GrimCityGirl —



And I will be chugging that train along!



It's important. Willow deserves that, at the very least.



Thanks so much and thanks for commenting!

Will's redemption —



That is very fair! That's one of the drawbacks of fanfic, it's written over so long that references can be easily missed - even by me sometimes! I can forget about something I said and contradict it.



so...kinda? Except with Xander and Anya, they have a shared sexual thrawl toward Nate and with Emmy, she's just so infectiously positive that everyone sort of can't help but smile around her.



So this was just a typo on my part - my bad! I've fixed it and thanks for noticing it!



Oh she's who she says she is...but that doesn't mean the rest isn't true!



I was wondering if you'd get that one since I changed it slightly but I should have known you would, master spotter!!



My new favorite thing is letting Sally just be a kid! It's so healing for my inner child too



You know I love a good declaration.



She thinks of everything!



But will they always?



Hopefully she won't need a third!



Poor Buffy, I had all she is and will have to go through!



He's a fun guy to be goofy with



Maybe, what do you think?



It's like you read my mind

Thanks so much for your feedback!

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

---

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Willow stirred when brightness hit her eye; the sheer curtain doing little to shield it.


It took a moment and several blinks for her to realize she was still in the Summers’ house, on the Summers’ couch with a Summers’ girl curled up beside her, their blankets intermingling.


As she moved to stretch, the blankets fell and made Buffy crack a slow eye open.


She too looked around at their scattered confectionary and the sign on the television asking if they were still watching, with Anya and Xander only visible from the neck up as they formed one homogenous blob under a blanket.


“We crashed,” she whispered, somewhat pointlessly.


“We did,” Willow confirmed with a soft nod.


Buffy smiled at Willow and nodded at the other two.


“Should we wake them?”


Willow pulled a face.


“I fear where their hands are under that blanket.”


Buffy scrunched her nose and did a stretch as she yawned.


Willow noted the single red spaghetti strap fall on Buffy’s shoulder.


“You never even got out of your party clothes.”


Buffy looked down at her shoulder and back up at Willow perkily.


“I wanted to stay feeling fancy.”


Willow looked down disdainfully at her old lilac top and indigo-colored jeans; what she’d changed back into when they came from the club last night.


“These days I’m all about the comfortable.”


“Speaking of…” Buffy stifled a yawn and nodded upstairs, “You wanna go get some more sleep in an actual bed? If you’re worried Tara will be jealous we can top and tail.”


Willow smiled softly but it twitched sadly. Buffy noticed right away and reached out to touch Willow’s arm.


“You should go check on her.”


“Huh?” Willow asked in confusion.


“She was all alone all night, right?” Buffy prompted, trying not to be obvious, “You should go check on her. Make sure she’s okay?”


Willow sat up a bit straighter in anticipation, then narrowed her eyebrows.


“You sure?”


“Yeah,” Buffy cracked her back slightly, “I want to get more sleep not hear you narrate your dreams all morning.”


Willow grinned and punched Buffy playfully in the arm. She leaned down to put her shoes on.


“Text me when Sally wakes up. I don’t want to take your mother’s generosity in hosting us all for granted.”


“No sweat,” Buffy yawned again and started to make her way toward the stairs with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.


She flicked the lock on the door on the way so Willow could step out, which she did with a little wave, and locked it again.


The early morning air was chilly but Willow moved quickly enough to offset it. She was almost at a jog by the time she arrived a few blocks away at the Maclay house. She hopped the side gate like she was 12 again, jumped off the other side, and found the fake rock in Kimberly’s pot of begonias that held the spare key to the back door.


After opening the door and replacing the key, she slid the door closed again as quietly as possible. Sneaking through the kitchen and upstairs, she stopped at Tara’s room, whose door was firmly shut.


She turned her hand on the handle enough to push it open.


Tara was curled up with the blanket around her waist, wearing an old band t-shirt. Her clothing from the night before had been kicked off at the foot of the bed and her closet was overflowing with various physical media from the night before but everything was still and serene, down to the golden rays lighting up Tara’s face from the slats in her blinds.


Willow’s heart skipped a beat just looking at her love.


Lucky, lucky, lucky.


She came into the room and suddenly felt very awkward, like an interloper. She didn’t want to frighten Tara by just jumping into bed like she would at home and stalled in the middle of the room, unsure what to do.


She stepped out of her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, lowering herself very slowly so the sag of the mattress didn’t disrupt Tara too quickly. Tara’s breath hitched in sync with Willow’s body movement and just a few seconds later her eyes fluttered open.


Her eyes did a slow cast around her childhood bedroom and landed on Willow.


“What age are you?” she asked with slight sleep gruff.


Willow’s brow scrunched deeply.


“Huh?”


“What color are my nipples?” Tara asked again, tone guarded.


Willow’s face settled into a happy, recollective smile.


“Well, this kinda dusky purple most of the time but when you’re turned on I’d say it’s a kind of plum but if you’re really turned on I’d call it more of a mulberry, especially lefty—”


Tara grabbed Willow by the hip and pulled her down alongside her.


“Just checking I hadn’t dreamed the past three years.”


Willow laid her head next to Tara’s on the pillow and reached up to tuck some errant hair behind her girlfriend’s ear.


“That was a gamble. Three-years-ago me would have somehow conjured a hole to swallow me if you’d asked me about your nipples.”


Tara’s lips sloped up in a crooked smile.


“I bet you looked.”


Willow’s cheeks tinged with pink but she couldn’t help but answer the smile with one of her own.


“I plead the fifth.”


Tara kissed the exposed parts of Willow’s wrist that were near her mouth.


“What time is it?”


“Early,” Willow replied, closing her hand around the back of Tara’s head, “I snuck away. I missed you.”


Tara turned her head so their lips were so close they were almost touching.


“So we’re still all alone?”


“We are,” Willow confirmed through a slow breath.


Their lips came together slowly; languidly enjoying not having to worry about anyone or anything else. Tara brought her arms up around Willow’s head and her knees bent to grab Willow by the hips.


Willow similarly brought her hands down and slipped them under the blanket to cup Tara’s butt.


“You’re not wearing any pants,” she said, playfully accusatory as her hand touched bare skin, “And who exactly were you entertaining with no pants? Who did you have in here? Who’s your secret lover? I demand to know who they are.”


Tara brought her fingers down to tap a random rhythm on Willow’s cheek.


“My secret lover is on your face.”


Willow’s eyes darted toward Tara’s playful digits. She squirmed, her own fingers digging right into the flesh of Tara’s butt.


“Oh that’s so hot,” she pressed their lips together so tightly steam practically blew out between them, “I knew you were doing sneaky things back here. You should have come over I could have done sneaky things to you under the blanket.”


Tara placed her fingers flat on Willow’s cheeks and kissed all around her mouth.


“Sorry honey, I try my best to satisfy your exhibitionism streak but I draw the line at right in front of our friends.”


She gently tugged Willow’s lip between her teeth while Willow felt a rise of emotion come from somewhere deep inside from Tara's words.


Lots of them, actually.


Surprise, awkwardness, and abashment followed very quickly by something wild. That was the feeling that poured over her.


“Our friends wouldn't know what to do with you,” she nipped at Tara’s lips, “They’d hear those low groans and think the place was haunted. Nobody knows all of your secret sounds but—”


“Who?” Tara prompted with a low husk, opening her mouth against Willow’s.


Willow touched the tip of her tongue against Tara’s. Her hands reached up from below and pushed Tara’s shoulders back to pin her to the bed.


“Me,” she growled as she ripped Tara’s shirt over her head, leaving Tara nude and still but for her breasts, bouncing softly from the energy of the movement.


Willow’s hands immediately covered them and squeezed, rolling her thumbs over the nipples.


“Plum…” she commented before leaning down to take them in her mouth, one by one, “And…mulberry.”


Tara’s back arched into Willow’s mouth who continued to press hurried kisses to Tara’s chest and up into her neck. She pressed her teeth against Tara’s collarbone, who gasped and grinded her hips back into the bed.


Willow felt her insides rolling and reached down to unhook her own belt and push her jeans down. Tara helped using her feet to push the jeans down Willow's legs while her hands made quick work of Willow’s shirt, letting it fly off her girlfriend seamlessly like someone yanking a tablecloth off the table while preserving the place setting entirely.


Willow straddled Tara’s lap, spreading her legs to show off the damp spot on the front of her underwear. Her eyes were dark, fiery, full of a passion she was too embarrassed to show to anyone else.


She placed her finger on the tip of Tara’s nose and watched as Tara’s eyes followed it downward.


“You’re mine.”


“Yes,” Tara moaned softly.


“Say it,” Willow demanded.


“I’m yours,” Tara breathed, her body writhing as a shudder wracked up her spine.


Willow put her hand flat under Tara’s belly button and let her fingers tap their way down.


She wanted Tara always, but something in her felt like it would rip out if she didn’t take her right that second. Willow didn’t know if she’d woken Tara from a pleasant dream or if she was feeling this same enthralling pull but one dip of her finger told Willow Tara was just as ready to be taken.


She wet two fingers and rolled them over Tara’s clit, feeling fire burst out of her fingertips. She moved down to enter Tara, reaching the full length of two fingers. Tara’s back arched and Willow curled her fingers, physically pulling Tara into her.


Hypnotized by the sight, and ensuing sounds from her love, she took her fingers back and reached up to put them on Tara’s lips.


Tara licked the tip of Willow’s fingers and Willow curled them forward, coaxing Tara up into a sitting position through invisible strings of desire. She brought their faces close enough to touch without quite meeting.


Tara’s eyes were like the sea; dark and glassy as her pouted lips stayed parted in a silent beg.


Willow pressed her bottom lip to Tara’s bottom lip, just holding it there, evocatively evasive.


She pressed her hand between them, feeling Tara’s heartbeat pulsate between them.


Her breath was ragged and her hand shaking but her voice was clear as day.


“Who do you belong to?”


“You,” Tara whimpered.


Willow dropped her hand the slightest bit and pushed up into Tara; painfully slow and shockingly quick all at once.


Tara gasped; their proximity made Willow go deeper.


Their legs were just an unending pretzel; only discernable by the odd cluster of freckles, otherwise locked knee-to-knee with Willow’s arm perpendicularly buried between.


Willow slid her thumb up and pressed the pad against Tara’s clit, feeling its need to throb.


“I said who?”


Willow felt completely at one with Tara’s body as she massaged inside and out to send Tara’s cries higher and higher.


“Willow, Willow, Willow, Willow, Willow!”


Willow watched, entranced, as Tara’s body bounced into her lap; all heaving breasts and wild hair while she positively deliquesced into Willow’s hand and filled her with a certain kind of satiation that nothing else ever could.


Willow could still feel Tara pulsating when she grabbed Willow by the cheeks and pulled her in for a sloppy and absolutely intoxicating kiss.


When she finally fell back, exhausted, Willow naturally went with her as they were still sitting in their interlocked pretzel. Their legs straightened but Willow made an effort to stay inside, cupping Tara entirely as their heads bounced softly on the pillows.


Willow nuzzled her nose in Tara’s ear and Tara reached across to hold Willow there, enjoying it. Eventually, she turned her head and ran her finger gently over Willow’s lip.


“Do we, um, need to talk?”


Willow’s brow creased softly.


“Huh?”


“Have I acted in some way that upset you?” Tara asked in such a gentle way that Willow knew she could answer honestly.


So she did.


“I’m very much the opposite of upset right now.”


Tara’s lips twitched slightly with amusement.


“You were quite possessive there. I thought maybe you were upset about Emmy.”


“What? No,” Willow shook her head, “No, no, noooo. It…it actually felt really good that we could joke about that. I felt so secure.”


Tara nodded softly.


“But something was different.”


Willow wanted to draw little circles on Tara’s chest but she also didn’t want to move it from its lovely cocoon.


“All the people checking you out this weekend. Felt a little…feral about it.”


“I see,” Tara answered tentatively, “Anything to be worried about?”


“Not at all,” Willow shook her head quickly, “I just had this primal urge unleashed. And I’m not jealous of anything or anyone I swear.”


Tara smiled.


“Good,” she replied and cocked one eyebrow, “Because I was kind of into it.”


A new flush rose on Willow’s face.


“You came so hard you almost broke my fingers.”


She wiggled her fingers indicatively and Tara’s muscles jumped under her skin.


“That’s because you own my pussy.”


Willow leaned in to whisper in Tara’s ear.


“I own every bit of you.”


Her tone wasn’t quite as biting but her eyes bore the same intensity as before.


As did Tara’s.


“Then take me.”


“I already am,” Willow breathed out through a groan as she started to move her fingers again.


Tara’s neck stretched back into the pillows as the satisfaction of fullness coiled in her belly. She placed her palms on Willow’s cheeks and pulled her in to kiss, sharing that feeling of closeness.


She moved her hips, not looking to get any friction, just deepening the moment.


Willow felt the calming being imparted; every bit as intense as before but softer. Like the moment of deep physical pleasure when you leave your body for a moment before slamming back in, but instead staying in that ether, being swaddled by the togetherness.


Their lips slowly stopped moving too until they were just sharing breath.


“So nice just to be us for a minute,” Tara whispered without opening her eyes, “Nothing else to worry about. No one else but us.”


Willow got it entirely. It was like when they would get a private hostel room when traveling, having gone weeks sharing or in bunks. That first moment where they would close the door and it was just them.


For so long, Willow had lived for those little moments alone, isolating them so she didn’t have to face her feelings. They were accompanied by fear.


She hadn’t realized until just now how much she’d come to redefine those moments as pure joy.


“I know, baby,” she whispered back softly, “I love you.”


Tara nibbled on Willow’s ear and Willow released a low groan.


“Ooh, baby. Harder.”


She felt Tara smile against her neck.


“Anya said I'd be a good dominatrix.”


“Wow we actually agree on something,” Willow murmured back.


Tara nuzzled and lightly scraped her teeth on Willow’s skin.


“I don't think I could wield a whip.”


“Not with that attitude,” Willow retorted and couldn’t contain a small giggle.


They shared a quiet laugh and Tara pressed her lips to Willow’s cheek again.


“There’s just something so nice about being soft…”


Tara turned Willow’s head and started kissing along her jaw. She used her body strength to slowly turn Willow on her side and then over completely. Willow’s hand slipped out of Tara in the process but she didn’t mind, she still felt Willow’s embrace like a full-body hug.


She kissed Willow’s neck and down to her collarbone, nipping in just the right areas that both drove Willow wild and would hide any identifying marks she may leave.


Reaching underneath, she popped the three hooks on Willow’s bra with practiced ease and Willow took care of the rest. Willow’s back arched sharply as Tara rolled her tongue over the exposed nipple while her hands slid down Willow’s sides like silk until she could push the underwear off.


She let her lips melt into Willow’s skin, warming each patch as she felt the heat from between Willow’s legs grow closer and closer.


She felt Willow’s dampness first on her chin as the downy hairs on Willow’s mound tickled her and invited her closer. Willow’s thighs opened automatically at the warm breath against her flushed skin and Tara took advantage by licking up in one fell swoop.


Willow moaned and rocked her hips, letting her hand squeeze her own breast on its way down to press against Tara’s head.


She gently massaged the back of Tara’s head in a similar manner to how Tara’s tongue was caressing her; slow circles with the occasional gasping pull.


As beads of sweat started to break on her brow her hand fell away but Tara knew what she needed and started to focus attention on Willow’s clit. Willow felt hands curve around her upper thighs and open her so her muscles strained from one side to the other and made the pull in the middle all the more tighter.


She felt so open and exposed yet so safe and so vulnerable. She didn’t just want to take an orgasm, she wanted to give all of herself to Tara in the process.


Her arms flew up over her head like she was being restrained there too, grabbing one of the little slats in Tara’s headboard. Knuckles turning white, she felt one long gasp start in her toes, explode in her belly, and rush through her lungs to release with an almost silent—


“Oh…!”


Her whole body curled and released the tension and Tara continued to tend to her until that vibration eased into tranquility.


Willow felt messy lips melt into her again, now with a certain deep-seated satisfaction in every press instead of the jumping need of before. When she got to Willow’s collarbone again, Willow grabbed her by the cheeks and pulled her up, tasting that last bit of herself that hadn’t been wiped against her skin.


Tara’s body settled on top of her, like a weighted blanket making her feel secure.


Willow gently slowed the kiss as she tucked some hair behind Tara’s ear.


“All your love,” she said softly, looking into Tara’s eyes, “It keeps me safe.”


Tara held the gaze.


“All your love completes me,” she countered and Willow smiled at the playfulness.


“All your love,” she said, thinking for a moment of what to say, “It makes me stay.”


She suddenly panicked that that hadn’t come out as she intended; that it sounded like she had any reason to leave instead of what she meant, that their love was stronger than obstacles; any that might be put in their way. But she needn’t have worried, Tara just smiled; understanding her completely.


“You're the love I needed.”


The smile on Willow’s face could have lit up the moon.


Tara needed her just as much as she needed Tara. Tara loved her just as much as she loved Tara. She knew that, of course, Tara told her and showed her every day. But when you spent so long denying it, the acceptance and security of hearing those words never got old.


She knew Tara was what she needed but to know she was who Tara needed too - that was a kind of worthiness nothing else could ever compete with.


“I love you,” Willow whispered and pecked Tara’s lips again.


Three words, seven letters; a lifetime of emotion.


Tara settled her head under Willow’s chin and closed her eyes.


“I love you too.”

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

Dibs! (A bit surprising that I can still do that after a week, but it's vacation time...)


I love that Buffy sends Willow to spend the rest of the morning with Tara and makes the little tease about her babbling to assure Willow that she is really okay with her leaving.


That's Awwww and for me - very detail oriented desription from Willow!

The rest of the chapter: !



Hello Mistress Willow! (That gave me a flashback to AH's "Say my name, bitch!" in "American Pie".)



I'm happy that Tara was brave and asked those questions. It could have been easy to shy away from them out of fear she could "kill the mood" but then she would have worried later (unnecessarily).


I love that image!


AWWWWW!


Perfect chapter ending again!
I have to admit that the little pedant in me at first complained: "I love you" are eight letters. Then I realized that the "o" is in there twice so there are only seven different letters in those three words.

Will's redemption —



It is and yay, I'm glad it was dibs'd at all!



Buffy is a good friend too and I don't want it ever to seem one sided!



You know she's consulted color charts







I had forgotten that line but honestly I don't think I could ever have Willow say it in anything approaching seriousness!!



I do love some personal growth and healthy relationships.



Me too



I am glad your pedantry was met with my pedantry and we came out on top

Thanks so much for your feedback!

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

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“I cannot BELIEVE we fell back asleep!”


Tara was still pulling a cardigan on as they rushed out of the house and toward the Summers’.

“Seriously honey?” she questioned her girlfriend with an arched eyebrow, “Sex is like Nyquil to you. The only thing better at putting you to sleep than a story.”


“It’s not my fault you’re so wonderfully somniferous,” Willow pouted, her sneakers barely touching the ground as they hurried down the path, “And I didn’t see you being all wide awake! What’s your excuse?”


“Your breasts were like pillows,” Tara admitted casually.


Willow opened her mouth, then glanced down at herself and smiled.


“Really, they were bouncy enough?” she asked, cupping her bra through her t-shirt for a moment before dropping her hands again and shaking her head, “Never mind. Okay, what’s our story?”


“We fell asleep,” Tara replied definitively.


“The truth. A bold move,” Willow nodded seriously, “I’m guessing we leave out the sex part.”


Tara nodded.


“I-I don’t see how it’s relevant.”


