Stephie: My point exactly!
----
Chapter 9: That Ride With the Cables“We so need to go on something less spiny next time.” Xander told everyone once he, Willow, and Tara had gotten back to the group. After, of course, Willow told Anya, Buffy, and Dawn about his little visit to the lady’s room. After their fits of hysterical laughter had calmed, he had turned the conversation away from him and his minor puke fest.
“Like what?” Dawn questioned.
He thought a moment before shrugging, “I dunno.”
Tara pulled out the slightly soggy map, for it had still not completely dried after the trip to the Log Flume, and opened it carefully to keep it from tearing around it’s damp edges.
“Oh, here!” she said, pointing to a small designfination on the map. “What about this one?”
Dawn and Buffy leaned forward to get a better look at where the blonde witch was pointing.
“The Battering Ram?” Dawn asked. “Never heard of it.”
Buffy gave her a look, “Yes you have.”
“No I haven’t.”
She sighed exasperatedly. “Dawn, yes you have. Remember? Oh come on, you used to love that ride! It’s that boat one that swings back and forth.”
Realization dawned over Dawn’s delicate features, “Oooooh!” she looked at Buffy grinning. “I love that ride.” Buffy rolled her eyes, throwing her arms up in frustration.
Willow took a closer look at the map. “Guys, it’s half way around the park. Shouldn’t we, ya know, go on other stuff as we gradually make our way towards it? Cause then –” Willow’s mini-babble was cut off by Tara’s finger silencing her.
“We can take the Astroway.” She told her girlfriend and friends. As she looked at their blank faces she explained, “You know! It’s that ride on the cables that takes you to places.” Everyone nodded, signaling they understood. She pointed once again at the map, “See, if we take the Astroway to there,” she indicated another point on the map, “then when we got off we’d be right next to the Battering Ram.” She looked up grinning. Everyone, for lack of a better plan, agreed.
As they all gathered up Buffy and Dawn’s winning’s and began walking towards the Astroway, Xander ran up to Willow and asked her a question that had him slightly confused.
“Hey, Will,” Willow turned to him, “When did you get my camera?”
Willow grinned, “That’s for me to know, and for you to never find out,” she grinned.
Tara giggled, “She had very sneaky fingers,” Xander’s eyes rose as he waited for her to realize exactly what that sentence had implied, but was baffled when she just gave him a devious grin.
During Xander’s few seconds of shock, Willow leaned into Tara and whispered so only she could hear, “Only I wasn’t the one who took it.”
Tara smiled, “I know.” She paused, “But he doesn’t.” Willow grinned at Tara’s playfulness.
Buffy, who had been standing next to Tara and had heard the whole thing, rolled her eyes. “You guys, give poor barf-boy a break.” She laughed.
Xander narrowed his eyes, “Will you stop calling me that?” he asked, knowing fully well what the answer was going to be.
“No.” Buffy said, looking at him like he had lost his marbles, “Why would I ever want to do that? Takes the fun out of mocking you.” Xander rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Hey!” Anya stepped closer to Xander, defending him. “Stop making fun of Xander!” Xander looked slightly shocked at Anya’s display of trying to stand up for him, but it was quickly shot down by her next words, “Besides,” she continued, “he’s my barf-boy, only I get to tease him.” Anya patted his shoulder as Buffy and Willow chortled loudly at the look on Xander’s face.
Flash. Click.Another picture had been taken by the crafty Dawn, who had gladly taken the camera away from Willow when she had offered it. Xander blinked and turned to her where she stood a few feet away, waving his camera mockingly. She giggled, “Nice shot Xander. Loved the look.” She squealed as Xander took off after her, undoubtedly to get his beloved one-time use camera out of Dawn’s clutches.
Buffy whistled innocently as Dawn came whizzing around Tara, followed closely by Xander, before sticking her foot out nonchalantly, making Xander tumble to the ground in the soft grass he had thankfully fallen into. “Ow!” he said, pulling himself off the ground, brushing grass off of his shorts. “What was that for?”
“What was what for?” Buffy asked, innocently.
“Oh come on!” Xander replied hastily.
“I didn’t see anything,” Willow told him, before turning to look at Tara. “You see anything Sweetie?”
Xander looked up at Tara hopefully before Tara shook her head, “Nope.” She said, before turning to grin simply at Xander. “Not a thing.” Xander’s face fell.
Buffy turned to Anya, “You see anything Anya?”
Anya shook her head vigorously, grinning up at her fiancé, who had a look of defeat on his face. “What’s wrong Xander? You look as if someone had just stuck out their foot and made you trip.” Xander looked at her disbelievingly.
“What is this?” he asked the five girls who had positioned themselves all around him, so that he was trapped and had no means of escape. “Torture-the-Xander Day?” The girls just grinned at him, before finally easing up on him.
