This is so sweet and comforting. Take your time.. I'm following and enjoying very much.. Thanks and Happy New Year!
by Kajun » Mon Dec 31, 2001 8:32 pm
This is so sweet and comforting. Take your time.. I'm following and enjoying very much.. Thanks and Happy New Year!
by Brynn » Mon Dec 31, 2001 8:59 pm
by Katharyn » Tue Jan 01, 2002 12:28 am
Katharyn
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She's my always
by Divine Princess Fuchsia » Tue Jan 01, 2002 8:01 am
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''I am, you know''
''What?''
''Yours''
''Those of you who fall into my good graces will come to know me as Maggie. Those of you who don't will know me by the name my T.A's use and think I don't know about: The Evil Bitch Monster of Death''.
by bearskeeper » Tue Jan 01, 2002 3:13 pm
And...I have a quick question. I hope no one minds. I'm a new W/T fan (the first episode I saw with them was the one where Tara left Willow - not such a great intro, huh?), so I'm not quite sure what "Willowhand" and "Willowbabble" and the like are about. Could someone please explain it to me? I'd be forever appreciative!
:dited cause I'm stupid and can't spell::
[This message has been edited by bearskeeper (edited January 01, 2002).]
by AutumnT » Tue Jan 01, 2002 5:39 pm
quote:
Originally posted by bearskeeper:
so I'm not quite sure what "Willowhand" and "Willowbabble" and the like are about. Could someone please explain it to me? I'd be forever appreciative!
Willowhand was used in an episode where Willow offered her hand to Tara under the pretense of having her palm read, asked Tara what she saw, and Tara slyly replied "Willowhand."
The babble is a reference to Willow's endearing habit of babbling.
Autumn
quote:by BytrSuite » Wed Jan 02, 2002 1:55 am
quote:
Originally posted by Kerrison:
"I..." she started before taking a deep breath and shutting her mouth from any stupid words which might burst forth.
I love this. Cause it's so true, how words just keep coming even after you realize you shouldn't have started in the first place. Words would have been kind of useless at that point. Thanks for having Willow get that more speaking would have ruined the moment. I just adore the tone of the whole piece so far. Lovely.
And thanks, Jessie, you're doing a great job beta reading.
quote:by TashaR » Wed Jan 02, 2002 10:29 am
You mock us with snugglies, don't you?? HEhe....just wanted to say I'm LOVING this story...and...more soon, please?
by emily 'first' » Wed Jan 02, 2002 1:02 pm
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vive,valeque.
by Charlie » Wed Jan 02, 2002 1:56 pm
Just read this fic in one and it's wonderful! I'm loving the way you're painting them in the future, remembering as they go along, wanting to be near each other and connect again rather than hammer out the past. I'm guessing we have the angst to come tho, right?
Anyways, can't wait for more and, Jessie, thankee!
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"Appalling. Almost as if they no longer believe money can buy happiness..."
by Puff » Wed Jan 02, 2002 7:13 pm
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Bloody hell, sodding, limey, shagging, knickers, bollocks...oh God...I'm English
by Jessie » Fri Jan 04, 2002 3:54 pm
I hope we can get some more written/beta'd soon.
( Off to beta!!!)
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"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by Kerrison » Sat Jan 05, 2002 12:47 am
**********
The pancakes sizzled against the heat of the cast-iron pan, eliciting a delectable smell that would surely reached Tara’s nose as she stepped out of the shower upstairs.
“Smells good,” she muttered to herself, rubbing her wet hair with a towel after sliding into jeans and a casual blouse. Ensuring socks protected her feet from the cold wooden floor she padded downstairs. Tara leaned against the doorframe to the kitchen, crossed her arms across her chest and stood watching her ex lover peacefully make breakfast.
“Very domestic,” she managed to say, catching Willow’s attention.
“I try,” the redhead replied, flipping a pancake. “There’s juice in the fridge and glasses on the counter. Help yourself.”
Tara grinned, pouring both of them a glass of juice. “Are you sure you don’t run a b-bed and breakfast?” she said, starting to tease. “You do this very well.”
“Maybe I should make it my third job,” Willow said sarcastically.
“Third? I only thought you had one?”
Willow shrugged as she removed the ready pancakes from the griddle and sliding them onto a plate for her guest. She handed the plate to Tara while she spoke. “I run my store during the day. And then two nights a week, I teach a course in computers at the continuing education center.”
