smg55 – Alice already told her to reign it in and spent a few days putting her in line before Tara collapsed. So they've dealt with that. I don't think it would come again, since Tara's collapse came about from overwork, not insubordination. They were separate issues and the latter was dealt with. I appreciate your input, though, thanks.

JustJane18 – It's true, they can be very helpful, but I'm sure Tara won't take advantage…oh hell, they both will! :P

Clauxx – Yes, Tara is much better and getting even more so! :)

Tara walked through the door of the apartment, to be immediately greeted by Willow with her hands on her hips.

"Where were you? I came out of the shower and you were gone. You're supposed to be resting still."

"Sorry, Mom," Tara replied with just a hint of a teasing smirk, "I had to go to the Kinko's across the street."

"For what?" Willow asked, though did drop the pose.

"I needed to print off some forms for us to sign," Tara explained, closing the door behind her, "If you're willing, that is."

"To do…?" Willow prompted.

Tara laid out two sets of papers and clicked a pen she had ready.

"Well, I didn't want what you told me happened in the hospital to happen again. So I want to organise power of attorney and a health care proxy so I know you'll have control over what happens to me if something comes up again."

Willow was slightly stunned and lifted the papers up to read and take it in.

It was a no-brainer, of course, that she would sign. She also couldn't help but be slightly thrilled at what it said for their relationship.

She knew how solid and long-term they were, but it was gratifying to be writing something on paper that really cemented their trust and partnership.

There was only one question.

"Did you print out a couple of copies so I can nominate you too?"

Tara shyly nodded and Willow immediately grabbed the pen and hunched over to scribble. She neatly signed the health care proxy and blew lightly to dry the ink.

"This is…a relief, actually. One I didn't know I needed."

"It'll hold until we're married," Tara answered, offhand.

Willow got a mischievous look on her face and bent down on one knee. Tara glanced over and got wide-eyed when Willow took her hand.

"Tara Maclay…" Willow said in her sweetest, most loving voice, "Will you power of attorney me?"

Air puffed out of Tara's nose and she snatched her hand back.

"I'm gonna kill you, Willow Rosenberg," she said scathingly, but a smile was tugging at her lips at the same time, "Come up here and sign the damn form."

Willow stood up, grinning. She put an arm around Tara's shoulders and gave her a little good-natured squeeze. Tara shot her an affectionately withering look, then kissed her cheek. Willow nuzzled gently, then filled out what she could of the second form.

"Do we have to get this notarised?"

Tara nodded.

"I know a bunch of people through work. I'll make an appointment for some time during the week."

Willow left the pen down, smiling.

"This was smart, but sweet too. I love you and I promise I will make sure you're given the best care possible."

Tara brushed her fingers over Willow's.

"We should talk about our wishes if we end up on life support."

The reality of the documents hit Willow and her smile quickly soured.

"Can we not?" she asked, turning her back to pretend to straighten picture frames on the breakfast bar.

"If I'm brain dead I don't want to be kept alive on machines," Tara said, using a soft tone to ease the sombreness of what she was saying.

"Duly noted, moving on," Willow replied speedily.

Tara came up behind and gently squeezed both of Willow's shoulders.

"Baby…"

Willow's eyes glanced over her shoulder to Tara and she blinked away the glassiness.

"Look…write down all your wishes and we'll file it with a copy of the proxy. I promise I'll take care of them all if I need to, just…please, I can't have those images in my head. They'll never leave. I'll do the same with mine, okay?"

Tara dropped her hands around her girlfriend's mid-section and rested her chin on Willow's shoulder.

"Okay. I can do that," she said softly, "C'mere."

Willow slowly turned in Tara's arms, and right when she was about to go in for a kiss, she received a particularly hard pinch on the butt.

"Ow!" she shrieked, reaching behind to grab her butt cheek, "What was that for?!"

"Making me think you were about to propose," Tara replied with mock-sternness, crossing her arms over her chest.

Willow rubbed the spot of the pinch a few times, but was grinning.

"I may have a messed up career plan but you can be sure that that plan will be multi-faceted, highly thought out and possibly requiring a system of levers and pulleys."

