Boris Yeltsin – I will :)

B.B-T.W-FUFFY-Calzona – Here's the reunion! Hope you enjoy it!

little old me – Yay glad you liked it! I shall keep writing, at least for the next little while! And that is a very pretty name, but her name's been chosen for a while now!

StephenPG – Not long I don't think, just a few weeks! Ha, I guess not :P Hush is definitely one of my favourites and I'm just so happy that I have the medium and the wonderful readers like you to be able to care :)


I make no promises on the quantity or quality of next week's update because I'm going to New York tomorrow, but I hope you enjoy this one!


Tara remained mute as they entered their eight minute of standing in silence outside of the school, Willow having stopped short of going inside as they approached.

No one else had passed them yet, though sounds of music playing could be heard through open windows and Tara could tell that there were probably already quite a few bodies in there.

As eight minutes turned to nine and Tara saw goosebumps rise on Willow's forearms from the light of a street lamp overhead, she moved to stand behind her wife and rubbed her arms up and down.

"Sweetie, I understand if you need a few more minutes, but could we just stand inside the doorway? Or let me run back and get you a jacket?"

"We can go in," Willow replied in an absent tone, but made no effort to move.

Tara pushed her body into Willow's back and continued to rub her arms to keep her warm. As more minutes passed and Tara started to worry they'd remain stuck to that spot for the rest of the night, she decided to try and kick things into gear and directed Willow's attention to a large oak tree about ten feet away from them.

"Didn't you tell me you used to eat lunch by a big tree outside? Was that it?"

Willow blinked a few times as she tore her gaze away from the doors to what had been her own personal hell for four years and over to the tree Tara was pointing to. It gave her a familiar sense of warmth and she found herself walking towards it without even meaning to.

"Yeah," she said softly as she felt Tara slip her hand into hers and put her other hand against the bark, "See, if you sat right here, people couldn't see you when they were walking from the school. I'd eat my banana and read a book."

"I used to read at lunch too," Tara replied with a fond smile to her wife, "My school library didn't have very many books though; I must've read To Kill A Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby at least twenty times each. They were falling apart by the time I left. I tried to glue them back to the spine as best I could so the next person could enjoy them."

Willow laid her head on Tara's shoulder.

"Of course you did," she replied adoringly before kneeling down, taking Tara with her, and pulling away an overgrown piece of grass to reveal a poorly-carved 'Cordelia Chase sucks' against the bark, "My one and only rebellion."

Tara chuckled.

"You mean before you went off to college and fell in large with the homos?"

Willow looked up to Tara and grinned.

"Yeah, before that."

They stood again and Willow put her hand back on the tree trunk, patting it.

"I never thanked you for being my bodyguard, old tree," she said in an English accent, which confused Tara.

"Why the English accent?"

Willow turned to Tara and smiled.

"I said 'old tree' instead of 'old bean'."

"Ah," Tara replied, dropping a kiss on Willow's cheek, "You're too smart for me."

"No," Willow shook her head, "I'm everything in the just the right proportions for you. Even my belly."

"Especially your belly," Tara replied, dropping a kiss onto Willow's head, "Ready to go in?"

"Yes," Willow responded confidently and started walking towards the doors, but once again stopped short, "Before we go in…could we do one more thing?"

Tara nodded.

"Of course."

Willow silently walked them around the building to the back of the school and across the football field. Tara didn't say anything, figuring Willow just needed some time to look around and get some air before they went into the reunion until the redhead suddenly stopped at the side of the bleaches and sat on the mound of grass where there was an opening to the underside. She eased herself down, then turned to Tara and motioned her forwards.

"I always wanted to make out under the bleachers."

Tara hiked her dress up above her knees and knelt down.

"Are you serious?"

Willow just grinned and nodded while Tara sighed and started to follow Willow down, everything still visible around them from the illuminated night lights around the field shining in through the slats of the bleachers.

"I would have worn a more accommodating dress if I knew I'd be crawling around in the dirt," she mumbled, brushing herself off as she stood beside Willow, then spotted a beat-up old mattress off to the side, lit up by a variety of different coloured stains, "We are not sitting on that mattress, god only knows what's been on it."