Tara nodded before setting the plate on the counter and slipping a little butter onto the pancakes. “That probably keeps you really busy.”
“Between the gardening I have to do for the store, and then preparing all the products, I’m really lucky that I’ve found time for the class at all,” Willow admitted. “Sometimes I wish I had an assistant who I could trust.”
“You should put an ad in the p-paper,” Tara said gently. “I’m sure someone would apply.”
“How do I know they’re trustworthy? Or that they won’t find my stash of wiccan herbs and turn me into a goat?” she said, only half seriously.
“A goat?” Tara chuckled under her breath as she bit into the pancakes. “Oh, Will, these are delicious!” she said around the bite.
Laying her own pancakes on her plate, Willow smirked to herself as she heard her old nickname cross Tara’s lips. “Maybe if I took a partner in the store I could expand it the way I really want to,” Willow continued. “But I can’t do that unless I hire some good staff to help me tend to things…”
Tara listened half-heartedly as her hostess pondered allowed. She managed to keep from blurting an offer to help; only repressed by the painful memories of Willow abandoning Sunnydale.
Tara mentally replayed memories of the previous holidays spent alone. Christmases and Solstices spent watching Anya and Xander make out under the mistletoe. Watching Dawn go from a cute teen into a beautiful woman. Sitting alone on the couch sipping punch while everyone else kissed his or her significant other at the stroke of the New Year.
So intent on her daydreams, she didn’t even realize that Willow had been calling her name several times.
Willow reached over, touching Tara’s shoulder. “Tara?” she asked, her voice curiously panicked.
“Oh…sorry…I was…” she started, feeling slightly embarrassed.
The redhead smirked knowingly. “Someplace else,” she finished her companion’s sentence.
Tara nodded. “Just thinking how close it is t-to the holidays.”
“Yeah. Things are getting busy at the store,” Willow agreed. “The road should be cleared by the end of the morning if you wanted to head into town today.”
“Sure,” Tara said. “Are there any hotels in town?”
“Nope. There’s one bed and breakfast,” Willow replied, “But Mrs. Sandeen is in the hospital so it’s closed for the next few weeks. I’ve called Bill and he’s on his way over to fix the heaters in the guest room. He said it’s probably because they haven’t been used in a long time and it won’t be too hard to fix. So if you’re staying here longer, it shouldn’t be so cold in there anymore,” she offered, not sure of what to make of Tara’s desire for a hotel.
“I don’t want to be an imposition,” Tara said simply.
“You’re not.”
“But getting the heaters f-fixed is awfully expensive and-“
Willow interrupted her quickly. “It’s worth it, Tara. I’d prefer to have them fixed than to have you freeze every night.”
“I can always head back to Sunnydale instead of putting you through that.”
In the sudden silence caused by that sentence, both women found each other’s eyes and almost lost themselves in the connection of their gaze.
“If you have to go back,” Willow said. “That’s what you have to do. But don’t do it to make my life easier.”
Tara frowned, studying her hands as she spoke. “I show up on your doorstep, spend the f-first half of the night screaming at you and the second half crying in front of a fire with you k-kind enough to hold me all night. I’m sure it wasn’t on your agenda.”
“No, it wasn’t. But it was a welcome change.” Willow’s voice was honest as she spoke.
They regarded each other for another minute or two before Willow spoke again. “We’d planned some deep conversation and some Willow-beating this morning, hadn’t we?”
Tara nodded. “I just n-need to know some things.”
Willow smirked in sad agreement. “So do I.”
“How did you end up here?” Tara asked, knowing it was a shallow question.
“The train,” Willow started, leaning on the counter and wrapping her hands around a coffee mug. “I packed up most of my stuff and got on the train. I just kept going north until I looked out my window and saw the landscape. A quiet little town far enough away from the hell mouth to not have any immediate dangers…but only a six-hour train ride incase of emergencies. I got off, asked the first person I met if they knew of any old houses for sale and… took most of my savings and bought it.”
“Sounds simple,” Tara commented.
“It was,” Willow agreed. “Almost too simple. But it’s been nice, really. I got my job teaching first, and used that income to refurbish the house. Then I after the house was mostly done, I had a month or two where I contracted out for tutoring, and web-page design and that income went to buying the building my store is in and fixing that up, too. The store’s self sufficient now, when it comes to financing; this town really loves anything herbal,” she said simply.
