Paths Diverged/Divulged by JustSkipIt

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Guess what, I don't own W&T, Buffy or the rest of the BtVS crew. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental and fortunate.
Distribution: Littlecrazy80/Romy
The Mystic Muse /mysticmuse.net
Spoilers: Season 6
Author's Notes: Well I think it's always a good idea to start with the important thanks: Thank you to the love of my life: Rachel. Thank you to Joss Whedon who created these characters and the Buffyverse. Thank you to the fictional characters of Willow & Tara and the wonderful actresses Alyson Hannigan & Amber Benson. Finally thanks to all the Kittens who read and enjoy and comment on these fictions, particularly the moderators and Xita!
Pairing: Willow/Tara

Summary: The sequel to W/T Season 3 Y'all.

"What? What?" Tara stammered, barely keeping her voice quiet. A blush filled her cheeks as she realized that she hadn't heard a word the professor had said in over five minutes. In fact, she had been in her own little world. A world peopled with herself and one lovely redhead: a redhead who she had left sleeping half-dressed in her bed this morning to go to class. Not that leaving was an easy thing to do.

So rather than taking notes on organic chemistry and following the examples the professor was working on the overhead projector, she was running over and over the evening in her mind. It was perhaps the happiest evening of her life, thanks in no small part to the fact that Willow had not only called her "my love" but had actually told the blonde that she loved her. Those words had filled Tara's soul with happiness. And some other parts with … , her mind teased. Goddess, to hold her dream woman in her arms, feel their lips pressed together, limbs intertwined… It was just amazing and overwhelming. When she was with Willow she felt like she was rushing into and through and filled with something greater and more perfect than she could ever be alone. There was no doubt that Tara loved her and it seemed that Willow knew that, that the redhead was in no hurry to hear Tara say it.

Nor did she seem to be pushing for greater intimacy. Last night's wonderful exploration was more intimate and intense than anything Tara had ever experienced and she could only imagine what even greater fulfillment would be like.

Feeling a poke in her side Tara lifted her head realizing that she had again been day dreaming. "Arrgghh!" she muttered under her breath as she began furiously copying down the example. At least she and Michelle had this class together. That was one advantage of having a pre-physical therapy major and a veterinary science major room together; they shared quite a few class requirements and when scheduling allowed, took their classes together to be able to study or copy notes from each other. Michelle merely giggled at Tara's distraction and returned to her own work.

An hour later the two girls gathered up their notebooks. "So Tare," Michelle began, "watcha thinking about during class?" She could see by the red color flooding Tara's cheeks that she was thinking about Willow but was nonetheless shocked as Tara answered immediately: "Willow."

"No," Tara giggled, "Willow." She pointed across the quadrangle to the small figure sitting on a stone wall scanning the doorway of the science building. Michelle and Tara saw Willow stand as if to wave to get their attention, sitting back down when she realized that they saw her and were starting toward her. Her face displayed a wide smile as she watched them walking toward her.

Tara immediately gave her girlfriend a kiss and a hug. "Hey sweetie," she said, "what are you d-doing here?"

"I woke up all lonely and half-naked in your bed this morning baby," she teased, whispering the "half-naked" part.

"Not listening, not listening, not hearing anything," Michelle hummed as if she didn't want to intrude. Both witches burst out laughing, knowing that Michelle was anything but uninterested in Willow waking up half-naked in Tara's bed. The girl had already weighed-in as supporto-gal about the couple and certainly about the couple naked. But not in a creepy way, she thought as she spied the coffee. "Hey," she half-shouted, "are those coffees for us?"

Willow reached behind her to pick up the cardboard carrier with three cups of coffee. "French Vanilla for Tara," she announced as she handed the blonde her cup, "Cinnamon for Chelle," again handing over the bounty, "and Mocha for me."

All three girls took a drink of their coffees before Tara asked, "how did y-you know where we would be Will?"

The redhead smiled without letting go of her girlfriend's hand. "You have your schedule posted on your bulletin board." She continued explaining, "I called to check my messages and I had a message from the school that I forgot to sign my transfer application so I needed to come here and figured I could come and see my favorite girl at the same time." She smiled at Tara before turning to Michelle, "I mean favorite girls."

Michelle smiled as she told the redhead, "that's ok. She should be your favorite girl." She left it hanging for a minute before adding, "especially since you woke up lonely and half-naked in her bed this morning." She whistled and looked away feigning being casual but knew without looking that both witches were probably blushing furiously at her teasing.

Michelle glanced at her watch before announcing, "I have a class but if y'all want to walk that way we can go by admissions." Tara also had a class but the three girls walked Willow to the admissions office so the girl could sign her application.

At the door Tara kissed the redhead again. "We're still on for tomorrow night?" she confirmed.

Willow smiled as she nodded. "Yep. I get the keys in the morning and then wait all day for deliveries and hookups." After another kiss she confirmed, "you have the address?"

Tara nodded and Michelle asked, "are you excited about moving into an actual apartment Willow?"

Willow blew out an exaggerated breath. "You wouldn't believe how excited," she agreed. "I never thought I would be living in that hotel for two months." She turned to the blonde and gave her another kiss, "call me after you get off work tonight?"

"Any time my love," Willow answered happily. "I want to hear your sweet voice before I go to sleep." She turned and entered the admissions office after waving to both students.

"N-not yet," Tara answered as they reached her building. She indicated that they had arrived and was glad when Michelle didn't push her.

Instead the runner gave her a light hug and told her, "love you Tara," before leaving the blonde to get to her own class.

The next night Tara was excited to see Willow's new apartment. She had been too busy to take a tour when the redhead was in the process of selecting a place so this would be the first time she got to see it. The blonde was well aware that her house was a true find in the economic climate in Austin. Francis had taken care of virtually everything about it from finding it, negotiating a good price, arranging the contract work to make it handicapped accessible, and paying the yearly taxes. He had wanted to finance the house and use the income off investments to pay the mortgage but Tara had put her foot down on that issue. She argued that whether it made economic sense or not, she didn't want a big mortgage payment hanging over her head so he had paid cash for the expensive house. Occasionally he sent her information indicating that the house had appreciated considerably and that if she decided to sell it, she would make quite a profit. At Michelle's insistence, the runner paid the utilities and bought the groceries for the household but Tara would have been just as happy to have her friend live with her for free.

She looked for the handicapped spaces but not seeing one, parked her Volvo in the area clearly marked for visitors and got slowly out of her car. Even though the moon had just passed full a few days ago, she had used her powers the night before and strained herself somewhat. As she began walking up to the apartment building she took the opportunity to take in the surroundings. She smiled thinking that the redhead had done well in choosing the location. Each apartment building was afforded quite a bit of privacy by the trees growing all over the grounds. A visitor could not really see into any windows as most were obscured by large Oak or other trees. She could hear birds nesting in many of the larger trees and again smiled that her girlfriend would of course choose a location with these features. The cars parked in the resident covered parking were all nice vehicles in very good shape.

As she stepped onto the curb, the door to the apartment nearest the walkway swung open. "Hey baby," Willow called from the threshold. Pointing her finger at the blacktop nearest the walkway she apologized, "sorry you had to walk. The complex is going to mark that space tomorrow."

The blonde nodded her head, glad that they would be adding the space. "H- how'd you know I was here?" Tara asked since trees completely obscured the view of the windows from outside or the parking lot from the apartment.

Willow came to meet her girlfriend on the walk to take the package and six- pack of water she carried and kiss her lightly. "You make my spider-senses tingle," she giggled.

"Of course," Tara agreed. She wasn't surprised that Willow could feel her magical energy. She sensed Willow's often but usually she consciously blocked it to keep out the distractions.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Willow declared elegantly as she swept her hand over the threshold of the apartment.

"Quite humble," Tara laughed as she looked around. "I thought y-your furniture was going to be delivered today." The living room was large with the kitchen visible. A bar separated the two rooms and a small area could hold a breakfast table. That area was next to a French door that opened out onto a small patio. A hallway ran by the kitchen and Tara assumed that the bedroom and bathroom were that way.

"Apparently promising to deliver something on a certain day doesn't mean the same thing in this world," Willow sulked. "But since the phone did get hooked up I was able to call and yell at the delivery people."

"Come on," Willow pulled her girlfriend along, "I'll give you the 50 cent tour." Answering Tara's question she explained, "not nothing. The bed company brought the box spring about 9:00 this morning."

"The b-box spring?" Tara confirmed, "did you explain that it wasn't very useful without the mattress and frame?"

Continuing their tour Willow joked back, "hey a bed is important to me. I explained to the guy that my girlfriend was coming over and that I want my bedroom to be Tara-friendly but he didn't seem that sympathetic."

"Exactly," Willow agreed. "Ok, obviously this is the bedroom as you can tell by the box spring in the middle of the room and my clothes piled against the walls in non-dressers."

Pulling on her girlfriend's hand Tara leaned in for a long kiss. As she pulled away she whispered, "any room with you in it is Tara friendly baby."

Willow hugged the blonde as she explained, "we can go sleep at your place after dinner if you want."

"No," Tara argued, "let's c-camp out here. We got you sheets at the store and we should celebrate the first night in your new apartment."

Willow's face lit up in a child-like smile. "Sure. We can sleep in the living room and even turn on the fireplace since it's kind of chilly outside. We could roast marshmallows but I don't have any."

"What?" Willow puzzled, "marshmallows aren't vegetarian? What's not vegetarian about them? It's not like they are wrapped around little hot dogs or something."

"Ok," Willow conceded. Who knew it was so complicated? Having reached the bathroom she pointed it out: "I think pretty obviously here's the bathroom." "Nice," Tara complimented. She noticed that Willow had been able to prepare this one room without any deliveries as the shower curtain was hung, rug placed on the floor, towels arranged over the bar, and toiletries set on the counter.

Just as the blonde was turning to go back down the hallway to the living room she felt Willow tug on her hand. The redhead quickly pulled her girlfriend into a passionate kiss before moving her head slightly to whisper in Tara's ear: "it has a bathtub big enough for two." She was pleased to hear Tara give out a slight whimper at her words and turned to return to the living room.

"Willow," Tara teased, "I think your c-computers are reproducing." She indicated the side wall of the living room which now had five computers and a tangle of wires, printers, monitors, and she had no idea what else. That count didn't even include Willow's laptop, which she didn't see in the nest of electronics.

"Well, that's what happens if you don't get them birth control," Willow giggled as she explained, "I've been buying parts at stores and on e-bay and building them. It's a really good deal if you know what you're doing."

"Which you do," Tara concluded smiling. Having reached the large living room once again the blonde dropped as gracefully as possible given the discomfort in her leg to sit on the blanket spread in the center of the room.

"I resent that," Willow shot back. "I ordered Chinese food." Tara laughed at her girlfriend as Willow went to get each girl a bottle of water while they waited.

"D-d-do you want to open your housewarming present while we wait for dinner?" Tara offered after Willow had returned join her on the blanket. As they sat, they entwined their fingers. Tara had the impression once again that she needed to be touching this woman, all the time, and knew that Willow felt it too.

Even with their hands linked Willow started bouncing like a little kid. "Definitely. A present for me? Did I carry it in? What is it? Can I have it now?" She held out her free hand and closed her eyes to convince the laughing blonde to hand over the gift.

Tara reached behind her to pick up the wrapped present and placed it in Willow's free hand. Willow shook the obviously non-shakable present for a minute before raising it to her nose and smelling it as Tara giggled. "No breakable parts," she commented, "and doesn't smell like chocolate. Hmmm… what could it be?"

Tara laughed as she watched Willow in her excitement. Finally the redhead lifted Tara's fingers to her mouth giving them a soft kiss before extricating her hand and aggressively tearing the paper from the flat parcel.

"Oh Goddess!" she muttered upon seeing the drawing Tara had obviously made and then framed for her house. "How did you…?" she asked.

Tara's drawing was very unusual for her. It was actually a drawing of a photograph that she had seen many times but she felt pretty sure that she had captured the tone of the image. "I've seen this photo a l-lot and well, it always seemed like y'all were so happy."

Willow smiled at the blonde before returning her gaze to look at the drawing. Tara had completely captured the friendship she, Buffy, and Xander held for each other as displayed by the photograph. She knew that Buffy loved this picture from their first year as friends too. Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought again of the friends she didn't expect to ever see again. Gently she leaned forward to kiss the blonde whispering, "thank you," as she stood up.

Just as she was placing the picture carefully on the counter the doorbell rang and she ran over to answer it, taking the bags from the delivery boy and handing him cash including a tip. "Wow, thanks ma'am," he spoke excitedly when he realized that she had tipped him well.

After finding out his name she carried the bag into the kitchen where Tara was already pulling out some plates and silverware. "Ready to break in the k- kitchen stuff?" the blonde asked.

Willow nodded as she started pulling boxes from the bag and opening them. "Spicy Eggplant," she indicated having noticed that the blonde seemed to like eggplant a lot. "Tofu and vegetables, lo mein, and fried rice," she set each box on the counter followed by two tall soup containers. "Hot and sour and egg drop." Before Tara could ask she explained, "I noticed that you always ask about the soup so I asked and they are both vegetarian."

Tara didn't know whether to be impressed that her girlfriend was being so accommodating about her not eating meat or tease her about the amount of food. She decided on both. "Thanks for asking," she told Willow, "it's still just the t-two of us eating right?"

As each girl piled their choices on the plates and walked back into the living room Willow explained, "well yes it's just us. But I wanted to get what you wanted and figure the leftovers will last a few days." Deciding to make light of a somewhat serious topic she joked, "see leftovers and reproducing computers. That's pretty permanent."

Tara smiled as she took her first bite. One of the things she absolutely loved about this woman, a list that seemed to be growing every minute, was how considerate she was. Before Tara could even ask she had asked her apartment to create a parking space for her, gotten vegetarian dinner, and now was attempting to reassure her that she was staying. Actually the fact that Willow had gotten an apartment went far in convincing the blonde that they had a future as well as a present. "I dreamed about you last night," she told Willow quietly. Only after she had spoken did it occur to her that it might seem like a non sequitur.

The redhead didn't seem at all put off by the statement. "I didn't leave again did I? Because I'm getting ticked off at this unreliable and really stupid dream Willow." She noted that Tara was smiling and continued, "I mean who would leave this? Who would leave you? Not me. I love you and I'm not going anywhere." She leaned across and kissed the blonde gently before leaning back. "But tell me about your dream," she prompted.

"No," Tara answered, "you didn't leave. We were sleeping in a bed in a farmhouse. It was a two-story and I woke in your arms." She became embarrassed as she continued telling the story: "You had an office in the downstairs filled with c-c-computers and I had a small office in the house for reading. When I woke in your a-arms I felt as safe as I ever have." She looked up to see the redhead staring at her with absolute love and affection, the look in her eyes just as safe as the feeling from her dream. She didn't add on that they were woken up by two children jumping in the bed and tickling them, children she felt relatively sure were named Becky and William.

Willow's jaw dropped open for just a second before she answered, "I've had that one too." Her brow wrinkled for a few moments as she thought about what Tara had left out of her dream or left out of her explanation. "You…you don't want the kids?" Suddenly she realized how many steps that question skipped: "I mean not that we're there and we're just starting out and I'm not saying… oh Hell. I love you Tara."

Tara's mouth had by now dropped open in pure shock. Close your mouth Tara Maclay or food will fall out, she heard her mother's voice in her head. "I… what? I …" how did she know? "I…," finally a smile split her face as she answered, "definitely. Two would be g-good, maybe three."

"Good," the redhead declared, not wanting to push it any more as she rolled onto her stomach to finish her meal. "What do you think of my apartment?"

"It's great," Tara nodded as she looked around again. "I love the t-trees and I bet the p-patio will be nice for breakfast or to take your coffee."

