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WA24
Part 8
It wasn't a long journey; the limo brought Tara to a place she had never been to. It was on the top of a hill, but the scenario had been carefully prepared with a table well set with fine china and crystal glasses, soft music could be heard although there wasn't a radio or anyone around playing it; several strings of white Christmas lights hung over the trees giving a fine romantic touch. It was a beautiful night, not hot, not chilly…the sky was starry … just perfect. Tara took on her surrounds and broke into a big grin when she saw her girlfriend smiling sweetly at her
"Hi" Willow greeted handing another rose to the blonde
"Hi" Tara whispered softly moved by her girlfriend's thoughtfulness. Willow came close, leaned over to the blonde and whispered softly in her ear
"You are breathtaking" Tara blushed and shied away; she lowered her head like she used to do when they first met. Willow smiled and put a gentle finger on the blonde's chin lifting her face so their eyes could meet "don't hide…please, you're too beautiful to hide" Tara's eyes were glistening with unshed tears
"You l-look gorgeous" she said with an appreciative look on her face
"Thank you" the redhead was pleased by her girlfriend's satisfaction "shall we?" she said offering her arm in a chivalry manner. Tara smiled and took it
"So, why the big production?" she asked curiously, the redhead smiled pulling the chair for the blonde to sit
"Patience is a virtue, darling" she lifted Tara's face and planted a soft kiss on her lips; she then moved around and took a sit across the table
"Wine?" Tara nodded and the redhead filled her glass smiling promisingly
At the magic box
"So Giles…what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Faith asked while helping the watcher put away some books
"uh, yes…of course" he said coming down the ladder he was using to reach some high shelves "the other day Buffy told me you showed some concerns about Tara" he stopped in front of her "what has exactly been bothering you?"
"Well, I…uh…have nothing solid, you know" she said shaking her head hesitantly
"Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?" he was intrigued by her resistance
"That's exactly what I'm telling you…"she opened her arms dramatically "pieces and bits…but nothing concrete"
"Elaborate…" he was curious
"Okay…"she sighed frustrated "she's…uh…different, but not all the time…it's like it comes and goes" she explained snapping her fingers for emphasis "it's like…she changes, but in a flash she gets back to our old sweet Tara"
"How long has this been happening?" he asked removing his glasses
"For a while" she said stuffing both hands on her back pockets "but it's becoming more frequent lately"
"Can you give me some examples of these…changes?" he asked furrowing his brows
"uh…the other night with Spike…she was all with the attitude" she sighed and ran a hand through her hair "sometimes it's just subtle like…uh, bad language or a look but…" she shook her head and rubbed her face nervously "I don't know, Giles…maybe I'm reading too much into it" she said shrugging dismissively "I mean…if there was something wrong with Tara, Red would've noticed, right?"
"Maybe…but sometimes we have a better view from the outside" he answered tugging his glasses back on
"What you saying?" she asked confused
"I'm saying…maybe Willow is too involved…too attached to see anything"
"Are you saying that it might have something wrong with Tara?" she raised a questioning eyebrow
"I have no way of knowing that…the best thing we can do now, however, is keeping a close eye on her" he said with a pensive look on his face "but we must be discreet…let's keep it between us…for now"
"Deal" she nodded slowly
Back at the hill Willow and Tara were just finishing enjoying their meal and savoring the wine the redhead had purchased; Tara was delighted by the surprises her girlfriend had prepared to her that night. Sensing the blonde's friendly mood, Willow decided to approach the subject that she had in mind
"Tara, have you ever thought of having a house of your own?" she asked putting down her glass
"What you mean?" Tara asked using her napkin to dry her lips
"I mean a house where we could live just us…you, me and Ariel" she looked expectantly at the blonde
"You mean you don't want to live with Buffy anymore?" she asked trying to see where this conversation was going
"it's not that I don't want to…it's just that lately I've been thinking a lot about our future" she said playing with the hem of her napkin "I've been thinking on how I wish we could find a house…a small house in a quiet neighborhood where Ariel could learn to ride a bike and maybe…I don't know…get a little brother or sister" she said it sheepishly using her glass to cover a smirk caused by the look on Tara's face "we could…uh…have a pet…a new kitty, maybe"
"White picket fences and all?" Tara asked smiling adorably at her girlfriend
"White picket fences and all…yeah" Willow fidget excitedly on her seat making Tara laugh
"Wow…it looks that you really gave it some thought, huh?" she teased making the redhead blush a crimson red "is it what this is all about? You bought us a house? You want us to move out?" Willow looked deeply into the sapphire blue eyes and released a big nervous sigh
"Tara, in all my life I never thought I'd be luck enough to meet someone who would make me feel the way I do when I'm near you. The most precious moment in my life, was the day you crashed on me…literally" she giggled and sniffed drawing some courage to continue "you changed my life…I love you…you're so special, so beautiful…I can't imagine my life without you" Tara was not holding back any tear, they were cascading down her face freely; Willow's heart was thundering inside her chest "you make me happy…happier than I ever thought I could be…and I want to spend the rest of my life at your side trying to make you feel loved and safe and special"
"Oh, Willow…" Tara couldn't form a coherent sentence right now her emotions were at a peak and her heart was running wildly
"Hey, what's that?" Willow said furrowing her brows
"What?" Tara asked confused
"On the sky…" Willow pointed with her index finger. Tara lifted her head and looked up; the redhead made a gesture with her hand and an impressive shower of colored sparkles appeared on the sky exploding like fireworks forming the sentence 'be my wife!'
"Oh, my God!" Tara gasped and covered her mouth with both hands in a shocking, totally surprised way. Willow stood up, moved over to the blonde, got down on one knee, took out the dark velvet box and opened it reveling a gorgeous contemporary designed engagement ring with an emerald cut center stone and 12 square cut sapphires mounted in platinum
"Tara Maclay, will you marry me?" she whispered expectantly; Tara's eyes widened at the sight of the ring and for less than a second she felt her heart stop; her mind was racing, her heart started pumping furiously, she was crying freely, but one look at expectant green eyes and she knew there could only be one answer
"Yes"