Infinitely(Sequel to Inevitable)[Ongoing - March 25th 2026]

[TheBigPineapple99]

Excited!

[Laragh]

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Under Pressure

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Every Move You Make
Every Step You Take
I'll Be Watching You

---

Previously:

“There’s a letter there for you.”


“For me?” Tara asked in confusion as she looked down and picked it up, “This doesn’t have a stamp or anything on it?”


She opened the envelope and a bunch of photos fell out. She bent down to pick them up but slowly stopped.


“Um, Willow?”


She looked up with furrowed eyes.


“You need to see this.”

---

Willow closed the kitchen door firmly behind her and hurried back to the table where Tara was arranging photographs.


Various angles: close-ups, wide shots. All revealing them in different states of pulling at each other’s clothing or making faces that led to only one conclusion.


“This is us,” Willow said a bit needlessly, her brain trying to process beyond the shocking images.


“Yes,” Tara answered, in the same state.


Willow’s heart was beating so fast that everything was starting to blur together.


“When, where? I don’t understand.”


Tara tried to look past their own indiscretions so plainly laid out.


She saw a grave.


“We’re in a cemetery—” she paused and paled, “Halloween. Of course, it’s Halloween, look at what we’re wearing.”


Their flamboyant dress suddenly became obvious as Willow’s haze cleared her vision.


“Oh shit, Halloween,” she replied, her mouth beginning to go dry, “Someone was following us? Wait, what is the point of this? What else is in that envelope?”


She snatched it from the table, held it open, and shook out the remaining contents.


A page fell out, with letters cut from newspapers and magazines spelling out a message.


“Someone is trying to blackmail us,” Willow said in alarm, “I thought this stuff only happened in movies?”


Tara took the page to examine it.


“Why are they doing this?”


“They must think we have a lot more money than we do,” Willow said, beginning to pace back and forth, “We have to go to the police.”


Tara gulped.


“We can’t.”


Willow grimaced.


“I know it’s embarrassing and yes, okay, disrespectful in hindsight, but they have more to worry about than some outdoor grinding. Do you think we’re the only ones messing around in that graveyard? Please. Our parents or friends don’t have to see it.”


“I don’t care about them I care about social services! They could take Sally away!” Tara hissed and sank down into a nearby chair, “This is criminal AND lewd!”


Willow’s chest tightened and her balled fist hit the table, making Tara jump. The page floated to the ground and when Willow picked it up, she noticed something.


“There’s a date and time and coordinates.”


Tara started to cry.


“What are we going to do?”


Willow looked up with rage in her eyes.


“Make the fucker shake.”

---

“Willow, this feels so wrong. What if they’re violent, what if they have a gun?”


Willow turned so she was walking backward.


“Then let me go alone.”


Tara’s gaze was penetrating in return.


“You know I’m not going to do that.”


Willow reached forward and cupped Tara’s cheek, trying to calm the tremble in her gaze.


“Your Mom thinks we’re out for a walk, which we are, technically. And I made sure your phone was left in the living room so it can track mine if she has to.”


She dropped her hand and took Tara’s hand, squeezing their fingers tightly together.


“Plus, this person wanted to meet outside and it’s still light out. That’s a good sign. Plus wanting to meet this side of the park probably means they’re local so it narrows down the suspects.”


“Who are...?” Tara prompted with a hammering heart.


“Stalker, stranger, deranged fan, or Anya,” Willow rattled off, holding her chin so high in an attempt to seem calm that it was at a right angle.


Tara lifted an eyebrow.


“Anya?”


“She’ll do anything for cash,” Willow reasoned.


“It’s not Anya,” Tara replied, before frowning, “I don’t think.”


They walked into the forest and Tara started rubbing her arms. Willow knew it wasn’t from the cold but took off her sweater and put it over her shoulders anyway.


“This is it,” Willow stopped at the monument in front of them, “The crypt of course. Scene of the crime.”


Tara threw daggers at Willow, who flinched.


“Sorry, bad wording.”


She still thought this was a very elaborate heist from Anya. Give her money or find their photos as the models on the next set of sexy tarot cards.


Or a very misguided and skeevy prank by Xander.


Or–


“Tara?”


Willow watched as a familiar middle-aged woman in a leather jacket approached them. Tara seemed flustered but tried to smile.


“Oh, hi. Um, you’re the journalist from a few weeks ago. Thank you for the piece in the Press,” she tucked some hair behind her ear, “I’m really sorry but now isn’t a good time. Can we get in touch with you at a later time?”


“Tara,” Willow said, stony-faced as her girlfriend looked back to her, “She’s the one we’re meeting.”


“What?” Tara blinked in confusion, then looked back at the reporter as her eyes widened in realization, “Why?”


“Because of exactly what just happened,” Lilian hissed with venom in her tone, “There’s always an excuse. I was one of the first ones to give you a platform and I can’t even get a follow-up email! I’ve been trying to catch you for weeks and I kept getting blown off, then ignored. You didn’t see me that day. No one ever does.”


“You want an interview?” Tara asked in disbelief, “That’s why you’re doing all of this? We’ve been terrified!”


“Good. Fear keeps people honest,” Lilian's eyes were hard, “You two are walking scandals wrapped in a fairy tale and this story is gold. And gold’s what I need.”


“This is crazy,” Tara’s eyes darted back and forth, “You followed us and—”


Her jaw clamped and Willow came over to rub her arm.


“What do you want?” Willow asked as she felt Tara tremble, “We really don’t have money.”


“Please,” Lilian scoffed, “If I wanted money, I’d be at TMZ. This is about credibility. Comeback. Do you know what it’s like to be erased? I do. I used to write for the Yale Daily News.”


Her shoulders twitched and she looked between them.


“I want a follow-up interview from the piece I did. I told my editor I would get it.”


“That’s all you want?” Tara repeated again as she looked up, “An interview?”


Lilian stood haughtily.


“With photo.”


“Yes, okay,” Willow said dismissively as she held Tara, “Whatever you want. You can have your stupid interview but I’ll be there and it will be in public.”


“You’re not really in a position to be bargaining,” Lilian clicked her tongue, “But fine. Meet me at the Espresso Pump tomorrow morning. 9 o’clock. We can do breakfast.”


She said the last part with glee like they were old friends organizing a get-together.


“And don’t be late.”


That part, not so much.


Her eyes were like dragons as she turned on her heel and marched away.


Tara moved about two feet to the left and promptly threw up; the adrenaline of it all getting too much for her.


Willow rushed over and rubbed Tara’s back.


“Tara, I’m so sorry.”


Tara shakily wiped her mouth.


“This is not your fault. We made a mistake together.”


Willow’s face was turning red.


“I was ignoring her but only because she was emailing five times a day for the past month. I just started diverting her emails. I didn’t want you to have to deal with it. I thought she’d just go away. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”


Tara wrapped her arms around Willow, who took in a few shallow breaths before gathering herself.


“Let’s go home. I’ll tell everyone you don’t feel well so we can just go straight to your room. Your mom is going to notice something is up and that’s not going to help anything. We’ll try and get some sleep and by noon tomorrow, it will all be over, okay?”


Tara just nodded, not able to come up with anything more feasible right then.

---

“Why can’t I come?”


“We’re doing an interview, sweetie,” Tara said to Sally with a pale face and sunken eyes she was trying to cover with make-up, “We can get whatever you want for dinner when we go back to LA this evening, okay?”


Kimberly came out of the kitchen and put a hand on Sally’s back.


“I have pancakes all lined up,” she reassured before looking at Tara with concern, “Oh, darling you must still be sick. Can’t you cancel this interview?”


Tara just shook her head.


“We, ah, need to do it before leaving town,” Willow explained with her hand discreetly rubbing up Tara’s spine, “It’s best to just get it over with.”


“You’re running my girl ragged,” Kimberly said through a thin smile and brought Sally back into the kitchen.


Willow swallowed guiltily. Tara linked their fingers.


“I love you.”


Willow glanced over at the unexpected declaration.


“I love you, too.”


Their eyes said everything their mouths couldn’t. Willow wrapped a scarf around Tara’s neck and tucked it in. She gave her the smallest of reassuring kisses and took her hand again.


They walked in silence to the Espresso Pump and when they arrived, Lilian waved them over to her table; front and center in the middle of everything.


“Willow, Tara, great to see you,” she greeted so warmly, standing to kiss each of them on the cheek.


“…hello,” Tara managed to reply and Willow mumbled something too.


Lilian pushed two cups towards them.


“I took the liberty of ordering. Mocha and a vanilla latte, yes?”


Willow and Tara both looked at the cups with the mutual thought that they would not be drinking a drop.


“Aren’t you just obsessed with these egg bites?” Lilian picked up one from the middle of the table as she fished out a voice recorder and placed it between the, “Are you ready to get to it?”


Tara glanced at Willow, then back at Lilian, and just nodded. Lilian flicked a notepad open and clicked her pen.


“So how did you develop your passion for music?”


Somehow Tara just had to switch on. Willow had sent her some media training videos in the past that usually went out the window as she ended up just chatting during interviews, but the answers loomed somewhere in her brain.


Her ears buzzed as she answered question after question, barely hearing what she was saying but knowing Willow would intervene if she veered too off course.


Lilian continued to act like they were gossiping gal pals and several times they attracted stares from the gigantic laughs she let out at Tara’s monotonous answers.


Finally, Lilian clicked her pen and sighed happily.


“Got it,” she said as she turned off the recorder, “Awesome. This will be going out with next Saturday’s edition. Now I just need the picture. Can you…”


She waved Willow away, who stood aside reluctantly.


“Come on, give me a smile! Big star energy, remember?”


Tara, still pale-faced, tried her best to fix a smile on her face.


“Very demure, very mindful,” Lilian brought up the screen on her camera, “Always so on trend! Well, I’ll be off. I’m gonna have fun transcribing this one!”


“Wait,” Willow came around the table and stood as much over Lilian as she could despite being several inches shorter, “Show us deleting the files.”


Lilian rolled her eyes, flicked back a lot of images on her camera, and speed-deleted a whole slew from that night. Willow watched the timestamps carefully.


“How do we know you don’t have them backed up anywhere else?”


“You don’t,” Lilian replied with a domineering grin, “It’s not nice when someone isn’t very helpful, is it?”


Willow met her stare but Lilian just laughed again.


“You’re covering this, right? Wouldn’t want me footing the bill,” she gestured to the table, clearly on a power rush, “I guess that’s it.”


She swung her camera over her shoulder.


“For now.”


Willow grabbed Lilian’s arm as she passed.


“Hey!” she said, eyes flickering black, “Come on, we did what you wanted.”


“And the readers will love it. They do love to see a hometown girl turn big,” Lilian smirked, shrugging off Willow’s hand, “Be great to see a shoutout on your socials when it goes live. I’ll email you my details. Maybe have the courtesy to reply this time?”


She waggled her fingers and set off.


“Bye, girl.”


Willow watched her leave with disbelief. She had no idea whether Lilian actually believed her and Tara were friends or she was just totally caught up in her little bit of power but either way there were some Serious Issues going on there.


Now she just had to make sure those issues didn’t spill over anymore into their lives.


She was about to slam her hand on the table when she saw Tara, staring ahead stonily but for her chest which seemed to be heaving in quick succession. Knowing they already had an audience, Willow very quickly sat in the stool beside Tara and wrapped her arms around her.


“Ssh,” she comforted in Tara’s ear, “She just wants some stupid reposts. I’ll handle it, okay?”


It seemed an innocuous hug to anyone looking on but Willow was rubbing Tara’s back and thigh in soft circles to stave off the panic attack trembling under the surface.


It took a minute or two, but Tara was able to bring herself back to the room.


She blinked heavily and looked at Willow.


“Let’s just go home.”


Willow nodded.


“Yeah. Let me just go pay. Why don’t you get some air?”


Tara agreed and waited for Willow outside.


“Tara!”


Tara looked up.


“Anya,” she said, shaking her head slightly to rid herself of her fog, “Hi. What are you doing here?”


“The old fuddy-duddies won’t work on a Sunday but I made them let me come open the store,” Anya replied with a grin, “They have to pay me time and a half. Sometimes I get them to agree to do that just to stay quiet.”


Tara couldn’t help a small smile.


“Sorry, we didn’t get to see you much this weekend.”


Anya shrugged one shoulder.


“That’s okay. Xander and I had Thanksgiving alone. It was nice.”


She narrowed her gaze slightly and looked at Tara intently.


“We enjoyed the stuffing,” she added with a wink.


Tara just looked slightly alarmed.


“The turkey wasn’t the only thing needing basting,” she said in the same drawn-out tone before throwing her hands up, “I knew I was right. Xander told me they were funny jokes but they weren’t, were they? I’m going to text him right now.”


She whipped out her phone and started marching toward the Magic Box.


“Bye Anya,” Tara called out softly.


Anya waved behind her.


“Bye Tara! See you next time! Don’t forget my Christmas present!”


Willow came out a few moments later and looked at Tara.


“You good?”


“Yeah,” Tara nodded, “This is just all so…bizarre.”


“Yeah,” Willow agreed, “I know.”


There wasn’t much else they could say.


They walked home just as flat as they’d left.

---

Refresh.


Refresh.


Refresh.


“Tara!”


Tara came rushing out of the bedroom, brush stuck in her hair. Willow looked up from her computer screen.


“It’s up.”


The brush dropped on the table and Tara hurried behind Willow, scooching down to see the screen.


For several minutes, both of their eyes just darted back and forth silently.


They then both slouched.


“Aside from the Single White Female vibes like you two are besties for life, it’s not damaging,” Willow said, tilting her head back to look at Tara, “You come across well. Humble. Friendly.”


“I don’t even remember saying any of this,” Tara swallowed deeply, “There’s nothing she’s trying to sneak in or insinuate?”


“No,” Willow shook her head, scrolling down to the end of the webpage, “Just heavy emphasis on you being Sunnydale’s sweetheart.”


She looked up and reached to squeeze Tara’s hand.


“I can’t deny her that one.”


She pulled Tara’s hand gently to guide Tara to sit down beside her. She took both of Tara’s hands and held them between their laps.


“I know this week has been rough.”


She felt Tara tense and tremble all at once.


“But you’ve been great. Sally hasn’t noticed — even this morning when she was going off with Aaron and his Dads for the field trip. I knew you weren’t okay because I know you. But they didn’t. You held it together. And it’s over now.”


“Is it?” Tara’s voice quivered.


Willow nodded.


“Yeah. Look, I know she was being all hoity-toity about holding this over us but I’ve been doing some research online and–”


“What do you mean ‘research’?” Tara’s face was stony.


Willow’s hands fell away.


“Just…looking into her. Everyone has skeletons in their closet and–”


Tara pushed her chair back and stood, covering her face with her hands.


“Willow, are you seriously suggesting we counter her blackmail with more blackmail?!”


Willow stood up defensively.


“Well, yeah! What else can we do? Be under her thumb for the rest of our lives?”


“And what if she goes nuclear?” Tara replied, her voice rising, “I can’t do this. I need to clear my head.”


She grabbed her coat and was gone before Willow could even respond.


Willow fell back into her chair and banged her head back against the wall.


Her brain was only starting to rattle when her phone began to ring beside her laptop. She picked it up and thought the number wasn’t saved, it was coming from Sunnydale.


“Hello?” she answered cautiously.


A way-too-chipper, almost manic voice came down the line.


“Willow? Lilian!”


Willow was silent. Lilian ignored this.


“So my boss Emilia loved the interview. Really leaning into the local girl gone good vibe,” she gushed, “And she was thrilled when I said I had plans to get a full at-home exclusive with a tour of Tara’s studio.”


All four legs of Willow’s chain squeaked loudly on the floor.


“What? No! We don’t have a studio, she rents one by the hour. And like hell if you think I’m letting you into our home.”


There was silence again but the voice on the other end was lower when it spoke.


“Go on and just cry me a river. I can always add an update to my interview about shocking newly released photos…”


Willow’s jaw clenched.


“Okay, okay,” she huffed out a breath, “What do you want?”


“I just told you,” Lilian replied, her tone annoyed.


Willow chewed on her bottom lip.


“You can do it at a gig. Backstage access.”


More silence but it didn’t feel as threatening somehow.


“…okay. But NOT in Sunnydale. I want to buck up the big city success thing. And I get video.”


“Fine,” Willow replied through gritted teeth, “She has a couple of shows in LA before the holidays. But this is it.”


“I’m running this ship,” Lilian replied in a clipped tone, “Email me the options. This will be for our holiday magazine insert so if you have anything around that…”


A flick of Willow’s hand brought up Tara’s schedule.


“There’s an ugly sweater gig next weekend. That festive enough for your editor?”


“Oh, yes,” Lilian’s grin could be heard, “I am there. Oh and Willow? I’m still waiting on those social media posts.”


The line went dead and it was all Willow could do not to throw her phone across the room.


She wondered if she should call Tara but she decided she could at least have another few minutes before their hell started all over again.


As she pulled her laptop toward her, she really wished misery didn’t love company.


She didn't know how they were going to get out of this one.


But if Lilian wanted to bring the rain, she'd bring the storm.


Make the fucker shake.

---

[Finey_McFine]

Hey Laragh,

Glad to see you back at it again. I know this last year has been rough, but I’m hoping brighter days are ahead!

So, our girls seem to have a penchant for getting caught in precarious positions…pun intended. I would have thought they learned their lesson on the beach with the cops, or the couch at Tara’s house, but I guess they thought a graveyard under the cloak of darkness was a free pass. Obviously not. How did Lilian get clear night shots on her phone anyway? I’d like to know her secret, because mine all come out looking like that old Loch Ness monster photo, lol. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see how Willow gets them out of this jam.

On a side note, I am deeply grateful there is no evidence from my teens and early 20s…just sayin.

Glad to see you back writing. Love you bunches my Jedi Mind Twin!

-Shelb

[Will's redemption]

Laragh, I'm so overjoyed that you're back!
What a wonderful surprise after my return from a two weeks long holiday!

Our lovely girls being blackmailed by that bitch Lilian is horrible! That she seems old enough to be their mothers makes her behaviour feel even more creepier.
I have no idea how Willow is planning to stop her but I hope she will find a solution fast because I fear that Tara couldn't stand this pressure much longer and it would severely affect her DJ work if this vulture would loom over her future gigs. I'm also scared what would happen if Lilian ambushed them at home, especially after Sally's return from the fieldtrip.

Maybe Anya could help them battling Lilian but I'm sure Willow would never trust her enough to tell her about the blackmail.

But I have full trust in you, Laragh, that this bitch Lilian will get what she deserves!

[Laragh]

Finey_McFine —

JMT!!!

Glad to see you back at it again. I know this last year has been rough, but I’m hoping brighter days are ahead!

Me too, friend, me too.

So, our girls seem to have a penchant for getting caught in precarious positions…pun intended. I would have thought they learned their lesson on the beach with the cops, or the couch at Tara’s house, but I guess they thought a graveyard under the cloak of darkness was a free pass. Obviously not.

You would think wouldn't you? But alas, you know I love a running joke...I do promise there will be an end to it though. Soon.

How did Lilian get clear night shots on her phone anyway? I’d like to know her secret, because mine all come out looking like that old Loch Ness monster photo, lol.

She was using her camera that night (she brought it to get shots of Tara playing the show) but I will defer to you on what lenses or settings she was using!

Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see how Willow gets them out of this jam.

They get by with a little help from their friends...Actually I did plant a small clue the last chapter. AND one quite a few chapters back but at this point it's probably a year ago since I posted it so not the best payoff!

On a side note, I am deeply grateful there is no evidence from my teens and early 20s…just sayin.

There is a reason I mass deleted a lot of my social media when I was in my late twenties. Just...no.

Glad to see you back writing. Love you bunches my Jedi Mind Twin!

Love you too and thank you so much for the support!

Thanks so much for your feedback!

Will's redemption —

Laragh, I'm so overjoyed that you're back!
What a wonderful surprise after my return from a two weeks long holiday!

I'm so glad you're still around and have been so patient!! I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Our lovely girls being blackmailed by that bitch Lilian is horrible! That she seems old enough to be their mothers makes her behaviour feel even more creepier.

She is, in fact, she's got a good ten years on Tara's mom.

I have no idea how Willow is planning to stop her but I hope she will find a solution fast because I fear that Tara couldn't stand this pressure much longer and it would severely affect her DJ work if this vulture would loom over her future gigs. I'm also scared what would happen if Lilian ambushed them at home, especially after Sally's return from the fieldtrip.

I can promise you one thing, I won't harm a hair on Sally's little head! The girls...I may torture a bit

Maybe Anya could help them battling Lilian but I'm sure Willow would never trust her enough to tell her about the blackmail.

maybe I'll write a dream sequence where Willow is imagining Anya in the boxing ring with her rubbing Anya's shoulders and building her up telling her Lilian is a bunny

But I have full trust in you, Laragh, that this bitch Lilian will get what she deserves!

She will, and in a very human way.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Thanks so much for your feedback.

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

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Ugly Sweaters And Uglier Truths

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The Time Is Gonna Come When You're So Mad You Could Cry
But I'll Hold You Through The Night Until You Smile

“Why can’t I come?”


“The club won’t let you,” Willow lied.


It was actually kind of scary how little the establishments cared about minors in their venues as long as they didn’t let Sally cross over the threshold into the bar area. That way, they couldn’t be held liable, morals be damned.


“So you leave me with the cat-sitter?” Sally asked with disdain.


Willow’s eyes quickly shot to De Luca, who was playing with Miss Kitty and thankfully didn’t seem to have heard. She took Sally’s arm and pulled her into the kitchen.


“De Luca is far cooler than Tara or me. And they’ll definitely let you eat more candy than we would. I have to replace Miss Kitty’s treats every time they come over no matter how full the baggie was when we left!” she said but Sally’s eyes didn’t lift off the floor, “Ms. M is working nights and couldn’t come down to watch you so we had to get someone else. You’ve met them before, you like them.”


“I can take care of myself,” Sally replied gruffly.


“I have no doubt that’s true, but social services wouldn’t be too pleased if they found out we left you alone. They have weird ideas about this kinda stuff,” Willow reasoned but Sally just folded her arms across her chest, “If you’d rather curl up with the iPad and binge something, we won’t argue. But De Luca is cool, I promise. They’re the one who helped your sister start DJing. I bet if you chatted, you’d find out some cool stuff. Ask about the time Tara tried breakdancing!”


Sally just rolled her eyes and stomped away.


“Your sweater is ugly.”


Willow looked down at her blue and white fuzzy sweater with ‘Happy Challah Days’ embossed on it.


“That’s the point,” she called back sarcastically, “It’s an ugly sweater party!”


Tara came out of the bathroom with her hair in a tight pony and the muscles on her face even tighter. Her sweater was white with red lettering.


“Too Cool For Yule?” Willow read-slash-asked.


“Jeff sent it up when Mom mentioned the sweater party to him,” Tara explained, pulling slightly at the neck, “Are we ready?”


Willow just nodded silently.


Neither of them was looking forward to tonight.


They’d gone over everything in advance – Tara’s tone, the backstory they’d share, even the casual, spontaneous-sounding lines she’d drop into her set.


They’d selected photos with surgical precision. Tara with her instruments, one in the early years with Nate, and even one in Iceland when she first touched the decks that someone else had taken and put on social media. Some were even edited for maximum impact on the page. Willow had pulled out all the stops to give Lilian everything she wanted in the hopes that her backup plan wouldn’t need to be deployed.


Willow had to remind herself at times the only place all of her efforts were going was the freaking Sunnydale Press.


She longed for the day she could get excited about press relations again.


Or at the very least not worrying about one rogue reporter.


Something had to give, and Willow would make sure it would, one way or another.


“You two have a good night,” Willow lifted her hand to wave back into the room.


Sally looked dubious but De Luca offered her a chamoy peach ring and she was at least momentarily won over.


In the car, Willow put her hand from the wheel onto Tara’s knee as Tara’s body language remained tense.


“Baby, I know this sucks, but you need to try and get into show mode.”


Tara struggled to release her tension, so she kicked her feet against the floor and stabbed the radio until dance music played.


It thumped through the car and only added pulsation to their misery.


At the back of the club, Lilian was waiting with a camera bag on her shoulder and wearing a loud, frilly green sweater with tinsel cuffs and a tinsel neckline.


“Hey, ladies!”


She got icy looks in return but made no notice of it or at least pretended she didn’t.


“Let’s start with opening shots.”


She took out her camera to shoot Tara and Willow getting out the equipment case and wheeling it toward the door.


She looked back at her pictures and nodded.


“The main profile is going to be in-photo, but we want some bonus content for the website,” she explained, as if they cared, and produced a small tripod to sit her camera on, pointed at Tara, “DJ Tarot, it’s late night at an undisclosed LA nightclub. What drives you to be here?”


Tara parroted one of their rehearsed lines.


“I love taking old songs, classics, adding new beats, loops, hooks. Totally reinventing them. Making them my own.”


“What classic songs are you remixing for us tonight?” Lilian asked, a visible aura of power emanating from her.


“All I know is,” Tara looked Lilian straight in the eye instead of the camera, “I will survive.”


Lilian turned off the recording and lifted her tripod.


“Make sure to cue me up when you’re about to play that so I get the whole thing.”


