Series: The Velvet Web
For the Episode: Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter Eight
Rating: ARGH! I don't know. PG-13 I'd guess.
Description: A very long fic... The missing scenes from WTWTA. O & O smoochies, finally! ) The details I've written about Tara and her background are actually for another fic that I am writing but I figured I'd start setting it up now. How very Joss, no?
Spoilers: If you haven't seen Tara in season 4 episodes...
Feedback: And thank you to those that have emailed me. I really appreciate it! hugs
Disclaimers: I don't own anything, don't make any money, and blah, blah, blah, Joss, blah, blah, blah, production companies, and blah, blah, blah, the Buffy writers... I just love writing to your inventions... Notes: The transcript part is from Psyche's Transcripts on the web...Written: August 2000, with revisions at later dates
Cut to Giles holding a rolled-up piece of paper.
GILES: And yet you say that the, the vampire went to the demon's aid. The two of them were working as a team?
BUFFY: (sitting on Riley's lap, nods) Everything except giving each other little pats on the behind.
We see the interior of a college lounge room. Buffy and Riley in one chair, Giles on their right, Willow and Tara on the sofa across from them.
GILES: Extraordinarily odd. (Sits back, crosses his legs, gestures with the paper) As a rule, demons ... have no empathy for any of the species other than their own.
(Shot of Buffy and Riley giving each other affectionate looks)
GILES: In fact, most think of (sees someone walking by, lowers his voice) vampires as ... abominations. Mixing with human blood and all.
WILLOW: So ... what brought these two together?
RILEY: Not what. Who.
GILES: (realizing) Adam. (Pulls off his glasses)
BUFFY: Think about it. Who better to bring together a bunch of... demon types than someone who's made out of a ... bunch of demon types?
TARA: So he's, um, bridging the gap between the races.
WILLOW: Huh, like Martin Luther King.
(Shot of Giles raising his eyebrows skeptically)
GILES: Um, (clears throat) I suggest that, uh, over the next several nights, you two (Shot of Buffy's and Riley's hands stroking each other) concentrate your patrol in that same area. If there's any other peculiar pairings or groupings, you let me know.
RILEY: I'll let the squad know as well. They're patrolling. (To Buffy) We'll have a, uh, reserve unit out during the party.
GILES: (frown) Party?
RILEY: Tomorrow night. We're having a thing.
GILES: At a time like this? Who, well, whose idea was that?
RILEY: Mine. Boys are pretty ragged, need to let off steam.
GILES: (Giles nods) Point taken.
RILEY: You're welcome to come.
GILES: Well, much as I, uh, long for a good kegger, I have other plans. The Espresso Pump. (Sits back, looks embarrassed)
(Buffy and Riley exchange another amorous look, more hand stroking)
WILLOW: What are you doing there?
GILES: I'm, um, uh, it's a, a meeting of, uh, grownups. It couldn't possibly be of any interest to you lot.
RILEY: Buffy, hey, look at the time. Don't you, uh, have a class?
BUFFY: Yeah, in about 20 minutes.
RILEY: Yeah, but ... I have that ... thing... (Buffy gets it)
BUFFY: Right, that ... thing, we could ... squeeze in ... before.
RILEY: Yeah.
(They get up)
BUFFY: Bye!
RILEY: Gotta run.
(Giles waves his paper)
WILLOW: (stretching, grinning) They, they're probably going to- (Tara grins)
GILES: Yes, thank you Willow, I did attend university in the Mesozoic era, I do remember what it's like.
Giles continued talking. "Don't you have class with Buffy, Willow?""Yeah. Later."
Tara stood up. "I- I, uh, I need to go. I've got a paper to write."
Willow looked up to her. "I'll see you later?"
Tara smiled as she nodded. "Yeah..." She turned around to Giles. "G-Goodbye Mr. Giles..."
"Goodbye Tara." He looked towards Willow who was watching Tara walk away. "It's odd having to get used to someone calling me that. You're friendship with Tara seems to be coming along nicely."
Willow's gazed turned to him. "It is. She's great."
"And everything has gone well? I mean, we know what happened last time you were..." Willow glared at him. She was being careful with magick ever since that day she'd accidentally done that I will it so spell. "I only meant... How advanced do you think her powers are?"
"She's way more powerful than me. But I've gotten a lot better. My concentration and energy have practically doubled."
"Yes, well, connections with similar energies tends to do that. It's just after Amy and her mother..."
"We don't have to worry about that."
"And you trust her? I mean to bring her into, you know, this."
Willow was a little peaked. "She helped Buffy when Faith... I trust her more than Anya and she's a Scooby. She doesn't even have powers and if she did she'd be on the opposite side of good anyway."
Giles was stunned by her reaction. "True, but Anya is Xander's... There's no reason to get upset with me Willow. I just want you to be safe... Well, you know I trust your judgement above all others." Giles stood up. "I'm going to go have a look at the library here on campus. See if they've got anything good."
Willow half smiled at him. "Slayer type kinda books are on the third floor. Back shelf."
Giles nodded and grinned. "Thank you Willow. Have a good day."
Willow was sitting on Tara's bed later that afternoon. "So Buffy took off with Riley after class who knows where and this shirt was just screaming for me to wear it. So I borrowed it, without asking. Isn't it great?"
"Yeah." Tara was sitting on her floor mixing some liquid in a wooden bowl. She watched the liquid drop into the bowl after raising it with the spoon. "It looks purple-y now. Is it supposed to be purple?"
Willow looked down to her. "Did you measure it correctly?"
"Yes."
Willow held her hand out. "Let me look at it..."
Tara stood up and handed her the bowl. She leaned over to read the book Willow had sat down on her bed. "Two spoons. That's what I put in it."
Willow was distracted by Tara, mainly Tara's cleavage that could be seen via the fitting tank top Tara was wearing. "Um, what oil are you wearing today?"
Tara looked over to her. "Huh?" Their faces were dangerously close together. "A-African musk."
"It's yummy."
Tara shyly smiled. "Thank you."
Both girls affectionately stared at each other and leaned in for a kiss. Just as their lips touched, Willow jumped back. The liquid in the bowl had accidentally spilled onto Buffy's top.
