CHAPTER RATING: PG-13
NOTE: Thank you so much to every reader that has stuck with me through this one! It's such a joy to still get to be a part of this community. Big thanks to
taranwillow4ever, shirrey, BeMyDeputy, leftindust, Will's redemption, mmmh-Hot-Sauce, NorthernLass, Finey_McFine, Azirahael &
DaddyCatALSO for taking the time to leave feedback, it is always appreciated!
And of course, DarkWiccan, who beta'd so much for me and without whose friendship I would be but a shell.
Hope to see you guys soon with more Confidential!Verse and, as you might pick up from the epilogue, I definitely plan to revisit these guys here someday too and fill in the gaps!
Thank you one and all!
Epilogue
Sunnydale, August
(10 Years Later)
But I Want You To Know, After All These Years
You're Still The One I Want Whisperin' In My Ear
“Who is she?”
Willow spun around on her barstool and looked at the middle-aged man who had approached her.
“I’m sorry?”
The man nodded down to the other end of the bar.
“The chick you keep staring at.”
Willow turned and watched Tara accept two glasses across the bar from the bartender; her heart fluttering when Tara smiled sideways at the woman serving her.
“The bartender’s name is Marcie.”
The man looked down the bar in confusion.
“Huh. Oh. I didn’t even see her. No, I meant the other chick, the hot one.”
Willow’s eyes rolled so far back she could practically see grey matter. She glanced at the drinks exchange happening again and frowned.
“Oh,” she said, looking away again sorrowfully, “That’s my ex-girlfriend.”
The man leaned against the bar and looked at Willow with a mix of sympathy and opportunity.
“What happened?”
Tara walked down the bar and put her arm over Willow’s shoulder, handing Willow the second glass she had in her hands that way.
Willow reached up to accept it and stirred her drink with the little biodegradable straw. She took a sip and leaned back against Tara.
“I married her. She’s my wife now.”
The guy scowled and pushed himself off the bar to walk away.
“Guess he didn't want to chat,” Willow said innocently.
Tara cast Willow a sideways glance.
“Are you telling people I’m your ex-girlfriend again?”
“You are,” Willow said, grinning back, “Not my fault he’s not hip enough to know we’re in Sunnydale’s first gay bar.”
Tara chuckled.
“And you’re the authority on all things hip?”
Willow’s jaw dropped indignantly.
“I’m hip! I’m so hip I’m os coxae.”
“You thought the whip/nae nae was a frozen dessert,” Tara countered with a raised eyebrow, “You embarrassed the heck out of Sal that day.”
Willow waved a hand dismissively.
“She was a teenager, teenagers are perpetually embarrassed,” she replied, then lifted a hand and wiggled her fingers, “Anyway, I have a ring on my finger. Not to mention this.”
She twirled the message in a bottle hanging off the chain around her neck.
“If a guy is going to hit on a woman in a gay bar he should, at the very least, check for jewelry indicative of a relationship. Any ribbing is subsequently deserved.”
Tara frowned.
“Maybe it says something about our marketing that he didn’t know where he was.”
Willow made a wide gesture around to the rest of the bar. It was full of people, a lot of whom were very obviously same-sex couples.
“Everybody else here seems pretty clear that we’re in a gay bar. I don’t think it’s our marketing. Or should I say, your marketing. Which I happen to know is stellar. He’s just an entitled ass who possibly came
because it’s a gay bar and thought he could score some lesbians. I have half a mind to kick him out.”
“Okay, Vin Diesel, calm down,” Tara patted Willow’s shoulder, “I need to use the restroom. Bring our drinks to the table? Try not to kick anyone’s ass along the way.”
“Sure,” Willow agreed, hopping off the barstool and taking Tara’s glass for her, “But I make no promises. Sometimes my Tai Chi training just takes over.”
Tara chuckled and Willow grinned. She still loved producing that sound.
She waited at the bar for a moment, taking a look around to make sure everything and everyone was okay. It was an important night for them and she felt proud that they had been able to do this.
She looked behind the bar at the different colored tiles, which she’d picked out especially, that spelled out ‘Amazons’ and then beneath in smaller lettering ‘Purveyors Of Kisses And Gay Love’.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her ‘admirer’ from before making a beeline for the door and followed his terrified eye line to a male couple in tight clothes looking at each other with confusion as they pulled away from a kiss.
Willow chuckled.
That solved that problem.
A homophobe outwitted by his own homophobia. Justice was always sweet.
“Hey Larry, top me up?” she called behind the bar.
Larry came over and refilled Willow’s glass.
“Anything else Willow?” he asked, then frowned, “Can I still call you Willow?”
Willow smiled.
“Of course.”
“I appreciate the work,” Larry replied and glanced at one of the other male bartenders changing a barrel, “And the eye candy.”
Willow stood up on her toes to lean across the bar and address him directly.
“The lawyers I used are very powerful. I'm very powerful. And maybe it's not such a good idea for you to piss me off,” she said resolutely but with a disarming smile, “If you get me sued for sexual harassment you will rue the day you were born.”
