Captain Red and the Denizens of Mars

[KiwiAlcyone]

WillowPowered: hee, thanks so much. I think it’s a bout time too…although I do like taking things slowly and being a tease.



TemperedCynic: Thanks, I was worried it wouldn’t come across as being special given how fast everything happened. Being in the middle of a particularly brutal and apparently hopeless war has helped Willow and Tara realise what they want most of all.



blue and green wings: Yeah, Dennis was a bit of a redshirt, we never really got to see him much and his dying was expressly to serve as a wake up call for Willow.

Whether Buffy forgives Willow is not quite clear and the next chapter leaves the question still hanging sorry but I will get on to it shortly.

And yay for W/T ‘interaction.’



pipsberg: Thanks so very much. Characters who are strong and yet still vulnerable are definitely my favourite to write which is probably why I’m enjoying writing this fic so much at the moment. And that was my first proper love scene so it was a bit nerve racking posting it but I’m glad you enjoyed it.



tinnakaren: Thanks so much for the wow! I love wows.

It makes perfect sense, Dawn’s death changed both Willow and Buffy personally, not just their relationship with one another. It will take time for them to accept each other as they are now.



Grimlock72: I’m not surprised you thought it was a dream, given my tendency to throw in a lot of dream sequences into my fics but no, I don’t think I could write Willow and Tara making love in a dream, that’s just too cruel. Tara always dreams of moments after their imaginary lovemaking, so that’s why this is such a huge step for her in more ways than one. She’s made love for the first time but she’s also filled in some of the missing gaps from her dreams.

Heh, I deal with Willow’s injuries in the next chapter but suffice to say they weren’t too severe.

Dennis isn’t an inexperienced pilot. He is…was, the youngest member of the Devil Squadron but I remember writing in an earlier chapter something along the lines of “he was good, all the Devils were good.”

Martian small groups? Reconnaissance I’m saying for now, obviously they can’t go flying everywhere in big swarms because they don’t have millions of planes. We’ll get to see where they’re flying from very shortly.

I did say a few chapters back that the fleet did have a destination, although I’ve made that a little clearer in the next chapter.

And I don’t see a problem with writing how Buffy handled Dennis’ inclusion in the mission. I actually give Boone a little more involvement than what he should really have with the squadrons stationed on his carrier. Boone is the commander of the ship, but when it comes to the planes, the Captains are it. I just thoroughly enjoy writing such a arrogant bastard.

The Devils guns aren’t mounted to fire through the prop, they’re wing mounted. And if you remember from chapter 3, Willow prefers to do all the work on her plane herself, granted, she probably didn’t reload the guns for this particular mission. It was an unfortunate accident, necessary to put Willow out of the picture in terms of taking out the last Martian. Poor Dennis, he was brave in the end though right?

Dennis was the necessary pilot choice for the mission as in the end the choice isn’t really up to Buffy, it’s up to me. It does come out rather clumsily contrived but I wanted Dennis to be the pilot to die because of what his death means to Willow. He was young, didn’t get to really become the man he could’ve been (he was a promising pilot despite his rashness) and he never got to fall in love. His death is Willow’s carpe diem moment.



sam7777: I’m definitely going to go into more of Tara’s back story and answer all your questions regarding that particular aspect. There’s a few surprises there which I’m looking forward to springing.

And yes, I wanted to show that Buffy isn’t so far gone in her hate that she doesn’t acknowledge Willow to be the best pilot on the ship, besides maybe herself and Tara.

Action, adventure, W/T…I know I couldn’t want much more…besides smoochies but there are smoochies too now so it’s all good and very fun to write!



barnabasvamp: Thanks so much! Thanks for giving Dennis a little praise, poor guy has taking a deserved pounding over the last few chapters. And yes, W/T and smoochies…finally. I’ve got my WYTN? fic to play around with all the teasing and slow build up so I thought I might as well just go all out with the physical side of the relationship in Captain Red.



lilwiccan: Thanks! I’ll definitely be adding more very soon.



Xedi: Definitely not wrong to still find that scene hot. Originally there was going to be a little more blood but I was wondering how far I should go for the first one and decided to just have Willow so turned on that she forgot completely about her injuries…until the next chapter of course.

You’re also right to wonder about the speed, but as I explained above, its all about realising they don’t have the time anymore. I don’t know about shagging like minxes though (not that I don’t like that phrase!) it was very awkward and driven more by instinct that anything else.

Willow and Tara are both 23 in this fic. I didn’t really think about making their ages different. Valid question, although I said right at the start that Willow was 23 the only indication you get of Tara’s age is that she was nine in 1922.



her BRIGHTeyes: Thanks for reading, more very soon!



have I said enough times how great you guys are? Thanks so much for your well thought out and very helpful feedback and praise in general. This is definitely one of the reasons I most enjoy writing for Pens and it makes the story all the more better in the long run. I definitely do take everything you guys say into consideration when writing upcoming chapters.



Speaking of upcoming chapters, just re-editing Chapter 11 now.



Alcy

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes

Edited by: KiwiAlcyone  at: 4/25/04 7:25 pm

[KiwiAlcyone]

Chapter Eleven – “Lovers.”





Tara felt Willow’s tears wet on her thumb. She didn’t have to wonder why the girl in her arms was crying because of the lump in her own throat. Her own eyes burned as she struggled to hold tears back. She knew exactly how it felt to want someone so very badly and yet know with absolutely certainty that you were never ever going to be able to have that person…if pigs could fly…if hell froze over…



And then she said it, I love you… Tara fought the urge to goggle at Willow like a moron, to gape and try in vain to stutter a meaningful reply. Instead she and made a mental note to look up next time she went outside to check for flying porkers.



“What are you smiling at?” Willow asked quietly, almost shyly.



“Y-you,” Tara replied.



Willow felt goosebumps prick her exposed skin but whether it was from the cold or Tara’s words she couldn’t be entirely sure. All she did care about was that in her arms she held the most precious person in the entire world.



“Tara…” it was as though Willow finally realised she had just made love with Tara…she had just said ‘I love you,’ and even though the world was still falling down around them, she now had something to live for, “I feel as though…” Willow gulped and found she had lost her voice.



“You’ve come home?” Tara finished it for her.



“Yes,” Willow said sincerely, “In the middle of all of this, I find the place where I enjoy being most of all…”



“And where is that?” Tara arched an eyebrow with a shy but almost saucy look on her face.



Willow slid a shaking hand down Tara’s body to her thigh which was draped over her own. She continued until her hand had once again found the warmth between Tara’s legs, delving into it eagerly. She heard Tara moan low in her throat as two of her fingers found their way upwards. The blonde moved her hips and thrust down onto them, all the while keeping her eyes locked on Willow’s green ones. Willow brought her other hand up to cup Tara’s cheek, running her thumb over Tara’s moist lips.



There was a sudden and very sharp rap on the door. Both girls were surprised beyond measure and Tara fell backwards before Willow could catch her. The naked blonde hit the floor and her head thumped against the filing cabinet in the corner, her face contorted in silent pain.



“Captain Rosenberg?” it was Tad, “Are you alright?”



“I’m fine,” Willow had dived to the floor. While her first instinct should have been finding some scrap of clothing to cover herself with, instead she scrambled across to Tara to check on her head.



“Are you sure?” Tad asked with a worried tone, “You didn’t look so great when you landed…have you seen the doc yet?”



The door handle turned…



“Fuck! Tad Dempster, don’t you dare open that door!” Willow spluttered hastily in the direction of the door.



There was the sound of a hand being withdrawn from the door handle very quickly indeed, “Okay, backing away from the door…it’s just that Boone wants to see you in his briefing room asap.”



“I’ll be there,” Willow replied, her heart no longer trying to escape her chest. Her hand sought out Tara’s, their fingers entwining.



There was the sound of a few footsteps retreating from the door, then they stopped…a slight shuffling and…unless Willow was mistaken, a quiet clearing of the throat.



“He’d like to see Flight Officer Maclay as well,” Tad said in a small voice…and then there were very quick footsteps moving away from the door, breaking into a run after a few seconds.



Willow looked back to Tara who was rubbing the back of her head. Willow reached both her hands around her back and drew Tara up to a kneeling position so she could kiss the top of her head.



Tara looked down to see bloody smears on her thigh, she knew she wasnt wounded save the small scratch on her forehead so where...She started running her hands over Willow's naked body...



"Willow!" Tara found a deep gash in Willow's upper right arm, blood ran in small rivulets down her arm. Tara quickly gathered up her sweater and pressed it to stop the steady flow, "How on earth did you not notice this?"



“Well, it didn’t hurt before and I had my mind on…other things…” Willow winced as she reached up to fumble in her drawer for her much-used medical kit.



Tara took it from her hand in a business-like manner and drew out a bandage.



"I think you should put off seeing Boone until you've had this looked at," Tara said as she began winding the bandage firmly around Willow's wound, "I think you need stitches."



“We sleep together once and you’re already telling me what to do?” Willow picked up her pants and stood shakily, "I'll be fine...hopefully it won't take long...whatever it is...”



“Willow, what if he knows already…?” Tara asked in a very worried voice.



Willow shrugged, trying to appear unconcerned, “I very much doubt it’s got anything to do with us…us in terms of us together. I think it will be more like us in terms of the mission,” she reassured Tara with another kiss, this time on her forehead, “We’d better get going, Boone doesn’t like to stand on ceremony.”



*****



Boone looked up as Willow and Tara entered his briefing room. Willow could have sworn he smirked slightly but it was gone in a flash, replaced by his usual scowl. The two officers were surprised, and relieved, to see that they weren’t the only ones that had been summoned. Buffy, Tad and a few other senior officers were all seated around. Every pair of eyes were trained on the two of them. If looks could kill, Buffy’s gaze would have had drawn and quartered Willow in a heartbeat. Even so, Willow met it evenly.



For a few moments Willow was angry at herself for not having thought to stagger their arrivals. It just made things all the more obvious and before long the entire ship…no, the entire fleet, would know that they were an item. This feeling however, lasted only until Willow had the guts to turn and look at Tara. The blonde was already staring at her, nothing but sincere emotion in her gaze.



So I just had sex with another officer…an officer who happens to be the best looking doll on board, they’re just jealous…and I, well I am the luckiest son of a bitch in the whole fucked up world, Willow barely resisted the urge to smile smugly at them all.



Tara took a seat and Willow sat in the chair right next to her. She let her leg slip sideways slightly so that her thigh pressed ever so slightly against Tara’s knee.



“Glad to see you two could grace us with your presences,” Boone said loftily before returning his gaze to the papers that lay in front of him, “We need to make for port…” Boone began.