Tara quickly reached to the floor for a rag. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
Willow shook her head. "It's my fault. I lost control. O-of the bowl. Buffy's gonna kill me when she finds out."
Tara handed her a rag. "Here."
Willow reached for it. "I should take it off. I-I should clean it." Willow took off her shirt without any indecisiveness.
Tara looked at Willow in her bra and quickly turned around for her privacy.
Willow noticed this. "Hey, there's no need for that."
Tara walked to her closet. "I'm just grabbing a shirt for you." She walked back to Willow with her head low and didn't lift it even when she extended a top to her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Tara said without looking up. She turned around, again for Willow's privacy.
Willow smiled at her shyness. "You can turn around."
Tara did and her eyes widened when she saw Willow had not put on the top. She quickly shut her eyes tight. "Willow!"
Willow laughed. "I'm only in my bra... I change in front of Buffy all the time."
"Let me go rinse the shirt off." Tara extended her arm out to Willow, her eyes still shut.
Instead of handing her the shirt Willow gripped her hand. "Tara, open your eyes."
"No."
Willow giggled. "Come on. This is silly."
"Ok." Tara smiled and opened them.
"See... It's like a bikini top, only not..." Willow grinned.
Tara rolled her eyes. "Willow, I've seen bra's before. It's just..."
Willow stood up from the bed and stepped closer to Tara. "What?"
"It's... It's different. It's you." Willow caressed Tara's cheek and Tara smiled at her. "I'm going to the ladies room. Clean this shirt."
Willow put the top on as she watched Tara walk out. She sat down on Tara's bed and looked around the room. After a few minutes Tara came back.
"I did as best I could but the stain is still there. I hope Buffy will understand."
Willow was lying sideways on the bed. "Do your sisters have powers too?"
Tara was startled by the question. "What? Why did you think of that?"
Willow stretched her arms out. "You don't have any pictures of them. You noticed that? Of course you have. It's your room."
Tara sat down on the bed. "Why would I? I mean... I don't have pictures of them. I took the one of my mother from my grandmother's house. And, umm, yes. They have powers. But different ones."
Willow looked back to her mother's picture. "What kind do they have?"
Tara shrugged her shoulders. "Just different ones."
"Did your parents divorce? Is that why you were separated from them?"
"Willow..."
Willow sat up and reached for Tara's hand. "Why don't you want to talk bout it?"
Tara couldn't look at her. "Because."
"Tara, I'm sorry. I'm always prying. I guess that's why I'm research girl."
Tara shook her head. "No, Willow it's not you. It's me." Tara sighed. "Stuff happened... And, umm... I went to live with my grandmother - in Santa Fe. I saw them a couple of times after that, but last time I saw them...We sort of argued and..."
Willow kissed her hand. "I'm sorry."
Tara smiled. "It's ok... Look. Do you want to go somewhere?"
Willow smiled. "Where?"
The phone rang and startled Tara. Willow laughed.
"Hello... Hey Cassie. Yeah. Oh, tonight? But it's a waxing gibbous moon. Oh... Really? Well are you going to show up this time? Ok. Umm... "She looked to Willow. "I'll call you later. No! Cassiopeia... Bye." She hung up the phone and turned around to Willow. "Uh, that was Cassie."
Willow smiled. "I heard."
Tara walked over to her. "She and a couple of other girls are going to the hill. Tonight. For fun. Wanna go?"
"Do you want to?"
"I'd like that. But if you don't want to..."
"Then we'll go."
"No, you can't. That's, like, not allowed, or something. Isn't it, Tara?"Tara was shaken out of her Willow gazing trance by the sound of her name. "Huh? Yeah." Willow smiled at her.
"You didn't even hear what I said." Arielle pouted.
Nervous, Tara bit her lower lip. "I-I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"Oh nothing. It doesn't matter."
Diana interjected, "She said that you cant do majick while you're on your period. I told her you can. I mean, who made that up? If that's not some patriarchal appropriation then I don't know what is."
"Well..." Willow stopped talking as soon as all eyes were on her. She'd hardly even said a word besides 'hello' since arriving with Tara. The three girls looked at her expectantly. "Um... Nothing."
"Willow..." Tara glanced at her with a smiled and a 'go ahead' nod.
Willow shook her head with an awkward smile. "I forgot what I was going to say." She stared down at the grass escaping from under the corner of the blanket.
Arielle continued, "Well, you just shouldn't."
"Why not?" Diana asked stubbornly. "There is nothing more feminine than menstruating. Well, unless you get the horrendous cramps and devilish attitude. Those sure aren't fun."
As Diana and Arielle continued their talk on menstruation and majick, Willow and Tara kept looking at each other. A smile here, a shy downward gaze there, a raised eyebrow, a wrinkle of the nose.
"'Choo!" Tara sneezed.
"Blessed be."
"Bless you."
"Gazundheit." Diana and Arielle stared at Willow. "Umm..." Tara's smile gently radiated more than the nearly full moon. Again, Willow and Tara were lost to the ensuing conversation.
"Tara?" Diana asked for the third time as she dipped a piece of apple into a honey filled bowl.
"Huh?" Tara was confused for a second. For a moment there it was just she and Willow's eyes. Where had Diana come from?
"I asked if midnight was the best time for banishing magic. I want to get rid of my roommate's boyfriend."
Willow grinned at Tara. "You can't go wrong the midnight of a waning moon with the north wind blowing. But you shouldn't use it on a person. You know that." Tara grabbed a thin piece of apple and dipped it into the honey.
Diana exhaled, "I know. It's just I'd like some privacy once in a while you know. I wish I had a single dorm like you. Speaking of which, where is Cassie?"
Tara held her free hand up trying to not let the honey fall onto the blanket. "I-I don't know."
"God, the moon is so beautiful." Willow didn't realize she had said that out loud.
"Yeah it is, isn't it? Makes you want to just rip off your clothes and run around naked." Arielle laughed.
"Or, during a full moon, turn into a werewolf and howl at the moon." Diana added.
Willow visibly became uncomfortable. Her thoughts pondering that her ritual of paying attention to Oz's lunar schedule had ceased. But how? Why?