She dropped her hand and took the kiss she'd been denied before.

"And it will be a surprise."

"So if I ever bring it up, I'm only further delaying it?" Tara asked, one eyebrow lifting.

Willow nodded.

"Tricky," Tara said with a lopsided smirk, "Well then, you won't hear a word about it from me. I don't even know what the word 'engaged' means. Clueless. Not a thought in my head about it."

Tara didn't mind, really. It would be nice and she was ready, but knowing it was an eventuality was enough.

Willow was ready too, but she hoped to be in a more secure place, to provide a more inviting life to ask Tara to join with hers, as she saw it.

She would need time anyway. A possibility of an engagement had been brought up a few times and Willow was absolutely determined it would be a surprise.

Tara was always one step ahead of her and this was one place where she knew she had the power. She wouldn't squander it. Tara deserved special.

"I love you, Tara," she said, leaning in so their noses bumped.

Tara slid her hands around Willow's waist, splaying her fingers out over Willow's hips.

"I love you too, Willow."

They kissed once and Willow rubbed her thumbs over Tara's eyebrows.

"How're you doing? No more headaches so far?"

"No headaches," Tara reassured, "Please don't force me back into bed. Watching TV and goofing around in bed has been fun, but I think I'm ready to venture into other areas of the apartment."

Willow considered it carefully.

"Well, okay…but you've done enough strenuous activity for the day."

"I walked across the street," Tara argued but Willow was having none of it.

"Sit your butt down."

Tara obliged and sat on the couch.

"Can we at least play a game or something? I'm all TV and movie'd out."

"Scrabble?" Willow suggested.

Tara's eyes narrowed.

"You cheat at scrabble."

"No I do not," Willow replied indignantly.

Tara shook her head.

"Beckonerous isn't a word."

"Yes it is, it's when you beckon someone onerously!" Willow replied insistently.

"Use it in a sentence," Tara challenged.

"Tara beckonerouses me when she wants me to clean out the refrigerator," Willow said, turning her nose up with her perceived victory.

Tara exhaled a frustrated breath.

"I would make just as much sense if I said that you rhinoceroses me when we cuddle."

"Are we playing or not?" Willow asked, throwing up her hands.

"If we play, we're playing dictionary rules," Tara replied with an unyielding stare.

"Fine, fine," Willow agreed and went off to find the game box, "I always play by the rules anyway."

Tara resisted rolling her eyes and cleared some space on the coffee table. Willow went to the shelf and picked out the scrabble box from between the Monopoly and Clue.

She sat cross-legged on the opposite side of the table, folded out the board and handed Tara the tile bag to choose her tiles.

Tara shook it up, laid hers out on the stand and watched Willow carefully to make sure she didn't peek while choosing her tiles.

"I'm feeling generous, so you can go first," Willow offered graciously.

"Thank you," Tara said with a hint of suspicion.

"It's only fair to give you a head start," Willow replied with a challenging grin, "Affirmative action and all that."

"That is not how that works, but thanks for the insult to start the game," Tara retorted, "I don't need your pity, but I'll take the double score."

She played 'fizzle' with a smirk and Willow's face dropped.

"Nice word," she said with a hint of annoyance.

"I think that's 54 points," Tara replied, enjoying having the edge.

Willow, clearly grudgingly, marked it but quickly asserted herself by playing 'puzzle' off of Tara's 'fizzle'.

Tara was cautious with her words, trying to keep a step ahead whilst Willow played the riskier game of shorter words on premium tiles. They were neck and neck until Willow played all but one of her very last tiles.

She jumped up and balled her fists, sticking them together and rotating her arms to form a dance.

"Triple-word-score. Triple-word-score," she sang, enunciating ecstatically before dropping back down to sit on the cushion, "That's 39 points please and thank you, self."

She added her score but Tara had an eyebrow lifted challengingly.

"Are we really going to fight about this?"

"What?" Willow asked, clueless.

Tara gave Willow a 'come on' look.

