Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy.

AN: I'm running out of fitting song titles, so I'll use portions of lyrics for some chapter titles.


After she had almost kissed Tara, Willow began to feel awkward around her friend, especially considering the fact that Tara seemed upset about something. She.. She couldn't have wanted it too.. Could she? Willow shook her head as she washed the dishes, trying to clear these thoughts from her mind. It would be wrong to pursue any sort of romantic relationship with Tara right now. As Willow kept reminding herself, she didn't want to take advantage.

"It's not taking advantage if you really love her" said the little voice in Willow's head. Oh, how she hated that voice. Especially when it was kinda telling the truth. But, her other, currently louder inner voice thought, even if it was the truth, if she loved Tara, she needed to do what was best for her, and that was to keep her safe and protected as she'd promised, nothing more. Tara's life was complicated enough at the moment without adding teenage romance to the equation. And weren't adults always saying teenagers didn't know what real love was? Willow thought that what she felt for Tara was love, but what if she was wrong. Willow nodded, her mind was made up.. For now at least. It was better to keep off that road than to risk their wonderful friendship.

Tara, as she shyly entered the kitchen, had been thinking mostly along the same lines, even though Willow's pulling away had felt like a painful blow to the heart. But she knew that, if nothing else, she and Willow had a magical connection, and for that reason, along with the multitude of other much more obvious predicaments she currently faced, she needed her friend's help. Tara had reached a rather awkward stage of her magical development. She could handle most basic spells on her own, but for the more complicated ones she was now ready to attempt, she needed the assistance of another witch, and, beginner though she was, Willow was the closest thing she had. Willow was also the only person who could leave the house to get supplies.

"Willow?" Tara never stuttered over the younger girl's name anymore.

"Hmm?" Willow looked up from the dishes.

"I need you to.. I mean, you d-don't n-need to do anything, but I was w-wondering if m-maybe you would.."

"Tara" Willow laughed, forgetting her recent awkwardness in the face of her friend's adorably nervous display, "Whatever it is, just ask."

"Well, th-there's a spell in my Mother's b-book that I want to try" Tara continued, "B-But I n-need another witch.."

"Oh.. Oh!" said Willow, catching on. "You mean me?"

"I d-don't have anybody else" Tara shrugged.

"I don't know" Willow frowned. "Am I good enough?"

"I d-don't even know if I'm g-good enough" said Tara. "I just th-think its worth t-trying, that's all."

"Okay, I guess" Willow agreed. "What do I have to do?"

"We n-need some stuff" said Tara. "There's a shop up the r-road from The Bronze, it's c-called The Magic Box. You sh-should be able to g-get everything there."

"Okay" Willow nodded, turning back to the sink. "Make a list, and I'll go when I've finished these dishes."


Willow had walked past The Magic Box many times, and had always wanted to look inside, but had never had the chance. This was because she would usually pass it with Buffy, who saw the place as 'weird', and on one occasion, her Mother, who 'didn't believe in that nonsense'. Willow had always liked to believe that magic existed, even before Tara, so she was almost excited to enter the store. Or at least she had been, until she approached a display of candles, and found herself faced with a mop of dark hair that had become entirely too familiar in recent times.

"This is getting weird."

"Hey, Red" Faith grinned as she turned around. "We have to stop meetin' like this."

"It's not funny" Willow frowned. "You being outside the electronics store right when we walked past is understandable, and the library, I almost get, but what possible reason could you have for being in a magic shop?"

"What reason do you have for being in a magic shop?" asked Faith, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm buying stuff for a friend" said Willow, emphasising 'friend' to leave Faith in no doubt as to whom she was referring. "And again, you're here because?.."

"Why do you need to know?" Faith frowned.

"Like it or not, we share a big secret Faith" Willow pointed out, crossing her arms. "And when two people are sharing a secret that involves protecting someone else, and one of them does something that the other one thinks is out of character, then I think they have the right to know why, just o make sure the protected person stays protected."

"Fine" Faith sighed, relenting, although she didn't seem entirely happy about it. "I don't see how Blondie could be in danger just from me bein' in a magic shop, but fine. My.." she hesitated.

"Your what?"

"My Foster Mom is into this stuff. She asked me to get her some things."

"Foster Mom?" asked Willow, confused.

"Yeah, Foster Mom" Faith snapped. "You got a problem with that?"

"No" said Willow quickly. "So.. You must know a little about magic then, right?"

"I've picked up a few things" said Faith, calming down. "Why?"

"Well, I don't know much at all yet.." Willow pulled Tara's list from her pocket, and Faith held out a hand.

"Give it here, Red."


It didn't take long for Faith to gather the items on Tara's list, and she and Willow soon mad the ir puchases and exited the store.

"See ya, Red" said Faith, heading off down the street. "Tell Blondie I said hi." Willow frowned as she watched the girl's retreating form, considering. If she was going to trust Faith, she might as well trust her with everything. It would be nice to have someone else on her side, and it would probably be good for Tara to have another friend.

"Hey!" she called after the younger girl. Faith turned, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want to come tell her yourself?"