“With all due respect Commander,” one of the other officers interrupted, “The net has functioned beyond all our expectations, we have ample provisions still…do you really think that it is wise to endanger the fleet by returning to England?”



“The net has functioned beyond all expectations,” Boone agreed, but he dismissed their most valuable asset as though it were of no consequence, “However, if you’ve noticed this war is not going to be fought on the sea but in the air…and, unless you’re blind and deaf, you would know that so far our squadrons have been cut to ribbons!”



“With all due respect sir!” Buffy and Willow said it at precisely the same moment, Boone cut them both off with a slashing motion with his hand.



The two squadron captains looked at one another briefly before turning their attention back to Boone who was taking it in turn to glare at them both.



“Five planes destroyed and three pilots dead from our two best squadrons in just two engagements? I’d say those were heavy losses Captains,” both Buffy and Willow nodded grudgingly, “Maclay and Rosenberg here are the only pilots who have had the pleasure of shooting down the bastards…now, any ideas on what they’re so damn hard to hit?”



“They’re too fast,” Willow replied quickly.



“And they turn on a dime…I was exceptionally lucky…” Tara said a little quieter and more subdued.



“You weren’t lucky Maclay!” Boone snapped back, “You were bloody brilliant…”



Willow nudged Tara’s knee with her own.



“…so it’s clear we have the pilots and the guts but not the hardware or the knowledge about our new enemy. If we loose the skies…well, then it’s over isn’t it? And I for one am not a quitter. Therefore, we continue on our northbound course and make for port.”



“Sir?” Buffy asked with a frown on her face.



It was clear everyone in the room save Boone was thinking exactly the same thing…there was no land formation of any significance on their present course until they reached the north pole.



“Questions will be answered when we arrive, I estimate by 1030 hours tomorrow…so you can all save your questions until tomorrow. I have my orders from the top gentlemen…and ladies so that will be all.”



Everyone stood and saluted smartly, save Willow who remained fast in her chair. Tara looked down to see the red head’s skin had turned a very pale shade indeed.



“Rosenberg!” Boone barked so violently that spit landed very close to her boots.



Willow’s head jerked up, she had barely realised that she had almost drifted out of consciousness and started to slide from the chair onto the floor. She felt incredibly light-headed.



“Maclay, since you two seem to have formed such a close attachment, you wont mind escorting Captain Rosenberg to sick bay…before she starts to bleed all over my floor.”



Willow was about to snap a very imprudent reply when she fell right out of the chair. She lost consciousness before her face hit the floor.



*****



“Well, this is a strange room!” Willow said as she threw her jacket on the floor and plopped onto the bed.



She flexed her arm and winced as the seven stitches pulled slightly. She had been light headed from the loss of blood earlier but now she felt well enough to be right back in the air…or perhaps it was the cocktail of drugs the doc had fed her.



Tara entered just behind her, closing the small door quietly and hanging her own jacket up on a wall peg.



“You did seem to have a distinct aversion to it for a few days there,” Tara said with a trace of humour in her voice, she sniffed the air, “It does smell a little like old socks and wet clothing but so does everywhere else on this tub…”



“I was an idiot…I’m sorry,” Willow mumbled.



“You were an idiot,” Tara replied bluntly, a too-serious look on her face for a few moments until she broke into a dazzling smile that would have knocked Willow’s socks off had she actually been wearing any, “but I was a bigger one…I loved you before I…” don’t say you loved her before you even knew her Maclay…what kind of psycho is she going to think you are? “I loved you the moment I first saw you, sitting right where you are now…except for the expression everything is the same…oh, and the fact that you’re all grubby and you have stitches in your arm.”



Willow grinned and stood up, crossing the floor to wrap her arms around Tara’s waist, “I’m going to have a shower…and Miss Maclay I highly suggest you take one too, you’re starting to smell more than a little ripe.”



“If I do it’s your fault,” Tara leaned into Willow, kissing her neck and smelling nothing but Willow, an aroma that reminded her of strawberries, albeit mixed in with rather rank sweat.



Willow raised Tara’s chin between her thumb and forefinger and began laying kisses along her jawline.



“Ah Will,” Tara murmured between slow kisses.



Willow pulled back slightly, “Yeah?”



“I think we ought to shower separately, else we’ll never get clean.”



*****



Half an hour later Willow and Tara lay curled together in Willow’s bunk, for one thing smelling a lot fresher. Willow ran her hand over Tara’s damp hair. Tara closed her eyes and sighed before opening them to find Willow still there.



“What happened?” Tara asked out of the blue.



Willow frowned, “When?”



“About two hours ago…and please don’t tell me I was such an appallingly bad shag that you’ve forgotten it already!” Tara exclaimed indignantly.



Willow’s eyebrows shot up into her hair and she moved quickly to make amends, “Oh God no…don’t be silly…I mean, not in a million years would I ever…I mean…oh, just forget me, I’m a moron!”



Willow clamped her jaw shut for a few moments, forcing herself to reassess Tara’s seemingly simple question, ‘What happened?’ A small frown creased her brow as she tried to figure out what Tara had meant before she opened her mouth once more. She eventually gave up and replied practically.



“We made love,” Willow said softly, “Not sex…or shagging…it was definitely making love. I don’t think I’ve ever made love before. I mean, don’t get me wrong I’ve had sex before, shagged a lot sure…” Tara knew by instinct that Willow was working herself up into full babble mode and that she really ought to stop her with a gentle word. Tara didn’t say anything however, she loved listening to Willow-babble more than any other sound in the entire world. Willow was still talking, “Yeah, you could definitely say that Lucy Hawkes and I shagged in the cockpit of that DC-3 and Abby Quinn that one time…”



Willow brought her hand up to her mouth and clamped it down as hard as she could. Tara wasn’t quite sure whether to giggle or just keep her own mouth shut. She settled for prising Willow’s hand away from her mouth gently to reveal a very apologetic expression.



“I’m sorry that you had to wait this long to find out that I’m crazy and that I’m a slut…” Willow mumbled.



“Willow,” Tara cupped the red head’s cheek with her palm, “You’re neither of those things…a-and that wasn’t quite what I meant when I asked you what happened. Yesterday and for the entire time we’ve known each other, I thought you hated me. I don’t know why exactly, perhaps because I’m a Slayer…or maybe that I was weird or that you were still angry at having to share your cabin with a junior officer.”



“I never hated you, not once, not even when you announced you were sharing my cabin, I hated Boone and Buffy and just about everyone else that was conspiring to make my life miserable…but not you. You were always in a class of your own, a mystery to be solved,” Willow peered into those blue eyes and still couldn’t fathom out what they held, despite the intimacy they had shared, “At first, I’m ashamed to admit, I just wanted to get you into the sack but then I gradually came to realise that this was different. Then we kissed and it was the most wonderful kiss I’ve ever had…but you ran out of there as though I repulsed you. I responded the only way I knew how…avoidance and then everything turned to an even bigger pile of shit when you saw me coming out of Tad’s cabin,” Willow drew in a silent breath, “Then, it was like none of that mattered anymore….after our first engagement…after what happened with Alex and Dennis, I realised how incredibly stupid all of this is. Being invaded by something we can barely fight! Not knowing half the time where we’re going…if we’re even going anywhere. We could be facing the end of the world and I was having trouble telling this amazing woman that I loved her,” Willow paused, sniffing back those annoying tears once more. Tara obligingly wiped them away for her with a light flick of her thumb, “Everything became clear…I was alive, you were right there holding me…and I loved you…and we made love…it was so right.”



“It was,” Tara agreed in a whisper, planting a light kiss on Willow’s forehead.



“Tara, can I ask you something personal?” Willow asked quietly.



Tara looked at her with a serious expression on her face and an even more serious tone in her voice, “Willow, two hours ago we were making hot, naked love in your office…an hour ago we were outed very embarrassingly in front of the vessel’s commander and you didn’t bat an eyelid…I think you should be able to ask me anything you like if I’m your girlfriend…if I am…a-am I?”



“Yes you are,” Willow nuzzled Tara’s nose, and kissed her luxuriously for a few seconds, running her tongue over Tara’s lips before drawing back, “Why was I the first? I mean, I don’t quiet understand how someone like you could were still a-a…”



Tara spluttered for a few moments before she asked calmly, “A-a v-virgin? How could you t-tell?”



Willow made a slight shrugging movement before saying, “I’m right though, aren’t I?”



Tara nodded imperceptibly, “It’s kind of a long story…and I want to tell you…”



You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to make love to me Willow Rosenberg, Tara thought as she remembered night after night of dreaming about the young red head. Holding her naked body close in her arms, feeling the smooth expanse of Willow’s skin beneath her fingers, smelling the comforting aroma of their love making in the air…and yet always knowing that it was all about to be torn apart…Every night she would look forward to the sensations of being in Willow’s embrace despite knowing how it would always end.



“…but not right now?” Willow finished for her.



Tara sighed sadly and Willow drew her closer, running her hands around Tara’s back.



“You must think I’m pretty weird. I mean, I’m twenty-three and I’ve never felt attracted to anyone…man or woman, until I meet this beautiful red head,” How can I tell you how long I’ve known you…without really knowing you… “I can’t get her out of my thoughts even though I really know next to nothing about her except that she flies a plane as though it’s a part of her.”



“What else do you want to know about me?” Willow asked, fully prepared to divulge every last childhood secret.



“Well, you know my first kiss…” Tara trailed off leaving an unspoken questioning hanging in the air.



“I was fourteen, and it was with Geraldine Gibbs in the back row of a movie theatre,” Willow started to giggle, “For almost a whole year we went to the movies every Saturday for the matinee and spent the whole show making out. I went to see so many movies without ever actually seeing a single one.”



Tara raised her eyebrows playfully, “You spent a whole year just making out,” her voice sounded a little dubious.



“Well, I had my hand up her shirt once but then the usher came along with a flashlight and almost caught us,” Willow smiled fondly in remembrance, “A few weeks later Gerry and her family emigrated to New Zealand of all places…we wrote letters for about a year and then just sort of lost contact you know,” Willow shrugged, “So…anything else?”



“Just one last one for tonight…I-I…w-want to k-know…” Tara swallowed slowly, “I want to know if you can handle anything else as well as you can handle your plane?”



The look on Tara’s face was one of sultry innocence. Willow wasn’t even sure if the blonde actually knew she was doing it…or if she knew just how crazy it was making her feel.



“I didn’t prove that to you already?” Willow asked, feeling her blood pumping through her veins faster by the second.



