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Happily Ever After
Chapters 1 - 5
1. Return To Sunnydale
The blonde paced the living room nervously, wringing her hands then balling them into fists before dropping them to her
side and repeating the process all over again. She had received a phone call two days before with some hugely unexpected news.
It had been almost 15 years since she had last seen Willow Rosenberg and so much had happened in that time, she imaged that
they had both changed considerably in that time.
Her mind wandered back to a time when they had laughed and joked at Sunnydale
High — on one of the rare occasions that they weren't being attacked by some creature of the darkness or fighting one
of 'themselves' in some incarnation or the other.
The sun had been shining and they were sitting in the courtyard or the
school campus drinking sodas and discussing their futures, Willow had always known that she was destined for higher things
and life in Sunnydale was far too risky for her, what with the vampires and demons that leapt out in the night. She had briefly
paddled in the pool of witchcraft but had found it almost impossible to progress without guidance and had given it up to follow
her dream and be successful.
As the blonde completed her 7th circuit of the downstairs of her home, the front door
crashed open to reveal a young man, his ever present grin forcing her to momentarily forget her nerves and smile. "Buffy?"
he called, "Is she here yet??" The young man bounced on the balls of his feet, his delight in being reunited with his oldest
and dearest friend was clearly written over his face. Buffy shook her head and began wringing her hands again. "Oh Xander,
what if it's weird and she doesn't remember us or we've changed so much we can't all get on again...." Xander Harris raised
his hand in a submissive gesture, putting a halt to the barrage of words that assaulted his ears. "It's Willow, Buff!" he
stated simply, "She'll always be Willow and we'll always get on!!" His tone left no argument in the blondes mind and she grinned.
"Shame Dawn's not here to meet her!" she said finally.
Xander looked confused, "And how exactly were you planning on explaining
her to Willow?" he asked. "Hey Willow, nice to see you again. This is Dawn, she's my sister but she used to be a big ball
of world destroying energy, how've ya been?" he played the entire seen out in front of the Slayer, before slapping himself
in the end to punctuate the final words. Buffy laughed despite herself, "Yeah, I guess you're right, she has been out of the
loop for a while!" she giggled as Xander headed into the kitchen, apparently his excitement hadn't killed his appetite and
he returned a few minutes later with a sandwich large enough to feed a small country and a large blob of peanut butter on
his cheek.
"So," he began through the mouthful of sandwich, "When's she arriving?" His question forced Buffy's nerves
back to the foreground and she began pacing again. "She said she'd be here about five, depending on how things went with her
parents." Buffy replied, casting a glance at the clock that told her that Willow was due in about fifteen minutes. Xanders
gaze also settled on the timepiece and he grinned, dropping bits of his sandwich from his lips onto his shoe as he began bouncing
around again.
"Wow!" Tara breathed as she wrapped her arm around Willow's waist, "That was intense!" she smiled
sweetly at her fiancée as the walked slowly down the path to Willows convertible that was parked in the street. Willow hung
her head, the meeting with her parents had gone more or less as she'd expected. Her father demanding that she have a full
and proper Jewish ceremony while her mother sat and cried into her brandy. She remained silent as the got into the car, Tara
reached over and caught her hands between her own. "Baby? Are you ok?" she asked, her voice soft and velvety and caressing
the senses and soul of the redhead. Willow looked up at her slowly, "yeah, I guess." she replied, "it's just, well, my folks
have a tendency to take over and I don't want them to make this all about them and why did we even have to tell them? I knew
it would be a bad idea and......" Tara cut her off, while she found Willow babbling one of the cutest things in the world,
this bout was heading for tears. "You'd only have regretted not telling them. They are your parents after all!" Tara told
her softly before leaning in and placing a small kiss on the soft lips of her partner.
The contact immediately calmed
Willow and as they parted she felt as though everything in her life and resumed its correct place. "You're right!" she said,
flashing Tara her best smile, as she started the car and pulled away "You always are!"
After a brief tour of where
Willow had grown up, the car came to a stop outside a large house with a carefully kept front yard and a large tree that provided
a welcome shade from the sunshine. Willow took a few deep breathes and stared up at the house.
She hadn't been here in
15 years and when she left she had promised to keep in touch, as happens after high school, but she had gotten so involved
in her work and her new life that she had neglected to maintain her friendships with both Buffy and Xander. She fought to
remember the last time she had been here before the memory filled her mind, it had been 12 years ago for Joyce Summers' funeral.
The days events still brought a tear to her eye and she wiped at it softly. Since that day she had sworn to herself that she
would keep in contact and call her old friends at least once a week, which she had for almost a whole year, then the calls
became fewer and farther between before they had dried up altogether. When was the last time she had spoken to Buffy before
she called to tell her about her trip to Sunnydale? Willow couldn't remember.
"Are you sure you want to do this today?"
Tara asked as she read the expression on Willow's face. Her voice broke into Willows thoughts and she smiled weakly, "We're
here now," she said, trying to sound upbeat and cheerful, "We should strike while the irons hot!" With that she swung open
the door and stepped from the car, meeting Tara on the pavement.
As they were halfway up the path, the front door crashed
open and the familiar figure of Xander Harris stood briefly in the doorway before he came charging down the path and sweeping
Willow off her feet, swinging her around and laughing. As he allowed her feet to touch terra firma once again, his goofy grin
made Tara giggle. "Hey Willow!" he grinned, "Don't mean to sound grandma, but you don't call, you don't write, where's the
love??" She grinned back at him, despite having not seen the man for over a decade, he hadn't change in the slightest. "I
missed you too, Xander." she told him as she reached up on tip toes to give him a kiss. They walked up to the house in a flurry
of giggles and gentle pokes in the ribs, leaving Tara bemused and laughing to follow on behind.
As the women arrived
in the house, Buffy emerged from the kitchen with a jug of lemonade and some glasses on a tray. After setting it down she
wrapped Willow in a bear hug and grinned at her friend. "Oh Willow, how are you?" she said eventually, although it was clear
from the redheads appearance that she was doing just great. Tara stood in the doorway, feeling suddenly nervous and uninvited.
Hanging on the threshold, she cleared her throat noisily, drawing the attention of the group who were sinking back into a
pattern that had been formed by true and everlasting friendship.
Willow had never really spoken about her life before
L.A and Tara had been unsure of what to expect from her old friends and Willow's family.
