~Part 1~

 "W-Willow?" Tara said timidly.

 All the occupants of the room looked up at the shy
witch. Buffy, Willow, Spike, Tara, Riley, Anya,
Xander, and Giles were currently looking up a demon
for the L.A. crew. According to Cordelia, the demon in
her vision was "green and slimy." She could offer no
other identifying traits, much to Giles' dismay, as
there were over 100 types of demons that matched the
former May Queen's description.

 "Yes?" Willow said curiously, looking up from her
book.

 "Can I t-talk to you?" Tara stammered nervously.

 "Sure." Willow shrugged. She put her book down on the
coffee table, and stood up, leaving her spot next to
Spike on the couch. Spike watched the redhead leave,
looking at her retreating figure with a look of love,
longing and lust, which he quickly disguised as bored
indifference.

 He didn't see Anya's knowing smirk.

***

 Willow closed the front door of the Watcher's house
behind her. She stepped out onto the patio and turned
to the witch. "Tara, what is it?"

 The blonde wrapped her arms around herself. "I h-have
something to tell you."

 "What?" Willow asked, curious.

 "I'm afraid you'll h-hate m-me."

 Willow smiled reassuringly. "Tara, I could never hate
you. You're my friend. Anything you say won't change
that. I promise. You can tell me anything-"

 "I have feelings for you!" Tara blurted.

 Willow's jaw dropped. "Feelings? Like-like friendly
feelings?"

 Tara shook her head. "More than that."

 "Wow, I, uh, I don't know what to say..."
Willow stammered.

 "You don't feel the same way." Tara stated with
dismay.

 Willow shook her head. "No. No, I don't. I don't like
girls in that way, Tara." Willow told the other Wicca
gently.

 Tara looked at the redhead sadly. "You l-love *him*,
don't you?"

 Willow blushed, but after awhile, she nodded.

 Tara looked at Willow sadly. "I, I'm sorry, Willow. I
shouldn't of told you..."

 Willow shook her head, and took Tara's hand in her
own. "No. I'm, I'm glad you did."

 Tara drew her hand away. She couldn't take the
redhead's friendly touch, not when she wanted so much
more. "I-I have to go!" She said, before running off.

 Willow watched the girl go, sighed, and turned to go
back into the house.

 "So, pet, what did Twitchy Witchy want?" Spike asked
the redhead after she returned.

 Willow blushed. "Like I'm going to tell you!"

 "Oh my God! Tara wants Willow!" Anya exclaimed.

 Buffy's head shot up from the dusty book she was
reading. "What? Tara wants Willow? Really?"

 Spike growled. She was *his*! He didn't like the idea
of the odd blonde girl after his redhead.

 "N-n-o...." Willow stammered. "T-Tara doesn't want
me."

 "Yes she does. I'm a former demon. I know these
things. I'm very observational." Anya said smugly.
"She's been giving you coy looks for weeks."

 Xander cleared his throat. "Uh, Anya? Honey? If
you've known for weeks, why did you wait until now to
mention it?"

 Anya rolled her eyes. "I didn't know until just now,
but I had my suspicions."

 Willow groaned. "Are you guys going to drop this?"

 "No." Anya said sweetly.

 "You're going to have to tell us." Buffy said, just
as sweetly.

 "Nothing happened. I don't like her in that way."
Willow said.

 Spike smiled slightly, relieved.

"Why not?" Buffy prompted.

 "Because I like someone-" she stopped abruptly.

 "Willow," Buffy sing-songed. "I know that look! Wills
has a crush! Is he a hottie?"

 "Ooh, who is it?" Anya asked.

 "Nobody." Willow mumbled, scolding herself for
falling for Buffy's trap.

 Riley, took pity on his friend. "Guys, leave her
alone."

 Willow smiled at the ex-commando gratefully. "Thanks
Riley."

 Spike rolled his eyes. Willow had a crush on someone?
He hoped it wasn't one of that dumb farmboy's commando
friends. His eyes lit with hope. Maybe, just maybe,
Willow was falling for him. He hoped so. God knows
he'd fallen for her.

***

Tara wiped her  teary eyes with the back of her hand.
She struck a match, and lit her ritual candle. She
looked over the spell once more. She hated to do this
to Willow, but she couldn't stand the thought of the
redhead in *his* arms. He didn't deserve her. This
spell would gaurentee that *he* wouldn't have her. No
man would. And, when Willow was rejected by him, Tara
would be there to console her. She began to chant the
ancient tongue. She blew the white powder over the
flame, watching as it sparkled.

 Spell finished, Tara blew out the candle. "So mote it
be."
 

~Part 2~

 "Giles, I'm gonna go take a quick patrol." Buffy
informed her Watcher. She turned to her commando
boyfriend. "Riley, wanna come with?"

 Riley shrugged. "Sure." He looked at his watch. "Oh,
crap! I was supposed to meet Graham and Forrest almost
a half-hour ago!"

 "Really, what for?" Buffy asked.

 "They're gonna go pick up girls." Xander said
off-handedly, earning a glare from Buffy.

 Riley looked at Xander. "What? No, we aren't! We have
some new weapons for hostiles that need to be
catologed..." He trailed off as Spike glared
murderously at him. He smiled sheepishly. "Uh, sorry."

