Chapter Ten
Getting Down to (Magical) Business

In what was a very rare, in fact probably unheard of occurrence, Tara Maclay and Rupert Giles were arguing heatedly. The last customer had left the Magic Box at 5pm and the pair were cashing up while waiting for Willow to show up for her first magic lesson. Giles had taken the opportunity to suggest that they bind Willow's powers without her knowledge. He had suggested it quite casually as though he was asking Tara what she was having for dinner. Tara had responded predictably, given her benevolent nature in general…and her feelings towards Willow.

"I won't bind Willow against her will," Tara said in a quiet but vehement voice, standing with her fists placed firmly on her hips in her most defiant posture. "I'll ask her."

"Can we honestly leave such a choice up to someone who understands so little of how magic works? We know what's best for Willow, shouldn't that be enough?" Giles protested, removing his glasses and giving them a thorough clean.

Tara could not believe her ears and she was sorely tempted to leave the room and come back in just in case she was imagining all of this. Her mentor, whom she trusted with her life, had suggested a course of action that went against his principles - at least what she always thought had been his principles. It was now that she realised these principles could be dispensed with according to the situation.

"I don't understand, Giles," Tara felt sick to her stomach for arguing with Giles in the first place, and for what he was suggesting. "This isn't at all like you."

"It's not like me because this isn't something that we have ever had to deal with," Giles replied, his own voice also firm, "Willow represents a very real threat and I for one cannot help but think that her magicks are linked into everything that is happening at present. The fact that she was able to find us, even with the Heart's Fire spell in place, makes my very wary of her indeed…very wary. I'm concerned that she may not be who she appears to be. As such, I feel that binding her powers without her knowledge is the entirely appropriate course of action and will keep us all safe, Willow included."

"It's wrong." Tara hung her head, ashamed that they were even having this discussion.

"Would you feel differently if Willow was clearly evil…or if you felt nothing towards her?" Giles was playing hardball.

Tara looked up with shock written all over her face. She was shocked that Giles would even think to play her like that and force her into giving opinions on hypothetical situations.

"Yes," she replied defensively, before her face fell slightly and she continued in a much quieter voice, "Maybe not if she was clearly not evil."

"My point!" Giles seized upon her words triumphantly as he pointed a finger in the air.

Suddenly, angered by his attitude, Tara's eyes blazed directly at Giles. "But she's not evil…and my feelings towards her are entirely irrelevant! So back off!"

Giles gaped and stared goggle-eyed at Tara, struck speechless for a good minute at uncharacteristic anger in Tara's voice. He had hoped that she would come to see his point of view. While Willow could quite possibly be innocent, she was just as likely to be evil…therefore they had nothing to lose by binding her powers and everything to gain.

His reply began rather feebly, "I-I…"

"I'll ask her," Tara replied in a firm voice that would tolerate no further discussion.

With a sigh, Giles replaced his glasses. Although he knew full well that Tara was right, it did not make him feel any better about her decision. If it had been purely up to him, Willow's powers would have been bound with the strongest binding spell that could possibly be concocted. For some reason, he didn't trust the usually chirpy redhead…and a Watcher had to listen to his instincts.

"I'm just worried…" Giles began slowly.

"So am I," Tara agreed and continued. "I'm worried about Willow. She's so vulnerable right now, I'm afraid for her."

Giles couldn't contain a derisive snort "I would hardly call a tough as nails detective who sets fire to things at will, vulnerable."

Tara silenced him with the fiercest glare that she could summon and they resumed cashing up the till in silence. It was mere minutes later that the doorbell chimed to admit a much cheerier Willow Rosenberg. Tara was relieved to see that she had at least showered and changed her clothes. She was looking decidedly casual, wearing jeans and a tight hooded sweatshirt, which made her look absolutely adorable.

"Hey, here and reporting for action!" Willow said brightly, striding over to where Tara and Giles were standing by the shop counter, she blushed the colour of her hair. "Um, magic type action…not any other kind!"