“Right!” Willow exclaimed, taking an exaggerated step, “I left at the crack of dawn, it’s totally believable we would fall asleep.”


“Because we did,” Tara emphasized.


“Yes!” Willow said, an octave too high, “So we’ll lead with that.”


“It’s the whole story,” Tara replied calmly.


“Without the ‘hole’ story,” Willow added, swallowing deeply.


Tara put a hand on the small of Willow’s back.


“Maybe you should let me talk.”


Willow nodded quickly and repeatedly.


“Usually a good idea. Right now, the best idea.”


Tara rubbed the small of Willow’s back gently as they turned the corner onto Revello Drive and approached the Summers’ house. Tara knocked and turned to Willow, putting a finger on her lips. Willow pursed her lips close to indicate she understood.


After a moment, Joyce answered.


“Oh hello girls,” she smiled easily, which they took as a good sign.


“Mrs. Summers, we’re so sorry we’re only showing up now,” Tara started to explain but Buffy appeared behind her mother and Willow let out a low hiss of annoyance.


“Buff, you were supposed to text me.”


“Mom didn’t mind,” Buffy smiled to her mother, who smiled back softly.


“Don’t worry, girls, it’s been nice to have all you kids around again,” Joyce said and after stepping in the door they could see Xander and Anya playing a board game with Sally and Dawn, “Buffy explained to me you were at it all morning.”


Both Willow and Tara’s attention was promptly turned back to Joyce, wide-eyed.


Beside her, Buffy was smirking.


“I told her how long it took to deprogram a…DJ machine…thingy.”


Joyce nodded knowledgeably.


“I had no idea you had to press the button so many times, over and over to release all that electrical, what did you say, Buffy, tension?”


“That’s it,” Buffy replied, overpronouncing the ‘it’.


Joyce rubbed Tara’s arm.


“I hope you were able to hit the sheets.”


Willow nearly passed out.


“Where you get it to cool down long enough to pack it away,” Buffy explained, looking close to cackling.


Tara’s mouth was just hanging open so Willow did her best to squeak out an answer.


“Yep, hit those sheets,” she said, trying to shoe-scuff a hole in the earth to swallow her, “Hit it…good.”


“Well, I’m going to go get myself some tea,” Joyce smiled and departed into the kitchen, laughing to herself, “Oh, like old times.”


When she was out of view, Willow lightly punched Buffy in the arm.


“Buffy!”


“Oh, please,” Buffy finally broke out in the laughter she was holding in, “This is the most fun I’ve had in months. Let me have it!”


Blushing furiously, Tara stepped away.


“I’m going to go check on Sally.”


Willow looked to Buffy again but on her way over the threshold of the door, she tripped on the newspaper sitting on the mat. She picked it up and threw it over onto the couch.


“Is there no end to my embarrassment today?”


“Did you?” Buffy asked, waggling her eyebrows, “Hit it good?”


Willow turned bright red but couldn’t help but smile.


Buffy returned the earlier punch.


“Willow, you horndog.”


Just then, Dawn and Sally whipped past them, giggling as the colorful paper was waved in the air.


“Hey, that’s my money!”


Xander put a hand on his girlfriend’s arm.


“Ahn, it’s fake. It’s just game money.”


“It’s the principal,” Anya harrumphed as she dropped down to sit on the sofa, arms across her chest.


She shifted uncomfortably as she pulled something from underneath her.


After glancing at the source of her discomfort, her eyes widened uncontrollably.


“Oh. My. GOD!”


Xander jumped up, fists out and ready.


“Anya, what is it, what’s wrong?!”


Anya held the paper out in front of her, shaking it.


“XANDER IS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWSPAPER!”


“Huh?” Buffy asked, rolling her eyes when she stepped forward and Xander dodged her naturally, “Oh calm down, Rambo.”


“What?” Willow added, snatching the paper from Anya’s hands. Her eyes widened too, “Uh, I think the more pertinent statement here is that {i]Tara[/i] is on the front page!”


Tara came from the other side of the room.


“What are you talking about?”


Anya pointedly snatched the newspaper back.


“Tara Maclay and local hunk,” she read the caption of the photo, grinning excitedly at her boyfriend, “That’s you, sweetie! I recognize your arms!”


Xander grinned affably.


“I’m ‘local hunk’?”


“You betcha!” Anya replied, doing a little shimmy, “Oh, I have a new dance! The my-boyfriend-is-a-local-hunk dance!”


She danced with the newspaper until Buffy took it to read the front-page article.


“Wow, Tara, she really loved your show.”


Tara read over Buffy’s shoulder, frowning unsurely as she went along.


“S-Surely this wasn’t worthy of the front page?”


“Well, not much goes on in a one Starbucks town like Sunnydale. You're pretty big news,” Xander countered.


“I'm not, really,” Tara mumbled quietly.

“Baby, this is good,” Willow rubbed Tara’s arm comfortingly, “Yeah, she’s a little gung-ho but it’s good to have friends in whatever position a small-town journalist is. Okay, she was a little full on last night but it just looks like she's a fan! More publicity is more demand and more demand is great for your brand. And our bottom line.”


“Hey, Xander should get a cut!” Anya protested, stamping her foot, “He takes up half the photo!”


“You can’t even see his head,” Willow scoffed.


Anya crossed her arms over her chest.


“Somebody better mail my check!”


“Ahn, stop,” Xander said, unusually firm.


Anya dropped her hands.


“I’m just trying to get you extra money so we can go to that concert.”


“What concert?” Tara asked softly.


Xander blushed. Anya beamed.


“Nate Williamson. He’s Xander’s exception and my number one hall pass. Xander said we had to wait for a good moment to ask you but now that you’ve brought it up—”


“Ahn,” Xander nudged her pointedly.


Buffy’s nose scrunched.


“What’s an ‘exception’?”


“It’s—”


Xander promptly shut Anya up by putting a hand over her mouth.


“Enough,” Willow stood in between everyone, crossed her hands in front of her, and started pointing to everyone in order, Anya first, “You, quit it with the exploiting of friends, you—”


She pointed at Xander.


“It’s okay to have…whatever feelings you have, but don’t be creepy about it. Nate is Tara’s friend, not a contact. If you want tickets, sell your firstborn to Ticketmaster like the rest of us.”


Xander ducked his head and nodded. Willow moved on to Buffy.


“You, stop letting Anya dictate your friendship with Xander. You were friends before, you can be friends now. And I’m circling the ‘you’ back to you here, Anya, quit Xander-hogging. No one else wants to sleep with him unless it involves his bad movie choices or wants his lips unless they’re telling us a joke.”


Anya opened her mouth and closed it again. Xander’s eyes softened and he and Buffy shared a smile.


“And you!”


Willow spun to Tara and smiled.


“Nothing, baby, you’re perfect.”


She leaned in and pecked Tara’s lips.


The room was silent for a moment until Buffy nodded at Willow respectfully.


“Look at you being all assertive-gal.”


“Everyone thinks it's Willow who's pussy whipped but it's definitely Tara,” Anya added on helpfully.


She gave Tara a thumbs-up and a sly wink.


“See, I'm being nice.”


“This isn't what I meant,” Tara almost hissed out of the corner of her mouth.


“Everyone thinks that?” Willow asked with the start of a pout though it turned into a resolve-face very quickly. She turned around and puffed up her chest proudly. “Well, good. You would be too if you were getting some of th—”


“There are children,” Tara interjected in a whisper, “There are actual children here.”


Everyone stalled and looked around, thankfully seeing no children. Giggles came from upstairs reassuring them they were out of earshot.


“Speaking of, we need to get ours and skedaddle,” Willow cut through the tension, “LA traffic. Need to get home in time to get ready for the week.”


“Aw,” Buffy frowned but her mood had obviously been lifted, “It’s been great seeing you guys.”


She leaned in to hug Willow, who embraced her right back.


“For us too, me too,” she assured, squeezing Buffy as tight as she could, “We’re gonna work on the…the solitude thing.”


“Already are,” Xander spoke up softly and came over to wrap his arms around both of them.


Tara looked over to Anya, who looked at the trio hugging and then at Tara. She nodded with understanding and stood up.


“I have some stocks to check this afternoon. Xander, why don’t you hang out with Buffy? Perhaps you could enjoy one of those kung-fu movies I hate to watch.”


Tara gave Anya the thumbs-up this time.


Xander walked his girlfriend to the door to say goodbye while Willow went upstairs to corral Sally.


Tara sat with Buffy, their knees pointed to each other.


“Willow tells me you’re not going back to school right away,” Tara said gently, “Maybe you could audit some classes? Keep your head in the game and figure out what you might like to do when the time is right.”


Buffy looked up at Tara in surprise.


“That’s a good idea. I didn’t think of that.”


Tara just smiled. Buffy opened her mouth and closed it again.


“I’m really glad Willow and you…” she paused and put her hand on Tara’s knee, “I’m just really glad.”


Tara looked back at Buffy with kind eyes.


“I’m really glad she has you. You’re so important to her and I don’t think she would have ever had the courage to be with me if you hadn’t raised her confidence all those years.”


Buffy shook her head, looking down.


“I don’t think I did that. She’s my big gun.”


“Well then you’re her bullets,” Tara replied, before frowning, “I’m not good with gun metaphors.”


They both laughed.


“My point is that being someone’s friend, helped her realize that one, I’m not and two, that she’s worthy of being loved. So I guess that makes you our big gun, Buffy.”


Buffy smiled and nudged Tara’s shoulder.


“Well, then Dawn is definitely your cheerleader.”


As if on cue, two sets of small feet squeaked into the living room.


“Do you really have to go?” Dawn asked with big eyes.


“I’m sorry, sweetie, we still have to pack up the car and we’ll all need some downtime when we get home before we go to bed,” Tara explained softly, “But we’ll see you again soon, I promise.”


“Better,” Sally mumbled, her hands stuffed in her pockets, trying to hide her face.


Joyce came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on each other.


“Are you leaving?”


“Mrs. Summers, thank you so much for having all of us,” Tara said, holding a hand to her heart.


“A pleasure,” Joyce leaned in and kissed Tara’s cheek, “I’m sure these two will keep in touch.”


Willow fixed her hands gently on Sally’s shoulders, offering silent and, importantly, invisible support.


“We’ll make sure of it,” she said resolutely, “You two have to keep working on your chess monsters for next time.”


“Deal!” Dawn exclaimed excitedly and reached out her hand.


Sally immediately smiled and joined it, where they proceeded to act out their own little handshake ritual complete with snaps and a criss-cross step worthy of Dance, Dance Revolution.


Willow and Tara knew better than to clap, but Joyce apparently did, causing Dawn to groan and bury her face in her hands.


“Mom, you’re so embarrassing!”


For perhaps the first time, Sally actually looked up at Willow and Tara with gratitude.


Not wanting to delay the goodbye, they got Sally out the door and off Revello Drive with one last round of farewells to the Summers’ girls and Xander, who was loading up some movie from the 80s with a lot of high kicks that he and Buffy were already imitating and laughing.


Willow smiled as they left the house behind, pleased things were being left in a happier place.


When they were nearly home, Tara got a phone call, which she took and was finished with briefly.


“I left my ID at the Bronze. Thank god they found it before we left. I’m going to run and get it. Meet you back at the house?”


“Sure,” Willow agreed and kissed Tara’s cheek as she went off, picking up her pace.


When she was out of shot, Willow leaned into Sally.


“Hey Sal,” she said, grinning, “I have an idea for Tara's birthday coming up. Can you keep a secret?”

---

Willow hesitated as she went to pull the knocker on her parent’s house door.


That was all it felt like now; her parents' house. While it had never felt quite as homely as the Maclay house, it had been her home.


Kimberly had come home for lunch and to say goodbye and Donny had shown up too, so Willow had left Sally with them while they waited for Tara to return.


It said a lot that Willow would have actually preferred to stay in Donny’s company than come over here.


But she couldn’t stand the constant meandering of her relationship with her parents any longer. They disapproved in so many different ways that Willow didn’t even know what they expected of her anymore, regardless of her willingness or unwillingness to give it.


She needed a line in the sand: either they could embrace her life as it was or they could go low contact.


And she needed to be adult enough to communicate it.


She released her hand and the knock reverberated loudly. Willow stepped back and waited for the door to open.


Her mother answered the door and seemed tight-lipped. She stepped aside to let Willow in,


“Sheila? Who is it—”


Ira came out from his den and stopped when he saw who it was. He smiled.


“Oh Willow, I’m so glad to see you.”


“Hi,” Willow said and was embarrassed by how weak it sounded, making her clear her throat, “I wanted to clear the air before we head back down to LA.”


“Oh,” Ira replied and they all stalled.


“Um, maybe we can sit,” Willow offered and they all silently made their way to the living room.


“Would anybody like a drink?” Ira offered before sitting when he just got two non-verbal responses.


Willow placed her palms flat on her thighs to stop them from fidgeting.


“I want to discuss these…issues we seem to be having.”


“Willow, you were always a late bloomer,” Sheila began to speak over her daughter, “It’s not surprising you’re expressing your adolescent responses to the pressures of incipient adulthood now, in college, but you have to consider that as a legal adult, these choices bear so much more responsibility than when you were still in high school. These years have the potential to make or break your future. And when I see you following around some girl like a little lap dog, a dee-jay, no less—”


“Sheila, stop,” Ira put his hand up and Willow was surprised it went beyond his usual glare.


“No, don’t actually,” Willow raised her chin, “Please, continue. Tell me what it is that makes you disapprove of Tara so much. Is it because she’s a woman? Is it because she has a single mother? Is it because her family isn’t as wealthy as you? Do you think she’s lower class, do you think she’s beneath you, me? What? What is it? WHY is it that you are the only ones who can’t see that she’s perfect for me? That she makes me happy? Why isn’t that enough?!”


Sheila rolled her eyes.


“She has repeatedly moved you off course—”


“Off whose course? Because I’m right where I want to be!” Willow cut her mother off, her heart beginning to beat fast.


She took a slow breath; this was exactly what she didn’t want to happen. Losing her cool.


Ira put a hand on Sheila’s knee and looked at her, unnervingly deeply. Willow had never seen that look before.


Ira slowly brought his gaze back to Willow.


“We want to discuss something with you,” he said slowly, reasoned, “Something we’ve never told you. Or anyone, really.”


“It’s nobody’s business,” Sheila whispered harshly and for the first time ever, Willow heard some timidity in her voice.


Ira cleared his throat.


“We lost a baby before we had you. A son. We named him Daniel.”


Willow felt like a hand covered her face and pushed her backward, caught completely unaware.


“Is that why you don’t talk to Uncle Eli? He stole your name?” she asked meekly, all she was able to think of.


“That’s beside the point,” Ira waved his hand dismissively but the tremor of anger in his voice and the way his cheeks flushed red indicated otherwise, “What we’re trying to tell you…this. You’re, um…deviance…”


Willow raised a sharp eyebrow and Ira quickly set his jaw.


“Divergence. To the path we tried to set you on. It has all brought up a lot of those feelings. You have hopes and dreams surrounding this person you’ve created and well…it’s extremely difficult when it turns out differently.”


Willow’s heart was pounding again but this time she didn’t try to stop it. She used the emotion to try and really get across how deeply her parents were hurting her.


“I’m really sorry that that happened,” she said and found herself choking up at the idea of the loss they had gone through and clearly carried for decades, “But I’m not dead. I’m just making choices you don’t seem to like. But they’re my choices and they make me happy.”


Ira leaned forward.


“Tara is a sweet girl,” he said, and Willow believed him, “I just don’t understand all of this…it’s not anything I’ve ever thought of for you.”


“Don’t you think it’s your job to find out?” Willow asked, gentle but insistent.


“It’s our job to wonder why you think it’s a good idea to distract yourself from your education with whims of travel and night-clubbing and now a child?” Sheila asked with her arms crossed loosely across her chest, “How can you be so blind to the chaos she brings into your life?”


“I was blind, Mom,” Willow admitted, exhaling a long breath, “For so many years. To how loving her would make my world whole. To how every gap inside me could be filled with her love and expand me into a better person. You tried to fill those holes with your expectations but it left me empty. And honestly…I don’t even think you know yourself what they are anymore.”


She stood up; her piece said.


“We’ll be back for Thanksgiving.”


Sheila’s eyes bored into Willow.


“Thanksgiving, Willow, honestly, you know—”


Willow nodded slowly.


“I know. I agree. You know, the destruction of the indigenous peoples. Not good. Not something to celebrate. And we don’t. We donate time and money to Native causes. We hand out food parcels on the day. We don’t revere the oppression,” she said slowly, calmly, “But we do say thanks. For what we do have. And I think that’s important.”


Sheila averted her eyes.


“Well, I’m attending a conference on postcolonial psychology with Dr. Caroline Bitsui at The University of Tulsa at that time.”


Willow just nodded again and raised a hand to wave goodbye.


“Dad, I’ll um, come say hello. But I’ll be spending the day with my family.”


Sheila looked directly at Willow this time; her eyes as fiery as her hair.


“What do you get from being this insolent?”


“I walk away with my dignity,” Willow replied firmly, “You can't take that away from me.”


“Willow,” Ira pleaded softly.


Willow just leaned in, hugged her father, half-hugged her mother, and made her way to the door.


“Bye Dad. Bye, Mom. You’re welcome to be part of my family but I won’t let anyone else bring us down. Until you decide, I think it’s best we leave the door closed.”


She didn’t wait for a response.


She walked purposefully across the street and the door was already ajar so she let herself in.


There was a big cheer when everyone saw her.


“Hey, Willow’s here, we can celebrate!” Donny announced, popping open a bottle of apple cider.


Willow smiled in utter confusion.


“What are we celebrating?”


Tara came up and slid her hand into Willow’s.


“They offered to book me for multiple events in the future.”


Willow’s eyes widened and she jumped up and down, throwing her arms around her girlfriend.


“Tara, that’s amazing! A multi-booking is a whole other level!”


“What does it mean exactly?” Sally asked with an inquisitively arched eyebrow as apple cider was poured into a disposable cup for her.


“Well, if it all worked out, it would mean I’d play here in Sunnydale maybe once every month or two,” Tara replied, with a hip nudge for Willow, “So we’d be visiting a lot more.”


Sally bounced on the tip of her toes.


“Cool!”


“Wonderful!” Kimberly threw her hands up in delight, “I knew I was keeping that apple cider for something special.”


In the hustle and bustle, Tara leaned into Willow and kissed her cheek.


“I told them to get in touch with my manager as she’s the most wonderful woman I know.”


Willow’s smile practically extended beyond her ears and she leaned into press repeated, excited kisses to Tara’s lips.


“Gag!” Sally and Donny said at the same time, then grinned at each other and high-fived.


Willow rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the group.


“To all of the future roads you may follow,” Kimberly returned with a tray of apple ciders for everyone, “May they bring peace and success.”


They all clinked their glasses in cheers.


“And hopefully more clothing than that poster I saw outside the club,” Kimberly added and Tara blushed.


After a few minutes of excited ‘celebrating’, Kimberly had to get back to work and it was time for the girls to set off back on the road.


“Willow, Sally,” Kimberly put her arms around both as Tara took two bags to the car, “I’ll be in touch about that little talk we had.”


“Operation Libra,” Sally whispered conspiringly.


Kimberly patted their backs and went out to the front to say goodbye to Tara.


Once they were finally in the car and on the road, it only took about ten minutes for Sally to fall fast asleep in the back.


“Poor kid,” Willow glanced back at her, “Worn out.”


Tara, behind the wheel, could only smile.


“Willow, this weekend couldn’t have gone any better. I think…I think she really might be getting that she has a family now.”