Willow rushed to her and entwined
her fingers around the blondes, pulling her into the house in the process. "Guys, " she said as she followed them into the
living room, "This is Tara, Tara, this is Buffy and Xander!" she gestured to each one in turn. Tara shook hands with both
Buffy and Xander and smiled sweetly. "We're getting married!" Willow blurted out once everyone had been introduced and taken
a seat. Xander spat out the mouthful of lemonade in a fine mist in front of him. "Married?" he asked, his face bearing the
surprise and astoundment that both he and Buffy were feeling, "To each other?" he finished, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
Tara giggled, even though his reaction was pretty intense, it was clear that he wasn't against the idea. Buffy's reaction
was harder to gage, she sat in silence, staring at the women before her. "Wow, Will, that's... Wow!" she said finally as she
rose to her feet and crossed the small expanse between them to stand before Willow. A huge grin spread warmly over her face
and Willow got to her feet, "Congratulations!" Buffy beamed, wrapping Willow in yet another bear hug before dragging Tara
to her feet and hugging her too. "Yeah, well obviously, congratulations!" Xander said following Buffy's lead and hugging the
women affectionately.
Both sighing a relieved sigh, Willow and Tara sat back down and began retelling the story of
how they met and the plans they had for the wedding.
2. Giggles In The Darkness
"And now, here we are." Willow concluded. It had taken most of the night for the group
to catch up on their goings on over the past 12 years and now, they finally thought they were caught up. "I can't believe
you're getting married...... and to a woman!" Xander said again, all night he had been staring at Willow and Tara and no doubt
imagining what it was they got up to behind closed doors.
Both Willow and Tara rolled their eyes at him... again. "So,"
Buffy said, eager to break into Xander's thought before her started drooling once more. "Where are you staying?" Willow and
Tara looked at each other, Willow had figured that they'd get a B+B or something but, for once, she had neglected to book
it before their arrival. "Erm," Tara looked up at the clock. "Wow, it's late." she looked to Willow who looked just as alarmed
about the rapidly diminishing hours. "Oh god, it's so late. I... We..... I" she began. Buffy took to her feet, "Well that's
settled then, you'll stay here!" she told them as she collected up the pizza boxes and rubbish from the table. "Really, are
you sure?" Willow asked as she reached for the glasses that punctuated the screwed up napkins. "W-we don't want to intrude."
Tara added. Buffy grinned at them warmly, "It's no intrusion, I'd like you to stay." she said as she headed for the kitchen,
"Besides, where else are you going to find that's free, clean, with friends and open at this hour of the night?" The group
laughed as they carried their crockery into the kitchen.
On return to the lounge, Xander yawned and stretched. "Well
ladies, I better be making moves." he said as he heaved himself off the floor and stretched again. "I gotta go to work in
the morning." Hugging each woman on his way to the door, he pulled it open and turned back to grin once more at Willow and
Tara. "Congratulations!" he said again before heading out into the night.
Willow tried to stifle her own yawn, the journey
had been longer than she'd planned for and the heat on the freeway had tired her out, that and the emotional reunions of the
day had proved to be more than enough. "You two can take my old room." Buffy said when she saw the tiredness creeping over
Willow's features. "I'll get our bags." Tara said, rising slowly to her feet, "Keys please sweetie?" Willow looked up at her
with heavy lidded eyes and dug around in her jeans pocket for the car keys. "Put the roof up please baby?" she asked as Tara
headed for the car. Turning back, she smiled at the sleepy redhead and disappeared into the night.
"Are you happy?"
Buffy asked suddenly, taking Willow by surprise and forcing her eyes open. "Happy?" she echoed, "All my life, I've never been
happier. Not a day goes by when I'm not thankful for finding Tara." she told the Slayer. Buffy grinned at her, it was obvious
from the emotion that poured from her friend that she had found true and everlasting love. Without another word, Buffy pulled
the woman into her arms and hugged her. "That's what matters." she whispered.
Tara pushed the door open and saw the old
friends in a hug, as they pulled back she could see Willows eyes were full and she wondered what could possibly have happened
to make Willow tearful. "I'm back." she said simply causing Willow to jump slightly. Buffy leapt from the coffee table, where
she had been previously sitting and wrapped Tara in a hug similar to the one she had witnessed on her re-arrival. "Thank you."
Buffy whispered into her ear as they hugged. "What for?" Tara replied, careful to keep her voice low, the confusion wrinkling
her forehead. "Making Willow so very happy. I might not see or hear from her as often as I'd like, but I really worry about
her!" Buffy told her, her words turning Tara's confusion into pure joy. As they pulled away from each other, they shared a
knowing grin before Tara crossed the room to Willow. Taking her hand, she pulled the redhead into her arms and the pair followed
Buffy upstairs where she guided them to their room, leaving their bags just inside the doorway. "Sweet dreams." Buffy said
as she closed the door softly behind her.
Willow sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off her boots before fetching
her bag and searching for her toothbrush. Tara had slipped out of her clothes and was padding around the room in her underwear
when a soft knock broke the silence. "Can I come in, I forgot to leave you towels?" Buffy called. "Erm, hang on a sec." Tara
replied, grabbing her nightshirt and throwing it over her head. "Ok."
Buffy slipped into the room and crossed to the desk,
placing the towels down she smiled once more. "I left the bathroom door open so you don't have to search for it." she told
Tara before leaving. Both women smiled their thanks as Buffy left. Willow had found her toothbrush and was heading for the
door when Tara slipped back out of her nightshirt and then, slowly, her underwear. "Don't be long!" she purred to Willow as
she slid the soft black panties down her legs suggestively. "Yes ma'am!" Willow replied with a wicked grin.
Tara crawled
under the covers, the room was airy and reasonably cool but she still felt too warm so kicked all but a sheet to the foot
of the bed. Willow reappeared minutes later and grinned at the sight before her. The sheet arranged to cover Tara but leave
plenty of her body to see. She licked her lips as she dumped her wash things on the side before stepping out of her clothes
and stretching. "It's disgusting how much I love you!" she giggled and crossed the room to slide into bed beside her fiancée.