"Come on, lets do it." Diana dared Arielle. Both girls stood up as they giggled and began to run around the blanket in circles. They started to sing and skip to a beat. Laughter consumed the air.
"Willow..." Tara asked softly. "Are you ok?" She was about to reach her hand out to the redhead but withdrew it as soon as Diana and Arielle plopped themselves down on the blanket again, fully clothed, just breathless.
"I knew you'd be too chicken." Diana managed to say between breath and laughter.
"I'm alright." Willow lied. "I just haven't seen a moon properly in a really long time." Her thoughts led her back to the Sunnydale High School library where she would watch over Oz during the full moon period. She'd hardly been able to see it through the small bookcage's window and suddenly realized how much she'd actually missed it. But then, a flash of Oz and Veruca, naked, locked up together by Oz himself.
"Gosh, I'm so beat. I need to start exercising." Arielle said a she sat up. "Maybe we should meditate. Did anyone bring any colored candles?"
"No." Diana replied.
"Um, I didn't." Tara said, her eyes never leaving Willow.
Willow shook her head slowly. "No."
Arielle stood up. "Well, you women just suck. What kinda witches are you anyhow?" Diana laughed. "I'm going back to campus."
Diana stood up as well. "Hey, I'll go with you... Tara?"
Tara turned to her, "Yes?"
"Are you and Willow coming?"
Tara looked to Willow who just shrugged her shoulders at first but then shook her head. "I'd like to stay a little bit longer, if you don't mind."
Tara smiled understanding her. "I guess we'll see you later then." she said turning to Diana.
The two girls had already finished picking up their belongings. "Well, just drop off my blanket tomorrow. Or just bring it to the next meeting." Diana said as she bent down to kiss Tara's cheek.
"Ok. I will."
Arielle did the same. "Good night Tara Bella. Willow, it was great meeting you."
"Yeah." Diana chimed in as they turned to walk away.
"You too. Bye." Willow said contemplating the display of affection and reverence the two girls had towards Tara. It was fascinating to see how different Tara acted around other people. She was always so shy around Willow, but around these witches she seemed in control.
"Good night." Tara said after them.
"Blessed be." The two parting girls chorused.
"Tara Bella?" Willow smiled as soon as they were out of view.
Tara shyly lowered her head. "Yeah, um, one of my many names." She cradled her legs with her arms. "Do you have a nickname?"
Willow smiled. "Yeah. I'm called Will a lot. Wills... You know Red - by Spike... and Faith." Willow saw Tara's lips curl up into a smile. "They look to you as if you were their elder."
"Yeah? Well, they're first year students. Uh..." She realized Willow was a freshman as well. "Not that - I mean, they think I know everything because I've been practicing longer. But, I don't." Tara's eyes scanned the meadow.
"It's just... You seem so quite all the time. Around others. It's interesting."
"I get nervous... around some people. New people." A small breeze began to puff. Tara shivered.
"Are you cold?" Willow asked getting ready to take off her own jacket to give it to her.
"No... Really. It's ok."
"I don't want you to get sick."
Tara smiled. "I won't. You can't really catch a cold."
Willow got up and sat down next to Tara. "Well, then, maybe my body heat will help you." She put her arm around her.
Willow stared at Tara's profile under the moonlight. Her hair, usually dark blonde, glistened like gold. The side of her face was striking, accentuated by the light of the moon. Willow reached out and gently traced her fingers over Tara's face. Starting from her delicate ear which held her hair behind it, down her cheekbone, over the valley of the cheek, to the chin, and resting on her ruby lips. She suddenly felt a burst of warmness all over her body.
Tara's eyes slowly deviated to Willow. "Willow..." she whispered.
The redhead almost couldn't get the word out, "Y-yeah?"
"What's wrong?" Tara turned to her. "Your heart seems to want to escape."
"What?" Willow asked almost struck mute by the intensity of Tara's eyes upon her own.
Tara looked down, "It's beating up against my shoulder."
Willow began to move away. "I'm sorry."
Tara quickly looked up to her. "No... It's just..." she tentatively moved back under her arm, "Earlier you just seemed... distant."
Willow half smiled. "Yeah... I was just thinking..."
"About?" Tara's eyes darted to her skirt curled up against her legs.
A montage of Oz memories flooded Willow's mind ceasing her response.
Tara ran her fingers over the hem of her skirt. "Oz, huh?"
Willow's eyes followed Tara's arm down to where her red boots were exposed. "Yes."
Tara brushed off an imaginary wrinkle on her thigh. "Do you... want to talk about it?"
Willow sighed. "I was just thinking about how I stopped writing him letters three months ago."
"Why?" Tara softly asked as her face turned to Willow.
Willow shrugged her shoulders. "I started writing the letters because I missed him. I foolishly kept thinking that he'd come back before I even finished them and I wouldn't have to worry about having to fill him in on everything he'd missed out on. But... They began to turn into some sort of journal were 'Dear Daniel' was just the intro to the daily adventures of the Scoobies or life at UC Sunnydale. They stopped being emotional, you know, and became an essay... The last time I started a letter... I didn't know what to write. I didn't even know how to begin it."
"They were cathartic."
"Yeah. Things are so different now. I'm happy again."She noticed she was now holding Tara in her arms. As she squeezed Tara closer, Willow realized that Tara's head was resting comfortably between her shoulder and collarbone. Her lips nearly touching her neck.
"Yeah." Willow breathed in the scent of the blonde witches hair. Tara thoughtfully shuffled herself out of Willow's arm.
"What?" Willow asked concern by the movement.
Tara half smiled. "It's just your back... I'm hurting it."
Willow shook her head. "No... You weren't." But Tara was right. Willow straightened out her back not knowing exactly what to say or do. She wanted Tara in her arms again. She realized for the first time how much she actually loved holding her. Tara just shyly smiled.
"So, you want to know what my favorite thing to do under a full moon is?" Tara asked bashfully.
"What?" Willow smirked. Various mischievous scenarios popped up. She proceeded to discreetly scold herself for having such thoughts.
Somehow Tara knew what she was thinking and laughed, "Not that! I only meant lying down and watching the clouds run by the moon... If there are any clouds. And, fully clothed."