Willow’s heart burst with pride.


“I always knew we were doing the right thing, but after this, I’m sure of it.”


“Me too,” Tara whispered, “Me too.”


The car ride was quiet. They both appreciated it after a loud weekend. Willow tended to some work emails as she wasn’t as ‘on the ball’ as normal but there was nothing too hectic for her to worry about.


“What are you murmuring about?” Tara asked after Willow had spent a few minutes making contemplative noises at her phone.


“I have a name alert set for you,” Willow explained, her lips pursing and moving from side to side unsurely, “It notifies me anytime someone uses your name online. This one blind item sure is mentioning the ‘local hunk’ a lot considering you couldn’t even see his he—oh my god, it’s Anya.”


Tara made herself grip the wheel tighter.


“What?”


Willow clicked her fingers.


“It’s her gossip blog! I can’t believe she still has this,” she shook her head, “There’s recent stuff, too. It updates like, daily. How is she getting all this A-List info from Z-list Sunnydale?”


Tara’s eyes widened.


“O-oh she did mention something about feeders,” she said, gulping, “I thought she was talking about a kink. I tuned out. She must have people feeding her gossip from LA.”


Willow scrolled down on the screen.


“She does give your shows major coverage, I’ll give her that. Though if I knew this was her I would have fed her something truly outrageous to mess with her.”


Tara winced.


“Please don’t. We have enough drama.”


Willow made a noise of agreement and decided to put down her phone for the moment.


“Hey,” Tara asked softly, “Were you with your parents earlier?”


Willow straightened up a bit in the seat.


“Oh,” she replied, rolling her neck gently, “Yeah. Bit of a trauma dump honestly.”


“Oh?” Tara asked, raising an eyebrow.


Willow sighed deeply.


“Long story short, they lost a baby before I was born.”


Tara swallowed audibly.


“Oh, that’s terrible.”


“Yeah,” Willow breathed out and glanced her eyes toward Tara, “But it also explains why I’ve never been able to live up to a ghost.”


Tara broke her gaze away from the road for one second.


“Oof.”


“Yeaahhh,” Willow groaned, “Something to talk to my therapist about.”


Tara patted Willow’s hand before returning it to the wheel.


“You know you can talk to me too. Don’t feel you have to save everything for her.”


“I know,” Willow smiled tenderly and reached over to tuck some hair behind Tara’s ear, “I can talk to you about anything.”


They shared a smile and then Willow nodded her head definitively.


“And can I just say I never want to go two nights without snuggly arms holding me while I fall asleep? I feel all discombobulated, like one of those hanging skeletons, flapping about.”


“Well I have a solid pair available to you tonight,” Tara offered a half-smile.


“May I request a side of little spoon?” Willow asked, her voice low and seductive.


Tara’s tongue poked out between her lips for a moment.


“Your desires are noted and will be fulfilled in due course.”


Willow dropped her hand to curl the ends of Tara’s hair between her fingers.


“Oh, of that, I’m sure.”


She tickled Tara’s cheek, which turned a nice pink.


“Why don’t you get some sleep too, baby?” Tara suggested softly, “It was a busy weekend.”


Willow took in a deep breath and resumed playing with Tara’s hair.


“No…”


She continued to rub and take in peaceful breaths.


“No, this is just perfect.”

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

Late Dibs again!


So cute, Willow getting distracted by her own boobies this time!


A bit mean of Buffy and surprisingly naive of Joyce!


So good news for now but I still expect some trouble from this reporter's obsession for Tara in the future...


Anya swiftly claims the job of manager for the "local hunk"!


Yay, go Willow! Great nod to the "Willow is taking charge" speech in the canon episode of season 2 where Buffy sneaked to a frat party. Cute "twist" in the end.


AWWW! I would never have expected for Anya to contribute to an awww-moment for me.


Even more AWWWWW! I like to see more of the blossoming Tara-Buffy friendship.


Uff! So my assumption was almost right but it was even worse than a miscarriage or stillbirth. I'm wondering how old baby Daniel was when he died and if the cause of death was an illness or some tragic accident. Learning more about that in the future might help Willow (and us) to understand Sheila's often hard / emotionally distant exterior. Right now the relationship between Willow and Sheila seems to be practically shattered.


To Willow's love declaration for Tara. And she's probably right concering her parents not knowing what they want from her now. Both could probably use some therapy, too.


Ouch! I understand that Willow left like this because she needed this "clean break" for her emotional wellbeing but for me (having a close bond with my parents) reading this still felt uncomfortable.


Great image that the door at the Maclay home is ajar for her after she "closed the door" to her parents.


YAY! I love to read more often of the extended Maclay family and the scoobies in the future!


Cheeky Kimberly!


I'm intrigued what surprise they are planning for Tara. Operation Scale?


AWWWW!

I'm really curious what our beloved couple will experience next, now that the "visit to Sunnydale" arc is over...

I probably won't be able to comment the next two weeks because I'll be on vacation with my parents.

Will's redemption —







I love Willow learning to love her own body!



My headcanon is Joyce saw how much fun Buffy was having that she played the part!



Dun dun dun...all will end well, I can promise that.



Could you imagine if Xander was actually famous? Fighting between other women touching him and getting to charge for it



I do love a nod.



Anya has a good heart and I couldn't let poor Buffy flounder alone much longer.



Honestly one of my favorite friendships so I'm looking forward to seeing it come up.



It actually was a stillbirth ("We named him Daniel" vs "His name was Daniel" kind of showing Ira's view of the whole thing) but there is more to come out about it.



Everybody should be in therapy in my opinion



It is uncomfortable! It had to be. Otherwise they'd stay on this weird see-saw of expectation from each other that the other(s) just aren't willing to give.



Always open. Always was. Always will be.



It gives me so much more room to play, especially with Buffy's stuff!!



She kept it to herself almost the whole time



Well consider what Libra often means and what, chronologically, is coming up...



Plenty!!



Have an amazing vacation!!

Thanks so much for your feedback!!

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

---

---

Willow gladly pressed ‘submit’ on her school’s portal for her latest paper on quantum computing algorithms.


It was a bit much, even for her.


Fridays were particularly nuts as she had to make up the time lost from Thursday when she had to travel to Claremont to do all her lab classes. So extra classwork, extra emails, extra scheduling, and extra kid-watching since Sally got out early on a Friday.


Honestly, she thrived on it, but she was also very grateful for coffee.


And Tara.


Thinking about Tara’s smile was better than any caffeine high.


She grabbed her still-warm mug and held it with both hands as she closed her eyes and sat back in her seat.


After a moment she heard the key in the front door and cracked an eye open in confusion.


Tara walked through and Willow sat forward in her seat, glancing down into her cup.


“Did it finally happen? Did I overdose on caffeine?”


“Hello to you, too,” Tara greeted with a sly half-grin as she closed the door behind her, “It's a little chilly out there.”


She came over and pecked Willow’s cheek before bringing her thermos over to the sink to empty it out.


“So you ARE really here and not just a hallucination!” Willow stood up, “Why? I mean, what? What are you doing home so early?”


“My last two classes were canceled,” Tara explained with her back to Willow as she rinsed her cup, “And since I don’t have a show this weekend, I didn’t have any prep to do. So I thought, why not give myself the afternoon off?”


She left her cup to drain and turned back to Willow.


“Did you get that tricky paper done?”


“Finally,” Willow exhaled, her whole body joining in on it with a slump.


Tara came over and brushed some hair back over Willow’s shoulders.


“That complicated?”


Willow’s nose scrunched.


“Quantum computing is like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, qubity-wibity…stuff.”


Tara closed her wrists loosely around Willow’s neck.


“I know you were having trouble with it, which isn’t like you.”


“My paper was on quantum circuits, specifically,” Willow started to explain, then paused to think of how to describe it in a way Tara would understand, “A quantum circuit is like a…musical score that plays an algorithm as you read along.”


She paused and frowned.


“Damn, I should have put that in the paper.”


Tara arched an eyebrow and Willow sighed again.


“I’m sorry. My brain is kinda fried. It’s fine. The paper is fine. I just need to turn my brain off for a few minutes.”


Tara smirked softly.


“Well, I think I could give it a quick reset.”


“Oh,” Willow replied, her lips spreading into a smile as they pressed against Tara’s.


Tara’s hands pressed against the sides of Willow’s neck and slowly moved down Willow’s shoulders and arms to join hands on either side. As their finger curled into each other, Tara leaned forward, making Willow lean backward until she was backed up against the table.


Tara curved her hands around Willow’s butt and pulled her up to sit on the table.


“Take my body,” she whispered evocatively.


Just as hands were beginning to untuck shirts, Willow’s phone started buzzing beside her laptop.


Willow grabbed two fistfuls of Tara’s shirt and started kissing aggressively around her neck.


“Probably some club promoter wanting to get their paws on you, my hottie commodity.”


She very much planned to ignore it but as she was kissing back up to Tara’s mouth her eyes opened and she caught a glance of her screen.


“Crap, it’s Sally’s school!”


She panickedly checked the time as she reached to answer but they weren’t late for her.


Tara backed off and straightened herself up while Willow desperately tried to push her finger across the screen.


“Hello?” she asked, exasperated and out of breath.


After a moment, she just hung her head.


“Okay, we’ll be right there.”


“What’s wrong?” Tara asked, rebuttoning her top button.


Willow just held up a hand.


“‘We need to discuss Sally’ was all I got,” Willow replied as she marched into the bathroom to brush her hair.


Tara exhaled softly and tied her hair up using a hair tie on her wrist. Willow came from the bathroom and let out a little whine.


“Do you have to look so hot right now?”


Tara held her hands out.


“I didn’t do anything.”


“As if you have to,” Willow replied, pecking Tara’s cheek quickly before grabbing her hand and her keys in the other.


It was too close to the end of the school day for it to make sense to drive; the streets around the school would undoubtedly already be bumper-to-bumper with SUVs and BMWs, so they just walked quickly instead.


“Whatever they say, we talk before we respond,” Willow said as they approached the gates, “That ‘acting’ vice is a piece of work and we have court coming up.”


“Is she who called?” Tara asked with concern.


“No, it was the principal’s secretary,” Willow replied with a nervous lilt.


They checked in with said secretary and only waited a couple of minutes to be called into the office, just seconds after a man had walked past and inside.


The door said ‘Dr. Lewis – Principal’, which was a promising start.


Inside was the man who had just walked past, sitting to the side of the desk, and a woman, with brown ringlet curls down to her mid-waist and a presence that defied her sub-five-foot frame.


“Ms. Maclay, Ms. Rosenberg,” she greeted, offering her hand to each, “Good to see you.”


Willow was momentarily startled as she shook and realized the principal was standing and not sitting. Her chair must have been high as she remained at the same stature when she did sit down.


“No, uh, Ms. Powers today?”


“She’s moved on,” Dr. Lewis said quickly and dismissively, promptly moving the conversation on by holding her hand out to the man to her side, “This is Mr. Bowman, our guidance counselor.”


He shook both of their hands with a smile and sat back.


Willow shared a look with Tara and looked back to the principal with her palms flat on her thighs.


“So, um…what’s the issue?”


Dr. Lewis folded her hands into each other on top of the desk.


“We didn’t actually need to see you right away. I just had Martha call to schedule an appointment but I had the time free and I’m glad you’re both here.”


Tara raised an eyebrow at Willow. Willow blushed.


“Oh,” she said, shifting uncomfortably, “I…I heard ‘we need to talk’ and…assumed. Guess that makes an-”


She stopped.


“Well, I’m sure you know how the phrase goes.”


“So Sally isn’t in trouble?” Tara cut in.


“No, no,” Dr. Lewis shook her head, “We’ve been preparing our report for child services.”


“Is there a problem?” Willow asked, biting her inner lip.


“Well, no,” Dr. Lewis said and offered a kind smile, “I’ve been gathering reports from all of Sally’s teachers and while her assignment work has improved greatly from her previous transcripts, she’s struggling in math.”


Tara frowned.


“We do her homework with her every night. She’s always seemed fine with it.”


“Actually, math is the one she least struggles with,” Willow added with a creased brow, “Her answers are always right, and she usually has it done in a few minutes. She seems kinda bored with it.”


“Well, that’s it exactly. I should be more clear. She’s struggling in math class,” Dr. Lewis emphasized, “We believe she’s understimulated.”


Willow and Tara both blinked silently. Dr. Lewis tried to give an encouraging look.


“We think she might be gifted.”


There were raised eyebrows, then a shared look and a mutual dawning between Tara and Willow.


“I have noticed she has a really good memory for numbers,” Willow said, almost twitching excitedly, “And I’ve seen her reading some of my computing textbooks. I thought she was defacing them, honestly.”


“What does this mean?” Tara asked.


Dr. Lewis passed the torch over to Mr. Bowman, who leaned forward.


“We’re aware of her complicated background and so I wouldn’t recommend changing her school or classes too much. She doesn’t want to stand out and that’s fine. We’d like to put her in our accelerated learning program. Essentially she’d be doing AP STEM and Humanities electives and would have access to resources for independent study and learning centers. There are multiple GATE programs in Southern California and we believe this is the best course of action for Sally’s unique situation.”


“I was a GATE kid,” Willow offered, then threw a look to Tara, “Gifted and Talented Education.”


Tara’s tongue poked out from her cheek momentarily.


“Yes, Willow,” she said in a slightly flat tone, “I got a GATE scholarship to my high school.”


Willow’s eyes widened and she looked like she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. There was a look of utter cringe on her face.


“So you’re both familiar,” Dr. Lewis cut in happily, “Excellent. What was your experience?”


“I got a humanities scholarship to a performing arts school,” Tara explained, “With a focus on music.”


Willow swallowed deeply.


“I, um, did a lot of AP classes and earned some college credits in high school for substitute teaching.”


Mr. Bowman nodded.


“Well, it’s a little different for middle school. Right now I’d like our focus to be on seeing which areas of academia she excels in and fostering a more enthusiastic relationship with her education. She’s young, there’s no need to be excessive at this point.”


“Oh no, I wasn’t suggesting…” Willow cut in, even though the comment wasn’t directed personally at her, “Never mind.”


Tara leaned in.


“What do we need to do?”


Mr. Bowman handed over a folder full of papers.


“We think this is best discussed with her through her family. Nobody wants to add undue pressure or influence her response. We’d just like you to review this literature and talk to her about moving from her current environment into the program. Practically that just means a new homeroom she'll be based out of and minimally different classes. There's more one-on-one attention than in a traditional classroom. We can have her start as quickly or as delayed as you like. Or even not at all. Once we’ve done some testing she’ll be assigned a personal mentor to work out her schedule.”


Moments later, the bell rang.


“That’s our cue,” Dr. Lewis stood, again remaining at the same height, “Thank you for coming in today. So…speedily.”


Willow blushed again.


“Thank you,” Tara shook both teachers’ hands, which Willow copied silently.


She followed Tara back out to the gate where Willow would normally meet Sally. Kids were running around going to their lockers and saying goodbye to their friends for the weekend.


As they waited, Willow turned to Tara.


“Tara…”


Tara just raised a hand dismissively, dispirited.


“Forget about it, Willow.”


“No,” Willow paused and swallowed, “I…”


When their eyes met, Willow looked like she might cry.


“I’m so embarrassed. Not just for being an ass in front of you but I’m embarrassed for myself for leaning so hard on being a smart kid that clearly some part of me still wants to be noticed like that. I thought I had gotten better than that.”


Tara couldn’t help but soften.


“Oh, Willow, you have. It was a silly moment and yes, the 'me' of five years ago might have been hurt or felt dismissed but the 'me' of right now knows you and who you are and who you’ve worked so hard to become. And that 'me' feels like I’m your sun, moon, and stars.”


Willow leaned in and rested her forehead on Tara’s.


“You are.”


Tara nuzzled Willow’s nose softly.


“And you just wrote a paper on quantum computing. So you do get to claim to be the smartest one in the room.”


“No way,” Willow choked out, touching Tara’s cheek, “Just…no way.”


Tara lifted her lips to Willow’s nose.


“I love you.”


“I love you, too,” Willow answered and pecked Tara’s lips briefly.


Just as they did so, a pair of sneakers came skidding up to them.


“Can you NOT do that in front of my school?!”


“Sorry, sorry,” Willow held her hands up.


Sally’s eyes narrowed.


“Why are you both here? I didn’t do anything.”


Tara passed off the folder behind her back to Willow and put her arm around Sally’s shoulders.


“Well, I had the afternoon off and I thought it would be nice to collect my little sister from school.”


Sally eyed them warily as they walked off the school grounds.


“Plus,” Tara continued, eyeing Willow, “We’ve been meaning to take you to The Grove and I think this afternoon would be perfect.”


“Yes,” Willow’s eyes lit up, “Yes, we need to do that.”


“Is that the mall with the fancy fountain?” Sally asked, confused, “Why do we need to go there? I’m not trying on a bunch of clothes.”


“No clothes,” Willow promised, “Maybe a quick trip to the Apple store…”


“Why do they have a store just for apples?” Sally scoffed, “This town is so weird sometimes. I don’t even like apples. Do they have a grape store?”


Willow and Tara shared a smile.


“Um, no, sweetie,” Tara replied, trying her hardest to contain a laugh, “Not apple like the fruit. Apple — like the computer company. The company that makes the iPad.”


“They also make cell phones…” Willow prompted gently.


“Now you guys are being weird,” Sally said, deadpan.


“We think it’s time you had your own phone,” Tara stated more clearly, “We’d like you to be contactable and well, we trust you.”


Sally stopped on the street, looking between them.


“Wait, my own cell phone? That I can call and text and everything on?”


“Yes,” Willow nodded once, “I mean, there would be rules and you’d have to stick to the limits on your plan but sure, you can talk to your friends.”


Sally looked like she might burst but was doing her darndest to keep it in.


“I mean, cool.”


“Right,” Tara grinned sideways, “Cool.”


Sally started to march ahead.


“Keep up, slowpokes!”


Tara threw Willow a sly wink and they sped up appropriately.


At home, Sally eagerly waited in the car as Willow went in to put the folder in their bedroom under the guise of grabbing her wallet.


“Aaron’s phone is blue. Can I get a blue phone?” Sally asked excitedly as her knees bounced in the back seat.


“Honestly, honey, this is Willow’s domain,” Tara replied, looking over her seat, “She set up my phone for me and put me on our family plan, so she’ll do the same for you.”


Willow returned then and hopped into the passenger seat.


“Ready!” she smiled as she buckled up.


From the backseat, Sally was oddly quiet.


“Willow, your… hair is nice-looking like that.”


Willow looked at herself in the mirror.


“Brushed?”


“Sure,” Sally nodded seriously and Tara had to purse her lips to hold in another laugh.


“She’s buttering you up,” Tara whispered out of the corner of her mouth.


Willow put two and two together and nodded mischievously.


“Thanks, Sal,” she said, flicking her hair over each shoulder, “Do you like my outfit?”


Sally nodded so fast her chin hit her chest.


“Uh-huh.”


Willow sat back, grinning.


“I can’t wait to show you this new shirt I got. It’s blue with a yellow fuzzy butterfly and I was thinking of pairing it with this red bowler hat that I added some felt stars to—”


“OH COME ON,” Sally exploded, covering her face with her hands.


Willow giggled.


“Tried that one in 7th grade. Cordelia never let me forget it.”


Tara smiled; mostly that Willow was able to look back at her bully’s taunts without the angst that had plagued her so much when they were younger.


“I did see a cute bumblebee sweater in the Gap I might try and pick up while I’m here though,” Willow added as they pulled into the lot.