“I think I need some more proof, you know, just to be sure…”



Willow rolled Tara over and moved to straddle her, loving the feeling of Tara’s body beneath hers. She lowered herself down so they were pressed together, breasts to breasts, stomach to stomach, pelvis to pelvis and slowly…mouth to mouth.



Their lips met, taking time to re-discover one another’s taste. Their tongues stroked together lazily, each savoured every thrusting together of tongues. Willow nudged her thigh between Tara’s legs and began rubbing slowly. With a gasp, Tara’s thighs fell further apart, she hungrily thrust her hips up to meet Willow.



“Tara…” Willow wasn’t sure she could stop kissing Tara long enough to actually get a sentence out, “There’s…just…one thing…I’m wondering…”



“Wha…?” Tara asked breathlessly.



Willow drew back a second, “Why on earth did we bother putting any clothes on?”



*****



Tara lay completely naked beneath an equally naked Willow, a single blanket draped over them both. Somehow now it was different, she felt extremely self-conscious as though this time she realised exactly what she was doing. Oh, she had known full well that she was making love to Willow earlier but that was all she had been thinking about. Now a million thoughts were running through her head, foremost of all was do you even know this girl? You’ve waited twenty-three years to have sex and you chose to do it with someone you barely know…someone your friends despise!



However, all Tara had to do was look into Willow’s eyes to know that she knew everything she needed to know about Willow. For now anyway…for this moment…And she knew she felt safe, as safe as she had felt tucked up in bed at night with her mama reading her favourite story.



Willow smoothed back her hair from her brow, a few damp strands clinging stubbornly that she had to pry away individually.



“Are you alright?” Willow asked in a whisper.



“A little scared I guess…I feel kind of…bare…”



“Well…you are naked,” Willow frowned, unsure if Tara was joking or not.



Tara tried to laugh but it came out forced, “I am that…but that’s not quite what I meant…”



“I meant, there’s nothing between us…no barriers…I just feel like all my defences are down and I’m scared that I won’t be able to put them back up in time if I need to…”



“There’s somewhere you want to keep me out of?” Willow asked, worry and hesitation creeping into her voice.



“N-no…it’s just that, I’m not sure if I’m ready to let you all the way in yet,” Tara was scared she had ruined the mood, that was until she found Willow’s lips moving on her own, her moist tongue entering her mouth for a few moments before withdrawing,



“Well,” Willow said, short of breath herself, “You won’t have to worry then…because I won’t take anymore of you than what you offer me.”



Willow lowered her lips to Tara’s once more, caressing with light kisses before deepening and sliding her tongue into Tara’s mouth as far as it would go. The kiss lasted for what could’ve been an eternity, by the time Willow drew back both their lips were red and swollen. They stared into each other’s eyes for a few silent moments.



Tara slowly and tentatively brought one hand down over Willow’s back to one of her firm breasts. Her touches were light, very unsure of themselves as she gently caressed and rubbed the little bud at the peak of Willow’s breast between her fingers. It blossomed and hardened beneath her touch, Willow let out a small sharp breath before moving her hand to meet the one that was intently caressing her breast. Willow enfolded Tara’s hand in her own, caressing the slender digits with her own before gently levering it away from her breast and back against the pillow and holding it there. She did the same with the other one and Tara was lying with both hands above her head, a confused look on her face.



“Sorry,” Tara whispered, “I know I’m doing it all wrong…”



“No Tara…baby…you’re not doing anything wrong,” Willow nuzzled Tara’s cheek with her cold nose, “I just want to do this…for you, I want to show you how beautiful you are,” Willow kissed Tara’s cheek and then her nose, she moved up and kissed her forehead, all the while keeping both of Tara’s hands above her head. She pulled back and looked down at the flushed blonde, “Do you trust me?”



Tara could only nod but that was all the prodding Willow needed.



Willow slowly drew her hands away from Tara’s and still the blonde kept hers above her head. With her hands now free to roam Willow sat up while still straddling Tara’s hips, the blanket slipped from them both and fell to the floor but neither felt the cold. Willow gazed down at Tara lying beneath her, hands above her head, beautiful breasts standing proud in the light of the weak light bulb.



Her breath caught in her throat as she tentatively caressed Tara’s face with feathery strokes before running her hands down. Over her shoulders to her upper arms and back up again. Tracing her collarbone, the pale skin between her breasts before finally taking a handful of breast with each hand. She massaged them, gently at first but all the while increasingly in tempo and pressure until Tara’s nipple were swollen and red…like her lips. It wasn’t until then that Willow lent forward, bringing her mouth down on top of the right breast first. Tara gasped as Willow began working it over in her mouth, taking as much as she could in and sucking fiercely. She teased Tara’s nipple with her tongue, rolling it around gently before biting on it, loving the sounds issuing from Tara’s throat.



Willow shifted slightly and performed the same service for the other breast. It was nothing short of heavenly, feeling Tara’s firm breast in her mouth as her hand continued to work on the other.



Slowly, but inevitably, she ceased her ministrations of Tara’s breasts to lay a trail of kisses down over her belly to her navel. Her tongue left a trail of moisture everywhere she went.



As her mouth worked, she brought both hands down to the inside of Tara’s upper thighs and gently levered them apart with a little pressure.



The bed was all too narrow and Tara ended up with one knee jammed against the cold bulkhead on one side of the bed. The other leg fell from the bed altogether, her foot resting on the floor. It was cold…but what Willow was doing to her made her warmer than she had ever felt in her life.



With Tara’s legs spread before her face, Willow could smell the now familiar and sweet aroma of her desire. Slowly, Willow kissed the honey coloured curls on the top of Tara’s mound, the blonde jumped slightly beneath her touch. She moved downwards, lowered her head until she was between Tara’s thighs…so very close and so very impatient. Willow forced herself to move slowly, taking the time to kiss the insides of her thighs, run her tongue over them slowly.



Finally she brought both hands up to Tara’s sex and spread her lips back tenderly.



“Oh god,” Willow whispered in a throaty voice.



“Willow…please…” Tara’s eyes were closed, her mouth parted in longing.



Willow obliged by dipping her head into the wonderful warmth. She just breathed in Tara’s scent for a few moments before finally caressing Tara’s sex in one long, languid stroke.



Tara’s head thrashed back against the pillow and she cried out. Another stroke followed the first but Tara had already lost count. Willow continued to lick, each stroke an exploration…a new and unique experience in itself. She had been avoiding concentrating on Tara’s clit at first, content to explore everywhere else around it. Tara’s hips moved beneath her insistently. Willow finally gave in and found Tara’s hard, erect nub. She began teasing it with her tongue, rolling it between her lips, nipping ever so gently with her teeth. Tara tasted so very good, Willow never wanted it to end and at the same time she wanted to show Tara just how much she meant to her.



As her tongue worked Tara’s clit over, she moved one of her hands to tease Tara’s moist opening. She thrust two fingers up and Tara cried out as her hips thrust down onto Willow’s fingers, forcing them in as far as they would go. Fingers and tongue both working frantically as Tara bucked beneath her, the cries coming from her throat becoming increasingly raw and urgent. Her hands had left their spot above her head and were now tangled in Willow’s hair, forcing her head down harder.



“Oh god Willow!” she moaned, thrusting her hips forward instinctively, over and over, “Willow, Willow…Willow!”



That’s it Tara…come for me…oh god could this woman taste any better?



Suddenly there it was, Tara was crying out her name for the last time in one long, drawn out moan as her back arched from the bed. The walls of her passage spasmed around Willow’s fingers as she stroked a few more times before concentrating solely on licking up every last drop of moisture spilling from Tara.



After what seemed like forever, Tara finally came back to earth. Her body relaxed and she became aware of the thin mattress beneath her…the cold was starting to creep back into her limbs and she shivered. She only had moments to feel that way before Willow swept the blankets up from the floor and pulled them over the pair of them as she snuggled into Tara’s side.



Willow laid her arm across Tara’s chest and propped her chin up on it. For a few moments she was content to just stare before temptation got the better of her and she laid a soft kiss on the blonde’s lips.



Tara tasted herself on Willow’s lips, she kissed the red head lazily before Willow laid her cheek against Tara’s chest, practically purring.



“Thank you,” Tara said softly, kissing the top of Willow’s head.



“You’ll have plenty of opportunities to pay me back,” Willow hinted, a drowsy contentment in her voice.



Wrapping her arms around the young woman, Tara held her close as she ran her hands gently over her naked back. She heard Willow gasp slightly in pain and frowned as she felt a rough scratch on the red head’s otherwise silky skin. Tara sat up slightly and peered under their blankets to see several angry looking scratches on Willow’s back…fingernail shaped scratches. Tara blinked before realising that they were the result of their earlier frantic love making.



“Oh god…I’m so sorry,” Tara whispered.



Willow looked up at her with a soft expression, “Battle scars to be worn with pride…and pull the blankets back up would you, it’s freezing!”



Tara winced sheepishly and tucked the rough woollen blankets carefully around Willow. Her hand then drifted up to lay on the smooth, red hair, stroking repeatedly.



“Will…Will? Do people call you that?” Tara asked with a frown.



“Yeah…just about everyone…” Willow shrugged, “Except my superiors and people who don’t like me very much…and you, unless you also fit into the pre-existing category of people who don’t like me very much?”



Tara arched an eyebrow, “Depends who you’ve been talking to…”



Willow punched Tara playfully, somewhat awkward from the position in which she was lying half-atop Tara. She yawned before continuing talking, “Suffice to say…” another yawn, “…you can call me Will.”



“I like Will, short and sweet…like you.”



“I am not short!” Willow protested, digging Tara in the ribs.



“Shorter than me at least,” Tara replied quite calmly.



Willow scrambled to try and get over Tara and out of the bunk, “Let’s test that then shall we? Come on, stand back to back.”



Tara just smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around Willow’s waist so she couldn’t. After a few moments of hopeless struggling Willow gave up and collapsed against Tara with a light giggle. It was much to cold to extract themselves from the tiny bunk and both girls settled for curling their limbs against one another. Willow rolled onto her side, snugging the blanket up under her chin with her small fist. Tara spooned Willow from behind, sliding her arm around her waist. Drawing the slender girl as close as possible to her body. She laid her cheek against Willows, chin tucked into her neck.



“Will…I love you.”



Tara felt Willow’s facial muscles around her mouth move into a smile, one of her hands sought out Tara’s which lay against her stomach. She prised the hand up and knitted their fingers together, squeezing tightly.



“Just don’t leave me,” Tara added in the barest whisper, so soft Willow was straining to hear it despite their close proximity, “Please.”