Tara smiled sweetly, her hand sliding up Willows naked back and caressing the soft skin at the nape of her neck. Willow moaned
softly into the kiss as her own hands mirrored Tara perfectly. As they parted, Tara's smoky blue eyes swam with mischief and
she leant in to kiss Willows neck, eliciting more giggles and moans from her. "We shouldn't, what about Buffy?" Willow said
as Tara's lips continued kissing and occasionally nipping the sensitive flesh. "I could ask her to join us?" Tara said, pulling
back to look Willow firmly in the eyes, her playful tone and mischievous grin lighting up her beautiful face. Willow erupted
into fits of giggles which she tried desperately to hush with a pillow.
In her room, Buffy heard one of the ladies
return to the room after using the bathroom and was trying hard to block out the sounds of giggling that were now emerging.
Part of her wanted to be happy, the sounds of love and happiness that filled the house, warmed her heart and gave her hope,
the other part was a little grossed out. Willow had been her best friend throughout high school and now, here she was in her
house making out with another woman. Something about that thought made Buffy feel a little nauseous, it wasn't that Willow
was in love with a woman, that much she was sure of, it was that Willow was making out, period! "Some things I just don't
need to know!" she whispered into the night before burying her head under the pillow and singing some random song in her head.
Wrapped up in Tara's arms, Willow felt safe, she knew the history of Sunnydale and that the things that went bump
in the night were generally bad, but in Tara's arms she could forget all of it. The memories of her old life, of the geeky,
unpopular girl she had been when she left, the struggles she'd had with her parents, and her sexuality, and the memories of
Oz all faded away when she was in Tara's embrace. From behind her she could feel Tara's breath tickling her neck and she pressed
back into the woman she loved, "Are you ok?" Tara whispered, Willow had given her reasons for not wanting to return to Sunnydale,
but Tara couldn't help but think she had left some details out. "I'm always ok when I'm with you." Willow whispered, her eyelids
drooping heavily as Tara kissed her neck softly. "I love you, Willow." she said between kisses, drawing another soft moan
from her before sleep rapidly engulfed Willow.
Tara lay awake for a long while, watching her partner sleep was one
of her guilty pleasures, a secret that she had never shared with anyone, even Willow. Absently she gently stroked the taut
stomach of her lover as she watched her eyelids flicker, a clear indication that she was dreaming. Willow mumbled something
into the darkness and Tara strained her ears to try and make out the words. Willow fidgeted, her head shaking from side to
side as she continued dream talking. "No!" Willow mumbled, her arms pushing Tara's hand away as her fidgeting grew into something
more like thrashing, "No, I can't!" she told the room, "I'm leaving, I have to be away."
Tara pulled back, suddenly cautious
and unsure of what to do next. She knew that waking someone from a nightmare could often do more harm than good so she watched,
hoping that Willow could either rouse herself or that she would escape from her dream torment. "The mayors a snake!" she said,
her voice growing in volume and terror. Tara ducked under the flailing arms and wrapped herself around Willow, kissing her
softly and whispering into the soft ear before her. "Willow, it's ok baby, come back to me."
Willow thrashed under the
touch. "No Oz!" she yelled before pushing Tara away and sitting bolt upright. Tara looked even more confused, Willow was coated
in a fine layer of sweat, her breath shallow and rapid. "Willow?" she whispered making the redhead turn to look at her, tears
forming in the corners of Willows eyes. "Are you ok?" Willow slumped back in the bed and snuggled close to Tara. "I'm sorry
baby," she said, kissing the crinkled forehead of her stunned partner. "bad dreams is all." she added a weak smile before
kissing Tara once more and closing her eyes, vowing to tell Tara the entire story in the morning.
Buffy woke up sharply,
"No Oz!" she realised immediately why it was that Willow didn't come back to Sunnydale on a regular basis.
After the incident
at graduation when the mayor, Richard Wilkins III had transformed himself into a huge snake-like demon, Willow had made her
announcement that she was leaving Sunnydale for good. Oz had taken the news badly and, for someone who was usually so placid
and laid back, he went mad, yelling and shouting before he lost control and wolfed out. In his wolf state, he had attacked
Willow. Luckily, Buffy had been close enough to intervene before he killed her, but she had been left with a large gash in
her side that would defiantly have left an ugly scar. Being back in Sunnydale must have brought all the memories flooding
back to Willow and Buffy wanted nothing more than to go in and comfort her friend but she resisted, knowing that Willow was
safe in the arms of her lover.
Buffy suddenly wondered how much Willow had told Tara about her time in Sunnydale. Would
she know her true identity? Did she know about Oz? Buffy just wasn't sure but she promised herself she'd ask in the morning.
She listened for a few more minutes and when she was sure that Willow had returned to sleep, she closed her eyes and allowed
herself to be washed away in her own, more pleasant dreams.
3. A True Story
Tara awoke to the sound of two fat blackbirds squabbling
noisily in the tree, she rolled over and found the bed next to her to be empty. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes,
turning to regard the noisy birds as she slid her legs over the edge of the bed and reluctantly got up. Grabbing her wash
things, she headed for the bathroom humming softly.
As she emerged into the bright hallway after her morning ablutions,
Tara smelt breakfast, pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausages were definitely on the menu. Dressing quickly, she descended the
stairs and arrived in the kitchen almost unnoticed, Willow was sat at the breakfast bar, a glass of orange juice in her hand
and an empty plate before her. Buffy was cheerfully flipping pancakes and laughing at something Willow had said.
"Morning."
Tara said cheerfully as she slipped an arm around Willows waist and kissed the red head softly before smiling at Buffy.
"Tara!
You're up!" Buffy said, immediately realising how stupidly obvious her statement was. "Did you sleep well?" she added, trying
to cover the crimson hue that filled her cheeks. Tara stole a brief glance at Willow before answering, "Yes, thank you." Buffy
smiled sweetly at the blonde and offered her a large plate of pancakes, bacon and sausages.
"So, what are you ladies
up to today then?" Buffy asked, filling the silence that hung uncomfortably in the air. Willow smiled and shrugged at her
before turning to Tara. "What do you fancy doing?" she asked her quietly. Tara contemplated the question as she tucked in
to her breakfast. She hadn't realised quite how hungry she was until she began eating, as she washed down the first pancake
with a few swigs of orange juice she turned back to Willow, "Maybe a picnic or some sightseeing?" Willow offered her a half
smile and Buffy had to fight to suppress the laughter bubbling inside her.
It wasn't Tara's fault that she didn't know
there were no real sights to see in Sunnydale and the whole idea was a little absurd. Buffy imagined a tour guide like the
ones she'd seen on the television in London, her mind played out the tour they would give.