“Okay, but don’t forget the parking ticket,” Tara said as she drove around to find a spot, “It’s a fortune if we don’t get it validated—Sally let me stop the car before getting out!”


“So-rry,” Sally bounced in her seat, fingers still on the handle.


“And don’t bang that Bentley next to us or we’ll all be selling our electronics,” Willow advised, opening her door carefully once Tara was situated.


Tara locked the car as they made their way into the mall.


“How come you drive such a crappy car if you know famous people?” Sally asked, walking backward, making Willow pull her to the side away from cars trying to find a spot.


“I see we’ve rushed right past the buttering,” Willow murmured with a slight eye roll, “It was Tara’s mom’s car. She gave it to Tara when she got a newer one.”


Tara thought it was very noble that Willow didn’t mention she was the one to give away the newer car.


“And Donny fixed her up for us, so she runs just fine,” Tara added, pocketing her keys.


Sally shrugged and faced forward again.


Willow leaned into Tara.


“Maybe we should send you to shows in flashier cars.”


Tara frowned.


“Why?”


“Aesthetics?” Willow suggested.


“No one is taking pictures of my car,” Tara replied, shaking her head.


“Yet,” Willow replied pointedly, “It’s surprisingly difficult curating your social media to be a mysterious enigma while still being relatable. I mean, the content is easy, you’re a dream, but you have to drip feed the masses with a certain je ne sais quoi.”


“And you do it wonderfully,” Tara pecked Willow’s cheek, “But we’re not renting cars just to drive to shows.”


She slipped her hand into Willow’s.


“Besides, we need a good trunk for the equipment. Especially when I’m going solo.”


Willow frowned softly to herself and looked off in thought.


The Apple Store was across from the aforementioned fountain and absolutely huge.


An all-glass, multi-story mecca for tech geeks, Willow did a full 360-degree turn as they entered.


Tara was certain she saw a tear come to her girlfriend’s eye. She very quickly did what she had heard the kids call ‘noping out’.


“You know what, I’m going to go sit at the fountain,” she said, patting both Willow and Sally on the back, “You two…do whatever you need to do.”


She quickly turned and walked out, across the fountain to the bar. A cocktail menu sat on the little table she’d taken and she perused it with amusement.


She hadn’t really thought about it, but tomorrow she could actually order off a menu like this.


“I’ll have the yuzu lemonade,” she ordered from the waiter, deciding not to push the boat and see if she could get away with being 21 a day early.


It was a beautiful afternoon.


The chill from earlier had left, leaving the temperature a gorgeous 75 degrees to bask in, and only the occasional white cloud punctuating the blue sky. The fountain shot up beautiful jets and music played just loud enough to be pleasant. A trolley interrupted the sounds every so often with its little bell as it brought people around the property and to the adjacent farmers market.


It was an idyllic little place and perfect to sit and people-watch for a while.


Which was exactly what she did for the best part of an hour before Willow and Sally sought her out again. Tara had actually spotted them crossing from one side of the fountain to the other, presumably going to the GAP which was on the other side, and had expected Sally to veer away, but they’d continued on together, laughing.


It warmed Tara’s heart to see them bond.


Finally, she spotted them looking for her and she waved at them, meeting in the middle right by the fountain.


Sally looked like the time they let her have too much candy at the movie theater.


“The Apple Store is BIGGER than the GAP! Can you believe that?”


“I can,” Tara nodded seriously, pulling her sunglasses on top of her head, “That place could provide solar power to all of LA.”


She smiled down at Sally.


“Did you get your phone?”


Sally’s hand buried deep into an Apple bag, producing a sealed box.


“It’s green! Even better than blue!”


“Very cool,” Tara tried to appear very enthusiastic about the color choice, “Did you get your bumblebee sweater?”


They each eagerly reached into the GAP bag and pulled out matching yellow and black sweaters in their respective sizes.


Tara’s eyes widened.


“Wow.”


There was bonding, and there was this.


Willow opened the bag to put the sweaters and phone box back in.


“Come on, let’s get home so we can set this thing up for you.”


Sally clapped and skipped ahead.


Tara couldn’t help but wrap an arm around Willow and kiss repeatedly into her cheek.


“I love you so damn much.”


“Ew, stop,” Sally groaned as she looked back, “You two have a problem.”


Tara was actually relieved to know her sister hadn’t been completely invaded by some personality-changing parasite.


Willow returned the affection.


“I love you more.”


Tara grinned.


“We’ll fight about it later.”


Tara gave Willow’s ass a discrete smack as she reached for her keys and unlocked the car.


The Grove was less than two miles from the apartment but it was Friday afternoon and Los Angeles was Los Angeles so they got stuck in traffic.


As they waited, Tara glanced into the backseat from the rearview mirror.


“Okay, before we get home and you two devolve into phone nirvana, we need to discuss rules.”


“Yes,” Willow added in her most authoritative voice, “No phone after 8pm. If your sleep is affected, we have to reconsider use.”


“Same for meals,” Tara continued, “Same as TV and iPad rules, okay? All screens down for meals.”


“Yeah,” Sally replied in an exhale.


Willow looked over her shoulder.


“No social media, that’s not even an ‘us’ rule, that’s a social media rule. We can discuss it again when you’re 13.”


Sally got an unusual look on her face; an almost-frown that turned into an almost-smile.


“And you can’t share any photos with anyone without checking with us. We’ll have controls set up for that. You also can’t speak to anyone we don’t all know or download anything we don’t approve of,” Tara said, catching Sally’s eye in the mirror, “That’s incredibly important.”


Sally appeared to be sitting as straight in her seat as she could.


“I promise.”


Willow and Tara shared a brief look of surprise at the sincerity.


“Well, good,” Willow answered, smiling, “We appreciate that.”


“Can I talk with Dawn on my phone instead of the iPad?” Sally asked hopefully.


“Yes,” Tara nodded, “Yes, absolutely. We won’t read your messages because we trust you but we want you to know we will have the ability if we feel we need to. Do we all understand?”


There were nods and all wore smiles for the rest of the journey home.


When they got there, there was lots of eager ripping into the box to get out the phone and admire it. Willow showed Sally how to set it up with her name and details but had to take it away when the initial setup was done.


“Okay kiddo, you gotta give me a bit to put the controls on.”


Tara was in the kitchen, preparing dinner.


“Sally, honey, get your homework done while Willow is doing that.”


“Oh yeah, I gotta get my homework done tonight,” Sally replied, causing Willow to kick her under the table.


Sally somehow retrained herself from a verbal or physical response, instead just gritting her teeth.


Tara, unable to see said grit, nodded, pleased.


“Good girl, I like that initiative.”


Willow and Sally just shared a secret smile.

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

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“You’re burning it.”


“I am not.”


“Have you never cooked bacon before?”


“Hello, Jewish.”


“I see you eat it all the time!”


“Well, Tara normally cooks it. We only had turkey bacon in my house.”


“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds like an a-bomb-alaska against god.”


“Do you mean an abomination?”


“My Dad really didn’t like that president.”


“Not ‘Obama nation’—”


Tara cleared her throat loudly from behind where Sally and Willow stood over a spitting skillet.


The other two jumped, causing elbows to hit the handle and send it flying in circles around the burner, thankfully without any loose oil splashing anywhere.


“Happy birthday!” Sally affixed a smile on her face.


Willow got control of the pan and tried to hide it behind her back.


“Happy birthday!” she exclaimed with purposeful pep, “We were gonna bring you breakfast in bed.”


Sally glanced to the side unsurely.


“But I think it's going to be breakfast in the trash.”


“Just the bacon,” Willow laughed nervously, “Everything else is good.”


The toast popped out from the toaster then, burned.


“I told you to change the setting back to three!” Willow hissed at Sally, “It was on waffle setting, not bread setting!”


“I did!” Sally hissed back.


“Okay, you two,” Tara couldn’t help but smile, “Let’s blend that bacon up into bacon bits and give that toast a little scrape and we’ll be good to go.”


They both looked at each other and nodded, then Willow took the pan to the sink and Sally got the burned toast.


“Go, sit, baby,” Willow encouraged, “We’ll bring it all right over.”


Tara tied her robe a little tighter and went to sit at the table, which had a tray set nicely with silverware, some napkin origami courtesy of Sally, and a jug of juice. Tara poured herself some and watched as her girlfriend and sister scrambled around to present her with a plate of every breakfast food she could think of.


“Wow, this looks amazing,” Tara commented as it was put in front of her.


She looked at the two eager faces watching her and raised an eyebrow.


“Are you having some too?”


“Oh yeah!” Willow snapped to attention.


“Yeah!” Sally agreed, her belly suddenly rumbling.


They got their plates and served themselves from the kitchen, bringing them back to sit at the table.


Everyone ate hungrily for a few minutes.


“Well this is absolutely delicious,” Tara announced as she took a sip of her juice, “I would expect nothing less from my girls.”


“We made it all from scratch!” Sally replied proudly, “Willow still won’t show me what scratch is though. I watched her real hard but she musta snuck it in.”


Tara looked to Willow, who shrugged.


“I’m a sneaky one,” she said, then smiled over Tara’s shoulder, “Speaking of sneaky, Miss Kitty must want to say Happy Birthday.”


Miss Kitty hopped into Tara’s lap and let out a resounding ‘meow’.


Tara scratched Miss Kitty between the ears and offered her a corner of waffle.


Miss Kitty purred and jumped down, bringing the piece of waffle to her bed to lick.


“Can I give you my present now?” Sally asked eagerly, syrup coating her lips.


Tara pressed her hand against her heart.


“Oh sweetie, you didn’t have to get me a present.”


“I have one for you too,” Willow said, strategically reaching to the seat of the chair tucked in beside her, “With more coming later…”


She arched her eyebrow suggestively and Tara ducked her head to hide her smile.


Willow produced her hidden gift, a flat square covered in tissue paper.


A lot of tissue paper.


“Did you wrap that with your feet?” Sally asked with her nose scrunched.


“It’s beautiful,” Tara cut in quickly when Willow frowned.


She spent a minute figuring out how best to remove the tissue and ended up just ripping it. As it fell to the floor, Miss Kitty came back to roll and play with it.


It was a plain flat black jewelry box and when Tara lifted the top, there were two chains inside with one pendant hanging between them, making a shape something like a lightning bolt.


Tara cocked her head trying to work out both the shape and why there were two chains. She wondered if it was a new trend, like t-shirts over long-sleeved tops, or something to do with Harry Potter given the unusual shape of the pendant.


Willow saw her confusion and came around, showing Tara that the pendant actually separated into two pieces, one hung from each chain.


Apart, it was much clearer that there was one pendant with a ‘w’ shape and one and a ‘t’ shape. Willow lifted the pendant gently and it snapped the two hanging pieces together. On the last stroke of the ‘w’, the stem of the ‘t’ joined them together and pulled apart gently again when tugged.


Willow lifted the ‘w’ chain out first and put it over Tara’s head and then did the same around her own neck with the ‘t’. When she leaned in to kiss Tara, their chains came together like a magnet.


Actually, exactly like a magnet as that was what it used to create the effect.


Willow pulled back softly from the kiss and smiled nervously.


“Is it super corny?”


Tara was teary-eyed.


“No, I love it.”


“I had it specially made,” Willow replied, pulling away enough for the pendants to snap so she could wrap her hand around her ‘t’, “I want you near my heart, always.”


Tara cupped Willow’s cheeks and stroked her girlfriend’s skin gently with her thumbs.


Nearby, Sally sighed in boredom.


“Me now?”


Tara pursed her lips and winked at Willow, before turning her attention to Sally.


“Sure, sweetie.”


Sally ran into her bedroom and came back with a wrapped box.


“I wrapped it with my hands,” she said cockily, but it faltered after a moment, “Okay, the lady in the store wrapped it. But only ‘cause I didn’t know where to buy wrapping paper.”


Tara laughed, slightly confused, and took the gift.


“Thank you, sweetie.”


She unwrapped and found just a plain white box, but inside was a coffee mug decorated with sheet music and had a guitar-shaped handle.


“Oh Sally, I love it,” Tara beamed, opening her arms for a hug, “It even has a lid so I can take it to school with me every day!”


“You like it, you like it?” Sally asked giddily.


“I love it,” Tara replied, squeezing her sister tight, “Best present ever.”


Willow smiled at the interaction and patted Tara’s back gently. Tara turned her head to her side and mouthed ‘thank you’.


Willow shrugged and shook her head.


“That was all Sally,” she said encouragingly, “I didn’t even know she’d gotten it.”


Tara started to smile but it turned to confusion.


“Oh. But if you didn’t…”


Tara pulled slightly back from the hug.


“Sweetie, where did you get the money for this?”


“Oh, I saved my lunch money,” Sally answered keenly.


“Your lunch money?” Tara did a double-take, “We don’t—”


Willow suddenly stood and put a hand on Tara’s shoulder.


“Can I talk to you for a second?”


Tara’s head turned in confusion but quickly spun back and she followed Willow into their bedroom.


Willow closed the door and cleared her throat.


“I…kinda put some money in her lunchbox.”


Tara frowned.


“What? Why? We make her lunch every day. You make it, I’ve seen you.”


Willow reached behind to massage her own neck.


“Sometimes it’s very…othering to be the lunchbox kid and…I didn’t want her to feel left out.”


“Oh, Willow,” Tara reached out and stroked Willow’s cheek before dropping her hand, “How much did you give her?”


“Five dollars,” Willow admitted, then winced, “A day.”


Tara’s eyes bugged.


“A day, Willow?! Every day? Since she started school?!”


“Nothing near what my parents left…” Willow started, then trailed off, “Okay, very bad example.”


She shifted uncomfortably.


“I should have talked to you. I just didn’t want to make it a big deal. And I know you…”


“What?” Tara asked with an arched eyebrow, “Was poor? Couldn’t afford school lunches?”


Willow looked down.


“I’m sorry, Tara. I-I just didn’t know if you’d ‘get it’. Stuff like that never bothered you.”


Tara folded her arms across her chest.


“You think I never felt ‘othered’?”


Willow looked up, gesturing with her hand.


“Everyone looks at you and sees butterflies and stars and all that’s good with the world.”


Tara took a step forward and lifted Willow’s chin to meet her gaze.


“No, Willow,” she said softly, “That’s how you look at me.”


They kissed and their pendants locked.


After a moment, Tara broke the kiss and rested her forehead on Willow’s.


“Also, sweetie?” she said gently, “California gives all kids free lunch now.”


Willow’s eyes widened.


“Huh?”


Tara nodded.


“She could have always had the school lunch if she wanted.”


Willow’s mouth hung slightly open in shock. Tara composed herself and took Willow’s hand.


“Okay, I have an idea,” she said as she walked them back out to the living area, “Sally, can we talk to you?”


They sat on the couch and Sally sat on the floor, cross-legged and nervous.


“Willow and I were talking and we realized you don’t need lunch money.”


Sally’s demeanor flattened.


“Oh. Yeah. Sure.”


“So instead, we’re going to give you an allowance,” Tara said brightly.


“An allowance?” Sally asked slowly.


Tara smiled.


“How does $25 a week sound?”


Sally’s eyes brightened and she rocked from side to side excitedly.


“Cool.”


“And if you ever have a problem with lunch, you can tell us and we can do something different,” Tara said, nudging Willow, who nodded too.


“Yeah, absolutely.”


“I like my lunches,” Sally said brightly, “One of these days I’m gonna figure out where you hide the scratch.”


Willow laughed as Tara went to her purse and retrieved her wallet.


“Here is this week’s allowance,” she handed over the cast and hugged her sister, “Keep doing what you’re doing.”


“Yeah, you’re a great kid,” Willow added and Sally all but leaped up to the ceiling.


“Oh, but sweetie, when did you get my present?” Tara asked curiously.


Sally waved her cash like a fan.


“When we went to the movies at the mall last week and I told you I was going to the bathroom.”


“Okay, honey, it’s so very generous but you can’t lie to us,” Tara said with a firm look, “Okay?”


“I wasn’t,” Sally shook her head, “I did have to pee. I saw it in the window on my way back. I had to hide it in my hood, it was so heavy!”


Willow and Tara laughed.


“You’re a very sweet girl,” Tara wrapped an arm around both her and Willow, “I love you both so much. Guess it's what they say you need your family for.”


She kissed each of their heads.


“Can I have my phone?” Sally asked but didn’t squirm away.


“Sure you can,” Tara smiled, “I’ll go wash up.”


“You will do no such thing,” Willow said as she walked over to the locked drawer with Sally’s phone, “We will do the dishes—”


Sally plucked the phone out of Willow’s hand as soon as the security code was put in and ran off to her bedroom.


“—I will do the dishes,” Willow amended with a fixed smile, “And you will go have a nice, long shower.”


“Okay,” Tara agreed softly, reaching up to hold her pendant, “Hope I can keep this on?”


Willow leaned in and left a soft, chaste kiss on Tara’s lips.


“White gold. You’re all good.”


Tara’s eyes creased with affection and she left a kiss on Willow’s nose before heading into the bathroom.


Smiling happily, Willow started to gather the dishes and brought them to the sink. She sighed as she realized they’d been a bit chaotic in their zealous efforts to make the best breakfast ever. She’d become a certainly adequate cook, sometimes she even considered herself a good cook, but twelve different kinds of breakfast foods all served together made for very messy cookware.


She had the idea to use the leftovers to make breakfast burritos to freeze and hummed to herself as she did so, feeling like a tiny, Jewish Martha Stewart.


“Uh, Willow?” Sally hissed from her bedroom door, “The package is almost here.”


“Huh?” Willow asked in confusion before the lightbulb went off above her head, “Oh!”


She walked toward Sally.


“Tara’s in the shower, we can talk.”


Sally waved her phone.


“She says they just passed a weird moose statue,”


Willow was confused for a moment, then snapped her fingers in realization.


“The Rocky and Bullwinkle monument!” she said, lifting her hands to her face, “They’re only five minutes away.”


“What do we do?” Sally asked, panicked.


Willow looked over at the bathroom door.


“We need to get Tara out of the shower.”


Sally suddenly stood up straight.


“I got this.”


She said it with such conviction that Willow winced when she suddenly ran to the bathroom door and started knocking frantically.


“Tara! Tara!” she called out, convincing even Willow she was desperate, “I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go!”


She kept banging until Tara appeared, hastily wrapped in a towel.


“Okay, okay, okay!”


Sally skidded into the bathroom and closed the door loudly. Tara looked at Willow with an arched eyebrow.


“Too much OJ,” Willow chuckled nervously, “Um, why don’t you go get dressed?”


Tara tucked her towel in properly and ran her hand down her opposite arm.


“I might take some time and lotion up properly, do some preening.”


“No!” Willow blurted.


“No?” Tara asked, her head cocked, “You’ll benefit from the lotioning later, I promise…”


Willow gulped and let out a shaken breath.


“I just wanna love on you all day. Out here. Can’t hide the birthday girl away all day.”


Tara looked at Willow curiously for a moment before nodding her head.


“Okay,” she agreed and headed into the bedroom.


“And I wanna pick your outfit,” Willow added, following her.


“Oh you do, do you?” Tara hid a chuckle.


“Yes,” Willow replied emphatically, “I, uh…see, it’s a Jewish tradition. To dress the birthday girl.”


“Funny how you’ve never mentioned it before,” Tara said, sitting on the edge of the bed.


“Well, see it’s specifically for a 21st birthday,” Willow explained as she fished in their closest, “So it hasn’t come up.”


“I’ll have to ask your Dad about the origins,” Tara mused with a crooked smile beginning to break.


