Disclaimer: All things Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and lots of people in expensive suits. I'm not making any money here, just trying to create a happier Buffyverse for my favorite characters.
Spoilers: Starts during the events of "The Harsh Light of Day," and contains spoilers for the remainder of S4.
A/N: This is a private challenge fic. It follows the following guidelines/comments:
1. B/T, but Buffy and Tara knew each other from Hemery, and we all know Buffy was a BITCH. How they meet is up to you, but don't make Tara cave too early on forgiveness.
2. W/F are a couple since Faith showed up in S3. None of the badness happened except the Deputy Mayor, but was handled without the Wesley clusterfuck.
3. Obvious S4, and I know you are and have done the Adam thing, so you can decide what to do with that.
4. The only thing I ask is you do a Beer Bad chapter, so the whole stinky Parker thing happens which could be where Tara finally sees change in Buffy.
Rating: NC-17…eventually
Archiving: By permission only
Tara knocked softly on the door and waited. No one answered. Biting her lip, she used her new key and let herself into the dorm room. The small space was cluttered – on one side. The other side was bare. She didn't have much. In fact, even after she'd unpacked and set out her few personal items, the room still appeared to have only one occupant.
Grabbing her journal, she collapsed on her bed. Hey, Mama. I just moved into my new room. I'm going to miss having a single, but this way the scholarship will pay for all of the room and board. I just hope my roommate will be OK with me showing up unannounced. Laying the pen down for a minute, Tara took a slip of paper out of the back of the journal and smoothed it out next to her. It wasn't anything earth shattering, just a simple computer printout with the name of her new roommate and the room number. Her stomach clenched as she gently traced the name. Buffy Summers. You don't think it's the same one, do you, Mama? I mean, what are the chances that both of us would end up in Sunnydale?
"Hey, Buffy, what's the door…" A slender redhead stopped abruptly in the doorway. "Um, sorry. Wrong room." She grinned and backed up, glancing at the room number. "Or not. Is Buffy here?"
Ducking her head so her hair covered her eyes, Tara stuttered, "I ha-haven't s-seen her."
The visitor crossed her arms, frowning fiercely. "Haven't seen her, like she's just down the hall? Or haven't seen her, like the door was open and you just let yourself in?"
Tara closed her journal and moved toward the headboard. "I have a k-key."
"Oh." The girl seemed more confused but a little less hostile.
Face bright red, Tara admitted, "I'm her n-new roommate." A quick glance showed the redhead about to ask a question. "H-here's the form." She held the half-sheet out in case the girl didn't believe her.
"Wow! That was fast." The girl bounced closer, and a hand appeared in front of Tara's nose. "I'm Willow. Willow Rosenberg."
"T-Tara." She clasped the hand briefly before falling silent again.
The silence stretched only seconds, though. Willow sat cross-legged on the other bed. "So, Tara, are you a freshman, too? We are. I mean, me and Buffy and my girlfriend Faith." She gasped. "Oh Goddess, that came out wrong. I don't usually just blurt it out like that. You don't…you're OK with lesbians, right?"
The wide, horror-filled green eyes were too cute. Tara giggled.
Willow grinned at the sound. "That's an 'OK with lesbians' giggle?"
"W-well, I don't usually give my g-giggles n-names, but yes. No problem with lesbians." Feeling more relaxed by the second, Tara leaned back against the wall and tucked her hair behind her left ear. "Do you and F-Faith live here, too?"
"No!" Willow's eyes widened in horror. "Faith and other students would so not be a good thing."
Not wanting to offend the friendly redhead, Tara didn't ask for an explanation.
Perhaps sensing Tara's unease, Willow rushed on to a different topic. "So, what are you studying?" She barely paused to breathe, and certainly didn't wait for an answer. "I'm working on a computer science degree. Did you know UC-Sunnydale has one of the best programs in the state for that? And Faith…well, Faith isn't really sure of her major yet. She and Buffy aren't big with the studying, you know."
Fighting off giggles at the infectious babble, Tara commented, "I think it's normal for freshmen to have trouble picking a major. You seem to know what you want to do, though. Computer science." She frowned, trying to think of something to ask.
Willow giggled. "I recognize that look."
"Wh-what look?" Tara blushed, hating the stutter.
"The 'what does a computer science major do, anyway' look." Willow stretched out on her side, head propped in her hand. "Don't worry. I get it a lot." She watched Tara quietly for a second, causing the blonde to hide behind her hair again. "You never said what you're studying."
"Oh, um, I'm working on a d-double major in History and Re-Religious Studies." Tara forced herself to look up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm a sophomore."