“I’ll be right on that,” Willow replied sarcastically.


They moved ahead as if Lilian was nothing but an annoying fly zapping around them. She took pictures of them shaking hands with the club manager, of the empty DJ platform and of the crowd, and then plenty of Tara setting up.


“Do you ever get fans rushing up here?”


“Most places have security,” Tara replied and grabbed Willow’s hand to pull her close, “And I have my protector when they don’t.”


Willow stood firm in the spot and stared Lilian down. Lilian actually cowered for a brief moment before turning her attention away to her camera.


When it was time to start the show, Willow whispered a few words of encouragement in Tara’s ear and left her alone to do her pre-show ritual of getting into the moment.


Tonight was the hardest she’d ever needed to try to let nothing but the music flow, but not a single person in the crowd or beyond would be able to tell.


She flicked through her remixes flawlessly and Willow even snapped her fingers in time to notify Lilian that the remix of ‘I Will Survive’ was coming.


Lilian filmed the last song and the crowd’s uproarious reaction to it. Her energy was similarly charged as she turned the camera on Tara.


“What does that mean to you? That reaction?”


Tara turned to Willow.


“There’s only one reaction I care about.”


Willow smiled and put her two hands against her heart.


“What’s your post-show routine like?” Lilian interrupted, her tone taking on a dangerous tone, “How do you dispel all of that energy?”


Tara was glad the exertion of the show hid her red cheeks.


“Packing up all this equipment takes most of it,” she replied as evenly as she could, “Then we just go home. I’m a homebody, really.”


Lilian was clearly hoping for a different answer or more spluttering, so she turned to Willow.


“What about you? What’s it like being on the right-hand side of such an up-and-coming star? Any regrets?”


Willow turned her gaze to Tara.


“I should've worshipped her sooner.”


Lilian turned the camera off.


“This has been great. Y'know, it would look great alongside one of your DJ friends. Someone with real name power. You’re great but we really want to show your reach, y’know? And it helps us all get what we need.”


Willow’s fist balled at her side.


“What are you talking about?”


Lilian casually packed her camera away.


“The Bronze took out a year-long advertising spot when I called for a campaign to bring you back. Which, I believe you’ve benefited from as well,” she grinned almost threateningly, “So it’s a little quid pro quo. You get me a big name, the paper gets a big payday, and I get the managing editor position I want. And I, in turn, keep your little al fresco fiesta a secret.”


“It doesn’t stop being extortion just because you Latin it up,” Willow spat.


Lilian looked up and raised a single eyebrow.


“Bottom line, I want more.”


“More what?” Tara asked, arms folded across her chest.


Lilian swung her bag on her shoulder.


“I’m sure you know all the other DJs. It’s Los freakin’ Angeles, this place is heaving with famous faces. Just pick someone and get them to give me an interview.”


Tara stepped forward, throwing her arm out.


“I work, I go to school, we have a kid! I don’t know anyone outside of my design classes or the school run!”


Lilian briefly raised both eyebrows but settled them quickly.


“You know Nathanial Williamson.”


Tara tensed so hard that her shoes knocked on the ground.


“Leave Nate out of this.”


Lilian started to smirk.


“Oh, now I think about it, that would be a real coup. It’s perfect. He’s never even done press for Brujas, his hometown. So, to get a side-by-side profile with the famous Insect Reflection of yore…”


Tara’s bottom lip started to wobble.


“I can’t. He has, he has teams and people and—”


“And I’m guessing you have his direct line,” Lilian interrupted with her palm up, “Like you said. You have a kid. So, you’re going to want to do what I say.”


Willow started to march forward but Lilian swung herself out of the way.


“Get back to me by Friday with the details. You have my info. I’ll email any follow-up questions I have while I’m putting the piece together,” she said in a haughty tone as she waved over her shoulder, “I have what I need here. Talk to you then. Oh, and I’ll invoice you my hotel bill, yeah?”


She grinned so wickedly it nearly knocked Willow over, but her priorities were elsewhere. She looked over and Tara looked like she was about to pass out.


Unsure what more she could do; she took Tara’s hand and squeezed it tightly.


“I’m going to fix this.”


She promised.

---

Willow stepped across the threshold of the bedroom and closed the door behind her.


“I need to talk to you.”


Tara was sitting on the bed, back against the wall and knees drawn up to her chest. Her phone sat in front of her, angled away like it had been kicked.


“I can’t do it, Willow,” she said in a hoarse voice, “I can’t betray his trust. He’s always been so good to me.”


Willow sat on the side of the bed.


“I know.”


“I can’t drag one of my–what?”


Tara looked up with wet eyes, confused. Willow reached over and took her hand.


“I know you can’t. It goes against every fiber of who you are. It would destroy you. Look at what it’s doing already.”


Tara’s eyes creased.


“What choice do we have?”


Willow scooted up on the bed, so she was next to Tara.


“I’m going to take care of this. I’ve been working on something. I didn’t want to have to do it, but I think there’s no other option.”


Tara frowned and Willow squeezed her hand for reassurance.


“So, despite what you said, I have been trying to dig up information on Lilian,” she said and continued quickly before Tara could say anything, “And I came up with nothing. She’s lived a very…mundane life by all accounts. Never lived anywhere but Sunnydale. Average grades. That stint in the Yale newspaper? A guest column, once, as a prospective student but she never actually attended. Been shuffled around the Sunnydale Press and has rarely been promoted. No secret kids or messy divorces. Pretty…boring.”


She sighed.


“So, I’ve had to…do a little inventing. Nothing that would get her in legal trouble, just enough to keep her in check.”


Tara’s frown deepened considerably.


“What are you talking about?”


Willow pursed her lips, careful not to say too much.


“I’m talking about a failsafe. I can…make it seem like there are documents on her laptop she wouldn’t want the world to see. I’ve been messing around with some scripts on GitHub and look, it’s probably better you don’t know the finer details. Just know I can trap her like she’s trapped us. If she goes nuclear, then so do we. It’s mutually assured destruction and it’s all we’ve got.”


Tara paled even more than her white face had already been.


“Willow, this is illegal.”


Willow clasped Tara’s hand with both of hers.


“Then I’ll be the one they catch. You won’t even be a footnote. They’ll let you keep Sally–”


Tara pulled her hands away and held them up.


“Willow–”


“Listen to me,” Willow interrupted, “I’ve already structured things so that you have access to all of our money. My mom will try to take my trust fund, but she can’t. If I’m left incapacitated for any reason, then it goes to you. If you have to get a lawyer to fight for Sally–”


Tara promptly stood, turning her back.


“Stop, stop, talking about this!”


Willow stood too and walked around.


“I can’t. 'Cause I know I have to do this. And you have to know how to get what you need to raise Sally in case–”


Tara spun to Willow, eyes wild.


“How long have you been planning this? How could you not say a word?”


There was a long, painful silence.


“Because you need plausible deniability,” Willow said gently.


She put a hand on Tara’s shoulder, who didn’t rebuff it.


“I am going to make sure I don’t get caught,” she resolved with insistent eyes, “But on the slim chance, I need to tell you these things. You need to know.”


Tara shook her head quickly, eyes glistening.


“I’ll just ask Nate for the favor.”


“It won’t end there,” Willow replied softly, “We have to end this.”


Tara threw an arm out desperately.


“She could have endless copies of these photos; she could release them anyway.”


“I can plant files on her computer that make them seem photoshopped. We saw her delete the originals—” Willow took in a deep intake of breath when Tara winced at her words, “You’re right, I should stop talking. You just have to trust me.”


Tara immediately shook her head.


“No. This is not the way.”


Willow closed the small gap between them and took Tara’s chin between two fingers.


“It’s the only way,” she said, resting her forehead gently on Tara’s, “I have to trap her before she can destroy you.”


She sought Tara’s lips for a soft kiss, not quite of reassurance, but of comfort.


“Tomorrow, I’m going to go away for a few hours. And I’m not telling you where. But when I come back, we have to forget all of this ever happened until…unless…we hear otherwise.”


Tara couldn’t stop a sob from wracking through her. It broke Willow’s heart.


“Listen to me,” she brought Tara’s face to her with both hands, “I love you. More than anything.”


She kissed her again.


“More than anything. I will never let you down again. I will fight with every breath in my body for you.”


“I won’t let you,” Tara hiccupped.


“You have to,” Willow replied softly.


A shaken breath was inhaled through Tara’s nose.


“I won’t. There has to be another–”


Her breath caught.


It was all she could do to rest her head against Willow’s shoulder.


For a still moment, it was just them, the quiet of the apartment wrapping around them like a blanket. For the first time in days, the night felt still, almost safe.


Almost.


And then a sharp knock shattered it.


They both looked at their closed bedroom door and realized it had come from further afield.


“Are you expecting someone?” Willow asked.


Tara just shook her head, and they went to answer it, not letting go of each other’s hand.


Willow pulled the door open and was not expecting what was on the other side.


“Emmy?” she asked in surprise.


“Hi!” Emmy lifted a hand and waved energetically, “I go by Emilia these days, but it’s nice to hear ‘Emmy’ again. Reminds me of my misspent youth. You remember that, huh, Tara?”


While both Willow and Tara were utterly shocked to see Emmy at their front door, it was who was standing next to her that caused their eyebrows to shoot up their brows.


“…Lilian?” Willow said, voice slicing between shock and venom.


“How are you guys?! Long time!” Emmy continued to casually converse.


Willow and Tara could only stare in confusion. Emmy grimaced.


“I'm guessing not great what with the blackmail that's been going on. Mind if we come in and sort this whole sitch-a-rooney out?”


The stares turned wide-eyed. They looked at each other and stepped aside.


“My little sister is asleep,” Tara said quietly.


“We’ll be quiet,” Emmy replied in a hushed tone, in contrast to the almost vice grip she had on Lilian’s arm as she pulled her over the threshold, “Lilian here has something to say.”


Lilian couldn’t look up from the floor as Emmy’s eyes burned into her. Her voice cracked when she finally spoke.


“I’m sorry,” she said, eyes fixed on the floor, voice hoarse like she hadn’t spoken in hours, “I crossed a line I never should have. I won’t come near you again.”


Her hands were trembling at her sides, and for the first time, she looked small. Not cowardly exactly, just cornered.


Emmy kept her grip firm.


“This,” she said, holding up a flash drive, “Is the only copy of those photos. I’ve made absolutely sure of that.”


Her smile faltered just for a second, and her eyes sharpened with no trace of her requisite cheer in them.


“Because I don’t tolerate this kind of thing. From anyone.”


Tara’s cheeks burned while Willow snatched the drive. After a beat, Emmy spoke again.


“If I were you, I’d be stepping on it right about now.”


Willow seemed to snap to it and quickly dropped the drive to the floor where she stamped it into oblivion.


As the plastic crunched beneath her heel, a sick wave of shame washed over her – not just at Lilian, but at herself. How close had she come to making everything worse? She clenched her jaw.


Never again.


Tara watched her do it and stepped forward. Willow quickly linked their arms and kept her foot over the flash drive.


“What is going on?”


Emmy slapped her hand against her forehead.


“Oh, I’m such a dolt, I never explained,” she smiled self-deprecatingly, “My family runs the Sunnydale Press. We’ve been in the local papers business longer than I’ve been alive. Dad’s got me shadowing different offices, learning the ropes.”


She gave a small shrug.


“When I saw Lilian’s, uh, enthusiasm for your story…I knew I had to step in. Someone was just a little too boasty about how friendly they were getting with DJ Tarot. You’re the friendlist gal I know Tara but everyone knows your number one is that girl on your arm.”


Willow glanced at Tara and held her arm tighter.


Emmy tugged on Lilian’s arm, who just continued to look at the floor.


“Anyway, Lilian here will be taking some time off for some company-mandated therapy,” she said with a brief stern look at Lilian before smiling at Tara, “But if you ever do want to do a real interview spot or a column or anything, you just give me a bell, Tara, okay? No presh! Willow, I’ll email you my deets.”


Willow blinked several times.


“Um. Okay. It’s–”


“I know your info,” Emmy cut her off with another disarming smile, “Oh, and she’s signed a non-disclosure agreement too. So please, rest easy. But ladies. Maybe keep it to private residences? Just a friendly suggestion. I know true love knows no bounds but I’m thinking four walls isn’t unreasonable.”


Willow swallowed audibly.


“We very much get the message.”


Emmy looked between them, almost giddy.


“You gals. I love love! Can’t wait for your next show back home. Maybe spin some Halsey, I’m a big fan,” she suggested as she walked toward the door and waggled her fingers, “Byyye!”


Lilian looked back and her whole face was creased.


“Goodbye,” she said with an obvious lump in her throat, “I really am sorry.”


Emmy pulled her off into the parking lot while Willow and Tara just stared out the door. Only the sound of nighttime honking brought them back into the moment and made them shut the door.


“Is…is Emmy secretly terrifying?” Willow asked in disbelief.


Tara just nodded, wide-eyed.


“It would seem so.”


“How did she get our address?” Willow asked, before answering herself with a nod, “Oh yeah. Terrifying.”


A heavy silence hung until Tara turned to Willow.


Willow?” Tara’s voice was glassy, barely audible, “Is it over?”


Willow stepped closer, rubbing Tara's arms.


“Yeah, baby. It’s over.”


Tara sagged with a breath like a crumbling wall – then suddenly slapped Willow’s shoulder with both hands.


“Don’t you–” her mouth creased with anger though her body was physically exhausted and barely made contact, “Don’t you ever even think of trying to do something that could make you leave this family again! Never!”


Her voice was a coarse whisper, but Willow felt every ounce of pain she was letting out.


Willow let her hit out for a moment before gathering into a crying hug.


“Duly noted. Never again. I swear.”


She found herself afraid at the levels of desperation she’d almost fallen to.


Definitely something to bring up with her therapist, but not tonight.


Tonight, she just needed to hold Tara and know they were safe.


She glanced back at Sally’s door, but it was firmly closed with no sounds of stirring.


Thank God she missed all of this.


She heard a crunch under her again and quickly leaned down to pick up the six shattered pieces of the flash drive. She let them fall into the trash, feeling relief flood her body as she did so.


She reached out her hand to Tara, who took it through interlocking fingers, and brought Tara into the bedroom. She closed the door, bringing them back to their cocoon but feeling far more secure.


They were pulled together, lying in bed as close as possible.


As Tara’s breathing evened out, she whispered into Willow’s hair, so soft it was almost a dream.


“We’re okay. We’re okay now.”


And for the first time in weeks, they both believed it.


Sleep took them in minutes and peaceful dreams were not far behind.

[TheBigPineapple99]

Got a little too busy last week, but very excited to get to have dibs now! I’m so glad they got out of it without having to resort to anything illegal (though, I imagine Willow would have liked to be the one to scare Lilian herself lol, just as a tiny bit of revenge). I definitely imagine they’ll have to talk about what Willow was prepared to do, but I do understand where Willow was coming from. They were in a tight spot and she was trying to do what was best for her family. But, of course, what’s best for her family involves protecting herself and keeping them all together too. I’m glad they got it resolved before they had to deliver much more than an interview or two, and I’ll definitely be going back to read Emmy’s previous actions again and maybe see them in a new light lol.

[Will's redemption]

Lilian started to smirk.


“Oh, now I think about it, that would be a real coup. It’s perfect. He’s never even done press for Brujas, his hometown. So, to get a side-by-side profile with the famous Insect Reflection of yore…”


Tara’s bottom lip started to wobble.


“I can’t. He has, he has teams and people and—”


“And I’m guessing you have his direct line,” Lilian interrupted with her palm up, “Like you said. You have a kid. So, you’re going to want to do what I say.”


Willow started to march forward but Lilian swung herself out of the way.


“Get back to me by Friday with the details. You have my info. I’ll email any follow-up questions I have while I’m putting the piece together,” she said in a haughty tone as she waved over her shoulder, “I have what I need here. Talk to you then. Oh, and I’ll invoice you my hotel bill, yeah?”


She grinned so wickedly it nearly knocked Willow over, but her priorities were elsewhere. She looked over and Tara looked like she was about to pass out.

Grrrrr, the power rush of the successful blackmail really brought out the sadistic bitch in Lilian! No more false pretense of being "Tara's friend".

“What is going on?”


Emmy slapped her hand against her forehead.


“Oh, I’m such a dolt, I never explained,” she smiled self-deprecatingly, “My family runs the Sunnydale Press. We’ve been in the local papers business longer than I’ve been alive. Dad’s got me shadowing different offices, learning the ropes.”


She gave a small shrug.


“When I saw Lilian’s, uh, enthusiasm for your story…I knew I had to step in. Someone was just a little too boasty about how friendly they were getting with DJ Tarot. You’re the friendlist gal I know Tara but everyone knows your number one is that girl on your arm.”


Willow glanced at Tara and held her arm tighter.


Emmy tugged on Lilian’s arm, who just continued to look at the floor.


“Anyway, Lilian here will be taking some time off for some company-mandated therapy,” she said with a brief stern look at Lilian before smiling at Tara, “But if you ever do want to do a real interview spot or a column or anything, you just give me a bell, Tara, okay? No presh! Willow, I’ll email you my deets.”


Willow blinked several times.


“Um. Okay. It’s–”


“I know your info,” Emmy cut her off with another disarming smile, “Oh, and she’s signed a non-disclosure agreement too. So please, rest easy.

I'm glad that our beloved couple got saved by Emmy. But in my opinion Lilian gets off too lightly here: after blackmailing them for weeks and relishing in especially Tara's pain she should at least lose her job!

Willow?” Tara’s voice was glassy, barely audible, “Is it over?”


Willow stepped closer, rubbing Tara's arms.


“Yeah, baby. It’s over.”


Tara sagged with a breath like a crumbling wall – then suddenly slapped Willow’s shoulder with both hands.


“Don’t you–” her mouth creased with anger though her body was physically exhausted and barely made contact, “Don’t you ever even think of trying to do something that could make you leave this family again! Never!”


Her voice was a coarse whisper, but Willow felt every ounce of pain she was letting out.


Willow let her hit out for a moment before gathering into a crying hug.


“Duly noted. Never again. I swear.”


She found herself afraid at the levels of desperation she’d almost fallen to.

I'm also very relieved that Willow didn't have to take the desperate, illegal measures she thought up because I have the feeling that in this verse she could have ended up in jail instead of with a new job as an IT-consultant for the FBI...

She reached out her hand to Tara, who took it through interlocking fingers, and brought Tara into the bedroom. She closed the door, bringing them back to their cocoon but feeling far more secure.


They were pulled together, lying in bed as close as possible.


As Tara’s breathing evened out, she whispered into Willow’s hair, so soft it was almost a dream.


“We’re okay. We’re okay now.”


And for the first time in weeks, they both believed it.


Sleep took them in minutes and peaceful dreams were not far behind.

Perfect ending to this crisis!

[Laragh]

TheBigPineapple99 —

Got a little too busy last week, but very excited to get to have dibs now!

My first dibs-getting since returning!

I’m so glad they got out of it without having to resort to anything illegal (though, I imagine Willow would have liked to be the one to scare Lilian herself lol, just as a tiny bit of revenge).

Revenge is sweet but peace is nourishment.

I definitely imagine they’ll have to talk about what Willow was prepared to do, but I do understand where Willow was coming from. They were in a tight spot and she was trying to do what was best for her family. But, of course, what’s best for her family involves protecting herself and keeping them all together too. I’m glad they got it resolved before they had to deliver much more than an interview or two

Willow needs to realize she's not an expendable part of the family, she's integral, or 'essential' as she might say herself!

and I’ll definitely be going back to read Emmy’s previous actions again and maybe see them in a new light lol.

I picture her as someone who is genuinely sweet and caring but by god you do not cross her.

Thanks so much for commenting!

Will's redemption —

Grrrrr, the power rush of the successful blackmail really brought out the sadistic bitch in Lilian! No more false pretense of being "Tara's friend".

The scary thing is it wasn't even a pretense, she fully believed it while justifying her own actions.

I'm glad that our beloved couple got saved by Emmy. But in my opinion Lilian gets off too lightly here: after blackmailing them for weeks and relishing in especially Tara's pain she should at least lose her job!

Emmy's not dumb. Firing her right away could have pushed her to do something even more desperate.

I'm also very relieved that Willow didn't have to take the desperate, illegal measures she thought up because I have the feeling that in this verse she could have ended up in jail instead of with a new job as an IT-consultant for the FBI...

only 17 year old me would think that made sense (I did base it off Garcia in Criminal Minds at the time!) but yes as an adult now I wonder how Willow was hacking into all kinds of governement databases in the show with very little pushback.

Perfect ending to this crisis!

Thank you!

And thank you so much for your feedback!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

---

Of Candles and Candor

---

Last Night Was The Night, One Last Moment Of Truth
And What A Wonderful Way To Fall In Deeper In You

When Tara woke the next morning, the first thing she noticed was that her muscles weren’t tensed or knotted.


She then realized it was morning – actual the-sun-has-risen and birds-are-chirping morning, not the middle of the night.


She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and confirmed her suspicions: she had slept all night long and hadn't been tossing and turning. Granted, it was earlier than she needed to wake to get on with their day but it was a lot better than seeing the clock change on the hour, every hour. Her mind actually felt refreshed.


Given the previous few weeks of stress and betrayal, this was a revelation.


She inhaled deeply, a perfectly relaxed breath, and turned her head to Willow, who had one arm thrown above her head and one still wrapped around Tara. There was the tiniest bit of drool pooling at the corner of her mouth, betraying her deep sleep.


Tara moved just enough to turn her body into Willow’s. She lifted her hand and hovered over Willow’s face before very lightly tickling her cheek. Willow mumbled and turned her head.


“I told the penguins we needed more ketchup. Not mustard. Never.”


Tara let a single finger hover over Willow’s face before brushing some hair away from her brow. Willow’s lips smacked together softly and then her eyes fluttered open. They immediately brightened, albeit with a sleepy sag as she registered Tara’s closeness.


“Now that’s a sight to wake up to.”


“You were drooling,” Tara’s lips sloped in a half-smile.


Willow batted at her mouth and rubbed it against the pillow.


“Was not.”


Tara splayed her fingers out on Willow’s cheek.


“I do believe that means you slept as well as I did last night.”


“Whole-nighter,” Willow replied with lazy blinks, “Is that…do I feel rested?”


“Yes,” Tara breathed softly, “We got extremely lucky.”


“I’m sending Emmy the biggest thank you bouquet I can find,” Willow replied, shaking her head softly into the pillow, “Still can’t believe it went down like that.”


Her eyes slowly met Tara’s.


“And I am. Sorry, I mean. I–”


Tara put a finger on Willow’s lips.


“I love you,” she whispered, looking deep into Willow's eyes as she repeated Willow's words from the night before, “More than anything.”


Willow swallowed softly, understanding.


Tara losing her was no better than her losing Tara.


Tara let her hand fall away and replaced it with her lips. Willow accepted with a caught breath, followed by a moan.


Kisses had been more comforting and less arousing lately but a quick slip of Tara's tongue had Willow remembering.


She cupped Tara’s cheek, drawing them closer, then slid her hand down Tara’s back. She pulled away, confused when Tara’s top rustled.


“What are we wearing?”


She looked down at them both.


Tara realized they were still in their clothing from yesterday.


“We just crashed. We never got out of our clothes.”


Willow brought her hand around to unbutton Tara’s top.


“Let me fix that.”


She popped each one with a purposeful flick of her thumb and watched as Tara's eyes grew darker and darker.


When the last one was freed she pushed Tara's shirt over her shoulder and down her arm. She kissed the exposed shoulder and along the shoulder blade before nipping at Tara's neck.


Tara let out a sound between a moan and a giggle. Willow smiled against Tara's skin and ran her fingers up Tara's torso, tickling her.


Tara laughed loudly this time.


While sex hadn’t been a priority in the preceding weeks, playfulness in any aspect of their relationship had taken an even deeper nosedive. Laughing was non-existent outside of keeping up appearances for Sally, who had even told them both to lighten up, several times.


Sharing joy in the quiet of the morning felt as healing as anything could.


Tara turned her head to kiss the cheek looking back up at her, then lifted Willow's chin so their lips could properly meet. They kissed achingly deep as the emotion overtook them both. Tara paused them after a moment but kept their faces close together.


“I love you so much,” she whispered softly as she gazed into Willow’s eyes.


“I know,” Willow replied in the same tone, “And I love you too.”


Tara audibly swallowed.


“More than–”


It was Willow’s turn to press a finger to Tara’s lips.


Their clothes eventually ended up on the floor but it wasn’t hurried or hasty; each popped button was exchanged for a kiss and each gentle tug was accompanied by dancing fingers.


Even before their last, and avowedly final, experience of getting wild in the wild, they didn’t usually have much time in the mornings for more than a quick cuddle while the other turned the alarm off. With some unexpected longevity on offer, Willow dropped kisses wherever her lips may land.


Willow had Tara’s leg bent provocatively and her tongue was licking closer and closer to the crease of Tara’s thigh, teasingly approaching. Just as she was about to make contact where they both wanted it most, Tara pulled her back up and rolled them over so she was on top.


Willow gasped at the sudden withdrawal but her body reacted on instinct with her knee sliding up and over Tara's hip. They grinded into each other as the air above became thick with their combined scents.