"If you'd all like to look to
the left, you will see the only nightspot in town, 'The Bronze', founded in 1992 the Bronze has been the site of many important
battles between our local 'vampire slayer' and many creatures of the night. In 1997, our hero managed to stop an apocalypse
right here by destroying the 'Anointed One', a follower of a powerful vampire." In Buffy's mind, the tour continued. "To both
your left and right you will see two of the 42 churches to be found here in Sunnydale and coming up on your right hand side
is the burnt out remains of the high school which was blown up in order to defeat the mayor, who tried killing the entire
student body when he transformed into a snake-like demon on the graduation day of the class of 1999."
Buffy laughed out
loud as the final thought and the faces of all the stunned tourists filled her minds eye. Both Tara and Willow jumped at her
sudden laughter and stared at the Slayer with confusion.
"Sorry." Buffy said between giggles as she excused herself and
disappeared towards the living room.
"A picnic will be good." Willow said after Buffy had left, "I have something I need
to talk to you about anyway."
Buffy left the house half an hour after Tara had gotten up and walked slowly towards
the office block in which she worked, her mind buzzing with all the things she wished she'd had taken the time to ask Willow
before Tara had awoken.
Back at the Summers' house, Tara and Willow were preparing both a shopping list and a picnic simultaneously
with Tara writing down the things they had used so that they could replace them on the way back home. Willow had been unusually
quite since she had got up and Tara was confused and concerned as to what could have happened to make her usually chatty fiancée
so quiet. Rather than push Willow to tell her, she hung back, assuming that whatever it was would be revealed on their picnic.
Willow disappeared upstairs as Tara finished filling a basket with fruits and some baguettes they had found, she returned
with a blanket and their sunglasses. "Ready?" Willow asked quietly. Tara nodded and picked up the basket in one hand, her
other entwining with the redheads. They walked in comfortable silence to a small park that had a beautiful clear stream running
through it and found a peaceful spot away from the groups of young adolescents that were playing football, throwing a Frisbee
or generally enjoying the summer. Picking a spot under a large oak tree, Willow spread the blanket and she and Tara sat down
and began unpacking their lunch. "Tara." Willow said suddenly, "I have to tell you about my past, more specifically, my time
in Sunnydale and the reasons I left." Tara's face filled with concern when she realised that her lover was physically shaking,
whatever had happened her obviously hadn't been good and she felt a sudden pang of guilt for making Willow return.
"You
know you can tell me anything." Tara told her softly, pulling Willow closer to her and wrapping her arms around her as she
nuzzled into her neck. Beneath her touch she could feel Willow shudder, her shoulders giving away the first signs of distress
and tears. "You might not believe some of the things that I have to tell you," Willow began after a few deep breathes, "But
you know that I have never lied to you before and I don't intend to start, not now, not ever." Tara opened her mouth to speak
but realised the incredible strength and courage Willow must have summoned to tell her whatever it was she was about to tell
her and so closed it again, not wanting to give Willow a chance to back out of the big revelation. "Vampires, demons, werewolves.
They're all real, everything that you were scared of as a kid, the things that went bump in the night and that you told yourself
were just figments of your imagination. Well, its all true and it all vacations right here in Sunnydale!" Willow blurted out.
Tara pushed her forward and Willow turned to gage the reaction of the woman she loved. "Real? But Willow, it's all fairy
tales." Tara said incredulously after a long and stunned silence. Willow offered a small, bashful smile, "They're real too!"
she said quietly. "Please, just let me tell you everything. You need to know if you're going to be safe here." The no nonsense
tone and genuine fear in Willows eyes made Tara rethink her opinion. 'Monsters are real? her mind questioned her as Willow
opened a juice box and drank deeply.
Finally Willow continued; "I was dating a guy in high school, he was bitten by
his cousin and became a werewolf." she told Tara who managed to look even more amazed than before. "We carried on dating until
graduation when I told him I had to leave Sunnydale, that I couldn't cope with living on a Hellmouth and wanted to pursue
a career." Willow paused to give Tara a moment to absorb the information she had given her. "I knew that he'd be upset, but
he was enraged and totally freaked out. He lost his temper and subsequently control of himself, transforming into the wolf
before us." Willow shuddered at the memory and tears filled her emerald eyes, spilling onto her cheeks as she cleared her
throat. "He attacked me, pinning me to the floor and was about to kill me when Buffy leapt on him and pulled him off. That
is how I got this...." she said, lifting her shirt to reveal a 9 inch scar on her rib cage. Tara sat in total amazement, her
own eyes swimming with tears that threatened to spill from her eyes at any given moment. "I left town that night and vowed
never to return." Willow finished between sobs. She knew that the revelation could quite easily be the end of their relationship,
she knew she sounded crazy and that Tara had no real reason to believe this insane story. Had she been the one on the receiving
end of this tale, she thought that she would probably have it's teller thrown into a nice padded room at the nearest asylum,
never to see the light of day again.
Tara sat back heavily against the ancient oak tree and inhaled deeply. Her mind swam
with questions and doubts, most of which questions the sanity of her partner but looking into the pools of green before her,
she somehow knew that what Willow was telling her was the truth, no matter how far fetched it seemed.
After several minutes
of silence, Tara looked up at Willow locking eyes with her as she crawled across the blanket and wrapped her in a hug, "I'm
so sorry, I should never have made you some back." Tara whispered into her ear before pulling back and kissing the surprised
redhead lovingly on the lips.
With her story finally off her chest, Willow relaxed into the kiss and on pulling back
she knew that nothing could come between them. Never in all her life had she met someone so pure, genuine and open minded
and she thanked whatever power it was that had brought them together. "Tara Maclay." she grinned into the pools of ocean before
her, "I love you so very much!"
They passed the afternoon with no further discussion of Oz, or anything else that might
be lurking in the alleys of Sunnydale after dark, eating, giggling and kissing they enjoyed the warm summer sunshine.
Once
they had had their fill, Willow began packing up the plates and cutlery back into the basket. "Let's go!" she said as she
put their rubbish in a bag for disposal later on.
Walking hand in hand through the park, Willow didn't notice the
man sat on a bench a few feet away, she didn't see how his eyes shone as she kissed her lover and she didn't hear his low
and menacing growl as she took Tara's hand and lead her back to the Summers' residence.