“Oh, well,” Willow chuckled nervously, “You probably don’t want to. You know how he drones on. Here!”


She threw some clothes on the bed.


Tara looked at it unsurely.


“Jeans and a hoody?” she asked, picking through them, “That’s what you want me to wear?”


“It’s your booty jeans,” Willow explained, biting her lower lip, “A-and the boobie-hug tank top for underneath. So, uh, yeah, this is definitely what I want you to wear.”


Tara hid a smile toward the bed.


“Okay, Willow.”


“I’ll, ah, give you some privacy,” Willow said as she headed out the door.


“To put on my booty jeans and boobie-hug tank top, right,” Tara replied and Willow pulled the door shut.


Sally took the cue to come out of the bathroom. Willow looked at her wide-eyed.


“That was both impressive and terrifying.”


Sally nodded knowingly.


“I can’t promise I’ll only use my power for good.”


Willow grimaced as all of the rebellion she was too afraid to embrace as a teenager flashed before her mind.


She finished putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher just as Sally skidded up to her.


“On their way up!”


“Tara!” Willow called out urgently.


Tara appeared, slotting a pin through her hair.


“Everything okay?”


There was a knock at the door and Willow and Sally bore two huge, awkward grins.


“Oh, I wonder who that could be?”


She threw open the door.


“Surprise!”


Tara pretended to be surprised and genuinely was when she saw who was at the door.


“Hi, Mom,” she greeted, closing her arms around her mother.


“Happy birthday my darling,” Kimberly swayed from side to side with her daughter, “Happy, happy, happy birthday!”


Someone blew a party blower and Tara glanced down to see where it had come from.


“Dawn? Dawn! Hi, sweetie.”


“Hi!” Dawn squeaked, “Happy Birthday.”


“Thank you, honey,” Tara replied as she glanced out behind to see if anyone else was coming since it was a bit of an odd duo.


Moments later she heard giddy hellos and Sally had the GAP bag from the night before. She thrust the bumblebee sweater, of which Willow was already wearing the match, at Dawn, who squealed again.


“Thank you! They didn’t have it at home. Can I try it on right now?”


Sally pointed out her bedroom and Dawn ran in there.


“Oh the sweater was for Dawn,” Tara said, understanding a bit better.


“Yeah,” Sally replied with an amused smile, “You didn’t think I’d want to match with Willow, did you? I didn’t get a lobostomy.”


“Lobotomy, sweetie,” Tara corrected, then waved her hand, “Never mind. Go help her try it on.”


Sally did so and Tara turned to Kimberly, who pulled her into another hug and kissed the side of her head repeatedly.


“My little girl is 21.”


Tara accepted the affection and even leaned further into the hug.


“Is Jeff here?” she asked, again slightly confused by what was happening.


“He is finding parking,” Kimberly withheld a sigh, “But I think we’re going to go find him because time is ticking! The park opens at 10 and we want to get in behind those rope droppers!”


“Park?” Tara asked, looking between her mother and Willow.


“Girls!” Kimberly called and put an arm around both of they came out of Sally’s room, “We’re going to Disneyland.”


“Woo hoo!” Sally yelped while Dawn bounced excitedly.


“Nice sweater,” Willow winked at Dawn, who beamed.


“Oh, okay, fun!” Tara put her hands on her hips with a smile, “But Willow, I don’t know if jeans were the best choice for a lot of walking. What’s the temperature like?”


“Oh, no, darling,” Kimberly laughed and waved a hand, “Jeff and I are taking these two to Disneyland.”


Tara frowned.


“I’m…not going to Disneyland? You are? On my birthday?”


“We’re not going,” Willow clarified, taking Tara’s hand, “At least not to Disneyland. We’re going somewhere…a little more romantic.”


Sally gagged and Dawn held her hands over her heart.


“Oh,” Tara replied, her smile blossoming as she realized they were going to have a night away together.


“Don’t miss me too much,” Sally said flatly upon seeing it.


“As much as you’ll miss us,” Willow retorted without breaking her gaze from Tara.


“Fair,” Sally admitted, “Can we go now? I got some beef with Goofy I want dealt with.”


“What happened?” Dawn asked, slightly perturbed.


Sally’s eyes narrowed.


“He knows what he did.”


“Have you got your bag, Sally?” Kimberly asked, trying to move on quickly.


“Yep!”


She ran into her bedroom and came back with a backpack around her shoulders.


Tara bent down and fixed the straps.


“Thank you again for my gift, I’m going to take it everywhere.”


Sally offered a hug, which Tara gratefully accepted as she didn’t do so often.


“Enjoy Disneyland and be good for my mom and Jeff.”


“‘Will,” Sally promised.


“You can still call us, any time,” Tara promised, “You’re our number one priority. You’re happy to go today?”


“If you’d let me,” Sally joked and smiled.


Tara smiled back, stood, and patted her backpack.


“Okay everyone, have an amazing time.”


Willow walked everyone out the door while Tara went into the bedroom to finish putting socks on as she’d been called out before she could finish getting dressed.


A few minutes later, Willow appeared and embraced Tara from behind.


“Oh Willow,” Tara held onto Willow’s hands around her middle, “Are we really getting a whole night away, alone?”


“We are,” Willow confirmed, “And I involved Sally the whole way through, she practically thinks it was her idea.”


Tara closed her eyes and leaned back.


“I didn’t know how much I needed this until right this second. Sending the kids to Disneyland was genius.”


Willow kissed Tara’s neck.


“In the spirit of honesty, obviously I gave your Mom money to cover things, but I gave the kids fifty bucks each to get a souvenir. Hope that’s okay.”


“Oh, sweetie,” Tara turned and took both of Willow’s hands, “Of course that’s okay. You don’t have to run every single financial thing by me. I trust you. I’m sorry I freaked out earlier.”


Willow shook her head.


“No, no, I should have said something. Honestly? There was probably a little bit of please-like-me bribery thrown in there that I didn’t want to admit to.”


Tara rested her forehead on Willow’s.


“Well, it is all good, and we should have been giving her an allowance anyways so all’s well that ends well.”


Willow sighed.


“This parenting stuff is still a learning curve.”


Tara nodded in agreement, then smiled crookedly.


“And besides, I’m pretty sure there isn’t a free souvenir program.”


Willow groaned and dropped her head.


“I can’t believe I didn’t find that out when I was researching all of the local schools.”


“You found out about absolutely everything else,” Tara comforted gently, “Couldn’t do any of this without you.”


Willow raised her head and they med for a soft kiss. Tara broke it only to hold Willow’s face and kiss her cheek repeatedly.


“Now where are you taking me?”


“It’s a surprise,” Willow grinned, “You’re gonna get that shapely butt onto Velma and you’ll find out when we get there.”


Tara smacked her own thighs.


“Now the jeans make sense.”


“See?” Willow said pointedly, “I’m not a perve. Well.”


She grinned.


“Not just a perve.”


Tara arched an eyebrow.


“I hope you’re taking me somewhere I can test that theory.”


Willow threw her eyes over her shoulder.


“Come with me and find out.”

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

I had read the previous update and forgot to comment -

Loving all the family time and seeing Sally’s development is amazing, can’t wait to see Tara’s surprise! Amazing updates as always

_________________
- I am a poster girl with no poster, I am 32 flavours and then some -

GrimCityGirl —



Thank you so much, I'm having a lot of fun integrating her into their lives!

Thanks so much for commenting!

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

---

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Tara felt the wind wisp at her…


Well, it was mostly at her neck as the helmet covered most of her face, but it was delightful, nonetheless.


Her arms were closed around Willow’s middle as they seamlessly weaved in and out of traffic. Though it was obviously silent between them; their close proximity, Willow’s easy control of the scooter, and the excitement of not knowing where they were headed gave Tara butterflies.


They’d been on the road about an hour and had just passed by Ventura Beach, still heading north. Tara was embracing the adventure of it all and not trying to second-guess their destination, though her interest was piqued with each new town they passed.


A simple overnight bag bounced on her shoulders that lent no clue about their destination, though the lack of packed pajamas certainly told her something.


Not long after they cruised past the beach, Tara noticed mountains and shortly after that they passed a large stone sign saying ‘Welcome to Ojai’.


Beneath the visor on the helmet, her eyebrow arched and she held onto Willow tighter.


Sure enough just minutes later, Willow pulled into a beautiful white building, just three stories high with a corrugated roof contrasting with the walls. It looked something akin to a clubhouse or country club but much more intimate. Most noticeable was the surroundings; lush, lush green fields and a perfect vista of those mountains they had glimpsed on the way in.


Tara stepped off the scooter once it was parked, having to plant her feet firmly on the ground, thighs apart to keep herself steady.


She handed her helmet back to Willow with a grin.


“Willow, this is beautiful.”


“Worth the dead legs?” Willow grinned back.


Tara took a good look at their surroundings.


“Definitely.”


Willow secured the helmets and pocketed her keys before taking Tara’s hand.


“Let's get checked in and we can chat in our room.”


Tara nodded and followed Willow as she brought them into the reception area.


Inside was utterly tranquil with a trickling water feature, soft lighting, and neutral-toned furniture that looked both sleek and comfortable. The ceiling soared, the arches separating areas were wide and graceful and the iron sconces holding the bulbs on the wall looked authentic to the old-Mexican style the whole building was oozing.


The man at the reception quickly took Willow’s ID and credit card and handed back a key card with a practiced but not insincere smile.


“You are in our Moonrise Suite on the third floor. The elevators are just ahead. Please enjoy your stay and contact us if you require anything at all. Your couples massage is booked for 4pm and you can access the spa through the door to the left.”


“Thank you,” Willow smiled back and turned to Tara.


“Couples massage?” Tara asked as they walked to the elevators, “Suite?”


Willow stabbed the up button and pressed a very long kiss on Tara’s cheek.


“Prepare to be pampered. You so deserve it.”


Even the ding of the elevator was harmonious with the music playing. They rode it up to the third floor which had an arrow to the left and an arrow to the right. Instead of room numbers, there was just a single name over each one and it indicated the Moonrise Suite was to the left.


“This way!” Willow said excitedly.


Tara smiled at Willow’s exuberance but her smile turned to awe as Willow opened the door to let them inside.


Everything was white and pristine and huge.


“Willow, this is too much,” she said as she stood in the middle of the vast living space, “It’s bigger than our apartment.”


Off to one side was the bathroom, which boasted a visibly gigantic tub.


“The bathroom is bigger than our apartment!”


Tara walked in to check it out in full, touching the terrycloth robe to her face. It was the softest thing she’d ever felt.


“You’d be surprised at how much of a discount places will give when I offer a free marketing post,” Willow called out to her.


Tara came back from the bathroom, holding each side of the arch that led in there. She raised an eyebrow provocatively and smirked.


“Are we corporate shills now?”


Willow matched the eyebrow.


“Will you be lying when you say how much you love it here?”


Tara dropped the backpack off of her shoulders and twirled over to Willow dramatically. She fell back onto the bed and did a slow sheet angel. She shivered in delight.


“Definitely not.”


Willow was grinning from ear to ear at Tara’s antics.


“Then we’re simply good businesswomen.”


“You are,” Tara countered with a smoldering look.


Willow knee-climbed onto the bed and over to Tara’s lap. She pulled out her phone and set it to video.


“Put your arms up and rub your fingers through the pillow.”


Tara complied, never breaking eye contact with Willow, and the camera in the process.


“Look to the side…” Willow whispered softly, “And back…”


She stopped the video and let her phone fall by her side. She let herself fall alongside Tara; her head bouncing softly on the pillow.


“Perfect.”


Tara bent her knee over Willow’s leg.


“A filmmaker now too.”


Willow cupped Tara’s cheek and ran her thumb over Tara’s lips.


“I was talking about you.”


Their lips crushed against each other but slowed unusually quickly; both just appreciating a still moment.


Willow nuzzled into Tara’s neck and she took her first real view out of the floor-to-ceiling glass doors.


“Look at that view.”


It was more of the beautiful greenery and mountains they’d seen outside, but framed so beautifully, like a postcard.


Willow turned herself in Tara’s arms and snuggled back into her.


“Those are the Topatopa mountains,” she said, smiling over her shoulder, “An easy way to remember it is by thinking ‘I can’t wait to be on topa-topa Willow’.”


Tara squeezed Willow’s middle with the arm strewn there.


“I think it’s pronounced ‘tope-ah, tope-ah’.”


“Rhymes with ‘rope-ah, rope-ah,” Willow circled a butt back against Tara, “Gives me ideas.”


Tara buried her face in Willow’s neck.


“If you didn’t bring any then don’t make promises you can’t keep.”


Willow giggled while Tara placed a small kiss behind Willow’s ear.


“It feels so good to be able to say whatever I want outside our bedroom walls.”


“That is exactly what this is all about,” Willow rested her hand over Tara’s stomach, “And it’s not about freedom from Sally before you start feeling guilty. It’s about freedom from the responsibilities.”


“To be alleviated with a couples massage,” Tara replied in a throaty manner, “I’m surprised you didn’t just bring some oils to do it yourself.”


Willow’s eyes suddenly widened and she made a lunge for the phone.


“Cancel, cancel, I can cancel!” she said, struggling when Tara pulled her back, “I’ll still give them a tip!”


They play-fought until Tara pinned Willow, arms above their heads.


“You booked it, so we’re doing it.”


Willow squirmed with a delighted smile on her face.


“Yes ma’am.”


Their lips met again but with more fury this time. Willow’s hands dropped to Tara’s butt and Tara’s hips pushed down on Willow’s thigh.


“These jeans are starting to seem like a very, very good idea,” Tara whispered into Willow’s ear.


Willow lifted her thigh to allow better coverage and was just about to pull her hands down to provide optimal friction when her phone started ringing. She lifted her arm above her head so she could see her watch and groaned.


“We have to take this. C’mere.”


She grabbed Tara’s hand before she could react and pulled her out onto the generous veranda. Tara had barely taken in a full lungful of the sweet, clean air when voices burst out from Willow’s phone.


“Happy birthday!”


It took a moment for Tara to focus the glare away from the screen to see Buffy, Xander and Anya all wearing party hats and Xander blowing out a party horn.


“Happy escape-from-the-vagina day!" Anya announced cheerily, “Although in your case it was just temporary.”


She turned to Xander.


“Is lesbianism an extreme form of Stockholm Syndrome?”


“I’m sure my mother would love to have that discussion with you,” Willow replied dryly.


“Thanks so much for calling,” Tara tried to speak over them.


“We wanted to call earlier,” Buffy started to explain.


“But Willow wouldn’t let us,” Anya continued, narrowing her eyes.


“They would have blabbed and ruined the surprise,” Willow said out of the corner of her mouth.


“I will have you know I am an excellent secret-keeper,” Anya said indignantly, her face taking up the whole screen, “I’ve never even told anybody about the time Xander lost his toothbrush—”


A hand covered her mouth and pulled her away, followed by Buffy’s face bursting onto the screen.


“Sorry, we’re not there but we hear you’re having a romantic night away.”


“We’ll be back in Sunnydale for a show in two weeks, we can celebrate then,” Tara offered and Buffy smiled.


“Sounds like a plan.”


Buffy’s face was pushed out and Xander’s whole head came into the frame.


“Happy Birthday Tara,” he said with an affable grin, “Sorry I haven’t gotten you a gift yet. I wasn’t sure what you liked. I just know you like Willow, and you already have one of those.”


“Yes I do,” Tara smiled and kissed Willow’s cheek as she wrapped an around Willow’s waist, “Don’t worry Xander, I have everything I could ever want.”


There was a Buffy-sized ‘aw’ from the background and then Anya’s grin appeared.


“I have presents!” she announced excitedly, “Birth is a present thing and I have presents for my best friend.”


“Oh Anya, that’s very sweet,” Tara started to say before she was cut off.


“I got the unicorn—”


“We gotta go, bye!” Tara cut her off and pressed the end call button.


Willow blinked in confusion.


“What was she going to—”


“You don’t want to know,” Tara shook her head softly.


Willow just nodded her trust.


“Well, we had to go anyway. All that scootin’ has worked up an appetite.”


“I could definitely eat,” Tara agreed, “I saw a little café downstairs behind the check-in desk.”


Willow laughed haughtily and offered her arm.


“Au contraire mon amour,” she said, leading them to the door, “J'ai une surprise!”


She kissed Tara’s cheek.


“The first of many.”


She brought Tara downstairs and spoke to reception briefly, who handed her something. Tara saw it was a wristband but it disappeared under Willow’s sleeve before she saw anything of it.


Willow took Tara’s hand and practically skipped them outside to a little hut supplying bicycles.


They weren’t just any bikes, they were pristine vintage bikes, striking white with little orange bells and a basket adorned to the front of each.


Willow produced the wristband and the attendant scanned a QR code and brought two bikes out from the back.


“One for me!” Willow exclaimed as she pushed the handlebars of one bike toward Tara, “And one for you!”


Tara accepted it with a bemused smile.


“Doesn’t quite look good enough to eat.”


Willow hopped on her bike.


“You haven’t seen what’s in the basket yet!” she called back as she rode away with a grin, “Keep up!”


Despite still feeling the imprint of the Vespa between her thighs, Tara quickly threw her leg over the seat and pushed ahead to join Willow.


The resort sat on hundreds of acres and even just a short bike ride had them spinning through groves of citrus trees, endless mountain views, and plains of lush, lush green grass.


On a particularly luscious spot, where the grass was perfectly shaded by the trees while the sun still shone brightly above the mountains, Willow stopped and Tara pulled up alongside her.


“I can’t believe you rode under those trees,” Tara said as she rested the bike against a tree trunk, “I thought you were afraid of fruit trees after the oroblanco incident.”


Willow smiled tenderly.


“You remember that? That was fourth grade.”


Tara reached over and cupped Willow’s ear.


“You were still upset about it when you came home that day.”


Willow brought herself closer to Tara, making it so they were touching.


“You rubbed my head and told me you’d still be my friend even if I had a dent in my head,” she said, looking up into Tara’s eyes softly, “I’m not afraid of anything as long as I know you’ll rub my head when we get home.”


Tara raised her hand and rubbed Willow’s head gently. Willow buried herself under Tara’s chin and squeezed her tight.


This caused an audible rumble from Tara’s stomach.


Willow laughed and pulled away.


“Close your eyes.”


Tara complied and Willow opened the baskets on the bike.


“You might remember that fourth grade was also when I went through my magician phase.”


She spent a minute or so laying things out.


“Ta-da!”


Tara opened her eyes and a picture-perfect picnic was laid out on a blanket.


Tara held her hands up to her heart.


“Oh, sweetie.”


There were fresh sandwiches, fresh fruit, pasta salads, chocolate-covered strawberries, and chocolate chip cookies, with what looked like an ice-cold carafe of lemonade with raspberries floating in it.


Tara kneeled down on the blanket and Willow sat opposite her. She got two plastic champagne flutes from under the napkins and poured lemonade into each.


“For you, my lady.”


“How gentlewomanly of you,” Tara smiled as she took the flute.


Willow leaned in and pecked Tara’s lips.


“You are a dream to charm and romance and I plan on doing so for a very long time,” she said, nuzzling Tara’s nose for a moment, “Now do you want the prosciutto, burrata & pistachio pesto ciabatta or the niçoise salad on home-baked sourdough?”


Tara pretended to think about it.


“So…ham and cheese or tuna salad?”


Willow giggled.


“Yeah, basically.”


“Why don’t we share?” Tara suggested.


Willow split the two sandwiches and arranged half of each on the little paper plates. She poured Tara some lemonade and then poured a glass for herself. She raised it with a smile.