“Noted, ma’am,” Larry replied seriously but with a friendly grin and a mock-salute, “I don’t date people I knew in high school, anyway. Personal rule I made after my grandma set me up on a dubious date with Tucker’s little brother.”
He shot Willow a finger gun.
“Work for though — gladly. Especially with what you’re paying.”
He flexed his arms on the bar.
“But tell your missus her brother can come back in any time to jump me.”
Willow shook her head.
“Donny is married. To a woman.”
Larry picked up a glass to clean and appear occupied.
“I always thought she was a bit of a rat. Always sniffing around. I think she wanted me to ask her to prom.”
Willow shrugged.
“Look…it’s complicated. And they don’t mind it being talked about, so I’ll tell you. Remember she just disappeared our last semester in high school? It was because she was an addict. And Donny is an addict. They met after they’d both been in recovery for a while and somehow they keep each other on the straight and narrow. That’s a good thing. I’ve never been Donny’s biggest fan but Amy and I used to hang out in junior high and being together is, well…the most together I’ve seen them both.”
Larry tried to shrug it off by rolling his eyes and tried to seem nonchalant.
“Anyway, I meant jumping my car.”
Willow pursed her lips but was secretly smirking.
“My wife’s yoga pants don’t stretch that much. That’s enough chatter, now get back to work.”
She was friendly but gave him a look that she was not to be toyed with. She lifted her drink at him in a parting greeting and turned back around.
She walked across the floor, pausing at the stage to make sure the set-up was going okay. She guessed Tara had checked in on the band and that was what was delaying her so just made sure there were no stray wires or anything else that could cause mishap to their opening night.
She walked across the club and smiled at the couples out dancing already to the music coming out over the speaker system; it was one of Tara’s playlists cultivated especially for this event and Willow could see her wife had nailed it yet again.
At the back of the club, up a few steps on a platform that overlooked the rest of the dance floor and stage area, there was a large J-shape sofa; black with white buttons. There were two circular tables at each end, with enough room for people to move between so they could get in and out, which were finished with a glossy white paint. Each had a strip of glass through the center so that when the lights reflected off it there was a rainbow effect shone across the table.
Tara designed them, using the bench she’d made as her senior project for inspiration. Willow ran her hand over one with a smile and took the ‘reserved’ sign away as she sat on the sofa.
“Mrs. Maclay?”
Willow looked up and saw a young girl standing on the steps. She had dark copper hair that made its natural red tones stand out under the lighting bouncing around on her from the dance floor. The same lighting hid her hands nervously wringing together but Willow was able to catch it on a bounce of orange fluorescence.
Willow smiled at her.
“Hi!”
The girl lifted her thumb to her mouth and chewed the corner of, then seemed to realize what she was doing and dropped it quickly.
“I’m sorry to bother you.”
Willow sat forward more invitingly.
“It’s okay, you’re not bothering me. You okay?”
The girl raised her hand in an awkward wave and Willow suddenly saw a lot of herself, or her younger self anyway, being mirrored back.
“I’m Holly.”
“Hi Holly,” Willow greeted and found herself giving the same wave back.
Holly rocked back and forth on her heels.
“I-I just,” she paused and then blurted quickly, “I just wanted to say how much you and Tara…um, the other Mrs. Maclay…”
“You can call her Tara, she won’t mind,” Willow said with a friendly smile.
Holly’s whole face lit up.
“I-It means so much to see a gay couple from Sunnydale be out and successful,” she said, ducking her head and looked up in awe, “I can’t actually believe you’re actually from my town. My parents, they…they see you and I think they see me?”
She stopped and swallowed.
“I…I see me. What I could be. And I feel okay about…being me. I'm saying 'me' a lot. I'm not normally so self-centered.”
Willow felt her heart clench and sipped her drink to get moisture back in her mouth.
“And that you opened this place in Sunnydale!” Holly continued, gushing, then added on shyly, “It’s my first time in a gay bar. I never thought there would be a place like this here. I thought I’d have to wait until college at least.”
Willow cleared her throat to compose herself.
“Do you have an underage stamp?” she asked and Holly showed her hand confirming it was there, “Good. I’m glad you’ve found us here. I hope you enjoy the band. Do you know them?”
“Lip Service?” Holly said as if she was asked if she enjoyed breathing, “Of course. Everyone knows Lip Service.”
“Not always! They were playing the very first time I was in a gay bar too, how about that? But they were just starting out back then in the olden days,” Willow grinned and Holly looked thrilled to share a commonality, “Are you here with anyone?”
Holly looked over to another young brunette girl waiting in the wings.
“My…” she paused and smiled, then looked back to Willow, “Girlfriend. Nova.”
Willow smiled too and stood to give Holly a hug.
“I hope you two have a great night.”
Holly squeezed Willow back like she was clinging to her for life, then waved her wrist where her watch was sitting. Its screen lit up with the movement.
“Can I get a selfie?”
“Yeah, sure,” Willow replied eagerly, smiling as she spotted Tara walking back over, “Do you want Tara in it too?”
Holly looked stunned as Tara approached and Willow pointed down indicatively.
