Title: World Of Want

Author: Christel

Rating: As of now, PG – but eventually NC-17

Feedback: Yes please. It’s my first time writing, so I’d like a lot – good, bad, whichever.

Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. own all characters, not me.

Summary: A day on the beach. Oh, and it’s A/U. Oz was never really that important…

Note: I’d like to be updating at least once a week. So check back with me when you get a chance…the smut will be on it’s way, but I want to build the friendship between Willow and Tara first, so I hope you’ll bear with me. I’m nervous because it’s my first attempt at this, hope you enjoy!

Dedication: Entirely to my girl, Shanna (jeepchickscully). She came up with the main plot line and details, so this story and everything to do with it is all for her. I love you sweetie.



---------------------------------



CHAPTER ONE





"Dawnie!" Walking faster, Willow glanced back and saw Dawn leisurely applying tanning lotion all over her shoulders, looking desperately across the beach at a boy she recognized from school.



"Dawnie, hey, we gotta get a move on here!" Willow shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other as she stood impatiently waiting for the Slayer's sister to catch up to her. She could already see the long line-up for the women's washroom beginning to stream out onto the hot sand of the beach.



"Geez Will, that was the hottest guy in school." Dawn whined at her.



"Guys? Dawn, I just had about seven icy mochas and if the line for the bathroom gets any longer then we might as well stand here because pretty soon we'll be at the end of it, so how exactly can you be thinking about guys at a time like this?" Willow was unusually short winded at the moment. Dawn suspected that it must be because of the uncomfortable circumstance she was currently faced with. Normally, mocha-induced Willow-babble had a much longer life span.



"...And did you see his eyes? I mean, wow. They're brown, but who would have thought that brown could look so good? They're like...pennies! No! Pennies mean cheap. They're more like chocolate. No, maybe a little closer to..."



Willow assumed that Dawn had been going on for quite some time now but she hadn't been paying much attention. Usually she would be enjoying herself in Dawn's company; laughing and chatting with her about almost anything, but lately things were different. Dawn didn't seem to notice (which didn't say much) but Willow assumed it was from all the stress she'd had as of late. In fact, Dawn's constant babble was beginning to get on her nerves. 'She actually learned that from me?' Willow thought to herself, and made a mental note to ease up on the babble from then on.



The Scoobies were on a well-deserved break...a day on the beach. And hopefully there would be many more to come throughout the year. The past couple of weeks it had seemed like there was a mass corruption of some kind everywhere they turned. They had definitely been putting in a lot of overtime, and things had only started to get back to normal...whatever that was in Sunnydale.



With nothing major to worry about, Willow found her brow furrowed anyway. With all this talk of guys, Willow thought of Oz - her boyfriend up until just three months prior to that very trip to the beach. She thought he was a pretty good guy, which never explained his impetuous disappearance. On second thought, she wasn't so much worried as she was angry. In all honesty, she was not in love with Oz, though she still felt completely abandoned when he just picked up and left. She never could figure him out. Right now though, she wanted to push that far from her mind and focus on something else. There was that line-up. She wondered how long she would have to wait, and decided to approximate how much longer she would have to contain herself - but the mere thought made her wince, so she decided that thinking about something else - anything else - would keep her safe for now. What she really wanted was for Dawn to be quiet, just for a while.



"...So I told her that joke you told me, you know - the one about the cubed root of Pi, and then the biatch has the nerve to call me annoying! Me, Willow! Of all people!" Dawn hurried her pace somewhat and crossed her arms over her chest, wearing a disapproving pout.



"Wow, the Pi joke didn't make her laugh...are you sure you told it right?" She looked at Dawn for a sign of assurance, but instead received an almost icy glare, immediately realizing she had said the wrong thing. "Annoying, you?! Well, she obviously has no sense of humor whatsoever; because you are so not annoying...you're quirky, Dawnie. Yes, quirky,” Looking over again, Willow noticed that Dawn had uncrossed her arms from in front of her chest but still wore the pout, so for her sake Willow added, "That biatch."



Dawn looked better after that, but kept up her speedy pace, for which Willow was grateful, because they still hadn't actually reached the dreaded line-up.



"Hey Will, thanks for bringing me with you guys,” Dawn proclaimed.



"Not at all, Dawnie, you deserve a break, too. Today is going to be great!" Willow tried to maintain optimism, but she was starting to consider even sneaking into the men's room, since of course, there was no line-up there, so things were really looking grim.



"I know Buffy didn't want to bring me. Geez, she thinks I'm a five year old kid or something...that I'll go and get myself into trou -- OWW!" Dawn shrieked as she hit the sand with a dull thud.



"Ouch." Cried a soft voice Willow knew she recognized. She looked down in alarm at Dawn getting up off the ground and then over at a young blonde woman who was holding her ankle and wincing just slightly.



"Stupid shoes. Honestly, who wears shoes on the beach?" Dawn scolded herself briefly aloud and glanced down at Willow who had her eyes fixed on the blonde.



In one confident movement, Willow crouched down to be at eye-level with the other woman and instinctively began to palpate for swelling at the ankle. As soon as she touched the woman's ankle she felt a rush of exhilaration throughout her, like a spark. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. They both stayed just staring into each other for quite some time. Not once did Willow take her deep green eyes out of the blue ones of the gently injured stranger in front of her - only she didn't seem at all like a stranger. Willow had seen the blonde before, she knew it. Only when she saw the blonde blush and glance briefly away, did Willow acknowledge her own actions.