“To my wonderful, beautiful, kind, smart, loyal, amazing, love of my life, soulmate, partner in crime—”


“Okay, okay,” Tara interrupted with a blushing smile but Willow grinned as she ignored it.


“Brilliant mind, creative soul, my biggest cheerleader with a heart of gold,” she continued, shining adoration in her eyes, “My rock. My Tara. Happy 21st birthday.”


Tara gently tapped her plastic cup against Willow’s.


“And to my love, my always and my everything,” Tara countered with the same look, “For still surprising me. For holding my heart and keeping it safe. And for being brave, every single day.”


Willow swallowed deeply.


“I have,” she had to stop to stop her voice from cracking, “A million dreams for the world we're gonna make.”


“And I look forward to every single one,” Tara replied easily, “Including eating all of this delicious food right now.”


Willow offered Tara a piece of watermelon, who gladly accepted it and made a point of lingering with her mouth around Willow’s fingers. Willow blushed and quickly cooled herself down with some lemonade.


They enjoyed a leisurely lunch with very little interruption; the vast expanse meant they only ever saw people in the distance doing their own exploration of the property.


They were so busy chatting and passing treats that they didn’t notice the time moving on until Willow’s watch gave a little beep of a reminder.


“Oh! We need to get back for our massages.”


She quickly gathered their trash while Tara folded the blanket back into the basket on the bike. They rode back wordlessly, sharing smiles and the feeling of wind through their hair.


After dropping the bikes back at the little hut, they walked through reception to the back this time which led them to the spa. Willow’s wristband opened two full-length lockers where two soft robes hung for them. They had a private cubicle to change in — technically two, but they didn’t avail of the extra space.


“Do we leave our underwear on?” Tara whispered as she disrobed, “The only official massage I’ve ever had was when we learned shiatsu in Japan and there was more…pulling than expected.”


“The only thing I learned was that the tinier the Japanese woman, the scarier she is,” Willow replied with wide eyes.


Tara giggled and Willow’s eyes softened.


“Um, I think it’s a ladies choice kind of situation?”


Tara's mouth moved back and forth in contemplation.


“Do you know if the massage therapists are men or women?”


Willow paled.


“Oh my god, I never checked. I-I never even thought, I—”


“Ssh,” Tara soothed Willow gently, putting her hands on Willow’s shoulders, “It doesn’t matter, darling, I think either way I’d be more comfortable staying in them. I think I’d like my bottom to be a Willow’s-eyes-only thing.”


“My eyes are very willing to be at your service whenever required,” Willow blushed lightly, “And um, I’d rather avoid any questions about my ichthyological calligraphy so I think I’m panties-on too.”


The robes were thinner and shorter than the ones in their room but the soft towel material still felt luxurious compared to any others they’d had before.


“You look very cute in that,” Tara grinned as she took Willow’s hand and spun her around, “You don’t show off your legs enough. I loved it when you used to walk around the apartment in your t-shirt and underwear when you woke up.”


Willow felt a level of elation that only Tara could bring; like she was walking on air or clouds made of the same material as their robes.


“Well, I’ll have to see what I can do…”


She took Tara’s hand and swung it between them as they walked into the massage room. It was a private room with two tables set up in the middle of it. The lights were low and enhanced by candles all around the perimeter and incense burned just enough to treat the nose without gagging on it. Music played that was instrumental and calming, with the occasional background trickle of water or nature sounds.


Two women greeted them and offered them privacy to get under the blanket supplied on the tables.


Willow helped Tara get settled under the blanket before disrobing herself and doing her best to cover her own butt in case her underwear rode up.


The therapists returned and began working on both of them; the focus very much on relaxation and gentle pressure rather than their upending experience in Nagoya where they had inadvertently joined a Japanese group of advanced learners instead of the English-speaking beginners class they had intended to go to.


No, this was quiet and tame and surprisingly intimate.


With their heads toward each other, Willow and Tara just stared and smiled the whole way through.


“That was definitely much nicer than trying to put my leg behind my head,” Tara said as they walked, or more like floated, back into the locker room.


“While I’m not opposed to you having your legs like that, I definitely vote for this kind of massage too,” Willow agreed, “Although I think you, me, and essential oils still seems like the most efficient way to do things.”


“Most efficient, huh?” Tara gave a half-smile.


Willow blushed but smiled too. They walked past a floor-to-ceiling window that showed the empty pool outside. Willow gently tugged on Tara’s elbow.


“Let’s go for a swim. No one is in the pool and the water would feel so good after the massage.”


Tara raised an eyebrow.


“We don’t have costumes and I’m not about to try skinny dipping again.”


“I packed them,” Willow laughed, placing her palm on Tara’s collarbone, “Let me run upstairs and grab them and I’ll be right back down.”


Tara nodded her agreement and sat on the bench to look out the window while she waited.


She looked at the mountains and thought of all of the mountain ranges around the world she’d been blessed enough to see. The striking beauty in New Zealand; the vastness in Nepal. Climbing Machu Picchu and experiencing that kind of peak, on-top-of-the-world feeling.


And yet her life had just continued to peak since. There was no zenith, just space to soar.


And Willow was her rocket fuel.


“Got ‘em!” Willow’s voice brought Tara back into the moment.


Tara turned her head and smiled.


“Oh, you seem to have only packed my bikini.”


“Did I?” Willow asked innocently, “I just grabbed the first thing I saw.”


Tara’s crooked smile returned as she shook her head.


“Well, then I better get into it.”


Willow thrust her hand out willingly.


They changed quickly and left their robes with the rest of the things in their lockers before heading out to the pool.


It sat surrounded by perfect stonework and the water was so still it was hard to believe it was real. The water was a very pleasant 80 degrees and as it had been before, completely empty but for them.


They both eased into the water but it was so comfortable they ended up just being drawn to each other. Willow wrapped her legs around Tara’s waist and her arms around Tara’s neck and they just floated; the sun on their faces and their bodies buoyant and cradling.


“Do you remember being under the waterfall in New Zealand?” Tara asked softly as she very gently swayed them around.


Willow had pushed her away and pulled her back, trying her hardest to resolve her feelings of shame.


Willow nodded and rested her forehead on Tara’s forehead.


“You were so patient with me.”


Tara cocked her head the barest inch, not enough to break their contact, and smiled.


“Do you know why?”


Willow had to blink a few times.


“No, actually.”


Tara lifted one hand from Willow’s back and pushed some hair back from Willow’s face.


“Because you,” she enunciated as she looked deeply into Willow’s eyes, “Are worth it.”


Willow swallowed deeply as her whole face flushed with the tears that pricked her eyes. She tried to speak but could only swallow again and decided instead to rest her head on Tara’s shoulder.


They floated in peace like that for some time.


“I can’t believe we have this whole pool to ourselves,” Tara commented after a while, as the sun started to go down.


“They have four pools on-site,” Willow explained softly without lifting her head, “I think most people are at the one with the bar.”


Tara chuckled softly and Willow lifted her hand, turning her wrist from side to side.


“I’m getting wrinkly.”


Tara kissed each fingertip.


“A preview of the body I’m going to love a very long time from now.”


Willow buried her head into Tara’s neck.


“I love you.”


She didn’t know what else to say, but it was all she needed to say at that perfect moment. And all Tara needed to answer.


“I love you so damn much.”

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

Dibs!

I love the romantic outing Willow planned so perfectly! And the magnetic couple necklaces as a gift are lovely too!



to both toasts!


I'm wondering if Willow knows that she is citing a song lyric here (from "The greatest showman" if I recall correctly).


AWWWWW!

I'm looking forward to the other surprises Willow has planned for Tara.

By the way, are we going to learn what the heck Sally meant in this exchange of the last chapter:


Considering what we know of Sally's past I can't imagine that she has been to Disneyland or another place where she could have encountered a Goofy mascot before.

Will's redemption —



Good to have you back! I hope you had a lovely vacation.



I do love romantic Willow!



She doesn't but I do!



I hope you enjoy them!



I think it's funnier if we don't (though it is referenced)

BUT I am happy to share my own backstory headcanon with you: She went to a high school football game with her Dad that he was betting on (football is life in small town America). Because they were such a poor town they couldn't afford their own mascot so they just used a Goofy costume. They tried to make her dance in public. That's it. But she holds a grudge. But feel free to make up your own backstory, that's the point!

Thanks so much for your feedback!

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_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

---

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Air or water; neither knew what they were floating on anymore.


Each other, their love, their connection.


They ended up back in their room when the air turned a little chilly, but there was an hour before dinner so they stretched out on the big bed and checked in with Kimberly.


Her hair was out of place and she looked exhausted as she answered her phone but was smiling.


“Oh, hello girls,” she visibly caught her breath as noise blared behind her, “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you. Is everything okay?”


“More than,” Willow sent heart eyes Tara’s way.


Tara bent her head to rest on Willow’s.


“We’re having a lovely time. We’re going to get ready for dinner soon and just wanted to check in.”


“Well, everything is—” Kimberly started to reply before turning her head and having a conversation with someone off-screen.


“I have a very important question!” Sally’s voice eventually rang out and seconds later her face filled the screen, “CAN WE COME HERE EVERY WEEKEND?!?”


The phone dropped then and all they saw was a table and pizza until it was picked up again.


“Hi!” Dawn greeted with a wave, “Bye!”


There was a flash of Jeff’s weary face as the phone was handed across and then Kimberly again.


“The girls are loving it. We’ll tell you all about it when we see you. Now go enjoy the rest of your night.”


“Bye, Mom,” Tara smiled.


“Bye Ms. M,” Willow added before the screen blacked out, “They looked exhausted but…happy?”


“Like us,” Tara nodded.


“Yeah, but we don’t have as good an excuse,” Willow giggled, “Sorry Ms. M, Mr. B, we’re just so worn out from this pure tranquility.”


Tara kissed the top of Willow’s head.


“That my stunning loverger arranged.”


“Real talk?” Willow turned her head toward Tara, “The hotel reached out to me. They thought your brand would match well with their spiritual vibe. It was just good timing.”


Tara cupped Willow’s cheek.


“Darling, I don’t care what you did or what we have to do to be here. I am having the best birthday of my entire life and I have never felt more in love with you.”


Willow smiled.


“I’m glad. You don't mind showing us off a little?”


“Our love was made for movie screens,” Tara answered with a crooked half-smile.


Willow rested her forehead on Tara's.


“I don’t want you to think about any of that stuff for another second. I’m going to get the content we need tomorrow before we head back. Tonight is all about you, okay?”


Tara nodded and they met for a soft kiss.


Willow showered first and somehow the water coming from the shower head felt as soft as it had in the pool, like it was somehow moisturizing her hair just by falling on it.


While Tara showered, Willow made sure to call back every hair and make-up tip Buffy had ever given her to make her look as presentable as possible.


She’d brought a purple dress to wear for dinner; it was long-sleeved but had a slit up either side. She normally wore and had packed leggings to wear with the dress but after Tara’s earlier comment on showing off her legs, she decided to go without.


She had just fitted it over her body when Tara came out in a towel. Willow grinned and did a little hip twirl.


“Enough leg?”


Tara’s eyes devoured Willow.


“Until later.”


Willow grabbed the pen sitting on the table with a hotel-branded notepad and tossed the cap onto the bed with a kind of suave athleticism she never possessed in high school. She came over to Tara, flicked the tuck of her towel so it dropped and pooled at her feet, and drew a little letter just below Tara’s belly button.


She tucked the pen behind her ear and grinned salaciously.


“Until later.”


Tara glanced down at her own naked body, trying to identify the mark.


“X marks the spot?”


“W marks the spot,” Willow corrected and grabbed Tara by the hips, “You’re all mine.”


She planted her lips on Tara, who literally swooned; her whole body sagging into Willow who held her tight.


Willow kissed Tara until she was breathless and then gave her butt a little slap.


“Time for you to get dressed.”


She walked over and pulled out a dress from their overnight bag.


“My little black dress,” Tara commented with a wry smile.


Willow held it out for her.


“What can I say? I like the classics. And I love the Tara curves I get to see in this. Almost as much as I love seeing you standing there still wet.”


Tara accepted the dress and held it against her naked body.


“Well, then I guess I better go put it on.”


She turned and purposefully wiggled her butt as she returned to the bathroom to dry her hair, grabbing her overnight bag on the way.


Willow shivered and sat on the end of the bed, bouncing excitedly on the mattress.


When Tara reappeared with a half-up, half-down hairstyle, and dark eyes that changed their color from bright sapphire to deep cerulean, Willow’s head was swimming.


“You don’t know how much I want to skip dinner right now.”


Tara plucked Willow’s hand and had her stand.


“You’re going to need fuel for ‘until later’.”


Their lips met and lingered before Willow forced herself to offer her arm.


Tara put her elbow through Willow’s arm, picked up her clutch purse, and smiled for Willow to lead the way.


The restaurant was away from the main building, nestled in amongst tall oak trees. The walls were all floor-to-ceiling windows so you could look out from all angles. Apart from the trees, there was a neighboring golf course and those mountains but at night it was mostly the beautiful, clear dark sky on display.


Considering how few people they saw around the property, there was a nice atmosphere of diners and chatter going on. The furniture was, expectedly, oak but it added to the overall dark vibe.


A server brought them to a corner table and handed them menus.


“Can I get you any drinks to start?”


Before Willow could ask for a Coke, Tara looked up and smiled.


“We’ll have two glasses of Veuve Clicquot.”


The server nodded once.


“Very nice, ma’am.”


He moved off and Willow leaned in, whispering conspiringly.


“What’s Veuve Clicquot?”


“I don’t know, I just always heard my mom saying she wanted a glass when I was growing up,” Tara replied with a secretive grin, “They didn’t even card me.”


“More importantly, they didn’t card me,” Willow whispered, pointing to herself and giggling.


The server returned with two glasses of champagne which Willow clinked against Tara’s flute.


“Real glass this time!”


“We’re moving up in the world,” Tara replied and took a sip, feeling the bubbles heighten her mood immediately.


She picked up the menu to read it.


“What on earth is strozzapreti?”


“I think it’s what goes down your throat when you sneeze but then it sucks back in,” Willow laughed as Tara pulled a disgusted face but couldn’t hold back the answering laugh for more than a moment.


They discussed their eating options and were well ready to order by the time the server returned.


“We’re going to share the baked brie to start,” Tara said as she handed back her menu, “And I will try the salmon with the rosemary potatoes.”


“And I’ll have the lamb with the truffle french fries,” Willow said with eager eyes, “Another drink, baby?”


“Would you like to try our signature tangerine margarita?” the server offered.


Tara eyed Willow with a grin.


“I think we would.”


They enjoyed not one but two signature margaritas over the course of their meal and by the time the plates were cleared, Willow was very giggly.


“Willow, are you drunk?” Tara accused with slightly glassy eyes and a smile full of mirth.


“Drunk…” Willow scoffed, “I mean, that's such a-a strong word. Kind of a guttural Anglo-Saxon word. Drunk.”


She tried to act serious but couldn’t keep it up.


“I am merry,” she declared and began to bring her fingers toward her face, “Look, touching my nose.”


Tara leaned in across the table.


“That’s your eyebrow,” she stage whispered.


Willow brought her two hands out in front of her and burst out laughing.


“Oh yeah!”


Their server returned to them and also appeared to be holding back a laugh at their antics, which was just the right side of jovial and not obnoxiously drunk.


“Would you ladies like to see our dessert specials?”


Willow suddenly began waving her hands.


“Oh, um, I’ve ordered the ya—” she stopped and hiccuped, “The um, yin? Yin package. Yes”


The server nodded knowingly.


“Someone will be right with you. Your meal is, of course, included. Have a lovely evening.”


He bowed out and Willow reached into her purse to leave some cash on the table.


“What’s the ‘yin package’?” Tara asked curiously.


Willow hid the cash under a cloth napkin. She looked alluringly over the table.


“I told you I had surprises.”


Tara just arched an eyebrow and settled back into her seat.


Before long the hostess who had greeted them upon entering the restaurant came to their table and asked them to follow her.


More and more curious, Tara followed Willow and the hostess outside, around to the side of the building, and up a wooden staircase to the roof of the one-story building.


The perimeter was strung with fairy lights, offering a gentle glow against beds of plants and flowers. In the middle was a wooden canopy with large slats that could be seen through and a double lounger, an outdoor heater, and a steel table with a plate of macarons.


“Oh my,” Tara said under her breath, caught for words.


Willow slipped the hostess some cash as well before putting her hand on the small of Tara’s back to guide her over to the lounger. It was circular with a corner headboard and plump cushions and padding that offered more depth than some of the bunk beds they’d slept in before.


As they got closer, a small speaker was playing romantic music just loud enough to be a humming vibration that cut through the silent night. Not a peep could be heard from the restaurant or anything else around.


As Willow tried to bring Tara to the seat, she stumbled and Tara ended up catching her before she crashed right into it.


Willow gasped as she went down but breathed easy when she felt Tara’s hands cradling her. She reached up and touched Tara’s face gently, her eyes glassy.


“My turn to swoon.”


Tara eased them both onto the lounger and kicked her shoes off.


She looked up at the sky, so rich and full of stars that she sometimes forgot were there with all of the pollution in LA.


“This is beautiful.”


Willow cuddled into Tara’s side. She reached into the air and traced the moon.


“‘Ojai’ is the Chumash word for ‘moon’,” she said, letting her hand settle on Tara’s stomach, “Or for ‘nest’, depending on the translation.”


“Well, I love this little moon nest,” Tara replied softly, leaning her head down to rest on Willow’s, “Is that why it’s called the ‘yin package’? A little ball of light in the dark?”


“Must be,” Willow mused, using her thumb to caress Tara’s arm, “Not as creative as your constellations.”


The fresh air was helping clear her head and her words came out without any slurring.


“Who’s out there tonight?”


Tara linked fingers with Willow and pointed their joined hands up toward the sky.


“Unicorn Dancing On A Traffic Cone.”


Willow giggled into Tara’s neck while Tara moved their arms to another part of the sky.


“Yodeling Yeti.”


“I must really be drunk because I can actually see that,” Willow giggled again, “Yodel-ay-hee-hoo! Don’t put me in a zoo!”


Tara’s whole body shook with laughter and Willow nuzzled into her, soaking up the vibrations. They settled and stared up together.


“Remember how I told you looking up at the stars made me feel like I was in space...part of it all? Like something vast that was safe to project my feelings onto?” Willow asked as she rested her head on Tara’s shoulder.


Tara nodded softly. Willow felt it.


“Now I think…I think I felt like the stars. Not just part of them. Billions of pieces of me all strewn out together, never to touch or be cohesive. And that was okay, y’know? I mean look at them, they’re beautiful, each in their own way. I just had to know which little Willow-star to let shine that day.”


She pressed her hand against Tara’s stomach.


“Now I feel like I had a bright and beautiful stellar collision and all of me shines all the time. Thanks to you.”


Tara tilted Willow’s chin up.


“Thanks to you. I love you so much. Not because you love me, but because you are wonderful all on your own.”


Willow’s eyes grew glassy and she leaned in for a kiss.


Which was interrupted by a hiccup.


They both started laughing.


They had conversations of various silliness as the margaritas worked their way out of their systems until the hostess came up and hovered.


“I think we’re being sent home,” Tara whispered to Willow, who started to pout.


Tara kissed Willow’s cheek.


“Bring the macarons. The night isn’t over yet.”


Willow’s eyes became glassy again but with arousal this time. She tipped the macarons into her purse and they exited the roof back downstairs, where they discovered the restaurant completely closed.