“Picture.”
“Oh, sure,” Tara smiled and bent down to be in-frame.
Holly held her arm up in front of them all.
“Cheese!” Willow and Tara intoned together and saw their image flash up on the screen with a thrilled Holly between them briefly before Holly jumped on the spot and hugged them both quickly while gushing thanks.
“Nice to meet you!” Willow called after her as she scampered back off to jump with her girlfriend.
“I just met DJ Tarot!”
They hurried off together with Holly pulling up the photo to show her. Willow beamed at Tara and greeted her with a peck before taking her seat again while Tara sat in beside her.
“Who was that?” Tara asked, taking her drink back in her hand.
Willow smiled at Tara.
“A kid coming to a gay bar for the first time with her girlfriend.”
Tara held her hand over her heart and Willow nodded.
“Yeah. I know.”
Tara leaned her head on Willow’s shoulder for a moment and Willow kissed Tara’s head.
“We would sell out this whole place if you brought DJ Tarot back for a night, you know.”
Tara straightened back up and gave Willow a look.
“When I retired DJ Tarot I retired her for good,” she said definitively, “Besides I never would have gotten half as many gigs if Nate hadn't endorsed me.”
Willow scoffed.
“Nate might be a superstar but his shout-outs wouldn’t have meant anything unless you actually had the talent to pull it off. Which. You. Do.”
She tried to punctuate each word with a kiss but Tara waved her off, though with an undeniable smile breaking through.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.”
Willow held up her hands.
“Okay, okay, it’s your choice. I’m just saying you don’t give yourself credit. I still see all that merch you made selling on eBay sometimes and it attracts a bidding war! I could sell my Insect Reflection t-shirt for top dollar if I didn’t still love to sleep in it,” she said and started to smirk, “And maaaaybe I just want to see you with those sexy headphones again.”
Tara looked at Willow through lidded eyes as she nibbled on the top of her straw.
“Well maybe she can pay an exclusive visit to the bedroom,” she said with a sly wink, “If you wear your Vespa helmet.”
“Deal. We can roleplay DJ getting stranded on the way to her gig getting rescued by the helpful good Samaritan on the scooter…” Willow laughed and leaned in to pop a chaste kiss on Tara’s lips, “It will be even more fun than that time you did that interview on TV and you got turned into a meme.”
Tara’s eyes blinked several times and she rocked her head toward Willow.
“That wasn’t fun for me.”
Willow’s tongue stuck out between her teeth.
“It was fun for everyone else,” she giggled, “Remember?”
“I remember you milking it for all it was worth,” Tara returned, shaking her head indignantly, “I was speaking out against violence.”
“Sure looked like you were speaking out against swimming,” Willow grinned.
Willow’s wrist beeped and she sighed immediately as she began to dictate a reply to the incoming message.
“No, Dickie, you cannot change the storyline! We pay professionals a fortune to design them a certain way! You know, the way that makes the whole program WORK! It’s not just a story you’re telling, it’s a tool! You should be familiar with that concept since you are one!”
Tara closed her hand over Willow’s watch.
“Willow,” she chastised softly, then lifted her hand, “No alterations. Send.”
She dropped her hand and looked back at Willow.
“No more work. The app can wait for a night. Especially this night.”
“Tell that to Dickie,” Willow replied in frustration, “Why did I agree to let that doofus come on board?”
“Because he’s good at what he does,” Tara replied kindly, though it wasn’t untrue. She saw the frustration flash in Willow’s eyes and knew she needed to talk this out or she’d be stuck in grump mode all night, “And his name is well known for his comics so he’ll draw in the young male market with the new comic book therapy program. You were the one who wanted to expand the art programs into virtual reality and you were the one who agreed he had the name power. Plus now we might even get Xander to download the app now like he’s saying he would for years, which I know you would consider a personal achievement.”
Willow blew out a slow breath.
“Okay, yes. And I know I agreed to it. But…I still don’t trust Dickie. He’s staying on three-month contracts. Also if he interrupts our morning tai chi classes in the office by farting one more time his head is toast.”
Tara sighed and resisted the urge to tell her to go off to do some tai chi right now.
“You’re the boss, Willow. You’ll do what’s right.”
Willow rolled her eyes.
“And never again is he sitting in on a meeting. Not after the incident with the Japanese.”
“It all worked out,” Tara soothed softly.
“Because you were there,” Willow said pointedly.
“I didn’t do much,” Tara replied easily.
“You did everything!” Willow insisted, “You charmed them and saved the deal. Which, hello, is paying for our house.”
Tara didn’t say anything and Willow started to gesticulate wildly.
“Not to mention all of the other stuff you’ve done! I mean, sitting here, right now, in this place? Entirely thanks to you! We may never have gotten a foot in the door with the app if you hadn’t already developed a profile because of your music—”
“Our music,” Tara corrected.
Willow gave Tara a sidelong look.
“The YouTube stuff we did was still
all you,” she said definitively, “I just sang along and looked at you adoringly. Which, granted, some people thought was cute. But still all you. And it was your DJ career that gave us the most notoriety, don't deny it.”