Willow grabbed Tara's waist with both hands and pulled her close.

"Stop being such an adult."

Tara scoffed and shook her head.

"We are thirty-one year old parents–" she started to reason but was cut off a Willow planted a deep kiss on her lips.

Tara relaxed after just a moment and put her hands on Willow's shoulders, her eyes darting over to where the end of the bleachers were, an extra bench on the inside to keep them grounded. She pulled away an inch and nodded in that direction.

"That bench looks like it might be free of bodily fluids."

Willow wasn't quite so sure, but opted not to voice that opinion as she brought Tara over to sit.

"Wait, wait, the dirt will show up more on your dress," Tara said as she wiped an area free, then pulled Willow onto her lap, a small grin playing on her lips, "I hope we don't get detention for cutting class."

Willow beamed from ear to ear that Tara was playing along with her little game and wrapped her arms around her wife's neck.

"Don't worry, I'll sneak us back in."

"Okay," Tara whispered and let her eyes flutter closed as Willow's lips softly descended on her own again.

It didn't take long for their kiss to heat up, the chilly night air only adding to the need to get close to each other, but as soon as Tara felt Willow's hand move down to rest on the exposed part of her breast, she pulled away and swatted her wife's hand away.

"Baby, please," Willow moaned throatily, dropping her head into the crook of Tara's neck, "I love you."

Tara smirked but made no effort to stop her wife.

"You're really getting into the role of the hormonal teenager."

Willow pulled back and pouted.

"No, I'm just actually a hormonal pregnant woman," she replied, blowing a piece of hair that had fallen onto her brow away, before adopting a sultry look, "Come on, I know you've still got that exhibitionist streak in you."

Tara exhaled slowly for a moment as she felt a shot of desire jolt through her but shook her head.

"We'll ruin our dresses. And besides, I already told you, you can get up on this," she replied, motioning down herself before pointing over her shoulder with her thumb, "When you go in and get over that."

Willow sighed and moved to rest her head on Tara's shoulder, reaching down to entwine their fingers together.

"I wish I knew you in high school."

Tara ran her spare hand down Willow's hair and smiled sadly.

"Me too."

Willow's teeth clenched as she was reminded of exactly what her wife had had to deal with during her high school years and raised her head to look at her, her voice coming out in a choked whisper.

"I would've saved you."

"Shush, shush, shush," Tara soothed, bringing Willow's palm to mouth and repeatedly kissing her skin softly, "You did."

Willow dropped her gaze but Tara quickly raised her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"We've dealt with my demons. Tonight's about yours."

Willow gave a weak smile and kissed Tara's cheek.

"I'll be okay. I've got an angel by my side."

They shared an affectionate smile for a moment before Tara grinned and scrunched up her nose.

"That would've been so much more romantic if we weren't squashed under a row of bleachers."

Willow giggled and put her hands up in defeat.

"Okay, okay, we'll go inside."

She slipped from Tara's knee and offered her hand for her wife to stand up, using her other to wipe Tara's butt free of any excess dirt, then led her across the bleachers to the other side where they were able to walk straight out and back onto the football field. Tara looked over her shoulder in disbelief as they left.

"If we could've just walked in here, why did we jump down from the grass?"

Willow grinned and shrugged.

"Part of the excitement."

"You're very lucky I love you," Tara replied, wrapping her arm around Willow's waist and playfully squeezing her hip.

"I know I am," Willow responded as they rounded the corner from the football field and back to the front of the school before she chuckled nervously, "Heh. Demons. I guess this makes me walking into my own hellmouth."

Tara watched as someone walked through the doors from the side and heard a fresh burst of music.

"Looks like they're cleverly disguising it as a party."

"They're tricky like that," Willow quipped, before taking a deep breath, "Okay, let's go party like it's 1999."

Tara's brow creased in confusion as they walked towards the doors.

"You graduated in '04."

Willow laughed and looked at her wife adoringly as the door was opened for her and she stepped through.

"It's a saying, Tara."

"Oh," Tara replied, embarrassed, "I never was hip with the lingo."