“Would you like to go for a little walk through the woods?” Tara suggested.


Willow’s eyes glanced down Tara’s body and up again.


“Um. Well. Sure. It’s your birthday night.”


She’d been hoping whipping off that little black dress was in the near future, but she could contain herself for an extra few minutes.


They walked through the oak trees and around the property, close to where they had had their picnic.


Willow happily swung Tara’s hand.


“Did you know tangerines are a hybrid between a mandarin and a pomel—whoa!”


Willow’s back hit the trunk of the nearest tree; a long, thin trunk that leaves rustled at the impact.


Tara pressed her body against Willow’s, who could barely keep her breath even.


“A pomel-whoa, huh?”


She dropped a kiss into the crook of Willow’s neck, who gulped. She glanced nervously around but as Tara’s lips pressed again and again, hot against her skin, she couldn’t deny the fire burning between her legs had had gasoline poured on it.


Her neck rolled to offer Tara more skin and she shivered as the cool night air hit her after each peppered kiss. Her hands grabbed Tara’s behind, bunching the material of Tara’s little black dress as she rubbed.


Willow had no exposed chest but that didn’t stop Tara from pawing at her breasts. Tara’s fingers danced along Willow’s thigh, taking full advantage of the slit in her dress to weave inward.


When she pressed against the front of Willow’s panties, she heard a hitched breath in her ear.


“Should I stop?” she asked throatily, pulling back just enough to look at Willow with dark eyes.


Willow met Tara’s gaze firmly, if not with lidded eyelids.


“I’ll die if you do.”


Tara, gently, body-slammed Willow back against the trunk and let her fingers slip under Willow’s underwear.


Willow felt like sparks were shooting out of her head, and other areas, as Tara swirled in her arousal. Her heart thumped with the adrenaline and excitement and she knew Tara must be able to feel it, especially if she—


“Oh god,” she groaned deeply as Tara entered her and thrust up so deeply Willow felt like she was being lifted into heaven.


Tara’s body heaved with the intensity of her arm movement, hitting Willow hard and fast so she could do nothing but just about manage to keep herself up — and even Tara was helping with that.


Willow’s head hit against bark and there would definitely be snags in her dress but nothing mattered except the walls of pleasure closing in on her from every side.


When it finally hit she found it hard to differentiate between the stars in the sky and the ones swimming in front of her eyes, especially when bright light started to flicker around her.


Light-headed and intoxicated in a whole new way, she wondered if Tara had made her come so hard she was hallucinating. That was until Tara suddenly spring-jumped away from her and Willow had to reach behind to grip the tree and keep herself up.


“Hmm?”


The bright lights suddenly fell onto the ground in front of them, illuminating the little spot they, and now a security guard, were in.


“Everything okay here?”


With her hands hidden behind her back, Tara raised her chin confidently.


“We were just taking a walk,” she explained easily but Willow knew her well enough to hear the tremor in her voice, “Big dinner.”


“You’re guests?” the security guard confirmed, causing the other two to nod, “We’ve had some folks trying to steal the fruit. All paths lead back to the resort if you find yourselves turned around. You have a nice night now.”


He lifted his flashlight and angled it at Willow.


“Try not to lean on the trees.”


Willow did her best to appear not to be leaning without giving away her legs still needed the support. The security guard moved away and Willow and Tara just stared at each other.


Until a tangerine fell from a branch and bonked Willow right on the head.


Tara’s hands covered her mouth and they both remained in that stunned silence until on one passing wave, they devolved into mutual laughter.


With her legs having had some time to find themselves Willow bent down and picked up the fruit. She tossed it up from her palm and caught it.


“I hope that’s not the only head I’m getting tonight.”


Tara’s eyes burned with a new passion and she grabbed Willow’s hand.


Willow didn’t need to be tugged twice.


The space between where they were and their room became empty noise as they rushed to it as fast as possible. If either were asked to recall later they would remember simply spinning through space and time with no coherent thought but the privacy to continue what they both craved.


Willow was the one to back Tara up against something this time, using their bodies to close the hotel room door behind them. The dull thud was like a switch, giving them permission to devour each other.


As she pushed her tongue into Tara’s mouth, Willow reached behind Tara and pulled her zipped down to just above the curve of her butt. She used her other hand to bunch the material at Tara’s belly button and gave it a firm tug.


The straps fell down Tara’s arms and Tara lifted her arms through so the dress slid over her hips and to the floor.


To Willow’s surprise, Tara was wearing something special. Something special that was a little bit familiar. Her eyes widened.


“That’s the lingerie from the photoshoot! I—”


“Stole?” Tara asked with an arched eyebrow.


Willow blushed on already red cheeks.


“They were going to toss it and—how did you find it?”


Tara ran a finger along Willow’s jaw.


“You’re not as sneaky as you think you are,” she said seductively as she lifted her arm over her head and leaned back against the door in a similar manner to one of her glamor shots, “Isn’t this what you wanted? Me to wear it just for you?”


“Yes,” Willow’s gaze dropped to Tara’s chest and back up again, “I was just figuring out a way to make it seem less—”


“Pilfered?” Tara smiled crookedly.


She placed her palm over Willow’s collarbone and let it fall down Willow’s arm to her hip.


“I like a little bit of bad Willow.”


Willow shuffled that little bit closer so they were pressing against each other.


“Oh yeah?”


“Oh yes,” Tara confirmed and grabbed the back of Willow’s head and pulled her back in for a smoldering kiss.


Willow ran her hand down each of Tara’s sides, letting her fingertips glide on the sheer material of the teddy. Tara’s thighs were hot to touch and even hotter when she pressed the front of Tara’s crotch.


She felt Tara’s intake of breath against her body and allowed her fingers to brush aside the fabric there.


Tara’s eyes grew lidded as Willow wetted her fingers and rubbed gently, just enough to make Tara’s thighs start to twitch.


Willow pressed a little harder and Tara had to grip Willow tighter for support. Tara’s hands moved down Willow’s back, clawing anywhere for purchase, but the thin dress gave nothing.


Instead, her hands had no choice but to slip under it to cup Willow’s butt. Suddenly Willow felt like she was wearing her faux fur hooded coat that was great when they visited Iceland but might as well have been pure lava being poured over her body right now.


She momentarily dropped her hands to the hem of her dress, trying not to melt into a puddle at the little moan of displeasure Tara released, and whipped it straight over her head. She grabbed the back of Tara’s neck and pulled her into a fresh kiss. As their lips came together, so did their necklaces, causing them both to look down momentarily, then back at each other and giggle.


After a moment of lingering eyes, Willow pressed Tara up against the door again, curved her hands around Tara’s hips, and tugged the backs of her thighs up. Tara found her legs naturally closing around Willow’s waist with Willow using her body strength to keep them both upright.


She struggled not to squirm at the hot tension coiling in her belly in response.


“Oh.”


“You like that?” Willow asked, her forehead and nose touching Tara’s.


“Yeah,” Tara nodded, licking her lips as her other lips brushed Willow’s stomach, leaving obvious evidence of her desire. She flicked her feet so her heels flew across the room and allowed her ankles to cross at Willow’s back.


Willow had to leave one hand flat on the door for leverage but that and a tight press of their bodies allowed her other hand to go back to where it was exploring before. She found Tara’s clit again quickly and started rubbing in swift circles.


This was no time for teasing.


Tara’s hands ran through Willow’s hair as she kissed her girlfriend headedly and sloppily, pulling in as much of Willow as possible.


Willow dropped her hand and did the same to Tara. She thrust her fingers in at the same pace Tara had done to her against the tree and pressed in with her hips so they rocked against the door.


Spitting moans fell from Tara’s mouth as she pushed against Willow’s hand, driving her deeper and in turn causing Tara’s lips to push out louder sounds.


“Oh god, Willow,” Tara’s hands pushed Willow’s butt in to offer even more thrust.


Her head banged back against the door and her hips moved so fast they created their own motion blur.


Willow felt the deep, hot contraction squeeze her fingers and buried her face into Tara’s neck. As Tara released into her palm and into her ear, she felt each spasm go through her wrist, up her arm, and then shoot down straight between her own legs.


Tara’s legs gently fell back to the floor and Willow couldn’t help pushing herself onto Tara’s thigh.


Still catching her breath, Tara took Willow’s cheeks in her hands and kissed her, while rocking her thigh for Willow’s pleasure. The underwear was too much of a barrier but was gone with a quick tug and a tumble away from the door.


Still connected at the mouth, they stumbled over to whatever structure they could fall against next.


On their way, one of them stood on Tara’s purse and there was an audible squelch.


“The macarons are maca-gone!” Willow exclaimed in surprise.


“And you’re going to have to hold on,” Tara replied as she pushed Willow back with her back pressed against the glass of the balcony door.


Tara bent down and pressed kisses into her stomach, heading a little further south. Willow glanced back at the transparent glass and couldn’t help but feel an extra little thrill, despite there being nothing but nature outside.


Tara’s hand creeped between her legs and cupped her. Two fingers slid between her lips to gather wetness, amply available for her. She dragged them through Willow and stood while twirling those fingers in her mouth.


“You’re so wet,” Tara breathed into Willow’s ear.


“I can barely stand it,” Willow panted back, dipping her head to meet Tara’s eyes, “Take care of it. Take care of me.”


Tara dragged her fingers back, then moved to stand behind Willow.


“Bend over.”


She placed her hand on the small of Willow’s back to guide her to bend over the back of the sofa. She quickly released the hooks on Willow’s bra, who allowed the straps to fall down her arms before resuming her grip on the sofa back.


Willow spread her legs as she felt Tara’s hand touch her from behind. Her heart hammered at how exposed she felt to Tara’s gaze and touch. All she wanted was to feel—


“Oh god,” an elongated groan left her mouth as Tara’s long fingers entered her up to the hilt.


She pushed back despite not having much room to go and rocked her hips allowing full coverage to hit her inside.


“God,” she panted again as she thrust with small but powerful movements and encouraged Tara to counter her with longer strokes that Willow just loved to match and swallow as much of Tara as she could.


Tara had one hand on Willow’s upper back as they found a quick pace together; lightly twirling the ends of Willow’s hair and giving an occasional, gentle pull. Every grunt Willow gave in return sent a new pulse between Tara’s legs, ready to go again.


She paused for a moment to strip off the lingerie; a moment Willow began to complain about before looking back and seeing what was happening.


She let out a low little growl as Tara’s body revealed itself and quickly pushed back with need when she was finally nude.


Tara softly rubbed herself on Willow’s cheek; not looking for satisfaction, just a little relief from the pounding. Willow vocally encouraged this and reached behind to pull Tara’s hip harder against her. Tara complied and reached underneath Willow to fondle her breast at the same time.


As Tara grinded, she didn’t stop thrusting and soon the only sounds were reverberations of gratification against the huge surrounding walls.


Willow’s knuckles grew white around the back of the sofa with her back fully arched as climax grew near. She felt Tara thrust harder and faster and rubbing inside in just the right way until it all broke like smashing glass offering a kaleidoscope of pleasure.


Her body sagged but she felt Tara prop her up so they were both leaning against the sofa. She felt Tara ever-so-gently continue to rub herself and while she actually found the act quite comforting, she knew Tara needed more. She could feel it, smell it, hear it, in every little movement.


She turned herself to face Tara and once sure she had her sea legs, or sex legs as the case may be, under her, she grabbed Tara by the waist and walked them backward to the bed.


She had Tara sit and dropped to her knees, taking Tara’s legs over her shoulders.


As the first tip of Willow's tongue touched her, Tara fell back onto the mattress. Her thighs squeezed Willow’s ears but didn’t stop Willow from hearing the string of moans floating down to her.


Tara’s hands coasted down past her own breasts, fingertips gliding over the inked skin above her ribs and just barely touching her own downy hairs before she made contact with Willow’s head. She pushed Willow even further into her and rocked her hips at the same time to get as much contact as possible.


Willow loved it.


She gladly offered her whole face for whatever Tara wanted to do with her. She made sure her mouth was in a good position and rolled her tongue about enough to be of service, but let Tara take what she wanted.


Willow could tell Tara was close, it was hard not to when she was so up close and personal, and so was surprised when she felt a pull on her neck and shoulders.


She lifted her head, confused, and Tara pulled her up onto the bed, expertly sliding her legs around Willow’s hips instead of her shoulders. Tara held Willow’s face in her hands and gently wiped away the arousal around her girlfriend’s mouth with her thumbs.


“I missed your face.”


“You had my face,” Willow countered, slightly breathless.


Tara leaned in and kissed Willow’s lips, still able to taste herself.


“I missed it up here.”


Her face was red and Willow could feel a tremble in her fingertips.


She leaned into Tara and swept her lips up in a kiss while grabbing each of Tara’s breasts and sighing with contentment at finally getting her hands on them.


They shuffled further up the bed for comfort and Tara rolled around, enjoying Willow’s hands and mouth on her nipples. As she moved, she felt an unusual sensation, making her eyebrows rise.


“I-I'm not sure—oh, um, maybe.”


Willow paused and looked up.


“Are you okay?”


Tara opened her eyes, glanced down, and saw two hands still very much on her breasts. She frowned and reached under herself, coming back up with the top of the pen from earlier. Blushing furiously, she tossed it away and put her hands over Willow’s, encouraging them to move again.


“Uh-huh. Don’t stop.”


Willow just shrugged and dropped her mouth to Tara’s nipple again. Tara reached for Willow’s breast at the same time and they naturally fell onto their sides where they had the most access to each other’s bodies.


It didn’t take long for their thighs to start grinding against each other and then their hands were weaving together to be closer.


Willow’s eyes opened to find Tara already staring back right as two fingers pushed inside her. She was sensitive but overflowing and welcomed it gladly, knowing Tara would be tender, as she was when she entered Tara moments later.


Their heads shared one pillow so they were plenty close enough to kiss. Tara’s other arm lay under their necks and she caressed Willow’s hair affectionately as they moved in and out at a slow but steady pace; mostly savoring the intimacy rather than the need for release.


That did come, eventually, but instead of the frenzied pace of before it ended with them lying totally connected at every point of their bodies, which buzzed like static against each other.


They settled with their bodies still pressed together. Tara’s arms draped around Willow’s neck and one of Willow’s arms was under the pillow while the other was thrown around Tara’s waist.


They shared a soft sigh and Willow nuzzled her nose against Tara.


“I'm glad we can't make babies without trying because we would have definitely just made a baby.”


She couldn’t help but giggle, which made Tara smile.


Willow sighed again, utterly content.


“I love this. Savoring this. Whatever you call it.”


“Love bubble?” Tara suggested.


“That’s a good word,” Willow agreed softly, “It’s not like I love you more when we have sex…I love you endlessly, always. But it's like I experience that love in every part of my body like we're encased in a bubble of it. So, yes, love bubble. Sexy love bubble.”


Tara gently caressed Willow’s neck.


“You know, I never knew what it meant to feel sexy until the first time we had sex. Not fully.”


Willow wagged her eyebrows.


“I know you were doing the naughty touchy across the street.”


Tara chuckled.


“I was,” she said, quirking her eyebrow for a moment “But when I was doing that, I was thinking about how sexy you were. It wasn't until I saw the look in your eyes when I took my clothes off that I felt it for myself.”


Willow’s eyes flashed with several emotions, which Tara noticed right away. She softened her gaze even more.


“What is it?”


If there was ever a moment to be vulnerable, it was this.


“Sometimes I think of all the ways we might not have been together. And the thought of that terrifies me,” Willow admitted, swallowing deeply, “I guess a part of me still worries I'm going to do something to make us not be together.”


Tara was silent for a long moment but didn’t break Willow’s gaze once.


“Do you ever think of all of the things you do to keep us together?” she asked eventually, smiling tenderly, “Not only that, but happy, healthy, and strong?”


Willow’s eyes grew wet with tears.


“No.”


Tara kissed Willow with all of the tenderness she possessed.


“Maybe you should.”


Willow initiated the kiss this time, lifting her hand to pull Tara’s head into her. When they parted, she seemed lighter.


“Good birthday?”


“Best birthday,” Tara confirmed with a definitive nod of her head.


“Only so far,” Willow countered with a grin.


Tara matched the grin.


“You planning to outdo yourself already?”


Willow was and with repercussions.


“Only every year for the rest of our lives.”

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

Dibs!

Great dinner topped by the stargazing (what a shame that they didn't eat the macarons, though ).

VERY nice ending to Tara's birthday!

I love that you've woven some comic moments into all the sexiness again:


Good for our girls that both reemained fully dressed and that this guard didn't show up a few moments earlier when Tara still had her hand in the proverbial cookie jar...


Bad girls, letting the pen dry out like that! Hopefully Tara will think of washing the top in the morning...


AWWWW, perfect description for their afterglow!


I love how they both instinctually know what to say to reassure the other!


Canon easteregg! Yay to Willow already planning for the next birthday, although the mention of "repercussions" sounds a bit ominous...

Will's redemption —







They were probably still delicious squished. Maybe they fished them out later!







I've been wanting to bonk Willow on the head with a citrus fruit again ever since Rome



Almost like I planned it!











They are Willow and Tara whisperers, respectively!



I think of it more like serendipidous repercussions

Thanks so much for your feedback!

---

_________________
Amber Benson killed me once.

Check out my finished fics

Love, The Series … Two For Joy/21+/Joy To The World … Dancing With Dimensions

Inevitable/Infinitely …Confidential Eternal … A Twisted Date … Dachsund Through The Snow

---

---

Tara stepped off of the scooter and stretched her legs by opening and closing her thighs together.


“My adductors have gotten quite the workout this weekend.”


She unstrapped her helmet and handed it to Willow, who secured them to the scooter.


“Don’t turn me on with anatomy talk when we’re about to go see your mom.”


Tara offered a wry half-smile.


“I’m surprised you have anything left to be turned.”


Willow closed her hands around Tara’s waist, letting her wrists cross loosely behind.


“Just like when the value for f of x approaches zero as x approaches c, the limit does not exist of my capability of being turned on by you.”


Tara began to duck her head.


“Now who’s doing the turning on.”


Willow rested her forehead on Tara’s.


“Show me what I'm looking for.”


“Here?” Tara raised an eyebrow, “In the parking lot?”


“I just want a little sugar,” Willow said, turning her nose in for a kiss.


“Just a little?” Tara murmured before allowing their lips to connect.


It lasted a moment or two until a younger voice hollered across the lot at them.


“Jeez, come in already, do you want the neighbors to hate us?”


They parted with a little smile for one another, and Willow linked her fingers with Tara.


“I’m guessing at least one or two would be pretty into it,” she whispered and Tara pursed her lips to quell a laugh.


They walked across the lot and through the open door that Sally had been hanging out of, only for both to jump back in surprise when two confetti poppers burst in their faces.


Tara laughed as her arm instinctively wiped away the confetti in front of her.


“What’s this?”


Kimberly came over from the couch and hugged Tara.


“We didn’t get a chance to properly celebrate your birthday yesterday. We thought you deserved a little party.”


“My fault,” Jeff raised a hand in apology.


“He’s a grumpy parker,” Sally nodded sagely.


Willow elbowed her.


“Sal.”


“What?” Sally moved out of Willow’s reach, giving her a brief scowl, “He gets grumpy when he can’t find parking.”


“It’s true,” Jeff nodded, ducking his head, “I hold my hands up.”


He held up his hands and waved them, very jazz-hands-like.


Tara just smiled at him.


Kimberly closed the door behind them and wrapped an arm around her and Willow from behind.


“How was your night away?”


Willow and Tara both looked at each other, making googly eyes.