“You seem t-to have a nice life.”
Willow paused before speaking. “It’s quiet and I do something I really enjoy, yeah.”
“Are you happy?”
This time there was no hesitation when Willow spoke. “No. It’s lonely here. I miss lots of things.”
“L-like what?” Tara ventured, knowing she was pushing it with some of these questions.
Willow smiled in remembrance. “You, mostly. The sound of your voice… the look in your eyes when you tried not to laugh…the smell of your hair…the feel of your cold feet against my back in the middle of the night,” she chuckled as she recalled that particular feeling. “Tara’s Constellation naming 101. Even something as simple as you being in the same room as me…I mean, I miss Buffy and Xander and Anya and Dawnie, too. And I miss them all for their own reasons. But you’re what I miss most.”
Tara’s face, obscured by her hair, covered her gaze and made it a mystery to Willow.
“Tara, listen,” Willow said, softly, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her friend’s ear, trying to make eye contact. “I’m not feeding you a line or anything else- I’ve got nothing to loose with you. I don’t even know why you’re here…but you can be sure that I’m not just telling you something I think you want to hear. I’m just telling the truth.”
Tara looked up, her hand covering Willow’s. “I know. I can tell it’s true.”
“Good. You ask, and I’ll answer honestly. That’s the way this is going to work. I know what my mistakes were…what I did to drive you away. And I don’t plan on doing them ever again. You’re too important. Life is too important,” Willow offered, stroking her friend’s cheek with a tentative thumb.
Tara nodded against the visiting hand, reveling in the contact and a small part of her wondering how long it would last. “I missed you,” she whispered, her breath gazing against the skin of Willow’s wrist. “I spent so long wondering about you. I think everyone was as surprised as I was that I was p-productive because my mind was always on you, not the t-task at hand.”
“What have you been doing?” Willow ventured, allowing her hand to slip from Tara’s face and resting it, instead, over Tara’s hand on the counter top.
“I write,” she said simply, only adding on when she recognized the look on Willow’s face as one wanting more information. “I do features work for the newspaper as well as a magazine. In between articles, I pull shifts at the Magic Box and do research for Buffy. I spent a few years helping Buffy raise Dawn. She’s at college now, so mostly I write.”
Willow nodded. “Anything else?”
“Like what?” Tara queried.
“Like…socializing?”
Tara met Willow’s gaze, unable to keep from recognizing the question for what it really was. “I’m n-not seeing anyone, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Willow nodded before clearing her throat. “That leads me to my next question. Why are you really here?”
Tara took a deep breath, slipping her hand from underneath Willow’s and beginning to pace the spacious kitchen. “After something horrid happens in your life, you deal with it for as long you can before you come to the point where you let it consume you or you go out and get resolution,” she said, her stutters sliding away as the words rushed from her mouth. “I went back for you in Sunnydale to try to deal with everything but you weren’t there, so I couldn’t. And so all I’ve felt since right after we broke up has been stewing inside me for six years and… I think the reason I was in Buffy’s house unloading her boxes yesterday was because…well, if all these feelings had stewed inside me much longer I don’t know if I could have handled it…normally.”
Willow started to speak, not liking the image of Tara succumbing to anything dark. “Tara-“
Tara held up her hand, silencing her. “No… I would have done something that I would have regretted. And there’s a reason I was there this year…you’re the reason, Willow. I needed to know what had happened to you. I needed to know if you were alive or dead or all consumed by evil. And, honestly, I think there were points where I was so upset I thought you deserved whatever you got. B-but that’s not what I really felt. Or else I wouldn’t have well, almost blown up Buffy when I thought she had hid you from me,” Tara paused, smirking at the memory. “My desire to find you was fed on the hope that you’d be Ok. And…that maybe you’d…” she lost her voice, her words overcome with thickness of emotion.
“I’d what?” Willow gently proded, taking a tentative step towards Tara.
“I don’t know,” Tara whispered, shaking her head. “You’d be as lovable as when I left. And that you’d forgive me for abandoning you…and you’d tell me why Buffy gets Christmas presents and I don’t!!” she managed to choked out before collapsing into Willow’s arms with sobs racking her body.
