And there she stood. Behind Buffy, half-smiling, eyes looking questioningly at all of them. Her clothes were unfamiliar. A soft violet coloured shirt and a pair of jeans Willow was sure she'd never seen before. But it was Tara. Either that or she really had gone crazy and was probably back in New York imagining this entire thing.
Willow looked in awe...Buffy's wish was Tara. This was the impossible standing before her. First tentatively and then with great intent, she moved forward. She pulled Tara into her arms with a sob, burrowing her face in Tara's neck, arms around her... She wasn't entirely sure who had moved first. Breathing in the sweet scent that was Tara. So strange and beautiful. Feeling her soft body pressed close once more, so familiar and so unexpected. She began to sob into Tara's neck quietly but uncontrollably.
Tara whispering to her something no one else could hear, "I love you, Willow. You're my always." And for the first time in 3 years, Willow felt home. Tara was her home.
"As for the shoes," Buffy smiled, "If coming back from the dead isn't an excuse to shop, than what is?"
"You did get some things for Tara, though?" Giles asked. Giles was furiously cleaning his glasses to hide the fact that his eyes were tearing at the sweetness of the scene before him.
"Of course!" Buffy responded, indicating the two shopping bags near the door, "The one wish didn't include bringing Tara back with a suitcase...or even clothes. I probably should have been more specific."
Xander stood gaping, unsure of what to say. He looked to Willow, her face buried in Tara's neck and back to Buffy standing there beaming like she'd just given them the best Christmas present ever. In June. It'd have been nice to have his eye back though...
"So Buffy...where's mine?" Xander joked. Although everyone else was too overcome with emotion to notice.
Giles sat on his couch, wondering why this scene was taking place in his flat, "I think you made a very good choice Buffy. It isn't ending poverty, but it is very selfless. I'm proud of you." Then he embraced his Slayer. He hadn't been expecting something this selfless from her, his surrogate daughter. He'd been expecting one of her vampire lovers in some more human fashion. At least it wasn't Spike. Or Angel. He glanced at the two witches, and cleaned his glasses as he inwardly debated his next move.
"I think we should-go out for dinner." Giles said decisively, grabbing an umbrella and a jacket from a beige armchair near the door. "Bring your coats; I think its going to rain."
"What about Will and Tara?" Xander asked, pulling on his jacket. Referring to the smiling, crying, and clinging Wiccans still standing just to the side of the doorway.
"They can stay here?" Buffy suggested, "I mean Willow was staying here anyways..."
"I think they're going to need space to talk. It's best that we go." Giles agreed.
And with a nod from Giles they left Willow and Tara alone, standing in Giles' living room. They stood still, motionless until they heard the key click in the lock as the other Scoobies locked the door.
What to do when the person you loved most is suddenly back from the dead? What is the right thing to say? And as much as Willow wanted to blabber, she could only manage to get out one word.
"Tara." Willow sobbed. Mostly in disbelief, and then Tara was kissing her; and nothing else mattered. The time apart, everything she's done since, all melted away. Everything would be ok, as long as Tara kept kissing her. The feel of Tara's sweet lips on her own, her tongue darting out for a taste, and her lips were no long kissing, but consuming. And outside the rain that had been predicted all day began to fall with a fury, a flash of lightning and a roar of thunder. Tara whispered something she didn't hear as it crashed. But it didn't matter.
Tara's hands pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the other side of the living room, before returning her lips to Willow's. Each kiss a reminder and a promise. As they moved down the hallway away from the living room. Every flash of lightning illuminating them briefly. Blue eyes looking at her, then darkness again. Tara's hands on her, and there was thunder again as her hands caressed the smooth skin of her stomach.
Reaching under the hem of Tara's sweater and touching soft skin, she'd forgotten how soft she was. Gasping into Tara's mouth, she began to pull the sweater over Tara's head as she back up towards Giles' guest bedroom, pulling Tara along. The sweater hit the ground. She reached immediately for the waist of Tara's pants. Unbuttoning her jeans before running her hands down beneath the fabric, all over her hips. Moving lower to grab at her ass. As Tara backed up towards the bed. Sitting on the edge and pulling Willow to stand between her legs. Tara's hands roaming her skin; tracing old familiar patterns. Her head dipped down to kiss Tara, but she remained standing. The rain kept pouring, the sky kept flashing, thunder kept roaring, and her mind kept spinning. Tara clung to Willow, kissing her fiercely desiring more contact. Willow kicked off her shoes. One flew and knocked something over, she didn't really care. The next crash of thunder all but obliterated the sound of whatever it was breaking.