"Really? Cool." Willow smiled. "Hey, I need to run. Do you have any plans for tonight? I mean, I'm sure Buffy will ask you when she gets here, but just in case she's late or something. You want to meet us all at the Bronze tonight? There'll just be a few of us. Me and Faith, Buffy, and our friend Xander and his girlfriend."
Tara automatically shook her head then made the mistake of actually looking at Willow.
"Please?" The green eyes silently begged her to change her mind, and Willow's lower lip pushed out slightly.
Unable to look away, Tara fought the pull of Willow's pleading face. "N-no." The lip slid out further. Goddess, I bet her girlfriend does anything Willow wants. She was completely mesmerized, head nodding without conscious thought. "Sure. I gu-guess I could come for a while." She blinked dazedly when the pout transformed into a beaming smile.
"Perfect. We'll see you about eight then." Willow bounced off the bed. "Buffy can walk you there." She hesitated by the door. "Sunnydale isn't really safe after dark. If she's not back by seven thirty, give me a call." She pointed at a message board by the door. "The number's right here: Faith and Willow."
"OK," Tara mumbled.
Willow glared. "Not OK. Promise. No going out on your own."
The vehemence didn't match Willow's usual personality. Not wanting to upset her new acquaintance and possible friend, Tara agreed, "No going out alone. If Buffy's not here, I'll call."
Apparently satisfied, Willow waved and disappeared down the hall.
Buffy took the stairs three at a time. Another roommate. Perfect. If this one is like Kathy, in any way, I am so moving back home. Huh. She paused at the landing. Maybe I should. Mom's been acting kinda weird lately. Shelving that idea for later examination, she bounded up the next flight.
The door to her room was open. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Buffy stepped inside. "Hey," she greeted the blonde girl lying on the bed.
The blonde head snapped up, blue eyes widening in what looked like horror. "B-B-Buffy."
"That's me." A little confused by the other girl's expression, Buffy flashed her biggest smile. "Buffy Summers, Freshman." The attempt at suave and funny failed. The blue eyes disappeared behind a curtain of hair. Stepping farther into the room, Buffy dropped her book bag next to her desk and flopped onto her bed. The silence was suffocating.
Unable to take the quiet any longer, Buffy sat up and spun so she faced her new roommate. "I know this is awkward." She cleared her throat and wiped sweating palms on the bedspread. "Could you tell me your name?"
A short laugh answered her.
Buffy waited for more. When it became apparent the blonde wasn't talking, Buffy tried again. "Something funny? 'Cause I'm all for a little humor. It keeps me from turning into Grumpy Buffy, so not a pretty sight."
"S-stop. Just stop." Buffy fell silent, staring at the bent head. "I can't be-believe this."
"Can't believe what?" Buffy was starting to get frustrated by the girl's actions.
The blonde head slowly rose. Angry blue eyes glared at Buffy. "You don't re-remember me, do you?"
Frowning, Buffy stared back, examining the other girl closely. Something about her did seem familiar. Searching her memory, though, didn't produce a name or anything else useful. "I…not really. You look familiar. Have we met before?"
The girl slid off the bed. Arms wrapped tightly around her frame, she sniffed and blinked against the wetness in her eyes.
"Hey, if I did something to make you mad, I'm so sorry." Buffy started to get up, stopping when the blonde shied away.
"S-sorry." The word seemed to eek out from between clenched teeth. "I'm sup-supposed to believe that? You c-can't even remember what you did." Her deep breath echoed in the otherwise silent room. "My l-life sucks so mu-much," she mumbled to herself. Then, louder, she directed at Buffy, "I'll c-call the Housing Office in the mor-morning. I'm sure there's s-someone else looking for a roommate."
"But-" Buffy broke off as a slender hand snapped up, palm out.
"No. I w-won't…I can't do this again." She grabbed a backpack, stuffing it with books and other supplies while Buffy simply stared in shock. "T-tell Willow I'm sor-sorry I couldn't make it." Bag looped over left shoulder, the blonde scurried out the door.
Still not sure what had happened, Buffy slowly climbed off the bed and closed the door to the dorm room. "What the hell was that all about?" Searching through her book bag, she located the form from the Housing Office. After reading the part about them assigning her a new roommate, Buffy had crumpled the letter and tossed it into her bag. She needed a name. It took a complete clearing of the cluttered bag before she found it. Impatiently straightening the balled-up paper, Buffy scanned the information. There! Tara Maclay.
"Oh, no." Feeling suddenly nauseous, Buffy stumbled to the bed and sat down. This had to be some kind of sick joke. It couldn't really be her, could it? Remembering the horrified blue eyes and the terrible stutter, Buffy acknowledged the fact her life really, really was a nightmare.