"So, you came back after all."
the man said once she was out of earshot. "And your new 'friend' seems to know all about us!"
4. Bronzing It Again
After a brief stop of at the market to buy replacements for all the things they had used
for their picnic, Willow and Tara arrived back at Buffy's house a little before sunset. Buffy had left a key for Willow which
she used to open the door, holding it open to allow Tara to pass through before her. "After you m'lady!" Willow said with
a giggle as Tara's hair brushed her cheek on passing. "Thank you kind sir!" Tara responded and grabbed Willow for a kiss,
pushing the door closed behind them as pressing Willow back up against it as her lips eagerly kissed the soft lips of her
partner before gently allowing her tongue to flick softly over them. Almost automatically, Willows leg drew up to wrap around
Tara's full hips and pull the blonde ever closer as she moaned softly, opening her mouth slightly to allow Tara inside.
As
their tongues slowly explored the familiar territory of one another's mouths, they became lost in the kiss. Even after 5 years
together they could still lose themselves totally in something as simple yet magical as a kiss, time stopped and the rest
of the world went away leaving nothing but them and their love.
Around their feet were the contents of the brown shopping
bags, an impatient orange rolling slowly across the floor before coming to a halt at the foot of the stairs. Outside a car
pulled up behind Willow's and Xander stepped out into the rapidly setting sun, slamming the door behind himself, he made his
way up the path, whistling cheerfully as he tried the handle. He hadn't noticed the shock of red hair through the glass in
the door and pushed the door, surprised to find it unlocked but resisting his efforts to actually open it.
Behind the
door, Willow was lurched forward into Tara, inadvertently biting the other woman's tongue as the door hit her in the back
of the head. Both women pulled apart from the embrace with a disgruntled "OW!" and stared at the door which opened suddenly,
spilling Xander into the hallway. As he fell, his knee met a tin and his efforts to break his fall with his hands resulted
in contact with the not so impatient oranges, making pulpy orange goo on the carpet.
Willow and Tara stifled a giggle
as Xanders head came to rest on a packet of fresh croissants and he uttered a surprised "Ouch!" as he finished his slow motion
free fall, the contents of the shopping had been mainly soft items so they knew that he wasn't really hurt, although the tin
would leave an interesting bruise on his right knee. Helping him up, Willow giggled slightly, "You ok?" Xander nodded as he
brushed himself down and surveyed the spilled groceries.
After collecting themselves, and the shopping, Willow, Tara
and Xander gathered up the remaining food stuffs and took them out to the kitchen, the oranges that had survived Xanders fall
were placed in the fruit basket and the other items stored in their relevant places. "So, you girls up for some Bronzing it
once Buffy gets in from slay...." he cut himself off, unsure as to whether or not Tara had been told of Buffy's true identity.
Having Willow back made him feel 17 all over again, they had slipped into their usual banter so effortlessly that he had
almost entirely forgotten that she had been away for over a decade. "Erm, I mean..... When Buffy gets home." Willow giggled,
even after so long, Xander still could put his foot in it big time and still hadn't gotten any better at rescuing himself.
"Tara knows." She told him, "Well, kinda!" Tara grinned at him to confirm this and Xander sighed a huge sigh of relief. "So,
the Bronze is still the only place to hang out around here then?" she asked, half of her surprised that, as they'd matured
the remaining Scoobies hadn't found somewhere else to hang out of an evening, the other half knowing why the Bronze held such
allure for them. Xander nodded sadly, confirming that it was the only place to have a beer and a laugh, unless you fancied
Willies Bar, which was still haunted by the usual, or unusual mix of vampires and demons.
Looking up at the clock
that hung over the door, Willow gasped, it was almost 7 o'clock. Where had the time gone? "I better shower then!" she said,
indicating the timepiece, "Buffy will be home soon?" he questioning glance fell on Xander who nodded a confirmation. "Be back
soon." She said, flashing him a smile and kissing Tara sweetly. As soon as her lips met the blondes, she felt the familiar
rush of electricity and promise, despite herself and her present surroundings the familiar dampness that Tara provoked between
her legs made her shift, suddenly wanting more from her lover. As she pulled back, Tara squirmed in her seat, obviously feeling
a similar rush. Without another word, Willow winked at Tara and left the warm kitchen. 'A shower! Then the Bronze, then we
can go home in the morning!' she thought as she climbed the stairs, trying to force the consuming passion that was burning
in her stomach away.
Tara had instantly recognised the look and request that Willow had silently offered and she tried
to work out a way to excuse herself without being too obvious. In the early days, she hadn't cared so much, Vince had pretty
much worked everything out just by looking at here, but then, she was in her domain, her place of work and he had been her
friend. Now she was in totally new surroundings with people she hardly knew and was a guest in the home of a relative stranger.
Yes, discretion was definitely called for here.
"So, Willow told you all about us then?!" Xander's voice cut into
her thoughts and she realised from the mans stance that he was up for some conversation and that getting away to the arms
of her lovers was going to be harder than she'd imagined. "Yeah." She replied, trying to make it sound like she'd understood
the insanity that Willow had painted for her, "Pretty intense, uh?!" Xander nodded vigorously. "So," Tara continued, "Buffy's
a Slayer?" the confusion in her voice matched that written across her beautiful face. Willow had mentioned this but had offered
no explanation as to what a 'Slayer' actually was. "Yep. I know it's all a little hard to take in, but Buffy fights the demons
and vampires and stuff that goes bump in the night." Xander had the 'matter of fact' tone that came with years of experience,
Tara could only assume that he had been as confused and perplexed as she was in the beginning. Rubbing her temples gently,
Tara tried hard to fight the question that was propelled to the foreground of her mind. "What about Oz?" she suddenly blurted
out, her internal fight lost against her urge to know what had happened to the man who had loved but ultimately tried to destroy
Willow.
Xander's eyes glazed slightly, his gaze lowering to the breakfast bar as he tried to decide what he should reveal.
"He, well, he.... Erm." The silence proved to be too much but his mouth refused to make and sensible sentence. "He went bad
for a while, then he left town to try and find a cure." Xander decided telling her the truth was probably the best option
and since she knew Oz's name, he presumed that Willow had explained his 'condition' and what had passed between them previously.
"He came back a few years ago, then disappeared again. We haven't seen him in about 7 years." He finished, the look that had
spread over Tara's face was not that of fear, as he'd expected but of pure and blatant concern for her fiancée.