With her hips rolling on Willow, making them both wetter, Tara’s hand slid down Willow’s chest and palmed her breast with greedy yet delicate fluttering movements. Willow thrust up for more contact and Tara gave it everywhere, bearing down with her hips, hands, and lips. Arousal spilled from Tara onto Willow, who felt that arousal roll up through her and bubble out in a moan.


She grabbed Tara’s hand, making it smush her breast harder, and encouraged Tara’s fingers toward her hard nipple.


They were still kissing, but now their kisses slipped all over each other’s faces in their desperate need for closeness.


Tara’s leg slid over Willow’s thigh and one flush glide had moans falling out of her mouth. She left one last open-mouthed kiss on Willow’s neck before sitting back to give herself some weight to her traction.


Willow very much appreciated the view and grabbed onto Tara’s hips, pulling her against her thigh. She could practically feel Tara’s pleasure with every movement as skin slid on skin. Tara’s hands cupped both of Willow’s breasts as gentle leverage and they rocked each other’s bodies back and forth. Willow’s arousal grew and grew while Tara tried her hardest to let hers release.


Though Tara was riding her hard, Willow had her under complete control with how fast she allowed Tara’s hips to move.


“I’m gonna make you sweat,” she said as her own brow produced the same.


Their eyes locked and Willow felt Tara give over control.


Her fingertips dug into Tara’s hips.


She bit her own lip.


Every inch of them was tense.


And then…she let go.


Her hands fell down Tara’s thighs; her teeth released. Her eyes softened and her arms went limp.


She quickly sat up, holding Tara to her so she didn’t fall, and rested their foreheads together.


“No.”


Tara’s cheeks were flushed but her eyes were tender.


“No?” she asked gently, ready to pause, though her chest heaved.


“I mean, yes!” Willow corrected herself with wide, glassy eyes and a huge grin, “Definitely yes.”


She caught Tara’s lips and kissed her softly.


“But I don’t need to be in control,” she whispered, turning her head to leave repeated kisses on Tara’s lips, each one softer than the last, “I just need you.”


Tara smiled, laid them back down, and joined her hand with Willow’s. She brought their hands between their bodies and skirted her fingers past Willow’s lips. She felt Willow shudder beneath her and then did the same as she was caressed.


Their foreheads touched and eyes locked again. Tara shifted slightly to accommodate their position and once their bodies were touching in all the right places, she kissed Willow again in a quieter but no less passionate embrace.


As they grew closer to a mutual climax the dexterity of their hands increased but their lips relaxed so they were just guiding and communicating with each other through lidded eyes.


Almost silent moans were exchanged when they came in quick succession; all nudged noses and languid limbs as their curled toes got wrapped up in each other.


Tara sighed happily with her cheek on Willow’s breast; eyes closed and body sated.


“No matter what is happening anywhere else, right here is where I feel safest.”


Willow blinked heavily.


In a rush of hazy emotion, she suddenly saw herself as a little girl again.


The way her small body had instinctively thrown itself between Donny and Tara, heart pounding in her chest, hands trembling but fierce, shielding Tara from his harsh words. She remembered the sting of fear mixed with a fierce, protective love still burning fresh in her heart.


A little older, she remembered the quivering defiance in her voice as she argued with her mother for the first time, trying to defend Tara against cruel judgments. The taste of tears lingered on her lips, bitter and raw, but knowing she was right.


As a teenager, she recalled the long afternoons spent helping Tara with chores. Spraying each other with the hose as they watered plants and fighting with the bubbles when washing the dishes but also offering to help clean Tara’s room and put away her laundry. Not just to be around her, but so Tara could have more time or cash for herself, to do the things she loved.


Then there were the small, quiet moments. Buying pizza every Friday night so Tara wouldn’t have to worry about money. Letting her choose the movie every time, even when she was going through her Twilight phase. Always having cherry Cola on hand because it was her favorite even though the only time Willow liked the taste was when it was on Tara's lips.


She remembered how she’d never told Tara about how her broken wrist in second grade was from standing up to a bully in the schoolyard she heard calling Tara names. Nobody, even the bully, knew that was the reason, but it was.


A lump rose in her throat, thick and heavy. Her breath caught, tears slipping quietly down her cheeks.


“Now I understand,” she whispered, voice catching, fingers clutching at her throat as if to hold back the flood of emotion, “This is who I am.”


Tara lifted her head and scooted up so they were face to face. Willow wiped her eyes with her thumb and forefinger.


“I’m sorry, I feel like I just had an epiphany,” she said, clutching her chest as she looked at Tara, “All those years, I…I tried my best. I always loved you. I tried to show it how I could.”


Tara slowly smiled, realizing Willow was finally truly ready to embrace self-forgiveness.


“I know you did.”


Willow reached out to cradle Tara’s cheek tenderly.


“I always wanted to protect you.”


“And you did,” Tara pressed her lips to Willow’s palm, “You did.”


She reached up so they were both holding each other’s faces and after kissing for a moment, they both just laughed freely.


After a few minutes, they heard stirrings from the living room.


“I’ll go,” Willow offered immediately but Tara was quick to pull her back.


She looked like she was about to counter-offer but instead just smiled.


“Let’s go together.”


They shared a last kiss before getting their robes around them and leaving the bedroom. Sally was pouring herself some cereal and didn’t look up.


“Good morning,” Tara said cheerily while she went to put the coffee on.


“Good morning!” Willow added with a pep in her step.


There was a mumbled response and an exchange of glances.


Willow looked over at the table as she took the milk from the fridge.


“You okay kiddo?”


Sally’s shoulders shifted uncomfortably and she didn’t look up from her Oreo-Os.


“I heard…”


Her voice dropped.


“Voices last night.”


Another look and some fast thinking.


“The neighbors came over a few minutes,” Willow said easily, sipping on her coffee, “They needed, uh…um…”


“A cup of sugar?” Sally asked with a raised eyebrow.


“No,” Willow replied in an over-exaggerated manner, “That would be…so predictable. They wanted a…”


“Hammer,” Tara concluded, causing Willow to side-eye her and mouth ‘hammer?’


“A hammer?” Sally asked dubiously.


Willow gave Tara a ‘told you so’ look and turned around.


“For Christmas decorations,” she covered, “Probably to…hammer the tree in. Or whatever you Santa-worshippers do.”


Sally looked up with a quizzical line in her brow.


“Wait. Do we celebrate Christmas?”


Santa hadn’t exactly been a jolly old man for her, historically. Christmas was an excuse for her father to drink and Aunt Gwen and Cousin Beth to talk about god and a 'woman's place in his kingdom'.


Tara leaned back against the countertop.


“Oh, um,” she paused in thought, “Well Willow celebrates Hanukkah, and Mom and Jeff do Yule now but we grew up with Christmas.”


Willow smiled affably.


“Guess we’re doing Chrisyulenukkah.”


Tara grinned in agreement, then took a glug of her coffee and set her mug down.


“And I’m doing the first shower!”


She left an audible kiss on Willow’s cheek and skipped off to the bathroom. Sally watched her go with a penetrating stare.


“She seems happy.”


“Well, only one more day of school and we’re on winter vacation!” Willow replied enthusiastically.


Sally lifted her gaze to Willow, unrelenting.


“I heard Tara crying.”


Willow inhaled slowly and exhaled it again.


“Last night?”


Sally nodded.


“Yeah. And some other times.”


Willow came over and sat on the chair to the side of Sally.


“You’re too smart for your own good,” she said, resting one elbow on the table, “Okay. I’ll be straight with you. We’ve been dealing with something the last couple of weeks. Nothing for you to worry about and it’s all fixed now. All you need to know is you’re safe and your sister is safe.”


Sally gnawed on her lip.


“A-and you?”


Willow felt her heart clench.


“Me too,” she just smiled, “We’re all good. You just have to keep being the cool kid you are. I promise. Everything is okay.”


Sally was quiet for a moment. She looked at Willow intently and then made a choice.


A choice to allow herself to actually be a kid who could just be reassured by an adult.


A choice to trust.


She gave a small nod as Miss Kitty Fantastico jumped down from her bed to stretch and demand food.


“Are we really bringing Miss Kitty to Sunnydale this time?”


Willow plucked her up to only mild protest.


“We can’t have Chrisyulenukkah without her!”


Sally laughed and Willow handed over custody.


“You want some eggs or something?”


“Sure,” Sally agreed as she got Miss Kitty to roll over and rub her belly.


“Watch out for the death talons!” Willow warned as she returned to the kitchen to make them some eggs.


“She doesn’t use them with me,” Sally replied as Miss Kitty rocked back and forth on her fist.


“Traitor cat,” Willow mumbled.


The next thing she felt was claws on her calf.

---

“It still really hurts!”


Willow rubbed her calf under her faux-fur leggings, twisting awkwardly in the passenger seat.


“It barely bled,” Sally replied dismissively from the backseat.


“You shouldn’t have called her a traitor, honey,” Tara replied while driving, “You know she’s sensitive to character assassination.”


Miss Kitty was her own self and would love and hate on her own terms. She meowed from the back as if to emphasize this.


“You’re on her side?!” Willow asked incredulously, before lowering her voice, “Enjoy sleeping with that pussy.”


“She’s sleeping with me!” Sally replied, sliding her finger through the spaces in the cat carrier to touch Miss Kitty’s nose.


“I’ll put some Neosporin on it and kiss it better later,” Tara promised.


Willow eyed Tara, deciding how amenable to forgiveness she was.


“Promise?”


“As long as it’s not in that order,” Tara smiled.


Willow returned it.


“Deal.”


She lifted her pinky, which Tara quickly linked with hers for a moment before putting her hands back on the wheel.


Willow sighed contentedly and moved her hand behind the head rest on the driver’s side so she could play with Tara’s hair.


“I didn’t tell you – my therapist suggested meditation when we discussed recent…events. I’ve been dabbling with Tai Chi again. In front of the mirror. You know…where the kicking happened.”


She grimaced. Tara smirked.


“To be fair,” Tara said, chuckling, “Who opens a bathroom door without full body armor? Entirely my fault.”


Willow’s nose scrunched apologetically.


“To avoid roundhousing that beautiful belly again, I was thinking of taking a class regularly. Would you be okay with me being away a couple of hours a week?”


“I think it’s a great idea,” Tara turned her head to smile at Willow for a small moment when safety allowed, “I’ll support you however I can.”


“I know,” Willow replied softly, surely and idly ran her finger over the curve of Tara’s ear as they fought through the holiday traffic.


It was dark by the time they arrived in Sunnydale and it was more than just Miss Kitty mewing for freedom. It was close to dinner time and they’d stopped for coffee leaving LA but hadn’t consumed much else.


“My girls are here!” Kimberly came down the driveway, arms wide, face lit with joy.


Willow hugged her quickly but was jumping from leg to leg.


“Sorry, gotta pee!” she yelped before rushing past into the house.


Kimberly laughed and turned to Tara and Sally, wrapping them each in a hug.


“Long drive?” she asked.


“Not too bad,” Tara replied as she took out the the cat carrier, “We stopped for coffee but we’re definitely ready for dinner.”


“Willow stole all the jellybeans,” Sally added, rubbing her belly as they stepped inside, “I’m running on my crackers from my lunchbox.”


Kimberly grinned.


“Dinner’s almost ready. Chicken pot pie. Comfort food level ten.”


Tara smiled warmly.


“It smells amazing.”


She crouched to unclip the carrier, and Miss Kitty launched herself into the house with a practiced elegance and pounced directly into Jeff’s waiting arms as he emerged from the living room.


“And who’s this little one?” he asked as Miss Kitty purred.


“That’s Miss Kitty Fantastico,” Sally said.


“What a Fantastico name.”


Jeff scratched her ears.


“Looks like she has a new pal,” Tara said as Miss Kitty reached a paw up to touch Jeff’s face.


Kimberly reached over and stroked his face.


“She likes that bit of scruff you’re growing,” she said before winking, “So do I.”


“Okay,” Tara pushed Sally gently into the living room to avoid anyone seeing her blush, “Why don’t you stretch your legs out, Sal?”


Jeff beckoned Sally toward the living room, Miss Kitty now draped across his shoulders like a regal scarf.


“Want to help me dress the tree while we wait for dinner?” he asked, lifting a small pinecone ornament from the table, “We’re splitting it. Yule on one side, Christmas on the other.”


Sally’s eyes sparkled.


“Like a magical mullet tree?”


Jeff chuckled.


“Exactly the vibe. Where did you learn about mullets anyway?”


“Don’t you watch Stranger Things?” Sally shook her head disbelievingly.


Tara followed them in, spotting a string of cranberry and a popcorn garland draped over the coffee table beside dried orange slices and cinnamon sticks tied with twine. Their spicy scent mingled with the sharp tang of citrus which was new to Tara as growing up peppermint had always been the dominant Christmas smell in their house.


While she could see their old box of decorations on the floor, filled with flimsy tinsel and paper ornaments she’d brought home from school, there were new hand-carved wooden stars catching the soft glow of the table lamps while a set of beeswax candles sat flickering on the mantle.


“Old-school and biodegradable,” Kimberly said as she entered with a tray of mugs of hot apple cider, “Nature should celebrate with us, not suffer for it.”


She set the tray down and handed the mugs out. Steam emanated from the top and the ceramic knocked together as everyone reached for one.


“Dinner is in 10 but warm up with these.”


“Do I get to climb the ladder?” Sally asked, eyeing the step stool near the tree.


“Only if you promise not to leap off like Wonder Woman,” Tara said with a pointed arch of her eyebrow.


“I make no promises,” Sally grinned.


Willow returned from upstairs and paused at the sight of the room: warm lamplight, the smell of citrus and clove in the air, and a menorah already gleaming in the window, its place of honor beside the tree.


“You guys got a menorah?” she asked, touched.


Kimberly smiled at Jeff, who returned it.


“Your father gave us the menorah as a housewarming gift. Said he knew you’d be here for part of Hanukkah.”


Tara turned to her mother, brows arching.


“Housewarming?”


A flicker of something passed through her as she realized what that meant.


Her 'home' was now…theirs.


A wave of emotion, too overwhelming to identify. Strange, layered. Like watching someone paint over your past.


Jeff’s eyes widened slightly. He gave Tara a sheepish grin and silently mouthed Sorry to Kimberly.


But Kimberly just reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.


“Of sorts,” she said with a proud little smile, “Jeff has officially moved in.”


Jeff pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and she leaned into his shoulder with quiet contentment.


There was a small lull of silence as the others processed this.


Sally glanced at Willow and Tara, huddled together effortlessly as they did at home, and hesitated for a beat. Then she crouched by the decoration box, quieter now as she sensed the adults needed it. Her fingers brushed an old felt star before digging into memories that didn’t belong to her yet, but would do soon.


Willow glanced unsurely in her girlfriend’s direction. Tara’s smile held, but Willow caught the flicker in her eyes. Surprise, then thought. Tara had told her before that it was strange imagining her mom with someone. Not bad. Just…new.


Tara had told Willow it must have been the same for her mother when she found out about them but it didn’t mean she didn’t support them and that she supported Kimberly and Jeff too.


Willow was ready to interject but then a warm blooming smile spread on Tara’s face. She went to embrace her mother and then Jeff immediately after, who seemed very pleased by this development, even if Miss Kitty was still trying to lay claim.


“That’s amazing,” she said with real love in her voice.


She would admit to a moment’s hesitation, but looking around at Sally, Willow, and the shining menorah, she knew this was how things should be. Kimberly's heart needed that fresh coat of paint.


“It is,” Willow agreed eagerly, “I’m so happy for you. I hope you’re both okay with us crashing your first holidays as a moved-in couple.”


“Of course we are,” Kimberly shook her head, “I love having my kids around. And you’ll be with your parents too, I hope. I know Ira has been so looking forward to spending time with you.”


Willow just smiled unsurely.


“You don’t mind having the menorah here?”


“Not at all,” Jeff replied as he handed Sally a small bundle of holly to tuck between the branches, “Your dad and I have been having some wonderful talks. He sees more overlap than he used to, especially with the Solstice’s focus on returning light.”


Willow glanced at Tara, eyebrows raised. Tara smiled and gave a small nod.


“And,” Kimberly added gently, “Your father invited us all to join Shabbat this Friday. He mentioned it’s a special one.”


Willow nodded.


“Rosh Chodesh, Shabbos, and Chanukah together,” she answered before blinking, “He invited… everyone?”


Jeff nodded.


“Said we should bring a dish and open hearts.”


Willow looked stunned for a moment, then softened.


“I thought his last invitation was just a whiskey thing,” she admitted, “Triple-threat Friday is kind of a…big deal.”


“Well,” Tara said softly, coming up behind her, “So is your family. And maybe they’re ready to show it.”


Kimberly moved to the tree and added a small green ribbon around one branch, then looked over her shoulder.


“And your parents will be here for our Solstice Soirée,” she said with a mix of excitement and nerves, “It’s my first time hosting in this house.”


“You’ll be amazing,” Jeff said, resting a hand on her lower back.


She blushed and leaned into his touch.


Willow gave Tara a quick, sideways smile, and they laced fingers as they moved toward the tree.


“I love this,” Willow murmured, “All the…light coming together.”


Tara squeezed her hand.


“It’s how it should be. And we deserve to just be able to relax after everything we’ve been through this year.”


She sat and pulled Willow onto her lap. Willow rested her head against Tara’s as they watched Sally loop a tinsel strand around her neck like a boa. She then paused to glance at Tara and Willow curled together and looked like she might make a gagging noise but instead offered a rare soft smile. She did a twirl instead and the whole room laughed; the bright candles reflecting off their faces.


Willow leaned into Tara and softened her voice.


“About what you said…”


She discreetly nodded toward Kimberly and Jeff, who were smudging some cinnamon pine and letting Sally go crazy on the tree.


“You really mean it? It’s okay if it’s weird. This house…it’s full of your whole childhood. It’d be totally normal to feel off about someone else moving in. Doesn’t mean you don’t want your Mom to be happy.”


“I do want my mom to be happy. And he does that. She deserves it. Besides.”


Tara’s hand skimmed Willow’s thigh, her lips brushing the hollow of Willow’s collarbone – barely-there touches, invisible to anyone watching but vivid between them.


She paused, then whispered softly.


“I already have my home.”

[teeth]

woooo! dibs!

finally caught up again. i'm not good at leaving feedback right now so i'm just gonna say eeeeeeeeeee!!!!


thank you laragh as always !!

[Will's redemption]

“I love you,” she whispered, looking deep into Willow's eyes as she repeated Willow's words from the night before, “More than anything.”


Willow swallowed softly, understanding.


Tara losing her was no better than her losing Tara.

I fervently hope that they will never again come into a situation in which one of them would feel the need to endanger or edven sacrifice herself to save the other! No taking a bullet for the other in this verse, okay Laragh?

Yay that they woke rested and with enough time for tender lovemaking to reconnect before they had to get up.

“Now I understand,” she whispered, voice catching, fingers clutching at her throat as if to hold back the flood of emotion, “This is who I am.”


Tara lifted her head and scooted up so they were face to face. Willow wiped her eyes with her thumb and forefinger.


“I’m sorry, I feel like I just had an epiphany,” she said, clutching her chest as she looked at Tara, “All those years, I…I tried my best. I always loved you. I tried to show it how I could.”


Tara slowly smiled, realizing Willow was finally truly ready to embrace self-forgiveness.


“I know you did.”


Willow reached out to cradle Tara’s cheek tenderly.


“I always wanted to protect you.”


“And you did,” Tara pressed her lips to Willow’s palm, “You did.”


She reached up so they were both holding each other’s faces and after kissing for a moment, they both just laughed freely.

I'm really happy that Willow had this epiphany and is overcoming her guilt about how she treated Tara wrongly while she was battling against her gayness and allowing herself to remember the good things, esp. how she protected and helped Tara whenever she could.

“You okay kiddo?”


Sally’s shoulders shifted uncomfortably and she didn’t look up from her Oreo-Os.


“I heard…”


Her voice dropped.


“Voices last night.”

“I heard Tara crying.”


Willow inhaled slowly and exhaled it again.


“Last night?”


Sally nodded.


“Yeah. And some other times.”

I already suspected that Sally might be not as oblivious to Willow's and Tara's distress because of the blackmail as they hoped her to be. I'm glad that Sally was brave enough to talk with Willow about it so she could reassure her and that Willow chose to tell her the basic truth that their was an issue bothering them that is resolved now.

Willow came over and sat on the chair to the side of Sally.


“You’re too smart for your own good,” she said, resting one elbow on the table, “Okay. I’ll be straight with you. We’ve been dealing with something the last couple of weeks. Nothing for you to worry about and it’s all fixed now. All you need to know is you’re safe and your sister is safe.”


Sally gnawed on her lip.


“A-and you?”


Willow felt her heart clench.


“Me too,” she just smiled, “We’re all good. You just have to keep being the cool kid you are. I promise. Everything is okay.”


Sally was quiet for a moment. She looked at Willow intently and then made a choice.


A choice to allow herself to actually be a kid who could just be reassured by an adult.


A choice to trust.

AWWW to Sally checking if Willow is safe too, showing Willow that not only Tara sees her as essential for their little core family! And yay for Sally choosing to trust Willow's reassurance that their core family is safe and Sally doesn't have to worry anymore.

“You shouldn’t have called her a traitor, honey,” Tara replied while driving, “You know she’s sensitive to character assassination.”


Miss Kitty was her own self and would love and hate on her own terms. She meowed from the back as if to emphasize this.


“You’re on her side?!” Willow asked incredulously, before lowering her voice, “Enjoy sleeping with that pussy.”


“She’s sleeping with me!” Sally replied, sliding her finger through the spaces in the cat carrier to touch Miss Kitty’s nose.

Good that innocent Sally didn't understand this sexual innuendo!

I’ve been dabbling with Tai Chi again. In front of the mirror. You know…where the kicking happened.”


She grimaced. Tara smirked.


“To be fair,” Tara said, chuckling, “Who opens a bathroom door without full body armor? Entirely my fault.”


Willow’s nose scrunched apologetically.


“To avoid roundhousing that beautiful belly again, I was thinking of taking a class regularly.

Shame on you Laragh for not letting us witness this hilarious moment, whenever it happened (surely before the blackmail started?)!

Willow glanced unsurely in her girlfriend’s direction. Tara’s smile held, but Willow caught the flicker in her eyes. Surprise, then thought. Tara had told her before that it was strange imagining her mom with someone. Not bad. Just…new.


Tara had told Willow it must have been the same for her mother when she found out about them but it didn’t mean she didn’t support them and that she supported Kimberly and Jeff too.


Willow was ready to interject but then a warm blooming smile spread on Tara’s face. She went to embrace her mother and then Jeff immediately after, who seemed very pleased by this development, even if Miss Kitty was still trying to lay claim.


“That’s amazing,” she said with real love in her voice.


She would admit to a moment’s hesitation, but looking around at Sally, Willow, and the shining menorah, she knew this was how things should be. Kimberly's heart needed that fresh coat of paint.

I wouldn't have expected a different reaction from sweet Tara! I'm also glad for Kimberly that she is finally in a loving, lasting relationship with a decent man who loves and respects not only her but also her kids.

“And,” Kimberly added gently, “Your father invited us all to join Shabbat this Friday. He mentioned it’s a special one.”


Willow nodded.


“Rosh Chodesh, Shabbos, and Chanukah together,” she answered before blinking, “He invited… everyone?”


Jeff nodded.


“Said we should bring a dish and open hearts.”


Willow looked stunned for a moment, then softened.


“I thought his last invitation was just a whiskey thing,” she admitted, “Triple-threat Friday is kind of a…big deal.”


“Well,” Tara said softly, coming up behind her, “So is your family. And maybe they’re ready to show it.”

I fully trust that Ira is ready but I still have my doubts about Sheila... I hope that Ira and Sheila made the decision together to invite them all and that Sheila will at least try to behave friendly.

“I love this,” Willow murmured, “All the…light coming together.”


Tara squeezed her hand.


“It’s how it should be. And we deserve to just be able to relax after everything we’ve been through this year.”


She sat and pulled Willow onto her lap. Willow rested her head against Tara’s as they watched Sally loop a tinsel strand around her neck like a boa. She then paused to glance at Tara and Willow curled together and looked like she might make a gagging noise but instead offered a rare soft smile. She did a twirl instead and the whole room laughed; the bright candles reflecting off their faces.

I love that Sally is not only getting used to their public displays of affection but allowing herself to feel warmed by this one.

I'm looking forward to their family gatherings but also hope that Willow and Tara will find time to meet with Buffy, Xander and Anya during the holidays.

[Laragh]

teeth —

woooo! dibs!

finally caught up again. i'm not good at leaving feedback right now so i'm just gonna say eeeeeeeeeee!!!!


thank you laragh as always !!

Thank you! Even knowing you're reading is a huge thrill

Thanks for commenting!

Will's redemption —

I fervently hope that they will never again come into a situation in which one of them would feel the need to endanger or edven sacrifice herself to save the other! No taking a bullet for the other in this verse, okay Laragh?

That I can promise you! No bullets!!

Yay that they woke rested and with enough time for tender lovemaking to reconnect before they had to get up.

I'm really happy that Willow had this epiphany and is overcoming her guilt about how she treated Tara wrongly while she was battling against her gayness and allowing herself to remember the good things, esp. how she protected and helped Tara whenever she could.