Tara held her hands up in defeat and said nothing.
“Anyway,” Willow continued purposefully, “That was only a stepping stone to everything else you've done! Like getting Nate to invest for our match funding. Not to mention all of the nights you spent designing the actual app, even when you had your job to go to the next day. And planning it all with me, supporting me while I built it, paying our rent when I used all my money to pay the psychologists to design the first programs, helping me write the pitch and driving me around everywhere to try and sell it. And, oh yeah, having the idea in the first place. That tiny little detail that made us able to do things like start companies and buy houses and open gay bars.”
Tara pursed her lips and waited for Willow’s need to take a breath before she spoke.
“That is my job.”
“The graphic design, maybe, yeah, not that you took a cent for yourself for years,” Willow shot back.
Tara slipped her hand on top of Willow’s and linked their fingers.
“I meant being in your partner, in everything. Companies, houses, gay bars. Successes and mistakes.”
“Hiring Dickie is my mistake to own,” Willow said, holding her other hand up before grinning, “Your only mistake is that awful blonde dye job you tried in college. Anya’s influence, I’m sure. I still don’t know why you spent all those months as her roommate.”
“Because she needed a place to stay,” Tara replied softly, “And she really wanted to try out her business in a big city.”
“Which one?” Willow scoffed, “The I’ll-get-revenge-on-your-boyfriend-if-you-pay-me-scheme or the gossip blog? Both of which had the police show up on your doorstep!”
“Willow,” Tara said softly but insistently.
“I know, I know,” Willow waved her hand, “I’m sorry. I try to be nice but she makes it so hard!”
She took a sip of her drink and glanced sidelong at Tara.
“I’m still glad you never touched a box of hair dye again though.”
Tara rolled her eyes and Willow laughed before lifting their hands to kiss Tara’s knuckles.
“I’m teasing. Forget about all of that. It was so long ago. What I’m really trying to say is… I know you like to stay more in the background and put me out there as the face of the app, but you…you’re the heart.”
Her watch beeped again and her serene smile turned to a scowl.
“And Dickie is the rectum.”
“Willow,” Tara chastised again gently.
“Sorry,” Willow held her second hand up, “I know I’m being mega with the annoyance this evening, I just didn’t think I’d have to deal with that family any more once Sally dumped Dickie’s stupid little brother.”
“Willie was very good to Sal,” Tara said kindly, “They loved each other.”
“Not enough, obviously,” Willow muttered.
Tara looked at Willow and bumped her shoulder.
“Not everyone gets to marry their first love.”
Willow paused and looked at Tara’s face. She put her palm on Tara’s cheek and smiled.
“I’m being a crank. I see it. I’m sorry. You’re right. Tonight is a big night and we should be enjoying it.”
She leaned in and kissed Tara’s lips softly.
“This isn't work talk, but I am really excited that you’ve decided to do some consultancy on the side.”
Tara shrugged one shoulder bashfully.
“I’m just helping Mrs. Summers with the gallery.”
“She's always really appreciated how you were there for Buffy and Dawn when she got sick,” Willow replied, squeezing Tara’s hand and looking sad for a moment, “And for all of the stuff after when Buffy…”
She stopped and swallowed.
“And it
is a big deal. You’re amazing. I know you missed doing other work when you gave up your job to work for the app full time.”
She kissed Tara’s cheek.
“But remember, we’re only sharing you. We need you on the team. Team Maclay.”
She held up her hand to fist bump and knocked their hands on top of each other before bumping properly.
“Team Maclay,” they spoke and laughed together.
They still found that funny. They’d even made it their company logo.
“I know I can telecommute but I’ll have to be in the LA offices sometimes so I’ll be happy to know you’re working here too,” Willow said, scooting closer into Tara’s side, “Though I was still surprised when you suggested moving away from the city where there’s more work, I have to admit. Not money-wise, but for your own satisfaction.”
“This is where I want our family to be,” Tara said resolutely.
“Me too,” Willow agreed surely, “100%. I just want you to be fulfilled.”
“I am and I plan to continue to be,” Tara replied easily, “It’s good to throw caution to the wind and change things up sometimes. Even if the change is back to something familiar.”
Willow smiled softly.
“Everything could go kaput tomorrow.”
Tara nodded; it could.
“We'd survive.”
“You think?” Willow asked with a playful movement of her brow.
“I know,” Tara corrected, eyes creased affectionately, “I have faith.”
“In the world?” Willow asked, sipping her drink through her straw.
Tara leaned over and pressed her lips to Willow’s forehead.
“In us.”
Willow smiled and nuzzled Tara’s cheek before sitting back in her seat.
“Did I ever get any compensation for naming rights for DJ Tarot?”
“You got a wife,” Tara retorted with a pointed look.
“Even better,” Willow grinned, “Because you are just the most amaz—”
“Give me a kiss,” Tara cut her off.
She moved in and put her lips softly on Willow’s.
“Are you trying to shut me up?” Willow murmured into the kiss.
“Mmhm,” Tara murmured back.
