Author: jadeo0
Disclaimer: This ain’t mine. None of it. Except for the hottie, Julian. Oh, and the can of pop beside me.
Spoilers: Season 5 – This is set about 4 years after “The Body”
Pairings: W/T
Feedback: Liked it? Didn't like it? I don't care. Just tell me why.
Summary: A promise that Tara made in her teenage years is coming back to get her.
Rating: PG-13 – R, it depends, but I’ll give warning
Notes: As this is set in the future, and branches off from canon after Joyce dies, we’ll assume that Glory/Ben was defeated, and Dawn was saved in time at the tower. So Buffy lives, and life goes on with the slayage until Valentine’s Day, 2006.
Warning: There is slight (might I stress that word) T/Other in this - but it's more of an unrequited love thing.
A Promise Once Made
Part One
New York City, Valentine’s Day, 1996
“You look beautiful, Tara.” Julian gently kissed the palm of the blonde’s hand. The two of them sat on a park bench, huddled together for warmth. Anyone walking by would have thought that they were just another couple celebrating a special day…but the reasons that they were here differed in such a way. Nobody would have expected it to happen. They were the social outcasts at school, but somehow, they’d found each other in their loneliness. On the first day of Junior High, Tara had clumsily crashed into Julian…and made her first true friend. Julian was an introverted, thoughtful boy who made sure he was left alone, while Tara was a shy, stuttering, second-handed clothing girl. They found solace in the other’s company, sharing a strong bond of friendship.
Eventually, Julian had fallen deeply in love with his friend, and although it had taken him a while, and one day found the courage to ask her out on a coffee date. Tara, who felt that Julian was the brother she had never had, knew how Julian felt, and although the feeling wasn’t reciprocated, couldn’t find it in her to turn him down. So at the beginning of their high school careers, Julian and Tara began to “go out.”
“You know,” Julian began, “it’s been almost half a year since we started going out…”
“I-I-It’s b-been g-great,” Tara replied. She couldn’t help but feel relieved – perhaps he would break up with her? This charade had been going on too long. She didn’t love him the way he loved her…
“I wanna ask you something, Tara. And I don’t know how you’re going to feel about this, but um, bear with me, ok?” He shifted nervously on the bench. What he had planned had to happen now. Otherwise, he’d never get another chance.
“W-What is it?”
“Tara Maclay, will you marry me?”
Sunnydale, New Year’s Day, 2006
“Tara Maclay, will you marry me?” Willow stared up into the blonde’s blue eyes. “Will you be my wife?” The ring box that she extended had been popped open, revealing a perfectly cut diamond, set on a gold band.
“Will…” Tara raised a hand to her mouth as tears of happiness and surprise began to fall. “Oh Goddess, Will…” She shook her head in disbelief.
“Y-you can think about it first if you want to,” said Willow, slowly standing up. “It’s not like you have to answer right away. A-and if you say no, uh, that’s fine too! Maybe we’re just not ready, maybe this just came too quickly, may-“
She was cut off by Tara’s lips on hers, silencing all word or thought going on inside the redhead.
“So I’ll take that as a yes?” Willow grinned dreamily as Tara seductively interlaced their fingers, beckoning to begin the more private celebration of their engagement.
~*~
“You’re getting married?” Dawn squealed excitedly, first jumping on Tara, then Willow. “You’re getting married. You’re getting married! Married! Married!”
“Yeah, Dawnie…we’re getting married.” Tara smiled and relaxed into Willow, dropping a hot kiss on her shoulder. “Married,” she whispered, almost reverently. It was so new, this feeling, knowing that the person she was holding on to was going to be with her for the rest of her life. “I love you.”
I love you always, Willow mouthed, leaning over to capture her fiancée’s lips.
“Oooooooh!” Dawn jumped again, clapping her hands together. “When’d this happen?”
“L-last night,” said Tara.
“Right after the big date?” Dawn looked at Willow, who winked back at her. The redhead had been hinting to Dawn that she had had something big planned for Tara…but not on this scale. But indeed, a good scale it was, and the delirious happiness that emanated from the two witches gave Dawn such an all-was-well feeling. “I knew you were going to do something!”