“Shh…” Willow crooned, easing onto the floor and cradling Tara in her lap. She stroked Tara’s blonde hair, gently kissing her temple. Through her mind ran images of their relationship and smiled as she recalled how the duty of caretaker had been equally distributed. But for some reason, the sobbing blonde in her arms was providing as much comfort as she was receiving. Because you need to do this as much as she does, Willow’s psyche reminded her.
“Oh, Tara,” Willow uttered, kissing her friend’s temple again. “You don’t need to be forgiven.”
“I don’t?” Tara looked up through her red-rimmed eyes. Her face was tear-stained and damp from the tracks of moisture.
“No. You didn’t abandon me,” Willow said. “The thing that made me leave darkness…what pulled me out of all that evil wasn’t Buffy or what happened with Dawn. It was the fact that all the wonderful things that are Tara were lost to me unless I quit. Needing you as much as I did was what pulled me out of that, Tara. If you never left me, I would have never quit.”
Tara sniffled, pillowing her head on Willow’s shoulder and allowing her mind to mull over Willow’s words.
“And about those Christmas presents,” Willow continued gently. “How was I supposed to know where to ship them to? Or even that you’d go back to Sunnydale? I am many things, Ms. MaClay, but I am not an employee of the psychic friend’s network,” Willow felt Tara’s body shake with a chuckle and she ventured hesitantly further. “But…if you’re really want, I’ll come up with six-years of Christmas presents for you.”
Tara smiled, looking up at Willow. “And that t-takes care of my other worry,” she whispered, her fingers touching Willow’s chin. “You’re still as l-loveable as ever.”
A gentle blush flooded Willow’s cheeks and she rolled her eyes. “Sap.”
“Yeah,” Tara agreed with a nod. She shifted slightly and suddenly realized where she was sitting. “I’ve got to be squishing you.”
Willow shook her head. “Nope. You’re just where I want ya.”
It was Tara’s turn to roll her eyes and blush but despite Willow’s protest, she gently slid off her friend’s lap. “Breakfast was great. You’ve learned to cook really well.”
The redhead nodded slightly. “There’s no MacDonald’s here for breakfast every morning. I had to learn or starve,” she admitted. “I um…I can make eggs, too.”
“What kind of eggs?” Tara asked, a playful smirk gracing her lips.
“Sassy eggs are my specialty,” Willow replied. "But I only make those for special occasions."
“What kind of occasion?”
“Like when my best friend walks back into my life and offers me a hope of redemption,” Willow said. She stood, holding out a hand to Tara to help her off the floor. “Of course, since you already ate this morning, we’ll have to save the Sassy eggs for another time.”
Tara took the offered hand. “Darn. That’s too bad. Next time I’ll hold out for the sassy eggs.”
Willow smiled, feeling Tara’s fingers meet with hers. She helped her friend off the floor and they stood toe to toe for a minute before Willow cleared her throat, breaking the electricity-charged moment.
“I’ll help with the dishes,” Tara offered suddenly, moving to the sink.
“No. You’re a guest, Tara,” Willow said. “You don’t have to do chores.”
“But I want to, Will. That’s not fair to you.”
“It’s ok,” Willow replied with a gentle smile. “It’s almost eleven anyway…why don’t you slip some shoes on and we’ll head into town in a few minutes. I’ll call Bill and tell him he can come get started on the heaters while we’re out.”
Tara nodded somewhat hesitantly, honestly feeling as if she should help. “Ok,” she said. She smirked as she saw Willow stack all the dishes in the sink to soak. She’s got her own house and her own life. She’s really come along way, she thought to herself as she walked upstairs to find her shoes.
**********
by TashaR » Sat Jan 05, 2002 1:00 am
by Kerrison » Sat Jan 05, 2002 1:20 am
Can I just say thank goodness for the way Tara has turned out in this story? And Willow, too? They're both really strong women who are so sure of themselves and their lives and I'm very glad that's the way they chose to characterize themselves. (yeah, I know. I'm stupid, talking about the characters choosing themselves...blah blah blah. 1 padded cell, please.)
I digress.
Having two women as we do in this story is really rewarding for me.
Why?
Well because the smoochies are usually unexpected. They sure were in this story and they surprise the heck out of me and I'm about 4 chapters ahead of you guys!! haha.
None the less, I'm really happy you guys are enjoying this. I had hoped to have so much more posted and written prior to the holidays since that is the time of year this story takes place. I suppose it doesn't matter that much, though.
Uh...tell me if it does matter?????