Willow nodded as she began clearing the plates. "I called and ordered a table and chairs to put out there. I'm sure we'll love to have our coffee out there in the morning." Neither girl failed to notice her use of the plural first person pronoun. "Let me just rinse these plates and I'll be back," Willow called from the kitchen and Tara heard her running water before rummaging in a cabinet.

Moments later the smaller girl returned with a big box and explained, "I got some Tara-friendly things for you." Tara smiled glad that Willow was so thoughtful and that she looked so happy to be unpacking the box. The first item she pulled from the box and handed to the blonde was a dog-leash decorated with rainbow colored suns and moons. Tara quirked her eyebrows at the redhead and teased, "I don't think I'd be into … I mean not that I've t-tried it but doesn't really seem like my style." Maybe in some other universe, she mused, but hard to imagine the same person who's creating this world doing that one too.

She was relieved as Willow laughed, "it's for Scooby silly." The redhead reached in the box and pulled out two dog bowls and set them to the side with the leash. Next were two sets of pajamas that she handed to the blonde. "See," she explained, "long pants on both."

"Yes," Tara agreed, "thank you Willow." She looked more closely at the pajamas and realized that one had burnt-orange Longhorns on it while the other had small crystal balls, wands, and witch's hats on it. "These are g-great," she praised. Deciding to tease the redhead she asked, "were you wanting to g-go back to wearing shirts to sleep?"

Willow's jaw dropped open at her girlfriend's risqué tease but she shot right back: "I was hoping to lose clothes rather than gain them." Seeing the color rising in Tara's face she continued, "but you might want something to wear while we are having that coffee on the patio."

"Y-y-yeah," Tara answered completely embarrassed by her girlfriend's teasing. At least Willow wasn't upset about the route their physical relationship was taking.

"Speaking of coffee…," Willow led as she pulled the next item from the box, handing a coffee mug to the girl. It was colorful with intricate patterns and a beautiful ethereal woman depicted on it. Willow pointed to the icon: "see it's your mug."

Tara looked at the mug confused for a second before she giggled, "it's the goddess Tara. I g-get it. Very subtle Will." Next Willow pulled bottles of shampoo and conditioner from the box and held them up before setting them on the floor. "Gee," Tara teased, "I'm starting to get an idea that you might want me to be comfortable here?"

Willow smiled and nodded vigorously. "The most important thing of course," she announced as she handed the blonde a new toothbrush. Tara simply nodded as Willow reached into the box again. "And last but not least…," Willow intoned. Tara watched the redhead carefully as she held out a key on a blue ribbon. "If you want of course," Willow explained suddenly afraid that she had gone too far.

The blonde allowed a smile to cross her face as she leaned in for a kiss while taking the key. "Just try to t-take it away," she whispered as their lips neared each other.

"Never," Willow whispered a millisecond before her lips met the blonde's. Their contact was soft and loving as each girl absorbed the magical contact. Electrical energy began at the merging of their lips and radiated outward from there, pulling both women in to a radical orbit as if they were spinning and floating at once. Softly and slowly their lips pressed together. Tara's hands softly stroked her girlfriend's arms, stroking up and down the sleeves of her shirt. Willow's left hand caressed the back of Tara's neck while her other hand went to the girl's waist.

Neither girl could believe her level of arousal. It was unlike anything either had experienced before, rivaled only by their connection while casting. As the redhead became aware that Tara was giggling, she pulled back. "What?"

"Definitely magical," Willow agreed joining their lips, relaxing back onto the blanket as she did, pleased when Tara seemed to float toward her, covering the smaller girl's body with her own. Still reveling in the feeling of excitement causing both women to shake, Tara began to trace her tongue across the redhead's bottom lip, slightly swollen already from their short intimacy. She was shocked as suddenly the smaller girl opened her mouth to capture Tara's tongue and suck it into her mouth, eliciting an involuntary moan.

Each girl could feel the warmth of the other pressed against her body. Their breasts slid gently together and apart as they moved with their kiss, hampered only by their clothing. Beginning to feel frustrated with the interference of the clothes, Tara tickled her fingertips teasingly along the bottom of the redhead's shirt. Feeling no resistance, she softly shifted her weight before easing the smaller girl's shirt up. As it neared Willow's chest she ran her hand across the thin material covering her slight breasts.

"Oh Goddess," Willow whimpered. It was an almost involuntary sound as she arched her back into Tara's hand, feeling the heaven of the blonde's hand cupping her breast and rubbing across her excited nipple. As Willow arched her back Tara smoothly stripped her top and tossed it to the side. She whimpered again, this time in protest, as she felt the loss of Tara lips but her eyes shot open as she quickly felt the girl's lips brush across her nipple through the thin material of her bra. When she felt the blonde running her tongue around the hard nub, she began unbuttoning Tara's shirt.

Tara felt absolutely entranced by the redhead's breasts. I could spend forever just doing this, she thought as she switched her attention from one hard nub to the other. She almost didn't notice that Willow had completely unbuttoned her blouse and was pushing it down over her shoulders. The redhead's intentions were made completely clear as she didn't pause before unfastening Tara's bra with one hand and slipped it down over her to meet the growing pile of clothes. "Talented," Tara whispered as she likewise unfastened Willow's bra but found herself having to use two hands. I need to get more practice at that, she amused herself thinking.

Attempting to convince herself to be more patient Tara gently trailed her lips up the redhead's chest to her collarbone and neck before again capturing her lips. As she did she noted the increasingly hard breathing coming from each girl. Willow's hands cupped her soft breasts as the smaller girl gently caressed her palms over the entire surface of the flesh, as if memorizing the shape and texture for a sculpture she was planning to complete at some other time.

Willow's mind floated as she reveled in the warmth and softness that was this woman, the woman that she loved. Tara's breasts fit perfectly in her small hands, warming the palms. As she felt the nipples hardening she rubbed her fingers over the bumpy flesh and finally, unable to resist any longer, broke their passionate kiss to bend her lips to kiss the girl's perfect breasts.

Softly, slowly, gently, she placed the first kiss on the underside of the blonde's left breast. Moving only a miniscule distance she placed the next just to the side of it and the next to the side of it as she moved in a circle around the soft flesh. "Oh Gods Willow," Tara moaned as she felt the teasingly and tantalizingly intricate path her girlfriend's mouth was making around her breast. By the time the redhead placed the first kiss on the edge of her aureole her arms were shaking and when Willow darted her tongue to lick at the tip of her nipple she had to gasp: "d-d-down. Need… laying…down…"

Both girls shifted to smoothly roll and reverse positions. Missing the contact of their bodies Tara opened her eyes to see Willow straddling her hips, sitting almost upright. The look in her eye was almost predatory as the dark green traced the lines of Tara's body. "What?" Tara asked, suddenly unsure of herself, unsure of what was happening. When Willow didn't answer immediately she repeated her nervous question: "w-w-what?"

The tone of the redhead's stare shifted in a second from predatory to loving. She traced her fingertip along the blonde's jaw and continued looking into her eyes. "I love you," she whispered as she bent her mouth to take Tara's so far neglected nipple in her mouth, sucking it deeply and feeling the blonde arch her back into the contact. Tara moaned as she luxuriated in the feeling of Willow's soft lips wrapped around her nipple, the girl's hand nimbly exciting the other nub. Tara's own hands continued stroking up and down her girlfriend's sides and flat stomach. On each pass she tickled her fingertips under the waistband of the girl's cargo pants.

Willow salivated around her lover's nipple while Tara's thigh pressing up into the crotch of her pants made the state of her arousal unmistakable. She knew that the blonde's would be equal. Just as she was about to internally admonish herself for moving too quickly she felt Tara's fingers at the button to her loose pants. She was shocked as the blonde unceremoniously unzipped them and lowered her leg to allow her hand to slide along the front of her panties. Immediately Willow released the blonde's nipple to passionately merge their mouths again.

Tara began her exclamation, "oh Goddess Willow," when she felt the girl's wetness on her fingertips for the first time, the undergarment doing little to block the redhead's arousal. The pitch of that exclamation rose as she felt Willow's thigh mirroring Tara's earlier position to press firmly against her center.

Feeling Tara's hand withdrawing as her mouth pulled away Willow opened her eyes to watch her. The stillness of the blonde's gaze was contrasted by the shadows dancing on the wall behind her as the flames reflected around the room. Blue eyes locked on glistening fingertips and Willow could hardly believe her eyes as her girlfriend raised her hand to first smell and then taste her love's essence. As Tara reopened her eyes Willow realized that they were shining with tears and a blink sent one spilling over her cheek.

The redhead gently brushed her palm over Tara's face, brushing away the trail. "Do you want to stop, my love?" she asked.

Tara smiled at the redhead as she explained, "n-no…I…." She blushed as she tried to explain, "I've dreamed this so many t-times…but I never could s-s-smell or t-taste…" Her embarrassment finally overtook her and she looked away.

Willow smiled sweetly at her lover as she tilted her chin with her fingertips. Having no idea what to say she simply leaned forward until their lips met in a gentle kiss. As she pulled back she giggled, telling her lover, "don't take this the wrong way … " she laughed again, "but you can do either anytime."

Noting the familiarity of that name Willow answered, "your vixen my love," before again kissing her lover.

Willow pulled back from the kiss to question the blonde: "but you said… I mean that you hadn't ever… and that you couldn't…with someone who you didn't…and … oh …" She realized how Tara was smiling at her.

"I love the way you b-babble Willow Rosenberg," Tara told the smaller girl. "Almost as much as I love you," she finished. She didn't process the words. She didn't question the way they flowed from her mouth. She had known that she was just waiting to commit to Willow, that she just needed evidence of Willow's commitment to her. The fact that Willow had gotten the apartment was enough to push Tara into confessing what she had known for years.

Willow smiled broadly as she again brought their lips together, savoring contact with the mouth that had just said the most wonderful words in the world.

As their mouths came together again, Willow felt the increased passion and connection in the contact. It wasn't hard to identify the difference: love and openness. She had already confessed her love for Tara and now the blonde had done the same. It wasn't only that she loved Willow but that she had told her that made the difference. Willow knew that it was hard for her lover to open herself up to that love, a love she had been afraid of losing but the redhead already knew that she would do anything to keep it.

Meanwhile Tara was entranced by two sensations simultaneously: the kiss the two women were sharing and her memory of the scent of her lover's arousal. This moment was something she had dreamt of so many times but it had never been like this, never so intense, never so sensual. Her tongue slowly traced the smaller girl's mouth even as her hand again made its way inside her pants. This time she heard Willow's soft moan as she stroked her over her panties. Hearing that sound, she realized that the redhead had been holding herself back. She didn't want to pressure Tara for anything she wasn't ready for and it only reinforced for the blonde how much Willow loved her to wait this long. She could just feel dampness on the redhead's panties and suddenly she wanted to feel so much more.

Gently she began pulling off Willow's pants and panties after pulling back briefly to ensure that the redhead didn't think she was moving too fast. The enraptured look on Willow's face left no doubt that she welcomed the movement. In fact the redhead removed her hands from Tara's body long enough to help her by pushing down her clothes the rest of the way. Within seconds Tara was looking at her lover's naked body, her eyes naturally drawn to the triangle of curly red hair glistening with moisture at the apex of her legs. "Oh Goddess," she whispered as she reached her hand out to lightly touch a curl. The sensation of Willow's hair, so delicate, so wet on her fingertips made her heart beat faster and faster and she briefly wondered if she would faint. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. The breath was meant to steady her but as the air was saturated with the scent of both girls, particularly Willow's, it only excited her more.

Willow felt like a princess or a priceless piece of art as Tara appreciated her body. She could tell that the girl was entranced by the sensations she was feeling for the first time. While she allowed her lover to take her time experiencing this love, she moved her hand to Tara's jeans and gently eased her button flies apart. "Is this ok?" she whispered as she moved both palms over the girl's hips inside the denim material.

"Y-yes," the blonde answered, "b-b-but …it's … the s-scars…" She bit her lip wondering what Willow would think when she saw her leg.

"I love you," Willow repeated as she kissed the blonde again. She struggled to express her feelings, finally answering, "your scars are one of the things that make you the wonderful, strong woman I love."

"You make me f-feel beautiful," Tara whispered as she slid her own hands into her jeans and pushed them down over her legs. Moments later her center was bared as Willow pushed her panties off completely and pressed their bodies together once again. Their mouths meshed as their breath combined, their bodies sliding slickly against each other.

Willow's hands roamed over her lover's stomach and hips as she held their bodies together. Slowly she slid her leg between Tara's to feel her wonderful wetness on the redhead's thigh. Her hands stroked the girl's skin, moving higher and lower until she brushed her hands over Tara's breasts and legs. Even without seeing she could feel the extent of the scars on the blonde's leg and it reinforced for her the severity of her injury. That knowledge only intensified Willow's love for this passionate and strong woman. She could feel the blonde writhing against her leg and wanted to give her a perfect release in this, her first time to make love with another woman.

Her hands never stopped their movement as she began moving down the blonde's body, placing kisses on every inch of her body as she did so. Her journey over Tara's breasts was exquisitely slow and by the time she released the blonde's second nipple from between her lips, the blonde was moaning almost incoherently. Willow could smell her lover's arousal and couldn't wait to taste it. As her leg, hip, stomach, and breast made contact with it, Tara's center tattooed the blonde's scent on her body. Finally she lay between the girl's legs, her hands cupping her breasts.

Gently the redhead kissed the soft flesh of her lover's inner thighs. Another day she would love every millimeter of the girl's legs, counting her toes with her lips, nibbling at her ankles and behind her knee, tracing every scar with the tip of her tongue but today she wanted this woman, now, in her mouth. Pressing her face into her lover's wetness she deeply inhaled, savoring the delicious scent of her arousal.

"I love you," she whispered directly onto the blonde's curls and felt the girl tense against her breath. Using her fingers, she gently separated her lover's blonde curls to reveal her tight little knot of muscle. "I claim you," she whispered as she softly caressed the nub with her lips.

Tara arched upward involuntarily as she felt the redhead's breath and then her mouth on her center. Her words echoed through the girl's soul, not just that Willow loved her but her subsequent statement that she claimed her. And what the redhead was doing with her mouth was absolutely claiming her. Willow's mouth moved over her center, licking and sucking and kissing her into eternity, her words echoed in her head until the blonde could do nothing but arch pressing her center into her lover's mouth as she experienced a climax beyond anything she could have ever dreamed.

Tara was still screaming out her lover's name as she felt the girl's fingers slide into her virgin well. "I claim you Tara Maclay," Willow again whispered as tears fell from her eyes and her fingers were embraced by her lover's warmth. Her fingers curled as if she were trying to pull the blonde closer and closer to her soul and the blonde's muscles clenched around her lover's gentle fingers.

Slowly Tara relaxed and lowered her hands to brush them over Willow's hair as the girl rested between her legs. Her fingers brushed across the girl's lips, feeling her own essence and then up her cheeks, suddenly finding a thinner liquid trail there. "Oh Goddess, Willow," she panicked, "what's w-wrong?" She sat up attempting to pull the redhead into her arms.

Willow quickly rose to curl against her lover's chest while brushing her fingertips across her face. She could see the panic rising in the girl and wanted to head it off: "I just I mean I was … and you are so…" Seeing that Tara was beginning to truly panic she stopped and took a breath: "I can't believe how blessed I am."

"How could I be so lucky to find love like this twice?" she finally explained, hoping that Tara would understand.

Finally understanding that her lover was overwhelmed but not regretful Tara smiled. "I think I'm the l-lucky one."

"Been getting lucky Ms. Maclay?" Willow teased as she toyed with the blonde's belly button.

Suddenly the redhead felt herself flipped onto her back as Tara teased back. "Lucky is an understatement," she giggled, "I've been claimed by Willow the explorer." She began her own journey down the smaller girl's body kissing and nipping at her soft skin. "My l-lover: Willow the explorer."