Willow put her glass on the table and pulled Tara closer by the neck.
“It's working.”
They kissed for a few moments; nothing more than a passionate peck and sweet caresses of each other’s face.
“Gross.”
They parted and looked up to the girl who had interrupted them; a young woman in her very early twenties with dark brown wavy hair bouncing on her shoulders. Her skin had a warm olive undertone and her body was curvaceous while her eyes popped with blue; the same hue as Tara’s.
“Your sister is here,” Willow said To Tara in a sing-song voice with a playful, pointed stare at the young girl.
Tara stood and embraced her.
“Hi, Sal.”
Willow stood to give her a quick hug too.
“Look at you, able to come into one of these places with no stamp. We can call you No-Stamp Sally!”
Sally sat on a little stool and waved her hand.
“Alcohol is so passé anyway,” she said, but looked up toward the bar, “But I’ll still take an ice beer .”
“Wait for everyone else to get here and we’ll order a round for the table,” Willow offered, then sat forward with a little bounce, “So what do you think?”
Sally slowly craned her neck around the bar, taking her first proper look.
“It’s way busier than I thought it would be.”
“Gee, thanks,” Willow replied flatly, gently kicking Sally’s leg under the table.
“Ugh,” Sally grunted, giving Willow a mock-scowl that looked comical with her trying to hold back a smile, “You know what I mean. There are a lot of…”
“Gays?!” Willow said, wiggling her fingers spookily, “We’re everywhere, you know. I thought the next generation was more enlightened about these things.”
“I know a lot of gay people,” Sally defended, “I just didn’t know a lot of gay people lived…here.”
“That’s the point,” Tara said softly, “We had nowhere to go.”
Sally smiled and covered her sister’s hand.
“It looks great! I’m really proud of you guys for making a space like this.”
Tara smiled gratefully.
“Is Dawn coming tonight?”
Sally nodded.
“She’ll be a little late. Her journaling society is doing their annual gratitude day on campus this weekend and she’s the key to holding it all together, apparently. She has to go to a meeting tonight.”
“Oh of course,” Tara replied, rubbing Willow’s thigh, “We’re sponsoring it. We said we’d pop by tomorrow.”
“Yeah, we’ll go in after your meeting with Joyce,” Willow smiled, covering Tara’s hand and giving it a squeeze, “Did she mention if she was coming by tonight?”
Tara shrugged one shoulder.
“She said she and Olivia were working on Mr. Cox and Mr. Giles.”
Willow’s nose scrunched distastefully.
“They’re not ‘backs to the wall’ kinda guys are they?”
“No, they just don’t want to stay out that late,” Tara laughed and Willow giggled back before they settled their attention back on Sally, who was ignoring their little tête-à-tête; quite used to it, “Are you taking part in the gratitude day with Dawnie, Sal?”
Sally flicked some hair over her shoulder in an exaggerated motion.
“I should be given gratitude for sharing a dorm with her all these years.”
Willow rolled her eyes.
“When I was your age I had a bratty teen to contend with.”
“Before you shipped me off,” Sally scoffed.
Willow looked affronted.
“You wanted to go” she scoffed back, “And to your parents!”
Sally stuck her tongue out petulantly; a skill she learned from she whom she was engaged in an argument with right then.
“They weren’t my parents yet.”
The end of Willow’s glass hit the table.
“Technicality!”
Tara just smiled and shook her head.
She was quite used to this kind of tête-à-tête too.
“Oh, hey!” Sally smiled brightly after a moment, squabbling forgotten, "I can’t believe I almost forgot. Happy anniversary!”
“Thank you,” both Willow and Tara said at the same time before smiling at each other and rejoining their hands.
“Your wedding feels like so long ago,” Sally said wistfully, then scowled at Willow, “You wouldn’t let me have a drink then either.”
“You were a kid!” Willow protested and Tara bit her bottom lip and hid her smile toward the ground.
Anya arrived shortly after and announced herself by slamming a cocktail shaker shaped like a penis on the table in front of them.
“I brought you a bar-warming gift!”
Willow and Tara both stared. Sally did her best to look anywhere but at it.
“That was…very…thoughtful, Anya,” Tara said eventually.
“Our bar manager will love it,” Willow added with a forced smile as she leaned over to Tara to whisper, “See? I'm being nice!”
Thankfully Buffy and Xander got there very soon after and disrupted the awkwardness. Anya shared a look of longing with Xander long enough for Willow to squirrel the ‘gift’ under the sofa.
“Hey Wills,” Buffy greeted her friend with a hug, then gave one of equal measure to Tara, “Hey Tare. So good to see you both.”
She pulled back and grinned at them.
“The big city girls back to see us!” she said as she slid onto the sofa, “Not too big for us now they’ve been written up in the New York Times.”
“Stop…” Willow dismissed with a wave of her hand as she dragged out the word with a blush and smile, “That was no big deal. So what do you guys think of the place?”
Buffy smiled as she looked around.
“It looks great. It could really rival the Bronze for people who like things a bit more…colorful.”
