Day 2 of the Valentine mini-fic! This is the shortest chapter, but one of my favorites. Some of the details in this chapter inspired the whole story. Thank you for reading!

Tara and Pam exited the bar, Tara's hand placed gently behind the small of Pam's back. They walked to the car: a black '68 Mustang convertible; though Tara had the top up to ensure Pam's hair didn't get windswept. It was Tara's car, a gift from Eric. He gave it to her as a welcome-to-the-family present. Tara was still in disbelief by his generosity.

Tara opened the car door for Pam. She held Pam's hand and gave her support so she could lower herself inside while maintaining her perfect poise. Tara had grown great compassion for Pam's sense of vanity, and protected her maker's composure greater than Pam did herself. Tara had come to find she was unable to endure the insecurity that shot through the bond from Pam in the rare instants that her self-assurance became undone. Tara looked after Pam always, ready to shield her from the slightest and gravest physical and emotional harm.

Tara got into the driver's seat and took off her restricting leather jacket, revealing a simple black tank top and well-defined arms. She had offered to hire a limousine for the night, but Pam declined. Pam loved the time they spent in the car together, just the two of them with Tara at the wheel. Tara was an excellent driver and Pam always found herself turned on at her command of the car. She observed her fingertips sense the road through the steering wheel while her forearm muscles flexed; her hand skillfully maneuver the shifter like she was making love to the car itself. While Tara watched the road, Pam's eyes lingered on her rich, chocolate skin. She traced the lines of her body with her eyes, traveling over her toned arms, over her sculpted shoulders, down her flat stomach, and then down her legs, which always seemed to be open wide enough to lead Pam's mind into imaginative places.

Pam laid her hand on Tara's right leg and slid it between her legs. Tara arched her back and lifted herself up, both hands now gripping the wheel. Desire crashed into her and heat swelled between her legs.

"Pam!" Tara said sternly, commanding her to stop unconvincingly.

Pam smirked and pressed her fingers lightly into Tara over her slacks, teasing her aching flesh. Tara's eyes closed reflexively.

"Pam!" Tara repeated in warning, this time more seriously as she was losing her focus on the road.

Pam walked her fingers up to the button on Tara's pants, unsnapping it. She slid two fingers down underneath her pants, caressing the soft skin of her belly, then she pushed farther down. Tara's body quaked and she lost control of the car as her strength caused her to turn the car sideways. She used her vampire reflexes to regain control. Pam, knocked out of position, chuckled at her ability to make Tara come undone so easily.

"That's enough for now, Evel Knievel." Tara said, shaking her head at Pam's disregard for their safety.

"What, are you afraid we'll crash and die, sweetheart?" Pam replied sarcastically.

"You, my love, need to learn some fucking patience." Tara responded.

"Honey, I've waited a fucking century for you. You don't know the meaning of patience." Pam said. Her voice lowered and grew haunting.

Tara felt Pam's words echo in the bond.

"Well, can we at least agree to keep this car in one piece? I like this ride."

Pam rolled her eyes at Tara, but agreed to play nice. Pam had to admit the car suited Tara well. She returned to watching Tara drive, getting turned on again while sending arousal through the bond. Tara felt Pam's desire. She glared at Pam from the side of her eye, and then smiled sweetly at her maker.

Tara and Pam played with the bond in silence back and forth during the drive. Tara felt lingering passion grace her neck, and then returned the wanting to Pam, who closed her eyes at the sense of warmth running down between her breasts. They played with each other like this off and on, until they both had to stop when the desire grew too strong for them to handle.

"Do you know why we celebrate Valentine's Day? Like, the history of it? Before all the candy and shit." Tara asked, trying to get their minds off of their telepathic foreplay.

"The specific reason is unknown," Pam replied. "Originally, the association with Saint Valentine was in regard to sacrifice, not romance. And later, stories arose about multiple saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyrs in the name of love." Pam's tone was bordering on annoyed at the notion.

"Sacrificing oneself for love," Tara summarized. This was not a foreign concept to her. Tara gave her human life to save her best friend. She fearlessly stormed into The Authority, risking the true death to rescue her maker. Tara identified with sacrificial victims of history. Compassion shot through the bond from Pam, as she realized she struck a chord with Tara on the subject.

"Have you ever been willing to die for love?" Tara deflected, not wanting to talk about what was already understood between them about her.

"Certainly not in my human life. Fucking mortals." Pam stopped. "But I would have died a thousand deaths for Eric before..." She still couldn't acknowledge out loud that he had released her and that their bond was severed. When he hurt, she couldn't feel pain along with him. When he was angry, she didn't know why. When he ran, she felt no pull to follow. She still loved him deeply, but they no longer shared an intuitive life together. She could no longer put his existence above her own...or Tara's.

"And now?" Tara asked cautiously.

Pam paused, questioning whether to answer. Then she spoke, with eyes closed, the bond swelling between them.

"For you, I would die a million deaths." She opened her eyes, took Tara's right hand and pulled her fingers to her lips, kissing her red-painted fingertips gently. "And then some."

Tara shivered inside, struggling to maintain control of the wheel for a moment again. She took back command of her right hand and graced it along the side of Pam's face. Pam held Tara's hand there with her own, feeling the strength of their bond intensify as it always did when they touched skin to skin.

"We're here."

Chapter 3 will be up tomorrow!