“Oh, we’re just playing with ya Xand.” Willow slapped him on the shoulder playfully.
Xander grumbled good-naturedly, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, where’ve I heard
that before?” before they continued their trek to the Astroway.
***
Because only 4 people could fit in one cart, it was decided that Willow and Tara would sit in one cart, much to the protests of everyone else, and Xander, Anya, Buffy, and Dawn would take the other.
As the cart came around, the employee opened the door for and waited for Dawn, Buffy, Xander, and Anya to get in, before shutting it and sending them on their way.
“See ya in a sec,” Xander called to the two remaining witches as the cart was leaving.
“OK!” Willow shouted after him, right before she saw him get smacked in the head by Anya, who started yelling at him for something. “If Anya doesn’t throw you out.” Willow murmured to herself as she and Tara climbed into the next cart.
With a slam of a door, and a small click, ensuring that it was locked, they were off.
As the cart carried them across the park, Willow and Tara both leaned over the edges of it to scan the area. They passed Dragon Land, a place where all the little kids could play, and laughed at all the children playing. The kids looked up and shouted hellos at them, jumping up and down furiously as they waved.
Willow and Tara laughed as they passed, and waved back.
“Awww!” Willow sat back in her seat after they had passed Dragon Land, “little kids are so cute!” she squealed, her eyes squinting happily.
Tara smiled, “I know!” she scooted over to Willow and tapped the redheads nose with her long, slender finger, “but there are some things even cuter!” she giggled, and replaced her lips with her finger as she playfully kissed Willow’s nose.
“Hmmm…and what exactly are these other…cuter things?” she asked slyly, “I mean, what can be cuter than itty-bitty little kids?”
“Weeeell,” Tara drew out the word, “there is this one person who scores top marks on the cuteness-scale.”
Willow took Tara’s hand, which had somehow migrated down to her waist, into her own. “Sounds like this person is pretty cute.” Willow replied.
“Oh, she is! She’s wonderful, in fact.” Tara nodded, squeezing the hand in her own.
“So tell me then,” Willow’s tone dropped a notch and she leaned close and whispered in Tara’s ear, “who is this person?”
“Well,” Tara said as she pretended to think, “she has the most gorgeous body I’ve ever seen in my life. And sparkling red hair, and these eyes. These dazzling, beautiful emerald green eyes that shine so brightly...that sometimes...when I look at them,” she lifted Willow’s chin so she could look directly into Willow’s face, “it seems as if I could get lost in them forever.”
And Tara did just that. They stared at each other for a few moments which actually felt more like hours, before Willow broke the silence by whispering, “This girl must be amazing.” Willow’s eyes twinkled.
“Oh she is,” Tara said, nodding for enthusiasm.
“Do you love her?” Willow asked.
“Very much.” Tara replied, her head moving closer to Willow’s.
“Kinda sounds like you love her a whole lot, the way you speak about her.” Willow leaned forward as well.
“Yeah, well…I kinda do,” Tara smiled and cocked her head to the side a little. “And do you wanna know what the best part is?” she asked Willow.
Willow nodded, “What?” Their lips were centimeters apart.
“That she loves me just as much,” Tara replied in answer, her voice barley above a whisper.
Their lips came together and Tara brought her hand up to cup Willow’s cheek, stroking the base of her neck. At the same time, Willow’s hand came up to stroke Tara’s golden caress as their mouths opened and tongues sought out to map out familiar territory. Their tender kiss broke apart as they leaned back to breath, hands still around each other.
“Well she’s very lucky,” Willow said, her eyes filling with love.
“No,” Tara shook her head, “I’m the lucky one.”
“We’re both lucky.” Willow added, cutting Tara off by giving her another affectionate kiss.
Tara nodded, “Very…very lucky,” she said, burying her head into Willow’s neck.
Willow stroked Tara’s back, as Tara snuggled into her. She giggled, “And you being a good kisser is just a major plus.” Tara smiled into Willow’s neck before she sat back up, before leaning her forehead against Willow’s.
“I’ve had lots of practice.”
“Well, it can’t hurt to practice a little bit more,” her smile widened, “if you like, you can practice on me.”
Tara leaned in, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Their lips locked again, and again, and again. Passion had taken on a world of it’s own as they failed to notice their surroundings. A loud cough came from somewhere far away, but both girls were too currently involved in something else to notice.
Flash. Click.Willow snapped back into reality as she broke the kiss. They looked up and saw a camera-holding Xander, Dawn, Buffy, Anya, and a highly amused teenage boy holding the door open for them. They blushed 10 shades of red and climbed out of the cart.
“Sorry,” Willow muttered to the boy, who still had a grin plastered onto his face.
“That’s okay,” he said, smiling. As they walked off they heard him shout, “Come back any time!”