Willow blushed and lowered her head. "I... What?" She marveled at how Tara was able to sense her so well. "I didn't... How? Oh, forget it."
Tara had already settled onto the blanket with her bag supporting her head. Willow accompanied her. "Um, Tara..." Willow said as she turned to her thinking how her crucifix and stake were not easily accessible under her head.
Tara just kept staring up at the moon. "Yes?"
"Um... We can't see demons coming up to us. Just in case, you know?" Again, Willow couldn't tear her eyes away from Tara's profile. She saw her nose crinkle as she laughed.
Tara sat up and Willow followed. They sat opposite each other. With a soft, hush voice, Tara spoke. "Close your eyes... Imagine a white light, brilliant as a halo, surrounding us. Are you doing that?" She looked to Willow whose eyes were closed and who hummed her reply. "Now repeat after me... May this pure circle of white light envelop me..."
Willow mouthed, "May this pure circle of white light envelop me."
Tara traced the moonlight upon Willow's face with her eyes. "And shall no harm or ill intent enter its vicinity."
"And shall no harm or ill intent enter its vicinity."
"So mote it be."
"So mote it be..." Willow opened her eyes onto Tara's. "Does that really work?"
"Yes it does. You can do it for anything, anywhere... anyone." Tara turned back to the moon.
As planted, Willow's thoughts led her to Oz. "Even if they are not near you?"
Tara carefully smiled at her. "Yes... You can use a picture, o-or something that belongs to him. Just envision the circle of light protecting him."
Willow felt like she was about to cry, her heart clouded by Tara's concern and care for Oz even though she knew he was her competition. Competition? There was only Tara for her now. But she didn't really know how to tell her.
"Willow?" Tara asked again. "Where did you just go?"
"What? Sorry...I, uh..." Willow shook her head. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?" Willow could not believe she had asked that. Her eyes widened in horror. "I mean, I'm sure you have. I was just wondering if you've... Uh. Not wondering that. I just meant if..." Willow gently slapped her forehead and whispered aloud, "Stop babbling!"
Tara's eyes were wide with shock but her mouth was forming a smile. "Willow..."
"I'm sorry. It's just I babble when I'm nervous and there's really no reason to be nervous. A-after all we're just lying here innocently, you know... And we've already done the cuddling and sort of kissed... And I'll just be quiet."
Tara sighed. "Willow... I've had boyfriends before... And girlfriends. One." Willow suddenly found herself slightly jealous of the other girl, who ever she had been. "But... It wasn't... It wasn't real, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
"That... Those were just, you know. We liked each other and we... Nothing like a real relationship. Not like you and Oz."
Willow reached for Tara's hand and cupped it. "Tara. I just want you to know that... Well, there is no me and Oz anymore. I mean, I love him. I always will but...I don't know. I like you. And even though he's still with me... I like where I am now. Here, with you." She smiled nervously at Tara. "I like you a lot."
"I like you too."
Willow fidgeted nervously. "So if I were to kiss you right now - for real - you wouldn't slap me or anything, right?" Willow bit her lower lip. "Or turn me into a frog? I-I don't like frogs."
Tara's laugh calmed Willow's heart. "You don't like frogs? Why?"
"Just because. I have issues with frogs. A-and spiders. And why are you changing the topic?"
"I did?" Willow nodded. "I-if you were to kiss me, right now, I'd probably - faint." Tara chuckled.
"Your hands are shaking." Willow observed as she began to inch forward towards the blonde. "Are you cold?"
Tara noticed this and was paralyzed in place. "I'm scared."
"Why?"
"Because..." Tara was trying hard to stop shaking but couldn't. She bit her lower lip.
The gap between the two witches was slowly closing in as Willow kept inching her upper body forward. "Tara..."
She was hardly able to say, "Yes?"
"May I kiss you?"
"... yes."
Willow smiled and whispered, "Good." as she closed her eyes.
But Tara interrupted. "Oh, wait."
Willow's eyes opened. She froze. "What?"
Tara shyly smiled and said, "My, uh, gum." She timidly looked around.
"Tara..." Willow laughed as she held her cupped right hand up to the blonde.
Tara smiled. "I'll just flick it to the side but, thank you. It's, uh, biodegradable." After flicking the gum aside she looked to Willow.
Willow's heart was about to detonate. She couldn't believe how sexy Tara looked throwing off her gum. She couldn't believe how sexy Tara looked, period. Willow watched Tara moved her head down and saw her hair fall covering her face. Willow reached out and pulled it behind her ear. She gently stroked Tara's cheek on her way down to Tara's chin. Willow gently pulled her face close.
Their lips met. Softly, at first. Then, slowly, their mouths opened up. As the kiss intensified between them Tara cupped Willow's face with her hands. No longer shaking, Tara's hands were warm and tingled Willow's cheeks as they touched her skin. The direct current traveled down her neck to her chest. Willow, wanting to feel Tara within the boundaries of her own fingers, moved her hands up only to accidentally brush against Tara's breast. Startled, Tara broke off the kiss.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Willow wanted back in Tara's mouth. She wanted to kiss her again and again and feel her body close. "Tara..."
She shyly looked down. "N-no. It's my fault. I was just surprised."
Willow sighed. "Wow, I need to sit down."
"You are siting down."
"Oh, good. 'Cause I can't feel my legs."
Tara smiled. Her face shimmered like an angel in the moonlight. Willow noticed Tara moving closer. She smiled. Willow smiled. And then, they kissed again.
Willow felt Tara molding into her. Their mouths, their hands, their upper bodies pressed against each other. Holding, caressing, touching with complete softness yet comprehensively intense. Willow sighed as Tara playfully bit her lower lip. Tara giggled as Willow kissed her nose. Willow could feel Tara's pulsating energy as her fingers traced her neck. Tara's fingers running through Willow's hair magnified the heat emerging from Willow's body. Willow, gently and very softly, wordlessly persuaded Tara down onto the blanket. Tara allowed herself to roll back, their lips never parting.
"Do you hear Gregorian chanting?" Willow asked with a tiny smile as she looked down at Tara.
"Huh?" Tara looked up at Willow. Her eyes, reflected in the moonlight, were moist.