Tara could feel her lover's wetness as it rubbed against her leg, stomach, chest, neck, and finally her cheeks. Savoring the almost overwhelming scent of her Willow's arousal she brushed her cheeks and then her chin against the soft curls. "Mmmm," she murmured feeling Willow's body tense even further. Looking up at Willow she saw that the girl's eyes were watching her. "I've n-never…" she trailed off nervously.

Willow brushed her hand over her lover's head, not pulling but just comforting. "I love you," she whispered again, unable to think of anything else she could say, anything that would convey what was important…or what wasn't. How could she possibly tell this woman that it had nothing to do with experience and everything to do with touch, with tenderness, with love?

Apparently the blonde got it. She brushed her thumb over the redhead's lips, savoring the feeling. She had to take a deep breath, inhaling her scent to know that this was real, that it wasn't just a dream, another vision of a life she couldn't have. But if she could smell the redhead, then it was true. "Real," she murmured as she met her lips to Willow's softness.

Even with her brain not functioning fully Willow understood her lover's declaration. She's claiming me too, she concluded as Tara's tongue glided through her wetness over and over. Unbelievably strong hands grasped her hips and held her close even as the girl's tongue inscribed words of love into her wetness. When she felt Tara's fingertips dancing over her opening the redhead began chanting, almost whimpering: "yours, yours, yours…"

Willow's words roused Tara, shocked her back to consciousness. She had been so entranced with everything about this body, this woman, loving her thoroughly, that she had almost forgotten that there was any destination to reach. Instantly she understood and pressed two fingers into her lover's eager body without lessening the attention her mouth was lavishing on the girl's center. If she had thought that the girl's scent and taste were overwhelming, it was nothing compared to the pure heaven of the soft home her fingers found inside her lover.

Willow screamed her lover's name as she felt her climax wrap itself around the blonde's fingers, her mouth, her soul. She could feel her body pulling Tara closer, while waves of pleasure flowed between the two women.

As her shaking subsided, Willow reached down to touch Tara's arms, gently pulling her up to rest on her chest. She wrapped her arms around the blonde, cradling her and placing kiss after kiss on the crown of her head. Each girl could taste her own essence on the other's lips as they kissed again and again. "I like this housewarming," Willow teased.

Shifting slightly to rest her weight on the floor while still snuggling close Tara nuzzled her lips into Willow's neck. "I think we only warmed the living room floor so far," she teased.

"Don't forget the new couch, the bathtub, linen closet, patio…," Willow teased back.

Willow giggled as she explained, "well maybe we'll find some locations we want to keep warm."

Tara giggled thinking of one particularly awkward morning when she had gotten out of class early: "I'm pretty sure a lot of it has already b-been warmed."

"Embarrassing is more like it," Tara explained, "I got a walk in a morning class one day. Let's just say Michelle is v-very flexible."

Struck suddenly by a wave of insecurity Tara asked, "w-was I? did I? I mean did you?"

Willow would have laughed if she hadn't understood that the blonde was serious. "I love you Tara," she answered, "and I saw stars." She decided to answer the way Tara asked the question: "you were. You did. I definitely did."

"Good," Tara declared as she yawned. Her eyes started to close of their own accord as she wrapped her arms tighter around her lover.

Willow was pulled from her sleep by the jerking of the warm body wrapped in her arms. Her confusion lasted only a moment as she quickly realized that Tara was having a nightmare and began trying to comfort the blonde by stroking her hands along the woman's arms and whispering her name: "Tara. It's ok. It's a nightmare."

The blonde jerked a few more times, giving out a low whimper before she stilled in Willow's arms. As the redhead watched, she appeared to squeeze her eyes together before asking tentatively, "Willow?"

"Yes, baby love," the redhead whispered back before placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm right here," she added, "good morning."

"Mmm," Tara murmured as she began to nuzzle her nose into Willow's tender neck, causing the smaller girl to giggle and squirm, "you mean best morning."

"Hey," Willow protested, "no tickling so early in the morning." The blonde giggled and replaced nuzzling her nose into the redhead's sensitive skin with placing feather-light kisses along it. "Mmm," Willow moaned her approval, "you can definitely do that so early in the morning."

Tara placed a few more kisses before opening her eyes to see Willow's green ones looking back at her. As she opened her eyes she smiled broadly at the redhead before blushing red and breaking eye contact to look down. Attempting to be subtle, she slipped a hand under the blanket, feeling that neither woman was wearing any clothes. Ignoring Willow's giggles she closed her eyes again before whispering, "w-we made love last n-night right?"

Willow leaned down to place her mouth incredibly close the blonde's ear, ensuring that she could feel the breath caressing her skin as well as detecting her lips whispering over the folds of her ear: "last night and most of the morning, my love."

Again a smile split Tara's face as she remembered the hours spent loving and being loved by Willow in her new apartment. "W-w-was it…? I mean was I..?" she tentatively asked.

Gently Willow placed either hand on her lover's cheeks. "It was perfect, my love," she reassured the blonde. As she saw the relief on Tara's face she decided to tease the girl passing her fingers gently over her chest and stomach before allowing them to rest at the curls at the base of her stomach, "but we can always practice if you want to make sure."

Tara giggled a little before rolling over on top of her lover and pressing their lips together to kiss her deeply. As she felt the girl relaxing and melting into her she thrust her tongue into Willow's mouth for just a few seconds. Finally pulling away she explained, "yes, l-lots of practice…"

"I love you," Willow smiled before kissing her lover on the cheek. "How do showers and I take you to breakfast sound?" She would have loved to suggest sharing a shower but suspected that the blonde wouldn't be comfortable with it.

"Oh yeah," Willow agreed authoritatively, "it's in the official lesbian handbook. Chapter 3: always take a beautiful woman to breakfast after the most incredible love making of your life." As she spoke the redhead pulled on her jeans and shirt from the night before.

Willow wasn't surprised to see Tara reach out from under the blanket to grab her new pajamas and pull them on before tossing the blanket aside. "There's a h-handbook?" she answered. "If that's chapter 3, what do the first two say?"

"Oh, they're kind of how-to chapters," Willow explained as she extended her hand to help Tara stand up and pulled her close.

"Do they have a lot of good information?" Tara purred as she pressed her body up against the redhead, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist.

Willow leaned forward to whisper in her lover's ear: "Chapter one: if she's doing this…" Willow moaned in Tara's ear, "keep doing what you're doing or do it more, faster, or harder…"

Willow giggled as she explained: "Chapter two: if she's doing this…" Willow screamed "Ow!", "stop doing what you're doing."

Willow bent down to pick up the blonde's cane and the toiletries from the gift box, handing her the cane. "Yep," she agreed, "it says why don't you get the first shower while I make coffee?" Taking the blonde's hand she led her to the bathroom and set the shampoo and conditioner in the rack in the shower and the toothbrush in the holder by the sink. "Do you need anything else, my love?"

Tara leaned in to gently kiss her lover as she whispered, "just you, baby." She looked away quickly before amending her statement, "but n-not … you know…"

Willow quickly kissed the blonde on the cheek as she answered, "I'll go make coffee." "Take your time," she instructed as she pulled the door closed.

Willow opened her laptop as she enjoyed her coffee on the patio. She figured she had twenty minutes or so before Tara was ready and planned to add a little to her ongoing letter to Buffy. It was a complicated emotional process to attempt to connect with a friend she didn't believe she would ever see again but one that seemed increasingly necessary. She wanted to feel close to her best friend and at the same time to let her go. She had found that the best technique was to write her letter(s) whenever she had a few free minutes.

Tara finished showering and toweled off. It came as no surprise to her that her lover had bought good quality linens and had made a point of hanging two sets in her bathroom. Everything Willow did seemed intended to let Tara know how much she loved her and how much she planned for her in her actions. As she dressed her mind wandered to the evening before and by the time she was fully clothed she felt her face flushed and her breathing had quickened. Taking a few deep and calming breaths she exited the bathroom to get her coffee and find her lover. After pouring a cup of coffee she glanced around, quickly guessing that Willow was on the patio.

"I guess I should get used to this at s-some point," she said as she stepped onto the patio.

Willow looked up from her laptop startled at the sound of Tara's voice. "Oh," she realized, "I guess so." She looked intently at the birds for a moment and they flew off gracefully. She quickly indicated the folding chair next to her own: "It's no patio set but I borrowed these until everything arrives."

Tara leaned over to kiss her girlfriend before sitting and taking a sip of her coffee. "Thanks for the coffee," she smiled. "And also for … well b-being understanding," she blushed.

"Hey," Willow told her lover gently as she ran a fingertip down the side of her face and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "we have all the time in the world."

Tara smiled back and glanced at the redhead's laptop. "What are you working on?"

Willow smiled glad that Tara wasn't uneasy about anything. "I was writing a letter to Buffy. I mean I know that's dumb. It's not like she can read it or anything and I'm not ever going back there so it's not like she'll ever see it or anything but … well… I miss her and it's like here I am having this totally incredible experience," she glanced up at Tara to smile at her. "And she doesn't know anything about it. She could be worried or want to come and save me or something and I'm deliriously happy and…"

Tara leaned over and kissed her girlfriend again grinning from ear to ear. "You're n-not ever going b-back?" She had hoped that was the case but she and Willow hadn't actually discussed it. She knew that when the redhead first arrived she wanted to take Tara back home with her but apparently she had changed her mind.

"I…I…," Willow fumbled for words. Watching Tara's face watching her, she slid onto her knees in front the blonde and took her hands, kissing each finger lovingly. She looked up in the beautiful blue eyes as she tried to explain: "I don't want to pressure you about anything Tara. But I love you. I know that we're new and that our relationship is new but I've lost love once. I don't want to lose it again." As she saw the smile spreading across Tara's face she added, "I'm a very forever girl."

Tara leaned down to kiss her lover. "I know that you l-love me and I'm not trying to have a heavy conversation," she started, "but I thought you wanted me to g-go back with you."

Willow took a deep breath as she tried to explain, "I did. But then I met you and you aren't just some replacement, someone to insert into the hole in my life, into my world. You are you and you are wonderful and there's no way I would want to take you there."

"What nervous about my friends?" Willow asked. "No why would I be nervous. I mean they'd be ecstatic. Dawnie would probably have puppies when she saw you. I mean they're used to people coming back from the dead from time to time." She smiled to make sure that Tara understood that it was a joke. "I would never take you away from people who love you so much, Tara," she brushed her hand along the blonde's cheek. "Also I don't want to put you in that danger." The blonde looked down at her leg as she realized that Willow thought she would be a liability.

Willow watched Tara attempting to figure out why the blonde looked so downtrodden. As she did she noticed the blonde concentrating on her leg. "Oh Goddess Tara," she cried, "that's not it. I know you could take care of yourself but I don't want you to." The blonde looked up and Willow continued, "I know that she went to Sunnydale with me because she wanted to be with me but if I hadn't put her in that danger, I wouldn't have lost her." She smiled at Tara as she realized, "on the other hand, I wouldn't have found you…"

She watched the blonde watching her curiously and announced, "fuck it," before pressing her lips to Tara's. Gently she kissed her lover, allowing her love and tenderness, her need and desperation to flow through the connection as her hands cupped the blonde's face. Finally she pulled back leaning their forehead together and whispered, "I love you. You love me. That's all there is."

Tara's voice betrayed how Willow's kiss had captured her heart and mind. "All there is," she quietly repeated. "Go take a shower so you can t-take me to breakfast, my love," she whispered.

Willow quickly jumped to her feet to go get her shower. "Hey," she suddenly turned around, "you called me 'my love.'"

Tara took a drink of her coffee grinning, "the only one I've ever had." The redhead darted the two steps to give her lover another quick kiss before leaving to take her shower.

A short time later the two girls ordered their breakfast, well, ok, brunch. A friend of Tara's had wandered up to say hello, quickly noticed that the two girls were in their own world and left quickly. "I think we might have been rude," Willow joked.

Willow leaned over to get another kiss from her lover. "Maybe we should have eaten at home," she teased.

"Hmm," Tara mused, "getting to stay in bed with you but having to eat Chinese food leftovers for b-breakfast or staring into your eyes and being rude to an acquaintance."

Willow again kissed her lover. "You're right," she agreed, "it was a good trade." Deciding to tease the blonde she added, "and the fact that there's no bed puts this right over the top."

"Oh Goddess Tara," Willow moaned exaggeratedly, "the floor was amazing last night."

Before the blonde could answer her phone rang. It was obvious from the conversation that it was Michelle and Willow had a pretty good idea what the runner was asking from the way Tara was blushing so adorably. By the time Tara managed to get off the phone, breakfast had arrived. The blonde looked at her waffles: "well, let's d-d-dig in, s-shall w-w-we?"

Willow didn't fail to notice the way Tara stuttered and blushed as she got off the phone. "What did Chelle want?" she asked innocently.

"What? Oh C-chelle? Oh she j-just wanted to see how I w-was doing on an um p-p-project…" the blonde trailed off as she realized Willow was giggling at her.

Recovering from her embarrassment Tara teased back, "maybe if you have some time this afternoon?"

"You mean around her cheers and Eliza's hootin and hollerin?" Tara asked. Willow just laughed in response. "Seriously," Tara explained, "she said that she took Scooby running this morning."

"Oh yeah, I run," Willow answered, "especially if the vampire behind me is really fast. I'm a real jock."

Tara laughed as she concluded, "I guess you were lucky they h-had riding at Brenhams so you could ride instead of having to play dodgeball or do square dancing or whatever."

Willow nearly choked on her food before assessing Tara and trying to determine if the blonde was joking. Then she realized that there was no reason that Tara would be joking. How would she know that Willow was terrified of horses until she arrived at school? She relaxed as she explained, "I didn't think so at the time."

Willow giggled as she explained much like she had years ago to another woman very like this one, "arm biting." She added, "I got over it."

"Subject change," Willow announced as Tara giggled. "your birthday is next week. In honor of your being older than me I'd love to take you to dinner of course but something tells me that you probably have some crazy tradition of skydiving naked or swimming in whipped cream while singing show tunes."

Tara laughed boisterously at her girlfriend's proposals. "We go to Frank and Maria's," she explained

"Cool," Willow answered, "I haven't had a chance to see the new location. I mean did it burn down here? At home it burned down last year."

Tara nodded her head as she explained, "yeah it burned down last year here too. The n-new location is great. About twice as big but still the tradition." She smiled at her lover, "of course since I don't usually h-have a date we may have to make some new traditions."

Willow leaned across the table to gently kiss her lover. "You will always have a date now, my baby," she explained. She smirked at the blonde: "new traditions huh? Anything in particular in that wondrous mind of yours?"

Tara appeared to consider for a moment. "Mmm," she purred, "I'll see if I can think of anything."

"So I'm invited then," Willow asked playfully, "I mean to your birthday and these new traditions…"

Tara waited a minute for the waitress to refill her coffee. "Definitely invited, my love," she answered. "Speaking of which…"

"What?" Willow asked, wondering what Tara was talking about and also whether she could take the girl for a private birthday celebration.

"Well…" Tara started. "Your parents…um d-d-do you…h-h-have you… are they, you know, alive? Here?"

"Oh my parents," Willow answered easily, "yes. I checked some records. They are still living in the same house. I went there in Sunnydale but they weren't home."

Willow scrunched her brow up in confusion. "What's wrong, baby? Why the dejected look because my parents didn't get their blood sucked yet even though they live in the vampire capital of the world?" Tara giggled at the way Willow could tease about anything. "I g-g-guess you'll want to spend the holidays with them? Thanksgiving and your birthday?"

Again Willow choked on her drink. "Spend the holidays with my parents? That's great…" She was laughing out loud at the thought of spending time with her parents in any universe. As she saw the somewhat confused and hurt look on her lover's face, she gently apologized: "I'm sorry to laugh baby but… why did you go to Brenhams?"