Willow felt Tara’s arm tighten around her waist as though she were holding her as tightly as she possibly could. Willow squeezed until she was sure her knuckles were white.



“I promise”



Willow knew she would do everything she could to keep that promise to Tara…but she knew that in the end, it wasn’t up to her.



TBC in Chapter Twelve – “Destinations.”



*****

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes

[blue and green wings]

very sweet update. good end to a week i'd say. hehe...tad...i like him. he's great. and a good friend to willow. if he opened that door, i could just imagine the amount of whoop ass willow would unleash on him. hoping to see a little more of your faith in this one. and also hoping for more w/t smoochies. update soon?



~ei~

---

If someone like you/ Found somone like me/ Then suddenly/ Nothing would ever be the same/ My heart would take wing/ And I'd feel so alive/ If someone like you/ Found me...
"Someone Like You" from the musical Jekyll and Hyde

[pipsberg]

Alcy,



Beautiful! Each part just gets better.

-pipsberg



"We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that."

Michael Cunningham, The Hours

[xeembiote]

Great work, keep it up

[sam7777]

Ah the smoochies. How could I forget the smoochies? Indeed now it's all good. I'm looking forward to the surprises and more on Tara's background. Tara's dream is part of the puzzle. I wonder if she's somehow in tune with the aliens after what happened to her mom. Great stuff!!!



I've been inspired to go back to an old flight sim and fly around in a cosair and thunderbolt. They are both great planes and fun to fly and maneuver more so than Jets IMHO.

[russ]

A beautiful and tender update. Also scary, because they have fulfilled the conditions for Tara's dream to come true. I wonder how Buffy will take the new relationship; not well, I suspect.



On the military side of things -- while I hate to agree with him, Boone's assessment of their capabilities is correct. Interesting how Buffy & Willow, despite their antagonism, speak up in unison to defend their squadrons' abilities. So they are making for port, in a direction in which there is no land. I'm curious to learn their "Destinations."



Russ

[Grimlock72]

What worried me throughout this chapter is how relationships between personel is handled at all. All I know is based on more or less current army stuff, where they usually frown on direct relations in the same group. Mostly because that can be distracting and such. Since Willow and Tara don't seem to conerned with being found out I suppose the army in this story is more relaxed ;-)



I'm a bit confused as to what Boone's authority is, I figured he was also Airgroup Commander (i.e. commanding all four squadrons), probably even fleet commander all combined. Which is why I expected him to handle the insubordination mess, since Willow hardly did. My problem with Dennis is most of all that he endangered others. You asked if he was brave enough at the end, well he WAS brave... the trouble is that he indirectly caused that situation which tends to downgrade his shown courage a bit to me. Yeah I know, I'm weird that way .



You do write Boone as an arrogant bastard, true. I just expect him to be very rigid militarely because of that. Ah well, enough about Boone. It IS nice to see a story where stuff outside the W/T line is interesting and discussable .



This thought from Tara was amusing: "You’ve waited twenty-three years to have sex", meaning she wanted to have sex from when she warn born ?? My, me... true vixen there : --> .



The part where Willow wakes up in a bed was odd. I first thought she had been brought to sickbay and was still there. Then Tara mentioned something about 'aversion for days' so I thought Willow had been in sickbay for days... . Then I read it again and figured it out.



The "just don't leave part" was wonderfully vulnerable. I suspect that is also the reason Tara is holding back some information for now. She doesn't want to scare Willow off now she has found her.



As for Tara's dream, well yes that could happen at any time basicly. They are at war and sleeping in that room, it could happen, doesn't mean it will. Got to have faith in that...



Speaking of which I'm still wondering why Buffy choose (as if she has any say in who flies of the Devils) Dennis over Faith or any other Slayer pilot. I would imagine all of the Slayers being eager to go the rescue of own of their own, or where they all wounded ??



Lots of things to think about, me like



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[WillowPowered]

Update, woohoo. Loved it and can't wait for more.



