The Rosenberg Residence, 2200 hours.
Willow closed the door to her home behind her after turning on the foyer light. It shone white, lighting up the small space as she put her bag down on the floor and then keys into the bowl to her left. She the sighed at the thought of the empty house, a place she didn't want to let go off before she picked up the bag once again and walked up the stairs. She then walked to her room and took off her clothes before heading for a shower. Once she closed the shower door behind her, Willow turned on the tap and took a step forward underneath the warm water. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the plane ride where she and Tara were drinking coffee together. Nothing much had come out of it, the both of them had a few things to say over coffee… but Willow could tell from Tara's nervousness… and her own, that they weren't ready to talk about something like a potential relationship on a plane.
And Willow didn't know if she was ready to move on. In truth, she didn't know if she could date another woman. Which was why she asked Tara if she wanted to get some coffee at the Espresso Pump the next night; the former redhead needed to know if they were a match… and if they weren't, then she would know that she and Tara weren't a good fit. Willow then turned off the shower head and opened the screen door. She stepped out while wrapping a towel around her scarred body and then walked out the washroom and into the hallway.
Getting back into her room, Willow, while her hair was still damp, walked to her closet and opened the doors. She looked at her hanging clothes, all of which was new due to the young woman throwing out everything she ever owned due to the fact that Angelus had touched them. Instead of reaching for the clothes, she looked down and mumbled one word, "Reveal."
A foot locker uncloaked itself and then Willow crouched down to open the top, revealing her new Nighthawk uniform. The young woman then got up and dried herself off before she put on the matte black cat-suit, boots, gloves, belt with pepper spray and the batons, and finally the two sheathed combat knives that were attached to her thighs. The young woman then put on her balaclava and her goggles before taking off after having turned off the lights to her room and pulled away the curtains.
Her first mission as she flew through the air using her telekinesis was to check on the remains of Drusilla. A few minutes later, the young woman walked down the stairs to the lower level of what used to be Spike's crypt to the smell of burning flesh. Willow smiled under her balaclava at the absence of any screams from Dru, and wondered if the crazy vampire had gotten used to the pin.. or if she had turned to ash. Walking into Spike's bedroom, where his ashes were still piled on the bed, Willow smiled at the smoking pile of ash in the room over the are where Drusilla was trapped.
'Oz had been avenged,' though Willow to herself before turning around and walking back down the hallway towards the stairs that led to the main floor. She then closed the door behind her after exiting the crypt. She flew off into the air with her heart beating steadily as the wind brushed past her while she flew, the black uniform making any sighting of her much less likely.
She knew that Buffy, Riley, Faith, and Graham would be going on patrol later, so Willow headed instead for the city itself where she eventually managed to dust a vampire who was trying to bite down on a human. From there she floated around for a little while before heading to the Bronze where she knew that there would be more potential vampire attacks.
While searching for anything to take up her time, Willow thought back to Oz and Tara. She imagined a talk with Oz as she flew towards the graveyard using her magic instead of her telekinesis to give her brain a brief respite.
"What do I do?" asked Willow as she imagined herself next to Oz while sitting on a beach under a full moon with stars twinkling in the sky.
"About?" asked Oz as he lay down next to her. The both of them were lying down on their back side by side while looking up at the stars.
"About Tara," said Willow gently, "what if we hit it off? What if she asks me out again? What if…"
"There are a lot of 'what ifs'" said Oz.
"I know there are a lot of what if's," replied Willow as she looked up at the stars, "but…"
"And I'm dead," 'Oz' reminded her. Willow looked at him, and studied his face, before looking back up at the stars once again, "you're alive, and I'm dead Will. You already said goodbye.. we already went out to Paris for our anniversary. And… and we did what we wanted to do."
"I wanted more," whispered Willow.
"You have the chance for that," Oz said as Willow looked at him, "you can find another guy, or you can date Tara. See how it goes."
"What if I hit it off with Tara?" asked Willow softly.
"Then you hit it off," answered 'Oz', "then you hot it off. You'll have someone to share your burdens. And… and not here to share your burdens, I mean I can't share your burdens because I'm just a figment of your imagination."
"You're right," whispered Willow as she looked at Oz who looked back at her, "but I'm still glad you're here. You do know you'll always be here."
"I know," was the reply.
"Then we'll see what happens over coffee," said Willow smiling at Oz, "we'll see."
"We'll see," Oz returned the smile as Willow found herself flying through the warm night air over one of the many graveyards in Sunnydale. Willow shifted her body to the left, just before she banked left and wondered what it would be like the next day. And the day after tomorrow, and then the day after that, and so on.
'One day at a time then,' thought Willow to herself before coming across two men walking by themselves in a graveyard. Figuring that Buffy was a another graveyard, Willow landed in front of the surprised men and smirked under the balaclava.
"Is this Halloween?" asked one of the men who looked as if he had just dug himself out of his coffin. He then switched to his 'vamp' face before snarling at Willow who took out her batons, flicked her wrists, and extended them.