It's a journey! But one they will share together

I already suspected that Sally might be not as oblivious to Willow's and Tara's distress because of the blackmail as they hoped her to be. I'm glad that Sally was brave enough to talk with Willow about it so she could reassure her and that Willow chose to tell her the basic truth that their was an issue bothering them that is resolved now.

That kid hasn't survived as long as she has without being perceptive!

AWWW to Sally checking if Willow is safe too, showing Willow that not only Tara sees her as essential for their little core family! And yay for Sally choosing to trust Willow's reassurance that their core family is safe and Sally doesn't have to worry anymore.

She's along on this journey too!

Good that innocent Sally didn't understand this sexual innuendo!

I actually consider Sally to be quite innocent in that regard even though she's advanced in other ways.

Shame on you Laragh for not letting us witness this hilarious moment, whenever it happened (surely before the blackmail started?)!

After, which is why it's only referenced, because if I wrote it live they probably would have both burst into tears!!

I wouldn't have expected a different reaction from sweet Tara! I'm also glad for Kimberly that she is finally in a loving, lasting relationship with a decent man who loves and respects not only her but also her kids.

She deserves it! She raised her kids alone, with judgement, and she's still young!

I fully trust that Ira is ready but I still have my doubts about Sheila... I hope that Ira and Sheila made the decision together to invite them all and that Sheila will at least try to behave friendly.

I wanna get there with Sheila...but don't want it to be unearned!

I love that Sally is not only getting used to their public displays of affection but allowing herself to feel warmed by this one.

Not that she'd ever admit it!

I'm looking forward to their family gatherings but also hope that Willow and Tara will find time to meet with Buffy, Xander and Anya during the holidays.

I want to keep them in the story but sometimes it's hard to fit them in when their lives are in Sunnydale and Willow and Tara elsewhere...but I definitely want to feature them soon!

Thanks for your feedback!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

---

A Medley Of Holidays
(Part 1)

---

My Love, A Beacon In The Night
My Words Will Be Your Light
To Carry You To Me

Willow kneaded the dough in her hand with great dedication.


“Harder!” an imposing voice called from somewhere.


It somehow sounded like her mother, her 4th-grade teacher, and the science fair judges all at once.


She doubled down, sweat forming on her brow but the voice just got louder and more echoing.


She worked and worked until her arms gave way and her face dropped down into the dough.


Surprisingly, she didn’t fight.


It was nice.


Muffled those loud voices.


Felt safe.


She rubbed her face into it.


So soft.


So pillowy.


So–


“Willow.”


Willow’s eyes flew open.


It took several blinks but she quickly realized her cheek was firmly planted on Tara’s breast while her fingers were firmly entrenched around the other one.


Tara was gently trying to prise her off.


“You know I don’t mind you copping a feel but you’re putting new meaning to the phrase ‘titty twister’.”


Willow looked up at Tara with sleepy confusion. Tara looked back accusingly.


“You’re imaging a tornado of boobs aren’t you?”


She was now.


It took another second but finally, everything clicked and she was quick to withdraw her hand.


“Shit. I’m so sorry.”


She’d left little red marks on Tara’s breast and tried to soothe them with little rubs, which quickly just made her cheeks go the same color. She looked back up at Tara.


“Sorry. Weird dream. I’ll try not to use you like a security stuffie again.”


Tara enveloped Willow with her arms and rolled them so she was spooning her.


“How about your security blanket?”


Willow smiled and scooted back into Tara happily.


“Perfect.”


She closed her eyes again and took a moment to do a body scan; feeling every point of contact with Tara instead of every point of awareness of her own body. A Tara-scan. It was much more relaxing.


“Absolutely perfect.”


Tara nuzzled into the back of Willow’s head.


“No school. No work.”


“Bliss,” Willow sighed happily.


They promptly heard repeated crashing sounds from downstairs.


“…or not.”


They jumped out of bed and hurried down to the kitchen. Willow had her phone in her hand ready to call 911 but there was no need, as just Jeff stood there, shirtless, holding Miss Kitty to his torso as she purred.


There were multiple aluminum bowls on the floor.


“Sorry, girls,” Jeff blushed as he petted the cat, “We got a little too ambitious with some trick shots.”


Both girls’ eyes went to the little bag of treats sitting on the counter next to him.


Suddenly Sally appeared from behind him, holding a phone in landscape position.


“I got the jump though! We just need to get her landing!”


Kimberly came through the back door then, holding a brown paper bag.


“Oh good, everyone is up,” she smiled and shook the bag, “I got bagels. Extra lox for you, Willow.”


“What can I say, I’m a stereotype,” Willow replied deadpan.


Jeff scratched Miss Kitty between the ears.


“Me too.”


“Don’t think we’ll have any problem getting a kitty sitter in the future,” Willow murmured to Tara, who just smiled and went to get plates.


“What are my Balti dishes doing on the floor?” Kimberly asked with a frown and Sally and Jeff looked at each other and quickly averted their gazes.


“So, uh, Ms. M,” Willow tried to distract, “What can we do to help with your solstice party later?”


“You can help pot the homemade jam Jeff made for the party favors,” Kimberly suggested and offered a crooked smile Willow knew all too well, “Try not to get it in your hair this time.”


“I was five!” Willow defended, “And Tara put it there!”


“I was trying to see if it was the same red as her hair,” Tara smiled slyly and kissed Willow’s cheek as she passed.


“Sheila Rosenberg didn’t care for explanations,” Kimberly replied dryly.


Willow winced.


“I don’t remember that part. I just remember…” she looked at Tara, who smiled, “That. I remember you splatting it on my head and giggling.”


She could picture it so clearly. Remember how she felt, so much emotion for this person that she couldn’t even process in her tiny body. Pure joy. Pure love.


“I love you so much,” the words came out of her mouth and across the kitchen somewhat unintentionally.


But no one paid any heed; it was totally normal, acceptable, unremarkably routine.


“I love you too, honey,” Tara replied easily as she popped a grape into her mouth, “Do you want some OJ?”


Willow just nodded and joined the table to eat.


After breakfast and finishing the pots of jam, Tara brought Sally over to hang at the Summers’ house, while Willow decided to go say hello to her parents. The last time she’d seen them they were throwing hackey sacks at each other and life had gotten a little blackmail-y so she hadn’t been in much contact.


“Bubbeleh!” Ira greeted warmly at the door, wrapping his arms around Willow before looking around, “Where are the family?”


Willow’s heart swelled like one of the many tiny wounds of her childhood had been stitched up.


“Tara’s taking Sally to see Dawn. They’re besties now. It’s actually really sweet.”


Ira stood aside to let Willow in.


“Can I get you anything? There’s leftover hamantaschen.”


“Just ate, but thanks!” Willow replied, swinging her arms forward and back nervously, “Is Mom here?”


“Yes, of course,” Sheila came out of the study, “It’s nice to see you, Willow.”


Willow accepted a light hug.


“Thanks, Mom. It’s nice to see you too. Tara’s Mom told me you’re coming to her party tonight?”


“Oh yes, we’re quite looking forward to it,” Ira nodded.


“Fascinating theology,” Sheila agreed.


“It doesn’t um…” Willow trailed off, unsure what words to use, “Offend you?”


This was the man who banned a Christmas cartoon from playing on his TV and nearly had a heart attack one time she put up a poster with a plus sign on it and he thought it was a cross.


Ira seemed completely calm though.


“Whatever God you believe in, we come from the same one,” he replied sagely.


“Or ones,” Sheila added and they looked at each other and laughed.


Willow felt like she was in the twilight zone.


“Your old parents are capable of growing with the times,” Ira said, seeing the look on her face, “Some might say we’ve had to have been dragged but either way, if we are to be part of your family, then we need to embrace everyone in it.”


Willow let out a soft breath.


“Do you believe in all of these spirits and charms?” Sheila asked, her tone betraying absolutely no real feeling.


“Um…” Willow replied, shifting uncomfortably, “I don't really know. I guess for me…to love another person is to see the face of God. And I have a lot of love.”


Ira smiled in recognition and clasped his hands together.


“Coffee and kibitz?”


Willow followed her parents into the kitchen slightly relieved, still expecting to wake up at any moment.

---

Willow glanced from side to side before swiping two cups from the hard cider punch at the refreshments table and hurried over to Tara, standing on the outside patio under the fairy lights she and Sally had bickered over while hanging them earlier.


“Look what I sneaked us!”


Tara took the cup with a wry smile.


“You know I’m 21 right?” she clinked her cup against Willow’s, “And we’ve gotten drunk together many times?”


“Don’t ruin the fun,” Willow replied, covertly sipping from her cup, “And I think you’ll find your cradle-robbing ways have left you with a technically underage girlfriend.”


“Not for the first time,” Tara mused, causing Willow to lean against her and giggle.


Tara put her arm around Willow’s waist and held her at the hip.


“I wish my Mom had felt able to express her beliefs while we were growing up. Look how happy she is with all of her witchy friends.”


Kimberly was standing in the backyard beside the pinecone tree they’d built filled with peanut butter and seeds for the local wildlife to enjoy. The lawn was lined with lanterns while the patio was covered in candles in addition to the fairy lights. The main feature was the blazing fire pit Jeff had built with wood log benches on all sides.


Kimberly was speaking animatedly to a woman, who Willow was pretty sure owned the pet store in town, pausing every so often to wave or greet another person arriving. Jeff came over to top up her drink and it warmed Willow’s heart to see the way they looked at each other.


“Me too,” she agreed with Tara “But I’m glad she is now. Plus my parents would never have let me come over back then.”


Willow looked at Tara and glanced down at the hand on her.


“I like this,” she said, wiggling her hip indicatively, “I like you claiming me.”


Tara squeezed Willow’s hip, making Willow feel a warm surge under her dress.


“Stop that or I’ll be dragging you upstairs.”


“I think you have had enough of this,” Tara took her empty cup away, “I forgot how frisky you get under the influence.”


Willow made a little ‘rawr’ sound in Tara’s ear, who blushed and let her hand drop ever-so-slightly to the top of Willow’s rear.


Kimberly’s laugh permeated the air as she left a friend and walked past them.


“Hey Ms. M!” Willow greeted giddily, “Great Solstice!”


Kimberly offered a half-smile.


“Did you girls try the wassail?”


“The uh, hot apple punch?” Willow asked, grinning, “It was brew-tiful.”


Kimberly pursed her lips in amusement and leaned in.


“If your parents ask who got you drunk you better not say me.”


She raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the house, where Sheila and Ira had just walked in.


She walked off and Willow’s eyes widened.


“My parents! I forgot they were coming!”


“Calm down, darling,” Tara reassured, lifting her hands to rub Willow’s shoulders, “Just play it cool.”


“When in my life have you ever known me to play it cool,” Willow hissed in response before bringing her hand up to do a dramatic wave, “Mom! Dad! You made it! From…all the way across the street!”


Sheila frowned and Ira just looked slightly bewildered.


“It’s very kind of you to come,” Tara took Willow’s hand and squeezed it tight, “Can we get you a drink?”


“I recommend the wassup,” Willow added before hiccupping and going wide-eyed.


“Waissail,” Tara corrected gently, “It’s like a mulled cider.”


Willow’s glassy eyes stared her parents down.


“We’re told it’s delicious.”


Tara nudged her, which made Willow spin away to stop laughing.


“I’ll get you some!”


She ran off, leaving Tara alone with the Rosenbergs.


“H-Have you seen the Yule tree?”


While Tara awkwardly showed her future in-laws the arrangement of chestnuts fastened into a bauble shape, Willow went into the kitchen, where she caught Sally sipping the wassail from a spoon and encouraging Dawn to do the same.


“Sally!” Willow exclaimed, clapping her hands together.


Sally quickly hid the spoon around her back while Dawn looked like she’d seen a ghost.


“We weren’t!” her voice came out high-pitched, “We–!”


“Run!” Sally instructed, taking Dawn’s hand and running past Willow.


Willow put her hands on her hips and pretended to look stern until they were out of view and then smiled.


Getting into kiddie antics like that was exactly what she hoped the rest of Sally’s childhood would be. She remembered her and Tara sneaking some ‘nog at their age, barely a sip each, but the thrill of it was like nothing else.


She decided the several cups of waissel she'd swigged earlier was enough and so just got two fresh cups for her parents before returning to save Tara from explaining the finer points of skyclad rituals to a blushing Ira and an unrelentingly probing Sheila.


Tara had gone into error mode by the time Willow got there.


“I–I–I…”


“...what’s going on?” Willow asked, quickly wrapping her arm around Tara’s waist once she’d handed off the cups.


“I simply wondered if the ancient pagan tradition of circumcision as a religious rite of passage has maintained its significance as it has with Judaism as a covenantal sign,” Sheila said with a purposeful one-shoulder shrug.


“Why?” Willow enunciated clearly, “Why would that ever come up?”


“Ira!”


Jeff’s voice broke the tension as he came over and clasped Ira’s hand.


“Jeff,” Ira also seemed grateful to see him, “Great to see you. This is Sheila.”


Willow took the out, quickly tugging Tara’s hand away to bring her to sit around the fire pit.


She kept their hands clasped and admired Tara's beauty in the light of the flames.


A few minutes passed and Kimberly came and stood at the top of the pit.


“Good evening everybody,” she started, loudly enough to gather everyone around.


As she started to speak, there was a gentle tug on her dress. She looked down and then bent down so Sally could whisper in her ear.


She smiled and nodded, stroked Sally’s hair, and stood.


“Sally would like to tell us a festive joke to start our evening.”


There were some encouraging cheers as Sally stood up on the bench and cleared her throat.


“What did the Earth say to the sun on the Winter Solstice?” she asked, a nervous but giddy smile playing on her face, "You’ve been so distant lately!"


There were big guffaws from both Ira and Jeff in unison and Sally took a bow before jumping down, fist-bumping Donny on the way.


Kimberly smiled and clapped her hands together.


“Thank you, Sally, our resident jokester,” she threw a wink in Sally’s direction before focusing back on her guests, “First, let me just say how grateful I am to be here tonight, with each of you. As we gather here to celebrate Yule, the winter solstice, let’s take a moment to appreciate that we are part of an ancient tradition of celebrating the longest night of the year. For centuries, people have gathered like this to bring light into the darkest time, to look ahead with hope, and to renew connections with friends and loved ones. And here we are doing just that. This night marks a turning point. From here, the days will begin to grow longer, little by little. In many ways, this year felt like a long night too, and yet here we are, still standing, together, sharing the light we have with each other.”


She looked to Ira pointedly, who nodded in recognition of their different traditions sharing the same meaning.


“And tonight, as we celebrate, let’s remember the Yule tree. It reminds us of endurance and growth, of life in the dead of winter. Each branch reaching outward is like each of us, part of the same tree, yet bringing our own light, joy, and warmth into this gathering. We’re part of something bigger than ourselves, and nights like these remind us of that.”


She reached for Jeff’s hand and took it proudly.


“So, let’s lift our glasses! Here’s to old traditions and new beginnings, to the friends who are family, to light and laughter. May we keep each other warm this winter, and may the coming year bring us all growth, love, and joy. To Yule! Cheers!”


There was a small cheer around the fire. Kimberly reached into a bag beside one of the logs and pulled out a stack of Post-its and pens.


Jeff lifted his voice to be heard around the yard.


“A tradition we’ve always done in my family is to write something on a piece of paper we’d like to relinquish to the universe and toss it into this sacred fire to burn. Kimberly is going to hand out some pens and pieces of paper. Feel free to shout as you toss your paper or just speak it to yourself.”


He stepped up first and bellowed to the night.


“Comparing success!”


Willow and Tara shared a surprised look at his volume, but sure enough, Jeff did seem unburdened as his paper burned.


They let the witchy people step up to take their turn but wanting to be supportive, Tara did so too, although she spoke a bit more quietly.


“Timidity,” she said as she tossed her paper into the fire.


Willow took up next to her and did the same.


“Shame.”


Tara took Willow’s hand and squeezed it affectionately.


As they sat down, they were both surprised by the next person to take a turn.


“Myopia,” Ira said reverently as he threw his paper in the fire.


Willow frowned.


“I don’t think he gets it,” she whispered to Tara, “It doesn’t cure bad eyesight.”


Tara pursed her lips to withhold a smile, but only just managed.


“I think he meant he was throwing away his myopic viewpoint.”


“Oh,” Willow replied, then brightened at the implications, “Oh!”


She smiled at her Dad, but he was looking at Sheila. She stared back for a moment before rolling her eyes.


“Oh fine,” she grabbed some paper and a pen. After scribbling something she haphazardly let it fall into the fire. “Perfectionism.”


“Tell me about it,” Willow whispered, lips pressed thin in something between amusement and old pain, “Think that will apply to how she sees me too?”


Tara couldn’t hide the smile this time. She wrapped that arm right around Willow again and kissed the top of her head. Willow leaned in and allowed that all-encompassing feeling of safety to engulf her just as the flames engulfed their insecurities.


Once Jeff had confirmed everybody who wanted to take part had, he lifted his glass.


“The ceremony is complete! May the spirits be with us! Hail!”


“Hail!” came the return from most of the guests.


Sheila tensed and shook her head.


“Ira, what on earth have we gotten ourselves associated with?”


The music started to play louder and many people got up to dance, including Willow and Tara. Ira couldn’t take his eyes off them.


“Can’t you see it?”


“The blasphemy?” Sheila asked, pulling her jacket closed with one hand.


“That’s rarely been a concern of yours,” Ira replied somewhat curtly but his face softened again, “No. Look. Look at our daughter. See the look on her face.”


Sheila looked over to Willow, who was being spun by Tara and laughing.


“What? Aimless frivolity?”


Ira exhaled a soft breath.


“Joy.”


He was very still for a moment, then took a step forward.


“I’m going to join her.”


“Ira,” Sheila said in a clipped tone, raising her voice when he didn’t respond, “Ira!”


Ira stopped to look over his shoulder.


“You can come along if you wish,” he said in a way that told Sheila he wasn’t turning back, “Or are you afraid you won’t be perfect?”


Sheila narrowed her eyes and watched Ira’s back as he moved to join in with the dancing.


She had a sudden memory of them being at a JCC in college and how they would dance all night without a care in the world. The next words out of her mouth were an impulse but a long time coming.


“Ira, wait.”


Ira looked back. He waited a moment and offered his hand.


Sheila took it.


And the smile Ira gave her was everything he’d given her in those days, just 25 years later.


Sheila hadn’t allowed herself to tap into those feelings in a very long time.


And so on the earth’s longest night, they took a short step toward each other.

---

“How come your Dad is running around so much?”


Willow watched her father fill up Sheila, Kimberly, and Jeff’s coffee before fixing the desserts sitting on the coffee table while he fussed over the neatness of the napkins.


“It’s Rosh Chodesh – the Jewish new moon,” she explained to Sally, “It’s kind of marked as a women’s holiday to rest. So Dad is just making sure we can relax.”


Sally’s eyes widened and she leaned in to whisper.


“Are Jews like werewolves?


“No,” Willow laughed, “We just follow the same calendar.”


She reached out to one of the plates on the coffee table.


“That’s why we have Oreos, see? To make different stages of the moon.”


She twisted one half off and licked the cream to form a half-moon. Sally raised an eyebrow.


“You told me not to play with my food.”


“Now you listen to me?” Willow replied, deadpan.


“A perfect crescent,” Ira complimented as he passed back to his chair. He took a cookie and mimicked Willow, “Look, it’s tasty and fun!”


Sally’s eyes dragged between the two of them.


“I’m starting to see where you get your sense of humor from.”


Ira smiled at Willow fondly, who let him believe it was a compliment. Sally tried to reach for a piece of sufganiyot, but she hit her knee against the table leg and stumbled.


“Whoa there, sweetie,” Tara caught her and stabilized her.


“Be careful, you’ll break your ankle tripping over those cushions,” Kimberly said with concern.


“And I can attest that is not something you want to do,” Tara patted Sally’s shoulder as she sat down on a cushion again.


Sally looked up at Tara with her mouth full of donut.


“You broke your ankle?”


“She still has a shiny scar,” Willow commented with a knowing nod.


“Just from breaking it?” Sally’s mouth dropped, “Did your bone pop out!?”


“No, the scar came from the gnarly surgery she had to have on it because she walked for miles on it after it happened,” Willow said, kissing Tara’s cheek from the other side.


“Why would you do that?” Sally’s brow furrowed, “HOW would you do that?”


“There was an earthquake,” Willow started, gazing adoringly at Tara.


“And I had to find Willow,” Tara finished, not breaking her gaze.


Sally’s tone dropped sarcastically.


“Really? You hurt yourself for her?”


Tara leaned in and nuzzled her nose briefly on Willow’s cheek.


“You know I'd walk a thousand miles.”


“That’s DUMB,” Sally exclaimed, shaking her head, “I hope I never fall in love if it makes me that stupid.”


Almost everyone laughed but Sheila excused herself to the kitchen.


“You’ll see one day, young girl,” Ira smiled then leaned down to pull open a drawer in the coffee table, “Have you ever played with a dreidel? I am the reigning champ in this house.”


Tara smirked.


“You’ve never played with me, Mr. Rose–” she caught herself off his look and smiled politely, “Ira.”


“Has a challenge been laid?” Ira raised an eyebrow with a certain amount of mirth shown in the twitch of his mustache.


“I sure hope so,” Jeff rubbed his hands together, “You are looking at the Southern California Major League Dreidel Champion three years in a row.”


Ira feigned shock.


“And I blind to the company I’ve been keeping all this time!”


“I’ll get you another soda,” Willow jumped up and grabbed Tara’s glass, “Anyone else want anything from the fridge?”


She collected a few more glasses and went into the kitchen. Sheila was standing with her hands resting on the island, silent.


“Do you want a refresh on your seltzer, Mom?” Willow asked as she went to the fridge and filled up the glasses she had, “I’m topping up drinks for the tournament that’s about to break out in there.”


Sheila didn’t reply, instead just giving Willow a withering look.


“You let her speak to you like that?”


Willow looked up, confused.


“Sorry?”


Sheila clicked her tongue.


“The child. I’ve never known it to be an expert parenting technique to laugh at disrespect.”


Willow felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise uncomfortably.


“'The child'? Do you mean Sally? The girl I'm helping raise? She’s just teasing,” she explained, trying not to sound meek even in her incredulity, “It’s actually how she shows affection. Trust me, we had a rocky start but we’re actually really good now. She's just a jokester. She-”


She felt herself falling into explanation and quickly stopped. She raised her chin and looked her mother in the eye.


“The real question is why I’m still letting you speak to me like this.”


Sheila blinked slowly.


“Excuse me?”


Willow scoffed.


“This isn’t about Sally. I don’t even think it’s about me anymore. You’ve been disappointed in every decision I’ve made since I finally took myself out from under your thumb,” she said, feeling her heart racing and her extremities start to tingle, “You were disappointed I took a gap year, you were disappointed I was dating Tara, disappointed I moved to LA, that we took in Sally. Maybe you need to figure out what you’re actually disappointed in and get over it because I’m done being your punching bag.”


Willow grabbed a small drinks tray and put the glasses on it quickly. As she turned, she heard her mother’s voice and surprisingly, she was the meek one.


“Willow,” Sheila’s voice cracked as she forced words to come out, “I’m sorry.”


Willow looked over her shoulder and didn’t relax her stance but did soften her voice.


“Get some therapy, Mom. I mean that as kindly as possible.”


She turned and walked back into the living room.


Sheila sighed. Her eyes flicked to the menorah on the windowsill.


“Perfectionism,” she murmured to herself, “It’s a family curse, I suppose.”


She leaned her hands on the counter and spent a long moment contemplating her life.


Willow smiled as she returned when she saw Tara spinning the dreidel and landing on a winning spin.


“Be careful there Dad, my girl’s a shark! She spun a Gimel and had me landing on Shin until I had nothing–” she cut herself off as Tara gave her an alarmed look and she remembered they hadn’t been playing for gold coins, but clothing, “Uh, left in the pot.”


Tara’s cheeks blushed but Willow was quick to give her a fresh soda to cool down with.


During a spirited game, Ira began singing, and Jeff joined in soon after.


“Sivivon, sov, sov, sov. Chanukah, hu chag tov!”


“Chanukah, hu chag tov! Sivivon, sov, sov, sov!” Willow joined in.


The next voice to join in was surprising.


“Chag simcha hu la-am. Nes gadol haya sham,” Sheila sang, only slightly wooden.


Willow caught her mother showing an emotion she didn’t often see in her – wistful. For once, there was no sharpness behind her eyes.

Picking up the rhythm, Tara was next.


“Nes gadol haya sham. Chag simcha hu la-am.”


Ira clapped and stood to kick his legs in a dance. Again, surprising the room, Sheila stood and took his hand to twirl. An actual smile graced her face.


“Sivivon, sov, sov, sov. Chanukah, hu chag tov!”


Ira puffed out a breath with a big smile.


“What a treat it is to have you all share this special night with us,” he said, smiling around the room, “And on that note…”


He went over to the cabinet and retrieved a box underneath filled with gifts in blue and white paper.


He came to Sally first, handing her a wrapped box-shaped square and a bag of gold chocolate coins.