"Are you ok?" Willow asked, hoping she hadn't hurt Tara.
"No," she sniffled, "Yes, I just got some sand in my eye."
"Oh... Hey, there's no sand around here." Willow smiled. She understood. "I, I also feel like that."
"Willow..."
How she loved to hear her say her name. "Yes?"
"This is - intense."
"I know." Willow leaned on her left side, her body facing Tara, and her head resting on her hand. Her eyes ran through Tara lying in front of her. "Are you all right?"
Tara breathed in, Willow watched her chest rise and fall. "Yes."
"Do you want to stop?" Willow inquired. Even through Tara's sweater Willow could see the outline of Tara's breasts. Breasts Willow was finding herself very magnetize by. She moved her free hand on Tara's tummy.
"No, I don't want to stop." Tara turned her head towards Willow. Both witches looked deep into each other's eyes.
"But..." Willow added concerned that there just might be an objection.
"No but...Just... I, I think I'm falling in love with you." Tara quickly looked away.
Willow was shocked by the revelation but tried to play it off. "Umm... Wow. And here I was thinking I was just getting a little bit of nookie." Tara looked back at her with an expression of hurt on her face. It pained Willow. "No, I... I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that... I, I've never felt like this before. I mean I have, but not with a, uh..." Willow watched Tara sit up and did too. "What's wrong?" She saw a tear stream down Tara's cheek. "Tara? I'm sorry. I..."
Tara shook her head as she wiped her cheek. "No, it's not..." She looked up to Willow and instantaneously her eyes were drawn to something else.
"What?" But Tara was speechless, all she could do was point behind Willow. Willow spun around. She saw a huge, horned demon heading towards them.
Willow jumped up in front of Tara and guarded her with her arms. "It's an Oreptor demon."
"What?"
Willow bent down to her bag but realized it contained nothing to fight off demons, just vampires. "Shit!"
Tara spoke. "Willow, we have the psychic shield."
Willow turned to her. "Will it work?" She twisted back to the demon that was now a couple of feet away. But, instead of charging towards the two witches, he was just standing there... staring. At Tara.
"Go away." Willow shouted, flinging her arms out at the Oreptor.
The demon, ignoring Willow, focused its eyes on the blonde witch. Willow noticed Tara was still sitting down, her back upright, her hands crossed over her legs, in the middle of a starefest with the demon. Soon enough, the Oreptor nodded and turned to walk away.
Willow was speechless for about half a minute as Tara stared down on the blanket. "Ok, now that was just insane. What did you just do?" She knew Tara's eyes were powerful, but she didn't understand what had just happened with the demon.
"N-nothing. I told you... The shield."
"No, that wasn't the shield. It didn't even get that close to us. You were, like. having some sort of psychic conversation with it." Willow sat herself in front of Tara who still had not raised her head to her.
"No, I-I didn't."
Willow reached out to Tara's face and held it up. "Tara..."
"All I did was warn him."
"What?! Why?! How?! You can talk to demons?" Willow withdrew her hand and folded her arms over her chest.
"No... I mean... Willow, I'm a witch." She said it as if Willow should have understood what she meant.
But Willow didn't. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm a witch too but I can't do that."
Tara shook her head. "You're different."
"Maybe you're the one that's different."
Tara glared at Willow. "And, what's that supposed to mean?" Willow was surprised by her tone.
"What? I'm not talking about... Hey. I was kissing you too, remember? We're both different. Or not. Because it's ok to..."
"That's not what I am talking about!" Tara stood up.
"Well, what..." Willow stood up as well. "Why are we arguing again?" Tara was looking to the ground nervously. "Of course you can talk to demons. You're this powerful witch that can do all sorts of stuff and..." But Willow trailed off, staring at Tara with her arms crossed over her chest and her hair covering her face again. Tara reached up and pulled it behind her ears, going back to her original pose when done. The moonlight created a mystical radiance around Tara. Willow sighed at the sight of her. "You are so beautiful." She unhooked Tara's arms and held them.
Tara slowly looked up in disbelief. "W-what?"
Willow moved closer. "You heard me." She smiled as she wrapped Tara in her arms and gently hugged her.
Tara shyly lowered her head. "Yeah I did. I just didn't believe it."
"Well, believe me." Willow kissed Tara's forehead. "Hey, look!" She held her head up to the sky.
"What?"
"Over there... Shooting star. Look! Another."
"Yeah." Tara kissed Willow's cheek.
Willow turned to Tara. "It's sad about shooting stars."
"What do you mean?"
"They're a fallacy. They're in fact a meteor vaporizing in the earth's atmosphere... Burning up... Sinking towards death." Willow frowned, saddened by her thoughts. "And real stars are actually dead masses that shine posthumously. So what you're seeing is really the light of a dead star. You're seeing the past."
"But, Willow... You shouldn't think about the death of the star. No matter what happened, the last thing you should remember about it is its beauty – and that it existed. Besides, new stars are forming every second. New beginnings every minute."
How Tara understood her was beyond Willow. "New beginnings every minute." Willow sighed and kissed Tara.
Next day...
(Cut to exterior of Lowell House. Loud party music, people walking in and out, holding beers. Cut to inside, more of the same. Xander, Buffy, Willow and Tara standing together.)
(Shot of Buffy looking across the room and smiling.)
FORREST VOICEOVER: You're kidding.
(Shot of Graham, Forrest and Riley by the stairs holding beers. Riley's looking across the room (at Buffy), not paying attention.)
FORREST: Mason requested to go on patrol?
GRAHAM: He just didn't want the girls to see him with his eyebrows all burnt off.
(Shot of Riley smiling across the room at Buffy.)
(Shot of Buffy smiling back.)
FORREST: He's lucky that's all he lost.
GRAHAM: You shoulda seen it, Rye. Weird as hell.
RILEY: (not listening) Mm-hmm.
(Forrest and Graham frown, look where Riley's looking. Cut to Buffy and the gang.)
WILLOW: How many kids?
XANDER: I dunno, a whole herd of them. And some parents to boot. (Buffy glances at him, then looks past him and smiles) It was kind of embarrassing, which, welcome to life with Anya.
TARA: So you don't even know if she's coming tonight.