Jill

~~~~~~~~

Willow - Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs did ya?



My Home Page | Amber Powered | Alyson Powered



There is a little bit of Amber in all of us.

[her BRIGHTeyes]

yeah. that about covers it.

ps. more soonish would be nice too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

she had eyes bright enough to burn me --conor oberst

[4WiccanLuv]

Alcy, that was just beautiful and certainly worth the wait. I love how Willow slowed down the lovin' once she realized that she had the honor of being Tara's first! Their playfulness afterwards was so sweet and adorable. Couldn't they just stay in bed forever, purty puh-leaze?? Damn, didn't think so....have to kick some LGF butt!



Great stuff, keep it coming!

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others." - Groucho Marx

[willow fan7]

Lovely lovely fic you have here...just found it and I'm kicking myself for not having read it sooner. I have to say this is one of the best current fics on the board. I just love how you write, words you use to describe situations and such, just lovely. Willow/Tara lovin' =



I'm not a regular 'feedbacker', but this fic will definitely be on my 'to check for updates list'

Looking forward to the next update...hope it's soon

Willow : So, tell me, is it dangerous?

Anya : Oh, no.

Willow : Well, can we pretend it is?

[KiwiAlcyone]

blue and green wings: I certainly wouldn’t want to be the one opening that door…well, actually yes I would More Faith soon, someone like Faith certainly isn’t in any danger of being shunted into the background. I also seemed to have opened the big can of smoochies in this fic…naughty me…



pipsberg: Thanks so much! It’s somewhat of a challenge to keep getting better all the time but I try.



xeembiote: Thanks, I’ll try!



sam7777: No one can forget Willow and Tara smoochies! Keep wondering away, some questions will be answered soon and others you’ll have to wait for. Hee hee, I’m glad I’ve inspired something, I’m not such a big fan of flight sims on the comp, but I do like my model planes.

Hee hee, thanks so much for recommending my fic - I went into a giggle fit after reading 'aliens intent on destroying truth, justice and Willow and Tara's smoochie time' !! The latter has definitely got to be the LGFs biggest crime!



russ: Your question about how Buffy takes the new relationship is answered in the next chapter.

Despite Buffy and Willow’s antagonism, they are both pilots first and foremost and jealously guard their abilities.



Grimlock72: I think relations between crew members would be very severely quashed wherever they occurred in any military (except on the starship Enterprise of course!) But that would be absolutely no fun!

Boone is the commander of the Odysseus, the actual ship rather than anything to do with the planes. I like to involve him a little more in the running of the squadrons simply because he’s a lot of fun to write.

Haha, twenty-three years, figure of speech I guess.

Tara has a lot of secrets, some of which are very painful and will no doubt have you gasping when I see fit to reveal them Some will be hinted at in the next chapter.

I think I like making you think about all this stuff, probably because it makes me think about everything even more closely.



WillowPowered: Thanks! Hopefully more isn’t too far away.



her BRIGHTeyes: hee hee, more soon I promise.



4WiccanLuv: I love writing Willow/Tara playfulness, definitely up there amongst my favourite things to write about. While I enjoy reading smoochies a heck of a lot, it’s definitely hard to write and isn’t quite so fun. I’m definitely all with the staying in bed all the time, but we have LGFs to kill and a planet to save!



willow fan7: Thanks so much! That’s a great compliment because there are so many great fics here at Pens. More Willow and Tara lovin I promise, more of everything I promise…and hopefully very soon. I have to kick and punch my Muse to get it to stay with me for any great length of time but I’m hoping to entice it with sweets.



I seem to be making quite a few promises in regards to an update but I’m working hard When I first started writing all my chapters popped out at about 3000 words but now I can’t seem to write one without it being over 6000, I get carried away



Alcy

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes

Edited by: KiwiAlcyone  at: 5/9/04 8:02 pm

[willow fan7]

hehe...I just wanted to add that you getting carried away with your writing is never a bad thing. The more you write, the better...the longer updates, the happier we kittens get..so it's a win-win situation

Willow : So, tell me, is it dangerous?

Anya : Oh, no.

Willow : Well, can we pretend it is?

[CaptMurdock]

Ohhhh my goodness...definite cold shower time. And poor Tad...it sucks being the God of Bad Timing!



This story takes me back to the days of my youth when I would partake of the old Flash Gordon serials (on television, that is...I'm not that old). I keep waiting for a slightly crazed scientist to step in...or is that going to be Giles?



I can't imagine Buffy is going to be happy that one of her best pilots is now doing the Horizontal Mambo (as Faith might say) with her former best friend/nemesis. I'd love it, though, if Tara basically told her to mind her own beeswax, as forcefully as possible.



I'll keep watching the skies...for the next update!

_________________



"Many such journeys are possible. Let me be your gateway."

[gabbles]

ok Alcy....'tis ten past one in the morning and i have to be up for school in...five hours, fifty minutes. Your story was too good to leave half finished untill tomorrow.



I must say, you are one of my fave writers on this board.



OK...i had a couple of sentences from one of the earlier chapters I wanted to point out and say how much i loved them....but have gotton distracted by the rest of your brilliant fic, that have forgotten them. lol



Plus the fact that its so late...



Can't wait to read more, Alcy. Your fic is brilliant, as I knew it would be after reading WYTN



*hugz*

~Gabs

"I'm known as the fat lesbian chick on Buffy. Of course, I mean you stand me next to an actress like Sarah and I look like I'll eat her. *beat* Wait, that didn't sound right. But, you know what I mean."-Amber

[KiwiAlcyone]

willow fan7: lol, yes, I suppose it’s always nice to read a great big chunk of story but it does take longer for me to churn them out. Still…if you’re patient.



CaptMurdock: Yes, Tad does seem to have drawn the short straw when it comes to timing in this fic and he will probably continue to do so because he’s the sort of guy that everyone picks on.

Slightly crazed scientist you ask…I’m thinking you’ve skipped ahead to the next chapter already, which is weird because no one has read it except me

And yes, the Buffy situation…all I can say is poor Willow…stay tuned for the next chapter to find out why.



gabbles: I hope you didn’t fall asleep in class Thanks so much for your compliments, always a boost to the struggling writer!



I was hoping to have chapter 12 up today but it will now be tomorrow because it’s not quite up to scratch yet. Although I think you’re all going to be tearing your hair out with all the hints and no answers…



Alcy

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes

[KiwiAlcyone]

Chapter Twelve – “Destinations.”





It was the same as every other morning. Willow was aware of her surroundings before she had even woke. She was warm, blissfully so. Gradually she shrugged off the last vestiges of sleep, prising open her eyelids. Her and Tara’s cabin came into hazy view. Next she was aware of the blankets tucked fast around her naked skin, a rough and coarse feeling everywhere except her back where she felt a heavenly silky surface pressed against her. Everything was so very familiar, waking up warm, in someone’s arms…too familiar. Willow’s eyes shot wide open.



I’m dreaming!



Willow rolled out of the arms that held her and fell with a painful thud on the ice cold floor. She scrambled the short distance to the corner of the room and curled into the tightest ball she possibly could. As she rocked backwards and forwards she kept repeating over and over,



“It’s a dream…”



Tara was woken by the sound Willow made as she fell out of bed. The blonde prised her sleep encrusted eyes open and peered around in the darkness. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw a Willow-shaped outline huddled in the corner of their room. As she came to wakefulness, she felt the empty warm spot beside her and sat up. It was Willow. She rocked back and forth, her arms huddled around her naked body,



“It’s a dream!” she kept saying in a small, insistent voice as though she were wishing desperately that she could wake.



Tara wasted no time, swinging her feet to the floor she grabbed one of their blankets and threw it over the pair of them as she knelt on the floor next to Willow. The red head refused to look up at her, she just squeezed her eyes shut even tighter.



“Willow!” Tara said insistently, grabbing her by the shoulders to stop her rocking.



Willow finally looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise. Then her expression changed, it became determined. Her jaw set stubbornly.



“You’re not real, go away so I can wake up!” she said through gritted teeth.



Tara blinked, worried, “Uh, Willow…you are awake. Would we be freezing our arses off on the floor if this was a dream? Sweetie?”



Willow shook her head rapidly, not wanting to listen to any explanation Tara could offer, especially when she did not believe that this Tara was real, “Hot, cold…blood, it doesn’t matter, I can feel it all…if it’s a dream, then how can I feel it all?”



Tara knew each of those feelings all too well in her own dreams…but how could Willow? She was just an ordinary young woman with ordinary dreams, easily forgotten in the morning. Yet, as she reached out and tilted Willow’s chin up so she could stare into her eyes, the frightened expression she found there told her otherwise.



It’s not what you’re thinking Maclay, that’s impossible…then, why do I have this feeling that it is exactly what I am thinking?



Tara hoped fervently that she was wrong but even before the question had met Willow’s ears she knew what the answer would be, “Willow, what happens in your dream…can you tell me?”



Willow looked sceptical, still refusing to face reality. However, something in Tara’s eyes was slowly eating away at her fear and doubt, “At first…there is nothing except a feeling of warmth and I know I’m really happy. Then there are other sensations, I feel a woman lying behind me, holding me tightly, close…I smell her and the sex we had the night before…although I never remember it. When I first started having the dream I didn’t know who she was but I know now and…it’s you. I wake up and we’re lying in bed just like we were just now…you’re holding me and everything is absolutely perfect,” Willow sighed before saying in a small, childlike voice, “I like that part.”



“What happens next?” Tara asked in a blank voice, feeling a growing ache in her stomach.



“You die,” Willow choked, “It’s always different…but the same result every time.”



“My god,” Tara said softly, her fingers digging into Willow’s skin as though someone were telling her to let go but she was refusing with all her might.



Willow finally believed that this wasn’t her dream after all, “What?”



“That’s not your dream…it’s my dream…”



Willow frowned, “B-but…you mean to say I’m having your dreams?”



“Something like that,” Tara replied quietly.



“How…Tara, I don’t understand.”



“I-I…” Maclay…don’t you dare say a word to her, not a word! But it’s Willow…oh god…Willow…it can’t be happening to her as well… Tara swallowed the painful lump in her throat, “I don’t understand either.”



Tara wrapped her arms around Willow, folding her to her breast gently. As she closed her eyes and rested her chin atop Willow’s head, she desperately hoped her lover could not tell she was lying.



*****



After they had sat together in an awkward silence for far too long, Willow had finally managed to face the fact that she was not only freezing cold but absolutely starving. Tara had been reluctant to let her go for some reason until Willow commented that her arse was beginning to freeze to the floor for real. The two of them had dressed hastily before making their way to the mess hall when the smell of bacon wafted out to greet them before they even walked through the door.



Both girls paused before they entered. Willow looked at Tara and Tara nodded with a small smile. Her hand reached out and folded itself into Willow’s, their fingers entwined. Together they walked into the mess hall, completely unprepared for what was to happen next. The Slayers and the Devils had taken their traditional places on either side of the mess hall. Willow sighed, eating breakfast should not have been all that difficult.



After collecting their breakfasts Willow and Tara chose a table off to the side by themselves. They sat and ate in silence, not only their own but also that of every single person in the room. There was just the sound of tin forks scraping across tin plates.



Willow heard the sound of a chair scraping backwards, then with a thud it hit the floor. Someone was walking towards them, a shadow fell over their table. Willow looked up tentatively to see Buffy standing above her. The Slayer’s hands were on her hips, feet planted apart as though she meant business. Willow tried to concentrate on her powdered eggs and yet all the while she was aware of Buffy’s eyes boring into her.



Just don’t say anything Will…stay in your seat, mmm, these powdered eggs are fantastic…what are you kidding Rosenberg, they taste like horse shit. What kind of pansy are you that you would sit here while Buffy stares you down? No! I bloody well will not…Yes I am a pansy, stay in your seat! Goddammit!



Finally, Willow threw down her knife and fork and stood, throwing her chair backwards with one hand. It landed with a loud clatter, smashing into several chairs behind her. She then planted herself in front of Buffy, standing so close their toes were almost touching. In the background she was dimly aware of Tara standing as well, her chair barely making a sound as she stood.



“Will,” Tara’s desperate sounding whisper barely registered in Willow’s mind.



Instead she was focused on the smaller and yet just as strong blonde, Buffy seemed to be practically standing on her tip toes even when she wasn’t. Just her presence made her seem a lot larger than she really was.



Every other pilot in the room had at some stage moved to surround them, the Devils on one side, Slayers on the other. Neither Willow nor Buffy were aware of the palpable tension in the room around them, they only had eyes for one another. Neither would back down from the stare first even though a ducking of someone’s head would have been enough for the whole fuss to be over.



Tara was just on the other side of the table and yet she felt as though a gulf were separating her from Willow and Buffy. From her vantage point she could almost see the tension in the air, reach and slice it with a knife. She had to fight the urge to move around the table and pull Willow away from Buffy with a gentle hand on the shoulder. However, there was a tiny part of her that doubted the power of her hold over Willow. Ideally, she would restrain Willow with a gentle touch and the calamity would be averted before it had a chance to unfold. It unfolded perfectly in her mind. Yet she reluctantly had to face the fact that she still knew very little about Willow…besides the fact that she was a wonderful lover. How Willow would react to any given situation escaped her completely, despite Tara’s desperate desire to know her.