Kerry
by xita » Sat Jan 05, 2002 2:38 am
And it's lovely to see them let go of the anger a bit, but I am wondering why didn't Willow ever think that Tara wouldn't come back to the scoobies, wasn't she ever curious enough about Tara to enquire about that?
by Jessie » Sat Jan 05, 2002 2:46 am
I look forward to your posting more. The feedback makes it so much easier to keep going ...
And, from the beta-er, you folks will like what's coming up. 
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"And how long have you known your girlfriend's Tinkerbell?"
by 'lucy' moore » Sat Jan 05, 2002 6:54 am
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fiat justitia,ruat caelum.
by cperrins1 » Sat Jan 05, 2002 7:08 am
Christina
by Charlie » Sat Jan 05, 2002 7:21 am
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‘When she lowers her eyes she seems to hold all the beauty in the world between her eyelids; when she raises them I see only myself in her gaze.’
- Natalie Clifford Barney
by tommo » Sat Jan 05, 2002 3:54 pm
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"Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one." she muttered... ~ Four Months After by Capt. Murdock
by Rane » Sat Jan 05, 2002 4:30 pm
by Kerrison » Mon Jan 07, 2002 10:43 pm
Note: Sorry it's been a while kitties. I've been trying to keep ahead of the posting and it's been a bit difficult. Why? Well now I'm back at school and job hunting. And my muse, apparently, got left behind at home. I think she like's tormenting my cat.
So.... hope this satisfies you all who have been waiting SO patiently.
Thanks for the generous feedback.
More so, thank you to Jess who is a constant companion and excellent friend. IF not for her, you all would not be reading this at all. My ideas and will to write had run dry long before this point yet she continues to astound me with her support.
To be trite and repetative: Thank you, Jess.
************
The ride to the store was quiet. Willow let Tara drive, hoping it would help the other woman feel more in control of everything going on. Directions to town were polite but not wordy as Tara remembered most of the way from her drive in the previous night.
Willow noticed a distinct lack of confidence in Tara’s body posture when they exited the car they had parked the car near the small bank. “S’matter?” she asked quietly. “You look…uncomfortable.”
Tara’s nod was almost indiscernible as they strolled casually up the sidewalk. “Everyone knows you here. It’s such as small town.”
“And?” Willow prodded.
Tara opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as a very petite elderly lady waved at her. “Yooo hooo!” the woman hollered, a few paces up the sidewalk, heading towards them at a speedy shuffle.
“Oh, Goddess,” Tara breathed just as Willow managed to recognize the woman.
“Mrs.Triton?”
“There you are, my dear,” the elderly lady said, speaking to Tara. “Hello, Willow, darling,” she spoke, turning briefly to the red-head.
“Good morning, Mrs. Triton,” Willow said politely, glancing curiously between the old woman and her friend.
“I was a bit worried about you in that horrid storm last evening. But I’m glad to see you found your friend, dear,” Mrs. Triton said, not differentiating to whom the statement was addressed.
“Um…Thank you…” Tara started, her cheeks tinged with only the faintest touch of blush.
“She was standing in the downpour last evening, Willow darling, just staring into the windows of your store,” the woman remarked to Willow. “I was on my way back from the hardware store and I stopped and asked what was the matter. She said she was looking for an old friend.”
Willow nodded politely. “Really?”
“Why, yes, dear. Of course I’d recognized the look on her face even if I was as blind as my doctor says I should be at my age. Someone that love sick really needs to mend their heart, if you don’t mind me saying,” Mrs. Triton ventured, hushing the last sentence out of proprieties.
Willow smirked at the entire situation and caught Tara wincing in embarrassment.
Mrs. Triton continued, oblivious to the reaction of the two women. “It seems that you were able to do just that, Willow darling. And a good thing, too, dear; you’ve been alone in this town far too long. I’m glad to see you finally happy and courting someone. Of course Paul will be none to pleased with this development in your love-life, I tell you,” she said. “Well, I can rest a bit now, knowing you made it safely out all that way. Horrible storm last night, I tell you. Horrible.”
“Mrs. Triton, thank you for looking after her,” Willow said around a smile she cast at Tara…a very embarrassed and stunned Tara. “I’ll have Elsa drop off some bottles of your favorite lavender hand lotion, though I can’t begin to repay you.”