Now it was Tara's turn to wrinkle her brow. "Why? W-w-well, I needed a good education and g-g-good scholarship to college and I got a scholarship to the school."

Tara jokingly echoed the corny Brenhams sales pitch: "a high quality education with wholesome goodness and love of nature?"

Willow laughed at the reminder of the school's cheesy sales pitch. "I'll summarize: in just one of our many battles against evil I was knocked out and put in a coma, Xander had his arm broken, and Buffy ran away after having to kill her boyfriend to save the world. And the three of us were lucky because we all lived." Tara listened to her lover's words with fear even though she knew that these events were in the past and couldn't endanger her any more. "My parents were out of town, which believe me was the norm. When they returned to find me not just injured but dating a goyim guitar player they figured I needed some supervision."

"Seems to be the case," Willow teased right back, "Oz was a good guy and in this world he was a 'white hat.'"

Willow nodded as she thought about the caring heart the boy had. "Yeah, until Giles got a slayer in Sunnydale he did. Now he plays in a band and travels around. Actually I saw that they're coming to town and wondered if we could maybe go see them?"

"I have only one flame and I want to tend and kindle it for as long as I can," Willow leered. "But to continue … my parents thought I needed some supervision."

"So they quit traveling so much and the three of you had dinner every night and lived happily ever after," Tara suggested.

"Except for the beginning, middle, and end, that's entirely correct," Willow answered. By now the girls had left the restaurant and were walking slowly along the lake. The redhead noticed how many people were enjoying the trail and again thought how many things there were to do in this city. "So they sent me to Brenhams and didn't give it another thought except to send copious amounts of money and come into town for 24 hours when I had an emergency appendectomy."

"Well let's see Tara and I spent Thanksgiving our senior year at a Bed and Breakfast in the Hill Country, the next two years at Buffy and Joyce's house, and then hosted at the house last year. Christmasses we spent at Tara's family's farm house."

"So you weren't planning on c-contacting them and spending Thanksgiving with them?" Tara confirmed.

"I'd love to," Willow answered. "I mean I can meet your father and brother and niece and your aunt and uncle and … I mean meet these ones … I mean… you know."

Tara gently kissed her girlfriend's hand. "I know and I want you to meet them too." She could feel that Willow was considering asking something and that she was nervous about it. "What is it, baby?"

Willow tentatively asked, "if…if I decided to contact my parents, here I mean, um, would you go with me?"

"Oh Goddess baby," Tara answered as she wrapped her lover in a hug, "of course I would."

"Well it sounds like Giles is pretty similar to the man you knew in your world and Dawn's similar but definitely d-different. I mean they are all people you knew in your world but in this world they're different. And especially Dawn. I mean she's like the whole answer to the nature versus nurture question. Did you take psychology?"

Willow giggled as she answered, "yeah I took Psychology-101. Sure. I took it from an evil government scientist who was skewered by her own Frankenstein-like creation before the final exam, but I think I'm familiar with the nature versus nurture question."

Tara also laughed. "I'm filing that away under the t-tales my girlfriend needs to share at a later date."

"Sure," Willow agreed, "oooh. Remember Adam from your painting—said Frankenstein-like skewerer."

Tara made a face as she thought about the image she had received and the horrifying painting she made following that dream. "I'll just say 'ick' to that o-one," she agreed. Deciding to tease Willow she again suggested, "so I can meet Dawn and Faith. That should be a cute couple."

"Arrrggghh!," Willow muttered playfully, "I told you that is a kind of creepy thought. I mean sure both are very good looking but Dawn's a kid."

"You said Michelle and Eliza remind you of them," Tara reminded the redhead. She added, "I don't understand who Jenny is, though. I mean is she in y-your world at all?"

Willow nodded her head as the two girls walked back to the car. "Jenny is Giles' wife. In my world she was the computer teacher at our high school and kind of a low-level witch. She called herself as 'cyber-pagan.' She was killed by a vampire our Junior year."

As they drove Willow explained how Jenny had died as well as continuing to fill her girlfriend in on the characteristics of her Sunnydale friends, from this world and the other one.

By the time they had reached Willow's apartment and were walking inside Tara felt many emotions. She couldn't believe how dangerous the girl's life had been. She was glad that she had good friends but wished that the redhead had never had to encounter danger. Then it occurred to her that perhaps these encounters with danger and evil were a large part of what made Willow who and what she was, both a beautiful loving woman and a brave and powerful witch. It was similar to the way Tara's accident and her obsession with Willow were a large part of what defined her.

Much as she was interested in Willow's stories, throughout the drive the redhead had been tracing her fingertips over the blonde's knee. The sensation was starting to drive Tara crazy. She could feel the sexual and magical energy flowing even more powerfully than before last night, as if they had blown away any remaining barriers between them. The redhead's fingers seemed to be tracing a pattern over her knee and going straight to every area of her body simultaneously.

It was apparent that Willow was feeling the same sensation. She moaned into the passionate kiss Tara delivered the second the blonde closed the door by pressing her lover's body into the barrier. Their tongues clashed as both girls began pulling at the other's clothing. Breaking the kiss Willow suggested, "project?"

Tara smiled teasingly as she whispered in her lover's ear, "we could warm the bedroom."

Willow groaned slightly, her knees weakening as she nodded and took the blonde by the hand to lead her to the designated room.

"Happy birthday, sleepyhead," Willow whispered, amused by the adorable antics of her obviously exhausted lover. When the blonde had called last night to say that there was an emergency at work and that she wouldn't be able to get away until late, the redhead was disappointed. She had hoped to see her girlfriend on the night before her birthday and wake with her on her birthday morning.

Then Tara had called around midnight to let Willow know that her plans would go to waste. "Hi sweetie," she said quickly, "we've got an e-e-emergency here. I'm not going to g-get off anytime soon."

Willow teased her lover: "come over here when you're done working and you'll definitely get off…"

The redhead could almost hear her girlfriend blushing as she quickly answered, "I'll call you if I can." Someone said something and she rushed to say, "I have to go," before hanging up without waiting for Willow's answer.

"Mmmm," Tara mumbled, finally understanding at least that it wasn't Scooby bothering her. Someone probably needs to let her out, she thought but what came out was a sleepy, "Scooby?"

"Willow," Tara smiled as she rolled over but still didn't open her eyes. "Scooby need out?"

"I let her out," Willow reassured the blonde as she held out a coffee cup, placing it into the blonde's outstretched hands.

"Because I brought you coffee?" Willow asked. "Then just wait until you open your eyes."

Tara did as the redhead directed and immediately exclaimed, "Hey!" On her bed stood a tray with an appetizing assortment of breakfast foods including bagels, Danishes, two omelets, fresh fruit, and potatoes. "You c-cooked," she observed as she scooted up to lean against her headboard.

"Very cute jammers," Willow commented as she moved the tray between the two girls.

"You cooked," Tara noted with increasing disbelief. "Hey," she suddenly asked, "how did you g-get in?"

Both girls started eating as Willow explained, "I called Michelle and she let me in."

"Well of course," Willow answered, "just because my girlfriend has to work all night the night before her birthday, that doesn't mean she shouldn't get birthday breakfast in bed."

"You're starting to sound a little like a broken birthday record, baby," Willow answered.

"Quite a bit," Willow explained, "I just didn't cook in the hotel. But I cook lots of stuff. Some of it is pretty useless now like Beef Stroganoff and Swiss Steak and breaded chicken breasts but I'm good at vegetables and pastas."

"This is great," Tara complimented. "You made all stuff I love." She glanced at her lover before teasing, "Well ok. You didn't make everything I love to eat but my favorite is here n-now."

"You love it," Tara shot back as she traced her fingertips across the redhead's mouth to scrape a bit of cream cheese from it. Making sure that her lover was watching she slowly took her fingertip and traced it over her own lips before sensually swirling it inside her mouth to clean it.

Willow made a moaning sound in response. "Y-y-you…," she started and gave up on the thought.

When both girls had finished eating Willow set the tray on the floor and went to the kitchen for coffee refills. Scooby bounded into the room, obviously let in by the redhead during her trip to the kitchen. "Ok," Tara agreed as she patted the bed and the dog jumped up to lay down at the foot of the bed.

As soon as Willow handed Tara her mug, the redhead lay down and snuggled up next to her lover. "How late did you work, baby?" she asked.

"You know," Willow mused, "as much as I love your beautiful voice, I appreciate your not calling me at 5:00 in the morning to tell me to go back to sleep."

"But I know you wanted to spend the evening before m-my birthday together," Tara answered somewhat dejectedly.

Willow leaned in to whisper in the blonde's ear: "well I did have some ideas of how we could spend the evening." She finished her sentence with a swirl of her tongue around the tip of Tara's ear. "…but today is another day." She began to nibble on her girlfriend's neck as she continued, "and not just any day but Queen Tara day."

"Mmm hmm," Willow moaned as her hands crept up to begin unbuttoning Tara's top, "the day when she gets everything she wants."

"Oh Goddess," Tara moaned as she quickly found herself losing any chance of speaking English. Giving it one final try she pulled away slightly and looked down at herself. "Late n-night," she pleaded, "shower?"

Tara looked from her lover to the breakfast dishes. "Or you could come w-with me?" she suggested.

Willow gently raised Tara's chin with her fingertip. They hadn't ever shared this particular intimacy before. Not because of any dislike for joint bathing or any idiosyncratic peculiarity, but because of an unspoken concern for Tara's scars. Although the two girls had made love for the first time just a week ago and perhaps five times in the intervening period, although keeping count seemed quite silly given that some of their experiences spanned huge amounts of time and involved countless hours and endless passion, Willow had still never seen her lover's scars. Because Willow was sensitive to Tara's discomfort about her leg, although the redhead had explored nearly every inch of her lover's beautiful body, she had made a specific and concerted effort to avoid the blonde's leg.

But Willow couldn't imagine that they could take a shower together without her seeing the blonde's leg and with it her scars. "It's up to you, my love," she whispered trying to express her acceptance of whatever made Tara comfortable.

Tara smiled once before standing from the bed taking Willow's hand and gently leading her toward her bathroom. As the redhead watched, she turned on the water to allow it to warm and swiftly dropped her top into the laundry hamper. "Oh Goddess, Tara," Willow hissed as she moved forward to aid in divesting the birthday girl of her clothing. While pressing their lips together she slipped her fingers into the waistband of Tara's pajama bottoms and began pushing them down over her hips and thighs. Smoothly the blonde stepped the rest of the way out and dropped them unceremoniously into the hamper also. She was just raising her hands to relieve Willow of her efforts to strip when the redhead informed her, "You're the birthday girl. Get in the shower and I'll join you in 30 seconds." Willow placed a long slow kiss on her lover's lips before smiling at her and waving her hand at the tub while backing away to remove her clothing.

The warm water cascaded over Tara's body as she stepped gently under the flow. She couldn't help but look to her leg, noting the extensive scars running liberally from her hip to mid shin although the break was limited to her femur or thighbone; the surgeries had mapped her pain into her flesh. The initial support structure was drilled directly into the bone, involving the lower leg and immobilizing the knee completely. Even the following structures had disturbed the integrity of her skin as it was repeatedly cut to insert or remove the steel pins running along the bone.

Her fingers traced the marks growing red from the heat of the water. Willow loved the blonde witch fully and passionately and Tara had no reason to doubt that the redhead's feelings would grow stronger. Even before they had made love, she saw the gentleness and passion Willow emanated.

Even so, Tara was well aware and terribly grateful that Willow had not really seen her leg up close. It was apparent during their love making that the redhead was pointedly avoiding that area to save Tara's embarrassment. When they got out of bed Willow had always managed to turn away or go get coffee while the blonde pulled on her long pants. A cold draft struck the blonde, rousing her from her musings as Willow parted the shower curtain slightly. Her head poked through the opening first as she smiled greeting her lover: "hey."

Willow's eyes were drawn first to her lover's face, her blue eyes shining back at the redheaded witch. She could see the simultaneous emotions of love, excitement, and fear on Tara's face. Fear of what Willow would think, would feel? Fear that she would be repulsed or think the blonde was weak, broken, or inadequate. Her green eyes traced the path of Tara's arm and hand gingerly resting on her hip and thigh.

Without consciously considering what she was doing Willow stepped fluidly into the shower, closing the curtain behind her. The shower was very large, having been specially equipped for handicapped access. Still, her movement brought her body inches from that of her lover. Without speaking she raised her hands from her sides to cup Tara's hips. One rested over the hand that the blonde had been running over her injury. Without moving her hands, the smaller girl pressed her lips to the other's, surprising her as she flicked her tongue out to trace the blonde's full lower lip. As she did Willow reached her hand out to smoothly pick up the shampoo bottle.

As Willow broke the kiss Tara opened her unfocused eyes and noted that the redhead had poured out a palm-full of the sweet smelling gel. Without being asked Tara leaned her head into the water saturating her hair. As she righted it, she felt her lover's gentle fingers initiating a lather and working it into her scalp. Keeping her eyes closed she moaned quietly as she luxuriated in the sensation of Willow pampering her. It struck the blonde that having Michelle or Eliza or various nurses do this had never been like this. "It never felt this good w-when Chelle or Eliza did that," she purred appreciatively.

"They were missing the secret ingredient," Willow whispered as she guided Tara's head under the warm stream again. Seeing her long smooth neck the redhead suddenly found it irresistible and pulled slightly on her lover's hips as she began placing feather-light kisses along her collarbone and giggling as the rebounding water splashed her face.

"Don't drown, my love," Tara giggled, "that would p-probably sour me on joint showers for a while."

"Well," Willow drawled as she poured soap onto a sponge and worked it into a rich lather, "we don't want that."

"Mmm," Tara agreed as she felt her lover's hands begin to blanket her skin with soap. The redhead softly and sensually caressed Tara's flesh with the soap, lathering each area of her body before rinsing that area thoroughly. Admittedly, she probably spent more time and attention on the blonde's breasts than cleanliness would necessitate, but Tara's increasingly intense breathing indicated that she was pleased with the attention. "Oh Goddess," she groaned as Willow's thumb brushed her hardened nipple again.

Opening her eyes Tara took in the playful grin on the green eyes in front of her. Willow bent her lips to Tara's chest, teasingly placing only a light kiss between the blonde's full breasts. Tara uttered a moan of disappointment as the redhead dropped smoothly to her knees, placing a quick teasing kiss onto the curls conveniently positioned just in front of her face. "Patience, my love," she whispered in answer to Tara's plaintive exhalation.

As Willow began echoing her actions on Tara's upper body, soaping and rinsing the girl's legs, Tara leaned against the shower tile. The way Willow was touching her was quickly eliminating all possibility of rational thought. It was an overwhelming combination of comfort, gentle care-taking and overwhelming eroticism. The kneeling woman finished her lover's first leg and the other foot and calf before trailing her lathered fingers to the curly-hair covered triangle where her legs met. Evidence of the blonde's arousal was unmistakable as Willow gently washed her lover's center. Tara's hands clutched at the support railing as her lover brushed her fingertips only momentarily across her pleasure center.

Finally Willow reached the area she knew was most private, most vulnerable. Her soapy hands stilled at her lover's hipbone as she looked up to capture Tara's dark gaze. Any sign that Tara wanted her to stop and she would have closed her eyes before rising to finish the shower.

Tara bit her lip nervously as she realized Willow was patiently waiting for her approval. Feeling her trepidation building she nodded silently before her fear could overwhelm her. Instantly Willow began running her hands over the scarred tissue, lovingly coating it with lather. Tara watched intently as the kneeling girl began to rinse the soap, tracing each scar by running her hands and eyes over the damaged skin.