Sally’s eyes lit up, not having expected presents and she ripped open the paper. At first, she was confused upon seeing a book but grinned as she flicked through the copy of The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming.


“It’s a book about an angry potato! Cool!”


She suddenly smirked, sneakily put her hand into her hoodie pocket, and then offered her hand to Ira with thanks. Ira smiled cheerily.


“Oh, what manners–YOW!”


Sally fell back laughing while Tara went beet red.


“Sally!” Willow said between clenched teeth, “Sorry, Dad, she got a buzzer at the magic box earlier.”


“My fault,” Jeff held up his hands apologetically, “Joke toys were a compromise with Anya who wanted more…novelty items.”


Ira looked at his hand slightly shocked, then started to laugh, big, heaving laughs.


“Oh, how fun! You got me, Sally!”


Sally just giggled while Willow tried desperately not to look at her mother. Instead, Sheila spoke up.


“Ira, you haven’t been shocked like that since St-Viateur ran out of bagels during our Bioethics conference in Montréal.”


There was a small beat of silence, because did Sheila Rosenberg just make a joke?


But Ira broke it and everyone else followed and merriment was restored.


Ira handed Tara a similar box to what he’d handed Sally.


“I hope this isn’t presumptuous.”


Tara took the box curiously and popped it open. Inside was a solid wood dreidel with her name engraved and ‘my first dreidel’. Tara felt choked up as she showed Willow.


“Ira, this is beautiful.”


“And now I can practice at home so I can whip your butts next year!” Sally exclaimed, who had opened her new dreidel by now too.


“Sally,” Willow said through gritted teeth.


“Oh, I welcome the challenge,” Ira laughed.


He added a bag of gelt for Tara and then handed something to Willow. Willow smiled and lifted the lid. Inside was a hanging ornament of a window pane with a menorah sitting in it and a star of David hanging from the top. Underneath, it said ‘In this house, we celebrate love’.


She looked at it, stunned. Her fingers trembled as she traced the Star of David with her thumb and took in the words.


“You got this for me?”


“I thought you could put it on the Yule tree,” Ira suggested nervously, “If Jeff and Kimberly don’t mind.”


“It’s lovely,” Kimberly reassured.


“Wow, Dad,” Willow stared down at the piece.


“Your mother picked it out,” Ira replied, looking bashful.


Willow looked up and met her mother’s eyes. Something passed between them, some recognition. Willow saw pain but something else.


Trying.


“Thanks, Mom.”


Sheila nodded once and cleared her throat softly.


“It’s nice to carry all of yourself wherever you go.”


Willow got up to hug her parents and then returned to show Tara her ornament.


While Ira gave some gifts out to the adults, Tara wrapped an arm around Willow and kissed the side of her head.


“Hey, I have another joke!” Sally announced proudly.


Willow grimaced but tried to hide it; not knowing what was coming.


“Do you think Noah does a lot of fishing in the ark?”


“Well, there was opportunity,” Ira mused thoughtfully, “And Noah was only instructed to take land animals on the Ark.”


“No, how could he?” Sally grinned, ignoring Ira’s attempts to theologize her joke, “He only has two worms!”


Ira let out a belly laugh and Willow could only smile and look between her girls with glassy eyes, knowing only Tara knew how much this meant.


Kimberly and Jeff took Sally home when it was getting close to bedtime and said goodnight to Willow and Tara, who were staying there tonight.


“Ira,” Tara smiled as she sat with her hands under her thighs, “Does your offer to come to temple with you in the morning still stand?”


Ira’s face lit up.


“We’d love to have you. Are you sure you can spare the time?”


Tara nodded and smiled at Willow.


“My Mom and Jeff are taking Sally Christmas shopping.”


“What an enlightened, multicultural life we all lead,” Sheila mused, only slightly sardonic as she sipped her drink.


“Quite,” Ira smiled, “We’ll see you both in the morning.”


Willow linked her fingers with Tara and nodded toward her bedroom.


“Goodnight,” Tara said, wiggling her fingers in a small wave as Willow led her away.


In Willow’s room, Tara sat to remove her shoes while Willow leaned against the door and flicked the lock, just in case.


“I love this part,” Willow sighed, soft against the quiet.


Tara looked up, brow raised.


“Of Hanukkah?”


Willow crossed to her and sat in her lap.


“Of the day.”


She pushed some hair from Tara’s brow, tilted her chin up, and kissed her softly.


Tara wrapped her arms around Willow’s back and would have very gladly fallen back into bed with her.


She pulled away just enough to rest their foreheads together.


Willow turned her head to nuzzle Tara’s nose.


“You don’t have to come to shul tomorrow.”


“I want to,” Tara said, “Especially since your father asked. Are there any rules?”


Willow shook her head. Tara didn’t need instructions on respect.


“No, not really. I’ll guide you if something comes up. It’s long, though. Not even including all the chatting afterward. Especially if it’s Rabbi Aronowitz.”


“Well I look forward to it,” Tara countered with a smile.


“You might say that now…” Willow arched an eyebrow.


Tara just shook her head.


“I want every part of you known to me.”


Willow leaned in and kissed Tara again.


“Like I said…best part of the day.”

[GrimCityGirl]

I have finally caught up! Wow! Amazing chapters, that stalker stuff got real scary and its great to see some growth from Sheila. Fantastic story Laragh! Cant wait for more

[TheBigPineapple99]

I didn’t have time to react to the last entry, but it was so sweet seeing Sally let herself trust Willow’s reassurances. I’m so glad this is behind them and Willow and Tara got a chance to reconnect as well. And even more sweetness as the holidays approach!

[Will's redemption]

Some first steps for Sheila's character development that give hope for the possibility of a better relationship between mother and daughter in the future.

She had a sudden memory of them being at a JCC in college and how they would dance all night without a care in the world. The next words out of her mouth were an impulse but a long time coming.


“Ira, wait.”


Ira looked back. He waited a moment and offered his hand.


Sheila took it.


And the smile Ira gave her was everything he’d given her in those days, just 25 years later.


Sheila hadn’t allowed herself to tap into those feelings in a very long time.


And so on the earth’s longest night, they took a short step toward each other.

She raised her chin and looked her mother in the eye.


“The real question is why I’m still letting you speak to me like this.”


Sheila blinked slowly.


“Excuse me?”


Willow scoffed.


“This isn’t about Sally. I don’t even think it’s about me anymore. You’ve been disappointed in every decision I’ve made since I finally took myself out from under your thumb,” she said, feeling her heart racing and her extremities start to tingle, “You were disappointed I took a gap year, you were disappointed I was dating Tara, disappointed I moved to LA, that we took in Sally. Maybe you need to figure out what you’re actually disappointed in and get over it because I’m done being your punching bag.”


Willow grabbed a small drinks tray and put the glasses on it quickly. As she turned, she heard her mother’s voice and surprisingly, she was the meek one.


“Willow,” Sheila’s voice cracked as she forced words to come out, “I’m sorry.”


Willow looked over her shoulder and didn’t relax her stance but did soften her voice.


“Get some therapy, Mom. I mean that as kindly as possible.”

Two "reaching out" moments from Sheila towards Ira and Willow. And an important declaration of liberation from Willow.

Sheila sighed. Her eyes flicked to the menorah on the windowsill.


“Perfectionism,” she murmured to herself, “It’s a family curse, I suppose.”

I honestly don't get Sheila's meaning here. Does she accuse Willow of perfectionism and if so in which aspect?
Does she envy Willow the deep love she shares with Tara, a love that gave Tara the strength to walk on a broken ankle for miles to search for Willow?
Is that envy the real reason why Sheila fled to the kitchen?

“Be careful there Dad, my girl’s a shark! She spun a Gimel and had me landing on Shin until I had nothing–” she cut herself off as Tara gave her an alarmed look and she remembered they hadn’t been playing for gold coins, but clothing, “Uh, left in the pot.”

Good safe, Willow!

“Ira, you haven’t been shocked like that since St-Viateur ran out of bagels during our Bioethics conference in Montréal.”


There was a small beat of silence, because did Sheila Rosenberg just make a joke?


But Ira broke it and everyone else followed and merriment was restored.

This shock over Sheila making a joke makes me suspect that Willow has never witnessed her mother being in a silly mood, laughing at jokes, a comedy on TV, or anything like that before.
If I'm right that is just sad.

“Wow, Dad,” Willow stared down at the piece.


“Your mother picked it out,” Ira replied, looking bashful.


Willow looked up and met her mother’s eyes. Something passed between them, some recognition. Willow saw pain but something else.


Trying.


“Thanks, Mom.”


Sheila nodded once and cleared her throat softly.


“It’s nice to carry all of yourself wherever you go.”

Again sad how hard it seems for Sheila to show some affection for her only child but good that she is trying and that Willow realizes it.

“I want every part of you known to me.”


Willow leaned in and kissed Tara again.


“Like I said…best part of the day.”

I guess now it's time for me to get into a festive mood for their christmas celebration...

[Laragh]

GrimCityGirl —

I have finally caught up! Wow! Amazing chapters, that stalker stuff got real scary and its great to see some growth from Sheila. Fantastic story Laragh! Cant wait for more

Thank you so much <3 Redeeming Sheila somehow feels more difficult than redeeming Donny! So glad you're enjoying it.

Thanks for commenting!

TheBigPineapple99 —

I didn’t have time to react to the last entry, but it was so sweet seeing Sally let herself trust Willow’s reassurances. I’m so glad this is behind them and Willow and Tara got a chance to reconnect as well. And even more sweetness as the holidays approach!

Sally being a real kid is everything I want for her! I think the holidays are the real time to cement 'family'.

Thanks so much for your feedback!

Will's redemption —

Some first steps for Sheila's character development that give hope for the possibility of a better relationship between mother and daughter in the future.

We know they move back to Sunnydale so I had to make sure it would all be harmonius!

Two "reaching out" moments from Sheila towards Ira and Willow. And an important declaration of liberation from Willow.

We let people treat us how we think we deserve to be treated! Both of them standing up to a new dawn may give Sheila whiplash, but also help her know her new place.

I honestly don't get Sheila's meaning here. Does she accuse Willow of perfectionism and if so in which aspect?

It's kind of a 'baby step' thing. Right now she thinks Willow is expecting her to be perfect ('perfect housewife, perfect mother' would have negative connotations for her) and that it's her own fault for passing on the 'perfectionism' gene. In time she'll realize what Willow wants is reasonable and she's the one who has to adjust her expectations.

Does she envy Willow the deep love she shares with Tara, a love that gave Tara the strength to walk on a broken ankle for miles to search for Willow?
Is that envy the real reason why Sheila fled to the kitchen?

While genuinely trying, she still feels they're too young to know real love. What she will learn, and stories like this contribute to, is that she has no idea what real love means.

Good safe, Willow!

This shock over Sheila making a joke makes me suspect that Willow has never witnessed her mother being in a silly mood, laughing at jokes, a comedy on TV, or anything like that before.
If I'm right that is just sad.

I think mocking laughter over intellectual things, yes. I don't see Sheila falling over laughing at an episode of Seinfeld though, no. Or playfully ribbing anyone. Maybe even some of the times she thought she was kidding around but it was so flat and/or mean it didn't land like that.

Again sad how hard it seems for Sheila to show some affection for her only child but good that she is trying and that Willow realizes it.

Now this is pure trauma. Everything that Willow does is what the baby they lost isn't doing. As Willow says, she needs therapy.

I guess now it's time for me to get into a festive mood for their christmas celebration...

Simply having a wonderful Chrisyulenukkah time!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

---

A Medley Of Holidays
(Part 2)

---

Peace on Earth, Can It Be?
Years From Now, Perhaps We'll See

“Ms. Maclay, sporting the modest but always sexy 'long-sleeved shirt, top-button-secured and black slacks' in her new era: temple fashion extraordinaire.”


Willow pretended to take pictures on her phone, which Tara teasingly pushed away with a wry smile.


“I am definitely not going for sexy.”


Willow dropped her phone on her bed and walked across to wrap her arms around Tara’s neck, wrists meeting on the other side.


“Too bad. You’re not able to cease to exist, so that is simply impossible.”


Tara’s cheeks were lightly flushed as she settled her hands on Willow’s hips.


“Someone got a good night’s sleep.”


Willow sidled her body up so their fronts pressed together.


“Warm bed…warm body. It only turned bad when you woke up and put clothes on.”


Tara reached up and tucked hair behind each of Willow’s ears.


“I heard your mother outside the door, and I didn’t trust her not to find a way to unlock it.”


Willow frowned.


“There’s nothing but my room up here. Trust me, I was very aware all through my childhood that they put a whole mid-level floor in to keep me as far away as possible. What was she doing?”


“I’m not sure, honey, I just got dressed quickly and put an extra blanket over you,” Tara replied with a kiss to the bridge of Willow’s nose, “We should go down for breakfast.”


“Yeah,” Willow agreed and popped a quick kiss on Tara’s lips before extricating herself.


She went to open the door but nearly tripped on the way. Looking down, she spotted something blending into the floor and reached down to pick it up.


“It’s a siddur,” she said to Tara, turning it over and back in her hands, “A Jewish prayer book. It, um, has translations and explanations to follow along during service.”


“Are you not pretty fluent?” Tara asked with a crooked smile.


Willow looked up slowly.


“I think it’s for you,” she said, holding it out, “This must have been what my Mom was dropping off.”


Tara took it and held it reverently.


“That was very kind of her.”


Willow slowly smiled.


“Yeah, it was.”


Tara slid it into her front pocket.


“I’ll keep it safe.”


Willow offered her hand, which Tara took readily. Willow unlocked the door, and they walked downstairs, where Ira was brewing Turkish coffee.


“Oh, girls, just in time.”


He poured the coffee into little cups and offered one to each of them.


“Thank you,” they said in unison and smiled at each other as they sat on the bar stools.


They ate breakfast leisurely, but had to quickly don their jackets afterward for their walk to the temple.


The synagogue wasn’t unknown to Tara, though she’d never been inside. Ira’s piousness had always frightened her into thinking she’d do something to mar Willow’s soul.


The building itself was beautiful; simple in its architectural design but with gorgeous stained glass windows that shimmered in the winter sun.


“We go inside right away so we don’t stop people from prayer,” Willow said quietly, and Tara just nodded, appreciating the heads up from how things worked differently compared to her mother’s (old) church, “The real chatting happens afterward. Trust me.”


Outside was quiet with just people hurrying in, but inside was an overwhelming feeling of warmth and chatter, despite Willow describing this as only a 'preview. People greeted each other with smiles and wishes of ‘Shabbat Shalom’.


“It means, um, peace on the Sabbath,” Willow leaned in and whispered to Tara.


“I did know that,” Tara replied gently.


Willow glanced over with an apologetic smile.


“I'm overhelping, aren't I?”


She took Tara’s hand instead and silently held it.


Everyone continued to converse as they sat in the pews; the whole synagogue was filled with the quiet hum of dozens of conversations. Gradually, people quietened as the cantor began to lead a chant through a prayer.


Tara was blown away by his deep, melodious voice. She didn’t understand the words, though her siddur certainly helped, but she didn’t need to – his meaning was both obvious and conveyed its importance.


Tara followed along with her prayer book, and Willow helped her with any movements she needed to make as well as whispered explanations, pointing out the Torah scrolls in the ark and emphasizing the very important parts like the Shema prayer, their central declaration of faith.


Tara really enjoyed watching the sense of rhythm and genuine participation in the worship. She’d attended her mother’s Christian church of old a few times, and even as a child, she’d understood that a good chunk of the people didn’t really want to be there, herself and her mother included, looking back.


When the Torah was brought out for reading, there was a procession around the room. People touched their prayer books or the fringes of their prayer shawls to the Torah and then kissed them. It was a moment of reverence that touched Tara in a way she hadn’t anticipated. The only thing that had come close was seeing her mom and Jeff enjoy their solstice party so much, as she realized they were truly embracing who they were.


Her ear picked up some of the melodies, and while she couldn’t speak Hebrew, she hummed along and saw both Willow and Ira smile in her direction.


The service was long, as Willow had warned her, but Tara didn’t feel like she needed to be anywhere else. There was enough sitting and standing to stop her limbs from tingling, and somehow she felt even closer to Willow, or maybe Willow’s family, in a way she had just never been granted before.


After the service, there was a gathering for more blessings over wine, but there were also refreshments and treats for the kids, including the ‘Ice Cream Shabbat’ event that Tara remembered having ice cream brought home for her as a child whenever Willow’s Bubbe was in town. She gathered Ira wouldn’t let Willow normally do so, but he was the first to ask her if she'd like some now as she was brought around to meet everybody.


“And this is Tara, Willow’s partner.”


Tara shook someone’s hand; in fact, she shook many people’s hands and watched Willow’s eyes sparkle with more joy every time she was introduced as such.


“Are you totally bored to tears?” Willow asked during a brief reprieve.


Tara shook her head.


“It’s nice. Beautiful even. And it’s good to know part of the culture my children will grow up with.”


Willow’s eyes widened not just at the statement but the casual certainty with which it was said. As a smile bloomed on her face, Ira’s hand once again clapped her on the back.


“You remember Willow, my daughter. She’s studying in Claremont at the Harvey Mudd Institute.”


“Oh, very impressive,” the latest of old Jewish grandmothers clasped Willow’s hands, “And who’s this? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”


“This is Tara,” Willow introduced with glowing enthusiasm.


Tara shook the woman’s hand.


“Two young girls like you must have the boys all over you,” the old lady said, her eyes sparkling, “Now my grandson, Asher–”


Ira cleared his throat to politely interrupt.


“Tara is Willow’s partner.”


Sheila seemed almost amused by the whole exchange, particularly this lady’s subsequent confused look.


“Partner?”


“Lesbian, gay-type lover,” Willow clarified with demure confidence.


There was a short pause before the lady threw her hands up demonstratively.


“My other grandson, Elijah, is a part of the BLT community. When he told me, I said shaygetz! You were raised kashrut and you’ll stay that way. My relief when he just told me he had a boyfriend. A nice Jewish boy,” she turned to Tara intently, “Are you Jewish?”


Tara’s eyes widened in alarm, and she glanced at Willow.


Willow looked back like, now you want help?


Still, she could never leave Tara to flounder, not when she’d been saved from drowning so many times.


“Tara and I went to Tabak-Shul when we visited Budapest together.”


The old lady clapped her hands on her own cheeks giddily, suitably distracted.


“I know it well! My mishpocheh helped build the very place! My zeyde’s zeyde’s zeyde’s brother, Uncle Amos, is said to have laid the first brick…”


She droned on for a while until her attention was fully turned to Ira and Sheila, and Willow was able to slip her hand into Tara’s and bring her outside. She sat them down on the bench and held their hands in her lap.


“How did you know that would distract her?” Tara asked, enjoying how Willow played with her fingers.


“Every Jew in this temple claims their family member built that place,” Willow grinned, “I wasn’t about to lose you to Asher.”


Tara laughed, and it fed Willow’s soul. She smiled, soft and sweet, and lifted Tara’s hand to kiss it.


“Thanks for coming today.”


“It was important,” Tara replied with a serious but tender nod, “Not just for me, or even you. It was important that your parents acknowledge you like this. For them. To actually embrace–”


“You being the perfect daughter-in-law?” Willow asked and saw a mirror of the smile Tara had put on her face with the ‘children’s culture’ comment.


Tara tapped Willow’s nose and held her finger against Willow’s lips, moving her wrist to rub her thumb over them.


“I see my future in your eyes.”


“You're my future, you're my present, you're my past,” Willow answered without hesitation.


She smiled and rested her head on Tara’s shoulder, feeling completely and utterly herself and completely and utterly embraced.

---

“Sally…Sally! Wake up!”


Sally cracked an eye open, saw the two eager heads floating above her, and then glanced at the window, where it was still visibly dark outside. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her.


“It’s school vacation. Come back when the sun comes out.”


“Santa was here!” Willow shook her excitedly by the shoulders.


Sally sighed.


“If there’s some big fat man stuck in the chimney, you should call the cops because it sure isn't Santa,” she said, barely cracking one eye open to them, “On account of him not existing.”


Willow and Tara looked at each other, deflated.


“When did you find out?” Tara asked sadly.


She’d found out early thanks to Donny, but her mother had kept up the pretense until she was embarrassingly old.


“When I was six and there was nothing under the tree again?” Sally rolled her eyes.


“I found out when I was born,” Willow said with an awkward smile, “On account of being Jewish.”


Sally’s brow creased.


“Then why did you come in here all excited?”


“Because we wanted this Christmas to be magic for you,” Willow replied softly, “Even if it meant giving Santa the credit for gifts I bought you.”


She got a nudge.


“We bought you,” she corrected quickly.


Sally’s eyebrow rose slowly.


“Gifts?”


Willow and Tara just grinned, and Sally jumped out of bed and pounded down the stairs.


In the living room, the tree was twinkling with colored lights and tons of presents underneath.


Jeff was sitting in the armchair with Kimberly in his lap while Donny was cross-legged and looking exhausted with a mug of coffee in his hand and a deceptively festive Santa hat on his head.


A plate of gingerbread men sat on the coffee table, but in the middle of the room, with a bow on its bars, was a neon green bicycle with a matching helmet on the seat. Sally stalled immediately after skidding in, staring at it.


Kimberly stood up and gestured to the bike.


“Look what Santa brought you!”


“Ix-nay on the anta-say,” Willow muttered, making a throat-cut gesture, “We’re rumbled.”


“I did think she was a little old,” Donny grumbled into his coffee.


Kimberly looked to Jeff quickly, then to Willow and Tara, who shrugged and gave her the nod back.


Kimberly presented the bike like she was on The Price is Right.


“In that case, look what Willow, Tara, and Jeff and I got you!”


Sally suddenly folded in on herself, not lifting her gaze from the floor.


“I can’t ride.”


Sympathetic looks flooded in from every corner of the room. Kimberly went down on one knee and lifted Sally’s chin with her finger.


“Yet,” she smiled with a soft but insistent tone, “We’ll have some time to teach you while you’re here. If you’d like?”


She was unusually quiet, prompting Willow to show her the tree.


“You have a bunch more presents to open…”


This just seemed to make her clam up more.


“T-These are all for me?”


Kimberly sank back into Jeff’s lap for comfort.


It had been many years since she heard a stutter like that.


“Mostly…” Willow replied.


“But everyone has something to open,” Tara nodded, sensing her sister’s overwhelm, though she wasn’t sure if it was about the gifts or the attention on her.


Sally looked over to Tara.


“Can I give someone their gift first?”


“Of course,” Tara smiled, and while she expected Sally to start looking through the gifts under the tree, she instead bolted back upstairs.


After a confused look, Willow took Tara’s hand and they sat on the couch, snagging a couple of gingerbread cookies on the way.


Willow accidentally ended up holding them with their legs interlocking and snickered at Tara.


“Tara, look, gingerbread lesbians.”


Tara had to press her lips together to stop a disturbingly loud laugh coming out. She made a biting motion, and Willow offered her one of the poor lesbian cookie legs.


“You never told me Santa wasn’t real,” she said quietly to Willow as they settled.


“Sorry, thought you’d figured it out,” Willow grinned with her tongue sticking out between her teeth.


“As a kid,” Tara clarified with a wry smile.


Willow wrapped her arm around Tara’s shoulders.


“What can I say, I like to let my Maclay girls have a little magic.”


“There’s plenty of magic,” Tara murmured and left a sweet kiss on Willow’s neck.


Willow smiled and turned her head to kiss the zig-zag part on Tara’s head.


Moments later, there was a clattering sound on the stairs, and Sally arrived with a bag bigger than she was. The first thing she pulled out was misshapen but still wrapped with care. She shoved it into Willow and Tara’s faces.


“Ooh, what’s this?” Tara asked, trying to ignore the previous assault.


Sally seemed utterly giddy to be giving presents; much more animated than when faced with accepting her own.


“Open it!”


Willow and Tara looked at each other, smiled, and did as told, ripping the paper off. Inside were two interconnected plush penguins that pulled away and met again at the mouth.


Willow demonstrated.


“Aww!”


“It’s so when you get the urge to kiss, you can have these two kiss instead and save my eyeballs,” Sally nodded sagely.


Willow waved her little penguin around.


“How about a compromise?” she suggested, grinning at Tara, “We’ll use it to cover up our kissing.”


She lunged at Tara and play-kissed all over her face, using the penguin as a shield.


“Gross!” Sally groaned and slapped her hands over her eyes.


“That’s enough, you two,” Kimberly playfully warned, “Sally, tell them why you picked the penguins.”


She looked at Sally encouragingly, who ducked her head a tad.


“I got penguins like when we went to the zoo and saw the two lady penguins raising an egg together?”


Willow and Tara shared a sweet look, and Tara reached out for her sister’s hand.


“That’s so sweet, Sally.”


Sally shrugged one shoulder and grinned.


“I wanted to get frogs because of how you slurp all over each other, but she wouldn’t let me. Then I remembered your frog…issues.”


She looked at Kimberly, who waved her hands in front of her face.


“Just be thankful none of your valuables were around the day six-year-old Willow had a frog jump on her while playing with the slip-and-slide. I was picking up mud-soaked glass for months when she sent the tray of lemonade flying onto my kitchen floor after running in through the grass. Not to mention her poor little screams haunting me.”