Willow please…it’s not worth it… Tara wished she had the courage to say it out loud but she could barely even say her name in a quiet whisper, “Will…” Come on baby, back down…this isn’t you… Tara didn’t even want to admit that, for all the closeness they had shared over the past day, their lovemaking, she didn’t know if this were the real Willow or not. Perhaps it was that she refused to face the truth.



“What is your problem Summers?” Willow hissed angrily, Just step back…Tara wants you to…but I’m doing this for her!



“My problem?” Buffy asked angrily, she hit Willow in the chest with the palm of her hand with such force that Willow stumbled back into the table, her breakfast clattered to the ground, “My problem is with your inability to keep your hands to yourself!”



“What?” Willow had very quickly regained her poise, adopting an even more aggressive stance with her fists clenched at her side.



“You heard me clear enough Rosenberg!” Buffy spat, “You can’t keep your cock in your pants…even when you are fully aware that you should! Do you have any real feelings for her…or is all of this just to get back at me?”



Willow blinked, a little shocked before she regained her composure, “That’s none of your business!”



Why was Buffy even acting like this…she cared about her and Tara becoming lovers…why? Although they were valid questions begging to be answered, neither girl could think that rationally any more.



“You’re a fucking whore Rosenberg!”



Willow gritted her teeth and launched herself at Buffy with both fists swinging. Her first blow slammed into Buffy’s left jaw but the second glanced off her shoulder as the smaller woman twisted to avoid it.



In the heat of the moment Willow completely forgot Buffy had always been far better with her fists. She only managed to get in that first blow before Buffy fully laid into her. Willow barely had time to think about avoiding the blows before they hit. One blow landed squarely on her jaw, rendering her entire vision almost black. Willow found herself falling backwards over a table. It tipped and sent her crashing to the ground. She lay, seeing stars and feeling quite sore all over before Buffy grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, hauling her roughly to her feet.



Angrily, Willow yanked herself out of Buffy’s grasp and raised her fists in a classic boxing pose. The heroic image ruined by the fact that she was staggering like a drunkard. Blood flowed freely from a cut that had opened above her eye but Willow was not about to throw in the towel. With an animalistic growl she dove at Buffy, wrapping both arms around her waist as she threw all her weight into a rugger tackle. Buffy went flying backwards, smashing the back of her head on a chair before she landed with Willow on top of her. Willow drew her fist back to finally get in her second blow only to have Buffy catch it, twisting her wrist painfully backwards. Deftly, the blonde shifted her weight and rolled Willow over to reverse their positions.



Blow after blow smashed into Willow’s face and yet she would not utter a word of defeat. Nor would Buffy let up with her beating. It was as though she had been waiting for the last five years to let out all of this pent up rage towards Willow. However, once it was unleashed, she found she could not stop. The monster refused to be reigned in.



Buffy did not realise just how angry she was until she felt a hand close over hers as she raised it for yet another blow. She hissed angrily and tried to shake it off so she could get back to pounding Willow’s face in. The hand holding hers back just tightened and she angrily looked over her shoulder to see Tara standing there with the most resolute expression on her face that Buffy had ever seen.



“Get off her Buffy,” Tara said in a low, steady voice.



Buffy was about to say, ‘or else what?’ when she realised who she was saying it to. Tara stepped back, giving her room as she climbed off Willow. She stood slowly and looked back down at the bloody read head lying on the floor, staring back up at her through very glazed eyes. Her gaze turned back to Tara,



“Tara…”



“Don’t even start Buffy!” she said in an angry tone, “This is what I want…can’t you let me have it?”



“You want it yes,” Buffy lowered her gaze, for the first time realising how incredibly childlike her anger had been, “But have you stopped to realise if you should have it?”



I need her! Tara bit her lip, knowing Buffy was right and yet still refusing to accept a truth, “I think you are wrong about Willow.”



“I know her…you just think you do. To her, you’re just another fuck along the way. Trust me when I say you’re better off without her.”



Tara’s cheeks coloured but she kept her gaze level with Buffy’s, “I love her.”



Buffy finally realised that Tara was not about to be swayed by anything she could say. Annoyed by the throngs of people staring at her while she was at her worst, Buffy made to leave. She brushed past Tara. As she did so she paused only momentarily to whisper words only Tara could hear,



“If you do love her…you will break this off!”



Buffy moved quickly from the room, leaving Willow and Tara surrounded by a still silent throng of very puzzled pilots. Tara looked down at Willow for a brief moment, the red head was barely conscious. She knelt beside her and gently lifted her head. Willow just groaned, her eyelids fluttering but not opening. Tara thought she was out completely until she spoke,



“I was on the end of a rather comprehensive arse kicking wasn’t I?” she asked in a mumble, her lips barely moving.



“Without doubt,” Tara replied, putting an arm beneath Willow’s back she pulled the injured girl up into a sitting position, “Come on, lets get you out of here.”



“I haven’t finished my breakfast,” Willow protested lamely as Tara half-helped and half-dragged her back on to her unsteady feet.



*****



The ships doctor had futilely attempted to clean Willow up himself but gave up when it was apparent that Tara would have none of it. He made a hasty exit from the room after finding the necessary medical supplies, saying something like he would be in his office if they needed him.



Willow let out a yelp as Tara pressed a cloth soaked in iodine onto the cut about her eye. Tara just gave her a steady look as though she were a small child, pressing the cloth down firmly.



“You don’t even notice when you need stitches in your arm but you cry like a baby at a little scratch!” the blonde scolded.



“There was a naked woman in my arms at the time…do you really think I would care about a little pain?” Willow had a split lip which made every word she said quite difficult to understand.



“So you’re saying I should take my clothes off and you’ll stop your whining?”



“No…I’m saying that you can take your clothes off and we both work to make me forget my pain,” Willow said it in such a serious voice Tara almost lost her straight face.



“You deserve to feel every moment of your pain, it was all self-inflicted,” Tara refused to give into Willow’s charm…just yet anyway. She drew the cloth away and examined the wound to find it didn’t need any proper stitches. Tara was a little disappointed, she had been looking forward to sticking a needle in Willow.



Willow gaped as far as her split lip would allow her to, “You heard what Buffy said, was I just going to stand back and let her say I’m a whore?”



“Yes!” Tara jabbed at Willow’s lip and the red head yelped again, Tara ignored her wordless protests as she continued her lecture, “Buffy knows you too well, the slightest provocation and you…” Tara jabbed the cloth again.



“Easy, easy!” tears were watering at the corner of Willow’s eyes from the stinging of the iodine.



Tara drew in a breath and then suddenly burst out, “Willow, you’re a hot-heated idiot!” Come one Maclay, tell her you don’t want to be around her anymore…you have to!



“Excuse me?” Willow couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.



Tara drew in yet another breath, this time replying in her usual soft tone, “You heard me Will.” I can’t do it…I love her too much…



“Anyone would think you were on her side in all of this, she nearly killed me!”



“I suspect it would take a lot more than that to get rid of you Captain Rosenberg. Besides, you don’t understand where she’s coming from…” And you certainly don’t understand what I am, what I might do to you...



Willow couldn’t believe Tara was standing here scolding her as though she were a small child who had been in a fight at school. She had been expecting sympathy and kisses instead of anger. Her own blood was boiling,



“You’re damn right I don’t! Why on earth should she care who I’m fucking? So you’re a Slayer and I’m a Devil, big fucking deal! She should get over herself!” Willow yanked the cloth from Tara’s hand and jumped down from the bed, striding towards the door as though she were going to storm out. She only took two steps before turning around, “And who are you to call me hot-headed? You’ve known me a matter of weeks and you think you have some sort of degree in Rosenberg studies?”



“Willow,” Tara said sadly but her word was almost drowned by Willow’s angry shouts.



“I should have known that the Slayers would all stick together!”



“Buffy has her orders Willow,” Tara said quietly.



Willow stopped, her next sentence left hanging as she tried to digest the meaning of Tara’s words, “She has orders regarding your love life?” Willow was angry, she felt as though she were being made the target of a huge conspiracy. This was before she realised how ridiculous that notion was and forced her temper back under control



Tara sighed, “No…orders regarding…Will…I can’t tell you…you just have to trust me. I’m really sorry that I got you mixed up in all of this and if it could be any other way…”



What does she mean by that? She doesn’t want me? Don’t be a moron Rosenberg…that’s not what she said at all Willow dragged her temper under control, wrestling it down and clamping a tight lid on it.



“I love you,” Willow said simply, as though that was more than enough for her to accept what Tara had just said, “And you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I should be the one who’s sorry. You were right…I am a hot-headed idiot.”



“Damn right I was right,” Tara said with a nod, “Now scoot back up here so I can finish what I was doing.”



A few moments later, just as Tara was placing the last of the neat butterfly stitches on Willow’s cut, there was a quiet knock at the door. Both girls looked up to see Tad peering in anxiously, a look of relief evident on his face at his finding them both fully clothed and not locked in a passionate embrace.



“Hi,” he said with a small smile, “You two might want to come up on deck.”



Tara raised her eyebrows quizzically while Willow, who still had not managed to completely calm down, asked bluntly, “Why?”



“We’ve arrived,” Tad said simply, wherever they had arrived he obviously was not going to let on just yet.



Willow jumped down from the bed, steadying herself with a hand on Tara’s shoulder. She did not have any desire to parade around in front of the crew in her current condition but something told her this was a sight she did not want to miss.



Tad ushered both young women out of the door with a flourish of his hand, he winked at Willow as she passed him. He ignored the glare she gave him and said exactly what was on his mind,



“Looking good Captain Rosenberg,” he could not help but chuckle as the three of them left the medical bay.



“You are treading on some very dangerous ground Tad,” Tara spoke on behalf of Willow, she could feel the tension flowing from where Willow held onto her shoulder. The red head’s fingernails started digging into her skin, even through her jumper.



“We’re at war,” Tad replied with a shrug, “We all live in dangerous times and I’d rather it was a cute little red head mad at me than an alien with a ray gun.”



Tara felt Willow stiffen slightly and then the angry young woman made a sudden lunge back towards Tad. Ready for such a move, Tara wrapped both arms around Willow’s waist and held her back but not without considerable effort.



Tad stepped back and raised both hands in front of him in a placating gesture, a grin still fixed on his face.



“She’s even cuter when she’s mad huh?” he asked Tara in a playful voice, Willow had to turn back around to concentrate as they went up a flight of stairs.



“You have no idea,” Tara said over her shoulder.



They joined the steady flow of sailors heading aloft along the passage way. Tara finally let go of Willow, although watching her closely in case she tried to turn on Tad and strangle him.



“I just have to add that you two look great together,” Tad said a little too loudly in the crowded passage.



Tara was sure she saw steam coming from Willow’s ears.



*****



The three of them finally made it above deck, Tara had both hands on Willow’s shoulders while Tad followed at a safe distance. However, there was no need for further restraint when Willow saw what they were sailing into. She shrugged out of Tara’s grip and rushed to the Odysseus’ railing, staring with wide open eyes.



They had obviously just passed through a net, judging by the fact that she looked out behind the Odysseus to see the Ajax. The lack of pink surrounding its mast indicating the fleet’s net had finally be put down.



She turned her gaze back to the scene in front of her to see a rather large island almost completely covered in snow and ice. Black rock showed through in several places. Several high peaks rose up from the sea, there was barely a flat piece of land anywhere. It was an ugly, rugged rock…hardly the ideal spot for a vacation. Willow doubted any sane person would have been living here before the military commandeered it, the only tenants to have been evicted would have been penguins

and polar bears.



It was a port of sort, several other unfamiliar ships were docked at massive piers built out into the harbour. While there were a cluster of snow-covered buildings on the surface built onto the side of hills, Willow suspected that the vast majority of the secrets the island concealed were below ground. She saw several huge hanger-like doors protruding from the face of a hill which further added to her suspicions.



At the highest point of the island was mounted a massive mast, similar to that on the Ajax but at least twice the size. Pink lights swirled around it and up into air so high above them they were lost in the mist. The net was obviously sufficient to conceal the entire island.



Willow jumped up and down to stay warm, cupping her frozen fingers together and blowing warm air onto them.



“I guess this was where the convoy went,” Tara replied as they passed several huge cranes unloading a merchant ship of its cargo. She drew a woollen cap from her jacket pocket and tugged it down over Willow’s head, Willow smiled her thanks as she rediscovered her previously frozen ears.



“What is it with the military and secret bases?” Willow asked, still trying to take in everything that lay in front of her.



“You’d rather it wasn’t secret so it could be blown up along with all our other bases?” Tad asked.



“Well…no…but I hate not knowing things,” Willow pointedly didn’t look at Tara as she said it, both girls knew exactly what Willow was leaving unsaid.