The woman beamed under Willow’s expression of gratitude. “My dear, while only a fool would turn down anything of yours, the only repayment I need, I’ve already got. You two are darling. Darling, I say!” she said, shuffling off down the street as she made the last two declarations.
Willow turned after the older woman. “I’ll have her drop it off none the less, Mrs. Triton. Have a lovely day!” The redhead sighed, turning to Tara who looked at her stunned. “What?”
“Where d-did that quaint-town-Willow come from? I feel like I just watched you turn into Anne of Green Gables!” she said, her expression unreadable. “And who’s this Paul who’s concerned about your love-life?”
Willow smirked. “That was quaint-town-Willow you just saw. Customer service in a small town is straight out of the early 1900’s,” she admitted, shrugging. “And Paul is the UPS man who’s been hitting on me since I moved here. Apparently half the town is under the impression he and I are dating. But that nasty rumor will be stomped out within the hour, I’d say, thanks to Mrs. Triton,” she said, chuckling at the idea of the kind old lady spreading the news of Willow courting a girl.
“The UPS man hits on you?” Tara asked, trying not to laugh.
“Yep,” Willow replied, turning a corner and spotting her shop on the next block. “Sad, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. C-considering the UPS lady hits on me.”
“What?” Willow asked, laughing at the thought. “It’s a conspiracy.”
Tara chuckled. “I think the only way to get her to stop will be to have my g-girlfriend be overprotective.”
“I can do that,” Willow nodded, without thinking. As soon as she realized what she said, she stopped in her tracks. “Sorry.”
Tara smiled. “It’s ok. Nothing I wasn’t thinking,” she admitted shyly.
Willow cocked an eyebrow at the comment before accepting the words for all that they were and continuing the last few steps to the shop.
“When’s your next UPS delivery at the store?” Tara asked quietly.
Willow smiled. “I think I’m supposed to get a shipment of bottles in today.” A white picket fence ran around the perimeter of the store’s property. The entire edge of the lawn had been turned into garden-space with various herb and flowerbeds ready for springtime. Winter plants were growing in full force, despite the warm unseasonably weather as of late. The whitewashed exterior of the shop contrasted pleasantly with the green plants surrounding it.
Tara stood for a second, regarding the building. “The weather last night didn’t … I mean… it’s a lot prettier in the sunlight…today,” she stumbled over her words until Willow reached out and opened the latch to the fence’s small garden-gate.
Willow nodded, letting Tara precede her onto the property.
After only a few steps Tara turned around to face her friend. “Willow?” getting a raised eyebrow in silent reply from the redhead. “D-does the UPS man…I mean…do you…does he bother you?” Tara asked suddenly, bringing up the topic for the second time.
Willow frowned. “Well, he’s never rude, but…why?”
Tara shook her head. “Nothing,” she managed to utter before reaching for the handle of the store.
“But…” Willow started, stopping quickly and sighing. She waved hello at Elsa who was happily stocking shelves. “Elsa, this is my friend Tara. Tara, this is my assistant, Elsa,” Willow said, making the introductions as painless as possible.
“Pleased to meet you,” both women said as they shook hands quickly.
Tara smiled, looking around the store. “It’s really nice, Willow,” she said, smiling supportively at her friend.
“Wanna see the rest?” Willow offered as she led Tara past a small doorway. “That’s my workroom. All of the products get made in there,” she explained, pointing to the door. They stepped out into an alcove in the back where bottles and labels were stored on shelving and beyond was the back door. “There’s a garden back there,” Willow gestured out the rear window.
Tara gazed around, her eyes taking everything in. “It’s really nice, Willow,” she repeated.
"It's small, I know," Willow started. "But it's hard enough to keep up with all this work. I'd be working non-stop if I got a bigger shop and-" her words were stilled by the sudden touch of flesh to her mouth.
Tara gently removed her babble-preventing finger from over Willow's lips. "I really like it," she said again. "Honest."
"Good." Willow nodded when her lips were released from the pleasant touch. She cleared her throat. "Elsa?" she called, turning and heading down the hall towards the front of the store again.
The petite blonde assistant turned from packing a box. "Yes?"
"Would you mind running a lavender gift basket over to Mrs. Triton?" she asked politely, hearing Tara's footsteps halt at the door jam.
"Not a problem," Elsa replied, sealing up the box and setting it on one of the countertops. "Paul's on his way over to pick this up and deliver our last shipment of bottles."