There was a long groan from Donny, who then held his hand up.


“Oh, ouch,” he said, forcing himself to look at Willow, “I remember that. I gotta own up. I threw it on you. I’m sorry.”


Tara’s mouth dropped.


“That’s what triggered her frog fear,” she said so defensively that Willow actually grinned smugly.


“Yeah!” she added indignantly, “You set me up to be a, a frog-magnet! That one marked me! I was practically hunted by jungle frogs in the Amazon!”


“It was a tiny frog,” Tara said gently, “It landed on you for a few seconds.”


“There were two,” Willow hissed.


“Okay,” Donny rubbed his thighs, “I was a dick. And I’m truly sorry.”


Willow raised her chin a tad.


“Technically, I should make you pay my therapy bills, but I’ll be the bigger person,” she said, then shifted uncomfortably, “As long as we stop talking about frogs right now.”


Tara quickly moved the conversation on.


“What else do you have in that magic bag of yours, Sal?”


Sally pulled out a wrapped square and shyly thrust it at Kimberly.


“Jeff helped me make this for you.”


Kimberly touched her hand against her heart before taking the gift. She unwrapped it and saw a hand-painted canvas of the triple moon. Wonky and misshapen but dedicatedly drawn.


“He said it would bring the divine famine into your house.”


“Divine feminine,” Jeff corrected gently, squeezing Kimberly’s shoulders, “I’ve never known this house to have a famine.”


“Not for us anyway,” Tara said softly and shared a tender look with her mom across the room, “Sally, that’s beautiful. I didn’t know you painted, Jeff.”


“We started a his and hers painting class in Dutton recently,” Jeff replied bashfully.


“Jeff has been painting his whole life,” Kimberly flicked her fingers against his chest proudly, “He’s looking to maybe do a class from the Magic Box, so we went to check out how it might go.”


“Holding the PFLAG meetings has opened my eyes to evening opportunities,” Jeff explained and kissed the top of Kimberly’s head, “Especially when Kimmy is working nights. I get lonely.”


Sally covered her face with her hands and dropped onto the floor dramatically.


“Oh, jeez, everyone is smoochin’.”


“I’m not,” Donny replied gruffly, “Amy’s working and I don’t smooch on other people’s time anyway.”


Sally grinned and scooted up beside him.


“My brudda!” she crowed, dramatically flopping onto his shoulder.


Donny slowly smiled.


“Yeah, I am, kid,” he said and reached under the tree to pull out a small rectangular gift, “Wanna open this? It’s from me, not the beardy guy.”


Sally arched an eyebrow, and Donny rubbed his scruff.


“Well, not the white-beardy guy.”


Sally accepted the gift and began by slowly pulling at the corners, but ripped right into it when she realized it was a new Switch game console.


She held it like a sacred relic, her hands trembling as if it might vanish.


“This is for me? Just for me?”


“Yeah, but I’m hoping you want to do two-player,” Donny smiled a crooked smile, making Willow gasp, having never seen it on him before.


Sally threw her arms up and around Donny.


“Yeah! Thank you!!”


Donny accepted the squeeze and continued to smile.


“You deserve it, kid.”


Once they’d set up the Switch to charge, Sally was very eager to dive into her other gifts and happily tore into a new bean bag, Lego sets, coding kits, new pens (courtesy of Willow), SpongeBob jammies, and some extra games for her new Switch.


She also seemed to realize that the bike was there as she suddenly made a beeline for it.


“Thanks for the bike, it’s so cool!” she said, grabbing the handlebars and looking over her shoulder at Willow and Tara, “Can I ride to school?”


“Sure,” Tara nodded.


Sally grinned.


“By myself?”


Willow and Tara glanced at each other.


“We’ll talk about it?” Tara reasoned, and Willow nodded in agreement.


“Cool!” Sally’s tongue poked out between her teeth, “Can I learn right now?”


It had gotten light out, so Jeff and Kimberly glanced at Willow and Tara, who nodded.


“Go get changed into something you don’t mind getting dirty,” Tara advised, smiling.


Sally squealed and thundered up the stairs, and Jeff and Kimberly started to wheel the bike outside. Willow leaned in to whisper to Tara.


“Is it bad that it makes me feel so good when your mom looks to us for parenting decisions?”


“As long as it doesn’t make you feel too good,” Tara replied with a pointed look.


“It doesn’t…but that look does,” Willow murmured, grinning as she lifted her penguin to block their faces with a giggle.


After Donny pointedly cleared his throat, Tara pulled away with a blush and stood up.


“Who wants hot chocolate?”


“As long as there’s whipped cream,” Willow replied perkily as she took Tara’s hand to pull her up.


With giddy laughter behind them, they slipped into the kitchen, the glow of incense casting soft shadows across the walls. Willow switched on the burner while Tara gathered the cocoa supplies.


“So…was Christmas a success?” Willow asked as she took down mugs, “Are we three for three on the holiday front?”


“If Sally’s smile was anything to go by,” Tara replied and started to prepare the hot chocolate.


Willow stood behind Tara and kissed the side of her neck.


“Almost as lovely as yours.”


She lingered, breathing in Tara’s soft scent as cocoa filled the air.


Tara filled the mugs with warm, steaming chocolate while Willow added generous swirls of whipped cream, unable to resist putting a blob on Tara’s nose and licking it off with a giggle.


Together, they carried the full tray out, warm and glowing from the steam and their smiles.


Outside, Sally was already zipping up and down the street, Jeff jogging behind her with a steadying hand on her seat. Kimberly clapped from the sidewalk, calling out cheerful instructions.


As Sally whizzed past, Willow realized the door to her parents’ house was opening, and they came out and walked toward the street. Willow stared, mouth slightly open in disbelief.


“My parents are in robes!” she exclaimed in a stage whisper, eyes wide as she became rooted to the spot, “I’ve never even seen them in robes inside the house!”


“Go, young Sally!” Ira’s deep voice boomed with laughter as she sped past him.


Even Sheila offered some encouragement, though it was guided in a way to keep Sally off her front lawn.


“Will your parents drink hot chocolate?”


She wasn’t about to repeat the Great Ham Sandwich Incident without checking first.


“Maybe,” Willow nodded, “Wanna go ask?”


Tara took two mugs and approached Willow’s parents. Willow watched with a slow smile growing on her face as they both accepted and offered Tara a hug.


She hadn’t realized just how much she’d longed for this.


Tara laughing with her parents, no tension in sight, only warmth.


Her heart swelled as she watched them smile, cocoa in hand, while Sally zipped by like a comet of joy. Jeff cheered, Kimberly jogged alongside offering encouragement, and Sally was already trying to pop a wheelie.


A year ago, this scene would have seemed impossible.


A year ago, none of them had even been together.


Willow decided then and there that it would never be the case again.


Yes, the first annual Chrisyulenukkah had definitely been a success.


She sipped her hot chocolate, taking in the sweet scene of peace.


She realized she’d been a little wrong.


The first annual Chrisyulenukkah hadn’t just been a success.


It was a promise for all the years to come.

[Will's redemption]

Late Dibs!

So many heartwarming moments in this chapter.

I liked how naturally Ira introduced Tara as "Willow's partner" to everybody.

And yay to the hints of future marriage and kids both of our girls gave here:

And it’s good to know part of the culture my children will grow up with.”


Willow’s eyes widened not just at the statement but the casual certainty with which it was said.

It was important that your parents acknowledge you like this. For them. To actually embrace–”


“You being the perfect daughter-in-law?” Willow asked and saw a mirror of the smile Tara had put on her face with the ‘children’s culture’ comment.

Tara tapped Willow’s nose and held her finger against Willow’s lips, moving her wrist to rub her thumb over them.


“I see my future in your eyes.”


“You're my future, you're my present, you're my past,” Willow answered without hesitation.

That sounds cited, is it from the Torah?

“Santa was here!” Willow shook her excitedly by the shoulders.


Sally sighed.


“If there’s some big fat man stuck in the chimney, you should call the cops because it sure isn't Santa,” she said, barely cracking one eye open to them, “On account of him not existing.”


Willow and Tara looked at each other, deflated.


“When did you find out?” Tara asked sadly.


She’d found out early thanks to Donny, but her mother had kept up the pretense until she was embarrassingly old.


“When I was six and there was nothing under the tree again?” Sally rolled her eyes.

That sounds as if Sally never got any presents for christmas which is just sad.

Them assuming that Sally still believes in Santa was a wild stretch though. Donny is right here:

“I did think she was a little old,” Donny grumbled into his coffee.

I wouldn't expect that Dawn stll believes in Santa, either.

It's understandable that Sally felt overwhelmed from all the presents after she never received any before on christmas. I loved that she prefered giving her own gifts for the others first.

Willow and Tara looked at each other, smiled, and did as told, ripping the paper off. Inside were two interconnected plush penguins that pulled away and met again at the mouth.


Willow demonstrated.


“Aww!”


“It’s so when you get the urge to kiss, you can have these two kiss instead and save my eyeballs,” Sally nodded sagely.


Willow waved her little penguin around.


“How about a compromise?” she suggested, grinning at Tara, “We’ll use it to cover up our kissing.”


She lunged at Tara and play-kissed all over her face, using the penguin as a shield.


“Gross!” Sally groaned and slapped her hands over her eyes.


“That’s enough, you two,” Kimberly playfully warned, “Sally, tell them why you picked the penguins.”


She looked at Sally encouragingly, who ducked her head a tad.


“I got penguins like when we went to the zoo and saw the two lady penguins raising an egg together?”


Willow and Tara shared a sweet look, and Tara reached out for her sister’s hand.


“That’s so sweet, Sally.”

I agree! Sally's hope that gifting them kissing plushies could keep them from kissing is futile though.

There was a long groan from Donny, who then held his hand up.


“Oh, ouch,” he said, forcing himself to look at Willow, “I remember that. I gotta own up. I threw it on you. I’m sorry.”

Kudos to Donny for confessing his sin here when he could have easily kept silent. He really changed for the better.

I was practically hunted by jungle frogs in the Amazon!”


“It was a tiny frog,” Tara said gently, “It landed on you for a few seconds.”


“There were two,” Willow hissed.

To be fair when it comes to jungle frogs the tiny ones are the most dangerous, especially the colourful ones...

“Jeff helped me make this for you.”


Kimberly touched her hand against her heart before taking the gift. She unwrapped it and saw a hand-painted canvas of the triple moon. Wonky and misshapen but dedicatedly drawn.


“He said it would bring the divine famine into your house.”


“Divine feminine,” Jeff corrected gently, squeezing Kimberly’s shoulders, “I’ve never known this house to have a famine.”


“Not for us anyway,” Tara said softly and shared a tender look with her mom across the room,

I love Tara's recognition that at times Kimberly's means were so scarce that she probably had to go hungry herself so she had enough food for her two kids (+ Willow on many occasions).

Sally grinned and scooted up beside him.


“My brudda!” she crowed, dramatically flopping onto his shoulder.


Donny slowly smiled.


“Yeah, I am, kid,” he said and reached under the tree to pull out a small rectangular gift, “Wanna open this? It’s from me, not the beardy guy.”


Sally arched an eyebrow, and Donny rubbed his scruff.


“Well, not the white-beardy guy.”


Sally accepted the gift and began by slowly pulling at the corners, but ripped right into it when she realized it was a new Switch game console.


She held it like a sacred relic, her hands trembling as if it might vanish.


“This is for me? Just for me?”


“Yeah, but I’m hoping you want to do two-player,” Donny smiled a crooked smile, making Willow gasp, having never seen it on him before.


Sally threw her arms up and around Donny.


“Yeah! Thank you!!”


Donny accepted the squeeze and continued to smile.


“You deserve it, kid.”

This interaction warmed my heart. Nice that Donny has the signature crooked half smile as well.

“Will your parents drink hot chocolate?”


She wasn’t about to repeat the Great Ham Sandwich Incident without checking first.


“Maybe,” Willow nodded, “Wanna go ask?”


Tara took two mugs and approached Willow’s parents. Willow watched with a slow smile growing on her face as they both accepted and offered Tara a hug.


She hadn’t realized just how much she’d longed for this.


Tara laughing with her parents, no tension in sight, only warmth.


Her heart swelled as she watched them smile, cocoa in hand, while Sally zipped by like a comet of joy. Jeff cheered, Kimberly jogged alongside offering encouragement, and Sally was already trying to pop a wheelie.


A year ago, this scene would have seemed impossible.


A year ago, none of them had even been together.


Willow decided then and there that it would never be the case again.


Yes, the first annual Chrisyulenukkah had definitely been a success.


She sipped her hot chocolate, taking in the sweet scene of peace.


She realized she’d been a little wrong.


The first annual Chrisyulenukkah hadn’t just been a success.


It was a promise for all the years to come.

A lovely glimpse of all of them together as a big family. That does indeed give hope for the future.

I don't know how far in the future Willow's and Tara's wedding will be but I'm already looking forward to it.

For the next chapter I expect some giddy new year celebrations.

[Laragh]

Will's redemption —

Late Dibs!

So many heartwarming moments in this chapter.

I liked how naturally Ira introduced Tara as "Willow's partner" to everybody.

In my head I had him cycling through all of the options

And yay to the hints of future marriage and kids both of our girls gave here:

Even if this fic wasn't technically a prequel, you know every Willow and Tara I create will have marriage and children

That sounds cited, is it from the Torah?

From the Gospel according to Rosie Thorne!

That sounds as if Sally never got any presents for christmas which is just sad.

I imagine Christmas was very performative and little else.

Them assuming that Sally still believes in Santa was a wild stretch though. Donny is right here:

I think because Sally is simultaneously wise beyond her years (having to fend for herself) but still enjoys games, media, etc that is a little young for her (cartoons, lava lamps) she can be a hard one to judge. Plus, if you had a trauamtized child in your care, would you want to be the one who revealed there was no Santa?! Coupled with Kimberly obviously having elongated the ruse with her kids, that's the kind of vibe they were dealing with. Thank god Anya isn't there

I wouldn't expect that Dawn stll believes in Santa, either.

Yes, hello, puberty? :Lol

It's understandable that Sally felt overwhelmed from all the presents after she never received any before on christmas. I loved that she prefered giving her own gifts for the others first.

People think never getting presents at Christmas is the worst, but not being able to give them, and know how well they'll be received is just as gutting!

I agree! Sally's hope that gifting them kissing plushies could keep them from kissing is futile though.

She'll get used to it...when she's 90

Kudos to Donny for confessing his sin here when he could have easily kept silent. He really changed for the better.

I do like a redemption! My biggest motivator was Sally having a good big brother.

To be fair when it comes to jungle frogs the tiny ones are the most dangerous, especially the colourful ones...

This is true, though I don't think landing for three seconds did her any harm!

I love Tara's recognition that at times Kimberly's means were so scarce that she probably had to go hungry herself so she had enough food for her two kids (+ Willow on many occasions).

And boy will she make up for it in time to come!

This interaction warmed my heart. Nice that Donny has the signature crooked half smile as well.

I like to think it's activated by goodness.

A lovely glimpse of all of them together as a big family. That does indeed give hope for the future.

I don't know how far in the future Willow's and Tara's wedding will be but I'm already looking forward to it.

I am itching for it. To the point I'm struggling to write all the chapters until we get there!

For the next chapter I expect some giddy new year celebrations.

It's hard to write a multi-year fic and keep things and timelines fresh.

So I'm veering off a little this New Years so I can veer back to traditionalism next time!

Thank you so much for your feedback!

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

---

The Taste Of Zeroes

---

'Cause Every Time We Touch, I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss, I Swear I Could Fly

“Tara?”


Tara looked over her shoulder from where she was sitting at the desk in her childhood bedroom. She was jotting down some song ideas to work on, and Willow was supposed to be ‘working’ as well, though Tara didn’t know how much she was getting done lying on the bed with her laptop on her chest, barely touching the keyboard.


“Yeah?”


Willow’s pointer finger idly flicked across the trackpad. She glanced toward Tara.


“For science…If we invented a teleporter to another universe and the Tara from that universe traveled to this universe and wanted to have a threesome…would you?”


The last two words were dragged out so much that it took longer to say them than the rapid-fire first sentence.


Tara remained with her back to Willow for a moment to hide her smirk.


“For science?”


Willow's voice desperately tried not to crack.


“Important…scientific…inquiry.”


Tara made Willow sweat for a few moments.


“No,” she answered eventually, turning in the chair, “It wouldn’t be me. She’d be a different person with different memories.”


She stood up and walked to the foot of the bed, where she started to climb up Willow’s body. The laptop fell to the side of the bed as Willow’s eyes remained fixed on Tara. Tara brought her head over Willow’s and pressed their foreheads together.


“And maybe different moves I couldn’t compete with.”


Willow released a shaken breath.


“Nobody could compete with your moves.”


Tara raised a single eyebrow and started to lean down to press their lips together, but just as they brushed, Willow blurted out again.


“What if it was a clone machine that you stepped into, and another you came out just the same, AND would then just be absorbed back into you after?”


Tara pursed her lips, but her eyes couldn’t help but shine with mirth.


“Yes. We could have a threesome in that scenario,” she said, her lips slowly curling up on one side, “Can you proceed with your fantasy guilt-free now?”


Willow’s eyes widened, and her body stiffened.


“How did you know?” she asked in a dramatic whisper.


Somehow, Tara withheld a laugh.


“Because I know my Willow,” she said, kissing the lobe of Willow’s left ear before whispering in it, “And I know you couldn’t handle any more of me anywhere but inside your head.”


“Not even handling it all that well there if I’m honest,” Willow replied as her eyes fluttered closed, “You usually gang up on me.”


Tara moved her mouth to Willow’s other ear.


“Isn’t that what you want?”


Willow’s hands dropped to squeeze Tara’s rear and pushed up under Tara’s shirt to caress her back.


“You know I’m easily overwhelmed…”


“I know you’d ravage an army of mes if you had the chance,” Tara replied and couldn’t help it; this time, she started to laugh.


“Hey!” Willow joined in on the giggling, “I would detonate a bomb…in your pants.”


Tara snorted with laughter, and Willow’s chest began heaving with convulsions, causing them both to spill over onto the bed.


“Oh, oh, laptop!”


Willow quickly lifted it before Tara crushed it, landing beside Willow with a soft bounce.


Willow was going to set it down safely on the nightstand, but something on screen caught her eye instead. She rested it back on her chest, and moments later, her eyes widened.


“Whoa.”


Tara turned herself on her side, resting her cheek on her upturned palm.


“What is it?”


Willow’s finger scrolled down the screen.


“We just got a last-minute request for you to fill in at a show. Their main act dropped out.”


“How last minute?” Tara asked.


Willow’s nose scrunched.


“Tomorrow night?”


Tara arched an eyebrow.


“New Year’s?”


“I know,” Willow frowned, then angled the screen toward Tara, “But look what they’re offering.”


Tara glanced at the screen, then physically moved forward when she saw the figure. That was…persuasive.


“Where is it?”


“Says a warehouse in South Central,” Willow replied, and her eyes lit up, “Ooh, you haven’t played a warehouse rave before! That would look so good on the website.”


Tara pursed her lips and moved them from side to side.


“We’d have to go back to LA early,” she said, closing her eyes with a sigh, “I don’t want to take Sally away yet. She’s just figuring out she finally has a real family. And she has a couple more playdates with Dawn.”


“We could talk to your mom,” Willow suggested, “Maybe Sally could stay, and we can come back on New Year’s Day.”


Tara danced her fingers up Willow’s chest and tapped her nose.


“You just want to get out of your parents’ New Year’s party.”


Willow’s mouth turned flat.


“They may be trying to be better, but their snooty friends won’t.”


Tara let her fingers settle on Willow’s cheek, turning her gently into a much overdue kiss. Willow melted into her, a breath catching as Tara’s fingers brushed her ear.


She finished by nuzzling Willow’s nose before reaching for the empty mug on the nightstand.


“Fresh coffee?”


“Yeah,” Willow agreed with a soft smile, “Thanks.”


Tara squeezed Willow’s shoulder as she climbed over her to stand and head downstairs. Passing by the front door, she smiled, seeing Sally was already trying to do wheelies on her bike, and shook her head to herself at the irony of seeing Donny trying to get her to slow down.


In the kitchen, she set the coffee to reheat while adding some honey to a teaspoon of cocoa powder and ground ginger. As she stirred it all into the mug, Jeff came in from the backyard and plucked his gardening gloves off his hands.


“Are you pouring coffee or concocting a potion?” he asked with an easy smile.


Tara smiled back.


“It’s how Willow likes it. She says it tastes like gingerbread.”


Jeff nodded affably and closed his hands around the back of a chair at the kitchen table.


“I wanted to talk to you about something, actually.”


Tara looked up and gestured for him to continue.


“I’m having an event for the New Year at the Magic Box tomorrow night. Well, not an event so much as a get-together. We’ll do an official New Year event for Imbolc in February.”


“A witchy New Year's Eve sounds like a lot of fun,” Tara replied kindly.


“Your mother is really encouraging me to expand our community. But, um, I wondered if you’d allow Sally to come? There will be other kids of friends there. And she enjoyed the apple peel fortune telling we did on Samhain,” Jeff asked, before quickly adding, “Halloween. I don't know if you had other plans…”


Tara was quiet for a moment, which made Jeff retreat.


“Forgive me if I’ve overstepped.”


“You haven’t,” Tara replied quickly and came over to stand by Jeff, “You’ve been amazing with her - more than I ever could have expected. But I do need to stress that Sally hasn’t had a lot of consistency in her life. So–”


“I’m not going anywhere,” Jeff interrupted gently but insistently.


Tara met his eyes and nodded.


“As it turns out, I’ve been offered a lot of money to play a last-minute show tomorrow night. I was going to decline, but if she’s going to be…”


“Making her own cleansing wind chime,” Jeff supplied with childlike enthusiasm.


“I’ll make a deal,” Tara grinned, “You can bring Sally to the event – um, get-together – at the Magic Box if you can babysit until the next day…and if you promise to come up with some excuse as to why that wind chime has to live here and not be brought home with us.”


Jeff winked.


“Well, I wouldn’t want the energy to be clogged with all those Los Angeles traffic fumes.”


Tara laughed, and Jeff joined in. Moments later, Kimberly joined them from the backyard.


“That’s a sound I like to hear.”


Jeff offered his arm to wrap around Kimberly’s shoulders. Kimberly walked in and leaned her head against his shoulder.


“Sally’s going to come tomorrow night.”


Kimberly’s face lit up.


“Oh, she’ll be so excited. I asked Joyce, too, and she said she’d be happy for Dawn to come. I think she’s grateful for some time alone with her man,” she smiled up at Jeff before looking at Tara, “We weren’t sure if Sally needed to make an appearance at the Rosenbergs. I know they've been very inclusive of her lately.”


“She doesn’t,” Tara replied resolutely, “None of us will be, actually.”


Kimberly arched an eyebrow.


“Oh? No new drama, I hope.”


“I signed us up for some babysitting,” Jeff interjected.


Kimberly looked between them.


“Oh?”


“Last minute gig,” Tara explained, “Just an overnight back in LA. If that’s okay?”


Kimberly nodded with a smile.


“Fine with us. She’s been great.”


Tara smiled gratefully.


“Speaking of, I'd better go make sure it’s okay with the real boss. Thank you both. Really.”


She quickly added some creamer to the mug and headed for the door. Kimberly closed her arms around Jeff and nuzzled into his chest.


“How did I get so lucky?”


Jeff wrapped his arms around her.


“Hard work. Strength. Perseverance.”


He kissed the top of her head.


“Love.”


Tara walked down the garden path and watched as Donny nearly passed out when Sally did a bunny hop.


“This is payback for all of the times you tried to jump next door’s fence,” Tara grinned as she approached.


Donny waved his hands in front of him.


“Okay, that kid is probably going to be in the BMX Olympics someday, but I’m not going to be her coach.”


Tara laughed lightly.


“Take a breather, I’ve got her.”


Donny nodded gratefully and headed inside. Tara sat on the curb and waited for Sally to whiz by again.


“C’mere and talk to me for a second.”


Sally skidded to a halt and plopped down cross-legged opposite Tara on the sidewalk.


“I told Mom and Jeff you can go to that party at the Magic Box tomorrow night with Dawn. You good with that?”


Sally nodded eagerly.


“Did you hear? I get my own bell, and it’s IMPOSSIBLE to make too much noise! No one can tell me to shut up!”


“I’m sure you’ll be great at challenging their perception of that,” Tara offered a crooked smile, then leaned in, “Hey, I need to talk to you for a second.”


Sally mirrored her, and her nose scrunched distasteful.


“Is that one of Willow’s weird spicy coffees?”


“Yes,” Tara replied and took a sip, “They’re actually pretty good.”


“Tell that to my nose,” Sally kicked her feet back and forth, “Am I in trouble?”


“Not at all,” Tara shook her head, “You’ve been having a good time here in Sunnydale?”


“Yeah,” Sally nodded back, “Good people.”


“Our people,” Tara said, closing both hands around the mug, “How would you feel if Willow and I went back to LA overnight for work stuff? We’d come back the next day.”


Sally mulled it over.


“And I stay here?”


Tara nodded.


“Only if you’re okay with it.”


Sally cocked her head to the side.


“Who’s in charge?”