As soon as they were out of earshot Buffy and Dawn started laughing. “Oh my God you guys!” Buffy said, doubling up, “I think you made his year!”
“You made mine,” Xander said, his eyes far away.
“Xander!” Anya slapped his shoulder really hard.
This only resulted in making Willow and Tara blush even harder as they kept their heads down, averting their gaze from…well…everyone.
“Well I have eyes, Ahn!” Xander complained, rubbing his aching shoulder. Anya’s only response was to huff indignantly.
Dawn would have said something, but at the moment she was currently to busy holding her stomach to reply.
“Well that better hold you for a year!” Anya shouted at him, “Cause if I see you oogle them one more time, and I mean one more time, I might just make a few calls, Mister! And I guarantee you,” she jabbed him in the chest, making her point clear, “that you won’t be to happy with the outcome!”
Xander went stark white.
Dawn had recovered and turned to Xander, “Well at least you have the pictures to hold you the rest of the year!” Buffy doubled up with not-so-silent laughter yet again at her sister’s words.
Anya looked like she was about to explode. Xander quickly shoved the camera into Buffy’s outstretched hand behind his back, out of the sight of Anya, before his outraged fiancé nearly attacked him, searching his pockets for the camera that was unknowingly to her, in the possession of an extremely amused Slayer.
Buffy fumbled with the camera after taking a few steps back, and aiming the camera at Anya and Xander. Xander was trying to push Anya off of him, but she had her hands in his right pocket and was fishing around for the camera.
Flash. Click.Anya looked up, hand still in Xander’s pocket, before yanking it out and running towards the Slayer. Buffy danced out of Anya’s reach, taunting her with the camera, laughing. Anya lunged and Buffy tossed the camera to Dawn, who caught it and started repeating the dance her sister had done. Anya ran after Dawn who threw it back to Buffy. It had turned into a game of monkey-in-the-middle…and Anya was one pissed off monkey. “Give it to me!” she screeched, running after it again. Buffy shook her head and threw it sailing over Anya’s head to Dawn.
“Be careful!” Xander yelled, wide-eyed, eyes following the airborne camera.
Dawn threw it back to Buffy, but this time, Anya jumped and caught it before it had the chance to make its return to the blonde-haired Slayer. Before Anya could do anything though, it suddenly flew out of her clutched and into the awaiting hands of Tara, who, by the looks of it, had recovered from her and Willow’s earlier show.
“Hey!” Anya shouted, though she didn’t make a move to try and get it. One look from Tara made Anya throw up her arms in exasperation, “Fine! Have it your way! You want Xander to drool all over your pictures, go ahead!” and she stalked off towards the Battering Ram.
Tara blushed, as did Willow. Buffy and Dawn laughed and followed Anya. Xander walked over to where Willow and Tara stood, “Thanks.” He said and held his hand, waiting for them to give back his beloved camera.
Tara made no move to give in back. Instead, she shoved it roughly into her pocket. “I think I’ll just hang onto this for a while.” She smiled at him, leaving no room for question.
Xander pouted but didn’t make any signs of trying to reason with her. He just backed away a few steps and turned to follow Buffy, Dawn, and Anya.
Willow and Tara followed, but at a slight distance from the others so they could take privately.
“I thought Anya was gonna blow” Willow chuckled, arm around Tara’s waist.
“She probably would have.”
“I hate to think what would’ve happened if you didn’t get that camera.” Willow shuddered for effect.
Tara grinned, “We’d probably be picking up all the little camera pieces off the ground.”
Willow laughed, “Yeah, your probably right.” She added, “She was right about one thing though.”
Tara looked at her, “What’s that?”
She beamed at her lover, “Xander probably
will drool all over our pictures.”
Instead of blushing like Willow thought that comment would inspire, Tara instead smirked and leaned forward, a hairs breath away from Willow’s ear before saying teasingly, “Then we’ll just have to ask for the doubles then, now won’t we?” She leaned back, and smiled at a gaping Willow. “Nice fish impression, Will.” Willow’s jaw snapped shut with an audible click and she glared playfully at Tara. Tara gave Willow a quick peck on the lips before they joined hands and literally skipped off to join their friends.
TBC…
Okay, so I'm going to try and get one more part out before leaving on Friday. Then I won't be able to update until I get back from Texas which will be around Monday 12, or the 13.
It's better to be pissed off than to be pissed on. - My mantra on a bad day.
And never let it be said that I left a Tara craving unsatisfied. - Willow in Wilderness
Edited by: foreverpiper at: 7/30/02 8:02:18 am
in return. 
at: 7/29/02 8:27:09 pm
) 
Stupid me! And as for the challenge. I was actually the one who posted it casue I always thought it'd be kinda cool to read. Then when no one replied for it i figured "what the hell" and i started writing.