XANDER: I'm thinking no. She was... pretty upset. Which, makes me wonder, is it me? Am I the crazy one? (Willow and Tara shrug at each other)
BUFFY: (still looking at Riley, not listening) Uh-huh. Absolutely.
(The others look where Buffy's looking.)
WILLOW: Hey, Buffy, this might be a good time to mention that someone, so not me, spilled something purply on your new peasant top which I would never borrow without asking. Still love me?
BUFFY: Uh-huh.
(Willow and Tara look at each other and laugh.)
(Buffy ponders for a moment, then looks at Willow.)
BUFFY: Huh? What about my peasant top?
WILLOW: Nothin'.
TARA: (quickly) Xander was just talking about Anya.
(Buffy nods.)
XANDER: Oh, it's nothing much. Just feeling pretty glad right now that a certain ex-demon doesn't have any powers.
(Buffy's attention is gone again, staring over at Riley.)
(Cut to Willow and Tara sitting on the stairs.)
WILLOW: Horses, like big ... tall ... teeth that can take your arm off horses?
TARA: Well, sure. I learned to ride when I was a kid. It's fun. (Smiling) And, by the way, most horses don't like arm very much.
(Willow looks uncertain.)
WILLOW: I had a bad birthday party pony thing when I was four. I, I look at horses and I see really big ponies.
TARA: You should ride with me sometime. I guarantee safety and fun.
(Willow smiles.)
WILLOW: Well... if you promise you'll look after me.
(Puts her hand on Tara's knee. Tara suddenly jumps back.)
TARA: Don't touch me!
(Willow frowns in confusion.)
TARA: That's ... just disgusting. (Standing up)
WILLOW: (standing) Tara ... what's the matter?
TARA: (panting) I don't, I don't know.
WILLOW: I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to ... are-are you feeling okay?
TARA: I'm f-fine, I just wanna ... (pointing upstairs) go to the bathroom ... (runs up the stairs)
(Willow watches her go, concerned.)
(Cut to Xander still pounding on the door.)
WILLOW: Buffy! Riley!
XANDER: Buffy!
(Tara turns and looks behind them)
XANDER: We gotta get them outta there.
(Tara starts to walk away while Willow and Xander stare at the writhing thorns still growing from under the door.)
(Tara walks to the balcony and looks down on the main floor. The people are looking around as the building starts to shake. People scream and run around. Glass rattling, everything shaking. The people scream and run toward the door. Suddenly there's a strong tremor and everyone falls onto the floor including Tara, Willow and Xander. People get up and run around.)
(Shot of Spike sitting calmly in his chair as people run around panicking. Spike smiles.)
SPIKE: Well, this party's starting to liven up after all.
(Suddenly straps shoot out of the chair he's sitting in, wrapping around his chest, wrists, legs, and one over his mouth. He drops his plastic cup of beer.)
SPIKE: Mmph!
(Cut to exterior of Lowell House. Xander helps Julie out. Tara, Willow, Spike, and Anya are there. Julie immediately runs off. Spike takes out a cigarette and lights it.)
WILLOW: We have to go back in there.
ANYA: Why?
XANDER: Because Buffy and Riley are trapped.
ANYA: So? (Willow and Tara look surprised) She's the Slayer, he's a big soldier boy, what do they need you for?
XANDER: Anya, look around! There's ghosts and shaking, and people are going all Felicity with their hair... We're fresh out of superpeople, and somebody's gotta go back in there. (Deep breath) Now who's with me?
(Willow and Tara hesitate.)
SPIKE: I am.
(Everyone looks at Spike in surprise.)
SPIKE: I know I'm not the first choice for heroics ... (drops his cigarette and grinds it out with his foot) and Buffy's tried to kill me more than once. And, I don't fancy a single one of you at all. But... (pauses) Actually, all that sounds pretty convincing. (Frowns, shakes his head and walks away.) I wonder if Danger Mouse is on.
ANYA: Xander, let's get out of here.
XANDER: You wanna bail, fine. (Points into house) I'm going back in there, and I'm not coming out till I bring my friend with me.
(He walks to the door, opens it, peeks inside. Takes a few steps in, then something invisible pushes him out. He flies backward and lands several yards down the path. Groans and makes a pained face. Shot of
Anya looking upset.)
XANDER: Or ... it ... could be Watcher time.
WILLOW: We'll, we'll go to Giles'.
TARA: No, no, wait, he, he isn't there. He was going to the Espresso Pump.
WILLOW: Right, he-he told us not to come. He, he needed some grownup time.
(They hurry off.)
(Cut to Giles in the coffee bar, playing a guitar. He's wearing casual clothes and has an earring in his left ear. Lots of people are sitting and watching/listening.)
GILES: (sings) No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be hated...
(Shot of Anya, Willow, Xander and Tara watching, amazed. Willow's and Anya's mouths hanging open.)
ANYA: Oh.
WILLOW: Wow.
GILES: (sings) To be fated...
XANDER: Um, could we go back to the haunted house? Cause, this is creeping me out.
TARA: Does he do this a lot?
XANDER: Sure. Every day the earth rotates backward and the skies turn orange.
GILES: (sings) But my dreams, they are as empty, as my conscience... (Notices the kids watching, looks embarrassed but keeps singing) seems to be...
(Willow smiles.)
GILES: (sings) I have hours, only lonely...
WILLOW: Now I remember why I used to have such a crush on him.
GILES: (sings) ...my love is vengeance?...
TARA: Well, he is pretty good.
GILES: (sings) ...that's never free-ee....
ANYA: (agreeing) His voice ... is pleasant. (All three girls are riveted.)
XANDER: What?!
GILES: (sings) No one knows what it's like... unintelligible
WILLOW: Oh, come on, he is kinda sexy.
GILES (sings) Like I do...
XANDER: I'm fighting total mental breakdown here, Will. No more fueling the fire please.
GILES: (sings) And I blame you...
(The song trails off as we cut back to Lowell House, now deserted, wreckage everywhere. The camera pans across the room and up the stairs to Riley's door, just like before, only now the vines cover the entire door and much of the ceiling and floor nearby. Muffled howling and screeching noises.)
(Cut to the college library. Giles pacing while the others sit at a table.)
