Chapter Nine: The Talk

"Come on, Will. Please answer," Tara muttered as she called Willow for what felt like the thousandth time.

"What?" Willow snapped, not wanting to talk to anyone at the moment.

"Hey, its me. Can we talk? Please?" Tara said softly, afraid of angering the redhead more.

"Why? So you can lie to me again? So you can hide stuff from me but tell everyone else? I bet Buffy knew what you were talking to Xander about, huh? Are you all getting a kick out of keeping me in the dark?" Willow demanded, her anger overpowering her common sense.

"No. Buffy doesn't know. I wasn't even planning on telling Xander, but it just happened. Jesse was the only person who knew what I was hiding," Tara admitted, feeling ashamed for not confessing some of it to her friend. "Can we please talk, Will? I don't want to say this over the phone."

Willow was silent for a few moments, not sure if she could handle seeing Tara right now. "Fine. I'll meet you at our spot," Willow agreed, her voice still holding some of the anger. "Don't lie to me though, Tara. I won't forgive you if you do."

"I won't," Tara promised. "This time I'm going to tell you everything. Good and bad."

Tara stood pacing back and forth under the Willow tree that stood at the edge of both of their property lines. It was the spot that Willow and Tara had first met and had become they're special meeting place. Tara was nervous about what she was about to admit to the redhead. It had become her darkest secret since she first realized she was attracted to other women. She had been afraid to admit it when she noticed, but now that she was going to tell her best friend the truth, Tara was petrified. Not only was she going to admit to Willow that she was gay, but she was about to admit that she was completely and totally in love with her.

"Hey," a voice said, snatching Tara from her thoughts and causing her to jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Tara looked into the all familiar green eyes she loved and gave a shy smile. "I didn't hear you walk up. I was thinking about some things," she admitted, turning to face Willow.

"Does it have to do with what you're telling me?" Willow asked, coming to a stop a foot from Tara.

"Yes," Tara whispered, looking away from Willow. "I'm afraid of how you're going to react."

"Tara, you're one of my best friends. There is nothing you can tell me that will make me think differently about you," Willow promised, looking into her friends sea blue eyes.

"Don't be so sure," Tara muttered, shifting nervously.

Having heard Tara's comment, Willow quickly reached out and took Tara's hand, holding it in hers to offer comfort and support. "Tell me," Willow whispered, giving Tara's hand a slight squeeze.

"Okay. Um...remember the other day when Buffy was talking about Angel and I said my type of guy was smart and sensitive?" Tara asked, waiting for Willow to nod.

"I remember."

"Well, um...I wasn't exactly t-telling the tr-truth, not completely," Tara said, looking down at her hands.

"Tara, what does this have to do with anything?" Willow demanded, dropping Tara's hand as her anger started rising again.

"That wasn't my t-type of guy, Will. I don't have a t-type of 'g-guy'," Tara explained, hoping Willow would understand.

"Everyone has a type, Tara," Willow argued.

"I-I h-have a type, but n-not a type of g-guy," Tara countered, staring at her best friend as Willow processed Tara's words and understanding dawned in the green eyes.

"You like girls?" Willow wondered, staring at her best friend. "That's what you meant, right? You like smart and sensitive girls?"

Tara just nodded, not sure if she trusted herself to speak. She felt fear engulf her as she watch Willow figure everything out with her quick mind.

"How long?" Willow asked, staring at Tara in surprise.

"W-what?"

"How long have you known?" Willow repeated, clarifying her question.

"Since before Jesse and I broke up," Tara admitted, feeling her heart break from believing she was losing her best friend.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Willow wondered, grabbing Tara's hand again and giving it a squeeze.

"I was scared. The only reason I told Jesse was because I was confused," Tara whispered, looking down at Willow's hand holding hers.

"You could have told me, Tara. I would have understood," Willow promised, pulling her friend into a hug. "Is that what you were talking to Xander about when I walked up?"

"Partially," Tara said, her arms hanging by her side. She was afraid to return the redhead's hug from fear of breaking the spell that Willow had her under.

"What else is there?" Willow wondered, pulling back to look at her friend.

"I...um..."

"I won't judge you, Tara. You know that," Willow assured, watching her friend's eyes look everywhere but at her.

"I...I'm...I like someone," Tara confessed, not wanting to tell Willow everything. Not able to.

"That's great. Who is it? Is it Buffy? Is that why you were afraid to tell me? I mean, Buffy could be considered cute, but she's completely straight," Willow pointed out, not giving Tara time to speak or process.

"W-what?" Tara questioned, looking at her friend as she let Willow's words sink in. "It's not Buffy."

"Who then? I mean, its not like you have to be secretive about it. I mean, the only way I'd judge is if it's Cordelia," Willow said with a laugh, before looking at her friend with wide, frightened eyes. "It's not Cordelia, right?!"

Tara shook her head, surprised by Willow's words. "Um...no. Ew!" Tara replied, shaking her head. "Since when would Cordelia be considered smart or sensitive?" Tara questioned.

"Oh, right. Forgot," Willow admitted, blushing a little at her slight panic. "So, who is it? Do you mind if I know?"

Tara shifted uncomfortably at Willow's question, not sure how to answer. "Um...t-to be h-h-honest, it's y-you, Will."

A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for all the help with this story and all my others.