“Do we get free drinks now we’re all chummy with the owners?” Xander asked, rubbing his hands together.
Willow laughed.
“Tonight, anyway, yeah,” she said and indicated for Larry to come over, “We won’t be involved in the day to day running of the place. That’s why we have Larry. Larry, can you get some drinks for the table please?”
She waited until he came around to them to write down their drinks and used her body to shield herself passing the shaker over. She lowered her voice.
“Do not use this behind the bar. If the lesbians see their drinks coming out of this we’ll have a revolt not seen since the days of Bury Your Gays.”
“Got it, boss,” Larry replied, flicking the head of the shaker toward Willow as a salute, “I’ll keep it for the size queens.”
He went off whistling and Willow shook her head, needing to stare at Tara for a moment to refresh her brain into more pleasant images.
“I’ve never been to a gay bar,” Xander said curiously as he looked around, “Do they do wet t-shirt competitions but on men? Or bra removal contests for the women?”
“They’d have to beat the champ,” Willow replied boastfully, stretching her fingers out in front of her, “I’ve taken a few bras off in my lifetime.”
Tara shot Willow a look and folded her arms lightly over her chest.
“What?” Willow asked, holding her hand up in a shrug, “We’ve been together a long time. You’ve had a lot of bras.”
Tara shook her head and looked over to Xander.
“We have live music,” she finally answered, “The band will be starting soon.”
“Is it Nate?” Anya asked excitedly.
“Ooh, is it?” Xander asked just as excited.
“Your weird shared man-crush aside, no, Nate is not playing,” Willow replied with an odd look between them.
Xander once told her drunkenly (at her wedding, in fact) that Nate was
both of his and Anya’s number one threesome choice if they could have anyone and it was just far beyond anything she ever wanted to imagine.
“He’s on tour,” Tara explained, cutting into Willow’s brief flash of disgust, “But he’ll be over for a shareholder meeting for the app soon and we want to do a benefit evening.”
“To benefit you, yes?” Anya asked, leaning forward, “To make your money make money?”
“To benefit the charities we support around the world,” Tara clarified, and sat forward excitedly because this was one of the areas she personally oversaw within the app, “We’ve actually just linked in with this great organization that helps LGBT immigrants—”
“You people hate money,” Anya cut Tara off with a scoff, “You don’t charge for your app, you don’t charge for your concerts!”
Willow’s body rose defensively but Tara’s hand moved to Willow’s thigh and squeezed it in a silent plea to let her handle it.
“We’ll get a lot of exposure,” Tara explained to Anya, knowing in her own weird way that Anya was actually showing concern for them by protesting their alternative approach to capitalism, “And we’re more than comfortable with the methods we use for revenue generation. Our business model has worked, Ahn, you have to give us that.”
Anya seemed to consider it. Xander caught her eye and that seemed to help quieten her, or distract her at least, as they made bedroom eyes at each other.
Buffy, sitting beside him, nudged his side.
“That wasn’t a totally hateful look,” she said encouragingly, “Is another reconciliation on the cards?”
Xander smiled downward.
“I’m hopeful.”
Buffy frowned as she looked between them.
“We’re nearly thirty and still living at home. We should have our act together by now. What’s your excuse?”
“Perpetual man child,” Xander answered with an expressive nod.
“You lived with Anya when you were together,” Buffy pointed out.
“When I left her at the alter she really rounded up that local girl power,” Xander replied, clasping his hands together, “Our landlord was a lady.”
“It was years ago,” Buffy replied with a slightly arched eyebrow, “And how many reconciliations since? She can’t still be stopping you from moving out.”
Xander held his hands a foot apart.
“I’m working on something big. Hoping it will be the last reconciliation.”
“What is it?” Buffy asked curiously.
Xander smiled over at Anya while her attention was directed elsewhere.
“Let’s just say for once I’m not building a house for
other people.”
He clasped his hands together and looked at Buffy.
“What about you? Isn’t it time you left Casa Summers for good? Dawn is in the dorms, your mom hasn’t been sick in years and you haven’t been…”
“Loopy?” Buffy suggested helpfully.
“Of the insane persuasion,” Xander smiled with a toothy grin.
Buffy frowned thoughtfully.
“I am getting sick of her and Brian being all lovey-dovey when the only dove I have is the one I’m washing my body with.”
“You would have to pick a nice guy first,” Xander replied with a sarcastic wink, “Because that last guy? You veered right off the track there.”
“I did pick 'nice' once,” Buffy grumbled, “Who would have thought the secret soldier would end up being so…boring. That’s why…
he was so thrilling.”
Xander held two hands a foot apart again.
“There’s a whole, wide area in the middle between ‘boring’ and ‘literal demon’. Just make ‘has almost certainly killed someone’ a deal-breaker.”
“Those were just jokes,” Buffy replied unconvincingly.
Xander cocked his head toward Willow and Tara.
“Even though we know he almost plowed into our therapy twins here.”
Buffy frowned self-deprecatingly.
“I kinda liked that they’d all already met before so far away. Felt like fate.”