They followed the signs on the walls to the gymnasium, which Willow was glad for; the gym had been a place she avoided like the plague during her schooling. Outside the entrance to gym, a table was set up with blank name tags and a basket of marker pens to write with.

They wrote 'Willow' and 'Tara' on the stickers and stuck them onto their respective dresses. Willow patted hers down a few times to make sure it was secure and inhaled deeply again.

"Here we go."

Tara gave her wife a reassuring smile.

"Here we go."

They pushed open the doors to the bustling gym already filled with people, decorated with yellow and maroon balloons and banners, the largest of which was over the stage with 'Class of 2004' in large letters. There was a table off to the side with different snacks and bowls filled with soda and punch, while Snoop Dogg's 'Drop It Like It's Hot' blared loudly over the speaker system.

Willow instantly shuddered.

"Our high school years, the height of hip-hop."

Tara frowned and shrugged.

"I didn't listen to much music in high school," she said, though was quite thankful in that moment if the song playing was any indication of what she was missing, "Do you see anyone you know?"

Willow looked around and tried to place any of the swarm of faces she saw.

"Umm…I think that guy was in Chem club with me."

"Why don't you go say hi?" Tara asked encouragingly, "Can I get you some punch?"

Willow smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Thank you."

Tara gave her wife's shoulder a comforting squeeze and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"I'll find you," she said before walking across the room.

Willow swung her hands nervously by her side for a moment before deciding to take the plunge and began to make her way across the floor to the man she thought she possibly recognised.

She only got halfway there when a voice that had haunted her nightmares for so many years made her stop short as her blood ran cold.

"Well if it isn't Willow Rosen-nerd."

She clenched her fists for a moment and exhaled.

"That didn't take long," she muttered before spinning around to face the voice, and the two accompanying bodies with it, holding her chin up high, "Cordelia. Hi."

Cordelia, and the two lackeys – one blonde, one brunette – that Willow recognised as her entourage of terror but couldn't quite recall the names of, all went wide-eyed and physically backed up when they saw the bump.

"Wow," Cordelia said, blinking repeatedly before bringing a single finger up in a 'hold on' motion, "Wait up. You actually convinced somebody to have sex with you?"

"Yes," Willow replied confidently, "And they were quite willing."

Cordelia seemed put out that Willow wasn't cowering to her like she had when they were younger and tossed her hair over one shoulder.

"Did your husband only get you pregnant to make an improvement on the whole chest area you've got going on?"

The blonde lackey – that Willow read her nametag as Harmony and instantly remembered her from the barking way Cordelia used to address her – laughed and pointed at Willow's chest.

"As in, actually giving you one."

Willow dropped her gaze for a moment and smiled to herself, wondering how on earth she'd ever been so terrified to face these people again. It was all gone now. She just felt sad that they hadn't grown at all in the 13 years since high school that they still had to belittle others to feel better about themselves.

She looked back at the three women again and shook her head.

"Actually I don't have a husband."

Cordelia scoffed almost triumphantly.

"Ha! Didn't stick around, huh? Hardy surprised."

Harmony narrowed her eyes.

"Then who knocked you up?"

"I did," Tara's voice came from behind and sidled up beside Willow and handing her a plastic cup of punch.

"She did," Willow confirmed giddily, taking the cup.

The other three women's eyes were wide in shock before Harmony leant over to whisper loudly in Cordelia's ear.

"I should not have cheated off her in Bio if she thinks a woman got her pregnant."

"Shut up, Harmony," Cordelia hissed before clapping her hands together, "Oh this is too good. I should've known no man would ever want you."

"Actually, it was me that didn't want the man," Willow replied, Tara nodding along in agreement, "That's kinda how being gay works. At least, for women."

Tara brought her own cup of punch up to her mouth to hide a snort, then began coughing as soon as she took a sip.

"Don't drink that, there's alcohol," she said to Willow, taking her wife's cup back, "Do you want some soda?"

Willow nodded.

"Thanks, baby."

Tara smiled and started to walk back in the direction of the drinks, hearing the infamous 'Cordelia' continue to address her wife.

