Stay

By

Scoutfan22

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy. Yeppers.

Summary: One word was all it took. What happens after the camera left in "Dead Things".

Pairing: Buffy/Tara

Author's Notes: Now, if it's one thing I like, it's un-canon pairings. I happen to be a big fan of Buffy/Tara pairings. I got my inspiration from the lovely fics written by these people:

"Compassion" by Faith C at www.tarafic.com

"The Valentine's Day Apocalypse" by Susan L. Carr at www.tarafic.com

"Worthy" by Sara at www.tarafic.com

"Hands" by DKG at www.fanfiction.net

If you like this story, I definitely suggest these. If you're a fan of Tara/Other, check "unIntentional Tears: A Tara Maclay Fanfic Archive" at www.tarafic.com. Really good site with some great writers.

So, on with the story!

"And I just wish I could stay…" -Tara Maclay, "Once More With Feeling"

"I'd better go, Buffy," I said softly as I stood up, "Good night." I walked toward the door while Buffy watched me. And then suddenly, she said something:

"Stay."

That one word echoed through my consciousness as I froze at Buffy's words. She said it again.

"Tara, please stay with me."

What did she mean? I turned around slowly as she came up to me. She looked into my eyes and I could see the want… and the need. I realized I wanted it too.

Only a few moments ago she was crying in my lap, asking me not to forgive her, and now here she was basically asking me to sleep with her. I could feel the heat pooling at the base of my stomach. Goddesses, to feel another woman's touch after so long….

What was I thinking? Sleeping with my ex-girlfriend's best friend? Buffy had never looked at me that way before, the way Willow--

Willow.

What would Willow say?

She'd never find out, my mind reasoned, but if she did….?

I opened my eyes and looked at Buffy. And I saw something familiar:

Me…

Me. How I felt when my father would look at me with such disgust, when I thought I was a creature unworthy of anyone's love, how I felt now, when I was alone at night. I saw me.

Buffy said it again, only this time softer, "Tara, please stay with me."

I cupped her face in my hands, leaned down and kissed Buffy gently. If she wanted me to stay, I would. But she wasn't going to get something hard and fast.

She led me up to her bedroom and closed the door behind me. We gazed at each other for a few minutes.

She smiled awkwardly, "I've never slept with a woman before." I blinked in surprise. Didn't she and Faith…. "We almost did." she replied softly, as if reading my mind. I smiled back, "Well, I'm not that good."

Buffy grinned shyly, "Don't think I haven't heard you and Willow…." She trailed of and blushed.

Buffy blushes?! I realized in that moment that I was one of the few people who'd see the intimate side of the Chosen One. I had to wonder though, if I was the first person who'd ever seen Buffy blush in the bedroom.

She's been through so much. I wondered why she came to me, though. Why didn't she go to Spike?

Once again, as if hearing my thoughts, she said, "You're different." "What do you mean?" I asked.

She walked up to me and put her arms around my waist. "Well, for one thing, you're much cuter. And another thing," she said softly as she leaned up to my ear, "You're so soft." she took my earlobe into her into her lips and sucked gently. I shuddered and began moving my hands up and down her back as she then started kissing my neck.

"And warm," she added with a kiss on my pulse-point. I threw back my head and moaned as she pulled me against her. "And you love me, whatever I am."

My head snapped up sharply and I gently pushed her a little ways from me, "I thought we'd gone over this."

She looked down and I commanded softly, "Buffy, look at me," she did and I continued, "You are a beautiful, loving woman. It doesn't matter what Spike says, or what anyone says. You belong in the light with us. With me."

Buffy looked surprised, then a shy grin once again graced her features. I gently kissed her forehead and she giggled, "You're taller than me."

"Not by much."

"Tall enough." and we both chuckled.

She laid her head on my shoulder and sighed. I pulled her to me again and we just stood there for a little while, holding each other.

Even though I didn't mind being close to Buffy like that, my body suddenly reminded me why I was there in Buffy's bedroom.

I brought my head down to her ear and ran my tongue over it. She trembled slightly and pushed her hips against mine. I smiled and moved to her neck, leaving gentle kisses. I realized after a few moments I was actually holding up both of us as her knees went weak and she grasped at me, trying to keep her balance. I moaned at the feeling of her blood pulsing under my lips and sucked there. She cried out, bucking her hips into me and we both shivered at the friction. She lifted her head up and started kissing my neck; wet kisses sending slivers of desire to my center.

Our legs started buckling and I figured out through the haze of my mind that if we didn't move this to the bed we'd end up doing it smack-dab in the middle of the floor. Not that we both had ever done it on the floor before, but in my mind I was going to make love to Buffy, and to do that I needed the bed.

"Let's move this to the bed," I whispered, "or do you prefer the floor?" Buffy nodded at my suggestion. I knew she meant the bed, but I couldn't help teasing her a little bit, "The floor? All right, but I think the bed's more comfy."

"No," Buffy groaned in frustration, "The bed." I smiled as she pushed us toward the bed. The instant the back of my legs hit the bed, they finally gave out and we fell onto it.

I opened my eyes and gazed into hazel as Buffy cupped my cheeks in her hand and stroked them with her thumbs. She looked at me with such pleading in her eyes, even as she said softly, "You don't have to do this. You really don't."

"I want to," I replied, "Besides, kinda too late to turn back now."

Buffy grinned, "Yup" and she kissed me hard.

I grinned and pulled away, "Easy now. If we're gonna do this, you have to let me."

I could tell Buffy didn't really know whether to give up control or not. Her emotions flickered over her face; it seemed she wasn't going to for a while.

Finally, she whispered quietly, "Okay."

I swear my grin was huge as I nodded.

She rolled us over so that I was on top. I rested my forehead against hers. The whole time, the only word that echoed in my mind was the one that started the whole thing:

"Stay."

Tara rolled off of Buffy, both of them gasping as they tried to regain their breath.

After a few seconds, Buffy managed to say something.

"Tara, did you notice that you only stuttered once?"

Tara turned on her side and looked at the Slayer. She grinned, "Y-yeah, I didn't."

Buffy grinned back, "You stuttered just now, though."

The Wicca playfully pushed Buffy's shoulder, "Hey, not fair."

Buffy stuck out her tongue. Tara smirked, "Oh no you don't," and she began tickling the Slayer. A full-fledged tickle fight started until Buffy pinned Tara under her, holding her wrists above her head.

"All right, all right, I g-give, uncle, uncle!" the blonde gasped out.

"Ha ha, I am triumphant!" Buffy giggled. After a few moments, Buffy leaned down and gently kissed Tara. She pulled away as Tara stared at her in a sort of bewilderment. She smiled and said softly, just loud enough for Tara to hear her:

"Thank you."

The end

Woo ha ha ha! Not bad for my first Tara/Buffy pairing! Let me know what you think.

03/04/2004 4:57 PM