Willow didn't want to wait, she needed to consume Tara, to devour her, to be inside her. If this was a dream, she hoped she'd never wake up. She needed so much more, hands and mouth consuming the other witch at a rapid pace. Mapping limbs that she thought she'd never see again.
And suddenly her hand was touching Tara, brushing past the fabric of her jeans and underwear, past blonde curls to her lover's sex. Probing wet flesh, and then inside. It wasn't the most comfortable, she didn't have as much freedom to move as she would have liked, and she was rough. Too rough, each gasping breath from Tara told her that. Still, Tara's hips kept time with her movements, and she didn't stop. Even as her back arched and Willow's mouth slipped to her neck, sucking and kissing. Tara's pulse was strong and thundering beneath her lips. Life, Willow thought briefly. Her free arm going around Tara's waist as they both crashed to the bed. Her own body burning, her lips briefly brushing Tara's again. Another flash gave her a clear view of Tara's face, lips parted and eyes looking at her like she was the world. Then the lightning slowed, she couldn't see her, and it was all wrong she had to see her. She needed to see her as she was doing this. She needed see Tara beneath her.
"Willow." Tara moaned, and then again, "Willow." Her hands coming up to Willow's back, grasping and shifting her hips, trying to find release in their frantic movements. Thunder crashed again, but all Willow could hear was Tara and every moan was her name, and Tara was tensing and close; and clinging to her and then she was coming and it was suddenly too much again and Willow was crying. Outside the storm slowed, and it was dark once more. But she didn't stop, she never wanted to stop for fear that this dream would end. She sobbed loudly into Tara's neck, immediately her rhythm faltered.
"Shh, darling." Tara's mouth found hers again, and she stilled her movements, Tara had been crying too. She could taste her tears. She kissed her softly this time. Maybe she had been way too rough. She berated herself inwardly for a moment. If this was a dream, it was the most real one she had ever had. She'd rarely seen a dream-Tara cry.
"Sorry." Willow withdrew her fingers slowly and gently. She'd make it up to her. She still remembered what Tara liked best. Tara sat up enough to remove her bra, and reached forward to slip Willow's off her body as well. Bare breasts brushing together as she rocked on her knees to reclaim Tara's mouth.
She pulled off Tara's jeans and panties. They soon formed a pile with her skirt somewhere on the floor. She reacquainted her mouth with soft perfect breasts. Taking one pink nipple into her mouth, drawing her tongue around it. Feeling Tara's fingers tangling in her hair, even as she switched to the other breast. Kissing down her belly, soft open mouthed kisses. Down past the damp curls, down until she couldn't help but dart her tongue out for a taste, savouring the flavour that was distinctly Tara. Willow made love to Tara sweetly this time. Her mouth working her lover gently and savouring her distinct flavour. Willow wished she could spend days or weeks making love to Tara. Remembering and savouring the moment it was all so different and familiar all at once. Tara's hips rocking gently, her hands caressing Willow's back. She teased until Tara swatted at her shoulder playfully, and then she worked her with purpose. As Tara filled her senses and tangled her fingers in fiery red hair.
And still, it was her name on Tara's lips when she came. And Tara's strong arms pulling her up to kiss. With a smile and a laugh she claimed Willow's lips again.
She brushed sweaty tendrils of honey coloured hair back from Tara's face. Staring for a moment, listening to the rain and wondering. Still aching and burning with desire. And then Tara's hand made its way to her impossibly wet sex. Stopping only briefly, surprised at the lack of hair. But it didn't stop her; Tara's tongue teased her own as her fingers slipped inside easily, thumb rubbing where she needed it most. With Tara's hand working her expertly and her lips kissing her mouth. She knew it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge now. Willow's hips rose and fell, her lips never leaving Tara's. And when she came it was against Tara's lips that she gasped and groaned. Tara smiled and kissed her again, maybe the sweetest kiss they'd ever had. And then she was flipped over onto her back, and Tara's lips were moving steadily downwards beginning at her neck. Tara's beautiful fair hair trailing down her body, tickling her skin in that good tingly way. Their sweat-slick bodies sliding together easily as the sheets bunched beneath them. And it was then Willow remembered just how amazing sex with Tara was. Her last coherent thought, before Tara's wonderful mouth reached its destination, was that she would not be getting much sleep.
