Part 5
Dance

They held hands as they danced. Sometimes just one pair of hands joined to form the pivot around which they happily twirled. Other times, both sets of hands clasped together as if in an unconscious desire to bring the rest of their extremities into play. The music filled Willow's ears and echoed the pounding in her heart. The low hum-buzz coming from the magnificent woman holding her hands thrilled her to the depths of her soul.

When the music changed to a slow song, Willow pause and looked at Tara. The blonde hair was lightly plastered to Tara's forehead by a thin sheen of perspiration. Willow wanted to push the few wild strands flying free, but instead let go of Tara's hands and smoothed her own hair back. Then she held out her arms.

"Okay?"

Tara gave her a slow smile. "More than okay," she purred and moved into Willow's embrace.

Oh gods, Willow closed her eyes as Tara's body touched hers. She unconsciously stiffened and Tara started to move away.

"W-willow?"

"Shhh," Willow said and tightened her arms around Tara. "I'm okay...you just feel so good."

Tara grinned and pulled Willow closer as they began to move together. "You feel good, too. It's almost...almost like coming home."

Willow's heart soared.

When the music changed back to a fast paced techno-beat the girls did not let each other go. They continued to sway together slowly within each other's embrace. When the next set of slow songs came on, Willow barely noticed, and just hugged Tara tighter, feeling the other witch respond in kind. After the slow set ended, the DJ started a set of show tunes, much to the squealing delight of the gay boys. Willow finally pulled away from Tara with much reluctance.

"Thirsty?" Willow asked.

Tara nodded and they headed for the drink table.

They wandered outside to cool off and get away from the music and crowd. A small dimly-lit courtyard behind the hall provided students with an area for eating and studying. Willow led them well away from the smokers to a small round table with three cement benches circling it. She sat on one bench facing away from the table and was thrilled when Tara took the small space next to her.

"Having a good time?" Willow asked.

"Oh yes," Tara sipped her drink. "Are y-you?"

"Um hmm," Willow nodded. She looked at Tara and breathed deeply. She smelled the cool night air and Tara's warm scent. "Thank you."

"No…thank you for asking me," Tara said and took both of their empty cans and took them to a trash bin.

Willow waited until Tara had reseated herself before saying, "You were coming anyway."

"Yes, but…" Tara paused in thought. "Not w-with a date."

"Why not?" Willow rolled her eyes at herself. "I mean, that sounded rude, but you're so pretty and great and sweet that I would have thought there would be girls lining up to ask you out…oh and boys too. Can't forget the boys, I'm sure they're not immune to the hotness of you."

Tara was giggling at Willow's ramble. "You're so cute. A-and pretty h-hot yourself." Tara's face blushed sweetly.

Willow smiled as she looked into Tara's eyes. "Is it okay if I…?"

"More than okay," Tara whispered and Willow's heart pounded again at the other woman's desire-filled tone. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Tara's.

Willow gasped lightly at the electricity that sparked between them at the first touch of their lips. She pressed softly for a moment, just enjoying Tara's softness, and then pulled away, running her tongue along her lips to get her first taste of Tara. She closed her eyes in appreciation and then moved in for another taste.

Tara's passionate response surprised her a little, but the thought passed quickly as she felt strong arms pulling her closer. She moaned softly as Tara opened her lips in invitation. She brought her own hands up to run through Tara's hair, moving one hand down Tara's back, the other lightly holding Tara's neck.

Willow ran her tongue over Tara's lips, enjoying the sensation of her warm, soft lips. Then she plunged inside Tara's mouth, feeling dizzy as if she were looking into infinity. Finally, after a few more minutes of exploring Tara's mouth, she pulled slightly away, not letting the other woman go.

"Wow," she exclaimed and looking at Tara knew she had never seen anyone look more beautiful. Or sexy...and I put that look there, she proudly thought.

"Very wow," Tara whispered, leaning in again for another kiss, this time taking control and plunging her tongue in Willow's mouth.

Willow responded with equal passion, running her hands over Tara's back and letting one hand drop until it was caressing Tara's shapely ass.

Tara moaned and leaned closer to Willow until the smaller girl was pressed over the table. Willow was about to spread her legs to allow Tara to move in closer when she heard a cacophony of catcalls and whistles.

Willow looked into Tara's equally wide eyes as the blonde pulled back. "Busted," she whispered.

Tara nodded and sat back on her side of the bench, keeping an arm around Willow.

Standing nearby were some of Tara's friends, but Willow glanced around the courtyard and saw the cheering group was drawing the attention of the other people relaxing and visiting. Most were smiling, but a few were joining in the teasing.

"Dang Tara!" Stefanie called out. "If I'da known you put out on the first date, I'da asked ya out weeks ago!"

"Y-you did," Tara said. "But I d-don't date smokers."

Stefanie looked at the lit cigarette she was holding shrugged and put it in her mouth and pulled deeply. Letting out a cloud of smoke she asked, "Are ya sure? Ol' Willow there sure looked like she was smokin' a moment ago."

