I was actually just talking with Wil- Ms. Rosenberg and-”

“Well,” he said with a slight chuckle, “her assistance is not necessary. She’s just a volunteer, I’m Dr. Reed, but please feel free to call me Martin.” He said as he flashed a white toothy smile and extended a cold clammy hand to Tara. Holding on longer than Willow thought necessary and giving Tara the creeps. I think this is as close to a vampire as I’ve ever been.

The redhead was now standing behind Dr Grabby to his left side against the counter, with her arms stiffly crossed across her chest. She looked at Tara, shook her head and rolled her eyes at his blatant attempt to woo the blonde. Willow also noticed that people in the waiting room were furiously texting and manically snapping pictures on their phones. People were also starting to gather outside, curiously peering in the windows. Damn, they must have seen her pull up.

“Well now, I recognize this little guy. You know, I treated him when Ms. Rosenberg brought him in last week,” Dr. Grabby said, taking all the credit for Willow’s work.

He reached down to pet Ralphie and right at that moment, the dog lurched forward, pulling the leash free from Tara’s hand. He passed up Dr. Grabby and made a beeline for Willow, jumping up on his hind legs and bouncing wildly. Willow smiled proudly, knelt down and picked up the excited pooch. Getting lot’s of puppy kisses in the process.

“Um, it would appear that Ralphie thinks otherwise,” Tara stated flatly. “Well, it was really nice to meet you, but I actually stopped by to see Willow and I don’t have much time, so if you’ll excuse me.”

The Dr. stood with a look of shock on his face and cleared his throat.

“Ms. Maclay, with all due respect, there’s nothing that Ms. Rosenberg can do for you-” He replied, sounding a tad desperate as Tara quickly cut him off.

“Actually, there’s plenty. Thanks for the offer though. Willow?”

“Right this way Ms. Maclay.” Willow responded with a smirk as she led Tara through the back of the clinic and out the back door.

As soon as they were alone and their eyes met, they burst out laughing.

“What is his deal?” Tara asked, wiping her eyes from laughing.

“Well, he’s not a ball of sunshine,” Willow answered as she put Ralphie down and wrapped his leash around her left hand. Still chuckling, she took Tara’s hand in her right and walked them through the back parking lot and onto the sidewalk. “Dr. Grabby-Hands is a real piece of work. He gets on my last nerve.”

“Dr. Grabby-Hands?” Tara questioned. “Has he ever…with you?” Tara was suddenly feeling a bit protective at the thought of this smarmy predator getting anywhere close to Willow.

“You mean actually felt me up? No. Inappropriately brushed up against me? On a daily basis,” Willow answered.

“Hmmm,” Tara breathed, as she leaned in to Willow, “I’m not sure I like that very much. Want me to kick his ass? Because I totally could.”

“Ooohh…take charge Tara! Jealous much?” Willow countered, with a grin.

“Maybe a little. I don’t like the idea of his ‘Grabby Hands’ anywhere near you. If anyone is going to inappropriately touch my girlfriend, it should be me.” Tara said with a pouty face, keeping their playful banter going.

Willow was thrilled by what she’d just heard and the fact that Tara said it nonchalantly and had yet to even realize it, made Willow practically melt. She took a deep breath to try and quell her fluttering heart.

“So I have a jealous girlfriend, huh?” Willow said coyly, glancing at Tara with a small smirk on her face. Knowing that she would thoroughly enjoy the adorable blush that would soon take over her girlfriends face.

“Uh, I just said that out loud didn’t I?” Tara replied meekly, a deep blush settling on her cheeks.

“Yep, you sure did.” Willow was grinning widely at Tara, looking like the cat that just ate the canary. And here comes the blush!

“What?” The blonde questioned.

“You mean Tara Maclay wants me to be her girlfriend? The Tara Maclay? Oh, what ever will I do?” Willow said playfully in her best southern accent, while tossing an arm across her forehead.

Tara shot her a sideways glance and quirked up the corner of her mouth. Then she quickly pulled a giggling Willow into a shrub-covered alcove, out of public view and into her arms. Dragging the small dog along with them, who promptly laid down at their feet, panting.

Willow wrapped her arms around Tara’s neck. “Your girlfriend’s lips are feeling a little neglected, I don’t think they’ve gotten a proper kiss yet.”

“Hmmm, I think I can give them a little attention,” Tara breathed, closing the gap between them and kissing Willow soundly.

[Ariel]

DIBS!!!

Hi Shel!

I’m the Dibs-meister on this slice of heaven! With a woo and a hoo on that one!