"Oh!" Willow exclaimed suddenly, as she resurfaced into reality.



"Yeah, what are you, Will, some kind of doctor now?" Dawn chuckled nervously at her own joke, noting the obvious intensity of the situation.



‘Annoying!’ Thought Willow. "Um, she's sorry. She just doesn't know how to tell you in so many, uh, words." Although she was very bright and had quite the extensive vocabulary, Willow could produce only vowel-type sounds at the moment. The blonde accepted the awkward apology in the form of a shy, half-smile and a soft nod that caused Willow to inhale sharply all of a sudden.



"Oh, man, yeah, really sorry here! It's these shoes,” Dawn exclaimed enthusiastically. She was embarrassed that she had forgotten to apologize. "They're Will's shoes and I borrowed them like an idiot to wear on the beach, but again, who wears shoes on the beach? Geez, I'm really sorry."



The blonde nodded and smiled at the nervous girl and set her gaze back to the redhead in front of her.



"Are you ok?" Willow inwardly congratulated herself for finally managing a little coherence.



"Y-yes, I'm fine. A-are you ok?" The woman had her eyes on Willow's, noticing that she overtly had something on her mind, but re-addressed her question to Dawn.



"Yeah, you know, kind of embarrassed but all is pretty much well." Dawn's eyes were busy scouring the beach for the guy she saw earlier. She thought she might die if he saw her take that fall.



"You sure you're ok?" Willow asked her again. Her heart raced when she heard the blonde speak, and suddenly she never wanted her to stop.



"Yes. And you, y-you're ok?" The stranger leaned in forward. She knew she would never get out of the state of trance she felt in those green eyes.



"Me? Oh, I'm fine. I was just worried because of Dawn here, I thought she hurt you." Willow was captivated. She couldn't believe how protective she was becoming of this stranger. That was when it suddenly occurred to her that although the woman seemed fairly familiar, she was still a stranger to her. "What's your name?" She asked shyly, feeling her face grow hot. She knew she was blushing.



"Tara." The blonde answered.



'Tara,' Willow thought, 'that's perfect. That is so perfect. She's so perf -- oh, my God, she's looking at me. I should say something. What should I say? She's smiling! Tara is smiling and she's smiling at me! Wow.'



"Tara,” Willow couldn't help but echo the blonde. She thought the name was beautiful and it suited her perfectly. She looks like a Tara. "I'm --"



"Willow! Oh, my God, Will! He just looked at me and he SMILED! Then I did this wave-type thing, and then flipped my hair back...do you think he likes me? Oh, my God! I love him! I'm in love, Will!" Dawn was practically shaking the slender redhead senseless.



Willow looked quickly over at Tara who was laughing gently, trying to keep a straight face, then up at Dawn who had momentarily stopped shaking her and pursued her quest for her 'love', casually, of course.





"This is Dawn. Or Dawnie. Sorry about that, she's a monster...a, um, Dawn monster. Which is sometimes what I call her when she does things like that or when she borrows my stuff. Like those shoes she's wearing at the moment. She just sneaks in there and takes things, the monster. Hence the name." Willow realized that Tara probably didn't need all the unnecessary info just yet.



Tara simply nodded gently. "And you're Willow?"



"Yes. I'm, um, Willow. Though sometimes I'm Will, it depends really. Dawnie here always calls me that. I think she forgot the rest of my name, but if you want to you can call me Will, or Willow, or that dorky redhead who just can't seem to stop talking...please help me." Willow blushed furiously. Of all the times for Willow-babble to be put into full effect, why did this have to be one of them?



And Tara did help. 'So cute.' She thought to herself, and mustered up every ounce of courage she had just to amplify her thought just a little bit. Tara had felt the surge of energy in her too when Willow checked her ankle. It was a thrill unmistakably caused when two powers meet, so she knew there must be some magic in the petite red-head, whether she knew it or not, and this was the test to see.



"Whoa," Willow said aloud when she heard a faint voice echo around her. It seemed to be coming from everywhere, from all sides of the beach, but it was so very soft. It was in her head, Willow realized, and it was Tara. "Tara?"



Tara knew she was right about the power. "I-I've seen you in my English Lit. Class. You have all those d-different colored pens, right, for your notes?"



Willow suddenly placed a name to the face she had seen a few times since her class had commenced that fall. Of course, that's what was so familiar about the girl. She had never realized the natural beauty of her before. Her long blonde hair fell neatly down her back and her blue eyes shone, an easy rival to the sea.



"Willow! The line!" Dawn's voice snapped her back into reality once again. She looked slightly annoyed, back at the bathrooms and noticed the line-up was considerably shorter, maybe even nonexistent. Willow had forgotten all about that. She didn't even feel the effect the mocha's had on her until Dawn brought it up again. "Lets go Will!" Dawn grasped Willow's thin arm and began to tug the shorter girl. "Sorry again about your ankle, I hope you feel better soon!" Dawn shouted one last get-well-wish to the blonde and hurriedly dragged Willow along with her toward the shortening line, before the startled redhead had a chance to say anything more.

Edited by: burtonreid at: 11/24/03 12:39 pm

I am really liking this story. It never ceases to amaze me at how many different situations you writers can find for Willow and Tara to meet.



I really like the fact that Tara was able to recognize the power that Willow has. Great insight on her part.



Can't wait for the next update!



Julie

Great start!!



Can't wait for the next update!

burtonreid ,



Great start, I love AU's and can't wait to read more.