Abundantly aware of her lover's fear and even shame over her appearance, Willow lovingly traced each mark with her fingers. "Oh baby," she whispered as she thought of the pain her love had endured. She felt an instant of guilt that she hadn't been here to help this woman through this trial but just as quickly knew that she was just where she was intended to be. She also knew that these marks were mere representations of the pain she felt, not only because of her physical injury but also because of the psychological traumas she had weathered: traumas which ironically seemed to have made her more powerful and fit her more perfectly to Willow's love. As she traced each mark with her fingertips she leaned forward to kiss it, tears leaking from her eyes. Willow's passion grew as she made love to Tara's scars. Eventually she was no longer tracing the marks specifically but reveling in the softness of her lover's skin.

"Willow," Tara squeaked as the redhead's mouth brushed against her center. By the time the water had turned fully cold, by the time Tara had moaned out her own now traditional "Happy Birthday," her fears that Willow would react badly to her leg's appearance were more than assuaged.

"This," Tara placed a kiss directly onto Willow's flat stomach making the smaller girl squirm slightly, "is an absolutely perfect belly button." Willow merely giggled as the blonde traced her fingertip over the skin, dipping lazily into the round indention. Both women were relaxed and satisfied, happily snuggling together in bed after their extensive love-making. "Truly," she continued, "perfect and beautiful. Maybe I should s-send your mother a note thanking her."

"Something like…," Tara began, "Dear Mrs. Rosenberg…" She traced her finger over her lover's stomach shaping each letter of her impromptu missive: "thank you for this: the most perfect belly button in the world." She looked up for a minute to tease, "of course there are so many o-other features to be grateful for…" Her finger began its letter again: "also for these darling hips."

Tara wrinkled her nose: "other options are a little creepy, baby. Then there is this gorgeous albeit suspicious red hair and green eyes…."

Tara ignored her girlfriend's thought: "and of course th-this brilliant analytical mind."

"Proof that I am my father's daughter in spite of the red hair," Willow confirmed.

Tara leered playfully at her lover as she finished her letter: "I'd list some other favorites but I w-would have to up the rating." She moved her fingertip with a flourish: "Sincerely, Tara Maclay." Their lips met in a gentle kiss that quickly began turning more passionate in spite of their recent activities.

A loud knock, nearly approximating pounding broke their contact. "Hey, birthday girl! You decent?" Eliza shouted jiggling the doorknob.

Willow reached for the sheet, pulling it over both their bodies as Tara called out, "Decent enough, Liza!"

"Great timing," Tara giggled as Eliza reached over to help herself to a berry from the tray on the floor.

"Oh come on," Eliza teased, "how much sex could you possibly need? Even on your birthday?"

Tara blushed as Willow turned to her. "Did Eliza D'Angelo just say 'how much sex could you possibly need'?"

"Could be a fever," Willow guessed as she playfully placed her palm on the younger girl's forehead.

"Whatever," Eliza answered, "I mean I know you are catching up on like years of not getting any." She was rewarded as Tara blushed a deep shade of red before ducking her head under the sheet.

Willow looked back and forth between the two friends, giggling to herself. "Well, you know what they say about birthday sex?"

"It's always someone's birthday?" Eliza suggested as she gave up on reaching over the side of the bed and pulled the plate in front of her to finish off the fruit.

"Among other things," Willow agreed. "Hey Eliza," she teased, "Why don't you help yourself to some of the special birthday breakfast I made for my girlfriend?"

"Thanks," Eliza answered through a mouthful of strawberries, "I think I will." All three girls giggled at the conversation. "What time are y'all going to Aunt Maria's?"

Tara glanced lazily to the clock on her nightstand. "We probably need to leave about 5:00."

"Um," Tara hesitated before expanding on her concerns, "y-you need to be careful, sweetie."

If Tara had been holding a drink she would probably have dropped it when she heard the younger girl's pronouncement. She saw the surprised look Willow shot her too. So Willow had noticed Eliza's drinking. "That's … um … that's great, Liza," Tara offered.

Eliza looked seriously at the two girls. Taking a deep breath she explained, "Chelle's worried."

"She thinks I drink too much and … well I guess she's probably right," Eliza said. She could see Willow's mouth hanging open but continued, "I don't know if she takes me seriously. I told her that I didn't need to drink, even at a birthday party and basically she said, 'yeah sure.'"

"Thanks," Eliza told her sincerely, "so you'll join me in not drinking to show solidarity?"

"Hey Eliza," Willow interrupted, "tell you what: on your birthday I won't drink."

"Great," Eliza joked along, "ten months from now you won't drink for a night. That will really help me tonight." All three girls laughed at the lameness of Willow's offer. "Oh," Eliza remembered, "is James coming?"

"Hey Eliza," Willow interjected, "do you think you can hand us some shirts and turn your back so we don't have to hide under the sheet?"

Eliza teased, "Tara doesn't mind, Willow. Let the sheet drop if you want." When Willow just glared at her, the dark-haired girl turned and picked up both shirts, before turning her back with a pout on her face. Facing the girls again she continued eating the berries. "Oh yeah," she continued remembering that she had been asking about James, " do you remember what happened last spring at the spring party?"

Tara laughed as she nodded. "Let me guess: Aunt Maria said he should be more careful?"

Tara saw Willow giving a confused look and explained, "Let's just say that James and Little Joey got a little out of control."

All three girls laughed, Willow by imagining the scene and Tara and Eliza by remembering it. As they recovered Eliza popped the last berry in her mouth and looked at the clock. Looking a little nervous, she asked, "Are y'all going to the Brenhams homecoming?"

"Eliza," Tara playfully admonished, "what have I told you about asking my girlfriend out?"

"Well the first time," Eliza joked, "you said something like 'we don't date a-anymore. Go a- ahead.'"

Willow started getting pretty pissed off at the dark-haired girl for teasing Tara about her stutter. She could remember how much it always upset the other Tara when someone did that and was about to tell the girl off but then she noticed that her girlfriend didn't seem bothered at all. In fact she joked back: "and since then?"

"Well," Eliza drawled, "if you ever went out on more than one date with any of the gazillion women we set you up with, when I hit on them you'd probably offer to kick my ass for cheating on Michelle."

"Don't ask my girlfriend out," Tara answered as expected. She turned to the redhead who had sat watching the interaction with first anger and then amusement. "Willow?"

"You're asking me to go out with you in January in October?" Willow questioned. Perhaps the girl wanted some reassurance that the redhead would be around in January? Couldn't she just ask?

Tara looked at the redhead for a second before explaining, "What? No. They moved homecoming from January to the first week of December a few years ago. It is a busy season but gives the students more time to apply to schools and make decisions. D-d-did they have a big homecoming at your Brenhams?"

Willow nodded as she explained, "it was in January. The four of us double-dated and Tara and Eliza turned heads dancing. It was Michelle and Eliza's first official date. Oh, and Elizabeth came to show off UT and hit on Tara and was a jerk to Michelle about Eliza."

Eliza started laughing as she remembered the disaster that was Tara's homecoming date. Tara blushed as she answered, "uh… this guy… Joss from my English class."

Willow laughed along with the dark-haired girl. "Let me guess all college talk and sports? He tried to kiss you at the door and you said no thanks. He said your heart didn't seem to be in it and see you in class?"

Willow continued giggling, "the other Tara went out with him the night you went to Sleepless in Seattle with Michelle." The blonde took a second to process the confusing explanation. She was still contemplating Willow's explanation when the redhead said, "yes."

"Yes I'd love to go to homecoming with you," Willow explained. She was a little surprised that the blonde would go to the celebration seeing as she had had her accident and sued the school. "You still want to go given your history with Brenhams?"

Tara nodded, "of course. We," she nodded at Eliza, "lived there after the accident for a year, remember."

Willow nodded: "I guess so. I just keep thinking that you have bad feelings because of the accident and the lawsuit but I guess that's silly."

The blonde leaned over and kissed her lover, stroking her hand gently down her face. "It's sweet that you worry about me, baby," she whispered before lightly kissing the redhead.

Willow kissed Tara back much harder and more intensely than Tara had done to her. She couldn't help it. It was like a drug. Like something stronger than a drug. A need and want in her that completed her and made the blood in her veins feel like water and fire and ice all at the same time. She quickly wound her fingertips through the blonde's already tousled hair.

Both Tara and Willow pulled away blushing. "I forgot she was here," Tara thought as her face colored red.

Willow just nodded, her own blush rising in her cheeks. She was surprised to note Eliza rubbing her ear with a confused look on her face. "Geez what's that?" the dark-haired muttered as she rubbed her ear. "She heard you," Willow returned and again noted the girl rubbing her ear. "Man," she muttered again, "you've got some kind of electronic buzz going on in here, girlfriend." She stood up and set the plate back on the floor. "I'll see y'all at the party." As she opened the door she tossed back, "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That certainly gives us plenty of leeway," Tara shouted back as the door slammed shut. She was immediately startled by the touch of Willow's tongue swirling around her navel and the muffled voice, "then this should be fine."

"Oh Goddess, so fine," Tara moaned back as she enjoyed how her lover was accepting Eliza's challenge.

Willow walked over to the doorway of the bathroom and stood behind her lover, wrapping her arms around her waist as she watched the beauty in the mirror. "You were the one who said the shower was so fun this morning…" Willow teased.

"Well," Tara purred as she turned in into the embrace so that her arms were around the smaller girl and their breasts were pressed together, "I just pointed out that I didn't get a chance to wash you." She began trailing light kisses down the other girl's neck. "I just wanted you to make a good impression on people at the party." She pulled back, a look of feigned innocence on her face.

Willow giggled as she caught the look in her girlfriend's sparkling blue eyes. "You wanted me clean, huh Ms. Maclay? Did all the women before me buy that one?"

Tara tilted her head slightly and quirked her eyebrows as if thinking hard. "I don't remember anyone e-ever complaining before," she answered slyly.

Willow again laughed at the conniving look on her girlfriend's face as she reached for the girl's cane to hand it to her. "Very good answer, my love," she whispered before giving her a kiss and taking her hand to lead her from the small room.

"Does the word 'urrrgggghhh' mean anything to you?" Willow responded as she looked lustily at her lover's body. Tara had seemed trepidatious when the redhead initially asked to choose her outfit but the look on her face showed that she seemed to appreciate Willow's response to her body in the tight black jeans and red midriff top the girl had selected.

"Bed, floor, shower,,," Willow started ticking off choices on her fingers before finishing, "but keeping those clothes on is probably a good idea for going to Frank and Maria's." As Tara started toward her, a smile on her face, the redhead teased, "At least until later."

"Vixen," Tara predictably responded. The searing kiss she delivered left no doubt that she agreed with her girlfriend's plans and intimations. Nonetheless she retained her grip on Willow's hand as the two girls started from the bedroom, glancing at the clock to note that they were running late already.

"Don't you want your present now, love?" Willow asked as they reached the door to the house. She was pleased that Tara's suspicious look to her indicated that she had struck the right combination of flirtation and serious concern about the delivery of her birthday present.

Tara narrowed her eyes slightly as she glanced to the bedroom door. "Do you really have a present in there or is this just a devious but tempting p-plot to get me back in the bedroom?"

The blonde laughed loudly at her lover as she pulled her to the door. "That's the problem: it sounds all too tempting to me, baby," she explained as they walked toward Willow's car.

As the redhead started the car she agreed that she would give the blonde her present later. She wasn't sure that it was exactly what Tara would want but the girl was very hard to shop for. She had enough money to buy whatever she wanted and obviously had done so in many areas. The garden in the back of the house was absolutely perfect and Willow couldn't imagine any changes that either girl would want to make to the area. She had plenty of clothes, books, and compact discs and Willow wanted to give her something more special than that anyway. When Willow thought about it the only thing that had been missing from Tara's life was Willow herself and now she was here.

So Willow had spent nearly two weeks scouring every store in town for anything unusual. She had shopped for jewelry but then felt nervous for thinking of such a huge step so quickly. She had shopped for magical supplies and crystals but couldn't find anything better or more powerful than what Tara already had. Willow had brought a few valuable magic tomes with her from her visit to Sunnydale in this world and between the two of them they had a rather amazing magical library.

Finally Willow had settled on a combination of buying and making something for the blonde. She had bought a refurbished laptop computer and customized it to what she believed Tara's preferences would be. She had outfitted it with a wireless modem and installed a wireless hub at the blonde's house. With Michelle as her willing and eager conspirator she had been able to accomplish all the changes while Tara was at work. The computer contained every piece of software that she thought Tara might want including customized versions of all the Microsoft Office Suite products, biological and medical textbooks, study guides for graduate school examinations, and bookmarks to myriad magical and pagan internet sites. Now that Tara had begun to use Willow's computer for her papers she was finding it to be just as much of a godsend as the other Tara had and Willow felt sure that she would like the present. She only hoped that she wasn't expecting something more … personal?

"Baby," Tara replied as she kissed her lover's palm, "being with you is all I ever need."

"I'm sure I will," Tara assured her. She waited a minute before asking, "d-d- did you want to go by your apartment and make sure that candle will last all day?"

"I'm sure it will be fine," Willow whispered as she felt her sadness once again. "I mean I'm not really even supposed to light it today or anything. It's supposed to be on the Yartzeit, and certain holy days, not her birthday."

"Yeah, baby," Tara told her sympathetically, "but it's important to you. Why don't we just s-stop and check that it will burn long enough?" Earlier in the week Willow had explained to the blonde the tradition of burning a candle during a mourning period on certain days for the first year. After that year, the mourner should burn the candle on the loved one's Yartzeit or the anniversary of their death (by the Jewish calendar of course) and recite the mourner's Kaddish.

Initially Willow was reluctant to bring up the subject of her mourning for the first Tara. She had burned the candle on Yom Kippur or the Jewish Day of Atonement and even attended services to recite the mourner's Kaddish. But this week her confusion and emotion had finally been too much. She felt that she had to talk to Tara and get the girl's advice. Was it ok to still mourn for her lost lover even though she had found a new lover? Was it ok to amend the traditions to include their birthday? Even though it wasn't a holy day it was important to her as the day both her loves had been born. She probably should have expected that Tara wouldn't be upset by the discussion. She was very supportive, knowing that Willow's grief for the first Tara didn't temper her love for her. The blonde was wise enough to prefer that Willow share her grief with her than keep it bottled up inside.

Without discussing it further the two girls arrived at Willow's apartment and quickly checked the candle, agreeing that it would burn well past sunrise the next morning if they didn't spend the night at Willow's apartment. No sooner had they left the apartment than Tara's phone rang, playing "Happy Birthday." "Hey -- who programmed my phone?" she asked and saw Willow smiling her sneaky smile as she answered the phone: "Happy birthday to me!"

From the one-sided conversation Willow gathered that Eliza was calling to check on them to ensure that they were on their way. Tara assured her that they would be no more than 15 minutes late arriving at the joint and that they were ready to have a good time. The blonde hung up the phone and put it in the pocket of her jacket.

Willow drove somewhat faster than the speed limit called for but they arrived in one piece and without getting stopped by a cop at the new restaurant/bar. Willow quickly got out and came around to help Tara out of the car. "My lady," she bowed with exaggerated formality causing both girls to break into giggles. "Wow," she indicated the building, "they upgraded. I mean this is way bigger than the one in our world."

"Oh yeah," Tara agreed, "they upgraded. Still the same wings though and the same food."

The girls speeded up to meet Eliza who had come out when she saw their car pull into the parking lot. Giving both girls a hug, she proudly announced, "Been here an hour and nothing but Iced Tea so far."

"Wow, that's great!" both witches agreed. They thought it was a bit much for making it an hour without alcohol but hey, positive reinforcement couldn't possibly hurt. Even in her short time in this world Willow couldn't fail to notice how much Eliza seemed to drink, and she supported the girl cutting down.

"Guess who's here so far?" Eliza asked with a glint in her eye that showed she knew some dirt on someone.

When she fixed her gaze on Willow the redhead had a sinking feeling. "I'm going to go with Elizabeth for $200?" she posited and felt Tara's hand squeeze hers comfortingly.