Willow nodded. "That's great, thank you," she said before smiling. "Take the rest of the day off, Elsa. It's the holidays."
The blonde smiled. "I will, thank you," she said, pulling a lavender gift basket off a shelf and grabbing her purse from behind the counter. "Happy holidays. Oh, and it was lovely to meet you," she said to Tara before taking the basket and heading out the front door with a smile on her face, the bell which hung over the door, ringing as it shut behind her.
Willow grinned, leaning her back against the cash register's counter, facing Tara. "We can close up after my delivery gets here," she said softly.
Tara nodded. "Are you sure? I can…go entertain myself or something if you want to stay and…well…whatever with …whomever."
"No. I'd rather spend my time with you," Willow replied, reaching a tentative hand out to wards Tara.
She watched the other woman waver between nerves and desire before she felt Tara's fingers touch her own. Willow gently pulled Tara's hand towards her, causing the blonde to step closer to Willow until they were almost toe-to-toe.
Willow cleared her throat lightly, looking up at her companion. "I need to say something and it's going to sound crazy."
Tara nodded, her hand in Willow's comfortably. "Ok."
"I feel like I'm on this rickety, shadowy bridge. And below me is all the loneliness and sadness I had before I opened the door last night. And all I can think about right now is how with one wrong step and you're gone and I'm falling back down," she said quickly, her eyes cast down to the floor. "And as much as I would really like to just kiss you until we pass out from lack of oxygen, I can't help but think that it could be a wrong step. I mean, I've waited this long so I can keep waiting, right? But what if it's not the wrong step?" Willow babbled, not even seeing Tara move slightly more towards her. "What if waiting to kiss you is the wrong step? What if telling you all of this is the wrong step?"
"Willow?" Tara whispered, squeezing Willow's hand.
Green eyes met a pair of gentle brown ones. "You're not going to fall," Tara whispered, catching Willow's face in her soft hands. "You're not going to fall," she said again. "I won't let you."
"But-" Willow started, cut off by the sound of the front door's bell.
“Happy Holidays, Ms. Rosenberg,” a male called, pulling his package-laden dolly through the doorway.
Willow closed her eyes and forced a few deep breaths to prevent a frustrated scream of rage from knocking Paul’s head off.
“Hi Paul,” She managed to say, looking up and finding Tara’s annoyed expression rather amusing. Willow turned around and mentally noted how Tara didn’t change her close-proximity a millimeter.
“I have your delivery,” the man said, making bashful eye contact with Willow.
“Great, thank you,” Willow said simply, motioning for him to unload the boxes in the back. “You know where they go.”
Tara stepped closer, her hand resting tentatively on Willow’s back, though neither of them commented on it.
When the brown-uniform clad worker re-appeared, he looked flustered at the box on the counter. “Is that going to Ms. Halloway in Geriston?” he asked, motioning to the box.
“Sure is,” Willow said simply, reaching for the clipboard to sign for the parcels. “Thanks, Paul.”
“Anytime,” the man replied, taking his clipboard back, having loaded the small package onto his dolly. “Um, Ms. Rosenberg, do you think that maybe you’d be free to go to the office party this weekend?”
Willow sighed, mentally rolling her eyes. “No, thank you,” she said, but when she opened her mouth and began to elaborate, she felt Tara’s hand move from her back to her upper ribs, next to her breast. The hand was clearly visible to Paul and she watched his face turn a bit redder as he noticed Tara’s groping.
“I’ll go unpack the boxes,” Tara said, her breath tickling Willow’s ear.
Willow turned her head to raise an amused and questioning eyebrow at Tara. Before she could say anything, her lips were treated to a possessive peck from Tara.
“Come get me when you’re done here,” the blonde continued when they parted. She smiled softly at Willow and turned, heading back to the storage shelves without another word.
Willow smirked, composing herself very quickly and turning back to the UPS driver.
Paul simply stood there, his mouth open and his face beet read. “Um…”
“Thanks for asking, Paul,” Willow said, trying to prevent a gleeful smirk from taking over her lips. “But I have other plans.”
The man nodded. “Happy Holidays, Ms. Rosenberg,” he said again, turning and walking quickly back to his truck outside, his gait that of a very stunned man.
Willow snickered as soon as the door closed behind him, rubbing her face with one hand to rid it of its stunned blush.