“More like doom,” Xander scoffed, “A word Captain Peroxide carries around in the pocket of that leather jacket of his. The only good thing he ever did was leave this one-Starbucks town.”
“We all know why you hate him so much and it isn’t because he slept with
me,” Buffy returned petulantly as she glanced at Anya, but it faltered when she saw the stung look on Xander’s face, “Hey, that’s all ancient history. So many bad decisions ago…”
Xander swung his head back to Buffy with a contrite smile.
“Hey, even Tara called you nuts back then,” he teased gently to let her know they were okay, “And she’s the nicest person we know.”
Buffy paused and looked at Tara, who caught the look and raised her glass with a smile. Buffy smiled back.
“You’re right there,” she said to Xander, “If it weren’t for her I would have jumped off that tower that night.”
Xander reached out and held Buffy’s shoulder.
“Hey…Buff…”
“That’s so long ago,” Buffy waved a hand, looking down, “But it feels like I’m still in the same place I was back then. Not emotionally, but physically. I’m right where I was…where I’ve always been.”
“You should try online dating,” Xander encouraged, then waggled his eyebrows, “Or dip your toe in the pool of lady loving and hit on someone here.”
Buffy laughed.
“I’ll wait until desperation sinks in for that. I haven’t even thought about a guy in forever,” she shook her head, then looked thoughtful, “It took me a long time but I finally realized I don’t need a man. I want one but I don’t need one.”
She gave a small frown.
“Hey, I think I just epiphanied myself.”
She smiled sheepishly.
“I may have been working through the free subscription Willow gave me for their app. I never liked speaking to the actual therapists but it’s a lot easier when I can be anonymous on there.”
Xander placed his hand on Buffy’s shoulder.
“You deserve to be happy Buff. However and…whoever with. Unless they’re a—”
“Literal demon,” they spoke together and then laughed.
Xander rubbed Buffy’s arm and she looked down at the table at the laughing faces.
“Ever wish you’d escaped like they did?”
“Wish I had their cash,” Xander quipped in response.
He stopped and then shrugged one should slowly.
“There’s something about good ole’ Sunnydale…even at its worst, it’s always home. It would have to drop into a sinkhole to get us to leave,” he said with a sudden burst of wisdom as his eyes fell back on Buffy, “But that doesn’t mean we have to be stuck in one place.”
He also smiled sheepishly.
“I’ve been using the app too. Don’t tell Willow, I’ve been holding out so she’ll finally do the comic book stuff she’s been promising for years. But back to you and spreading those wings.”
Buffy slowly smiled as she felt a burst of enthusiasm she hadn’t felt since the last bad boy fell into her lap.
“I
am making good money at the dōjō, finally. Now that they’re actually letting me teach some classes and not just clean up after them. Still, definitely better than the DoubleMeat Palace. Don’t miss that place with all of its… productivity and co-operation.”
She shuddered.
“I miss the free DoubleMeat Medleys,” Xander intoned sadly, then placed his palm above his stomach, “My gut doesn’t.”
Buffy sat up straighter in her seat.
“You know Xander, I think you’re right.”
“Can I get that in writing?” Xander asked with a soft, affable grin, “But yes, DoubleMeat Medleys are the work of the intestinally insane.”
“No, I mean maybe it is time for me to find my own place,” Buffy continued in her stride, “If I can find a place with enough room to train and maybe a couch for Dawn to sleep on when she needs to that needs little to no deposit…”
Xander smiled warmly.
“If you can wait it out a few weeks and have a big heaping wheelbarrow of faith in me, I’m hoping Anya’s place might become available…”
Tara watched their friends chatter as the club filled up more and more and took a moment to appreciate her surroundings. When her gaze finally landed on Willow, she found she was already being stared back at.
“What’s that look for?” Tara asked with an amused smile.
Willow sighed happily.
“That even after all of these years I still feel the same way I felt when I was four years old,” she said with soft conviction, “Captivated.”
She leaned in and they kissed again until Sally kicked Willow under the table.
Willow pulled away smiling and held her hands up.
“Okay, all right, we'll stop.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Buffy called over as she enjoyed her free drink.
A ringtone rang out and Willow was about a second away from imploding with frustration when she realized it wasn’t hers.
Sally held her wrist up.
“Mom and Pop are calling.”
She came over and wedged herself between Willow and Tara and answered the video call.
“Hi Mom, hi Pop!”
“Hi, Mom. Hi Jeff,” Tara greeted with a smile.
“Hi Mr. and Ms. Maclay,” Willow waved, “How’s China treating you?”
Anya came over and stuck her head in.
“Our profits are up 17% since you’ve been gone, Jeff! Giles let me do what I wanted! I told you targeting children to endlessly harass their parents into buying goods would work!”
Willow pushed Anya back out right into Xander’s lap and she stayed there. Willow turned back to the call where Kimberly and Jeff were showing off the Great Wall behind them.
“Girls, we're so sorry we can't be there but we'll be in for a drink as soon as we get home,” Kimberly called kindly through the watch, “We're so enjoying our vacation. We can't thank you enough for the trip!”