Tara couldn't
help but breath a sigh of relief. At least if Oz wasn't in Sunnydale, there was no danger of a repeat performance, although
she had never met the man, she felt that since he'd wolfed out over Willow's leaving town, finding out she was back, and about
to marry another woman might not register high on his 'let's have a happy' scale, on the other hand, he could be thrilled
about it as Xander seemed to be, but Tara found this to be the least likely option.
Buffy burst through the back door
and caused everyone to jump visibly, "Hi!" she said cheerfully, unaware of the momentary fear she had just filled her friends
with. "Gees Buff!" Xander exclaimed, "You trying to kill us?" The Slayer grinned at him, he'd lived in a town where you could
be attacked by all manner of scary things at any given time and yet he still jumped and squealed at something as simple as
a door being banged. "We Bronzing it?" she asked, punching him gently in the arm as she passed him to fetch a glass. Both
Tara and Xander nodded as she returned her gaze to them. "Great!" Buffy said before taking a huge gulp of orange juice. Turning
to Tara the Slayer regarded her and all that she had possibly learnt in that day, "How was your picnic?" she asked quietly
as Xander buried his head in the fridge, searching for something chocolaty no doubt.
Tara nodded thoughtfully, "Very enlightening."
She replied eventually, a small and knowing smile spreading her lips and dancing in her eyes.
Willow stepped from
the shower and wrapped a huge fluffy green towel around herself as she rubbed her hair. She had hoped that Tara would come
up and join her and the lack of Tara in the steam filled room caused her to pout slightly at her reflection.
As she dried
herself down and stepped into the hallway, she walked, quite literally, into Tara and Buffy who were giggling like old friends.
"You nearly ready?" Buffy asked her as she handed the towel back that Willow had been using to dry her hair. The redhead nodded
and smiled, "All done in there!" she said, gesturing back to the bathroom. "Ready for the next one!" Both Tara and Buffy giggled
as Willow headed into her room to get dressed. "You wanna go next?" Buffy asked as Tara watched Willow disappear into the
room, a hint of regret playing in her eyes as she imagined what could have happened. "O-oh, yes. If you don't mind." She said,
surprised that her stutter had re-emerged. Since couldn't recall have stuttered once since the night she had proposed to Willow
and having a simple question like the use of a bathroom bring it back out confused her. Buffy had, apparently, not noticed.
"Cool, we'll have to leave soon if we want a table." She told her before vanishing into her own bedroom and pushing the door
closed behind her.
By 8 o'clock, the new and reformed Scooby Gang were ready to head out, all except Xander who
had tired of waiting around for the ladies to get ready and immersed himself in an old war film on the television. Buffy pried
him from his seat and dragged him towards the door, ignoring his moans of protest she practically carried him into the street,
much to the delight of Willow and Tara who laughed raucously at the event.
As the walked towards the Bronze, not one of
them noticed the tall, dark haired man who stepped out of the shadows of the tree in the front yard, not even Buffy noticed
the mans face contorting to its true, demonic self as he followed behind them being careful to match his footsteps with their
own so as not to be heard. Even the vampire, usually the hunter was unaware that tonight, he was also the hunted.
Half
a block from the house, an unearthly howl pierced the night and sent shivers through Willow, her grip on Tara's hand tightening
to a skin piercing grip and freezing her in place on the sidewalk.
With much prying and convincing, they managed to eventually
get Willow moving again although their words of comfort did nothing to stop the shaking or sweat that had covered her in a
fine layer.
A second howl, this one much closer than the first caused the terrified redhead to drop to her knees, turn
her head and vomit painfully into the gutter, her hands were grazed from the sudden and rough contact with the pavement and
her knees bled and seeped beneath her jeans.
The tales of vampires and demons had, unsurprisingly scared Tara slightly,
but this was a much more terrifying sight. Nothing scared Willow, not ever! She had faced many things in the time they had
been together and each one had been met head on with confidence. That Willow was a far shot from the one who was sobbing,
shaking and vomiting on the pavement before her. This Willow was small, almost childlike in her fear.
As she wiped her
mouth, Willow looked up at Tara, her emerald eyes shining with tears. "I want to go home." She said, her voice weak and small.
"Now!"
Buffy helped her to her feet, "Maybe we should go back to the house." Willow had always been nervous, but in the
few times Buffy had seen her since she had first left Sunnydale, she had grown into a powerful, strong and confident woman.
What Buffy was bearing witness to now actually scared her. "I want to go home." Willow repeated again. "Home to L.A." Tara
nodded, wrapping her arms around Willows waist to steady her. "We'll leave first thing in the morning." She said solidly,
leaving no trace of doubt in the minds of the others that they were going.
They walked slowly, and silently back to
the Summers' home, their unknown vampire stalker had seen a short but well built man emerge from an alley to follow the group
and had decided to make him a snack. Big mistake. As soon as he placed his hand on the younger mans shoulder he had spun round,
his face half transformed into that of the werewolf. In the blink of an eye, the were-man had bitten the head off the unsuspecting
creature and howled in delight as he burst into ashes before him.
Turning his attention back to the group he had been
stalking, Oz grinned as Willow froze, he could smell the fear radiating from her and she smelt good! Ducking back behind a
hedge as the Scoobies helped her stand and eventually carry on moving, Oz peered through the foliage, his face still half
transformed. As soon as she appeared to have regained control of herself, Oz vanished through the back gardens of the houses
to his left, emerging 5 houses in front of the group he had once considered to be friends. Seeing Willows hand loop tightly
through that of the blonde he felt an ugly stab of jealousy, the rage and darkness that had overtaken him since Willows original
departure forced another bloodcurdling howl from the pit of his stomach.
As Willow crashed to her knees, he felt an odd
sense of pleasure at her total, all consuming terror and turned, allowing his face to return to its natural human form before
slipping off, unnoticed into the night.
5. Call Of The Wild
No sooner had the gang crashed into Buffy's home, then Willow
had passed out, her already limp body ignoring all orders from her brain and falling from the supportive grasps of Buffy and
Tara.
Both women were out of breath, the slight woman's body was almost dead weight as they'd half carried her back to
the house. Panic and abject terror was written in bold print over Tara's face, highlighted further by Willow's collapse. Stepping
into the fray, Xander scooped the delicate redhead into his arms and carried her upstairs, unzipping her boots after laying
her, carefully on her bed. "I'm sorry, Willow." He told her in a hushed whisper.