"Hello sweeties," said Willow just before the two vamps leapt towards her.
Tara's Room, Stevenson Hall, 1300 hours.
Tara was standing in front of her mirror wearing the latest combination of clothes while Buffy was seated on her bed with Anya by her side. The Slayer was looking at the pile of clothes on the bed before looking back up at Tara who was getting frustrated at being unable to find the right combination for the upcoming coffee 'not a date' with Willow. Buffy chuckled as Tara screamed in frustration as she took off her shirt and threw in on the floor before standing with her hands on her hips facing Faith who was drinking a can of pop.
"You know," Buffy said before she placed the can on Tara's bedside table next on the phone. The then motioned to the young with which wiping her lips with the back of her hand before continuing, "you could always meet her in just your underwear."
"Buffy!" exclaimed Tara before looking down at the pile of clothes on the bed, and then turning around with her back to the Slayer and sitting on the bed. Buffy looked at the young woman's back and was glad that the bites that Eliza had made was slowly vanishing. Buffy sighed, and then shimmied to where Tara was sitting and, from behind, she lay her chin on Tara's left shoulder, just next to the bra strap, and whispered.
"You said that this isn't a date," said Buffy gently as Tara looked down while Tara was fiddling with her fingers. "Maybe you just take it easy, Tara."
"I know its not a date," whispered Tara as she lay the side of her head on Buffy's temple, "but… I mean I think she's the one I want to spend every day with. And…"
"You don't know if she's the one, Tar," said Buffy gently as Tara sighed, "maybe she could be? Maybe she's not. I mean I want the both of you to work out. But one thing that's a definite fact when you two go out is that…."
"At least I'll know," Tara said finishing the Slayer's sentence. She then continued to whiser if the Slayer and Willow were going to be okay.
"It won't be the same," Buffy said softly as she pulled back and Tara turned her body to look at the blonde, "I know she's still angry at me; all the smiles and jokes from her won't take that away."
"But…"
"And yes, it's my fault." Buffy then shook her head before saying that she was fine with where the two friends were right now. "She's talking to me, she's joking with me, we hug… we laugh... that's the best thing that I could have asked after she came back to us. But that doesn't change the fact that she flinches when we hug… she may think that I don't realize it, but I do. I know she sometimes looked at me with angry-eyes when she thinks I'm not looking, and.. and I know there's a part of her that wants to hurt me real bad. She's not the Willow I knew before, and I'm getting to know this new version of her. All in all though? I think we're okay."
"I'm glad the both of you are okay," said Tara smiling at Buffy before looking at the picture on top of her shelf which had herself, Buffy, and Faith laughing together in costume during Halloween. Tara looked at that picture, and then turned back to Buffy before saying that she liked Willow. "I really do."
"Then enjoy going out with her," said Buffy as she leaned forward and held onto Tara's hand. "If anything happens, it happens."
"I'm attracted to her, Buffy," said the young witch while the Slayer hopped off the bed and looked through the closet. She then looked back at Tara, and back at the closet again before pulling out some clothes and setting them down on the bed… on the pile of other clothes.
"Wear that," said Buffy pointed at the black off shoulder dress while Tara before Tara reminded her that they were just going for coffee at the Espresso pump, and so she needed something casual. But Buffy waved her hands and shook her head 'no'. Instead, she told Tara to 'jump into the deep end' while she rushed to t eh phone and called Xander. While she was dialling the phone, Buffy told Tara to try on the dress.
"Buffy!" exclaimed a nervous Tara as she stood up and looked at the dress, "I can't wear the dress."
"And why? Oh, hold on.." said Buffy as she turned her focus to Xander who had just picked up the phone in his apartment. "Hey Xand, listen. Can anyone use the roof access in your building to… well… go to the roof?"
"Yea," he replied while he was seated next to Anya watching television, "why?"
"Can you rent a tux?" asked Buffy as Tara put her hands on her hips and looked on perplexed at the Slayer.
"A tux?" asked Xander leaning forward while Anya turned her head to stare at him confused.
"Yea," Buffy said nodding her head while looking at Tara, and imagining her in the dress, "Tara's changed her mind, and she wants to ask Willow to dinner."
"Buffy?!" mouthed Tara silently.
"Dinner?" asked Xander, "isn't that a bit too fast? And…."
"Jump into the deep end, Xander," said Buffy, "she likes Will and… well, better to make it a date instead of 'it's not a date-date'."
"I guess I could get a tux," said Xander.
"Faith's in class, mom's at work, Graham and Riley are on some mission in South America, and Giles is working," said Buffy, "so we're gonna make this a great night for these two."
"Buffy," Tara shook her head.
"Yea," said Buffy nodding her head at Xander saying something over the phone in regards to what they were going to do next. "Well, I have a plan."
The Rosenberg Residence, ten minutes later.