 "You're just lucky I have this bloody chip, otherwise
you'd all be dead and drained." Spike growled.

 Buffy rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Fangless. On that
happy note, I'll leave." She smiled at Willow. "Patrol
with me, Wills? I could use your witchy magic mojo."

 Spike growled. He didn't want Red in danger.

 Willow grinned. "Suck-up."

 Buffy nodded. "Yup. Will you go with me?"

 Willow sighed dramatically. "Oh, all right."

 Buffy grabbed the redhead's arm, and dragged her out
the front door.

***

 "You know, Wills, we haven't really spent much time
together this year." She looked away. "It's been my
fault. I've been so busy with Slaying, and Riley, and
school...."

 Willow turned to look at her friend. "Buffy! Don't
blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. I've been busy
lately. With the...Oz thing, I've been practicing my
magic more, and I've been so busy..."

 Buffy frowned. "Hey, if I can't blame myself, you
can't blame yourself."

 Willow nodded. "Okay."

 "Yeah. It was both our faults!" Buffy grinned.

 Willow laughed. "Forgive me, best friend?"

 "Only if you forgive me." Buffy said.

 "Forgiven." Willow said.

 "You too." Buffy said. "Best friend."

***

 Willow giggled as Buffy told her about her and
Riley's slaying adventures. "He couldn't sit down for
a week!" Buffy laughed.

 "It sure is quiet out." Willow commented.

 Just then, a small group of vampires advanced on the
girls.

 Buffy rolled her eyes. "Figures." She proceeded to
attack the two that attacked her. She started at a
flash of white light that flashed through the air.

 Willow shrieked as a female vampire lunged at her.
She watched, amazed, as one of the males grabbed the
female by the throat. "Don't you dare touch her!" He
growled, tearing out the throat of the female. "Are
you okay?" The yellowed eyed vampire asked Willow,
concerned. Willow nodded mutely. Buffy shook herself
from her stunned stupor, and staked the vampire.

 "What the hell was that?!" Buffy asked, bewildered.
"Did he...just save you?"

 Willow nodded. "Yeah. Weirdness."

 "Major weirdness." Buffy agreed. "Let's get back to
the dorm. I'm tired."

 Willow rubbed her forehead. "Me too. Did you see that
white flash earlier?"

 Buffy nodded. "Yeah. It was lightning or something."

 Willow shook her head. "No, it was magic."

 Buffy shrugged. "I'll ask Giles about it tomorrow."

 "Good idea."
 

~Part 3~

Buffy sighed in exasperation. "Giles, are you even
listening?!"

Giles nodded, thumbing through a magic book. "Yes,
you left off at the ever thrilling part when your nail
broke during the fight."

Buffy made a face at her Watcher. "Then this vamp
chick attacked Willow-"

Giles' head shot up at the mention of Willow's name.
"Willow? Is she hurt?!"

Buffy took note of the oddness in Giles' voice. "Uh,
no. Another vampire saved her. That's what I want to
talk to you about. Some vamp saved her, and there was
a flash in the air, and all of the guy vampires
stopped and stared at Willow. Major weirdness."

"Maybe they were bewitched by her beauty." Giles
offered.

Buffy's mouth dropped open. "Wha-what did you just
say?"

Giles shrugged. "Nevermind. Run along now, Buffy."

The blonde gave Giles an odd look. "Um, sure. Later
G-man."

Buffy exited the Watcher's house, and headed back to
the Sunnydale U. campus. "Major, *major* weirdness."
She commented softly.

***

Willow walked into the library, and started when
every guy in the room stopped and looked at her. She
hurried past them, and back to the bookshelves,
blushing. "What was that about?" She asked herself.
She looked at her outfit critically. "It can't be my
clothes, jeans and a t-shirt. Nothing weird there.
Maybe I have something on my face." Willow reasoned.

"Who are you talking to?" A voice asked.

Willow jumped about a foot in the air. "Tara! You
scared me!"

"Sorry." The blonde witch shrugged.

Willow looked down, still embarrassed about what Tara
admitted the previous night. "Um, about yesterday..."

Tara shook her head. "I'm sorry. I had shouldn't
of...told you. I hope we can at least still be
friends."

Willow smiled, relieved. "I'd like that too."

Tara smiled slightly. "So, friend, what were you
mumbling to yourself about?"

"Major wigginess." Willow told her. "All day...guys
have been, like, staring at me. Maybe I'm just getting
paranoid."

"Willow!" Another voice called, as a petite blond
walked over to her.

"Hey, Buffy." Willow replied.

"Wills! Oh, hey Tara." Tara nodded. "Wills, come on!
You said you would help me study for the chem test
next week."

"For a girl who saves the world on a regular basis,
you should at least be able to memorize the periodic
table." Willow teased.

Buffy pulled a face. "Come on!"

Willow turned around, and gave Tara a wave. "Bye,
Tara. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, Will." Tara replied as the redhead walked away
with the blonde Slayer. Tara turned back to the
bookshelf, a little smile playing across her lips. The
spell she cast was already taking effect. The males
noticed Willow now. Pretty soon, no guy would be able
to stand being around her, not even...*him*. Then, she
would comfort Willow, and show her just how she and
her were for each other.

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