"Who would've thought the softer side of Sears actually had something interesting about her."

She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder, seeing her wife more than able to stand up for herself and smiled to herself as she reached the table. She poured Willow's punch into her own cup for herself and threw the empty plastic in the nearby trashcan. She had just begun to ladle some orange soda into a new one when she noticed a short man next to her, his nametag reading 'Jonathan' getting a cup of punch.

"Be careful, it's spiked," she warned, making the man peer into his cup, then down it in one go. Tara laughed, "I think it's one of those nights for everyone."

Jonathan refilled his cup and looked at Tara quizzically.

"Did you go here?"

Tara smiled and shook her head.

"I'm here with someone," she replied, pointing directly at Willow across the room.

Jonathan followed where Tara was pointing and nodded.

"Willow Rosenberg," he said, remembering her from a few of his classes, "She's put on a pound or two."

Tara shot daggers in his direction.

"She's pregnant."

"Oh," Jonathan replied, nodding his head along before cocking his head to one side in thought, "You guys are here together?"

Tara took a sip of her punch and nodded.

"Uh huh."

Jonathan, operating under the assumption that only single ladies would come to a reunion together, smoothed a hand over the back of his hair and slid up beside Tara.

"You know, it's funny, she kind of had a thing for me way back when."

Tara quirked an eyebrow, already unimpressed with this man.

"Oh really?"

"I mean, I was the football team," Jonathan said cockily, leaving out the fact that he was the water-boy, "I guess she has a thing for athletic men."

Tara once again had to hide a snort, which Jonathan took as a sign that he needed to up the ante and tried to sip his drink casually as he leant back against the table.

"I took her out one night. Best night of her life she told me," he said, his smile pumped with slimy arrogance as he winked at Tara, "I, ah, popped her cherry if you know what I mean. She wanted to come back for more, but hey, I had to spread the love around you know? There's a piece of Jonathan for everyone."

Tara's eyebrow couldn't have risen much further without actually becoming a part of her hair but was stopped from responding directly as Willow appeared beside her, reaching for the cup of orange soda.

"Is that my soda? It's so hot in here."

Jonathan instantly paled, suddenly realising the flaw in his plan to big himself up and tried to back away but Tara spoke up before he had a chance.

"Jonathan here was just telling me how you guys knew each other in school."

Willow looked at the man and tried to place him but could only smile apologetically when she couldn't.

"I'm really sorry, I don't remember you. Did we have classes together?"

Jonathan began to stutter and Tara put a hand on Willow's back.

"Willow," she said in a gently chastising tone, "How can you not remember the boy who 'popped your cherry'?"

Willow choked on the sip of soda she'd taken and looked between Tara and Jonathan wide-eyed for a few moments before bursting into laughter.

"Oh buddy. Next time you're going to lie about taking someone's virginity," she said to Jonathan, then waggled her finger at Tara, "Don't do it in front of the person who actually took it."

Jonathan's mouth hung open and he looked slightly interested and aroused for a moment before thinking better of it and began to scramble away.

"Bye," he squeaked before making a beeline for the other end of the room and as far away as possible.

Willow watched him leave for a moment before dropping her head to Tara's chest and giggling.

"He really told you that?" she asked, looking up at her wife.

"He really did," Tara confirmed with a short nod, "You were obsessed with him apparently."

Willow snorted.

"The only thing I was obsessed with in high school was my GPA and hiding my posters of Halle Berry and Kate Hudson in swimsuits. Why would he tell you that?"

Tara grinned crookedly and took a sip from her cup.

"I think he was trying to impress his way into my pants."

"Did he know we came together?" Willow asked and got an answering nod, "So even if he thought you were single…didn't see your wedding ring apparently… and straight, he used me, someone you would undoubtedly check his story with as an opportunity to lie his way into my wife dropping her panties?"

Tara winked and blew a kiss to Willow.

"Your wife's panties aren't going to drop for anyone but you."

Willow smiled and blushed just as a tall, bottle-blonde woman approached them and looked at Willow curiously.

"Willow Rosenberg?"