Gina



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"I've developed a new philosophy... I only dread one day at a time." ~~~ Charlie Brown

burtonreid I don't usually leave feedback on the first part of a story, but I gotta say I'm making an exception here. You nailed the characters head on, Dawn made ma laugh so much, Willow's babble was great. I love. More soon?

-------------------



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB



.:Dark-bliss.net :..:My blog:..:Blood and Ink:.

Hey B, great start



sooo cute



can't wait to more



O

Lead me not to temptation....I can find it myself

Hey..I loved the beginning of this..I thought it was so good. more soon? Love sammi xx

Aww... how totally cute, meeting at the beach. Of course, they will continue to be cute, right?

I believe in the madness called "now."

World of Want... can I say W.O.W.



hehe, ok I read this story just so that I could say that. But seriously, I like this a lot so far. Well written as well.

I saw NC17, and I was kinda expecting a big ol smutty time, but, JOY, YAY cuteness... eventually leading to smut? But still with cuteness, so, YAY, I do like this one.



Al

~Cuteness is more than just a TeddyBear thing~

Great start, I'm hooked already



Keep up the good work



Hugs

Jeanne

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Posh flowers make me feel groovy - My niece



I am perfectly normal in my abnormalities

Whoa. This is excellent. Sooooo well-written. You've got the characters down. I love them!



Looking forward to more, much more.

---

So up on your feet. Up on your feet! Somewhere there’s music playing.
Don’t you worry none. We’ll just take it like it comes. One day at a time, one day at a time.
-- "One Day at a Time" - John and Nancy Barry

alright i have to agree wiht everyone else on this one

that was a wonderful start

can;t wait to read more!

-Chris

------------------

"True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing" - I Forgot

Very impressive. I like your take on the characters. I know this will turn out to be another great W/T meeting story.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

Great meeting.. Tara , willow , a beach... Great idea!

and your dawn is soo dawn... Great job !

More to come soon right?

KinKness

gottalovewillow: Hey, thanks for replying. I had Tara to recogize Willow's power right away because I think of it as something just theirs that I wanted them to share from the very beginning.



allycat: Thank you, I hope you keep reading.



chewy 19: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the rest as it comes as well.



Washi: Thanks a lot for your feedback. Glad that the characters are sufficient. I thought it would be easier to visualize if the characters were as close to the real thing as possible. I had fun writing Dawn. Probably because I really don't like her character in the show, so it was much easier to make her come off as annoying and abrasive. Also, my cousin is a lot like this so I pretty much adapted her to be my Dawn, lol.



justkazy: Thank you, glad you are liking it thus far.



sam darls: Thanks, keep checking back for more!



Tempest Duer: I liked the idea my girlfriend had of the beach, and now here it is. I'm hoping everyone will continue to find them cute as the story progresses. Keep checking back!



BigGayBear: W.O.W. lol. Never thought of that. I am hoping for that type of effect maybe later on. I know most of readers probably felt gypped that I had NC-17 up and you click to find an entry about Willow's trip to the bathroom, but I do have intentions of writing lots of smut. So please bear the kind of "cuteness" of now. I'm hoping you'll think it will be worth it eventually. Thanks for your feedback.



kindagay: Great. I hope you stay hooked and keep coming back for updates. Thanks!



maudmac: Thank you for your reply. I hope the rest of the story will be considered of equal caliber! And there will be much, much more.



AxMan936: Thank you. Keep checking for updates and I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.



The Rose24: Thanks, I'm really glad people are enjoying the characters. Keep reading for updates.



KinKness: My girl is to thank for the beach so I must accredit her for that. Glad you're liking Dawn. She's fun to write, so she'll probably be in a bit. Thanks!





And for everyone, I'm hoping to update before Friday, ideally tomorrow. My disk was completely cleared last night and I lost everything on it. Chaper two was on there plus a brief outline I had for the rest of the story, so it's pretty much back to scratch for me. Thank you all for the great feedback so far. I was scared to post because its my first attempt, so I appreciate for the vast anticipation of more.





Christel

Edited by: burtonreid at: 11/19/03 10:17 am

Very good indeed.



I especially like the way that you combine action with your dialogue. It's a very engaging style that lends itself to fast readability.



One thing that you may want to change though:



*** Lengthy example for the purpose of illustration warning ***



EVERY writer (Hell, I'm still trying not to do it )does this when they're starting out...



"I love you." Willow whispered.

"I love you more." Tara declared.

"That's impossible." Willow chuckled.

"There's no such thing as impossible for me. Now that I have you." Tara retorted.

"Come here, you." Willow sighed.



Dialogue tags are usually invisible to the reader. If someone says something, then use said. Don't be afraid to repeat the word. Read any published novel, and 'said' will be the dialogue tag used for almost every line. It's okay for Willow to 'chirp' something. It's okay for Buffy to 'grumble' a line, but watch out for the 'proclaimed', 'declared', 'hissed', 'intoned', etc.



Let's read the scene above without standard tags...



"I love you." Willow ran her hand along Tara's thigh.



"I love you more."



"That's impossible."



"There's no such thing as impossible for me. Now that I have you." Tara's eyes held Willow's.



Willow melted at her lover's notion. "Come here, you." She pulled Tara into her arms.



I think that this approach (You're already most of the way there (action/dialogue) reads better and also conveys more emotion through the 'action tags' than the standard, often unnecessary 'said's.



I'm not trying to be negative or preachy, but you're a GOOD writer, and from what I've read already, I know that you can be a GREAT writer



Keep up the good work!



