CHAPTER SEVENTEEN BRAVO: WILLOW
:Friday, 13th October 2000:
"OK. Enough of the speculative." orders Buffy. "We'll sleep on it." She looks at Tara. "Tare had just gotten to the part where I threatened her with dire consequences."
"It was sweet of you. Protecting Willow like that." Tara says. Then she puts her hands on my shoulders, gazes into my eyes. What lovely ultramarine peepers she's got. "I...um...peeked at Buffy's aura and saw something."
"Saw something?" I'm alarmed. "Is Buffy OK? You didn't sense a hyena energy, did you? 'Cause hyena possession, it's- "
"She's in love with you." Tara cuts through my babble.
"She is?" Well, that's incisive of you, Willow Luxemburg. "She is? Wow!"
"I know you're in love with Buffy, Willow." Tara tells me calmly. Yes, she would have to tell me calmly, considering. "And I want you and her to start dating."
"Dating? With Buffy? What about you? Are you, are you breaking up with me?" I feel cold dread well up in my tummy.
"No." says Tara embracing me with a hint of Slayer strength. "I wanna share you with Buffy. If you're willing."
"Anoxia of real concern here." I gasp. Tara loosens her grip. "This is. Oh! Wow! Are you crazy? How could this work?"
"That was pretty much my reaction, Wills." Buffy says. "But Tara's reasons sorta make sense."
"And what are Tara's reasons?" I demand.
"My reasons?" Tara asks. "I love you and I want you safe. You need me for this and Buffy. She loves you. Slayers live dangerously. If I get through the night's peril I'll be able to come home to you. If Buffy can't do that, what's she gonna feel? Despair. Because she can't have the woman she loves. That kind of despair when there's so many ways to commit suicide by monster? It's not fair to her. Do you understand, Willow?"
"I want to do this." Buffy looks oddly shy.
I'm feeling too emotional for logic here but it's not a logic thing. This is a heart and gut thing. And if I have time to think on it... "Yes." I say with all my will and heart. "But there's a condition."