She walked to the door, flipping the sign to ‘closed’ and locking the door. Her footsteps were silent down the hall as she walked towards the storage alcove.
“That was an effective way to shut him up,” she said quietly to Tara.
The blonde shrugged, remaining silent as she continued to pull the bottles from the box and place them gently on the storage shelves.
Willow frowned, sensing something definitely off in her friend’s demeanor. “So, what was that?” she asked quickly, stepping over and helping unload the box. “Was that you helping me get rid of my unwanted admirer or was it you kinda staking your claim on me to ward off future affections from people who aren’t you?” she asked, preventing babbling mode by a deep breath.
Tara’s old habit of hiding her face behind her hair took hold and when she finally did answer Willow’s questions, her face was almost completely obscured. “Both?”
“Is that a question?” Willow asked, reaching out and tipping Tara’s face up to meet her own. “Because I’d really like to know if the only way I’m going to get kisses from you is if it’s to make the UPS driver jealous,” Willow paused and offered a small smile. “I’ll start sending a hell of a lot more packages.”
“You d-don’t have to,” Tara said.
“I don’t?” Willow asked, moving the box out of the way with her foot as she moved a step closer to Tara, the other woman not backing off.
“No,” Tara replied in a breath, one of her hands settling on Willow’s waist.
They moved together without another word, their lips meeting in a hesitant but emotional kiss that brought tears to Tara’s eyes. When they parted, Willow rested her forehead against Tara’s and gently used her thumb to wipe away the moisture from Tara’s tears.
“I missed that too much,” Willow whispered, breaking the silence.
“I know what you mean,” Tara said, a small chuckle of irony shaking her shoulders as she blinked back another onslaught of tears.
“We should do it more often,” the redhead continued.
Tara smiled. “We should.”
Willow smirked and pulled back for a minute, a teasing look on her face. “I should go find a Postal worker. Maybe that’ll convince you to slip me some tongue. Or maybe a Fed-Ex driver will get you assertive enough to just growl “Mine” at him before molesting me on the counter.”
Tara balked for a second before dissolving into a fit of giggles, leaning her head on Willow’s shoulder as she laughed. “We don’t need an audience for that to happen,” she managed to whisper before turning her head and nibbling on Willow’s neck quickly.
“Dangerous actions considering where you come from, Ms. Maclay,” Willow said breathily, smiling when the affection stopped and Tara, though blushing, regarded her fondly.
Tara smirked, clearing her throat and trying to change the topic politely. “What were your plans for the day?”
“Um, showing you the shop and…punching bag for Buffy,” Willow replied honestly.
“We should do that whole punching bag thing, then,” Tara said with a nod. “Do you want to finish unpacking this now?” she asked, motioning to the box of empty bottles.
Willow shook her head. “It’ll wait.”
Tara smiled again, lacing her fingers through Willow’s as they headed through the shop and out the front door.
Willow locked it behind them and held out her hand somewhat timidly only to have it readily taken up by Tara’s strong grasp. They walked down the street, neither saying anything, merely enjoying this re-emerging dimension to their relationship.
**********
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"Life is eternal. It has no beginning and no end. The loving friends we meet on our journey return to us time after time. We never die because we were never really born."
by AutumnT » Mon Jan 07, 2002 11:36 pm
Thanks again for this story.
Autumn
by xita » Tue Jan 08, 2002 1:35 am
The eyes thing is quite common, the first time I caught Amber at the bronze, it was early on before who are you and I wasn't sure what the color of her eyes was. I asked her like 3 times till she answered me, I had always thought they were blue but you know I wasn't sure.
by mollyig » Tue Jan 08, 2002 3:29 am
Kerrison, wonderful story.
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"But children robbed of love will dwell on magic"
Barbara Kingsolver - Animal Dreams
by Charlie » Tue Jan 08, 2002 10:01 am
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‘When she lowers her eyes she seems to hold all the beauty in the world between her eyelids; when she raises them I see only myself in her gaze.’
- Natalie Clifford Barney
by Kerrison » Tue Jan 08, 2002 11:37 am
Jess told me about the eyes.
I changed it.
Apparently I didn't save it.
Dumb me.
by Katharyn » Tue Jan 08, 2002 11:49 am
Katharyn
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She's my always
by tommo » Tue Jan 08, 2002 2:48 pm
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"Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one." she muttered... ~ Four Months After by Capt. Murdock
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