“Yup.” Willow nodded, once again kissing her fiancée, then gently rubbing their noses together. “Took her to the restaurant, then after dessert, proposed. Uh huh…” She was having trouble forming coherent sentences at the moment, mostly because of the hand stroking her thigh.
“You guys are so cool!” Dawn jumped in between Tara and Willow, breaking off any chance of Willow succumbing to the blonde’s tempting. “And I’m gonna be your official wedding planner.” A wide grin appeared on her face.
“Well, you see, Dawnie…” Tara shifted slightly in order to accommodate the slim teenager. “W-we were kinda planning on having a really small ceremony…just the Scoobies and us somewhere private in the woods…”
“But you could do some, you know, organizing for us if you really wanted to…”
Note: There’s a nod to CN Winter’s “Show Me” here.
Part Two
Sunnydale, Valentine’s Day, 2006
“Sweetie, do you really have to work today?” Tara pouted over-dramatically from her position on the bed, amidst all of her textbooks. “I-I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day! You could do with some rest…you’ve been working so hard lately.”
“Baby, if I come to you, the last thing I’ll get is rest.” Really, Willow did want to not work today, but starting a company was hard work, and even now, after months of hard work, her toil was just beginning to bear fruit.
“Please?” With a seductive sway in her hips, Tara slinked over to Willow’s desk and began to massage her shoulders at an achingly slow pace. “I’ll make it w-worth your while…” She dropped a teasing kiss in between Willow’s shoulder blades.
“Uhhh...” Willow moaned, unconsciously relaxing into Tara. “J-just let me finish this little bit.” Lately, Tara seemed to be so unrestrained…as if she needed Willow to prove to her that she loved her with all her heart. It wasn’t like she was complaining, but Tara’s behaviour was just slightly out of character. But when she’d asked the blonde if something was wrong, Tara hadn’t known – and had been completely honest. She just insisted that she wanted – needed – to be loved.
“But I need you now.” Tara halted her exploration of Willow’s stress points, disappointedly storming back to the bed, and throwing herself down with a huff. When Willow didn’t respond, Tara began to sob.
And that got Willow’s attention. She hated seeing her baby cry. Immediately, she was by Tara’s side, gently stroking the blonde’s hair. “Baby, don’t cry! Willow’s here to make it better.”
At once, Tara stopped her pretense and grabbed Willow’s shoulders, rolling her over until the blonde was straddling the redhead. “I knew t-that would do it.” Her lips curled up into a lazy half-grin as she leaned down to meet her fiancée’s. “It works every time.”
“Vixen,” Willow grunted, pulling Tara down to her as the notion of work was thrown out the window. As both were still naked from just getting out of bed a mere half hour ago, the barrier of clothing wasn’t present.
“Mmmmm…” Tara moaned against Willow’s mouth as the redhead’s hands began to massage her breasts, her fingers rolling over the nubs until they began to perk up.
Meanwhile, Tara’s hands had begun to travel down Willow’s body, pausing at the glistening red curls –
Bzzz. Bzzz.
A flurry of motion broke loose as indecision took reign. “S-someone’s at the door – “ “Buffy’ll answer it, baby – “ “No, no, we’ve gotta go…no, no, keep doing that –“
But the buzzing didn’t stop. Bzzz. Bzzz. Finally, Willow willed herself to pull a robe on, much to the chagrin of Tara, and pad downstairs to answer the door.
“Make it quick,” she groaned, as she swung open the door. Who was this? Dawnie’s new boyfriend? A tall man in his early twenties stood outside the door, just taking off his shades.
“I’m looking for a Tara Maclay. Um, does she live here?”
To be continued!
Edited to add: just a few changes to the story info.
jess
Dulce est amor.
Can't wait until the next update hope its soon
Love sammi xx 
him?
Love sammi xx 
GRR because of the cliffhanger, then I saw the next chapter and was with the WOOHOO's. But now, another 'hanger??? You meanie, heehee 
. Anyway, can't wait to see what is in store. Great job, Jess. Wanna see more soon, please, 
at: 1/24/04 6:55 pm