Downstairs, Buffy had fixed Tara
a glass of water and was trying to calm the shaking woman. "She'll be ok, Tara." She said softly, "She's strong, she'll bounce
right back." Buffy tried to sound confident of her words but she was no more certain of what she was saying than Tara was.
"I
think we should leave in the morning." Tara told her, her eyes darting around the room almost as if she were searching for
an escape route. "I appreciate your hospitality and all, but it's obvious that Willow is far from alright!" he voice emerged
a little more clipped than she had intended but she was growing rapidly more frustrated and angry, mainly at herself for making
Willow take this trip.
"Tara." Xander emerged in the doorway, "Willow'll be fine, she just needs sleep and things will
look better to her in the morning." He said, his good gestured words and lop sided smile showed that he genuinely believed
what he was saying but Tara remained unconvinced. "Willow wants to leave." She stated simply, "If she feels the same way in
the morning, then we will be leaving." As soon as the words had left her mouth, she instantly wanted to take them back, the
ungratefulness that held them suspended in midair turned her stomach and made her want to rip them from the silent abyss and
ram them back down her throat. "I'm s-sorry." Tara whispered, "But you guys can come up and stay with us in L.A!" she offered.
Buffy smiled and leant forward, taking Tara's hand within her own. "I understand if you have to go." She told her, "Besides,
we can come up and crash the wedding!" Everyone smiled, even Tara managed a weak smile as she realised that her words had
not been taking in a negative way.
Upstairs, Willow slept, her dreams filled with ducks, and the occasional savage
dog hanging on the periphery of the summer scene in her mind.
Tara stuck her head around the door, careful not to allow
too much of the light from the hallway to fill the room and wake the seemingly peaceful slumber Willow had fallen into. On
seeing that she was sound asleep, Tara crossed the room on tip toe, kissing the cool forehead and taking a few minutes to
sit back and ensure that Willow was, indeed sleeping nightmare free, although how she would do , Tara had no clue. The sounds
she had heard that evening had frozen her to the bone, her blood seemed to have formed ice crystals in it and she felt the
shiver running the length of her spine despite the warm evening. Once she was sure that Willow's dreams, if she were actually
having any, were peaceful, she slipped silently into the hall and back downstairs.
"She ok?" Buffy asked as Tara returned
to the living room and sat heavily on the couch. Tara nodded, "She seems to be sleeping for now." She replied, the relief
tingeing her voice the only clue as to how truly worried she really was.
"It was probably just a dog." Xander said suddenly.
Buffy stared at him, the howling they had heard that night was clearly from a supernatural source but she understood why he'd
said what he had. "We've only ever had 2 werewolves before." He added, his tone softening further. Buffy nodded, "That's true."
She told Tara, who looked at each of them in turn before shaking her head. "Dogs howl in LA all the time." She told them,
"Willow never freaks out like that about it." Xander hung his head, he knew as well as the others that what they had heard
was a werewolf and was surprised at how hard it was to convince Tara.
Joyce Summers' had been easier to convince, with
all of the strange and peculiar things she had seen with her own eyes, she had refused to believe, preferring instead to either
repress or make up a more valid excuse. Even when she herself had been on the receiving end of a vampire bite, she had willingly
believed that she had simply fainted and impaled herself on a barbeque fork, despite not even owning such a thing.
"Is
it? I mean, could it be Oz?" Tara asked, her voice shaking as she formed the mans name. Buffy and Xander looked at each other
questioningly, neither one knowing the best answer. Not wanting to lie, or tell her the complete truth about what had happened
to Oz since Willow had left town, Buffy just shrugged, "I don't know." She said simply, "I just don't know."
For the longest
time, no one spoke, each person sat in the depth of their own thoughts and fears. When the silence was eventually broken,
it was by Tara "I think I should go to bed." She told the others, even though she didn't feel the least bit tired, well, not
physically anyway. The nights events had tested her emotional abilities almost to their limits and all she wanted to do was
curl up next to Willow and try and forget what had happened.
Neither Buffy nor Xander offered any argument, instead smiling
sadly as they said their goodnights. She climbed the stairs silently and, after a quick visit to the bathroom, gently pushed
open the bedroom door, being careful not to rouse Willow who still seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Peeling out of her clothes,
she welcomed the warn breeze on her skin as she passed the open window to crawl into bed. Willow murmured in her sleep as
Tara snuggled in close behind her, before rolling over entirely to meet the smoky blue eyes of her lover. "Hey." Willow said,
her cheeks were flushed and she dropped her gaze, clearly embarrassed by her reaction to the nights events. "Hey back." Tara
said, her fingers guiding Willows face back up to her own, "How ya feeling?"
Willow took a moment to consider the question,
tossing about like a fresh summer salad before serving. "Embarrassed, tired, and, well..." The words just flowed from the
startled redhead before her tongue had had a moment to process the thoughts in her mind. Tara looked at her with concern,
her fingers tenderly caressing her soft cheek and giving Willow the confidence to continue. "Terrified."
Tara smiled weakly,
her fingers still tracing across the soft cheekbone of her world. No words would form in her mind, she knew that nothing she
would say could make it any better for Willow, instead she opted for the thing she knew best. Reaching forward she kissed
the slightly pale lips before her, pouring everything she had emotionally into the embrace and kiss.
As they pulled
back, Willow was slightly breathless, in the arms of her lover she had momentarily forgotten her fear and felt safe and warm,
returned once again to the place she belonged.
"I'll keep you safe." Tara whispered softly, her breath tickling Willows
ears and sending a shiver of arousal through her. As she tucked a stray lock of honey blonde hair back behind Tara's ear,
Willow knew she had been blessed with the greatest love known to mankind. Her fingers traced the beautiful features of her
lovers face, her thumbs following the contours of her cheek bones, over her eyebrows and around her jaw line. Willows eyes
swam with tears, not from her fear, which had been all but forgotten in the face of such beauty but with a love that was threatening
to burst from her every pore at any given moment. Tara mirrored the actions of the woman she loved, taking a minor detour
to wipe away the tears that had spilt from the sparkling emerald eyes.