The other girls laughed at that sally. Willow hid her blushing face in the crook of Tara's shoulder and neck. She could feel Tara was also embarrassed, but amused by her friend's antics.

"Maybe so, b-but not the stinky cigarette kind," Tara retorted. "W-willow smells a lot better t-than you, Stef."

Willow shook against Tara as she laughed silently. She glanced in Stefanie's direction and saw the short-haired girl had her mouth open in astonishment. Willow felt a surge of pride for Tara's boldness.

Tara turned to Willow with a smirk. "Ready to go?" she asked.

Willow nodded and stood up, taking Tara's hand.

"Night girls!" Stefanie called as they walked away. "Have fun!"

Laughter echoed in the courtyard.

The two girls held hands as they walked back toward Tara's dormitory. Willow took a breath of the cool air. "You were great back there," she said. "Thereby proving that you're not so shy."

"No, I…I am," Tara responded. "It's just…" Tara trailed off.

"I get it," Willow said. "It's like I can be completely at ease around my friends, but new people kinda scare me sometimes."

"That's true, but…"

"What?" Willow asked, stopping them on the path under a sodium arc light. She turned to Tara.

"I…" Tara paused again, but this time Willow waited in silence to allow the other girl to finish.

Tara looked down and then up again at Willow. "I don't, you know," she finally said in a soft voice.

Willow's eyebrows scrunched up. "Don't what?"

Tara blushed, her face turning almost pink in the glare from the light. "P-put out on-on the first date."

Willow's eyes opened wide. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I know that. Me neither. I would never expect…"

Tara reached up and put her hands on Willow's cheeks, pulling the other woman toward her. She landed a kiss on Willow's lips, interrupting the redhead's embarrassed babble.

Willow closed her eyes and relished the feel of Tara. All thought flew out of her mind as she put her hands around the other girl and drew her closer. Finally Tara let go of Willow's lips, but continued to hold on.

"But I think with you…" she started. "With you, I'd l-like to make an exception."

Willow's fog-filled brain took a moment to digest what Tara was saying. "Oh!" she exclaimed again, a flush running through her body. "Really?"

Tara nodded. "T-that is…if you…if you want."

"Oh gods, yes," Willow nodded enthusiastically. "I want. I definitely want."

After a moment at simply smiling at each other, the two girls turned as one and continued down the path. Before they were halfway to the dorm a black-coated approached them from the direction of the dorm.

"Spike!" Willow said, surprised. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at Xander's?"

The taller figure shrugged and blew a puff of smoke in their direction. "The Odd Couple are shagging in the basement," he said. "Since the folks are upstairs busy getting snockered, I decided to take a little stroll until it quiets down."

"But…" Willow started and blinked a few times. "Aren't you going to run away again?"

"Why for?" he asked. "Might as well leech off you bloody Scoobies for a while. Free blood and a roof over my head and all that. Better than being on the bleedin' dole." He turned to rake Tara with his eyes. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" he smirked.

Willow's expression grew angry and she said, "No!" She took Tara's hand and started to lead the confused blonde past Spike.

"Not very hospitable of you, is it?" Spike said. "I mean after all, if she's your new girltoy I thought I'd just take a moment to get to know her, that's all. Just wanted to see how compatible she'd be for you and Oz. Good old Oz…I wonder how he's doing down there in LA while you're here playing swap the spit with this bint?"

Willow looked at him in horror as Tara turned to her and asked, "Oz?"

"Yeah, Oz," Spike said and held his hand out at shoulder level. "Yay high? Guitarist in a band? Cool hair with a tendency to change color from week to week? Willow's boyfriend for the past three years? That Oz."

"Boyfriend?" Tara whispered and Willow faced her, her mouth hanging open. "Boyfriend?"

"Uh…" Willow sputtered.

"Oh Willow!" Tara pulled her hand angrily from Willow's and took off down the path at a run.

Willow stared at her as Tara stumbled a bit, but quickly regained her footing and soon disappeared around the curve. She turned to the smugly smiling Spike and gave the vampire an angry push.

"You bastard!" she yelled. "You listened to Xander and me talking this afternoon."

"Well, yeah!" Spike said, only having been moved back a few inches by Willow's push. "More bleedin' entertainment than Passions, I'll tell you that."

"Why?" she yelled, tears starting to well up. "I've tried to be nice to you. Out of all of us, I defended you the most and supported Buffy in not staking you…even after you tried to eat me before you knew about the chip."

Spike shrugged. "Gotta have a little fun somehow," he said. "I'm still evil!" he suddenly yelled the last word. "I'm still the Big Bad and you're nothing but a cheating little tart."

Willow stopped crying as she moved closer to Spike and with all her strength slapped him across the face.

This time the vampire was nearly knocked off his feet and he recovered with a raised hand to return the slap, but before he could connect, the microchip in his brain fired and he clutched his head screaming in agony.

"Serves you right!" Willow hissed at the writhing figure. "Stay out of my way, Spike. If you ever come near me or Tara again, I'll stake you myself." With that, she ran after Tara.