“You’re not exactly very far up the chain of command Captain Rosenberg,” Tad watched his misty breath waft in front of his eyes, “Need to know basis only.”



“Well, I’m here…so that means I need to know, where the hell are we Tad?”



“Ladies, welcome to Angel Island,” Tad said in a jaunty voice, “Island tours are conducted on request, recreational activities are available and please enjoy your stay.”



The Odysseus continued to make it’s way through the harbour, sending out barely a ripple along the mirror like surface of the harbour. Everything was on an impossible scale, the docks looked as though they could easily service three entire fleets at the same time.



I suppose this is the world’s last big hope…whatever they cook up in here Willow mused as they inched towards a dock, the huge carrier completely dwarfed by a massive crane towering above them, I guess I should feel some hope after all…



“I wonder how many millions of dollars this place cost, probably why Air Command wouldn’t give me a pay rise when I last asked,” Willow looked at the enclosed gun emplacements set at various points around the harbour, menacing black barrels pointed to the sky.



“One billion dollars even,” Tara said in awe.



“No one has that much money,” Willow commented knowledgeably, “But I don’t see why they couldn’t have built this place in the Caribbean!”



“It’s a secret military installation…not a tropical paradise,” Tad pointed out helpfully.



“Do they at least have a heated swimming pool?” Willow asked plaintively, rubbing her freezing cold fingers together.



*****



Before being taken on a tour of the island, Willow, Tara and the other pilots were shown their quarters for use while staying on Angel Island. Willow had indeed been correct when she had supposed that most of the island’s facilities were underground. Once the ship had docked and their gear was stowed in duffle bags, the pilots were quickly ushered underground via a large elevator. They saw very little of the actual workings of the island and were instead lead straight to the barracks along a series of brightly lit corridors.



“These are your quarters, there is no room service on Angel Island so keep ‘em clean,” the young petty officer with the clipboard was saying as he walked out in front of the group.



Willow frowned at Tara upon hearing this, “Are we going to be staying here a while?”



“Not my place to know sir, just following orders,” but he turned and said in a lower voice, “I heard something about reequipping the squadrons.”



“Reequipping?” Willow asked with a sideways glance at Tara, “Reequipping!”



Tara quickly shot out her hand and gripped Willow’s shoulder yet again, “Easy there Will…they’re not going to take your plane away from you.”



“If they know what’s best, they won’t even try,” Willow growled in a low voice.



The petty officer continued reading off names down his list, assigning each officer to a barrack room. Willow didn’t even look up when Buffy’s name was read, although she had to fight the urge to stick out her foot and trip up the blonde as she walked past.



“Flight Officer Maclay…Room 107.”



Tara looked at Willow, hesitation spelt out clearly on her face. She drew in a breath and gently tapped the young man on the shoulder,



“You might as well assign that room to someone else, just tell me which one is Captain Rosenberg’s,” she looked up to see Willow flashing her a dazzling grin, made almost comical by her split lip and heavily bruised face.



“Um…well let me see…210, just down the hall there.”



Tara reached out and took Willow’s hand as they left the rest of the group, their duffle bags slung over their shoulders. At 210, Willow pushed open the door to reveal a compact barrack room. It was by no means a five star hotel, yet there was far more space than the tiny cabin they shared on the Odysseus. Unlike the cold metal of the ship’s cabin, the floor was covered with a large plain brown rug. A single bed was pushed up against one wall.



“There’s a bed…not a bunk, an actual proper bed!” Willow entered the room and threw her bag on the floor, “Just think, if I had all this space to myself I’d feel lost.”



“It’s a good thing you don’t…” Tara murmured saucily, dropping her own bag she came up behind Willow to wrap her arms tightly around her waist.



Willow purred and twisted her neck so she could stroke Tara’s cheek with her nose.



“I think I owe you a huge apology, want me to make it up to you?”



Tara looked dubiously at Willow’s face, her normally beautiful visage looked as though a very bad painter who favoured purples and blues had used it as his canvas.



“I am not kissing that,” Tara replied with a perfectly straight face.



Willow giggled and crossed to the bed, after removing her boots she flopped onto it gratefully. She bounced up and down a couple of times and was rewarding with the satisfying sound of a spring mattress. Looking up at Tara with her most innocent expression, Willow patted the bed beside her.



“I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no Captain Rosenberg!” Tara joined her, throwing an arm around Willow’s back and drawing her close, “We have less than twenty minutes until we’re required in the islands main hanger.”



Willow pouted, “I can’t help it, any time at all alone in a room with you has me thinking about sex…well, no…that is a lie…I think about sex with you all the time.”



“Well, I am hot,” Tara said with a modest shrug, crossing the room to sit beside Willow.



The red head lifted her hand to Tara’s hair and ran her fingers through it lovingly. Tara smiled and turned her head, her lips were just there…Willow ached hungrily. She was more than a little disappointed when Tara went straight for her cheek, planting a small kiss among the bruises. Not to be dissuaded, Willow searched out Tara’s lips. However, at the first brush of their skin together she yelped and pulled back suddenly,



“Damn!” Willow pressed her sleeve against her bleeding lip.



“I told you I wasn’t kissing that,” Tara said, a little sympathy in her voice.



“I guess that rules out plan A,” Willow sighed.



“Plan A?”



“Yes, apology kisses…which means I have to move on to plan B…apology words, which I’m not so good at…”



“I think you would be great at anything you tried,” Tara said quietly.



“I’m not…there’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Willow said in a miserable voice.



“And you know everything about me?” Tara asked with a raised eyebrow.



“No…I know even less about you that you know about me.”



“About that…” Tara began.



“No, it’s alright,” Willow burrowed into Tara’s side, “If you could tell me you would have already…I understand, I may not like it very much, but I understand,” Willow drew back and stared into Tara’s eyes, “Even though I don’t really know what I’m protecting you from…I promise to do everything I can to keep you safe.”



“Thank you Willow.”



“Now do I get another kiss?”



“No.”



“Damn.”



*****



The interior of the island was a veritable hive of activity. It was a maze of corridors and gangways in which it was obvious the someone who did not know their way around could easily be lost forever. The clipboard officer lead them through with apparent ease, moving at such a pace that it was impossible to pause and study anything. For Willow, who liked to examine absolutely everything, this was frustrating to say the least.



“The upper levels are all living quarters, offices,” the officer lead them into yet another huge elevator, he did not stop talking, “Moving down we arrive at what are the real guts of this place, service levels…generators and the like are all right down at the bottom, well below sea level but what you are here for is on level three…” the door opened and he marched out.



They had emerged in the biggest hanger Willow had ever seen. It was probably large enough to fit the entire Odysseus inside with a good deal of room on either side. While it was crowded with equipment and servicemen, everyone’s gaze fell on what was sitting right in front of them.



“What in the bloody hell is that piece of shit?” Willow burst out as they walked down a set of steps onto the hanger floor.



Willow kept walking until she was right next to the object of her fascination. It was a plane, no doubt about that…but quite unlike any flying vehicle Willow had ever seen. For one thing, there was no propeller to be seen although Willow guessed the propulsion system had something to do with the cylindrical shaped appendages, one beneath each wing. Overall, it was larger than a Draken but of a comparable size to a Gullstrike.



Willow ran her had along the leading edge of the swept back wing until she reached the strange under-wing cylinders. She peered in to see something like a huge fan and had absolutely no idea how it would keep a plane aloft.



Willow bent down and peered at its undercarriage with great interest. While planes usually had landing gear arranged two beneath each wing with a tiny tail wheel, she found herself staring at a plane which sat horizontal to the ground, instead of on a slope. It sat that way because of the third wheel located in its nose.



Without waiting for authorisation, she leapt onto the wing and peered into the open cockpit. It was much larger than her Draken’s and equipped with an alarming number of extra controls. Willow lent her head in and was about to start pressing buttons when she heard a voice down below her.



“I would not go pressing any buttons if I were you Captain Rosenberg, you might set something on fire.”



Willow jumped down, feeling suitably guilty, and came face to face with a tall, bespectacled man wearing a white coat over a tweed suit. She drew herself up to her full height and still found him looking down at her.



“That bloody ‘piece of shit’ as you so charmingly put it is what is going to stop you and your squadron from being turned into fish food,” he said calmly, not worried by the fact that every pair of eyes in their group was trained on him.



“Mr Giles?” Tara exclaimed, joining Willow’s side with a small smile on her face.



“How are you Tara?” he asked with a nod, Willow recognised a distinct fondness in his voice as though he were speaking to a favourite niece.



“Apart from the obvious…I’m fine,” she replied, making a point of reaching out to take Willow by the hand.



Mr Giles raised his eyebrows before removing his glasses and cleaning them as though his life depended on it, “Well…you’re looking very good I must say.”



When he was finally satisfied that there couldn’t possibly be any speck of anything left on his glasses, he put them back on and surveyed the group of pilots in front of him.



“First things first, I’m Doctor Rupert Giles…but, although they know I detest such lack of formality, everyone around here calls me Giles and I suppose you all may as well. I’m here to introduce you to your new vehicle…it’s actual name is Supermarine Prototype G but informally it has become known as a Guardian. Capable of a max speed of close to six hundred miles an hour, armed with four 20mm cannons and with provisions for carrying six air to air rockets…”



“What the bloody hell is a rocket?” Willow snapped, angry that it had become apparent they were going to take her Draken from her and make her fly this thing she didn’t begin to understand.



Giles sighed and rolled his eyes at the interruption, “You’ll find out…there are a lot of things you will all need to find out…and in a very short time if we are to halt the unidentified hostile extra-terrestrial invasion…”



“LGFs,” Faith spoke up from where she and Buffy stood, as far away from Willow as possible.



“I beg your pardon?” Giles asked with a frown.



“Little Green Fuckers…LGFs…it’s much more simple than extra hostile…thingees or whatever it was that you called them.”



“Oh, I see…okay, does anyone have any questions?” to which ever single hand shot up in the air.



Giles looked perplexed before he pointed to Willow, “Captain Rosenberg?”



“Why is it not red…can we make them red?”



“Uh…colour schemes are not my area of expertise…you there, at the back?”



Thus began the flood of questions, the answers to which none of them fully understood as Giles rattled away using complex terms so incomprehensible he might be making them up on the spot. Willow just stood with her arms folded over her chest, a small frown on her face as she tried to digest all the information that was flying around her. Eventually she gave up even trying and sighed, wondering how she was going to break the bad news to her beloved Draken.



“So…in the end…you’re saying we now have a real chance against the LGFs?” Buffy asked as the questions finally subsided after everyone had figured out they were never going to get a simple answer from Giles. It was the only question that really mattered anyway.



“Err, yes,” he replied, obviously fighting the urge to tack a technical explanation on where one was not needed.



“Does anyone else feel that an arse kicking is in order?” Faith grinned.



An excited cheer rose from the ranks, everyone joined in except the disgruntled red head standing at the front.



“But it’s not red!” Willow protested…no one was really listening.





TBC in Chapter Thirteen – “Guardian Angels.”

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes

[ange04]

loved the update! buffy's got a few issues, huh? does she know tara's secret? i like how tara told the petty officer where she's sleeping and how she's not ashamed to be with willow. i give willow an A for effort for trying for the smoochies. please heal her face quick! what's with her need for a red plane?



thanks for the update!

ange

[blue and green wings]

good update!!! love how giles was introduced in the fic. i see you're putting in what looks like to be a modern-day plane. they're going to need that. although a red plane is the least of their worries, it's in willow's character to request for something like that, so props to you!! i'll be here waiting for an update. *pitches a tent near the computer*

[russ]

So, there is a technology that will give Earth's pilots a fighting chance against the LGFs. A very early jet fighter; hopefully it will be enough to do the job.



On the personal side; of the main characters, apparently Tara is the only one with any maturity at all. Willow is indeed a "hot-headed idiot," constantly throwing temper tantrums when she can't get her own way, or when anyone crosses her. Buffy, on the other hand, is a homicidal maniac. If I were Boone, she'd be in the brig. Neither of them is emotionally any older than nine or ten. I can't believe such unstable personalities are allowed command; they should at the very least be demoted.



It's hard to tell how much of Tara's secret keeping is by order, and how much from her fear of revealing herself. What are these mysterious orders of Buffy's? To beat half to death anyone Tara becomes involved with? Tara herself seems to think she should be breaking things off, although why is not clear. She seems to think she's a danger to anyone close to her.



The fate of the Earth is in the hands of these people -- we're doomed! Or, maybe they'll get their act together and grow up in time to save the world.



Russ



p.s. Alcy, I'm unhappy with the characters. This doesn't mean I don't still love the story. The mark of a good fiction is to evoke an emotional response. Can you tell it's working?

Edited by: russ at: 5/11/04 7:26 pm

[WillowPowered]

See now I'm thinking, how does Tara know Giles????



More please, and soon . . . .



Jill