"Oh yeah," Eliza agreed, "she's in rare form and I'm remembering why I always drink so much when she's around."

Willow looked from one girl to the other as she pondered the question. Were they saying that Elizabeth had a girlfriend already or had two girlfriends? If so why was she flirting with Tara at the party and why didn't either of them come to the party with her? "Both of them," Eliza whispered with mock outrage.

"Great," Tara muttered as the three girls walked toward the door. She stopped for a minute as she turned toward her lover. Eliza took a few more steps and looked at her shoes to politely give the two witches a few moments alone. "I love you, Willow," Tara whispered.

Willow smiled and kissed her lover gently noting the concern in the blue eyes watching her. "I'll be good, baby," she assured the birthday girl, "no fighting or dancing on tables for me."

The three girls walked into the restaurant and were immediately greeted with shouts of "Happy Birthday, Tara!" from a group of tables pushed together in the corner. Since they were a little late, most of Tara's friends had already arrived. One table contained a pile of presents while the others held a smattering of beer pitchers and assorted wings, fried cheese, and other items to clog anyone's arteries before their 25^th birthday. Michelle was the first to reach the group, giving Tara and then Willow enthusiastic hugs before embracing her own girlfriend.

All four girls walked over to join the table, greeting everyone enthusiastically. Willow recognized Little Joey, James, and Elizabeth who were seated at the other end of the table. She was introduced to Little Joey's fiancé who had missed Michelle's birthday party because she was out of town. James didn't appear to have brought a date but from the looks of it he wouldn't be leaving the party alone unless he wanted to. Tara introduced a few friends from school and some people from the vet clinic. Cassie and Mark were there too.

When they reached the end of the table Elizabeth stood up to give Tara a hug, a hug that lasted too long in Willow's opinion, and say a cold hello to the redhead. She also introduced Jon, her boyfriend, and Amy, her girlfriend, each of whom gave a slight wave before going back to visiting with each other. What the fuck? Willow wondered. Not to be throwing stones and certainly the witch was glad to find out that Bethie had her own dates and didn't need Tara but why is she always hitting on Tara? She doesn't need her. Finally Willow sat with Eliza and Michelle and gave up trying to figure out Elizabeth. So the girl is an asshole. Whatever.

A beer mug appeared in Willow's hand almost by magic and she noted that Tara had one also. Maria came out of the kitchen with a load of wings and set them down before pulling up a chair and settling herself into the group, telling funny stories about the trouble Eliza and Little Joey had gotten into as children. Speaking of Eliza, Willow looked over at the dark-haired girl noting that true to her word, she was not drinking anything more serious than Iced Tea. The look on her face every time Elizabeth's shrill voice drifted to their end of the table gave the distinct impression that her resolve was likely to weaken if the girl decided to join them. After a short while Willow noticed that Michelle had switched to Iced Tea; she assumed that the runner was trying to support her girlfriend.

Tara stole a glance at Willow, knowing that just doing that would make her feelings soar. Every time she looked at the redhead, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her skin tingled with excitement at the way the girl nodded her head or brushed her hair from her eyes or said, "Please pass the wings." Anything was enough to take the blonde into a dreamy Willowland. The party was in full swing and everyone had enjoyed the food and drink heartily. Some people were showing the effects of their drinking and surprisingly enough, Eliza and Michelle appeared to be the most sober people at the party. Who'd a thunk? Tara giggled to herself. Although their hands rarely left each other, either fingers intertwined or one hand resting on the other's thigh, both Tara and Willow had been involved in conversations with other friends throughout the night. The blonde witch was pleased and impressed to see how well her lover fit in with all her friends.

Realizing that she had been staring at Willow as the girl told a story about a disastrous trip to find a computer store recently, Tara waited for a break in the conversation. Then she bent her head slightly to brush her lips across the top of Willow's ear before holding her mouth just barely away from the girl's flesh. "Did I ever tell you how sexy I find this ear?" she whispered before running her tongue lightly along the freckled top.

Willow's fingers clenched involuntarily as she processed Tara's sexy flirtation. Goddess, what this woman does to my body, she thought as she appreciated the effect Tara's proximity was having. Moving her fingers higher to brush along the inseam of the blonde's jeans she decided to tease the girl back. She turned her head slowly to whisper in Tara's ear, "I don't recall you saying that but maybe you did and I had trouble hearing you because I had my head between your legs…" She noted that Tara's mouth had dropped open and continued her X-rated description: "I mean I just get so absorbed when I'm running my tongue along your wet lips or sucking your clit into my mouth… and when you scream my name, I guess I never hear that well if you are talking about my ears." As she finished speaking she slowly licked a trail down the blonde's neck, sucking lightly at the base of her jugular, not caring if it made a mark.

"Ha ha," Willow gloated, "I win. I win. I never win. This is an all-time day if I win."

Tara laughed as Willow took way too much glory over her victory this one time. Of course it only stiffened the blonde's resolve to reclaim her title as queen tease. Maybe later she'd find an outlet for her ambition.

Willow looked no less smug as she answered the younger girl: "Tara will explain it. That's one of the benefits of winning. The loser explains the game."

Tara spoke quietly but loud enough that Eliza could hear: "I thought I was the queen for the day. That's what you said earlier when you were..." she trailed off to whisper something in Willow's ear, tugging on the girl's reddening skin with her teeth as she pulled away.

Tara's look was smug as Willow gulped before turning to Eliza to explain, "Tic tac toe; I won three straight games of tic tac toe."

"With no paper? Whatever, Willow," Eliza answered. Before turning back to her own girlfriend, Eliza explained to the two witches, "Just so you know, you are not the first two women to enjoy teasing each other." She didn't even wait for a response before turning smugly back to visit with Michelle and the other friends at that end of the table.

Tara and Willow's shocked and embarrassed silence was broken by a shout from the doorway, "Tara!" Willow was still raising her head to find the speaker when she heard her own name shouted as well: "Willow!" Trying to see the person through the crowd the redhead wondered who knew her that wasn't here. With the exception of the people in Sunnydale no one else knew her. Her confusion was answered as Joy arrived and gave Tara a hug before turning to Willow and likewise hugging the redhead.

"I'm sorry we're late, Tara," Joy explained, "we had trouble finding the place." She indicated the young man standing slightly behind her: "This is my boyfriend, Teddy."

"Nice to meet y'all," Teddy politely responded as he shook both girls' hands, "Joy talks about y'all all the time."

"Pull up a chair," Tara suggested as she and Willow took their seats. She turned to Willow to explain quickly, "When Joy called the other day I told her a- about the party and she wanted to come."

"That's so great," Willow told the young girl as she passed her some food, "how is Golden doing?"

"It's amazing," Joy and Teddy answered together. They looked at each other and giggled before Joy continued: "She's running so great and I think she may be able to be ridden soon."

Tara took advantage of a break in the conversation to introduce Joy and Teddy to some of their other friends and get the youngsters some cokes. Since people were starting to leave the party it was decided that Tara should open her presents. Willow watched as the girl opened various shirts, books, and compact discs from all her friends. James gave her a wonderful picture that neither girl knew he had taken of them while Tara was singing the "Under your Spell" song at Michelle's party. Willow smiled as she thought of the time the young man in her world had done the same for herself and the other Tara, slipping the picture into their luggage.

The redhead bristled as Elizabeth came over to give Tara her present personally, taking what Willow considered much too long to hand it over and obviously looking down Tara's shirt in the process. Only Tara's hand on her leg combined with Eliza's hand on her other hand kept the redhead from coming out of her chair to tell the girl off.

Even that wasn't enough to contain the redheaded witch when Tara opened the present to find a silky negligee within. The crème colored material slid through the blonde's hands as her mouth opened first in surprise and then in anger. Willow was obviously incensed and the only thing keeping her from taking a swing at the older girl was Eliza now using both hands to hold her back. Even so, Tara noted the unfamiliar and disturbing darkening of the girl's eyes. "Willow and I are going outside," Eliza announced as she pulled the girl toward the door with Teddy's help.

Tara could hear Willow muttering, "We are not going outside!" By now it appeared that Teddy had picked her up with Eliza and Joy following.

Tara felt Michelle's hand on her arm and turned back to Elizabeth. "We need to talk, Elizabeth," she told the older girl firmly.

"What?" Elizabeth asked with an attempt at an innocent look on her face, "I just thought you would like it."

Before Tara could speak she heard Michelle's anger in her speech: "No, Elizabeth, you didn't. Now would you rather the three of us have this conversation here or in the bathroom?" The older girl at least had the good sense to look admonished as she turned and moved toward the bathroom. Tara stole a glance at Jon and Amy and was amazed to see that neither of them seemed phased at all by the events and in fact seemed ready to move their party home for the evening.

Apparently having regained her composure Elizabeth turned to face the other two girls with a haughty look on her face. "Tara," she began, "I don't see why my present offended you…" She was cut off by Tara raising her hand. Without waiting for Elizabeth to stop speaking the blonde interrupted and began, "You know perfectly well why it offended me." Seeing Elizabeth's mouth moving as if to begin defending herself she continued, "Jesus Christ, Elizabeth. Why don't you g-grow up? You've been hitting on me for five years. You hit on me when I was dating your own sister, for Goddess' sake." She paused here as if hoping that Elizabeth were going to adopt some level of contrition. Internally she cursed herself slightly for stuttering. It certainly didn't seem that the girl was bothered by the admonition. "And now you're pulling this shit in front of my lover? Willow is about to take you apart, Elizabeth!"

"A joke? All this is a j-j-joke, Bethie?" Michelle interrupted. Tara could see that the runner was furious with her sister. It wasn't often that Michelle lost her temper, but this had been building for years. Honestly, the blonde couldn't believe that Michelle had never had this out with her sister back when the two friends were dating. She remembered how Michelle's older sister had flirted with her every time they saw each other during her two month relationship with the younger girl. "Fuck, Elizabeth!" the runner shouted, "any idiot could see that Tara and Willow belong together! Have you seen Tara's art? Did you come to the exhibit? Have you even known her in the last four years?"

Elizabeth finally looked somewhat shocked at her sister's angry outburst. "I didn't mean… I …," she faltered looking at the other two girls. Becoming more quiet with every breath she asked, "you mean she's not just…you really care about her?" It wasn't so much that Elizabeth was grief-stricken because she really cared about Tara, it seemed more that she realized that she had finally and conclusively lost.

Seeing how broken Elizabeth looked Tara gently reached up to tuck a hair behind her ear. "She's my soulmate," she told the girl confidently. "Why don't you go get Amy and Jon and go home, Bethie?" she suggested.

"We're right here," Amy answered as she reached out for her girlfriend's hand. Tara turned to see that their little discussion had expanded to include Amy and Jon, Eliza who stood just behind Michelle and as she turned the other way she saw Willow who reached out her hand and took Tara's. The connection was instantaneous and she could feel the powerful energy that flowed through their link. Frowning for a second she realized that some of Willow's power was still fueled by her anger but she could also tell how hard the redhead was attempting to control her feelings.

No one spoke for a few minutes as Jon and Amy led Elizabeth from the bar. Eliza was now nestled behind Michelle, her arms wrapped around her girlfriend's waist and her chin on her shoulder as if wanting to give her as much support and love as possible without intruding on the moment. She knew that it was a stressful time for Michelle with this confrontation finally happening. The dark- haired girl often wondered how Michelle and her sister had turned out so different. Michelle was the most loving, giving, and faithful person Eliza had ever known. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was a complete snob. It never occurred to her that the things she said and did were offensive to most of the people around her. She flirted with everyone she met and had obviously set her sights on Tara years earlier. This was another situation that Eliza knew bothered Michelle. Even when the friends were dating in high school, Elizabeth made no effort to avoid flirting with Tara. Michelle didn't open up about it often but Eliza knew that the girl was deeply hurt by her sister's actions. Add that to Elizabeth's very lightly shrouded distrust of Eliza and this confrontation had been brewing for a long time.

But Eliza also knew that that was really nothing compared to what Tara and Willow were likely to lay on the girl. Eliza had no idea how she knew what it meant but she could feel a sort of electrical energy emanating from both Willow and Tara at the moment that the piece of lingerie slid through the blonde's hands. She had felt something like this before from Tara but was not prepared for the intensity coming from the redhead. In fact Eliza was thankful for Teddy's help getting the smaller girl out of the bar. Teddy obviously felt out of place although he was glad to have been able to help. As they had rounded the corner, he faded into the background and allowed the two girls to talk. For a few minutes Eliza was truly worried that Willow was going to do some damage to Elizabeth. Her eyes were dark, almost black as if her pupils had taken over the entire colored part of her eye and Eliza could feel a sort of power flowing off the girl's skin.

"Calm down? I need to calm down? I don't think I do. I think that I need to go in there and kick that skank-queen's ass," the redhead argued.

"I can see that you are feeling pretty upset. How about taking a few deep breaths," Eliza suggested. She looked down for a second before whispering, "Really Willow. You're kind of floating off the ground."

Willow looked at her feet for a second before lowering to the ground. "Better?" she spat out.

"Much," Eliza confirmed. She was holding the redhead lightly by the upper arms trying to stroke her skin to keep her relaxed.

"You have no idea," Willow sputtered. "You have absolutely no idea what it's like-what she's like. She's such a … a … a …" The redhead faltered for a word finally settling on "ho."

Eliza laughed briefly before answering, "I have no idea? Is that what you figure?"

Willow stopped her anger for a second too think about what Eliza said. "I guess you probably have a better idea than just about anyone what she's like, huh?"

"Yeah," Eliza responded, "I know just what she's like and she makes me angry too." She waited for a second before adding, "But what's important is that she upsets Michelle."

"I guess our getting angry just makes it harder on Michelle and Tara?" Willow realized.

Eliza smiled as she nodded her head. After each girl had taken a few deep breaths they had gone inside to find Michelle, Tara, and Elizabeth in the hallway near the bathroom. Eliza was happy to see Willow move to stand lovingly to Tara's side and put her hand out. The blonde reached one hand back and seemed to gain strength from her lover's presence.

Tara was, of course, very happy when she had realized that Eliza and Willow had returned. She could feel the remnants of Willow's energy and chided herself lightly that the two of them had not done more work to regulate it lately. Of course they had both been ignoring most free-time activities except for enjoying their time together for the last week and a blush spread over her face as she thought about it. Moments after Elizabeth left with her lovers, Tara felt Willow's arms wrapping around her waist. Squirming slightly the blonde turned to face her lover and return the hug. "I love you," she whispered.

Willow brushed the back of her fingers down her girlfriend's face as she looked into her intense blue eyes. Softly she kissed her before pulling back. "Because I didn't turn her into a frog?" she teased.

Enjoying the break in the tension Willow joked back, "No, but I could have turned her into a ferret or a snake or a lizard."

Looking around they realized that Michelle and Eliza had returned to the table. Most of the other party-goers had apparently found this to be a convenient time to high-tail it out of there. Only Michelle, Eliza, James, Little Joey, Joy, and Teddy remained at the table. The two witches returned and took their seats as Eliza jokingly commented, "Well. I think we have now fulfilled our recommended daily allowance for drama anyway."

Michelle and Eliza looked at each other before shouting, "Happy Birthday!" Everyone at the table broke into laughter.

Everyone hugged the younger girl and Willow took Teddy's hand. "Thanks a lot, Teddy. You were a big help." The couple left after waving to the group.

By now the bar was empty besides the birthday group. "Who pays?" Willow finally blurted out. It had been bothering her all night. All these people came to the party and brought a present but none of them seemed to leave money. She knew that usually when people went out for someone's birthday they would leave money for their part and extra for the birthday person but she hadn't seen anyone leave any money.

Eliza started giggling as she turned to Tara. "She says just what she wants doesn't she?"