“Mom,” Tara answered unequivocally, “But you have to listen to Jeff too.”


Sally narrowed her eyes.


“Do I have a bedtime?”


“No,” Tara answered after a moment, “It’s New Year’s. But what Mom says goes.”


Sally offered her hand to shake.


“What Mom says, goes.”


Tara smiled, shook her hand, and pulled her up beside her.


“You’re okay with it? You sure?”


Sally rested her head on Tara’s shoulder.


“Sure. You’re coming back, right?”


Tara offered her pinky.


“Always.”

---

“It feels wrong not bringing my own decks.”


“They’re using RSI-equipped Pioneer booths. Just load your tracks on the flash drive, plug in your cans, and you’re good to go!” Willow placated Tara by reaching across to the passenger seat and rubbing her thigh, “Plus, it’ll be a lot easier to head out when you’re done. We wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am these rave-goers into the New Year, and then we go home and wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am all over our empty apartment, waddaya say?”


Tara rolled her head from one side to the other.


Tara arched her brow.


“You sure know how to motivate a lady.”


Willow just grinned, rubbing her hands together.


“We about to have ourselves a little night!”


Tara looked at Willow with a perfectly arched eyebrow.


“Was that difficult for you?”


Willow frowned and rubbed her jaw.


“Bad grammar makes my teeth hurt. Being cool has its drawbacks.”


Tara snorted, and Willow stuck her tongue out.


While driving in LA traffic was never a joy, navigating it on New Year’s Eve made even India’s cow-weaving vehicular chaos pale in comparison. People were running out onto the street drunk, wearing mirror ball glasses and hats that caused distracting reflections, and rideshare cars were bumper to bumper ferrying people around.


“Are we going to get parking?” Tara asked as she peered out the window, “It’s probably a good thing we didn’t have to bring the equipment.”


“They said there’s private parking for the talent,” Willow tapped her fingers against the wheel, “There should be a sign for–”


Just then, a ratty, hand-drawn sign outside of a generic-looking office building caught their eye, or rather their ears, by the distinct thump coming from the ground.


RESERVED PARKING: BAD DECISIONS ONLY


“That’s ominous,” Tara said with a slight frown.


“It’s the name of the event,” Willow explained as she indicated into the lot, “'Bad Decisions'.”


Tara arched an eyebrow.


“Really?”


Willow nodded.


“I think it’s a ‘let go of them before the new year’ kinda vibe. Or maybe an invitation for chaos. I don't know. I didn't go to many raves growing up. Or, y'know, any.”


Looking in the rearview mirror, she spotted flashing lights on several stores indicating ‘late night’ business.


“And they picked a great place surrounded by a casino, tattoo place, and…exotic animal store. Yikes. The epitome of making bad decisions, based on temporary thoughts.”


“Resolution: make good decisions,” Tara said with a mockingly affirming nod.


Willow’s nose scrunched.


“You sound like my mom. Quick, say something she wouldn't, like 'I value your strength' or 'I love you for who you are' to get her voice out of my head.”


Tara gave Willow a wry smile and reached over to gently squeeze the back of her head affectionately.


“I know, she's trying,” Willow shrugged easily, “But what's decades of trauma if you can't make the odd joke?”


Willow followed signs into what was essentially a small garage, but it did have a security door that came down once they were inside, so it at least felt safe from the roaming drunkards outside. There were no other cars there, but they had passed more than one van in the parking lot, which was the more common mode of transport for musicians and generally less susceptible to random violence or eager fans. Willow was grateful she'd asked and been given the code to hide the car in there.


When she turned off the engine, their seats continued to vibrate from the pulse of music seemingly coming from below.


“Sounds like it’s going heavy already,” Tara commented.


“It’s a ten-hour event,” Willow said as she stepped out, and an old fluorescent light flickered, “I’m guessing that’s how they afford to pay so much. Tickets are really expensive. But they just told us to show up for our slot, and we can leave right after. No set-up, no tidy-up.”


“None of my own equipment…” Tara lamented softly.


Willow popped the trunk and took out a backpack.


“I have your sexy headphones.”


She locked the trunk with a smile.


“Just remember all those zeroes.”


Tara held back a sigh and tried to force a smile.


“I know. It’s just…strange playing blind like this. Kind of feels like I’ve already made a bad decision,” she said as a small shiver went up her spine, “But you’re right, all I need is the flash drive. So…where are we going?”


Willow glanced from side to side. There was no more helpful, hand-drawn signage. But the ground continued to thump.


“Follow the music?” she asked, offering Tara a smile in response to her jaded look, “Zeroes. You can buy yourself something really pretty.”


Tara didn’t seem convinced, so Willow tried a different tactic.


“Or you can buy me something really skimpy.”


Willow saw the first flash of enthusiasm spark in Tara’s eyes. She felt that familiar burn of lust and the deep, warm tug of satisfaction from seeing the lust returned by her love. She tugged the slim black tie around Tara’s neck, drawing her in for a kiss.


“Good,” she said, releasing Tara’s bottom lip slowly, “Now keep that energy and we’ll see which of our limbs this ends up tied to later.”


She pushed Tara ahead by slapping her ass and delighted in the little jump it produced.


Truthfully, the money would go toward school supplies for the three of them and other mundane adult purchases, but there was nothing like a little incentive.


They wandered toward the only door and ended up out on the other side of the building, where groups of people were piling in and out of the industrial brick building tagged with graffiti. The bass was leaking through even outside, and you could hear the whoosh of music every time the side door opened. A single fluorescent red lightbulb was all that indicated the location, other than the heavy smell of weed and the crowds moving through.


They ended up following a group of college students in various attire – holographic t-shirts, mesh bodysuits, and one girl wearing only electrical tape around her chest.


The group led them to elevator doors that, when opened, let music burst out like steam from an oven.


They were on level 0, and the elevator took them all the way down to -2. The college students didn’t even seem to notice Willow and Tara as they bounced with manic energy and bloodshot eyes.


“It sucks Machinedrum cancelled,” electrical tape said as the hairband on her head flashed with neon lights.


Seemingly in sync with her earrings.


“Yeah, but they got DJ Tarot to replace him!” holographic t-shirt replied with a tremor in his jaw that no mere excitement alone could produce, “I saw her throw down at Exchange – straight fire. Her set was unreal, like I left my body, and time didn’t exist for a second. Total transcendental trip, bro. She took me there.”


The elevator doors opened as Willow exchanged a wild grin with Tara, who was bashfully looking away.


If the music was loud before, it was like standing in front of a jet engine once those doors opened. The thumping that was coming through above was like a heartbeat for the whole basement as EDM pumped through the speakers of the DJ currently doing their set. There were strobes, lasers, neon-everything, and both had to shield their eyes for a moment to adjust.


“You totally take me there too, by the way,” Willow whispered.


Tara’s nerves fluttered under the bass, but the familiar press of Willow’s hand at her back grounded her. This wasn’t just another gig. This was starting the year together, with music, and each other.


And a lot of zeroes.


Willow ran ahead like a giddy schoolgirl, bag bouncing on her shoulders, but security was quick to stop her.


“Password?”


Willow looked back at Tara, like 'I've got this' and leaned in conspiringly.


“ElectricFizz.”


The security guy just seemed bored.


“Ma’am, we’re going to need you to check your bag.”


“Oh,” Willow replied, paling at the stern tone of the very large man.


“And you need to check your phones,” he added, indicating a bin stacked with sleek black pouches nearby.


“S-Sorry?” Tara asked with a softly raised eyebrow.


“All devices need to be handed in,” he repeated, his voice booming even over the music.


“Are those Faraday cages?” Willow asked, going over to pick one up.


She waved it at Tara, grinning.


“That’s so cool!”


She brought it over to Tara to show her.


“They block signals – like little sci-fi vaults for your phone,” Willow said, grinning as she peeked inside, “Saw it in a documentary. You can do the same with a microwave.”


Tara smiled lovingly, but the piercing, steady gaze of the security guy made the butterflies Willow felt in response turn to bats.


“Y-you shouldn’t turn it on while the phone is in there, though,” she said quietly, eyes downcast.


Security kept staring before finally saying one word.


“Bag.”


She let the bag fall off her shoulders and pushed it in front of her.


He took it, placed it on the little table beside him, and started going through it. After a moment, he held up the flash drive in the side pocket.


“What is this for?”


“Being able to do her job,” Willow replied with slight exaggerated mocking in her tone, “She’s one of the DJs?”


“You should have told me that. You’re in the wrong area,” Security rebuffed her, but it didn’t stop him from handing it over to his colleague, “We need to inspect it.”


Tara gently pulled at Willow’s elbow.


“Is the president coming or something? What’s with all the security?”


“Underground culture is very big on immersion and privacy,” Willow replied sagely, nodding as if she were on the rave scene every Friday night.


Moments later, Willow’s bag was thrust back against her chest, and their caged phones were slipped into the top.


“Head up there to the green room. Give this to Mickey. He’ll know we checked you out.”


He handed them a coat check tab scribbled with a symbol and pointed them toward the room. They turned, but Willow suddenly stopped.


“Wait, where’s the flash drive?” she blurted, patting her pockets.


Tara froze. Her heart dropped. Then–


“Here.”


Willow pulled it from the bag’s inner sleeve with a sheepish grin.


“He must have tucked it in here for safekeeping.”


Tara exhaled slowly.


“You almost got my set dedicated to experimental silence.”


They went down a narrow corridor past the utility closets and the staff lockers to a makeshift curtain that led to another room. It was easy to find ‘Mickey’ as he was the only security guard waiting in the wings of the room, separated from the corridor only by a makeshift curtain and a scrawled sign reminiscent of the parking sign, just saying ‘talent’.


Mickey was a silent type, taking the tab and flashing a blue light over it. He handed Tara a clipboard and pointed for her to sign. Willow noted ‘11:-12:45’ printed beside her name and giddily rubbed Tara’s arm.


“Baby, this is exciting. You get to be the act to ring in the new year. That’s the primo spot. I’m so glad you made that countdown mix!”


“I hope it’s good enough,” Tara said, biting her lip, “I’m starting all of these people’s whole year. That’s a lot of pressure.”


They walked into what they guessed was a ‘green room’, though there was just haphazard seating and a mini fridge buzzing loudly, but now empty with crushed energy drink cans around it. It was clean, though, and surprisingly quiet given how loud the music was permeating everywhere else, and there was nothing but a curtain to shield them.


“It’s excellent!” Willow gushed, swinging the backpack onto the table and beginning to unzip it.


Tara looked down at Willow, heavy-lidded, leaning against the closest wall.


“That’s your response to everything I do.”


Willow leaned in and pressed her lips to Tara’s.


“Just let me adore you,” she asked, her eyes sparkling with affection, “Like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.”


She popped another quick kiss on Tara.


“The only thing that matters.”


Tara just smiled gratefully and glanced at the door when a big cheer was heard.


“The artist out there is really keeping the crowd going,” she said, folding her arms and rubbing her opposite arm somewhat nervously, “I like when there’s other acts sandwiching me. The momentum keeps going, and I don’t have to worry about the perfect finish.”


“I get the perfect finish when I’m the one sandwiching you,” Willow muttered.


Tara pretended she didn’t hear.


“What was that?”


“Nothing,” Willow quickly cleared her throat, “Just making sure you have everything ready.”


Tara pushed herself off the wall.


“If you’ve got that, I’m going to go onto the floor and get the vibe, check out the acoustics.”


“I am your faithful lackey,” Willow nodded diligently, “Whatever you need, I’m here to fulfill your desires.”


Tara kissed Willow’s cheek and let her mouth linger at Willow’s ear.


“Keep that in mind when I get you into that skimpy outfit you promised,” she said and felt Willow’s cheek burn against hers, “And if you’re really good, I’ll make you feel like there’s two of me.”


Willow’s sneakers squeaked, conveniently covering the startled yelp escaping her mouth. Tara left with a triumphant smile and went back to the floor, where the security guard from earlier stamped her hand and allowed her through.


It wasn’t her first rave - she’d gone to one with Nate in high school - but downtown Las Brujas was nothing like underground LA. This place was far bigger, had multi-levels, and even a makeshift bar.


Most importantly, the reverberations of the music were all-encompassing. She could see the shake in the walls rattle through the floor and allow the dancing attendees to feel each beat like a pulse. Everyone was truly and utterly lost in the music.


When she felt she’d taken in all she needed, had taken mental notes about how far the music traveled and how enthralled the dancers were, she took a side stop at the bar to get a drink for her and Willow to toast.


The idea of knocking back a Jägerbomb right before going on didn’t appeal to her, so she ordered two glasses of punch instead.


“With Skittles?” the guy behind the bar asked. He reminded Tara of Shaggy from Scooby Doo, and she found herself slightly worried the grease in his hair might drip into her drink.


“Sure,” Tara answered quickly.


Willow liked a fruity drink.


She looked at the crowd again as a beat dropped and watched them go wild. In that moment, she felt it too. There was something about this venue that made you feel absolutely out of your mind. It's like the building itself was alive.


The sound of two solo cups being dropped in front of her brought her back.


“40.”


Tara’s eyes almost fell out of her head.


“D-Dollars?”


“It’s good stuff,” the bartender reassured, and Tara reluctantly handed over two $20s.


Afraid of spilling a drop, she quickly got off the floor and returned to Willow in the green room.


“They had a Skittle punch,” she said as she extended a cup.


“Ooh, my favorite!” Willow took it keenly.


Tara shook her head softly.


“Enjoy it. They charged forty bucks. I swear, that’s where the real hustle is. I doubt they’re using top-shelf alcohol either. But a little Dutch courage always helps my pre-show nerves.”


Willow’s nose scrunched. Then she held a finger up triumphantly.


“Hey, that means I can invoice it as business expenses!” she announced with a resolute nod, “Cheers to Bad Decisions.”


Tara held out her cup.


“Here’s hoping this one turns out good.”


Their drinks sloshed as their plastic tumblers connected, and they both took a long sip.


Tara looked down at her cup while Willow’s lips smacked together.


“These aren’t very tasty. And I don’t see any Skittles.”


As she was peering into the cup, Tara lifted Willow’s chin.


“I can show you tasty.”


She pulled Willow into a kiss and only parted when another voice interrupted.


“DJ Tarot?” a gangly-looking man with a headset who had appeared in the room spoke to her, “You’re on in two.”


Tara inhaled deeply, centering herself.


Sometimes she wondered how she’d come so far from her roots with music, from making up homework songs and working out harmonies with Nate. Truthfully, she probably would have dropped it if it hadn’t taken off like it had, and while she sometimes missed the feeling of creating music with keys and strings, there was a uniqueness to this that made it appealing.


The adrenaline, the rush, the connection.


Holding everyone in one beat; feeling the outpour when it dropped.


She nodded, slipping her headphones around her neck as she downed her drink. She instantly regretted it.


They must be sour Skittles.


Willow copied her for solidarity and grabbed what they had of Tara’s equipment. They followed Mr. Headset to the side of the platform Tara would be performing on and prepared to go on as soon as the current act finished.


“I won’t see you when the clock strikes. So happy New Year, my love,” Tara smiled at Willow.


Willow pressed Tara’s flash drive into one palm and her lips to Tara’s cheek.


“See you on the other side,” Willow whispered, touching their foreheads for a brief moment.


Tara gave her a grateful smile, then turned toward the booth, put the headphones over her ears, and gave herself over to the beat.

[Finey_McFine]

These two, I swear…’Willow likes a fruity drink.’ LOLOLOL I mean, who the hell serves “punch” at a wild underground rave in LA on NYE? Not to mention the theme is Bad Decisions. I guess they took it literally. If naive were a person…hahaha.
Also, didn’t Willow end up with an apple sauce & tuna tattoo on her ass the last time she “accidentally” drank something she was unsure of, and they both ended up naked somewhere?

I kind of can’t wait to see what happens and also cringe at the thought of what could happen, lol.

-JMT

[GrimCityGirl]

How have they not learned by now to be very careful at things like this haha. christ, I dread to think what’ll happen now!

[TheBigPineapple99]

I admit, I also didn’t know specifically what skittles were until I googled it, but I did know a 20 dollar drink at a rave that says it has them but has no visible candy is a bad idea lol. I’ll be interested to see how they get through this lol, mentioning the fact there is both a casino and a tattoo parlor next to this does not seem promising lol. Or maybe it does lol …

[Will's redemption]

Tara raised a single eyebrow and started to lean down to press their lips together, but just as they brushed, Willow blurted out again.


“What if it was a clone machine that you stepped into, and another you came out just the same, AND would then just be absorbed back into you after?”


Tara pursed her lips, but her eyes couldn’t help but shine with mirth.


“Yes. We could have a threesome in that scenario,” she said, her lips slowly curling up on one side, “Can you proceed with your fantasy guilt-free now?”


Willow’s eyes widened, and her body stiffened.


“How did you know?” she asked in a dramatic whisper.


Somehow, Tara withheld a laugh.


“Because I know my Willow,” she said, kissing the lobe of Willow’s left ear before whispering in it, “And I know you couldn’t handle any more of me anywhere but inside your head.”

I find it hilarious that even impending Tara-kissage can't deter Willow's quirky mind from her attempt to justify a "threesome with double Tara"-fantasy.

“You’ve been amazing with her - more than I ever could have expected. But I do need to stress that Sally hasn’t had a lot of consistency in her life. So–”


“I’m not going anywhere,” Jeff interrupted gently but insistently.


Tara met his eyes and nodded.

I love that Jeff will not only keep that promise but legally become Sally's dad in the future.

Kimberly closed her arms around Jeff and nuzzled into his chest.


“How did I get so lucky?”


Jeff wrapped his arms around her.


“Hard work. Strength. Perseverance.”


He kissed the top of her head.


“Love.”

Sally rested her head on Tara’s shoulder.


“Sure. You’re coming back, right?”


Tara offered her pinky.


“Always.”

In another story some tragedy might struck and prevent them from coming back but I trust you, Laragh, that Tara and Willow can always keep that promise.

Concerning the new year's gig I agree with the previous comments. How naive can Tara and Willow be?! I too had to google to confirm my suspicion that "scittles" are a slang word for some drug, but a 10 hour rave not in some official club but some warehouse practically smells of drug use and this interaction made it blatantly obvious for me that the drinks must contain some drug other than alcohol:

The sound of two solo cups being dropped in front of her brought her back.


“40.”


Tara’s eyes almost fell out of her head.


“D-Dollars?”


“It’s good stuff,” the bartender reassured, and Tara reluctantly handed over two $20s.

Their drinks sloshed as their plastic tumblers connected, and they both took a long sip.


Tara looked down at her cup while Willow’s lips smacked together.


“These aren’t very tasty. And I don’t see any Skittles.”

Anyone not totally stupid should have realized at least after this first sip that there is something wrong with the "punch" and should have stopped drinking it immediately!!!
I hope they'll really learn from their mistake this time and won't end up with a drink spiked with knockout drops or some other really dangerous shit in the future!

Now I dread what crazy stuff they'll do under drug influence this time - end up with another silly tattoo or exotic pet, have sex on the DJ deck? At least they won't have to fear that any embarrassing pictures or videos of DJ Tarot and her manager could be posted on the internet since none of the guests has a device to record any.

[Laragh]

Finey_McFine —

These two, I swear…’Willow likes a fruity drink.’ LOLOLOL I mean, who the hell serves “punch” at a wild underground rave in LA on NYE?

Tara did assume it was a 'spiked' punch...just not with drugs!

Not to mention the theme is Bad Decisions. I guess they took it literally. If naive were a person…hahaha.

Or persons

Also, didn’t Willow end up with an apple sauce & tuna tattoo on her ass the last time she “accidentally” drank something she was unsure of, and they both ended up naked somewhere?

You know I like a full circle.

I kind of can’t wait to see what happens and also cringe at the thought of what could happen, lol.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Thanks so much for commenting!

GrimCityGirl —

How have they not learned by now to be very careful at things like this haha. christ, I dread to think what’ll happen now!

They have now!

Thanks for your comment

TheBigPineapple99 —

I admit, I also didn’t know specifically what skittles were until I googled it, but I did know a 20 dollar drink at a rave that says it has them but has no visible candy is a bad idea lol.

In this cost of living crisis it's so hard to know

I’ll be interested to see how they get through this lol, mentioning the fact there is both a casino and a tattoo parlor next to this does not seem promising lol. Or maybe it does lol …

Thanks so much for your feedback!

Will's redemption —

I find it hilarious that even impending Tara-kissage can't deter Willow's quirky mind from her attempt to justify a "threesome with double Tara"-fantasy.

Years ago the mods had a discussion on the ethics of allowing a threesome W/T fic with a double Willow/double Tara fic and this was basically the only scenario we could come up with that wasn't sketchy and I always envisioned Willow having the same ethical discussion with herself

I love that Jeff will not only keep that promise but legally become Sally's dad in the future.

In another story some tragedy might struck and prevent them from coming back but I trust you, Laragh, that Tara and Willow can always keep that promise.

It will all work out, I can promise you that.

Concerning the new year's gig I agree with the previous comments. How naive can Tara and Willow be?! I too had to google to confirm my suspicion that "scittles" are a slang word for some drug, but a 10 hour rave not in some official club but some warehouse practically smells of drug use and this interaction made it blatantly obvious for me that the drinks must contain some drug other than alcohol:

I wrote it to be blantantly obvious to you. In the moment, things can be less clear!

Anyone not totally stupid should have realized at least after this first sip that there is something wrong with the "punch" and should have stopped drinking it immediately!!!
I hope they'll really learn from their mistake this time and won't end up with a drink spiked with knockout drops or some other really dangerous shit in the future!

It was a drink they'd never had before. Tara didn't think drugs were going to be dealt across a bar.

Now I dread what crazy stuff they'll do under drug influence this time - end up with another silly tattoo or exotic pet, have sex on the DJ deck? At least they won't have to fear that any embarrassing pictures or videos of DJ Tarot and her manager could be posted on the internet since none of the guests has a device to record any.

Thank god for that!

Thanks for your feedback

---

Update Directly Below

[Laragh]

---

The Other Side

---

Sometimes I Feel Like Throwing My Hands Up In The Air
I Know I Can Count On You

Tara’s eyes twitched.


This was to be the last pain-free movement she made for quite a while.


As they peered open, all she saw was beige.


As she tried to make sense of the ceiling looking so soft, air suddenly caught in her mouth as it felt like all the Sahara had been poured in there at once.


She sat up in a desperate bid for liquid and was glad for that soft-looking ceiling as her head bounced against it. The small bump was nothing compared to the deep ache in her arms and was barely noticeable against how painfully dry her throat felt. With tunnel vision, she spotted Willow’s familiar water bottle, complete with a Scooby Doo sticker, sticking up ahead and grabbed it.


Her jaw protested with every suck of sweet liquid, but her body flooded with happy hormones as she glugged the warm but gloriously wet water.


Sitting back in relief, more than her base senses returned.


Looking around, she realized she was sitting in the back seat of the car.


Next, as awareness grew throughout her body, she realized she was naked and couldn’t see any clothing apart from one shoe on the floor.


Things escalated from there.


Looking down was a smorgasbord of optical input.


Her body had glitter, bruises, and remnants of what she hoped was body paint and not blood.


Her head was swimming - no, drowning - in open water.


With sharks.


She only remembered feeling this vein of being nauseatingly adrift once before.


One morning, outside a beach in Nepal.


And that thought made reality come into focus with a sharp intake of breath.


“Oh god!”


Her head jutted in every direction, making her realize she was in the car and it was still in the spot they had parked in, thankfully shielded from the street or anybody in it.


They.


“Willow?”


Her eyes covered every inch of the car like she might suddenly appear from the glove compartment.


“WILLOW!?”


There was a faint knock, and it took Tara a moment for the blood to stop rushing to her head for her to hear it.


Her hands flew to the seat beside her. She yanked the lever, and the folded seatback dropped forward – revealing a very mussed-up Willow-head peeking up from the trunk area.


Willow’s eyes fought the sudden influx of light, narrowing as she brought her hand up in a salute position to cover them.


“…hi.”


Tara’s hand covered her hammering heart, and she helped pull Willow, also fully nude, into the backseat through the hatch they'd opened. Upon her full body appearing, Tara’s skinny black tie was tied around her ankle.


Tara clutched her head as a headache buzzed through her brain.


“What the hell happened?”


Willow rotated her arm to try to stop it from feeling dead. She looked at Tara, then herself, and finally at their surroundings.


“Last thing I remember is you playing the most rocking show of your life and then…”


She blinked heavily.


“I’m in a dark, cramped space and naked, and you’re screaming my name. It’s like my best dream and worst nightmare collided.”


She brought her hand up and rubbed her jaw, which ached just from talking.


“Why does my…”


She paused and, for a long second, wondered what the familiar aching feeling was. Her eyes sprang open, also causing a strain.


“Oh no…I think we might’ve, um…accidentally gotten super high again. Like really stupid high.”


Tara began to squint, also wincing.


“Wh-what? How? We didn’t even drink anything except for the…”


She rubbed her eyes as she deflated back against the seat.


“…the punch.”


Willow nodded slowly, frowning the same way as when a brain teaser was testing her noggin.


“Yeah. I’m starting to think those ‘Skittles’ weren’t…candy. Or if they were, they were the kind you need a rave and a babysitter for. Which, coincidentally, we had both of.”