If Willow could sense the tension between Tara and Giles, she gave no sign of it. She leant against the counter, barely a metre from Tara and watched the blonde's slender fingers as she poured coins into bank bags. Tara felt heat rising up the back of her neck, as she knew Willow was looking directly at her.

It was a few more moments until they had finished their end of the day routine by which time Tara felt as though her entire body was on fire in Willow's presence. Willow obviously had no idea of her effect on the blonde, as she stood hunched over a book the lay on the counter. Her little nose was wrinkled, there was slight furrow in her brow and the tiniest corner of pink tongue appeared from her mouth, all signs that she was deep in concentration.

"I'm going to put all this in the safe, Tara. You might want to take Willow through to the training room?" Giles managed a small, but decidedly forced, smile.

Tara just nodded and turned to Willow who slammed shut her book with apparent eagerness. It was then that Tara saw the cover and read the title '101 Most Useful Magical Plants and Herbs'. She glanced back up to Willow and saw there was a twinkle in the redhead's eye. Both knew that there was no way Willow had been entirely engrossed in the book, rather she had been concentrating on a certain blonde out of the corner of her eye.

"So, what's gonna happen?" Willow asked once Tara had shown her back into the training room which Willow clearly recognised as the site of their encounter the day before. "I don't have spell books, or a cat, rat or toad."

Willow settled herself on a stack of exercise mats up against the wall while Tara stood a few metres away, her arms folded across her chest.

Tara smiled warmly. "You really have to stop relying on Harry Potter as your source of magical information. It's misleading to say the least."

"Well then I'll have to rely on you instead…and Mr Giles of course," Willow replied quickly and confidently.

Tara sighed, she wasn't entirely sure that Willow should rely on the two of them. Giles seemed determined to reduce Willow to a shell of who she actually was, while she herself couldn't tell up from down in Willow's presence. It was as though the redhead took everything that was carefully ordered and in its proper place and then put it in a blender. Right from wrong, good from evil - Tara could no longer be sure she knew the difference. Willow blurred all the lines of sensible definition.

Tara wanted to get what she had to say out of the way before Giles came back. She was determined that he would have no part in the conversation about binding. Most likely he would 'assume crash positions' and paint Willow a worst-case scenario picture of what may happen to her if her powers remained unfettered.

"Willow, what would you say if I told you there was a spell that may bind your powers?" Tara asked quietly, looking directly into Willow's eyes.

Willow appeared confused. "Bind? You mean like tie them up in some way? That's a funny choice of words, how can you bind something that isn't really real…I mean, it is real but not in a solid kinda way?"

"It's the same principle as taking something solid and binding it with rope…although it's just done magically. Think of it as tying something up so it cannot escape. In this case, your magicks. Do you get it at all?"

"I think so, so if I tried to use them…they couldn't come out, nothing would go poof?"

"Absolutely no poofing," Tara assured her.

"Will anything happen to me?" Willow had to be sure, it all sounded too good to be true. "Side effects, like growing warts or putting on weight…cos I kinda like my arse the way it is now."

So do I, Tara thought, trying to smother a grin that wanted to emerge at the most inappropriate time, "Nope, no warty side-effects. Although it is important to remember that the magicks will still be there, learning control and meditation will still be crucial."

Willow nodded, she had been worried that the binding spell would also remove the need for further magic lessons. She wasn't keen on giving up her regular meetings with Tara. At that moment Giles walked in and Willow leapt up from the pile of mats as though she had been doing something decidedly iniquitous instead of just sitting.

"Hi, Mr Giles, I was just talking to Tara…just talking, no closer than this….although I was a little further away because I was sitting down here," Willow patted the mats and looked to Giles for a measure of approval. "Oh, and we were talking about binding me…well, not tying me up in a kinky sex sort of way, in a magical way…and I should just shut up before I really say something embarrassing."

Willow already appeared embarrassed enough, her whole face, right to the tip of her ears had gone red. Tara felt a warm, unbidden flutter in her heart that had begun sometime during Willow's latest babbling fit and built into a crescendo when the redhead grinned apologetically.