~~~~~~~~

Willow - Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs did ya?



My Home Page | Amber Powered | Alyson Powered



There is a little bit of Amber in all of us.

[pipsberg]

Alcy,



That was awesome! I loved the Willow/Buffy fight - she's so scrappy! Also, Willow's insistence that the new planes be red was hilarious. I wait for the next part with baited breath!!

-pipsberg



"We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep - it's as simple and ordinary as that."

Michael Cunningham, The Hours

[gabbles]

With what Russ said:

Quote:

---

"Or, maybe they'll get their act together and grow up in time to save the world."

---

I agree with what he said just before that...We're Doomed!



OK, just joking.



I just realised exactly what you meant when you said you have a disliking for Buffy...and how that seems to come through in your fics. *laughs*



OK...on the update...



The fight. Can we all say Anger Management...maybe to both Will and Buffy!? LOL...also Repressed Issues. JJ...am really intruiged with what you're gonna do with the Buffy and Willow hatred thing...cant wait to see where you take it.



All of the Willow and Tara interaction was classic....and am really wanting to know more about what exactly is going on with Tara.



I also wander if you're gonna have Willow sneak in and paint her plain red? *laughs*



great update Alcy, as always!



*hugz*

~Gabs

"I'm known as the fat lesbian chick on Buffy. Of course, I mean you stand me next to an actress like Sarah and I look like I'll eat her. *beat* Wait, that didn't sound right. But, you know what I mean."-Amber

[Grimlock72]

Oh good, I can point to russ' post for some of my thoughts . Willow does indeed take bait to easily but Buffy is still first at vault for providing the bait at all. That fight had nothing to do with Buffy protecting Tara in some way either. It was just Buffy looking for a fight (because she was annoyed Willow looked happy, no doubt), otherwise she would have talked to Tara.



Buffy hates Willow, that much is appearant. The initial reasoning for it is hardly relevant any more. I'm rather worried about 'Buffy has her orders', don't want such an easy excuse for the way Buffy treats Willow. Speaking of that entire conversation, Tara got out waaaaaay to easily there. There are some many things Tara obviously avoids telling Willow, if Willow were even half awake she would have noticed.



Those fighters might help them win some fights, true. They also very well get them killed. I doubt there is sufficient time to train properly so they'll have to adapt to the speed difference really quick. I also think those rockets aren't exactly smart, so they could easily hit a friendly by accident. Better be carefull.



Buffy could test that fighter first, wouldn't be to bad if something wrong then : --> . Can't think of anything to would redeem Buffy for me, she's just to pathetic at the moment .



Willow wanting red planes was fun, I wonder if the paint would stay on though . Knowing the reactions of other members of both squadrons (esp. Devils) would be interesting. Can't imagine they think it's normal that captains beat each other up, I would hope not anyway .



Why does Tara so casually let everybody know she knows Giles ? Suppose it's no secret anymore... for some reason I think of the lead scientist in Independance Day (Data) when reading about Giles in this base



Haven't decided on how Buffy should go join her sister, but it can't be soon enough as far as I'm concerned . Yep, plenty of emotional response here, heh.



I had to smile about Willow wanting to explore every bit of the base but not being able to due to the speed of walking



Given that that base exists however it does make me wonder what the Oddysee's mission was. They could have easily sailed straight to the base, would have saved pilotes' lives too.



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

Edited by: Grimlock72 at: 5/12/04 10:22 am

[veiled isis moon]

Hi.



Sorry i haven't posted any feedback yet, but i started reading this fic on the 'Through the looking-glass' website and fell behind. Then i found it on DCP and decided to finally catch up, and i'm glad i did! Forgive me???



I like this fic a lot although 'What's your tale nightingale' is my favourite outa the two, this fic flows and is easy to read and get into.



I love reading your stories because there so original and unique and i find it really easy to imagine the scenes your writing about.



One thing that did piss me off is Buffy and the way she reacted to finding out about Willow and Tara, and i don't really know why! Maybe it was because she was arrogant and so way outa line calling Willow a whore in front of all those people and telling her to break it off with Tara and that she was just another fuck i mean, who does she think she is..........and there i go again! I should calm down and you should be very happy that your writing inspired such an enotion.



I'm really curious about Tara's secret and why Buffy is so involved and willing to hold it over Tara to try and split them up(obsessed much!!) Okay, well, i guess i found another reason to be pissed off with her!



This new base seems to be very interesting and Tara knowing Giles has sparked my curiosity, i wanna know what's goin on! Willow doesn't seem to happy now that her favourite plaything(after Tara of course!)has been taken away. I'm sure once she gets in there and has a little play around she'll love it.



Bring on the next update please......



Michellex

[greenwitch]

Hi,



I just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying this story!



greenwitch

[4WiccanLuv]

Still digging it Alcy! Boy, do I wanna bitch slap Buffy! Poor Willow took quite a beating, but I love that she's feisty and scrappy! Although, I do wish Tara had told Buffy to stay the f--k out of her business! Grr! S'kay, I'm a little worried about Tara keeping things from Willow, it's trouble!



BTW, I adore Tad! He's so cute and funny! And yay, Giles is in the mix now! This gets better and better! Thanks!!

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others." - Groucho Marx

[sam7777]

Alcy: Recommending your fic was a pleasure as is reading it. The LGF's must certainly not be allowed to get in the way of W/T smoochies. I like the tension from Willow and Tara not knowing each other very well contrasted with their love and trust of each other. And they are going to share a new room.



Buffy was out of line but Willow shouldn't have risen to the bait. Hopefully those two can finally put their past problems behind them.



In my never ending quest for you aerial inspiration, is the the new plane related to the ME 262?

MESSERSCHMITT ME 262

Hmmm. under-wing cylinders check. wheel located in its nose - check.



Judging from my flight sim experience, the pilots will have alot of "fun" adjusting to a jet plane from their prop planes.

_____________________

I still see dead lesbian cliches

[KiwiAlcyone]

ange04: The Buffster has many issues, I look forward to airing them all out for your reading pleasure. And yes poor Will, getting her arse kicked was bad enough without it rendering her incapable of having smoochies with Tara.

Red planes are way cool! (Her current plane is red, she’s a bit sore at having to upgrade so to speak)



blue and green wings: I can’t not have Giles in my fic! I love him! I wouldn’t really call the Guardian a modern day plane, jet fighters were first used at the end of WW2 so, although it’s a bit ahead of its time in 1936, its not too far stretched from reality. Hopefully not too long to wait, I’ve been churning out a lot of words over the last few days!



russ: In regards to our main characters I’m seeing a definite resemblance to the character arcs in an unmentionable season of an unmentionable TV show. There, Tara was the only one who had everything together, who knew who she was and could accept that. The Tara in this fic is more mature in comparison to those around her, deliberately so because writing immaturity in her character is a little unbelievable.

I’m glad to see that Willow and Buffy’s behaviour has elicited strong emotive feelings, I love it when that happens. Although the fight does hark to their personalities and the fact that Willow has very little control over her temper…it’s also a staple of adventure serials. Perhaps in sticking to this tradition I have exposed Willow and Buffy as being less than they are but I’ve got plans and you’ll find consequences for them both in the succeeding chapters.

Also, Tara’s fears and Buffy’s orders are going to come to light and I will make it clear why Tara thinks she ought to break things off with Willow.

And yes…the world is in a heck of a lot of trouble, all I can say is I’m glad I’m not relying on them to save my life! I just write!

And I’m very glad you still love the story…if you didn’t, then I would be doing something wrong.



WillowPowered: All will be revealed shortly



pipsberg: Thanks so much. It’s interesting to note how some people really enjoy scrappy Willow and others don’t. Don’t hold your breath too long….



gabbles: Poor Buffy does have a bad rep in both this fic and WYTN? I might fix her storylines…or I might not, depends on how charitable I’m feeling.

And yes, the fight was a good bit of biffo, a little OC but it’s going to be interesting to write the next few chapters in light of it.



Grimlock72: I think it’s a little of a lot of things. Buffy was protecting Tara, both Willow and Buffy were looking for a good fight and the author was thinking evil thoughts.

Tara won’t be getting off so easily in the future, trust me...would I leave you hanging?

I intend to have lots of fun with the training in the new fighters. Don’t spoil it for me

I honestly didn’t think Tara would need to keep her relationship with Giles a secret, well, at least the fact that she knows him…the exact nature of their relationship may very well remain a secret.

I didn’t make it very clear, but the Odysseus and the rest of the fleet were sailing to the base all along rather than running around aimlessly. I think I mentioned pretty early on that Boone had a destination.



veiled isis moon: Of course you’re forgiven!

I think I’d be very hard pressed to choose my favourite out of WYTN? and Captain Red. Depends on my mood….WTYN is my sweet, innocent little fic (you would’ve noticed the absence of naughty scenes and words ) and Captain Red is my bad arse fic when I’m feeling rebellious and amped up I definitely have my favourite chapters though, Chapter 10 of CR and Chapter 11 of WYTN are my personal faves so far – yup, definitely pat myself on the back for those ones.

Man, I got you majorly worked up over the whole Buffy thing huh? Excellent!

I’m definitely going to fill everyone in on what’s going on, although its going to take a few chapters – it’s all about suspense and patience baby!



greenwitch: Thanks so much for reading and enjoying!



4WiccanLuv: Another one in the scrappy Willow camp! I love the whole division in the ranks thing, I’m not sure I expected it but in hindsight I should’ve.

And I did have heaps of fun playing with Tad and Willow while poor Will was all worked up. Tad knew it and he wanted to have his fun!



sam7777: LGFs interrupting smoochies? Hell no! I’m finding it very interesting figuring out just where W & T stand with each other right now. They’re madly in love…but its only been for a few days! So there are definitely issues there, hopefully ones which wont take too long to resolve.

You’re quite right about the ME262, but inspiration was also drawn from the RAF equivalent, the Gloster Meteor. I love aviation history!



Everyone’s in luck, I’m almost done the next chapter already. Stay tuned for an update very soon!



Alcy

“Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real and you’re just a reflection of him?” Calvin and Hobbes