Chapter Twenty-One: Distant Morning
Previously in Echoes in the Wind...
"Thank you, for helping me," Tara said, watching Willow with a sad look in her eyes. "I just wish you hadn't been hurt in the process."
"I wasn't the only one hurt," Willow announced, lifting her hand to brush her fingers along the bruise that was forming on Tara's cheek bone. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner."
"It's okay. I'm just glad you came," Tara told her, smiling sadly at Willow, surprised by the strange sensation that overcame her at the feeling of Willow's fingers on her face.
"I still wish I could have stopped this," Willow responded, staring at Tara's cheek with a sad look in her eyes.
"Good morning," Tara whispered, seeing Willow stir from her spot on the bed.
"Good morning," Willow replied, praying she wouldn't wake from the dream she was in. She didn't want to go back to the harsh reality where she was a monster. Here in her dreamworld she could hold Tara again, touch her, kiss her.
"Did you sleep alright?" Tara asked, as she sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Willow with a crooked smile on her face.
"Mhmm," Willow mumbled before wrapping her arm around Tara's waist and pulling the blonde to her, needing to feel her in her arms once again.
"Um...Willow," Tara said, trying to get the witch's attention, only to have Willow's grip tighten around her waist.
Willow sighed at the familiar feeling. Even if it was just a dream, it felt amazing holding Tara again. Brushing her lips over the blonde's neck, Willow smiled against the soft skin. "I've missed you," Willow whispered, nipping at Tara's pulse point and causing the blonde's breath to catch in her throat.
"Um...Willow, you need to wake up," Tara told her, trying to ignore the pounding of her heart from the sensations running through her.
"Don't wanna," Willow pouted, continuing to pamper Tara's neck with kisses.
"Oh, Goddess," Tara groaned, tilting her head back to give Willow more access. "Willow, wake up."
Sighing, Willow released the blonde and let the dream fade away, only to realize that she was indeed holding Tara in her arm, just not the one from her dream. Quickly releasing her, Willow bolted from the bed and stared down at Tara in confusion, panting from her dreams and the quick movement.
"I'm sorry," Willow whispered, watching her cautiously for any sign that she was upset or afraid. "I didn't realize what was happening. I thought it was one of my dreams again. One of the ones I have of her."
"Your Tara?" Tara guessed, realizing what had happened. The realization gave her the opportunity to lock away the feelings the other witch had stirred in her, blaming them on the fact that Willow knew her body from her experience with the other Tara.
Willow just nodded at Tara's guess, not wanting to say anything else. She couldn't handle the fact that she had touched the blonde without permissions. Even if the Tara in her dreams had responded to the touch, this Tara had not.
Willow turned away from Tara, not wanting to see the disgust and fear that she knew would soon enter the blonde's eyes. She couldn't handle that look. Her Tara had given her a look of disgust when she'd used the memory spell on the blonde, and Willow couldn't handle seeing that expression once again.
"Willow?" Tara said softly, seeing the witch begin to throw up her walls again. "I'm not mad."
Willow nodded once again and looked out the window, realizing for the first time she wasn't in Tara's room. "How did we get to my home?"
"You brought us back here right before you feel asleep. You were afraid my father would wake up and hurt me," Tara explained, praying Willow would turn to face her.
"I'll send you back home when you're ready," Willow told her, keeping her eyes off of the brunette.
Tara nodded, dropping her head so her hair fell into her face. "O-okay," Tara replied, feeling the pain of rejection as Willow walked from the room quickly, leaving the blonde standing there in silence.
Walking down the stairs, Willow was surprised to see Faith, Anya, and Angel sitting together at the table talking quietly to one another. Willow knew that they were trying to hide something, and she wasn't about to let it go.
"What's going on?" Willow asked as she took the last few steps down to the first floor.
"Morning, Red. Sleep well?" Faith wondered, a smirk touching her lips.
"I slept fine. Why does it matter?"
"We saw you. You and Tara looked pretty cozy up there," Anya announced, smiling at Willow.
Willow frowned at her friends in frustration. "Nothing happened," Willow told them, watching their smirks widen. "I'm serious."
"Sure, Red. Whatever you say?" Faith said, giving Willow a knowing look.
"Nothing happened between Tara and I. Her father attacked her. I got between them. She cleaned the wounds. That's all that happened," Willow snapped, glaring at the trio before her.
"What? Are you alright? Is Tara alright?" Anya asked, watching Willow with a worried look in her brown eyes.
"I'm fine. I hurt like hell, but I'm fine. I don't know how Tara is. We didn't talk much this morning."
"Why?" Angel wondered, knowing Willow was hiding something.
"I attacked her," Willow whispered, dropping her eyes.
"You what?!" Faith demanded standing up from her seat.
"I was dreaming about Tara, my Tara, and she was to close to me. I pulled her into my arms and started kissing on her," Willow admitted, looking at her friends.
"What did she say?" Angel asked curiously.
"I didn't give her time to respond."
A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for all the help with this story and all my others.