GILES: When you called to Buffy and Riley, they didn't cry out or, or respond in any way?
ANYA: (bored) No. They're probably dead.
XANDER: Unless they're too busy doin' it to answer.
GILES: Doing what? (Sits at the table across from Xander)
XANDER: You know, for a god of acoustic rock, you're ... kind of naive.
GILES: (rolls his eyes) I didn't think you meant ... In the midst of all that, do you really think they were keeping it up?
(Everyone looks at him.)
GILES: Oh, for a different phrasing.
WILLOW: (Looking through an old book) Well, see, that's the thing. People all over the party were starting to act ... weird. (Quietly) Sexually.
GILES: In what way?
WILLOW: You know. (Embarrassed) Ways.
GILES: Well, it could be some form of, uh, succubi, or a satyr's prank. It could even be energy coming from the, the lab underneath the Lowell fraternity.
WILLOW: It wasn't always a fraternity, look!
(They all reach over to look at her book.)
WILLOW: (reading) "Between 1949 and 1960, the Lowell Home for Children housed upwards of 40 adolescents: runaways, juvenile delinquents, and emotionally disturbed teenagers from the Sunnydale area."
TARA: Children? Did any of them, um, die in there?
GILES: If there were deaths, then, uh, perhaps we're dealing with a fairly ... standard haunting.
WILLOW: It doesn't say. It's mostly about the old house director, Genevieve Holt. "Sunnydale Children's Aid. 30 years of community service. Giving disadvantaged kids the love and care they deserve."
GILES: When did she die?
WILLOW: (looks at book, looks up at Giles) She didn't.
"Where is she?" asked the watcher.
Willow shrugged her shoulders. Xander answered instead, "I'd guess, the retirement home."
"Well then let's go see this woman. Maybe she can help us."
Willow was confused. "All of us?"
"Now?!," Anya pouted.
Xander agreed. "Don't you think that's a little Gestapo like?"
Giles nodded. "You're quite right. The five of us may be too much."
Willow noticed Tara was still upset and offered, "Tara and I will stay behind... See if we can come up with anything more."
Anya approved. "Yes. I will help with the research."
Willow looked at her. "It's ok. I think we can handle it."
Anya whined as Xander held his hand out to her. "But, I don't like old people."
"Ahn, honey, you don't like any kind of people. This is a great opportunity to teach you people skills."
Giles turned back to Willow. "All right then. Willow, Tara... Look for the usual - hauntings, poltergeists, et cetera, et cetera. I'll leave a message at your room when we've found out something."
Willow looked to them as they walked off. "Ok." She turned back to Tara who still had her head hung low. "Tara..."
"I was possessed. That's what it had to be. Cause I-I..."
Willow could hardly hear her. "It's ok."
Tara shook her head. "It was horrible. How I felt. To say those w-words to you..."
Willow reached out. "I understand."
Tara finally looked up to her. "They were spirits. That's what it was. Children's spirits. All over the house. They felt like... "
Willow softly chuckled. "This information... Could have been useful two minutes ago - when they were still here."
"No, but they are not dead. We still need to find out what happened to them. To help them..."
Willow held her hand. "Giles will find out."
"There are different types of b-binding rituals we can perform. Or banishing. We just need to know what h-happened."
"What did the spirit feel like?"
"Cold... Distant... Started to quote the Bible when you... you touched me."
Willow frowned. "That's awful."
"It's my fault. I had my guard down. T-that's probably how it got in. I wasn't paying attention to the surroundings."
Willow smiled. "Well, neither was I." Tara shyly smiled. "I guess we should go to my room and wait for Giles to call. There's not much else we can do here."
Tara shrugged her shoulders as she smiled. "I guess."
Willow leaned in. As her lips drew nearer to Tara's mouth, the electricity between them intensified the air. The first thing Willow felt was the warmth of Tara's lips as they gently touched her own. Unconsciously their lips parted and as their kiss intensified and deepened, bombardments of various electric currents traveled all over Willow's body. Currents she felt were starting from Tara and quickly making a voyage into her own. She reached for Tara's face and gently pulled her closer to her as Tara wrapped her arms around Willow's waist shortening their distance even more. Soon enough oxygen became an issue and both girls slowly parted.
Both girls sighed and knew not what to say.
"Uh..." Tara opened her eyes.
Willow smiled at her as she caressed Tara's face with her hands. "Wow"
Tara closed her eyes in ecstasy. "I should... I should go get some books...For when he calls."
But neither moved away from each other.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Tara jumped back at the sound of knuckles pounding on the door. Her face flushed with blood.
"Willow?" It was Giles. "Willow..."
Willow jumped off the bed. "Giles!" She ran to open the door. "Books. You've brought books!"
"Yes." He said handing them to over to her as Anya and Xander followed behind him. "It's poltergeist children with repressed energy. We need to find what ritual to perform on the spirits so we can get Buffy and Riley safely out of the house. Tara..."
Tara had since stood up but was still flustered. "W-w-what?"
Xander spoke to Willow. "We need weapons. Where's Buffy's arsenal?" Willow pointed.
Giles asked Tara, "You wouldn't happen to know would you?"
Tara looked at him. "I, uh..."
"Why are you blushing?," Anya bluntly asked her.
Tara looked to Giles, "A-a binding spell."
Giles nodded. "Of course! What do we need?"
Tara looked at Willow as they spoke with out words. Giles noticed how they both communicated and was quite surprised by this.
Willow walked over to her side of the room. "I'll get the candles."
Tara followed her. "And I'll get the table and cloth."
Giles kept looking at them. "Umm... What should I do?"
Anya answered his question. "Giles, tell Xander here they are spirits. He doesn't seem to understand the word."
Cut to Tara spreading a red cloth on a table, then sitting in a chair. Willow brings candles and sets them on the table, sits down.
ANYA: What good are weapons against disembodied spirits, Xander? They have no ass to kick.
(We see Xander rummaging in Buffy's weapon chest.)
GILES: She's right. (Gets up, holding a book) You should just stay outside.
WILLOW: We'll bind the spirits long enough for you to get Riley and Buffy out.
XANDER: How much time will you buy us?