"It's Rosenberg-Maclay now," Willow replied, taking Tara's hand, wanting to make sure there was no more confusion that night about her marital status and who exactly she was married to, "But yes, that's me."

The woman threw her hands in the air with a smile.

"Jenna Chambers! We were in AP English together."

"Oh my god, hi!" Willow greeted, suddenly remembering exactly who the woman was, "We did an assignment together junior year. 'Jane Eyre, from Governess to Girl Bride', right?"

Jenna laughed.

"Good memory."

"She doesn't forget a thing," Tara replied with a smile between the two women.

"Although not so much lately," Willow added with a hand on her belly in indication before motioning towards Tara, "This is my wife, Tara."

Jenna looked momentarily surprised but didn't hesitate to shake Tara's hand before she and Willow started reminiscing about some shared classes they'd had until Jenna spotted another face she recognised and excused herself to go talk to them.

"How did things go with the three stooges?" Tara asked as she refilled hers and Willow's drinks.

"More like dumb, dumber and dumbest," Willow replied with a roll of her eyes, "Cordelia married one of the meanest kids there was here, Larry. Jokes on her though, because I'm pretty sure he's gay."

Tara shot a stern look in her wife's direction.

"Willow."

"What?" Willow asked defensively, "From one small-town gay kid to another, he always made me ping."

"You can't assume something like that about anyone," Tara replied, shaking her head to herself, "And I meant how did things go with you and them?"

Willow smiled warmly to herself.

"For the first time ever with them…I actually felt bigger being the bigger person."

Tara handed Willow her cup and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"That's my girl."

"She's your girl," Willow replied, putting one hand against her stomach, then gave a sly smile, "I'm your woman."

Tara grinned and squeezed Willow's hip.

"Yes you are."

Not long after that, the now-principal, who had been vice-principal when Willow was in school, stood up and delivered the standard speech welcoming everyone back and talking about how the school had changed in the years since they'd been gone. Willow tuned out when the football coach stood up to say a few words as well and the room began to change into a pep rally; with the jocks, now with balding hair and beer bellies started yelling like Neanderthals.

She felt Tara move behind her and start to rub her neck and shot a grateful smile over her shoulder until the speeches finally stopped and the music returned.

"I should've broken these shoes in before wearing them tonight," Tara commented, continuing to rub Willow's inner shoulder with one hand while the other reached down to adjust her stiletto, "Do you mind if I go sit for a while?"

"Not at all," Willow replied, turning to face Tara, then nodded off to the side, "I see some fellow mathletes I can go talk to."

Tara looked over to where Willow had indicated and saw a group of three guys and one girl talking and laughing together.

"Did you get on well with them?"

Willow grinned and stuck her tongue out between her teeth.

"I dunno, some of them could be a bit irrational."

Tara smiled crookedly.

"Tell them to get real."

Willow scrunched up her nose, still grinning.

"I couldn't love you more," she said, leaning over to kiss Tara's nose, "And yet every day, I do."

Tara reached down to her aching shin again.

"Will you love me enough to give me a foot rub later?"

Willow laughed and nodded,

"You bet. Go sit. I'll come find you for a dance in a bit."

She kissed Tara's cheek again and walked off towards the group while Tara went to the wall opposite where a few loose chairs and a stool were located. She swung herself onto the stool and bent down to slip the back of one of her stiletto's off, rubbing the back of her ankle.

She didn't notice the tall, dark-haired man who was leaning against the wall nearby until he straightened up and approached her; the height of the stool meaning they were at eyelevel with each other.

"Hey, I remember you," he said, mistaking her for anyone of the gaggle of women that had flocked around him in high school, as came with the territory of being the football quarterback. He peered at her nametag, "Tara."

Tara continued to rub her ankle and shook her head.

"I don't think you do."

The man folded his arms across his chest, looking curious.

"Didn't I cheat off you in history?"

Tara sighed and once again shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"No, I did!" the man responded emphatically, figuring if he hadn't 'had' this girl in high school then he might have a chance now, "It's Percy."

Tara's eyes narrowed as she recognised the name as one of her wife's past tormentors. She secured her shoe on her foot again as she straightened up.