-SQ

Edited by: StrangeQuark at: 11/19/03 11:12 am

Great start!

looks promising!

anxiously awaiting more...

-Chris

------------------

"True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing" - I Forgot

SQ, thanks for the advice. I've tried to apply it as much as possible, so I hope this update is easier to read. Enjoy.



Title: World Of Want

Author: Christel

Rating: As of now, PG – but eventually NC-17

Feedback: Yes please. It’s my first time writing, so I’d like a lot – positive, negative, whichever.

Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. own all characters, not me.

Summary: It's Monday – almost time for English Lit.

Note: I’d like to be updating at least once a week. So check back with me when you get a chance…the smut will be on it’s way, but I want to build the friendship between Willow and Tara first, so I hope you’ll bear with me. I’m nervous because it’s my first attempt at this, hope you enjoy!

Dedication: Entirely to my girl, Shanna (jeepchickscully). She came up with the main plot line and details, so this story and everything to do with it is all for her. I love you sweetie.



---------------------------------



CHAPTER TWO





In the dorm room she shared with Buffy, Willow was pouring over a desk full of textbooks, occasionally mumbling aloud random physics equations as she diligently wrote them down. With one last scribble into her notebook, she tossed her pen aside and in the same movement she gripped her physics book and slammed it shut with deep exuberance. Letting out a long sigh, the hacker cleared the cramped desk with one abrupt sweep of her hand, sending the books briefly airborne before they collected into a papery cluster on the floor. Immediately Willow got up from her chair, picked up her pen, and organized the books into a pile in accordance to size before placing them neatly back on the small desk. 'Can't even leave them on the floor long enough to notice they're there before I go and pick them up again. Talk about geek infested roots.'



Willow was anxious to complete her homework much earlier than usual, because today her plan didn't include putting those different colored pens to use. She had been up all night, unable to sleep, still feeling that exhilarating wave of energy that cascaded through her because of the mere touches she laid on Tara's ankle. Magic. It had to be. And the way Tara spoke is what held her breathless. In all the time Willow had been practicing, never had she come close to an experience like that. She just felt completely whole, hearing Tara's voice surround her from all edges of her most intimate refuge – her mind. Yet as fascinated as Willow was with Tara's actions, it could in no way compare to the enchantment that filled her for what Tara had actually said. She couldn't believe someone would ever find her incessant babbling anything remotely close to cute. Willow thought of the shimmering blonde hair that the sun danced upon the day before. The blue of Tara's eyes – which looked into her own with such striking beauty that she was overwhelmed with awe – came floating back into her memory, along with the soft pastel peach skin of her face, and the feel of the blonde's ankle beneath her fingertips...so soft. Willow had to see her again.



It was only seven in the morning and English Lit. wasn't until three that afternoon. She thought she could use some rest because she didn't want to look all puffy-eyed and burned out for Tara. Willow wished Buffy were there to talk to, and maybe help her doze off for a bit by retelling the events of that night's patrol. But Buffy had spent the night at home last night after bad sunburn on beach. Even the Slayer still needed her mother's affections sometimes. Willow dropped herself into bed and tried as best she could to sleep but she just couldn't get Tara off her mind. At eight, she remembered her plan. Reaching for the phone, Willow instinctively dialed the Summers' phone number, and lifted it to her ear only to hear half a ring before somebody picked up.



"Maggie?! I've been waiting for you to call all morning! Oh. My. God. You'll never guess who I saw at the beach yesterday!"



"Dawnie? It's W--"



"He was soooo hot! I was standing there acting cool and all, and he looked at me, and he SMILED! My God, Mag, he smiled at me! So of course, all casual, I waved back and didn't make a big deal, but I thought I would melt!" The bubbling brunette was hopping around ecstatically, and twirling the phone cord around her fingers as she beamed into the phone.



"Hey, Daw--"



"Holy crap...what if he's trying to call?! What if he wants to do something some time and I'm sitting here on the phone with you? Maggie, I should go! I'll see you at school, ok?"



"Dawn! It's Willow. Is Buffy there?"



There was a brief pause. Silence, and then finally, "Oh...Will. Yeah, she's here. But, uh, don't be long, k? Important business I've got to tend to here." Disappointment filled her voice and Willow felt kind of bad for getting her hopes all up. She had been so excited until she learned it was just plain old Will calling.



"No problem Dawnie. Actually, maybe you can help me really quick. I don't really want to disturb Buff, it's early and I'm sure she's sleeping," Willow sat cross-legged on her bed anticipating this necessary response from the other end of the line. "Dawnie, are you there?"



"Huh? Oh, yeah, Will. Sorry. You don't think he saw me fall yesterday do you? I mean, he could have just been waving as a joke! What if he was just trying to humiliate me, more than I had already done to myself! Willow! Now he'll never call me if he saw! I'll never be able to go to school again. I should just move to the other end of the world. That's it; I'm hitchhiking to Canada. Do they have beaches in Canada? Probably not, just igloos, right? Will?!"



"Canada isn't at the other end of the world. And he didn't see you fall, all he saw was you standing looking cute and it caught his attention is all. I'm sure of it," Willow paused and after what seemed like an hour, she heard was a relieved sigh come through the receiver. "Now, Dawn, is my laptop around anywhere? I lent it to Buffy for the weekend, but I forgot there's something I need off it. Can you look?"