“W-Willow, would y-you like to spend the n-night? I mean not to, you know, but it’ll be l-late and you’ll be tired and neither one of u-us has to be up early and I can m-make you that breakfast I promised and-”

“I’d love to,” Willow interjected, noticing the blondes pronounced stutter and cutting her off before it got any worse. “By-the-way, I think you caught a touch of ‘Willowbabble.’ It must be contagious, too bad I’m not there to help ease the symptoms.”

I’ve always thought that Tara’s stutter (and shyness in general) is very sexy but I love this moment because Willow knows that Tara feels embarrassed and finds a way to turn it around into something sweet to save Tara’s feelings. Cleverness, kindness, and tenderness – all in one sweet drop.

“Well,” he said with a slight chuckle, “her assistance is not necessary. She’s just a volunteer, I’m Dr. Reed, but please feel free to call me Martin.” He said as he flashed a white toothy smile and extended a cold clammy hand to Tara. Holding on longer than Willow thought necessary and giving Tara the creeps. I think this is as close to a vampire as I’ve ever been.

Great re-incorporation of Dr. Grabby hands AND love the vampire line!

So much to love: The very thoughtful gesture of lunch – what a real girlfriend/partner does, Tara’s jealousy and Willow’s delight in it, their banter, and the shrubby-goodness, too!

Okay, I know you’re sick of hearing it but MORE! MORE! MORE!

Ariel

[angieb86]

That was too adorable for words!!

I think I'm in love with this story....Please tell me it's single. LOL

And I don't know if you watch HIMYM, but if you do, I totally got the slutty pumpkin reference!

Loved the encounter with Dr. Shit for Brains...I really hope he gets bitten by a very angry animal by the end of this story...

Keep up the awesome job, and I can't wait for the next chapter!!

Best,
Angela

[Grimm]

Awwwwwwwwwwww How cute!! Shout out to Ralphie for giving Willow some love.... I love the interaction between our girls. But, i'm a bit worried about the location...seems a bit to public..

[Laragh]

That was just the cutest!

Loved it, loved it, loved it!

Boo Dr. Grabby Hands. I wanna see Tara kick his ass. Maybe she's learned some fighting skills from a role she did

for the 'girlfriend' slip. I love it when little moments like that pop up!

Such a great update!!

[xlaurax1]

This chapter was awesome!

Slutty pumpkin and Pirate and Parrot costumes? Little HIMYM referencing going on there?

Ehh, Dr. Grabby-hands again.

“Ms. Maclay, with all due respect, there’s nothing that Ms. Rosenberg can do for you-” He replied, sounding a tad desperate as Tara quickly cut him off.

“Actually, there’s plenty. Thanks for the offer though. Willow?”

Damn right there's something that Willow can do for Tara that GH can't!!

“Hmmm,” Tara breathed, as she leaned in to Willow, “I’m not sure I like that very much. Want me to kick his ass? Because I totally could.”

Mmmm, Kick-Ass Tara. I'm sure that'd make the news.

“You mean Tara Maclay wants me to be her girlfriend? The Tara Maclay? Oh, what ever will I do?” Willow said playfully in her best southern accent, while tossing an arm across her forehead.

Could Willow be any more adorable? I'm really happy that they 'defined the relationship' (to borrow another HIMYM quote).

Anyway, loved it! Can't wait for the next one,

Laura.

[zampsa19752001]

Yay for great update-y goodness... I really liked willow's 12:01am phone call... Big yay for Tara asking Willow to a halloween costume party and suggesting they dress up as couply... Even bigger yay for Tara asking Willow to spend the thursday - friday night with her. I truly hope there's lots of and snugglies... Yay for Ralphie showing that Willow and not Dr. Poophead was his true savior. I hope the clinic staff/Dr. Poophead "inform" the paparazzis about Tara and Willow... I'm really worried about Willow's huge course load. I kinda hope she drops the clinic (and Dr. Poophead) so she can spend more time with her now official (and a bit jealous ) girlfriend...

[wimpy0729]

Oh Yay! Another lovely update.

It was so sweet how Willow called her at a minute past midnight, and the fact that they both loved hearing each other's voice before they went to sleep. Oh, I remember those lovely early days.

I'm so excited that Tara invited her to the party, but I'll admit I'm a little anxious to see how it all turns out. And then with the spending the night, oh boy. Even more excited about that.

But then Tara turning up for a surprise visit at the vet's office was uber sweet. I loved how Tara was gracious with her fans, but I REALLY loved how she shut down Dr. Grabby/Asshole. Ugh, he really didn't get it. God, he's not just an asshole, but a dumb asshole. Tara managed to handle that pretty smoothly, but I'm sure she's had plenty of practice.

With all those people snapping pictures, I have a feeling their nice, normal relationship is about to change very soon. More soon please, cause I really can't wait to see what happens next!


Wimpy