"No."

"Please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE?"

Tara bit back a sigh. Dawn was being relentless. She didn't seem to know how to take "NO" as an answer. And why not? Tara knew she would have continued to beg, more so than Dawn was now.

"What would your sister say?"

It was Tara's last tactic; though she knew it would do no good.

"Pfft," Dawn rolled her eyes. "She's too busy mooning over Spike to care."

Tara blinked, surprised. "S-she told you?"

Dawn blinked back. "You mean it's true??" Her nose wrinkled for only a second, before shrugging. "Cool. I knew *something* was goin' on..."

Tara sighed, out loud this time. "Dawnie... You know I love you, but are you *sure?* This is a big step, and I'll need to get you well educated before I even attempt to teach you a thing..."

"Tara," Dawn grinned, "it's only a tarot deck. Chill."

"I know," Tara agreed, "but nothing is *just* something. It's all important and powerful, and--"

"Yada, yada, yada," interrupted Dawn, "you've lectured this before! I know already, sheesh."

Tara's lips twitched into an amused frown. "Dawn... with an attitude like that, you'll be lucky I show you the BOX. Now, we'll buy you a book. And after that, I'll let you begin some lessons with me, okay?"

Dawn smirked, "Way past that!"

"What?"

"Be right back!" Dawn told her sternly, before racing upstairs to her room. Once inside, she found the book she was after, and proudly returned to Tara. "I bought a book on the Internet."

Tara raised an eyebrow at the book. "The Everything Tarot Book," she read, "interesting. What is it, like one of those books for the 'complete idiot?'"

"I think so," Dawn nodded. "It's a good book."

"So you actually read it?" Tara stared skeptically at the younger girl.

"Yeah! Quiz me."

"I-I don't know, Dawn..."

"Aww, c'mon and quiz me!"

Tara sighed and threw up her arms. "I won't win, will I?"

"Nope!" Dawn giggled. "Now, quiz me."

Tara thought for a moment, "Okay. Name the Major Arcana."

"Um..." Dawn stammered, "the...the Fool, the...Magician, the Empress, the Emperor..."

"There's a few more, Dawnie," Tara gently reminded her.

"I know!" Dawn sighed, "I just can't remember them..."

Tara smiled encouragingly, "I'll give you a couple. The High Priestess, the Hierophant, the..."

Dawn's eyes were transfixed on watching Tara's lips move. She was so graceful and delicate, and so beautiful when she spoke...

"Dawn? The..." Tara prompted.

"...the Lovers!"

Tara felt her cheeks burn with a light blush. Dawn's voice was strangely... Tara really didn't know the right word, but something was different about the girl today.

"Er, right. The Lovers, yes. Anything else?"

Dawn stuck her tongue out. "You know there's more! Um, the Chariot, Strength, the...the...the Hermit, the Wheel of... Fortune..."

"Justice, the Hanged Man, Death," Tara added. Dawn's face paled at that card name and Tara felt slightly bad about mentioning it.

"I don't like that card very much," she whispered.

Tara squeezed her shoulder lightly with her right hand. "I'm sorry. You should know the card doesn't mean anything bad, though. It just means change."

Dawn stifled a sigh. "I know, but still... I don't like it."

Tara nodded, "Its okay. I understand."

"I kinda like the Lovers card," Dawn said, quickly changing the subject. "Can we talk about that card some?"

"I guess so," Tara doubtfully agreed. "What about it?"

"Do you think you and Willow are gonna get back together?"

"I, um, d-don't know," Tara whispered, surprised. She was slightly taken back by the subject change. She really didn't know, though. Willow was so...different lately. Almost non-Willow like. Like a whole new person, and not the Willow-shaped person she knew.

"'Cause, you know, the Lovers card means you are at a 'Crossroad.' Y'know, not sure about things... Maybe you have, like, other preferences? Younger preferences, or somethin', I don't know..."

Realization slowly dawned on Tara and she felt her cheeks flame and she had to bite back a small giggle. "'Younger preferences?'"

Dawn looked and felt mortified. "Did, I er, really say that out loud? I, uh, meant, like youngGER preferences, like, new crushes, not old ones, and yeah..."

Tara laid an arm gently on the girl's shoulder. "Its okay, Dawn. I'm flattered, really, but not now. I have to work things out with Willow, first. She and I... we have too much closure needed."

Dawn looked hopeful, "But then... maybe? Someday?"

"Maybe someday," Tara promised. "Now, we have tarot cards to practice with." Tara picked the card deck up and loosely shuffled the cards. Her hands were clammy and damp and a couple cards fell to the ground. She leaned down and scooped them up and curiously looked to see what cards they were.

Death.

And the Lovers.