"Um, laptop? Yeah, hang on Willow,” Even though the girl held the phone away from her, Willow heard Dawn shout, "BUFFY! Where's Willow's laptop?! Mom! The laptop, have you seen it?" From what Willow had guessed, the rest of the Summers family was still asleep. "Willow needs her laptop somebody!"



"Shhh! Dawn...it's ok. I'll call back later maybe, I don't want you to wake up the whole neighbo--"



"Oh! Here it is Willow. Um, there's a little bit of syrup on top. Just a little. I had pancakes this morning, and well, yeah. But don't worry! I wiped it right off. Good as new. Now, what is it you wanted?"



Cringing slightly at the image of syrup on her beloved laptop, Willow's voice quivered a little. "Ok. Uh, there's a, um, file in My Documents...it's called 'Directory', can you see it?"



"My...Documents...Directory...Direct…Whoa! Scary math equations here, Will. I think I opened the wrong thingie."



"Directory, Dawnie. It's a list of all the students taking classes at UCSunnydale living on campus. Can you look someone up for me?" Feeling like this wasn't such a good idea anymore, Willow just wanted to get the conversation over with.



"Hey, it's Summers! I see Buffy's name! And there's you, Will. 'Willow Rosenberg'" Dawn deepened her voice a little to sound like a teacher calling on Willow during a class. "Haha...cool!"



'Oh, how easily amused she is. I'm on a mission here, can't she sense the urgency? On second thought, probably not.'



"Ok, Dawn. Look for someone with the first name 'Tara'. It's, um, Tara from the beach. Not that 'from the beach' is her last name or anything. I'm actually not sure what it is. I hope you can find her though," Suddenly realizing that she sounded pretty desperate, she felt like she owed an explanation to Dawn for helping her find Tara again, so Willow thought fast. "There's this assignment in our Lit. Class we're working on together, you know, a project. With long study hours. Lots of mochas. Reading really boring books and then talking about th--"



"Willow, all right, I didn't ask for your life story. Besides, I know what you do every night. I feel sorry for this girl though...getting dragged into your world of scary equations and boring books full of reciprocal questions no one can ever answer," Dawn's ignorance was expected and Willow was feeling more confident that she wouldn't suspect anything more than a study meet. "Ok, I found someone named Tara...Maclay. She's the only Tara in here so it's probably her. Dorm number is...818"



Not bothering to correct her with 'rhetorical' instead of 'reciprocal questions', Willow politely thanked Dawn and told her she better not be late for school and to please be more careful around her laptop in the future, then they hung up.



With Tara's dorm number fresh in her mind, Willow changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt, then she hesitated. 'Ugh...I think I'll opt for a needed shower first. Here I am in research-mode...I don't want to be all yuck for Tara.' Just as quickly as she had gotten dressed, she had undressed and was pulling a bathrobe up and over her freckled shoulders, then grabbed her bathroom kit and towel and headed for the door. This was one feature of their room that Willow and Buffy were both thankful for, the showers were only across the hall a little ways away. Meaning Willow could slip to and from there without needing to worry about too many people seeing her with only a bathrobe on. With her bundle of showery necessities in arm, Willow bolted out the door and headed for the showers.



Ten minutes later Willow emerged from a steamy stall, stepping onto the cold floor tiles in front of her. This is what she hated most, walking out into the harsh chill of the hollow showering area after being surrounded by steamy hot water. Shivering, the redhead wrung out her short hair and patted her body dry before wrapping herself up in the warm bathrobe. Hastily collecting her belongings, Willow checked herself in the mirror, ran her fingers through her matted hair, and started back to her room to get on with her plans.



Tiptoeing only the few necessary steps through the long hall to her room, a trembling Willow stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up, mortified, at her door.





Tara spun around, sensing a strong heat trickling through her veins, and she was amazed at the sight before her. “W-Willow. I d-didn’t know if you’d be up y-yet. I was just g-going to--” Was all the blonde could get out as her gaze moved up and down the bathrobe-clad redhead.



“Tara! I was just going to look for you,” The blonde gave her a skeptical smile and raised her eyebrows towards the hacker’s attire, reminding a startled Willow of the awkward circumstances. “Oh, no! Not like this! See, the showers…and I was on my way back…to get some clothes on…then look for – I mean, I’m not so much into those frequent streaking trips people take around here…a-and wouldn’t indulge in that kind of behavior. I wanted to say hi?” Looking at the blonde for some sort of comprehension of the staggered babble, and finding it in a sweet smile, Willow began to feel a little bit more relaxed.



“I, uh, knocked a-and when you didn’t answer, I w-wrote out my n-number for you. M-maybe we can s-study some time?” A wide smile spread across the redhead’s face as she accepted a small piece of paper. ‘Exactly my thoughts!’



“Would you like to come in?”



“I h-have a class at nine-thirty, but I’ll see you in Lit. r-right? You’re coming to c-class?”



“Yep, I’ll be there! I never miss a class. Um,” Willow could feel herself blush. “Could you save me a seat – beside you, please? I mean, that way if we wanted to study together we could have a good start, you know?” And an optimistic grin creased her warm cheeks.



The blonde smiled and breathed out a definite “Sure. S-see you later?” before reaching out instinctively and cupping Willow’s right cheek in her hand, lightly twirling still soaked red hair through her fingertips.



Without a doubt, they both felt the second wave of shared energy surge throughout their bodies. For a minute, they remained just as they were, until they both let out a simultaneous release of held breath. “Willow…” Tara breathed, and it sounded like heaven to the redhead’s ears. “A-are you free at noon? Could we m-m-meet in the library?”



“Love to.”