"Papa Patron pays," Eliza explained and it took Willow a minute to process the information. So Mr. D'Angelo paid for Tara's party every year. What did he do for Eliza and Joey's birthdays if Tara got this kind of party? Wow. And she had thought she was well off when she was in high school. Of course in high school she had the other Tara to compare herself to and the girl was pretty poor. It's a different world here. Literally, she thought. Everyone took a drink of their beer and when she finished, Willow realized that not only was she hungry but she should probably eat something to help her drive home anyway. She looked to the basket and realized that it was empty. "We need more wings," she said. It took a second before she realized that not only had she said it but Tara, Michelle, and Eliza had all spoken at the same moment.

A strange look passed among the other three girls and then, to Willow's complete surprise, Eliza started howling to the rafters. She leaned back her head and howled, sounding very much like a wolf. The redhead glanced around to see if anyone else was worried about this apparent mental breakdown but no one else seemed disturbed by it. In fact Tara and Michelle both shrugged their shoulders and joined in the commotion. Ok, it's a thing? Willow thought puzzled. Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder and James looked at her and then at the other three. Ok, what do you want me to do? she wondered. Before she could ask him he and Little Joey had joined in. Completely outnumbered Willow joined in the cacophony.

The men howled for only a few seconds before they began pounding on the table shouting: "Round robin! Round robin! Round robin!" As the girls stopped their noise making, James and Little Joey both began harassing Eliza: "Take me. You know you need one of us. Take me. No take me. Take both of us," and the like. Willow continued watching the scene wondering if she had passed into the twilight zone temporarily.

The redhead looked around completely befuddled about what had gotten into everyone. Lost for a solution she raised her hand and shot three green sparks into the air. They made a loud enough bang that everyone instantly was quiet and looked at her. "What the hell is going on?" she yelled.

"It's a round robin! Round Robin! Round Robin!" Eliza, Michelle, Little Joey, and James started yelling all at once and all over each other again.

Willow raised her hand once again and shot off one more spark. "No," she admonished, "we are not doing that." She pointed at Michelle making it clear that she wasn't considering shooting a spark at the runner. "Michelle, you explain. Everyone else quiet."

Eliza giggled but didn't speak, instead making a motion like she was locking her lips and throwing the key over her shoulder. Tara laughed openly but didn't speak either as she waited for Michelle to explain. "Well," the runner started, "you know how you get silly traditions among friends?"

"Hey," Tara interjected, "whose traditions are you c-calling silly?" Willow shot her girlfriend a look saying, "no interruptions," and the blonde made like Eliza, throwing her air-key over her shoulder.

"The four of us all jinxed on the wings," Michelle explained, "then Eliza started the howl. That means we're having a round robin. James and Little Joey aren't in the round robin because they didn't say the jinx on the wings but they want to come along."

Willow scrunched up her eyebrow. "What is a round robin or should I be afraid to ask?"

Tara raised her hand and Willow nodded at her. "A r-round robin means that we will go out as a group four times. Each person gets to pick an activity, any activity, and we all go do it. You can invite extra people but really the only real r- rule is that you have to pay for your choice. I m-mean pay for everyone," she clarified. She leaned over to whisper in her lover's ear: "I can pay yours if you need." Tara knew that Willow had come to find her with a comfortable amount of money but she really had no idea what the redhead's financial condition might be and she had spent a lot of money recently on her apartment and furnishings.

"Thanks," Willow whispered back, "I'm fine." She turned to the table. "Ok, that sounds good." She realized something that was bothering her though: "But why are Joey and James so excited?"

Both men raised their hands as Michelle and Tara both exaggeratedly began pounding their foreheads on the table. Ignoring what the two roommates were doing Willow pointed to James who instantly explained, "Eliza always picks the same activity and she needs one or both of us to go."

"An activity that requires one or both of you to go," Willow repeated. "What activity requires you? Something with heavy lifting?" She mumbled to herself as she tried to reason it out.

Willow glanced at Tara and Michelle who had stopped pounding their foreheads. "It's a thing," Michelle mouthed. "We're going to a topless bar?" the redhead confirmed.

"No. I just know what I want to do with my round robin turn," Eliza teased back. Willow leaned back in her chair as she watched the others joke and talk about their upcoming round robin events. Each tried to guess what the others would choose to do until Aunt Maria came to say that it was time for the bar to close and that she was kicking them out.

After ensuring that there were at least as many sober drivers as cars, the group left the bar but not before Aunt Maria grabbed the two boys telling them, "Good job you not wrecking my bar but I'm still watching you." The girls laughed and told the boys they were trouble-makers before everyone hugged and parted to drive home.

Willow held Tara's hand as she drove. The blonde had her eyes closed in the passenger seat but the girl wasn't sleeping. The entire back seat was filled with presents and Willow had already decided to take them to Tara's house since Scooby was there. "Baby?" she asked quietly.

Tara opened her eyes and looked at her lover as she answered, "Y-yes. I think I am. I mean it has been coming and maybe if I had been more firm with her over the years this wouldn't have happened but I'm glad it did n-now." She took a breath. "I feel bad for Michelle though."

"Yeah," Willow agreed, "it definitely seems like the conflict with Bethie has been brewing for Chelle for years."

Tara nodded, "I don't think Chelle ever quite forgave Elizabeth for her flirting with me when we were together. And the way Bethie treats Eliza is pretty r- rotten."

Tara shook her head: "I'm not entirely sure. They didn't' hit it off right and Eliza has told her off plenty of times for the w-way she treats Michelle." She watched Willow as she spoke, admiring the girl's beautiful profile and feeling completely comfortable with her love. "Plus which I think that Elizabeth was a real jerk when Eliza transferred to Brenhams. She always suspected that Eliza had gotten in trouble and that's why she t-transferred in the middle of the year."

"No," Tara agreed, "she wasn't w-wrong but Eliza has grown and changed a lot from that fifteen-year old girl. "

"It's amazing how much she has changed," Willow mused. After a minute she added, "and what's the deal on Elizabeth's girlfriend and boyfriend?"

Tara waved her hand exasperatedly. "Honest-to-God, I can't explain it. It's been a few years now and I can't see how they p-put up with her. I think that really the two of them are in a relationship and Elizabeth is like their added flavor or whatever." She watched as Willow scrunched her face up as if trying to figure out that one. "The thing is," Tara continued, "they are both really n-nice people. I've had classes with Amy and she's a nice person. And I believe that she really loves Jon so I don't know w-why they even mess with Elizabeth…"

Tara giggled at her girlfriend's assessment of the evening. "This was the b- best birthday I've ever had, Willow," she told the girl sincerely.

Willow looked over at her lover for a second before raising her hand to her lips. "Then I'll see what I can do about improving on it every year from now on, baby," she whispered.

Tara smiled broadly at her lover's assertion that there would be many years to come for them. "Speaking of g-great birthdays," Tara started, "where is my present?"

"In the trunk?" Tara sputtered. "You mean you could h-have given it to me anytime?" She giggled as she accused, "You little sneak."

This time it was Tara who lifted her lover's hand to her mouth placing a soft kiss on her palm. "Baby, just your being here is all the present I'll ever need."

"Mmm," Willow murmured, "Then here is exactly where I'll stay." Both girls were quiet just enjoying their drive back home. Each one understood exactly what the other was saying and there was no need to elaborate further.

"Your phone doesn't want your pillow, sweetie," Tara whispered as she brushed her hands over her lover's bare back.

"Alarm clock," Willow mumbled, "go it away!" Tara tried to contain her laughter but couldn't. She couldn't believe just how adorable the redhead was when she was waking up, particularly when she was being woken up. "Now you and the jellybeans are all laughing," the girl pouted.

Tara suspected that her girlfriend was now more awake than she let on but that was ok. All she cared about at the moment was the feeling of this woman wrapped in her arms. It was hard to remember that she had ever been without her. Yet it had been just a few months ago that she believed she would never see her again. "It's your phone, baby," Tara again whispered, ensuring that her lips brushed the smaller girl's ear.

"Argggh!" Willow groaned as she sat up in bed. "Why did I give in and get one of those things?"

"I thought it was so we could talk on the phone more," Tara teased. As the blonde watched, Willow began to stretch, extending her chest in front of her. Tara was mesmerized by the show. "I think you d-do that on purpose," she teased.

"Vixen," Tara accused her lover. Rather than answering the question the blonde swung her legs off the bed and reached for her cane. Looking around and noting the clothes strewn around the room she decided to put on a little show of her own. "Hmmm, my clothes are all over the place," she mumbled as if speaking to herself. She bent over at the waist to pick up her pajama bottoms and slowly pulled them up her legs, ensuring that her hands stroked her skin on their way up. Spotting a hair band on the nightstand she bent forward again, this time turning slightly to the side to pick up the band.

Willow felt her mouth go dry as she watched Tara's movements. It had been sexy enough when the girl had bent down to pick up her pants and pulled them on but now her bending over to get the hair band was almost too much. One side of her breast was exposed and the redhead was instantly aware of the way that a glimpse of something can be sexier than seeing it in its entirety. She had seen Tara's breasts many of times and while she never failed to appreciate their beauty and perfection, this was even more tempting in some ways. Rather than reaching out and capturing her love, however, she allowed her to continue her display.

Tara glanced at Willow, satisfied with the entranced look on the smaller woman's face before crossing to get her shirt from where it had apparently landed on top of the radio. "Now how did this g-get over here?" she asked. Slowly she untangled the top before stretching it out over her head and beginning to pull it down.

"Hubba hubba," Willow whispered as she watched. Tara turned toward her, flashing her trademark smile, and that was all it took. That smile was like a beacon to the redhead who started from the bed with every intention of getting her lover to return to it. Throwing back the covers, Willow began her own show, stretching again and tossing one leg over the side to reveal herself for a quick moment before allowing the other leg to join the first.

Just at that moment, Scooby ran into the room. She looked at the two girls wagging her tail with excitement as she realized that they were awake and might want to throw the ball for her. In fact she had a ball grasped optimistically in her mouth as she ran right up to the blonde, nuzzling against her good leg. As soon as Tara reached down to pet the animal, Scooby dropped the ball at her feet and looked up at her expectantly. Willow laughed at the display before speaking: "It looks like she's glad that we're awake."

Tara laughed back as she threw Willow her shirt from the top of her easel. "Too bad," she whispered, "I had some other plans."

Willow opened and closed her mouth a few times before moving to embrace her lover. As she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her lightly on the lips she asked, "You never tire of making me speechless, do you?"

"Never," Tara confirmed, "I kind of consider it my responsibility." She paused for a minute before teasing, "I guess it kind of juxtaposes the adorable babbling that I love so much."

"You know all the right things to say to capture my heart, Tara Maclay," Willow told the girl. "Plus which, you used the word juxtapose so you're starting the day with bonus points."

"Hmm," Tara said, "what can the points be redeemed for?" Willow leaned forward to whisper in the blonde's ear causing Tara to shriek and admonish, "Willow Rosenberg. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Not often," Willow admitted as she pulled on her shorts. She held out her hand telling the blonde, "Let's go and see what there is to eat. I will make you a sumptuous repast based on that book I'm writing."

"I'll help," Tara reassured her as they started from the room with Scooby trailing behind, the ball clutched firmly in her mouth.

Within minutes Willow was whipping eggs and grating cheese for an omelet while Tara cut fresh fruit into decorative shapes. "Very cute," Willow complimented as she reached over to take a slice of an orange. Tara kissed the girl's cheek before continuing to cut the fruit. While cooking each girl took turns throwing the ball, which Scooby brought and placed in a free hand. "Love?" Willow asked. After Tara's nod Willow continued, "Do you ever worry about Scooby? I mean about her jumping on you? What if she knocks you off balance or hurts your leg or something?"

Tara nodded thoughtfully. "I understand what you're w-worried about, Willow," she answered, "but she won't jump on me hard."

"Very," Tara told her as she placed the fruit on the table and mirrored Willow's kiss on the other girl's cheek. "And also…" Tara started speaking as they sat down to eat. The two girls joined hands as they looked at their plates and said a soft thank you for their blessings. Tara lifted their joined hands to place a light kiss on Willow's skin before releasing it and picking up her fork.

"What? No I said 'and also what' after you said 'and also' which you said before we said the blessing. You said 'and also' but then you didn't say 'and also what' not the way that I said 'and also what' but you didn't continue after saying 'and also.'" Willow finally stopped speaking with the sound of her lover's round full laughter.

"Lovely, adorable, everything," Tara whispered as she again kissed the redhead's hand.

"Harrumph," Willow pouted as she continued eating, "you tease me for your own enjoyment."

Tara smiled widely as her eyes sparkled: "You bet I do, my love." Willow hadn't been really upset to begin with, but the way Tara looked at her and the way she said, "my love," melted her completely. She smiled back and reached across to snag a piece of pineapple off the blonde's plate. "And also," Tara started with a giggle, "my leg is getting s-stronger."

"That and just using it," Tara explained. "You know that I still g-go to physical therapy and I've seen improvement even since you arrived."

"Well, I kind of wondered," Willow answered, "I mean it seems like you don't have to use your cane as much and you don't limp as badly."

"Oh," Tara answered, "it still hurts and it's still hard, but it's b-better. Just a little, but I'm working on it."

"It's probably pretty close now," Tara explained. "The doctors and physical therapists have been amazed that I d-do as well as I do. But I'll always use the cane and probably never win the Boston Marathon."

"Not a runner and yet so nubile…" Willow trailed off teasingly. Happy to see the blush that crept over Tara's soft features, she changed mood slightly, "Well … I've uh… been thinking…"

Tara leaned over to tell her lover, "I love the way you think, my love. Let's finish breakfast first," before tickling the top of the redhead's ear with the tip of her tongue. She was of course satisfied by the blush returned by the other girl.

Willow gulped a quiet "Oh God," before returning to her previous subject: "Anyway. I was wondering. Well… I mean… if … and…"

Tara leaned over to take her lover's hand. "Take a breath, Will, and then ask," she instructed her.

Willow did just that before speaking: "Ok. I've been thinking. I know that Teresa passed away years ago here but what about your Aunt Amber or Julie? I mean do they exist here? Do you have an Aunt and cousins? Do they have any healing magic? I mean maybe they could help your leg?"

Tara scrunched up her brow before answering. "Aunt Amber has some magical ability but s-she has a lot more knowledge than power. Julie is just learning and we're just starting to train her. She seems to have more power than Amber but not as much as I do or mama or Grandma had."

"I'm not surprised," Willow answered, "that's how it was in our world too, although her aunt was brilliant." She took a deep breath before continuing, "but what I was thinking was… uh… well I know neither of them is very powerful… but… um… I am."

"I am. Powerful that is," Willow explained quickly. "I… I could amplify for them. I mean couldn't I? Maybe not as well as I do with you because of our … uh … well you know."

"You could amplify for them?" Tara repeated dumbly. Then again: "you could amplify for them?" Tara was quiet for a second before playfully taping the heel of her hand against her forehead in the universal sign for "why didn't I think of that, damnit!"

"Good idea?" Tara answered. "It's like the best idea I've e-ever heard. I mean it won't heal it completely but I'm pretty sure it can help to strengthen the m- muscles and lighten the scars." She leaned across to passionately kiss her lover before telling her sincerely: "Thank you for thinking of it and offering, Willow."

"Mmm," Willow flirted, "if I get thanks like that, I'll amplify for anyone you want." She was quiet for a second before elaborating: "Just so you know, I want your leg to not hurt you but it will never matter to me if your scars stay just as they are. I think you are the most beautiful, strong, sexy woman I've ever had the pleasure to know."

Tara heard her lover's words and knew they were completely sincere but wanted to tease her back: "You mean the most beautiful, strong, sexy woman you've been to bed with in the l-last 24 hours."

"Gee, what a fortunate coincidence," Willow giggled. Both girls looked up as the cell phone lying on the counter began beeping. "That's very irritating," Willow assessed.

