She must have dozed off at some point considering that at first, she'd thought the tickling brush against the back of her and was just a really big dust bunny after curling up on the floor of the laundry room but in her defense, she wasn't as young as she used to be and two it had been several long years since she'd needed to use as much magic has, she had in shifting the snacks machine in front of the door just as another added precaution to be sure no one crashed her long-awaited date night with the literal woman of her dreams.
The tickling brush came again…the warm weight of a hand sliding so easily into her own rouses the elder witch from her unintended nap.
Willow had been planning this reunion for years. She'd had countless lists of everything she'd wanted to say and yet now that she always was finally back at her side the only thing that came to mind was a nervous "T-T-T—Tara?" as she blinks her eyes open to seeing Tara smiling over at her also laying out with her head pillowed against her arm.
Tara's shy smile widens into one of those heart-melting half-smiles as she answers with a similar "W-W-W—Willow?" as her hand tightens around Willow's own pulling their now joined hands closer to press a kiss against the back of Willow's.
It wasn't until she was already half climbing half falling into the other woman's lap after Tara had pushed herself up into more of a sitting position as more tears blurred her vision that Willow realizes just how strong her body had become since she'd last closed her eyes. Stronger, younger, fitter. Almost as if she'd gone back in time to just before than dreaded afternoon.
"Sshh, baby," Tara murmurs her hands sliding into Willow's hair as she helpfully finishes relocating her crying companion into her lap. "I've got you." The blonde soothes twisting the curls at the back of Willow's neck around her fingers.
"It all my fault." Willow sobs hiding her face against Tara's shoulder. "My fault."
"No baby," Tara argues pressing her lips against the side of Willow's head.
"But if we hadn't gotten back-"
But when the red-haired woman continued her self-appointed hate mantra Tara's hand finds Willow's chin forcing the red-haired woman to meet her gaze. "I hated that magic brought us together only to be the thing to drive us apart," Tara murmurs. "But I accepted early one that no matter how deep you spiraled I would always come back to you. You're my Willow."
Willow cries even harder at that hiding her face against the dip of Tara's shoulder while her girl cradles her and plays with her hair as she also steals more than the occasional sniffs of Willow's shampoo just like she had after Willow had stopped by after staying up half the night talking to Oz.
"I told you before I'm yours Willow Danielle Rosenburg, I meant it then and I still mean it now. My heart, my soul, my everything. I'm yours." Tara continues in a soft tone her hands rubbing calming circles against her girlfriend's back as she spoke. "Yes, is sucked majorly that Warren's bullet took my life just when we were getting back together but I wouldn't change a second of that last night I had with you." The passion behind each word had fresh tears spilling from Willow's eyes while Tara gives a bashful grin when she pulls away to meet Willow's teary gaze.
"Okay, maybe I'd have changed making myself come back to you sooner and you know obviously not letting myself be shot in the first place." The blonde amended her fingers tangling in Willow's hair at the back of her head "but everything involving us getting back together. Not one second."
Willow shakes her head her knuckles now white with how hard she was holding onto the shoulders of Tara's sweater. The black one she'd been wearing that very first Wicca meeting. If she didn't then she was positive this would turn out to be just a teasing dream. Just like the First had done with her in an attempt to have her take her own life.
"But I- I killed-"
"Warren and Rack, I know." Tara nodes. "I was standing right beside you both times. You just couldn't see me or hear me." She confesses nuzzling her forehead against Willow's. "Even when you were on that hillside all black hair and supercharged while you were yelling at Xander and trying to end the world, I was still with you."
"Baby I'm so sorr-"
Again, Tara quiets her but this time it's with a kiss very much like the one they'd shared after Tara herself had asked if they could 'just skip it' and for Willow to just be kissing her.
Willow swears she feels her heart stop in her chest at the contact before her brain fully processes the soft touch of lips on hers as she kisses back.
"Humm well one thing Rack got wrong. You don't just taste like ripened strawberries." Tara whispers against Willow's lips as her hands drop to Willow's waist tugging her impossibly closer considering their already intimate position "Your heaven." Tara clarifies once again dusting Willow's lips with several soft kisses. "And I should know. I've tasted both."
If her eyes hadn't been so damned playful and her cocky smile so kissably tempting Willow would be crying yet again at the so casual reminder of the afternoon her world was ripped apart.
Ironically, it's the instant sounds of a horse that breaks both the intimacy and the pain of the moment.
"Humm another time then." Tara informs her bewildered soulmate. "Right now, we have a long-standing date to get to."
"Wwwhat?" Willow questioned but Tara was already coaxing her up onto her feet.
Tara flashes a smile as her hand comes up to brush her fingers against Willow's temple. "Do you trust me?"
Willow nods her head in confirmation. "Of course, I trust you dummy."
Tara rolls her eyes at that. "says the badass Wicca who still thinks ponies will bite her arm off." The fact the tease was punctuated by another impatient whinny from the horse like whatever it was on the other side of the no longer barricade door had Willow more than a little apprehensive as she redoubles her grip on Tara's hand.
"I already promised both fun and safety, baby." Tara reminds more than a little hurt at the continued nervousness seeping from the red-haired Wicca at her side. "I'm not planning on going back on that promise now."
"Okay then." Willow agrees her hand no longer shaking in nerves as she pushed the door open already shielding her eyes from the brighter than anticipated rays of the afternoon light spilling from what should have been the rest homes darkened alcove into the laundry room.
"Come on then, we're already late and Anya and Xander are already pretty upset I didn't let them come with to get you." Tara warns not at all phased by the apparent change in the outside setting like Willow was as the door swung closed behind them.
"Late for what?" Willow questions enjoying the late afternoon rays of sunlight warming her much younger feeling body.
"Don't you remember the card I sent you?" Tara questioned letting out a low but clear whistle.
"Oh, yeah. Food." Willow nodes more than a little dazed as an elegant grey, white mare trots toward them.
"Willow this is Gaea. Gaea this is Willow." Tara introduced with a pleased grin as she looked between the two.
"Still a really big pony," Willow murmurs when the mount slows giving a greeting dip of her head with a happy-sounding grunt.
"Just get on the horse Will," Tara huffed in an overly exasperated tone already pulling herself onto the mare's back with effortless ease but not even that could hide the teasing smile on her lips as a nervous Willow grudgingly allows to be pulled onto the mount's back so her back was pressed against Tara's front.
"Mom and Joyce have been cooking all day. Not that they'd let me help no matter what I said otherwise." She sighs clicking her tongue to encourage Gaea into a slow trot. "Jenny and Giles are coming over tomorrow to welcome you properly. Xander and Anya, too I think if they aren't there already waiting in ambush. I think Faith and Kendra will stop by later. It's really unnerving how fast those two bonded once they met up." Tara rambles "Then of course we have to stop over at Fred and Wes's place to say hi." She remembers.
"I've missed you, baby." Willow sighed burrowing back into Tara's front.
"Missed you more," Tara argues. "But you're here now and we can have our forever."
Willow grinned leaning back to catch Tara's lips in a soft kiss. "I'm yours." She promises.
"That's my line." Tara smiles hooking her chin over Willow's shoulder.
And just like that Willow wasn't all that scared of horses anymore as the reunited couple rides toward the crest of the hill and the setting sun behind it.