Watching as Tara hurried off to her class, Willow still tingled all over as a result of the recent contact she’d had with the blonde. When she saw her disappear down a stairwell, Willow reluctantly turned in to her room, secretly hoping she would see Tara emerge and take her up on the offer into her room after all. She really missed Buffy right then and decided she would go over and see how her best friend was doing, and maybe her laptop too. Buffy would understand what was going on if she told her, wouldn’t she? All these thoughts filled her head as she spotted the basket of clean laundry on the floor and closed the door behind her.

Edited by: burtonreid at: 11/24/03 12:41 pm

Great start, want more, please.



Sorry for being so short, sleepyness taking over.

Awww... that was totally cute, with Willow spouting off some weird excuse to Dawn, who of course doesn't care because her mind's on other things... just... very cute. So cute, I'm willing to wait for smut...



...but not for too long.

I believe in the madness called "now."

Hmm, lets see... chapter 1, I said was great

Now, chapter 2 was equally great



You are quite the writer & you deserve a big

This fic just draws you in. It has this real, genuine feel to it that makes it believable, & that's what makes it so readable.



Well, that's my opinion anyway



Can't wait to more



Hugs

Jeanne

----------



Posh flowers make me feel groovy - My niece



I am perfectly normal in my abnormalities

This is very sweet. I like the way that you set up your scenes and the characters in them. Like Willow in a towel, surprised by Tara. It's very dramatic, erotic, and sweet, all at once. I also adore the dialogue. You've got some great elements at work here, and a very nice flow to your story.



I can't wait to read more



-SQ

Our ladies couldn't wait to see each other, huh? I am glad things are going so well.

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

I'm so loving this!!



Love Willow's quirks (don't we all? ) and how W&T were thinking the same thing.

More soon?

I loved this update..so good. And Dawn's worrying..hehe..bless!! Love sammi xx

Hi.I'm loving this story. I think its really sweet. Keep it up. Hannah

good good! I'm enjoying the story and the nice long updates you post! keep it up!

______________

~ "I don't know how to behave around women of the opposite sex." - Space Ghost

Great update

it's got the sweetness, yet it's erotic ti ahve compliment you on your writing skills

thery're excellent

keep up the good work!



-Chris

------------------

"True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing" - I Forgot

driody: Thanks, glad you're liking it.



Tempest Duer: Thanks for replying, and the wait for smut won't be too long.



kindagay: Thank you, I know that after a while all the words tend to look the same in this yellow font (sometimes to me anyway), so I'm glad you're finding it easy to get through.



Strange Quark: Thank you for your comments. I appreciate them!



The Rose24: Nope, they couldn't wait! Thanks for reading.



allycat: Thank you, there will be more soon. Keep reading!



sam darls: Thanks for replying, update coming soon.



musicmad10: Thanks for your reply. Keep checking back for more.



BloodSuckinFiend: Thank you for reading, another update is on it's way.



AxMan936: Thank you for replying, and for your comments. Check back for more!







I really appreciate everyone's feedback, as always. Thank you for sticking with the story. There will be some smut soon, and an update up tomorrow. Thanks again!



Christel

Sorry for the late update!





Title: World of Want

Author: Christel

Rating: As of now, PG – but eventually NC-17

Feedback: Yes please. It’s my first time writing, so I’d like a lot – positive, negative, whichever.

Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc. own all characters, not me.

Summary: Still Monday – still almost time for English Lit., but Willow and Tara sneak in a little time together before then.

Note: I’d like to be updating at least once a week. So check back with me when you get a chance…the smut will be on it’s way, but I want to build the friendship between Willow and Tara first, so I hope you’ll bear with me.

Dedication: Entirely to my girl, Shanna (jeepchickscully). She came up with the main plot line and details, so this story and everything to do with it is all for her. I love you sweetie.



---------------------------------



CHAPTER THREE





Finally, the events of the morning hit a still dazed Tara with a vengeance. ‘Oh, God. I gave her my number. I really did it, and she accepted! Now she might call me. I'm so glad I actually worked up enough guts to get over there…the view was definitely worth it! I probably shouldn't have gone over there so early. But, she was awake…and very awake indeed. She sort of woke me up, too…’ Tara was so pumped with adrenaline that she could hardly concentrate during her Psychology lecture. Everything the professor was saying essentially went in one ear and out the other as Willow crowded the blonde's thoughts. Her fiery red hair, the cute quirkiness of her adorable babble, the state Tara had met her in that very morning – wrapped in a bathrobe and nothing else. What finally caught her attention was the mass murmur of her classmates' voices filling the lecture hall, and the shuffling of feet making their way to the exit. Suddenly aware that she had missed an entire lecture, Tara nervously collected her books and stuffed them into her bag. Then, draping it over her shoulders, she too, made her way out of the classroom, briefly glancing at her watch first. '11:30, I don't have that much time.' She decided she would have to borrow the day’s notes from another student, and soon enough the sweet thoughts of Willow came floating back once again.