"Percy West?"

"Yeah!" he replied enthusiastically, before both of their attention was called away to the side as the sound of Willow's loud and happy laugh filled the room.

Tara smiled lovingly in her direction, wondering what math joke had been shared to get her to laugh that loudly, but it quickly turned into a frown as Percy nudged her side.

"Hey, did you hear she's a dyke now? Talk of the reunion."

Tara set her jaw in irritation.

"Excuse me?"

Percy nodded, grinning as if he was sharing the most interesting piece of gossip.

"Full blown carpet muncher! Apparently she married a chick and everything."

Tara rolled her eyes and went back to rubbing her ankle; her foot worth more of her concentration than this Percy guy.

"Yes, I know."

"I didn't even know they could do that," Percy continued, oblivious to Tara's irritation "Hey, if I'd known she was down with the lady-lovin' in high school I wouldn't have made fun of her so much and tried to get in on that action."

Tara slipped her shoe back on, ready to get up and away from Percy but only managed to plant her feet on the floor when he started again.

"Although I dunno if I could've resisted. Carrying around like 20 books all at once, that's prime tripping material," he said, beginning to laugh uncontrollably to himself, "She fell for it every time. We'd call her over and right as she'd get close, bam, stick my foot out and over she goes."

Anger was not an emotion Tara felt very often. Rage was something she felt never. But in that moment the only way she could describe what she was feeling was unbridled fury, that in a less self-contained person would have resulted in a punch being thrown already.

However Tara had never raised a hand to anyone in anger, and never would. She wouldn't, she couldn't; it went against everything she was and everything she'd fought so hard to be free from.

That didn't mean she was about to let Percy get away with what he was saying though. She very calmly, in complete contrast to how she was feeling on the inside, raised her cup and poured it squarely over his head.

Percy spluttered in shock and started wiping his face.

"This is a rental suit!"

The room quietened to silence over the next five seconds as everyone's attention focused on the scene playing out and Tara felt a presence beside her after just a moment and the feel of familiar soft fingertips on her shoulder.

"Tara, are you okay?" Willow asked, having rushed over.

Tara remained focused on Percy and fixed him with a look that told him she was not to be messed with.

"Don't you ever. Ever. Even mention my wife's name again."

Percy gulped as he looked between the two women and finally realised who he was speaking to and started nervously playing with his tie.

Willow wasn't quite sure what had happened but had only seen the look Tara had in her eyes a handful of times, and only ever in defence of her. She dropped her hand and pulled at two of Tara's fingers.

"Baby, come on."

Tara scrunched up the plastic cup in her hand and threw it at Percy's chest before letting Willow lead her down the room and out the double doors to the hallway. Once there she folded her arms across her chest and leant back against the wall.

"Is every guy you were in school with a complete jackass?"

"No," Willow shook her head, brushing the back of her fingers against Tara's cheek, "Just the ones who nobody actually liked and therefore had no one to talk to tonight. Can't blame them for approaching the most beautiful woman in the room."

Tara frowned but leant into Willow's touch.

"I can blame them for completely disrespecting you. He said he'd trip you and laugh?" she said, shaking her head for a moment before taking both of Willow's hands and looking at her apologetically, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause a scene."

Willow put a single finger against Tara's lips.

"Don't apologise to me, you didn't do anything wrong. C'mere."

She pressed her lips against Tara's and lingered for a few moments before pulling away and offering her hand.

"My dance?" she asked sweetly, "Quick, while there's a song without rapping in it."

Tara smiled as they walked back into the room and straight onto the dance-floor where Willow wrapped her arms around her wife's neck and Tara let her hands settle either side of Willow's hips.

They began to sway softly to the slow ballad that was playing and Tara was all too aware of the numerous sets of eyes that were focused on them.

"Everybody's staring," she whispered, awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact with anyone.

Willow just smiled at Tara; not giving anyone but her wife an ounce of her attention.

"Let them."

There was a table off to the side with different snacks and bowls filled with soda and punch, while Snoop Dogg's 'Drop It Like It's Hot' blared loudly over the speaker system.