-
“Amazing,” they said in perfect, breathless unison.


As they continued gazing at each other, Sally pulled a face.


“Okay, this is a bit much, even for them.”


“Did you dance under the moon?” Dawn asked, holding her hands to her heart.


“We snuggled under the moon,” Willow replied, gently bumping Tara’s hip.


Dawn flapped her hands in front of her face.


“Aww!”


“Gross,” Sally scoffed.


Willow waved her off.


“Did you make things right with Goofy?”


Sally fixed a rigid look on her head.


“As long as he doesn’t show his punk ass around here.”


Tara turned and raised an eyebrow. Sally stuck her hands in her pocket.


“I know, an only-at-home word,” she mumbled, “I am at-home.”


“Pushing it,” Tara warned quietly.


“Can we have cake now?” Sally quickly and astutely changed the subject.


“And we have presents!” Dawn added excitedly.


She jumped up and went to the corner, where she picked up a broom with a bow tied around it and thrust it at Tara.


“Happy birthday!”


“Oh,” Tara accepted the broom into her hands, “Wow. Thank you. I, um…wow.”


“It’s a tradition to hang one above your door to sweep away any negative energy or evil spirits,” Jeff explained with a smile.


“And it’s cinnamon-scented,” Dawn added giddily.


“Oh,” Tara replied, touched, “Thank you, Dawnie. I love cinnamon. I’ll have Willow hang it later.”


“Sometimes I’m large with the butch,” Willow rubbed her knuckles on her chest.


Tara swallowed her answer, which was ‘I just like to watch her stretch’.


Kimberly got a match to light the candles on Tara’s cake and everyone started singing Happy Birthday to her.


Tara blew out the candles with a beaming smile.


“Oh, wow, you didn’t have to do all this.”


“It’s not every day my baby girl turns 21,” Kimberly replied with a proud smile.


She popped a kiss on Tara’s cheek and began handing out slices of the cherry chocolate cake.


After the cake, Tara was showered with more gifts from her mom; some make-up and clothes, prepaid food delivery cards, candles and candy, and her ‘first’ bottle of wine.


Finally, Kimberly handed Tara an unmarked gift box. Tara opened it and inside was a wooden crescent moon with a hanging suncatcher crystal attached.


Into the wood, words were carved.


With earth beneath and sky above
May you always walk in light and love


“It’s called a rainbow maker,” Kimberly explained, a soft nervous lilt in her tone, “If you hang it in the sun, it shows rainbows all around the room. I remembered that bench you made in your senior year and thought you might like this.”


Tara felt a lump in her throat at the thoughtfulness.


“Jeff carved it himself,” Kimberly added on when Tara was silent.


Tara looked up, tears in her eyes.


“Thank you, Jeff.”


“My pleasure,” Jeff threw her a soft wink.


Tara turned to her mother and embraced her.


“Thank you so much. I love it. I’ll hang it up here and we’ll see them every day.”


She walked over to the kitchen and hung it off the latch on the window. Immediately the California sun caught it and cast rainbows all over the room.


Miss Kitty started running around trying to catch the rays, making everyone laugh.


Kimberly stood and walked over to her purse on the table.


“And one last thing.”


“Mom…” Tara replied incredulously, as she had been well and truly spoiled.


Kimberly produced an envelope, which she held between two fingers.


“This is from Donny and Amy,” she said, handing it to Tara. “It’s a hotel collection gift card. We thought you two could do with a night away every couple of months. We’ll bab—”


She quickly caught herself and evaded with a cough.


“Get to spend some time with Sally. And Dawn, if Joyce agrees—”


“Oh, I’ll make her,” Dawn cut in with serious eyes.


Kimberly smiled at Dawn and then looked back between Willow and Tara.


“And you two can have a night alone. That should cover things for a few nights away, depending on how extravagant a hotel you pick.”


Tara took the envelope, looked inside, and handed it over to Willow, whose eyes widened.


“Oh, we are masters at getting accommodation on the cheap. We could have lived for a month on this when we were traveling.”


Tara put a hand on Willow’s lower back.


“We’re not using it for bunk beds, honey.”


“Why not?” Sally asked, bouncing on her seat, “Bunk beds are fun!”


There was an awkward silence for several seconds before Miss Kitty disrupted proceedings again by rolling around in all of the wrapping paper.


“Cuteness abounds!” Jeff laughed, as he scratched the cat between her ears.


Kimberly brought the plates over to the sink and Tara came up beside her.


“Thank you so much for all the gifts and for taking the girls to Disneyland.”


Kimberly smiled at her daughter wistfully.


“I hadn’t been since you kids were their age.”


Tara cocked her head and peered at her mother.


“Mom, are you broody?” she accused playfully, “You’re still young, you know.”


“Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,” Kimberly laughed heartily, “No more babies. This body is done with that. But Sally is a wonderful girl. I don’t know how two beautiful girls came from that man, but they did.”


She shook her head and looked at Tara.


“Besides, I could ask you the same thing.”


“Excuse me?” Tara raised an eyebrow.


“You have it down. The look,” Kimberly teased, then continued when Tara looked blank, “You gave her ‘the mom look’ when she swore. I saw it. You can’t learn it, only develop it through experience. And you have.”


Tara’s cheeks blushed.


“Well, like Willow said to me this weekend, it’s a good thing we can’t create babies without trying.”


Kimberly threw her hands up.


“I don’t want to know.”


Tara laughed softly, then she glanced to Sally who was folding some of the wrapping paper into origami to show Dawn. She looked back to her mother, eyes slightly creased.


“Can I get your advice on something? The school called us into a meeting last week…”


Kimberly made tea as she talked with Tara while Jeff pulled out some playing cards and a spirited game of Go Fish turned into Blackjack when Sally pronounced the former ‘lame’.


Eventually, it was time to gather up and get on the road with school and work in the morning.


“We can keep texting,” Dawn suggested to Sally as she was heading out the door.


“Cool!” Sally agreed, then shuffled her feet and shrugged, “I mean, yeah, uh huh.”


Dawn hesitated a moment, then threw her arms around Sally, who hugged back in surprise.


“Bye!” Dawn waved and ran to the others to hug them, “Bye Willow! Bye, Tara!”


“Bye Dawnie,” Tara said, pressing a kiss on top of Dawn’s head, “We’ll see you in a couple of weeks for Halloween. Maybe you and Sally can start discussing costumes.”


Dawn squealed in excitement and waved the whole way to the car and then out of the parking lot.


Sally slumped a little and after exchanging a sympathetic look with Willow, Tara brought her over to the couch.


“Tell us about Disneyland.”


Sally cracked a smile.


“You shoulda heard Jeff scream on Space Mountain.”


“But you had a good time?” Tara prompted with an encouraging nod.


“Yeah,” Sally nodded back, “There’s lotsa lines. But it was fun hanging out.”


She was unusually subdued, so Tara didn’t push it.


“Do you have any homework to do for tomorrow?”


“Nope,” Sally shook her head.


Tara smiled.


“What do you feel like doing for the evening?”


“I think we should order pizza because I don’t wanna cook,” Willow sat on the corner of the couch beside Tara.


Sally’s eyes brightened.


“Can we play D&D?”


Tara perked up too, very pleased that the answer wasn’t something on a screen.


“If you two will help me. My last game didn’t go so well.”


“Lady Fluffykins was a proud warrior and noble cleric,” Willow tried to nod seriously, “She just had a defective army…of cats.”


Sally snickered.


“Maybe this time she can save the day with her cuddly charm.”


Willow couldn’t help but join in on the laughter. Tara rolled her eyes playfully.


“Laugh it up, you two. You won’t think it’s so funny when I order anchovies on the pizza.”


Willow shut up promptly and widened her eyes at Sally.


“She’s not kidding. I lost a game of anchovy chicken with her before.”


Sally’s nose scrunched.


“Anchovies are chicken?”


Willow bit the corner of her cheek but couldn’t help her response coming out.


“Only when they’re part of Lady Fluffykin's army!”


She and Sally rolled around laughing and while Tara feigned indignation, she was thrilled to see it.


They spent the evening expanding the lore and universe of Saldoria, the world Sally had created, and Tara took great pride in seeing her army of cats kill Willow’s wizard — Sassy Eggsaphina's — familiar owl. However, she felt guilty immediately after and successfully cast a spell to revive it.


After eating pizza and becoming too stuffed to continue gameplay, they all decided to get in their jammies and watch an hour of TV before bed.


“You were really good tonight,” Willow complimented Sally as they cleaned up, “You could be a DM soon.”


“What’s a DM?” Tara asked from where she was breaking down the pizza boxes.


Willow and Sally shared a 'look’.


“Dungeon Master, duh,” Sally replied like she had been playing the game her entire life and not just a couple of months.


“Sounds scary,” Tara smiled affably.


“Only if you have an asshole in your campaign,” Willow replied through a strained voice.


“At home word!” Sally jumped up and down, then held her stomach, “Ooh. I feel like Space Mountain.”


“Jammies,” Tara instructed and Sally diligently went off to change. Tara raised an eyebrow at Willow, “That means you too.”


Willow nodded once.


“Yes, ma’am.”


She sneaked past Tara, pinching her butt on the way before running off giggling like a child.


Tara swatted her with the dishcloth on the way but couldn’t contain a smile.


As she and Sally were flicking through their TV options, Willow returned be-jammied, hiding something behind her.


“I brought you back a present kiddo.”


Sally perked up.


“You did?”


Willow pulled out one of the hotel robes from behind her back. Sally’s enthusiasm flatlined.


“A bathrobe. Super.”


Willow held it out.


“Feel it.”


Sally took it skeptically, her eyes widening as the soft fabric brushed her fingers. She fell dramatically to the floor and rolled around in it.


“Is this made from bunnies? Did bunnies die for this?”


“Birthday present idea for Anya,” Willow quipped cheerfully, then glanced at Tara with a small frown, “By the way, what was she talking about giving you a unicorn—”


Tara very quickly put a finger against her lips. Willow accepted the instruction to quiet, then about 2.3 seconds later her eyes bugged as she realized why Tara would be telling her to shut up.


“Ew,” she whispered and took her spot beside Tara.


Sally opted to stay on the ground wrapped up in her robe and they three ‘yessed’ a decision to watch The Floor Is Lava.


Tara cuddled into Willow and started talking quietly to her when Sally was suitably engrossed in the show.


“Hey, so I talked to my mom about the gifted stuff.”


“Yeah?” Willow asked, keeping one eye on the TV, “What was her opinion?”


“She thinks if she’s not excelling in her normal classes when she’s so bright we should do it,” Tara whispered.


Willow nodded slowly.


“They’re right about her math skills, you know,” she said after a moment, “I noticed her counting cards when we were playing Blackjack.”


Tara frowned.


“Why were you playing Blackjack with eleven-year-olds again?”


“Peer pressure,” Willow admitted with a nose scrunch, “Let’s read the stuff they gave us after she goes to bed and figure it out.”


“SHUSH!” Sally interrupted them without looking away from the screen, “Can’t you see the floor is lava?!”


Willow stuck out her tongue.


“Your floor is bunny fluff.”


After being convinced to watch one more episode, Tara got Sally to bed and returned to the living room to find it empty.


“Willow?”


“In here,” Willow called from the bedroom.


Tara walked into their bedroom where Willow was sitting up in bed with the school papers in piles in front of her. Willow looked up and smiled eagerly.


“I thought we could pretend we’re in a TV show and read important papers in bed.”


“Really?” Tara laughed.


Willow shrugged and shook her head.


“No, I was just ready to snuggle. Just trying to make old fogey-ness seem exciting.”


Tara left her slippers by the end of the bed and got under the covers.


“Everything is exciting with you,” she said as she moved shoulder-to-shoulder with Willow.


Willow shimmied happily and pressed a long kiss on Tara’s cheek.


“Well I did used to review homework for fun…so this isn’t outside of the realms of my wild youth.”


“Oh, if only the world knew of your ‘wild youth’,” Tara teased with a grin, “My little tunabutt.”


She reached under them to grab Willow’s butt, who giggled and squirmed away.


“You should be glad I was rolling so hard that I only wanted to get you to snack on my butt and not my forehead or something.”


Tara kissed the top of Willow’s head.


“You’re already a snack.”


“You’re a whole damn meal,” Willow countered and after a longing second of eye contact, their arms flew around each other and their lips met in a steamy embrace.


Their movements caused the papers to start to slide and they both broke apart to stop them falling all over the floor.


“We have to do this, we have to do this!” Willow said, catching her breath as her heart raced.


“Yes,” Tara agreed, smoothing one hand back over her hair, “Okay, what do we have?”


Willow cleared her throat and took a long glug of water from the bottle on her nightstand.


“Generic leaflets about the program, some prospectus on the classes she could take and…looks like they’ve given us samples of her work so we can see how she’s doing.”


The leaflets were nothing new to them but the class options were. It neither favored the AP STEM classes Willow had taken nor the advanced humanities program Tara had attended but instead offered a student-led curriculum where experienced teachers helped the students find where they excelled before choosing a determinative path.


Most importantly, the student retained access to all the social aspects of the school so they weren’t segregated from the rest of their peers.


As Tara looked over some of Sally’s in-school work she saw a marked difference between the homework they did together. Sally’s answers on her worksheets were almost tauntingly inaccurate, like with all of the correct work and a ridiculously wrong answer.


“Aww, Tara, look at this. It’s her ‘Woman Who Had A Dream’ essay,” Willow said as she picked up two sheets of paper stapled together, “She picked you.”


Tara took the papers and read them, swallowing deeply as Sally talked all about Tara’s musical success, starting with anecdotes of her playing instruments from a young age that must have come from her mother, humble-bragging about being a band with a rockstar and recounting her experience seeing Tara live in Sunnydale.


But the most endearing part came at the end, which Tara started to read aloud after nudging Willow.


“My sister always tells me she wouldn't be able to do all the things she does if she didn't have her girlfriend, Willow. Sometimes I question her girlfriend-picking skills,” she paused for Willow to roll her eyes, before continuing pointedly, “But sometimes it makes sense.”


Willow’s eyebrows rose in surprise.


“From what I see, Willow's dream is to always keep my sister smiling. And she does. A lot.”


A lump formed in Willow’s throat as she listened to Tara read.


“So basically, I live in a house where everyone dreams big. Maybe one day, I'll be a dreamer too.”


Willow closed her eyes, unsure if a tear would shed.


“We don’t need to be having this conversation with each other.”


“We need to be having it with her,” Tara finished softly.


She let the pages fall back onto the bed.


Willow turned to take Tara’s hands.


“She’s right, you know,” she said and rested her forehead on Tara’s, “If I do nothing else in this life but make you happy, I will be one fulfilled Willow.”


“You will do so much more,” Tara replied with similarly glassy eyes, “And I will be by your side every step of the way.”


Willow happily cuddled into Tara.


“Just try and stop me.”

---

When Sally walked out of her bedroom in the morning, Willow and Tara were already sitting at the table with mugs of coffee and paperwork.


Sally tried to discreetly back up, but Willow had already caught the sight of her new bathrobe.


Damn bunny fluff.


“Sal, c’mere for a sec,” Willow urged her over with her hand.


Tara turned in her seat and patted the empty chair between them.


“We want to talk to you before breakfast.”


Sally wanted to bolt. Being summoned to the table had never been a good thing in her old house. Lectures from Cousin Beth were on the tame end of the scale with anything from yelling, insulting, taunting, or humiliation from her father or aunt finding purchase along the way.


She felt sweat beading on her brow and though she hated to admit she learned anything in therapy, she started clenching and releasing her fists to get rid of the sudden ball of tension forming in her stomach.


Admittedly she’d only learned this worked because of how often she’d wanted to punch her therapist in the early days.


She still never knew what to say there but she would talk about the D&D characters she created to fill the time.


Sometimes her characters had evil fathers and aunts in their backstory too.


And wimpy cousins named Brett.


Sally realized she was being stared at so she slowly dragged her feet over to sit between them.


She wondered if this was it.


She was so stupid. Everyone always told her that, she was even more stupid to think they might be wrong.


That she might be wrong this time.


That someone would actually keep her.


Her eyes pricked.


She wouldn’t let them see it.


She knew how to shut down.


This wasn’t her first rodeo.


“So what do you think?”


Sally stayed stoic until she felt Tara’s hand on her shoulder. She wanted to shove it off but couldn’t.


“We know this might be a big change so we want you to know there’s no pressure. It’s your decision. One you don’t even have to make right away.”


Sally blinked; miraculously concealing the tears.


“M-My decision?”


They were giving her a choice, of what? A group home or back to the homestead? But she didn’t have to make it right away?


Tara frowned.


She’d never heard Sally stutter before.


“The gifted program,” Tara clarified, picking up one of the leaflets, “You can try the new classes or stay with the ones you’re in. But you have to know, if you stay, we’re going to have to have a big overhaul of your work because it’s not in keeping with your ability.”


Sally blinked again, several times, slowly.


“Gifted?” she asked, her mind spinning as she finally looked down at the papers in front of them, “Like smart?”


“Well, yes, of course, you’re smart,” Willow laughed softly, “They see you have a lot of talent and might find it better to choose to learn the things that really interest you. Here, let me show you how it works.”


They went over everything they’d gone through themselves the night before, leaving out reading her essay because they weren’t sure she would be too happy about that.


Sally took it all in unusually quietly as her mind had to catch up from the catastrophe she thought was coming.


When all was said and done, she only had one question.


“Would I have the same lunch period?”


Tara and Willow were a bit stumped at that.


“I…” Tara trailed off, looking to Willow who seemed equally clueless, “Don’t know that. Is that important to you?”


That question shifted something in Sally. To not be dismissed for something that seemed trivial, to be asked if something was important for her.


“I sit with Aaron at lunch,” was all she replied.


Tara shared a soft smile with Willow.


“A lot of this is allowing you to lead your own interests, so I’m sure we can make it so you have the same lunch period.”


Sally suddenly seemed to become weightless.


“Then cool,” she grinned, “Can’t get much more boring than my teachers now. Can I build a laser?”


“To burn anything? No,” Willow replied resolutely, “To play with Miss Kitty? Yes.”


“And if you decide you don’t like your new classes, you can come talk to us about going back to the ones you're in now,” Tara reassured.


Sally scoffed.


“As if. Everyone told me I was dumb my whole life and now they’re saying I’m smart! So I’ll be smart now!” she jumped out of her seat, “Do I get to start today?”


“Um…” Willow’s lips vibrated with the sound, “I think we’re going to have to call the school to tell them you want to try this.”


“But they said you could start quickly if you decided yes. So I think definitely you’ll start the transition this week,” Tara offered as reassurance.


Sally lifted her eyebrows.


“So do I—”


“Yes, you have to go to class in the meantime,” Tara second-guessed the question correctly, “And you can’t disrupt your classes. It’s a privilege to be offered this program. You don’t want them to take it away. We need you to give your all to your schoolwork, even while you’re waiting to move over.”


Sally decided something then and squared her shoulders in an acceptance of responsibility.


“Okay.”


Willow looked to Tara who looked back with the same pleased gesture on her face.


“Okay!” Willow clapped her hands, “Then let’s get ready, we have a busy Monday ahead! You get some clothes on and I will pop that Teggo in the toaster!”


Sally ran off while Tara frowned in confusion.


“That’s what I call the homemade eggo waffles you make and freeze for us,” Willow explained.


Tara could only smile and Willow leaned over, curving her palm over Tara’s cheek.


“There you go, fulfilling my dreams.”


Tara put her finger against her lips and winked, which made Willow smile back.


Dreams can come true.