Willow had just gotten out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her scarred body, when the phone in the living room rang. Walking out of the shower, and then onto the carpet before rushing down the stairs carefully, Willow strode into the living room and picked up the phone.
"Hello," she said.
"Hi… hi, Willow?" asked a nervous Tara on the other line as Buffy was putting the dress on a hanger, and then carefully packing some makeup, and several; other items into a bag.
"Hey, Tara," said Willow as she stood with water dripping from her lower legs and onto the carpet she was standing on, "I'm gonna be ready in a few minutes. I'll be at the Espresso Pump in an…"
"Would you like to have dinner with me instead of coffee and maybe have dinner as in a date not as is not having a date - date but a real date where it's just you and me and some dinner and food and dinner and…."
"Food?" asked Willow as she listened to Tara rambling on nervously while picking out a stifled laugh in the background.
"Would you like to have dinner instead of coffee? Or we could have coffee with dinner?" asked Tara after calming down and then taking in a deep breath while as she waved at Buffy to quieten down. "Or we could just have the coffee at the Espresso Pump in an hour. I'm alright with that too."
"Ye…. Yea," said a surprised Willow shaking her head, "I mean… you mean a date?"
"I… I didn't mean….. no never mind. So, coffee in an hour?"
"Tara," said Willow as she stood with water from her still wet hair dripping onto the carpet, "it was just a surprise for me. Look, if you want to have dinner then it's fine with me. I can take my parents car and pick you up, or…."
"Xander's going to pick you up," said Tara while Willow tilted her head.
"Xander?" asked Willow, "so Xander's joining us? I mean if you're comfortable going as a group with Anya, Buffy…. Who I'm guessing is right there, and Faith then I'm totally fine with that."
"A group?" asked Tara as she looked at Buffy who shook her head.
"No… just you and me," continued Tara, returning her focus to Willow, while Buffy wrote out something on a piece of paper and then handed it to Tara. The witch looked at the scribble in the paper, and then at Buffy who was nodding her head excitedly, "she's going to be having dinner with her mom, and Faith."
"Okay?" said a confused Willow, "then why's Xander's picking me up?"
"I mean Xander's picking you up because…"
"Oh for God's sake," said Buffy as she reached out with her hand and asked for the phone. Sheepishly, a flustered Tara handed the receiver to the Slayer who then placed it on her ear. "Hey Will?"
"Buffy?" asked Willow, "what's going on? Why's Xander…"
"It's a surprise," said Buffy while she was pacing the carpet and hoping that Willow didn't back out, "listen Will, it's a surprise. Just get ready for dinner, Xander will pick you up at eight."
"Okay?" said Willow confused, "so… casual or formal? Or…"
"Just wear something nice. Make it formal… but not too formal," said Buffy as she looked at the off-shoulder dress that Tara was holding up which had an embroidery on the chest. "Xander will pick you up at eight."
"Alright," said Willow, "eight then."
Tara's Room, Stevenson Hall.
Buffy then punched the air before handing the phone back to Tara who then told Willow that she was looking forward to seeing her then. The witch then put the phone down, and stared at a grinning Buffy who approached her and said, "you'll be fine, Tara. You'll see, she'll love you."
"I don't know about that," said Tara as she flopped on her bed and looked at the dress before turning back to Buffy, "at least I get to wear a nice dress."
"Did you ever wear this?" asked Buffy as she picked it up by the hanger while Tara put on a simple shirt and then picked up the bag that Buffy packed.
"It was supposed to be for my senior prom," said Tara with a faraway look in her eyes while Buffy looked back at her after admiring the dress.
"Supposed to be?" asked Buffy confused, "what do you mean supposed to be?"
Tara told Buffy that she bought the dress after her best friend asked her to the prom. Tara explained that the young man didn't know that she was attracted to another girl, and she hadn't told anyone. Tara knew how everyone would take it, so she said yes to the young man. She then explained to Buffy that her father and brother found out that she was going out for the senior prom, and they stopped her.
"You don't talk about your parents much," Buffy said, "and I didn't even know you had a brother."
"They didn't want me to go to prom," said Tara as she opened her door and walked out into the hallway with the bag while Buffy carried her dress. She couldn't tell her about the verbal and emotional abuse she suffered from her father and brother, or that her magic came from a demon. She wanted to enjoy her life with Buffy and her friends... and she wanted someone to love before she would have to give in to her demon half. Tara walked the hallway with Buffy and knew that she would have to kill her when her demon half emerged in a year's time… until then, Tara wanted to enjoy her life. "My dad was injured in an accident and my brother couldn't take care of him alone. So I have to stay in.. I mean it was too bad, but… you know… it was my dad."
"How about we make this night one to remember for the rest of your life." Buffy said as she held Tara's hand. "And whatever happens, happens."
"I agree," nodded Tara as she looked at Buffy, and then at the dress in her hand while imagining she was dancing with Willow. "Whatever happens, happens."
TBC.