TARA: Could be tricky, we're calling upon the communal spirit of a certain time and place. (Willow lighting candles. Xander takes out weapons, hands one to Anya, holds a machete.)
XANDER: Let's go.
(Anya looks at the sword he gave her, and follows him.)
(Cut to Xander outside the Lowell House. He sighs.)
XANDER: What do you feel?
ANYA: (pressed against the window) Sad, afraid of being without you, and a little hungry.
XANDER: I meant about the house.
ANYA: Oh. Still haunted.
(Cut to the dorm room.)
TARA: Give me your hands. Form a circle.
(She and Willow and Giles hold hands, eyes closed.)
TARA: Children of the past, spirits of Lowell, be guided by our light. Come forth and be known to us.
GILES: Ho-how will we know when it works? (A noise. They all open their eyes and see a bunch of ghostly children standing around them.)
TARA: We'll know.
(They look around nervously.)
TARA: We implore you ... be still. (Ghost children watching silently)
GILES: Find it in your hearts to leave our friends passage.
WILLOW: Transform your pain. Release your past. And ... uh ... get over it.
(Giles looks at her, nervous. Willow shrugs.)
(The wind blows Willow's hair around. The children look up. Their hair is blowing too. The wind howls loudly. Screeching noises.)
TARA: (yelling) Find here the serenity you seek, the peace you -
(The red-covered table flies out from under their hands and crashes against the door. The wind stops. They look around.)
GILES: What's happened?
TARA: We lost them.
WILLOW: Xander.
Giles stood up. "We need to get to the house."
Tara looked at him. "I can try again."
Willow turned to her. "There's no time."
"Let's go." Giles was by the door.
Tara reached for Willow's hand. "Let me try again. Please."
Willow noticed she was serious. She looked over to Giles. "You go ahead. I'll stay here with her."
Giles nodded. "All right."
The room was quiet until the door was firmly shut.
"What are you doing?" Willow asked since Tara had sat down where the table used to be in a lotus position. Her back straight and head held high. Willow had never seen her so well poised and confident.
"I can get them to stop."
"How? We just tried it."
"Willow, I can do this. I'll banish them."
"What do you need?
Tara looked at her. "Nothing. Just concentration." She closed her eyes.
"Ok...."
Eyes shut she asked, "Willow, could you please sit in front of me?" Willow did as she was told. "Can I hold you hands too?" Willow wordlessly held out her hands to her. She looked at Tara's face as Tara psychically grabbed her hands.
"Close your eyes."
Willow was shocked. "How did you..." But she closed them without finishing her question.
"Are you ready?"
"I guess so. What do I need to do?"
"Lend me your energy."
As soon those words were spoken Willow felt herself out of breath. Energy was being sucked from her slowly. Starting in her toes, working it's way up her legs to her pelvis, up her stomach, her lungs, her throat and finally her head. She felt a burst of energy explode from her body. She opened her eyes and jumped back away from Tara.
"What just happened? What did you do?"
Tara tried to reach out to her, to calm her. "I - we expelled them. From, from the house. Buffy's ok. The house is clean."
Willow turned and sat on her bed breathing heavily. "What was that? How did you do that?"
Tara moved closer to her. "Willow..."
Willow shook her head. "No. I couldn't breathe."
Tara sat down next to her. "Just calm down. You're ok."
Willow looked at her. "Calm down? Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do?" She paused, realizing something. "You made the earthquake at the house, didn't you?"
Tara lowered her eyes to the bed spread. "We needed to get the people out of there. It wasn't safe for them to be in the house."
Willow sat back away from her. "How did you do that?" But Tara just shrugged her shoulders. "Tara, how?"
"I just did. I concentrate and it happens."
"An earthquake?" Willow couldn't believe it. "And that demon last night... Who are you?"
Tara looked up at her. "What?"
"Who are you? Or what are you?"
Tara was shocked by the questions. "Willow, I'm Tara. I'm a witch, just like you.
Willow shook her head. "I'm no where near as powerful as you."
Tara was visibly very uncomfortable now. "You are. You just..." She shook her head.
Willow never took her eyes off Tara. She watched Tara play with one of her pony tails and sigh. She watched her look at her and quickly look away. She noticed her nervously play with her hands and then rub her knees as a second sigh escaped. She saw her look over to Amy's cage and back to the bed spread, shaking her head again. Willow was growing more concerned as the silence continued. She slowly moved closer to her again. She wanted to just hold her in her arms and kiss her.
"Tara?"
Tara slowly looked up to her. "I have problems. Not, like. I don't mean it like that. You know, everyone has problems but I don't. I mean I do, but not those kinds of problems." Willow couldn't help but smile. Tara half smiled back. "The problems at home... One of them was that I was growing too powerful."
"Oh..."
"My sisters and I... The triangle. But we were unbalanced... They, uh, they were mischievous. And as they banded together my powers, um, doubled. But I hardly had any control over myself. I'd, uh... think - and things would happen. That's why I went to live with my grandmother. She, uh... She helped me."
"Why didn't your mother help you?"
"There was nothing she could do. I mean, they are just like her."
"What was that fight about? The one that you had the last time you saw them?"
At that very moment the phone rang. Willow moved to pick it up.
"Hello? Giles! Yes. Oh, good. How's everyone?... Eww... Tell her to put some ointment on that. All right then. I will. Good night." As Willow hung up she turned to Tara who was now picking up the candles and table. "I can do that..."
"It's ok." Tara looked to her. "I should go."
"Tara." Willow walked over to her. Tara stood in place, her eyes completely in love. "I'm not scared. If that's what you think."
"What?"
Willow pulled her into a hug. "I just needed some warning. I kinda like breathing. It's like a requirement for life." Willow looked into her eyes. "I know that you're good, and one of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life." Tara chuckled and softly shook her head. "Well, you know what I mean. Every little bit of information that you reveal about yourself only makes me lo-"Willow stopped herself realizing what she was about to say. She smiled at Tara. "Well, it makes me love you more."
"Willow..."
Willow smiled. "No talk. Just kiss. Ok?" Tara nodded. "Umm. We didn't bring the kids here did we?"
Tara giggled. "No..."
"Good."
End of Chapter 8