I know it's stupid to go on mannerisms alone…but how on earth can someone like that be evil? Look at her! She's gorgeous, well evil people can be gorgeous too…but gorgeous on the inside?

"How do you feel about that Willow?" Giles asked gently, almost on the verge of being patronising, Tara winced slightly.

"I think it's a fantastic idea…bind away…although can you be gentle?" Willow's voice was so innocent, Tara found herself nodding with a smile as the redhead continued. "And can I ask about the 'may' part of what you said, Tara. When you told me about the binding spell, you said it 'may' bind my magicks. Might it not work?"

Giles gave Tara a 'look' and Tara replied with one of her own, smile instantly wiped from her face. For the first time Willow realised the undercurrent that ran between the two of them, she dismissed it as none of her business. Giles quickly gave her a reassuring smile and the moment had passed.

"I cannot guarantee that it will work, there are certain rules that must be followed of course otherwise people would run around binding each other all the time. I doubt very much whether we'll run into any problems…will you being a willing participant and all," Giles said smoothly.

Willow nodded as though she understood…which she did, a little at least.

"Capital, simply capital," Giles responded, on the whole appearing much more enthusiastic. "Some of the preparations are quite time consuming however, and there are a few things I need to gather together…I think Saturday night would be the perfect time."

Just as Willow's face fell, Tara interrupted Giles' musings. "I think Sunday would be better…we're busy on Friday."

Willow sighed with relief. She didn't exactly want to get her powers bound on the same day as her date with Tara, the Saints and Sinners party at the Kitten. She felt as though it would be the magical equivalent of having a bikini wax done on the same day as a date.

"Sunday then!" Giles replied, Tara could see that he was happy just to be doing it…although she knew that he would be thinking the sooner the better. "Right, lessons, I thought we'd start today with meditation. Willow, if you'd like to take a seat opposite me on the mat."

Giles sat down on a training mat which lay on the floor, his long legs folded beneath him. Willow looked decidedly dubious and disappointed that Tara was not doing it with her.

Tara sensed it clearly. "Mr Giles is the expert on meditation - you'll be fine."

Willow gave in and came to sit opposite Giles on the mat so their knees were almost touching. She had been sitting for barely a few seconds when her knee started bouncing as though she had a tic. Giles' hand shot out grabbed it, forcing her to stop.

"Sorry, just nervous," Willow replied apologetically, trying to stop fidgeting of any sort.

By the time Tara walked her out to her car an hour later, Willow felt as though she were sleep walking. She could still hear Giles' rather soothing voice droning inside her head as he implored her to find her 'energy centre' and work on bringing it under control. Willow wasn't sure she had found anything besides a very nice image of Tara's arse in leather pants…so the session had not been entirely wasted.

The pair reached Willow's car and the now standard awkwardness between them ensued. It was the awkwardness felt by two people who clearly had feelings for one another but weren't quite sure what those feelings were…or how to find out.

Willow turned and pressed her back up against the cool metal of her car. She silently willed that Tara's body would press up against hers, pinning her firmly against the car as their lips converged. Tara stopped well short of fulfilling Willow's fantasy and once again folded her arms tightly across her chest as though she were protecting something.

"Don't be discouraged if you didn't feel much of anything tonight. It takes a while to become comfortable enough to open yourself up."

The corners of Willow's lips curled ever so slightly. "Open myself up? Tara, forgive me but it all sounds like a load of bunkum right now. I know I need to take this seriously, but seriously I'm feeling more than a little out of my element."

"That's where Giles and I come in…Willow, I assure you that you can trust us, the binding spell, I told you everything I know. On Sunday I'll explain everything to you before it happens, I won't do anything to you without your knowledge," Tara said firmly, it seemed to Willow almost as if she were apologising for something. "I said 'may' because binding spells don't always work. For instance, binding an enemy would be difficult, requiring a great deal more power simply to overcome their resistance."

