Don't own BtVS or otherwise. Hadley and Tori are mine!

Chapter Six A – Evening Visit

Willow arrived home around one in the afternoon. She quickly ran into to the house, hoping that Hadley and Tara were still around, only to find it empty. "Damn!"

Finally realizing that she rushed out of the house so fast she never even had breakfast, the redhead made her way to the kitchen. "I just had two mochas, why do I have to be addicted to them?" She stopped when she noticed a note in perfect script on the fridge door.

Willow

Again, I cannot thank you enough for letting Hadley and I spend the night. Did I mention how very sweet it was of you? Well it was. I washed the dishes I used, and Hadley helped me fill up Brady's bowls. I hope to see you soon, and was wondering, maybe, if you'd like, you'd come over to my place, and I could cook you dinner. It'd be really nice to have you with us at least one night. So we can repay the favour. Hadley asked me to write that she hopes the photo shoot went well, and that she's pretty sure you looked beautiful. Which, I'm sure she's right, because you always do.

Always…

Tara and Hadley

Willow smiled and placed a tiny kiss on the small picture, of Brady, Hadley drew. She turned around and saw the small puppy looking at her. "Spoiled are you? I believe you love Hadley now, I just might have to have her as your official dog sitter." She grinned.

Not long after she threw some strawberries in her cereal, the phone rang. Willow rolled her eyes, hoping that it wasn't as important because she didn't want to get up from her stool at the breakfast bar.

The answering machine picked up. "This is Willow, I am not home right now, so could you please leave a message, and I'll get back to you. Thank you."

"Willow, hey it's Tara…"

Willow nearly spit out her milk and choked when she heard that smooth voice. She quickly grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello? Willow, I thought you were in L.A.?"

"I was, now I'm back. A couple of models got sick and some others never showed up, so this is me, at home." Willow sat back, wiping her face and the counter that splattered with milk. "And I thought you were shopping?"

"I'm just heading off now. I, um, was calling to let you know that Hadley took the teddy bear you gave her to sleep with. I was gonna return after shopping." Tara's voice sang.

"Oh no. She can keep him. I have Mr. Snuggles she can have Mrs. Snuggles, but you can always stop by after anyways. Buffy is off doing some sister thing with Dawn until five, and Xander and Anya are well…busy." The desperation in the redhead's voice couldn't be anymore obvious.

"Sure, I mean, Tori said she was meeting Dawn there around six to go out for coffee, so maybe Hadley and I will join…on one condition."

"And that is…"

"Dinner, here, say…Friday night? I'd make it earlier, but with night classes starting, and school starting Tuesday, it seems hectic. Plus we're having Hadley's birthday party, and it'd mean a lot to her of you showed up."

"You cut a hard bargain, but who am I to decline a free meal. I wouldn't want to miss a good party." Willow laughed. "Friday it is. Oh, and if you ever want someone to walk you to and back from night classes, I'll be more than happy to do it. I was taking some day classes, so I know my way around the campus pretty good."

"Then I must be so lucky to have someone to lead me where to go; I'd get lost so fast." Tara giggled. She looked over to find her daughter looking a little impatient. "Will, I have to go, Hadley is in serious need of shopping."

Willow smiled picturing what the little blonde looked like at waiting for her mama to get off the phone. "Ok,ay have fun, and see you tonight?"

"Tonight it is!" Tara was ecstatic that her and Willow were getting along so well.

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The clock ticked and ticked, the time just couldn't go by fast enough for a certain redhead. The sun was about to set and she knew Buffy was getting ready to do a first sweep in the cemetery.

Willow couldn't help but feel a strong connection with the blonde Wiccan. She felt like she wanted to tell Tara everything, she wanted to let her in her private life and trust her with everything she had to offer. At first the feeling was a little confusing for the redhead, not knowing if she was making the right decisions, but Tara gave her no bad irky feelings at all.

Willow felt that the wiccan in them both was what made them instantly attracted to each other, however she couldn't deny the gorgeous blonde hair and baby blue eyes either.

Willow's life in Sunnydale wasn't all that normal from most, mostly always running from vampires and demons. With her best friend being a vampire slayer & herself a witch, she never considered the risk in letting the Maclay's get close to her. Hadley is too young; she doesn't need to know about this stuff. No one should ever have to go through that at all. Not even Buffy.

She sat at her kitchen table with her laptop in front of her, not really paying attention to her demon research, but pondering over her newest friends.

"Is she here?" Dawn came bursting through the back door, excited on her feet.

"Who?"

"Tor- I mean Tara." Dawn frowned a bit, shrugging. "Tori called me after she got back from shopping and told me-"

"Dawnie, Tara already mentioned you were meeting Tori here tonight. It's okay." Willow smiled when she saw the blush appear on the brunette's face. "Ah. Willow sees what's going on here."

"Wha- Nothing's going on. What do you mean you see?"

"Tori, coffee, you, coffee...Dawnie I was sixteen before." Willow shut-down her laptop, and grinned at the young Summers.

"Have no clue what you are talking about." Dawn pretended to be offended, but truthfully, lying was one thing she couldn't possibly do. "Will! She's never had coffee or mochas or anything to that sugary content!" The teenager said seriously, knowing that half of that was the truth.

"What? None?!" Willow raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "How can somebody work at a café and not try what they sell? Isn't that like, against the business policy? I need to go and witness this event, you know? Everyone needs to try a mocha at least once!"

"See, this is why I'm taking her out. Besides, you'll probably have your hands full anyways. Am I right?" Dawn gave her best impression of Willow's eyebrows lifting up.

"You betchya!!" Willow happily agreed.

"Thought s-" Dawn was cut of by the gentle knock on the door. "Oh…here, they, now…I mean, they're here now!" She went running into the foyer, with a small puppy at her heels barking like crazy. "Brady." She scolded in a whisper. She straightened her hair before opening the door.

"Dawn!" Hadley smiled and hugged her. "Is Willow home?"

"Yes, she's in the kitchen I believe. Willow! Get your skinny butt out here."

Willow came out and when she took one look at Tara, it just felt like she hadn't seen her in ages. "I was just, uh, putting some tea on, and hot cocoa for Hadley."

"Mmmmmmmm!" Hadley smiled before falling to her knees to play with Brady. "Willow? Can I keep your puppy?"

"Sweetie, remember what I said about making Willow sad? We don't her to be sad." Tara said as she walked into the warmth of the house. Willow decided to welcome her with a hug.

"You said that?" She whispered, before pulling back to meet blue eyes.

"Well yeah, a sad Willow is never a glad Willow." Tara smiled before letting go gently.

"Wouldn't want no weeping Willow's now would ya Had?" Tori finally voiced.

"Nope…never good Auntie Tori."

"So, it's getting a bit dark, why don't you take my car Tor, and be back before, say..." Tara began.

"Eleven?" Tori asked innocently.

"Yeah, eleven's fine." Willow said. "Buffy is out late tonight, so Dawn usually stays with me. Her curfew here is around eleven on non-school nights." The redhead winked at Dawn, who smiled gratefully.

"Alright then, eleven it is." Tara handed Tori the car keys.

Once the teenage girls left, Willow turned to face the two blondes. "So, who wants tea and hot cocoa?"

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