Tara groaned and covered her face.


“I’m such an idiot. I should’ve checked. I just–I thought it was a theme thing! When they offer you drugs at the club, it isn’t usually blatantly across the bar!”


Willow reached out and gently rubbed Tara's arm.


“Hey, it’s okay. I mean, not ideal, but…at least we’re not in someone else’s bed this time?”


Tara peeked through her fingers.


“Is that supposed to be comforting?”


Willow smiled softly.


“Maybe a little?”


Tara blinked a few times, then narrowed her eyes as Willow gave her that slightly-too-proud, post-mischief grin.


“You’re suspiciously calm,” Tara said, continuing to eye Willow.


Willow shrugged, casually brushing her hair behind her ear.


“Eh, happens to the best of us. And now we’re even, so I can officially stop feeling guilty about the time I dragged us into that dancing-in-the-ocean nakey adventure.”


Tara let out a small, surprised laugh, and her fingers curled over Willow’s arm in an affectionate squeeze - until her hand touched bare skin and she blinked again.


This really wasn’t funny, but how could she do anything but laugh?


“Willow… why are we always naked when this happens?”


“Um. Let me think,” Willow said, furrowing her brow as her brain protested any movement, “Party substances can impact the hypothalamus - body temp regulation, vasoconstriction, inability to sweat, blah blah blah - so maybe we were overheating and did the ‘logical’ thing.”


She side-eyed Tara.


“Or…we were just very, very into each other and forgot clothing was a societal construct.”


Tara breathed in slowly through her nose.


“We definitely had sex.”


Willow’s brows lifted.


“Really? You’re sure?”


Tara shifted slightly, opened her legs, then pointed downward without ceremony.


“There’s a bruise on that one spot on my thigh you always like to nibble during - well, you know.”


Willow peered with interest, squinting.


“Oh. Yep. That's my signature nibble spot.”


Then she folded her arms over her chest suddenly, her cheeks a little pink.


“Soooo…where do you think this all went down?” her nose scrunched distastefully, “Not where we went down…Oy.”


Tara closed her eyes and shuddered.


“No. Nope,” she said flatly, “Same rules apply as last time. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”


Willow nodded vigorously.


“Solid call,” her head continued to bob as she became aware of muscle aches, “Oof. Feels like I actually was in the middle of a Tara-sandwich last night.”


Tara shot Willow a look, who frowned while reaching across to rub her opposite shoulder.


“Right. Sorry. Zipped.”


Tara began scoping around the car floor for clothes but struggled to locate them.


“We need…a hypnotist or something to stop us from doing this in public again.”


“I’ll find a licensed hypnotherapist,” Willow replied with a small sigh, “Guessing we probably need some of the latter too.”


Tara suddenly paused, eyes going wide.


“No one took pictures of us, right? No creepy strangers with smartphones? We cannot be blackmailed again. Once was enough for this lifetime.”


Willow took Tara’s hands gently.


“Tech-free event, remember? That whole ‘no EMFs at the rave’ thing? You even had to surrender your flash drive.”


“What about out on the street?” Tara asked, starting to panic, “We don’t know how we got back here.”


Willow squeezed Tara’s hands.


“If we had been naked on the streets, we’d be in a police cell right now. My best guess is we ended up in the trunk because it was the only place we couldn’t be seen. So, we at least had some sense.”


Tara relaxed slightly, and Willow tucked her head gently under her chin.


“That’s it. No more raves. I’m coming out firmly against it.”


“There aren’t enough zeros in the world to convince me again,” Tara muttered.


They sat like that, quiet and warm, until Willow winced and reached behind herself.


“My butt hurts…I think you nibbled me back last night.”


She twisted around and gasped as she looked down.


“Oh no.”


She scrambled on her knees, twisting and turning on the seat like a startled puppy.


“Tara. Why is there sandwich wrap on my butt?”


Tara leaned in, brushing gently at Willow’s lower back where she peeled away the crumpled plastic.


Fresh tattoo. Still healing.


Her face told Willow everything.


“Oh no. Again?! Where did I even get this done?!” Willow whined, then groaned, “Wait… oh no, no! That sketchy tattoo shop across the street!”


Tara tilted her head, squinting.


“Well. It looks clean. So, there’s that.”


“Yeah, all the best tattoo artists open at 3am and tattoo the inebriated,” Willow said sarcastically, then shifted uncomfortably, “Is there something in my butt?! Oh god, I didn’t agree to become a drug mule, did I? I’m not a mule! I’m a-a Reliable-Dog-Geyser Person!”


Tara gently pried Willow’s cheeks apart, and a little white card fell out. It took all of Tara’s strength not to laugh. Willow snatched the card and read it.


“DJ Need-lez?” she looked at Tara with confusion, “Did I make a work contact? A DJ that needs lesbians?”


“I, um, think it’s the tattoo artist’s card,” Tara replied, her jaw now throbbing from the hangover and attempt to conceal her mirth, “It’s’ DJ Needles. With a ‘Z’.”


She pointed.


“See, the little ‘l’ is a tattoo gun.”


Willow turned a flame-red color.


“He stuck it up my butt?!?”


Tara rubbed her arm gently.


“I’m sure–”


She stopped as a memory resurfaced.


A vivid one:


Her own hand sliding the card through Willow’s butt crack, giggling something about an ATM.
Willow’s eyes widened at the exact same time.


“Denied…denied…”


“…approved,” they finished together, nodding, remembering.


Willow slumped in relief.


“No more watching ‘Will & Grace’ with Sally.”


“How about no more letting ourselves take drugs without realizing it?” Tara suggested, “You have no more room on your butt for any more tattoos.”


“Well, duh!” Willow replied with a roll of her eyes, “Clearly, I'll let anyone come at me with a needle!”


Tara got another flash.


“Oh…Oh, I think he might have been a fan. He came up after the set to talk to us.”


She remembered the metal clanging of the storefront opening up in the dark of night, gushing about her set while Willow skipped around them with excitement.


“I think you were very insistent. And then you made me leave so it would be a surprise.”


The memory hopped from Tara to Willow, who groaned. She saw herself dancing in a circle as a tall man covered in tattoos encouraged her onto the table. Worse, she remembered singing. On the table.


“Rat-a-tat-tat, rat-a-tat-tat-tat, hey!”


She pulled a distasteful face as she peeked at her reflection in the car window, craning her neck to try to get a visual.


“What is it?!”


“A rat,” Tara said, with an expression of confused fondness.


Willow looked horrified.


“A rat?! The only thing worse would be a frog!”


Tara nodded gently.


“It’s a rat. In a heart. It’s a little smiling rat in a heart. Even has a little lotus flower. It’s actually quite cute.”


Willow froze. Then slowly, blushing, she met Tara’s gaze.


“I know why I got ‘a rat’.”


She used finger quotes over the last two words. Tara arched an eye expectingly.


Willow blushed further.


“Spell it backwards.”


Tara’s eyes flickered upward.


“A rat?” she questioned, and Willow nodded, “A-R-A-T… T-A-R-A… oh.”


She looked up, eyes softening instantly.


“Oh, sweetie. I’m surprised the kids at school who liked to tease me never made that connection.”


She leaned in to kiss the tattoo gently, deliberately missing the fresh ink.


“Miss Kitty’s going to want a nibble,” she teased.


“I have definitely been nibbled enough,” Willow muttered, slumping in her seat, “Ow! Oh, let’s just get home.”


The keys had been tossed carelessly on the passenger seat, which was exceedingly stupid, but at least made them easy to spot as Tara reached for them.


Willow hesitated.


“Should you be driving?”


Tara paused.


“I feel okay, but…better not risk it. Call a car?”


Willow nodded.


“Yeah, but I’ll call a designated driver service. We have to get back to Sunnydale later. I don’t want to have to come back here just for the car.”


Tara glanced around.


“Any idea where our clothes are?”


Lightbulb.


“Oh! I think I used them as a pillow,” Willow said, reaching behind the seat and pulling up a tangled pile.


They separated their clothes, and Willow sheepishly pulled the tie off her ankle.


“Um, think this is yours.”


Tara blushed but quickly redressed, grateful to have her own shirt to put on her body. As she pulled up her jeans, something slipped out of the pocket.


Willow snatched it up.


“Casino receipt. Also... jackpot cash!” she added, revealing a wad of folded bills, “Apparently we’re amazing at craps when high.”


Tara raised her hand.


“Oh, I think that’s where I disappeared to when you were getting your tattoo. I think we need to add that to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’. We’re not rich enough to get addicted to the slots.”


“We could be,” Willow replied, admiring the money before immediately realizing that’s exactly what Tara meant, “O-kay, yeah. Plus, I technically know how to count cards–”


Tara raised an eyebrow intently, and Willow nodded.


“Yep, forgetting that ever happened.”


She pushed the money into the center console and winced.


“I just hope we didn’t adopt a tarantula or a lizard or something from that pet store. They were open way too late last night to be legit.”


Tara narrowed her eyes.


“Willow.”


Willow zipped her hoodie, trying to look innocent.


“No ask-y, no tell-y. Right. No sex, no slots, no lizards.”


She paused, blowing out some air.


“But I’ve never been very good at keeping my mouth shut.”


“Then please just wait until I can take some Tylenol,” Tara sighed deeply.


“That I can do,” Willow reassured.


They got mostly dressed, though Willow muttered something about needing real aftercare balm for tattooed butts and made Tara promise to rub some in later. She might as well get something out of her loss of inhibition, and a tender butt rub was definitely something.


“My phone isn’t in my jeans,” Tara said, patting around, “Is yours?”


Willow shook her head.


“Nope. Maybe the trunk? I put them in the backpack last night.”


Tara stepped out, wobbled a little on jelly legs, then popped the trunk.


More glitter, Tara’s second shoe, and a very questionable stain. Somehow, thankfully, all of the DJ accessories they’d brought were there, though not in the backpack, just thrown somewhat carelessly in a corner.


Or perhaps pushed by two scrambling bodies in too-small a space.


But no phones.


Tara slammed the trunk, and though Willow initially winced, the jostle caused a jerk in the car, and Willow heard a rattle under the seats. She reached under them and pulled out the backpack.


“Found ‘em!” Willow beamed, “Still sealed in Faraday pouches…that…oh crap…that need a specific unlocking device.”


Tara groaned.


“From security? Those guys are long gone. So, we have no access to our phones?”


“Not necessarily,” Willow said smugly, “There’s a hack. I saw it in the doc.”


She guided Tara’s hands to press against the seal and apply pressure. She hooked her finger under the flap and pulled in the opposite direction.


After a little strain, there was a click.


Both were breathing hard.


Tara smiled.


“We make a good team.”


Willow grinned, her cheeks still pink.


“You’re the pretty princess, and I’m your little enchanted rat that helps you get dressed.”


Tara cupped her cheek and kissed her softly.


“You're my Princess Charming. And you're much better at getting me undressed.”


Just then, Willow’s phone lit up, exploding with notifications. Tara grimaced.


“Silent mode. Later. Driver now.”


As Willow placed the request, looking at the glaring screen as little as possible, Tara rested her head on Willow's shoulder. When Willow finished, she leaned her head over, too, and they both reveled in the quiet stillness.


They had nearly dozed off again when Willow’s phone started buzzing wildly.


Remembering they were in a locked garage, Willow stepped out and pressed the button to open it up. A young kid, probably a college student like them, but seeming much younger, waved his phone screen with their ride confirmation.


He gave Willow the code, and she handed over the keys, confirming the address.


“Big night?” he asked as he settled into the driver’s seat.


They groaned in unison.


Willow handed over their apparent winnings from the night before.


“That’s your tip if you don’t say another word.”


The driver’s eyes widened, and he nodded eagerly.


“Yes, ma’ams.”


As they pulled away, a tiny lizard watched the city fly by from the bumper, ready for his new life in the streets of West Hollywood.


Back at the apartment, they practically crawled inside, shed their clothing, and collapsed into bed.


“Alarm?” Tara mumbled.


“Set,” Willow whispered, “Sleep now. In bed. Not car.”


“Pillow good,” Tara agreed, pulling Willow closer, “Now I feel safe.”


“Always with you,” Willow whispered, barely finishing the words before drifting off.


And peace washed over them.


For now.

---

Their mattress had never felt so good.


Tara could have slept for a month right in the spot she was in. Like a cold glass of water when you’re parched, her body felt sated and relieved after being put through whatever she’d put it through the night before.


She was home, comfortable, and safe.


Her eyes flickered open as she languidly stretched, feeling Willow’s cheek lightly resting on her breast as she moved. The room was nicely shaded from the sun’s light and heat, making the blanket above them feel even cozier.


She lifted her hand and covered Willow’s head, softly stroking her hair as she came to.


“Mmm,” Willow began to wake similarly, “My very own scalp tingler.”


Tara’s lips sloped on one side.


“How’s that butt tingling?”


Willow groaned and turned her head to bury it under Tara’s arm.


“You’re going to be rubbing so much balm into me once I get some.”


Tara turned her head to gently kiss the side of Willow’s brow.


“We’ll pick some up on the way back to Sunnydale.”


She took a sneaky peek under the covers and shook her head with a smile at the little rat smiling back at her. She covered her face with her hands and rubbed it, trying to cleanse any anxiety about what had gone on the night before. She wondered if Willow was going to be able to sit still in the car and if they should bring a pillow.


She turned her head toward the window and blinked several times. The room was unusually still. Too quiet for the quick-paced daytime of their neighborhood. Something felt…off.


“Willow…you didn’t close the curtains.”


“Huh?” Willow asked without opening her eyes, before mumbling, “Sorry.”


Tara’s eyes widened.


“No…Willow…” she abruptly sat up and swung her legs off the bed, “It’s not dark because of the curtains, it’s dark because it’s night!”


Willow shot up, eyes wide.


“Wait – it’s night-night? Like after-dinner night?”


Tara checked her watch and let out a small shriek.


“Willow, it’s almost nine PM. I thought you set an alarm?!”


Willow scrambled to grab her phone from the nightstand. When she pressed the unlock button, it stayed completely blank.


“My phone died! I thought I plugged it in!” she said, checking underneath where the cable promptly fell out, “The cable was loose!”


Tara wrestled with her clothing on the floor to throw them over her body and dove on the backpack they'd thrown everything into on their way in. She pulled out the pouch with her phone and started to fight with it.


“Get my phone out of this thing! My mom hasn’t heard from us all day, she’s going to think we’re dead!”


Willow rushed out of bed to try and release the magnetic catch the same way they had with hers earlier. They rocked comically back and forth, Tara, fully dressed, and Willow, stark naked, but there wasn’t a trace of laughter between them.


Finally, the flap opened, and Tara’s phone fell out. It immediately triggered an alert tsunami as the signal returned. Tara grabbed it off the floor and ran out into the living room as she placed a video call to her mother.


After a few moments, Kimberly’s red face appeared, and she visibly clutched her chest.


“Tara! Where on earth have you been? I was about to start calling hospitals!”


Tara turned a similar shade of red.


“Mom, I’m so sorry, we had a really long night and fell asleep, and the alarm didn’t go off–” her voice shook, but was stopped in her tracks when she heard a wail in the background, “Is that Sally?”


Kimberly looked over her shoulder with concern.


“She’s been hysterical, she’s been worried something happened to you. So have I, quite frankly,” she huffed but mostly seemed relieved, “Jeff has been trying to calm her down.”


Tara’s bottom lip quivered.


“Put her on.”


Kimberly looked over her shoulder again, unsurely, and Tara watched as the phone dropped by her side. There was muffled speech from Kimberly, briefly explaining they were okay and overslept. Then there was movement on screen, and finally Tara saw a very up-close face.


“Sally?”


The phone moved, and Sally’s face came into focus, red-faced and taut.


“You said you’d come back! You promised!”


Tara’s eyes creased.


“I know, darling, it was a mistake, but we’re coming–”


The screen rolled until it went black, and moments later, Tara saw her mother picking her phone up from the floor.


“Tara, she’s just in shock. We’ve all been worried. She’ll understand once she cools off.”


Tara sniffed deeply as she tried to retain composure.


“We’re coming now.”


Kimberly sighed softly.


“Sweetheart, it’s late. Why don’t you–”


“We’re coming now,” Tara interrupted, “Tell her we’re coming.”


Kimberly just nodded and ended the call. Tara pinched the bridge of her nose and then quickly shook her head, snapping into action.


“Willow, we have to–”


Willow came running out of the bedroom, clothed and holding the backpack, void of the contents that had been in it before. She threw a sweater hanging over a chair at the table inside and zipped the bag up.


“That should be everything. We left most of our things at your mom’s house,” she rattled off as she checked her phone in the backpack pocket, hooked up to a power bank, “I’ve preordered coffee we can collect on the way, and once we get off Laurel Canyon, we can make it in 2 hours.”


Tears sprang to Tara’s eyes; not just at the weight of the emotion she felt that she’d let Sally down, but that she didn’t even have to explain to Willow that they needed to make it right, Right Now.


Willow approached when she saw the tears and cupped Tara’s cheek.


“Hey,” she comforted softly, “Hey. This is my fault. You’ve done nothing wrong.”


That lip wobble reappeared.


“T-This is the first overnight when we’re not just across the street–”


“And we’re going to her right now and show her we’re okay and explain,” Willow reassured, before frowning and making the briefest of glances over her shoulder at her behind, “Well, mostly explain. Probably leave out the skittles and the rat attack.”


Tara closed her eyes and nodded. A single tear spilled out.


Willow kissed it away and kissed Tara’s forehead.


“I’m going to drive, okay? You close your eyes and get some more sleep.”


She got the keys and led Tara out to the car, pulling out of their spot quickly when they were buckled in.


They got there in under two hours, which was not wise given what might still show up on a saliva test, but they were firmly sobered up, and the universe owed them one. They got there without any red and blue lights flashing behind them.


Tara did close her eyes for a lot of the journey but didn’t sleep. Any time she tried, she saw Sally’s little betrayed face.


Kimberly had the door open for them before they’d even reached it, and kindly didn’t mention how disheveled either of them looked. She did gather Tara into her arms as she didn’t need 'mom senses' to see she was badly in need of a hug.


“Sweetheart, it’s all okay. We settled her into bed. She had a very prolonged panic attack and calmed down after you called, but became very sullen. I only got her to eat when I said there was leftover lemon lavender bread from the party last night. But she was always safe, always cared for, always with someone.”


“We’re so sorry,” Tara sobbed silently into her mother’s chest.


“It’s entirely my fault,” Willow held her hand up, “I didn’t check my phone was plugged in properly, and it died. Our alarm didn’t go off, and we were running on empty. We crashed hard. So, we slept until we called earlier.”


Tara gathered herself and quickly put a hand on the small of Willow’s back.


“It’s on both of us,” she said, giving Willow a look of communion that they shared this journey together, “Is she asleep?”


“Pretending last time I checked,” Jeff appeared from the kitchen, “I think she got sick of me asking about her favorite things to try and distract her. But I’m now very adept at the goings-on of Percy Jackson, Gravity Falls, and some algebra I haven’t had to recall since 9th grade. Which is impressive given she’s in 6th.”


Willow smiled proudly.


“She’s advanced.”


Kimberly looked the same way at Jeff.


“Jeff was wonderful with her.”


“Thank you so much,” Tara looked up at him gratefully, “I just need to go see her, even if she is asleep.”


Willow slid her hand down the arm on her back to take Tara’s hand, and they ascended the stairs together.


Tara lifted her hand and hesitantly knocked lightly on the door.


“Sally?” she whispered, “Are you awake?”


She pushed the door open. Sally had her back to it and dramatically lifted the blanket over her head.


Tara looked at Willow, who encouraged her forward. Tara went and sat at the end of the bed while Willow bent on her knees, opposite.


“We’re so sorry you got a fright today, Sally,” Tara managed to keep her voice calm and clear.


There was some very purposeful shifting under the blanket before she ripped herself out from under it and glared at them.


“You said you’d come back!” she spat, “You said I could call any time and you said you’d come back this morning!”


Willow saw Tara struggling, so she stepped in.


“It’s okay that you’re mad at us. We messed up. I don’t blame you for being mad.”


“But we won’t let it happen again. We didn’t mean to scare you or think…” Tara added quickly, “You have to know nothing could keep us from coming back to you. Nothing. We would never just disappear on you.”


Sally continued to breathe angrily but didn’t retort.


“We're going to make a new plan,” Willow said gently, “So even if something goes wrong, you'll still have a way to know we're safe. And that you're safe.”


Sally looked away, hiding tears. Willow pressed on.


“Saying sorry isn’t enough. But we are sorry, and we’re going to show you we mean it. You know that app on your phone that tells us where you are? We can set it up so you can tell where we are, too.”


Tears began to escape, so Sally turned away and covered her head with the pillow.


“Go away!”


Sally burrowed under the blanket again.


Willow gently touched Tara’s back, then stood and took her hand.


“Okay,” she said softly, “We’ll go. But we’re right outside your door. All night. If you need us, we’ll be there. If you don’t, we’ll still be there. We’re not going anywhere. And in the morning, if you want, we can make pancakes.”


There was no response but sniffles, so Willow walked them both outside the door and closed it.


Tara looked between Willow and the door.


“What do we do?” she whispered.


Willow plopped herself down, cross-legged, and though her new little rat friend made her immediately regret it, she smiled evenly.


“We sit.”

---

Willow’s head lolled forward for the nth time and woke her with a bob of her now extremely sore and stiff neck.


She grabbed the back of it and rolled gently. She had the mother of all hitch-kink-twinges.


Tara was asleep opposite her, both slumped against Sally’s door, as they had been all night.


They’d both slept in spurts, and Willow had heard the door open at least twice and was sure she saw a little pair of eyes peek out before the door closed quickly again, and there was scurrying back to the bed.


Kimberly had told them to just go to bed when she and Jeff were going, that Tara’s room was right next door, and they’d hear if Sally got up.


But they both stayed firm and set themselves up with some water bottles, a pack of cards, and a cushion each from the couch.


Though they had played a few games of Go Fish, they had mostly just laid together and cuddled or sat up to stretch out their limbs.


Tara seemed to sense Willow waking as she did the same. Their tired eyes locked and seemed to reenergize each other.


“Hey,” Willow greeted softly.


“Hey, you,” Tara returned and glanced out the hallway window, “Looks like we made it ‘til morning.”


“And not even the worst way we’ve ever slept,” Willow smiled tenderly, “Remember that awful hostel in Mandalay?”


Tara dropped her head, shaking it with a smile.


“I try to forget.”


Willow reached out her hands, and just as Tara took them, the door started to open again. It opened a crack at first, but then, unlike during the night, it opened fully.


Sally was in footy pajamas with tousled hair, and her face seemed more peaceful than it had at their last encounter.


“Hey kiddo,” Willow said softly, “You okay?”


Sally glanced between them both, then pushed past them in her usual somewhat brash manner.


“Can we have pancakes…like you said?” she asked, voice even except for a tiny crack at the end that gave her away.


The nonchalance, or attempt at it, couldn’t have made Tara smile any more than it did. Sally still struggled with big emotions, and wanting to move forward was her way of offering forgiveness and trust.


Willow acted with the same breeziness as she jumped up, hitch-kink-twinge be damned.


“Only if you can beat me downstairs!”


As Willow sprang up and Sally ran off, she brushed against Tara’s arm, just lightly, like a truce offered without words. Tara touched her fingertips against Sally’s, and a little tap told each other they were okay.


Without hesitation, Sally smirked at Willow’s challenge, using her head start to her advantage as Willow mockingly failed to catch her.


“Oh no! My efforts are futile! Now you’re faced with the age-old question of yore: funny shapes or rounds!?”


Sally squealed as she sprinted ahead, and Willow turned back to offer Tara a wink.


“You still owe me that butt rub.”


Tara leaned against the doorway for a moment, letting the sounds of laughter and clattering pans wash over her.


Relief didn’t come all at once.


It came in slow, steady breaths.


At times in her life, she’d been forced to wonder if each of those girls was the right decision for her.


If Sally could ever recover from her traumatic past, if Willow could move out of her own way enough to allow herself to blossom.


Tara slid her back up the wall to stand, feeling her shoulders relax fully for the first time in over twenty-four hours.


She knew now that not only would Sally be okay, but also felt more than ever that Willow would flourish into a great mom every bit as much as she had a great partner.


Tara knew they weren’t just the right decisions.


They were the best ones she’d ever made.

---

[TheBigPineapple99]

Glad they made it out without anything too bad happening! Willow’s tattoo is silly but does look very cute. I do think they’ve learned their lesson that now that they’re parents they need to be extra careful about making sure they know what substances they’re taking, but given that they’re so young and in an industry where it’s so common it makes sense they would have a mistake. Glad they were able to make it up to Sally too

[Laragh]

TheBigPineapple99 —

Glad they made it out without anything too bad happening!

You know I would never! Willow’s tattoo is silly but does look very cute.

I like silly sometimes!

I do think they’ve learned their lesson that now that they’re parents they need to be extra careful about making sure they know what substances they’re taking, but given that they’re so young and in an industry where it’s so common it makes sense they would have a mistake. Glad they were able to make it up to Sally too

Youth is about thee mistakes but I think they do a pretty good job all things considered!

Thanks so much for your feedback"

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