Willow got up and grabbed the phone from the countertop just as Tara's started beeping also. "Ok," Willow said as she held up the phone, "I have no idea how to read a message." She handed the phone over to her lover and wrapped her arms around her waist to look over her shoulder as Tara punched buttons to look at both phones.

RR#1-M 2:00 pm today – 10:00 pm tomorrow Rend: T&M Bring: Outdoor clothes, sporty, Scooby

She started laughing as Willow assessed the message before declaring, "Nonsense."

"No baby," Tara giggled, "it's not nonsense." She pointed at the screen. "It's the first round of the round robin. That's 'RR#1' and this one is Michelle's. It lasts from today at 2:00 to tomorrow at 10:00 and we rendezvous here."

"I'd say we're going c-c-camping," Tara guessed. "Scooby," she called, "do you want to go camping?" The dog began jumping up and down as Tara got to the word go. "I'd say she wants to go," Tara told her girlfriend.

"So we're going camping," Willow mused as she stood behind her lover, wrapping her arms around her waist. "Do you think you'll mind our sleeping in such a tight space? I mean we might be pretty close together." As she spoke, she began placing nipping kisses along the blonde's neckline.

"Mmm,'" Tara moaned, "I think I might l-like it ok." Her speech was made much more difficult by the presence of Willow's hands, which had strayed up to cup her breasts before rubbing the nipples to hard peaks. Attempting to maintain a little focus she squeaked out, "Do you h-have hiking boots? Camping c-clothes?"

As her lover had smoothly turned into their embrace and was now passionately kissing her, Willow had some difficulty answering her. "Need … shop … later," she managed.

Scooby wagged her tail as she ran back and forth through the house as if supervising the packing. Michelle had arrived about 30 minutes earlier and was throwing her clothes into a bag while all three girls waited for Eliza to arrive in a borrowed vehicle. Willow and Tara's bag was sitting by the door along with a cardboard box of groceries for the brief trip.

Willow laughed as she sat watching Scooby. In the past few minutes, the dog has piled six balls, two Frisbees, a stuffed animal, three sticks from the backyard, and two shoes with the other camping equipment. "What's so funny, sweetie?" Tara asked as she joined her lover. She had been helping Michelle finish her packing and was now ready to wait for Eliza too.

"Looks like Scooby wanted to help pack," Willow explained as she indicated the pile of toys the dog had brought.

"Do y'all camp a lot?" Willow asked. She hadn't really thought about it until now. As much as she was in love with this woman, and that was a lot, in some ways there were millions of things she didn't know about her. Before Tara could answer Willow's question the redhead told her, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of learning about you."

Tara giggled again as she realized that in Willow's busy mind this probably passed for connected thoughts. At least they were connected to something in there. "We go on the spur of the moment a few times a year," she explained. "In the summer it's pretty hot but that just means we go someplace with a l-lake for swimming."

Willow smiled at her girlfriend as she linked their fingers together. "I feel so lucky," she commented. As she saw the confused but happy look on Tara's face she tried to explain: "I mean I have you and I love you so much and you have such a wonderful life. And you have Michelle and Eliza and Scooby and I guess I have them, too. I mean I hope I have them too. I mean I like them and lot and hope they… you know." She finally trailed off wondering if she sounded like a complete dork.

"They love you too, baby," Tara attempted to reassure her girlfriend. She wasn't afraid that Willow would leave; nonetheless, she wanted Willow to be as happy as possible. She knew that they were embarking on a life together and shared friends were just one facet of that life. Both girls started slightly as they heard honking from the driveway.

Willow stood and extended her hand to help pull Tara to her feet. Glancing at the floor she asked, "Can we do a ritual out there?"

"Always," Tara confirmed as she picked up the light bundle of sleeping bags. Willow loaded her arms with their bag and the groceries as Michelle came out of her bedroom carrying her bag.

"I used to own one of these," Willow commented as she and Tara buckled their seatbelts in the back seat and Michelle took hers in the passenger seat. Scooby had bounded into the cargo portion and was lying down already.

"No," Willow laughed, "a Nissan Pathfinder. My father gave me one for high school graduation."

"Believe me," Willow explained, "not at rich as you but my parents definitely used their checkbooks to say 'we love you even though we're really busy.'" Tara hugged her lover closer as she thought about what Willow was telling the other girls. Even though the redhead had told her about her parents' lack of interest in her life, Tara still couldn't get used to the idea. How could anyone know this girl and not want to spend every moment with her?

Willow noted the look that passed between Tara and Michelle, a look that seemed to say that they would rather take the love and devotion of their families than money any day of the week. "Why are we stopping?" she asked as Michelle jumped from the car. Before anyone could answer, she noted the sign on the building: "Beer Barn."

"My sweetie starts her spending here," Eliza joked as Michelle walked into the shop. In a few minutes she had returned with a case of beer. Scooby made a disapproving noise as the case cut into her limited space in the cargo area.

Michelle turned on the stereo and with the exception of Willow, all the girls sang along. Willow noted that while Michelle didn't sing as well as the other two girls, she didn't have a terrible voice.

"Another hour or so," Eliza answered. "It's out toward Brenhams. I'm surprised you've never been."

"So Tare, Willow," Michelle changed the point, "what are you both doing for your rounds?"

Willow looked over at her lover too see what the tradition held. She had come up with an idea for her choice which would take some logistic planning and lucky timing but she didn't want to tell until it was time. Tara smirked, "I have a great idea, Chelle, but I'm not telling."

"Me neither, then," Willow agreed as she leaned her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"I really hope Tara's not taking us to another of those 'interpretative dance' things," Eliza muttered.

As the others were laughing she noted that Eliza had pulled off the road and was nearing the gate to the state park. Michelle paid the fee and they proceeded to choose a relatively secluded site set back from the dirt path. It was near the water but not too far from the bath facilities. "Hey," Willow cheered, "bathrooms."

"Well, yeah," Tara explained, "we like camping but we're not fanatics." All three girls laughed as they began unloading the car while Scooby circled them, interfering more than helping. They set up both tents so that they were as far away from each other as possible without using more than one camp site and both had their zipper flaps facing the fire area.

The group assessed their work before Michelle asked, "Who wants to go for a hike?"

Willow looked over at her girlfriend who nodded: "I'll go a short ways and t-turn back when I need to."

The four girls and Scooby set off at a moderate pace with Eliza in the lead. She set an easy enough pace that Tara was easily able to keep up and the group enjoyed the beauty of nature. To the two Wiccans, being in nature was a spiritual experience and both girls found themselves constantly thanking the Goddess for their blessings. They were all enjoying the peace and quiet of the day when Eliza suddenly stopped walking, shouting "What the fucking fuck?"

Willow giggled thinking of those Marx Brothers comedies where the person in front stops walking but the rest of the group doesn't and they all walk one after the other into the person in front of them until they collapse on the ground. "What the fucking, fuck what Eliza? Tara asked, shocking her girlfriend somewhat. The other Tara would never have said something like that, even if she was just repeating what someone was saying.

"What's with the birds?" Eliza asked, indicating a few birds circling overhead with her hand. "They've been following us all along."

Willow extended her arm, holding the leather brace she had tied on at the campsite and smiled as a falcon landed on the leather covering. "These birds?" she smirked.

Eliza's mouth hung open as she watched the display but Michelle seemed non-plussed by the display. She shrugged as if nothing could surprise her anymore from either witch. Deciding to go easier on the dark-haired girl Tara explained, "Willow has a gift calling animals like I do healing."

"Figures," Eliza muttered. The witches weren't surprised to hear her saying, "No wonder you two are so perfect for each other," as she turned to continue walking.

Michelle looked at the group and explained, "I think I'll run, ok?" Everyone nodded and she started away from the other girls down the path. Scooby looked from Michelle's retreating back toward Tara until the blonde giggled and waved her hand to allow the dog to happily join the runner.

She and Willow turned back down the path while Eliza continued forward by herself. On the return walk, the girls took the pace much slower as Willow noticed that the blonde's leg was obviously bothering her much more. "Will we have time to do a ritual out here, baby?" she reminded her girlfriend.

Tara nodded, enjoying the feel of Willow's soft hand in her own. They were now walking two abreast down the path toward the campsite. "In the m-morning we can do one if you want," she answered. The return journey took about twice as long as the first half did, but neither girl minded. They were enjoying the clear weather, the beauty of the trees, sound of water bubbling in streams parallel to the path, and the feel of the other girl's hand in their own. With that contact came the amazing sensation of magical energy traveling through their flesh reaching every part of their beings. By the time they reached the campsite both girls were entranced with the other. Tara pulled her lover into a passionate kiss. "I wish we had time to do more than kiss and start dinner," she whispered as she allowed her lips to flutter over Willow's small ear.

"Mmm, me too," Willow agreed as her hands rose in an attempt to convince the girl that they did in fact have time.

Tara giggled as she pulled the redhead's hands from her chest. "Not enough time, my love," she panted even as they continued kissing.

"Do you two ever stop?" Eliza's voice cut through the air, immediately separating the two girls and causing Tara to blush deep red. The younger girl walked straight through the center of the campsite, pulling a beer from the cooler and opening it to take a drink before pulling two more and tossing them to the witches.

Tara took a drink of her beer as she asked, "I thought you were cutting down on the drinking, Eliza?"

"Oh that," the dark-haired girl explained, "I misunderstood something that Michelle said. She's not upset about it." She cryptically continued, "Which is good because I've got plans." She took a sip of beer before assessing, "but I have been trying to drink a little less."

Eliza smiled back as she began pulling out cooking supplies. "Wouldn't y'all like to know?"

I would definitely like to know, Tara thought. The problem was getting Eliza to share. The girl was a notoriously good secret keeper and very good at springing them, too. "We should play 'I never' tonight," Tara offered. It wasn't that Tara wanted to get Eliza drunk; she just wanted her relaxed so that Tara could try to figure out her surprise. Besides, they hadn't brought that much beer.

Willow looked at her girlfriend, completely confused as she began to start the fire. She used the same technique that the other Tara had taught her all those years ago to get the small branches lit before beginning to feed larger and larger pieces of wood. Why would Tara want to play a drinking game? Isn't she the same woman who didn't want me to play with them at Michelle's party? She didn't question Tara though, believing that the blonde had a plan.

Eliza smirked as she heard Tara's suggestion. She understood the girl's intention, but there was no way she was going to share this surprise ahead of time. And anyway, maybe Tara would have to drink to many more things now that she had Willow. "Sounds good to me," she agreed.

The three girls worked together to prepare dinner. It was a simple affair of both veggie and meat burgers, grilled vegetables, and macaroni and cheese which Michelle insisted was "camping food." By the time the runner entered the circle the others were lounging in their chairs telling stories and sipping slowly on their drinks. "Wow," she exclaimed as she looked around, "looks like y'all did some hunting and gathering." Everyone giggled as she grabbed a change of clothes and announced that she was going to take a very quick shower. She was true to her word and the group ate the offering just as the sun was setting.

After eating Michelle quickly cleaned up from dinner and the girls returned to enjoy the fire. Willow and Tara were snuggling together against one log while the other couple mirrored their position against an opposite one. "That needs more color," Willow announced as she waved her hand at the fire and blue and green flames began to lick out of the center.

As she finished her drink Willow noted that everyone but Eliza had taken a drink and teased the younger girl by telling Tara, "I'm surprised that Eliza didn't drink to that one."

"What?" Eliza asked confused until it hit her. "You're damn right I've made magic happen by wiggling my fingers." She took a long swallow as the group laughed.

"No," Eliza told her, "targeting you would be saying 'I've never crossed a dimensional portal to find my lover.'"

Willow took a quick drink answering, "Yeah. That would be about as fair as saying, 'I've never been kicked out of school for having sex in a parked car.'" Eliza laughed as she took a drink and raised her can.

"We're way behind," Michelle commented. "Unless I say, 'I've never been hit on by my girlfriend's sister.'"

"Hey, that's not my fault," Tara protested before taking her drink. "… as fair as saying, 'I've never won a state championship in track.'"

Michelle took a drink before all four girls decided to put a stop to deliberately targeting one girl. Willow enjoyed the game greatly. She was finding out even more about all three other girls, including her lover. It was surprising to her just how many drinks the blonde was taking based solely on their experiences of the past few weeks. She couldn't put her finger on it but it seemed that while none of the girls were targeting Eliza specifically, Michelle and Tara seemed to be making sure that the girl drank on nearly every challenge. Perhaps that was why Tara suggested the game? What Willow didn't know was that both Tara and Michelle wanted desperately to know what Eliza's surprise was. The girl was terrible about announcing that she had a surprise and teasing people with it without disclosing it.

Willow also noticed that Tara was occasionally using the information she had from her dreams to make Willow drink as on the challenge, "I've never had sex in a janitor's closet."

"Not exactly fair," she muttered as she took her drink. Just then she noticed that Eliza had also drunk on that one and raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"Oh. Ok," Willow agreed. "Tara, the other Tara, came to my old high school to help us fight this big demon. We had sex in a janitor's closet right before blowing it up to kill the demon."

"The school," Willow corrected, "we blew up the school." Rather than elaborating she raised her can to Eliza and told the girl, "your turn."

"We didn't get caught every time," the girl smirked. Willow was impressed to note that Michelle truly seemed to have no jealousy about Eliza's exploits before the two girls got together. Perhaps she was just truly confident in their love.

"My turn," Michelle announced. "I've never kissed a boy," she stated before taking a drink. She was surprised to see everyone but Michelle take a drink. "Theater," both Tara and Eliza offered by way of explanation.

Eliza realized her friends' intention and but there was no way she would let her surprise slip before it was time. However, she did decide to even the score a bit. "I've never made out in the stable at Brenhams," she stated, knowing that it would force her to drink as well as Michelle and Tara. And if Willow and the other Tara were anything like these two girls, there was no way they kept their hands off each other in high school.

Willow briefly wondered if her actions in the Brenhams in the other world counted and decided that everything else she had done in the other world had counted so this would too. She had just finished taking her drink when she realized that everyone was drinking. Everyone. Including Tara. "What?" she allowed to slip out of her mouth. "You made out in the stables at Brenhams?" she asked. Even though all three girls had started drinking some water for their turns to ensure that they didn't have too much alcohol, she was more than slightly drunk from the hours the game had gone and she couldn't control her jealousy as Michelle had done. "Who did you make out with in the stables? I mean not that you can't have had a life before me but what? And I mean what? What little slut did you make out with?"

She looked across the fire to see Michelle sheepishly raising her hand. "One slut present and accounted for," she joked as the other two girls laughed at Willow's jealous rant and Michelle's admission.

Willow blushed bright red as she attempted to apologize: "Oh. I mean I'm sorry. I forgot. I mean I never remember that you two…." She took a breath before muttering, "…stupid multiple realities."

"And on that note," Eliza announced, "time to end the game with I've never had sex in a tent." She and Michelle took a drink and rose to go to their tent as she tossed over her shoulder, "but I'll ask again in the morning." Both witches were blushing as they took care of the fire and crawled into their sleeping space.

Because they hadn't had that much to drink none of the girls were hungover in the morning. Michelle enjoyed another run while Eliza took Scooby down to the lake so she could swim and fetch sticks. Tara and Willow walked a short ways to the base of a tall oak tree. Agreeing that it was a beautiful spot and based on Tara's assessment of its magical energy, they chose it as the location for their meditation. Neither girl realized that hours had gone by until Scooby came running up only to stop a few feet away. Although Tara had trained the dog to never interfere with a ritual, it didn't stop her from panting heavily from her morning's exertion and the two witches decided to put a stop on their refreshing meditation. The trip back to Austin was uneventful, filled with story telling and singing from everyone but Willow.

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Paths Diverged/Divulged

by JustSkipIt

Copyright © 2003