A/N Thanks for reviews, feedback is a good thing.

Chapter 10

Tara shook hands with everyone and then sat down. She looked at the floor rather then the others because of her immense shyness and fear of people judging her in the wrong way. "It's nice to meet you and thanks for trying to help Xander." Willow offered up in way of trying to help the obviously shy girl feel more at ease.

"Yeah," Xander added with a beaming smile on his face. "We're going to fix things and it's all thanks to you."

Willow's gaze dropped straight away and she readied herself to leave. "Xander, I never made any promises."

Just then, Britney and Graham walked into the little shop, which made Willow feel more uncomfortable then Xander had just done. She and Xander had a good talk but that did not mean Willow was going to be able to let him back into her life as close as he used to be. Willow turned her gaze away from the door and thought of how to get out without having to deal with Britney at the moment. She then felt bad for trying to think of a way to escape the woman who had shown her so much in the last few weeks. She turned her gaze to Buffy who looked a bit apprehensive and then fully stood to walk away from the table.

"There's your girlfriend Will," Xander piped up with a fake smile. He knew everything that had gone down between the women but decided to play it cool for the time being. He hoped that Britney would walk over and get the vibe that Tara was lesbian and walk out of Willow's life with the wrong assumption that Willow was moving on from her.

Xander calculated one thing right, as Britney walked up to Willow. "Hey Willow, you don't have to leave on my account." Britney's voice made Willow want to tell her that things were going to work out with the two of them, embrace her tightly and share several make up kisses.

"Boy isn't this just dandy," Harmony spoke up and got to her feet. "Harris, you have hit an all time low and should be president of the geek-squad." Having said that, she walked into the ladies room with Buffy wanting to follow her but deciding that she should hang tight incase something exploded.

Willow looked up into Britney's beautiful eyes and saw nothing but love and sadness in them. "I got your message but was going to call when I got home. Xander wanted to meet to explain himself so I thought that I should hear him out."

"That's right," Xander got to his feet having seen an easy opening. "I would also like to apologize to you for how I acted when Will came out. My new friend Tara," he pointed casually at the shy blonde who looked as though she wanted to sink into the booth, "helped me a lot. She's a young lesbian who is wise beyond her years in people's reactions."

Nobody could claim that Britney Walsh was missing a few screws by any means and she proved this by catching on to what Xander was up to right away. "So is this going to be your new chosen friend for Willow?" Britney asked bluntly, having never been one to skirt what she was thinking.

"That's nutso man!" Xander cried out in a defensive tone. "Tara is a nice girl and I would never use her like that. I was trying to make amends with a friend and get accused of this bullshit!" He finished his tirade as Harmony walked out of the ladies room and shot a glance at Buffy, who sported a disgusted look on her face.

"I think that I should just go," Willow said and tried to make a quick exit from the shop but Britney stopped her.

"Willow, can we take a drive and talk for a few minutes? Just long enough for me to drive you home and I won't push you." Britney's eyes displayed such love and sadness in them that Willow found it hard to say no but she was utterly confused at everything at the moment.

Tara saw the confusion and feeling of being overwhelmed in Willows eyes. She wished that she had guts enough to speak up for the pretty redhead but knew that it wasn't her place. She thought that if she offered her a supportive smile, it would help. She then decided better of that considering the accusation that was just tossed at her new friend by an obviously jealous girlfriend. "Maybe I should not have came," Tara offered in a soft, shy, yet comforting voice. "I am sorry and should be the one to go."

"Nonsense," Xander added and stood up from his chair. "You haven't done a thing here Tara."

"He's right on that account," Harmony added in a snarky tone of voice. Part of her wished, for the millionth time it seemed, that she never got involved with this bunch of monster fighting weirdos. While another part of her was glad that she did because it was allowing her the chance to get to know Buffy.

"No don't worry about it." Britney added and turned back towards the door. "I'm sorry if I have made you uncomfortable Willow. It's the last thing I want to do. I will just leave and let you spend some time with your friends here. If you are up to it, give me a call sometime."

"Let me walk you out at least," Willow said and followed Britney to her truck. "Look, I'm sorry that I'm acting like a kid here Britney. I just don't know how to take all of what's happened in the last couple of days. I feel like I can't breathe and I need some time to relax and gather my thoughts. I hope that you know I'm not trying to be rude and I do love you."