*****



Willow had walked into the Slayer’s bedroom only to come face to face with a gigantic lobster. The knowledge she had of Sunnydale’s Hellmouth quality caused Willow to initially think that her best friend had in fact been replaced by a huge lobster, and she nearly lost her balance when confronted with the sight. She soon remembered the beach incident and assumed that Buffy still hadn’t quite recovered yet of the sunburn from the day earlier. Buffy told Willow of the previous night's awkwardly painful sunburned patrol, and although Willow had every intention on letting her best friend in on her news about Tara – how she felt a spark between them and finally may have found someone to practice magic with – she just didn't want to get into that much detail yet. She wasn’t sure why, exactly, she just thought that maybe some other time would be more appropriate. Besides, for now she didn't know where she and Tara stood. They were friends, she assumed – because Tara did offer Willow her number, but would Tara want to discuss magic with her, let alone practice? The thought of Tara caused a perfect Willow-grin to stretch across the redhead's glowing face. And although Buffy tended to do most of the talking that morning, she easily took notice to the hacker's frequently reappearing smile. Finally, something had to be said.



“Ok, what’s up?”



“Nothing, Buffy. What do you mean? It’s just funny about, um, the vamps…they had actually stopped to see you wobbling through the cemetery long enough to get them staked. I mean, not funny in the 'ha-ha-ha, there goes my best friend in pain' sense, you're the Slayer, Buff, and I'm sure they weren't expecting the sight. Cuz, you know, they're usually all with the 'poof' before they even get a chance to register your presen--”



“Will.”



“I’m sorry, Buff. It’s just, I’m having a really good day today – like, really good. And I’m probably not being Miss Supportive Friendly Gal right now, because here I am smiling like a dufus and you’re all lobster-y and sore in bed.” A frown appeared in place of the now dissipated grin.



“Hey, that’s great!” Buffy tried to sit up in bed, but winced as shots of pain attacked her dehydrated flesh, so she slouched back down again. “I’m happy for you, Will. I've missed my perky Willow. You’ve been making me feel better already. I’ll be back on my feet in no time, thanks to you. So, what is this big excitement over?” The small blonde wiggled her eyebrows at Willow to encourage the grin's way back to her face.



Willow had predicted this part of the conversation, but still hadn’t practiced what she was going to say. She took a deep breath and attempted an explanation. “Oh, well, this girl in my Lit. class...we're kind of becoming friends, cuz we've got stuff in common, I think. I don't really know yet, cuz we just started talking really, but you know...friends are...nice."



"I'm glad. I'm thinking highly of her already if she's good enough to deserve your friendship, Willow. Can't wait to meet her, you know, if you want to bring her around here or to the room sometime, all is cool with me." Buffy's smile eased Willow's worries. It didn't seem so bad, not telling her about the energy between them at first, and Willow promised herself that she definitely would, just now she wanted Tara to be something that was...hers.



About an hour later Willow was making her way down the familiar stairwell of the Summers' residence with her laptop in arm. She hugged the computer close to her chest and was grateful to have it back in her care. It wasn't that she didn't trust Buffy with it – because she so did – it was just the exposure to syrup and other condiments that the smooth shine of the surface was so susceptible to that made her worry. Before closing the door behind her and making her way down the path to the sidewalk, Willow checked her watch. '11:30, I don't have that much time.' And she hurried a little faster back towards campus.



*****



'Ahhhh...11:42. I'm going to wear this shirt,' Tara concentrated firmly on the outfit in the reflection before her. Wearing a close-fitting navy V-neck top and beige drawstring khakis that sat very smugly at her hips, she frowned as she changed her mind for the fifth time since she last checked her watch at 11:40. 'No,' and she shook her head for emphasis. 'Where's that yellow shirt? Oh, God, yellow?! I'll stick with the blue. 11:43...'



'Ok, it's only 11:43. I have a whole seventeen minutes before I meet her. Plenty of time! Including the time it will take to get to the library – exactly seven minutes, walking – and taking student traffic into consideration, which adds about another minute there, I should probably leave at about 11:5...2 to be right on time. There. Lots of time! But, what if Tara's early? She'll stand around waiting for me thinking I won't show up, and I don't want that! I better get going now,' Willow was making her way across the room when she came to the full length mirror that Buffy had insisted on keeping around. She was checking her hair, which she had styled into lazy copper ringlets, when she acknowledged for the second time that day, her distinct lack of clothing. All she wore was her bra and underwear, and soon remembered that she was in the process of changing clothes when she was suddenly bemused into formulating a time-line. "Oh, geez!" Willow said aloud as her eyes anxiously darted to see her entire wardrobe – accompanied by a bit of Buffy's – strewn about the room. Finally, she decided on a long denim skirt and a light green short sleeved top. ‘11:47…’



Tara grabbed her shoulder bag from her desk and headed towards the door. She glanced at her watch once again as she heard the door click shut behind her. '11:47. Ok, only thirteen more minutes. I hope she doesn’t change her mind.’ Suddenly Tara’s thought brought a frown to her cheeks. She hadn’t considered that Willow might not show up. She was slightly surprised with herself because that was often the first thing on her mind when people were supposed to meet her anywhere. They gave a good enough excuse afterwards, but they didn’t usually appear. Willow seemed so different though, and she knew that even if she didn’t want to spend time with her that she was indeed very special, and Tara simply wanted to help her see that. She gave the door a long look – briefly considering going in to bed to spare herself the hurt again – but, her mind drifted to Willow’s smile and Willow’s voice as she managed leave those thoughts behind and make her way down the hall.





At 11:58, two women walked through parallel hallways. Each had butterflies in her stomach and thoughts of the other in mind. Tara reached their destination first, waiting eagerly at the entrance of the library. She was brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear when she saw Willow making her way towards her, deep in thought. Tara chuckled when she saw the redhead trying to dodge the mass bombardment of students in her way. 'So cute.' Immediately, Willow stopped. She had definitely heard that and she definitely knew who it was coming from - but where was she? Willow decided this time to respond - or try to at least. 'Tara?' Willow's unexpected response had caught Tara off guard, and suddenly Willow spotted the blonde. She smiled as a beaming Willow walked up to meet her.