"And I'm not an enemy!" Willow swallowed quickly as though nervous. "I trust you, I do…and…are you doing that spell, or is Giles? Cos it's totally okay if Giles is doing it!"

Tara felt her cheeks burning once more, as they often did in Willow's presence. "The spell requires magicks, and Mr Giles, while he is well versed in magical lore and theory, isn't endowed in that department. So I guess you'll be stuck with me for that one."

"Something I can live with!" Willow replied with a twinkle in her eye.

An awkward silence returned and the only conversation Willow could think of was entirely inappropriate given the fact that they hardly knew each other and they had not even shared a kiss let alone what was running through her dirty little mind.

Bad Willow, bad! Willow inwardly chastised herself. "Um, I guess I had better be going."

Tara smiled. "I had better go put in some quality Mommy-time. Ashley doesn't seem worried but I haven't been spending much time with her over the past week."

"She'd definitely be missing you…say hi to her for me won't you?" Willow hoped that wasn't inappropriate, she did enjoy spending time with the precocious little girl.

"No problem, she sure does like you, keeps talking about wanting to be a detective when she grows up. Goodbye, Willow," Tara finally uncrossed her arms and gave a funny little wave.

On instinct, Willow reached out and picked up Tara's hand. She felt a thrill at feeling the smooth skin against her own. She wasn't quite bold enough to intertwine their fingers but she did grip it firmly. She was overjoyed when Tara did not pull away and met her gaze.

"I'm really looking forward to Saturday," Willow whispered quietly.

"M-me t-to," Tara didn't dare to try and get more words out, her stutter was working overtime.

They stood like that for a few minutes, the silence between them no longer awkward but comfortable. It was as though the touch of skin allowed them a better understanding of one another, a familiarity that brought with it contentment.

Willow felt that peace once more, the peace that had proved so elusive over the past few days and she bathed in it. Although Giles had worked with her for an hour to find her spiritual self and had failed…she found it in mere minutes with Tara.

Tara gave a last wave as Willow's red car pulled away from the curb and off down the street. She watched until it was out of sight and then sank down to the curb, tucking her legs beneath her. Tonight had taken a toll on her emotionally and spiritually. While she savoured every moment of Willow's company, she couldn't stop dwelling on the fears that Giles had voiced so relentlessly.

Despite the fact that she did not share Giles' instinctive doubts about the redhead, Tara was utterly aware of the danger she represented. At Giles' insistence, she had removed the Heart's Fire spell in order to prevent any drain on her own life force but the spell's lingering residue still had an effect. It was minuscule, and yet for someone as aware as Tara, it was uncomfortable. This discomfort had combined with Giles' rather negative presence during the evening to give her an insistent headache. It pounded lightly at the back of her head and threatened to go supernova in a matter of minutes.

Tara rubbed her forehead wearily; she had long since given up wishing that her life would just be normal. Someone or something was out to get her, going as far as to make sure that her love life was as catastrophic and complicated as possible. She had known Willow Rosenberg for a matter of weeks. For all intensive purposes, the redhead was an untrained, unpredictable dark witch…and yet she craved to see her. It was almost as though nothing else mattered.

Not quite…

At that moment Tara had a very sharp reminder of what was good and constant in her life in the form of a miniature whirlwind. Small arms flew around her neck and hugged to the point of suffocation. It was an assassin in the form of a small girl.

"Hi Mom!" Ashley said brightly, releasing her stranglehold on her mother. "Was wondering when you were coming up, Faith and me cooked dinner. It's getting cold."

Tara swivelled around so she could look the little monkey in the eye, she cocked an eyebrow playfully, "You and Faith cooked? Should I be worried about attempts to poison me?"

There was a very large dollop of red sauce on Ashley's cheek, as well as on the front of her sweater. Tara had to guess that whatever they were having was tomato flavoured.

Ashley giggled and replied emphatically, "I wouldn't poison you! I love you!"

Tara smiled. "Help me up kiddo, let's go eat this culinary wonder you've created."