A tear trickled down Willow's cheek and Britney quickly pulled her into a firm embrace. "Willow, I love you so much and miss being with you. I understand that you need to put all of this together and will give you all the space that you need. I just wish that space didn't mean completely shutting me out of your life. You don't have to sleep with me Willow, or even kiss me but just let me be here for you from time to time. Just like this," Britney spoke ever so softly and fought off the urge to kiss her lover.

Willow and Britney both felt how quickly Willow relaxed in Britney's arms. "That's just it, when you are around I want you to kiss me and all that other stuff. I don't think you're some evil person Britney but I just, well I really am not sure fully what the problem is. I feel like you may have hid something from me on purpose and why I can't get over it, I don't know. I just think I need some time to grow up a bit and realize you are not trying to hurt me. I mean, Buffy has to keep secrets like that from people and I even understand why you do…" Britney couldn't resist the chance to stop the babbling because she knew that Willow was only confusing herself more. She leaned down and gave her lover a gentle kissed and then moved away.

"I think this entire mess just has you thrown for a loop and you do need some time to clear your thoughts up. I hope that once you do, you still love and want to be with me is all." She held Willow more firmly against her for the briefest of seconds and then released her. "I'll wait for you to call me Willow because I don't want to make you feel as trapped as you looked in there."

"That wasn't all you Britney," Willow began to explain quickly. "Xander explained why he let himself flip out like a freak show and then tried to tell everyone that we were fixing things for sure. I don't know if I can do that with him. That was a big part of what had my nerves up and then this thing with you didn't help."

"I understand Willow," Britney said and got in her truck. "You still owe me a call though so I'll wait till you are ready to talk to me comfortably." She gave her lover a sad smile and drove off after she finished speaking.

As Willow stood outside deciding whether or not to go back inside and say bye to her friends, Tara walked out of the club. She turned and looked at Willow with understanding in her sky-blue eyes. "I'm so very sorry Willow. I hope that I didn't cause any trouble for you and your girlfriend."

"No, not at all," Willow replied in a tired voice. "I don't think she and Xander will ever get along and honestly, I don't know if he and I will ever get along like we used to. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this."

Tara gave Willow a half-smile and shook her hand again. Both women felt a certain electrical spark when they touched. "S-S-Sometimes it helps to talk to an outsider and I listen much better then I talk." Tara said with a noticeable stammer.

"I might take you up on that," Willow said and returned the smile. "Tomorrow is Saturday, so what about we meet here for lunch and maybe talk a little." Willow wanted to help the girl to understand that none of this was her fault and hoped that an offering of food and conversation would help. Plus she thought it might be a nice diversion from her own troubles, of which she was certain now that she was making bigger by making a mountain out of a molehill.

As the two girls parted ways, Buffy and Britney came out of the shop. Buffy looked emotionally drained and almost as confused as Willow was. There was one thing that she was certain of and that was that Xander was trying to dictate Willow's love life. She wasn't certain as to Britney's true purpose in that fiasco that was co-ran by Riley and Maggie Walsh but she was certain it was Willow's decision to make. "You need a ride?" Harmony asked and pointed to her car.

"You taking me around town in that snazzy car is getting to be a ritual." Buffy replied with a smile forming on her face.

"Are all rituals bad?" Harmony asked in an attempt to see where Buffy would go with a little subtle flirtation.

"Not at all," Buffy said, appearing to have missed the boat on what Harmony was doing. "It's just that I still can't get used to the fact that I'm hanging with you. Not that you're bad but we didn't mix well in the beginning." Buffy added for good measure. "I would have pictured Core growing up before you to be honest."

"I don't think Delia will ever grow up," Harmony replied and started the car. "It's no fun being a Cordette anymore Buffy. That garbage was formed when we were all in grade school and with the little I saw yesterday, it's not what I want anymore. I want to be a model who has learned how to be nice to people and appreciate life instead of what life can give me."

"That sounds good and all but I don't think hanging with the Scoobies is your deal either. I mean, you looked totally bored back there until the action started." Buffy said honestly and lowered her smile.

"Scooby meetings, tossing steaks and shooting those other thingies isn't my deal at all. If you like someone's company, you sorta hafta compromise and I like your company." Seeing as Buffy missed the subtle remarks, Harmony decided to try a more blunt approach. Harmony would be the first to admit that she wasn't big on the intelligence department but she knew how to do one thing like the back of her hand, how to get a date.