"Hi Tara," Willow couldn't suppress the broad smile that covered her face. "You know, you have a fascinating way of getting a girl's attention." She couldn't help her eyes wandering all over Tara's frame as she admired the blonde up and down, suddenly giving her last remark a whole other meaning.



"Willow, h-hey," Tara's smile matched that of Willow's as she blushed a deep red. "D-do you think we could m-maybe go outside instead? I m-mean, it's so nice out there."



"Sounds great!"





Nearing a tree on the grounds of UCSunnydale, Willow finally had to ask the blonde the question that had been on her mind ever since they first met a day earlier. "Tara?"



"Y-yes?" Willow turned to Tara and looked deep into pools of perfect blue. Tara noticed Willow's pause as the redhead bore into her eyes, and she could do nothing but gaze with the same intesity into the electrifying green before her. She heard Willow's sharp intake of breath - she felt it all over her.



"How did you do that? How did you talk to me that way? I-I mean, I've read about it...a lot, actually, and tried it, well with Dawnie - and without her knowing prior, but it didn't work," Willow felt a little let down with herself as her flustered attempts came floating back to her memory as she continued. "Because there has to be this trust - a perfect and pure trust in one another for it to work, but Tara, we had just met and I don't know how you knew--"



Tara took a confident step forward and hushed the baffled redhead. "Y-you felt it...the energy between us. I know you d-did because your whole aura just l-lit up and you were beautif-- um, h-how long have you b-been practicing?" Tara stuttered, a lot. It was something she always done and genuinely hated - particularly in times like this.



Willow felt the heat of the blonde's body radiating to her own and they were standing at least two feet apart. "Um, I guess about three or four months? And might I add that I barely call it practicing, cuz well, when one practices something, they usually tend to get better at it, and I've done nothing but coast along this one equilibrium for as long as I can remember without actually improving. I might have actually eliminated any skill that I could have potentially possessed. It's, uh, hard to tell. But, most of my spells turn pretty much into a furry new species every time. Um, how about you?" She took a deep breath to regain her steady heart rate but it seemed a hefty task while standing so close to this beautiful woman before her.



"Oh, ever since I was little. My m-mother taught me everything she knew." Tara felt Willow's heat too and thought it best if they both sat down. She couldn't trust her stability around this redhead anymore. She'd already begun to feel weak in the knees from the way Willow's flawless jade eyes pierced hers of blue. Willow followed suit and noted the past tense Tara used when she had mentioned her mother. Tara leaned in so close to Willow her head practically resting on the hacker's tenuous shoulder. 'Show me what you know.'



Instantly, Willow knew the meaning behind the blonde's echoed voice in her head. She turned in so that they were sitting face to face and extended her hands to meet Tara's half way between their bodies. Their fingers intertwined and palms met, brushing against one another briefly until their hands clasped and were held suspended in the air. A third and most powerful shared rush of intensity inhabited both bodies as Willow and Tara's hands grasped harder to each other. Tara felt Willow's pulse in her veins and Willow's breath as her own. Their breathing was heavy, but completely in synch with one another. Willow muttered a quiet phrase that Tara couldn't hear and in an instant the branches above them sprouted beautiful light yellow and bright red blossoms. The two witches held on to each other earnestly - as if they knew that together they were more complete a person than either would ever be individually.



After several long moments, their breathing slowed back to normal and they opened their eyes to gaze into each others like they were seeing them for the first time. Willow lifted herself up first, not breaking the contact shared between her and Tara's hands, then gingerly assisted the blonde to her feet. With one hand surrounded in Tara's embrace, Willow reached up and lightly plucked a rich red blossom and offered it to the remarkable woman in front of her. Placing the fiery red bloom behind her ear, the blonde took hold of its pale yellow equivalent and mirrored her own actions onto Willow's ear.



"Tara, that was--"



"Wow," That single word summed up every thought and feeling in both the women's minds. Tara gently caressed Willow's hand with her thumb and felt her heart race all over again as Willow returned the gesture. "Willow, I, um, brought some books that w-w-were my mom's. In case you wanted to look?" Tara nodded toward her shoulder bag on the grass beside her.



"Yes, please."





For the next few hours - over books of spells, books of magic history, and books of general witch-y goodness - soft, secret touches along upper limbs were shared, prolonged gazing into sapphire and emerald eyes took place, and Tara's stutter immensely decreased as she and Willow became better acquainted with one another. Time passed so quickly that their only indication of it was the sudden mass of students gathering outside the school in groups of friends.



Willow glanced quickly at her watch. "Tara, it's 2:30. I've still got to get my books from my room before class. Wou--"



"O-oh, ok. S-still want me to s-save you that s-seat?" There it was - the brushoff. Tara lowered her head and let her soft blonde hair cover her face. Quickly, she gathered her books and stifled a tear when she realized that Willow making excuses to get away from her.



"Hey," Willow noted the sudden change in Tara's aura, and thought she must have done something to upset the blonde. Tara was shy again and stuttering. She grazed Tara's cheek with her fingertips. "I was wondering if you'd like to come back with me? That way we can walk to class together and I can make sure I get my seat right beside you."



"R-really? That would be nice." A warm smile lit up the blonde's face and she rose first this time to help Willow up.

Edited by: burtonreid at: 11/29/03 6:11 pm