“Incredibly generous,” Jeff added as his arm outstretched in front of them to keep them in frame, “We'll owe you cat-sitting for life! We're leaving for a retreat on Mongolian shamanism tomorrow so we wanted to call before we left.”
Buffy's body shifted over when Anya fell into Xander’s lap and looked at them slyly for a moment. She’d seen that look in both of their eyes before but the fact that they never seemed to lose it after all of their ups and downs certainly meant something. She really did hope they were moving toward a final reconciliation. And Anya did have a really nice place…
Maybe things were finally falling into place.
She looked down at her empty beer and started to offer to go get a new round, but people were in their own little conversations so she just jumped up to go for herself.
She returned to the bar and leaned against it until a bartender came up to her.
Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized she recognized him.
“Gage?”
He stopped and looked at her for a moment.
“Buffy?”
Buffy stood up a bit straighter.
“I haven’t seen you seen you transferred out of high school so suddenly.”
Gage nodded and threw the dishcloth over his shoulder.
“Got attacked. Parents got spooked. We came back when they couldn’t sell the house but I was in college by then.”
Buffy lifted herself up onto a barstool.
“I heard you were trying out for the state team.”
“Came close,” Gage replied with a shrug, “No cigar.”
Buffy gestured around.
“You work here now?”
“I do,” Gage nodded, “I like being behind the bar. Reminds me of the pool.”
Buffy frowned.
“How do you figure that?”
“Speed, balance,” Gage replied and started to smirk, “Ladies cheering for you.”
Buffy’s cheeks tinged pink. She made the same gesture around the place as she had a moment before.
“Oh, so you’re not…”
“A bigot?” Gage asked and smiled, nodding to her empty glass, “Another?”
Buffy smiled softly.
“Please.”
On the stage, Larry fixed the microphone and tapped it once to gather attention. A spotlight dropped on him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you are all welcome to our opening night here at Amazons.”
There was a clap and some cheers and even a holler.
“Bye! Bye! Enjoy the rest of your trip!” Sally waved to her wrist as the call ended, “Love you!”
She shot back over to her own seat and Willow moved right in close to Tara with a smile as she held her hand.
“Our new owners didn’t want to make a big speech tonight,” Larry continued from the stage, holding onto the microphone stand now, “But they did ask me to say one thing.”
He smiled out to the crowd.
“This is the room where you don't have to be brave. This is the room where you just have to be you.”
There was another clap, especially from the ‘reserved’ section who were all beaming at their friends. Both Willow and Tara shared a teary-eyed look and a quick kiss.
“Without further ado, I give you Lip Service,” Larry announced with a booming voice before jumping back down off the stage while clapping the band onto it.
Guitar music started and then some soft, feminine harmonies followed and the whole place was in full swing.
Willow leaned over to Tara so she could speak and be heard.
“That call with your mom reminded me — my mom asked if we’d come over for Shabbat ‘while we’re still in town’,” she grinned and waggled her eyebrows, “Little does she know.”
Tara held onto Willow’s arm and spoke right into her ear.
“Should we tell them all we're moving back? That we’re in escrow on the house?”
“Let’s wait for the adoption papers to be finalized,” Willow grinned even more, “Give them a double surprise. Triple, technically.”
Tara grinned back.
“We should ask Mom if she’ll kitty-sit Miss Kitty for us and then just turn up with everyone in tow.”
Willow laughed out loud.
“They’ll be fighting over who gets who for Chrisyulenukkah.”
“So we host and let them come to us,” Tara suggested.
Willow smiled softly.
“Smart. That’s why I married you.”
She put her nose in Tara’s neck and then kissed the enticing piece of skin there.
“Did you think we’d end up back here?”
Tara rubbed Willow’s thigh.
“Kinda. We fell in love here. Grew up together. It made sense to me that our kids would too,” she said softly, “But no matter what, I just knew wherever we were, it would be together.”
Willow covered Tara’s hand on her thigh and held it there as she looked up at Tara lovingly.
“How much you’ve believed in me, all these years…” she paused to compose herself, “There is not faith enough.”
Tara could only smile back.
“We learn the truth when we find that kind of love,” she said emphatically, “I just learned it young.”
Willow nodded once.
“And what’s that truth?”
Tara leaned in and nuzzled Willow’s nose.
“We’re the truth. Us. Sooner or later, it had to come through,” she replied with vibrancy in her eyes and tone, “And it did. It was…inescapable. Unavoidable. Certain.”
“
Fate,” Willow replied emphatically, “But I still had to choose to allow myself to love you. And I still choose you every day.”
Willow reached out and took both of their drinks from the table, handing Tara hers.
She held her glass between them.
“Here’s to every adventure we’ve had.”
Tara held hers in the same way.
“Here’s to every adventure still to come.”
Willow clinked her glass against Tara’s.
“To loving you more through each and every one.”
Tara smiled teasingly.
“Oh, you’re so sure about that?”
Willow smiled back.
“Sure? Baby, you and me…it is how it has always been. It’s just completely and utterly…”
She looked at Tara with complete and utter adoration accompanying her words.
“Inevitable.”