Without warning, Willow leant in and kissing
Tara with an urgency and passion that had fizzled out slightly after their first couple of years. Surprised, but not entirely
unpleased with the movement, Tara moaned deep in her throat, her lips vibrating against Willow's as she did so and drawing
a moan from her as a result. Something overtook Willow, maybe it was a way of her over compensating for her embarrassment
and the shame she felt in the way she'd reacted. Willow pushed Tara back, balancing herself on top of the woman she loved
but never breaking the contact. Her hands traced softly down the soft flank of the blonde, her fingers taking an extra moment
to caress her full and wonderful breast before pinched and stroking her nipple into a hard and sensitive peak.
Tara's
own hands explored the velvety smooth expanse of Willow's back, one hand coming to rest over her taut right cheek of her ass,
the other lightly brushing the nape of Willows neck and arousing the redhead no end.
In a perfectly synchronised yet unspoken
movement, Willows hand slide further down, coming to rest just behind Tara's knee in time to guide and pull the limb up into
an arch next to her. Willow's own leg slide between Tara's, pushing her well formed thigh hard into the warm and wet haven
she knew so well. Pulling back from the kiss, Tara gasped as Willow contracted and released the muscle in her thigh, pressing
into her clit as she did so. Willow smiled devilishly, her hand squeezing the firm ass cheek of her lover as she nipped the
bottom lip that quivered before her. "Willow?" Tara panted, the burning between her legs made her head spin for more contact
and she had a fleeting second when she tried to work out how it was that Willow could always turn her on so effortlessly,
the thought lasted no more than 3 seconds as Willows finger gently brushed her out lips and drew a deep moan from the blonde.
"Yeah?" Willow had purred before enveloping the moan in another soft kiss. Tara's brain refused to work, she couldn't remember
having said anything but it was clear from Willow's expression that she must've started a trail of thought.
Willow
seemed oblivious to Tara's mental breakdown and continued her delightful torture. Her hands had returned to the full breast
that was heaving under her touch, fingers seeming to be everywhere at once, working the nipple into an almost painfully aroused
state.
Her thigh pressed into the neatly trimmed curls and Tara grabbed fiercely at Willows hair, pulling her head back
and biting the delicate flesh at her pulse point causing Willow to moan and press her thigh harder into the rapidly soaking
centre.
Guided by Tara's firm hand, Willow kissed across the jaw line of her lover, down her neck and pausing momentarily
in the shallow hollow of her throat, her cue to continue coming when Tara pushed her roughly down. Without further hesitation,
Willows hot mouth found the erect nub of the blonde and licked slowly around it, teasing Tara into a writhing mass under her.
On Tara's thigh she felt the smooth and perfect outer lips of her lover swell and moisten the soft skin and this only increased
her own wetness further. Tara moaned and arched her back, hoping to gain more contact with the skilled tongue that was exploring
her full breast, occasionally flicking over the erect nub, each pass causing her to moan deep in her throat.
Willows own
heart rate increased fuelling her passion and she took the nipple before her into her mouth, rolling it under her tongue and
nipping firmly. "Oh god, Willow!" Tara's voice was shallow and came to her in low gasps, causing Willow to bite harder, pulling
back slightly and almost popping the gland back into her body. "You want me?" Willow questioned, her voice dominant and demanding.
Tara could only moan, the power and control emitting from the redhead drove her wild with desire. Willow pulled back from
her wonderful assault on Tara's nipple and fixed her with an emerald stare. "I said, 'you want me?!" her voice more demanding
and forceful than Tara had heard in a long while.
"I always want you." She gasped in return, Willows fingers scratching
up the inside of her thigh as she replied. "You need me?!" Willow growled, her eyes blazing brightly with desire. Tara nodded,
her voice totally lost in the face of abject passion and love before her.
Willow adopted a predatory grin that Tara hadn't
seen in what seemed like forever, she shifted slightly under Willow and wrapped her hands through the rich red hair as Willows
fingers slipped between her now soaked lips. "Oh god Willow." She purred, the pressure building within her threatening to
explode from her very soul at any given second.
As Willows fingers slide expertly into Tara, both women gasped at
the powerful spark that passed between them. Tara tilted her hips back, allowing the full length of Willows slender fingers
to work her into a fury as lost herself in the bottomless pits of endless green before her.
In the quiet night,
Oz wandered slowly back down Revello Drive, the darkness of the wolf within him forcing him to return to the torture of Willow.
Less than two blocks from the Summers' house, his heightened hearing picked up the soft moans of a woman in the heat of a
passionate encounter, instinctively he flared his nostrils and caught the aroma of a woman, although the scent was familiar
he couldn't name the source.
Stalking around the back of the Summers' home, he froze as moans and groans punctuated the
warm summer night. His increased sense of smell had told him that Willow was aroused, no, practically orgasmic and buzzing
with a passion he had never known with her.
Try as he might, he couldn't suppress the growl of hatred emerging from his
throat.
His more rational, human self tried desperately to control the wolf within but living on the Hellmouth and his
transformation to a creature of the night had only increased his fury and pain.
Oz the man had no desire to hurt Willow,
yeah, he had been mightily pissed off when she had told him she was leaving and he had been devastated and angry, it had been
the werewolf within that had fed from that anger, dragging itself into the forefront and attacking Willow on that fateful
day.
The wolf knew only savagery and the hunt, it knew nothing of compassion and forgiveness. The Hellmouth only served
to increase the discontentment and pain he'd felt and over the years it had consumed both Oz the Man, and Oz the Beast, leaving
nothing but darkness and despair in the place that Willow had once occupied in his life and his heart.
From his point
on the bench in the back yard, he could hear everything more than clearly. The low murmurs and moans of love, the soft sound
of bodies moving against fresh, crisp sheets and the gentle but moist sounds of kissing and well.... He tore his mind from
the mental picture that was threatening to completely transform him there and then. It wouldn't do to lose total control in
the back yard of the Slayer, he had already received more than one beating at her hands and he didn't fancy another one.
A
change in the pitch of Willows lover made the hair on his arms and neck stand up and sent shivers racing through every fibre
of his being.
As Tara stifled the scream that accompanied her climax by biting softly into Willows shoulder, Oz snarled
viciously up at the window, his senses overpowered by the smells and sounds of their love making. Amongst all the scents that
filled his nostrils, one very slight aroma drifted through and made Oz grin. In the mixture of sweat and sex, the faintest
smell of blood. Willows blood.
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