"Cabotage?" she asked disbelievingly, "Is that when you sabotage someone making cabbage? No, no, wait, it's when you sabotage someone getting a cab by jumping in first."

"It's a word!" Willow protested.

Tara rolled her eyes, grabbed the dictionary and flicked open to the C's. After a few moments her cheeks flamed, she closed the book again and mumbled something.

Willow grinned smugly.

"What was that?" she asked, cupping her ear dramatically.

Tara dropped a tiny sigh.

"I'm sorry, you're right, it's a word."

"Can you say that again?" Willow asked, smirking from ear-to-ear.

"You're. Right," Tara acknowledged, able to admit when she was wrong, "And you win. I only have a 'U' left and nowhere to put it."

She held up her lonely letter and waved it about. Willow offered her palm, so Tara placed the tile in it.

Willow picked up her remaining single tile, an 'I' and added them either end of a word already played on the board – 'love'.

Tara smiled tenderly across the board and reached over for Willow's hand.

"You're so sweet when you're not being a competitive a-hole."

"Hey!" Willow objected, "That's Mrs. Competitive A-Hole to you."

"So now it's Missus again?" Tara asked impishly.

Willow waggled a finger.

"You just reset the clock."

Tara shook her head with a smile. She cleared up the game and as she was putting it away, pulled out the deck of cards.

"Has your Go Fish game improved lately?"

"It's always been stupendous, I just let you win," Willow replied haughtily.

Tara eyed her daringly.

"Prove it."

Willow grabbed the deck.

"It's on."

She slid the cards out and began to shuffle.

"Get ready to fish for your supper."

Tara pulled her boots on while sitting on the bed, zipping up either side so they snuggly held her calves.

She stood, putting her weight on her toes so they stretched the material out just enough to give her toes some extra room. She walked out into the living room and donned her slight summer jacket.

"I'm going out for a walk."

Willow looked up from her laptop, then down quickly at the pyjamas she hadn't bothered to get out of despite it being past lunchtime, then at Tara again.

"…do you want some company?"

"Could kind of use the head space," Tara replied as she flicked her hair out over the collar, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Willow replied appreciatively, not feeling like it either, "Just take your phone in case you feel woozy."

"It's been over a week," Tara insisted, "I'm fine."

Willow fixed her with the resolve face.

"Humour me."

Tara pointedly picked up her phone and put it in her purse.

"I might be gone a little while."

"How long?" Willow asked with her brow creased.

Tara shrugged nonchalantly.

"A few hours, maybe more."

"Are you walking to Rhode Island?" Willow asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"No," Tara replied and left it at that.

"Alright," Willow replied, sensing Tara wanted to be left alone.

She had been smothering her girlfriend a tiny bit for their 'vacation' and the insistence on taking it easy could be described as overbearing.

"Be home for dinner?"

Tara nodded.

"I'll call if I won't be."

"Enjoy your walk," Willow called after her, before Tara left with a wave.

Tara walked out onto the street and turned the opposite direction of the Public Gardens, her usual go-to spot for any kind of leisurely stroll. She walked straight to the T station, where she got on two trains and then a bus to a street that wasn't quite the suburbs, but wasn't the city either. It wasn't a very populated area and she was the only one to get on or off at the stop.

There was a large parking lot across the street from where the bus dropped her, and Tara walked over into it. As she was walking across it, the door of a red car opened and the young woman inside came rushing out and into Tara's arms.

"Tara."

"Hey Abby," Tara greeted softly, showing slightly more affection than she should for a charge by stroking her hair.

"Thank you, thank you for being here," Abigail gushed tearfully, then stood back, embarrassed, and shoved her hands into front pocket of her baggy hoody.

The other woman in the car opened the door and stood out. Tara approached and shook her hand.

"Hi Ms. Quickendale. How's everything going?"

"As good as it can be, I think," Abigail's foster mother replied, "Abby has my number to call me…after. I offered to go in, too, but she'd prefer just you."

"I'll be with her the whole time," Tara reassured, "Do you have the documents?"

The woman handed Tara a brown envelope.

"Thank you," Tara said, and patted the woman's shoulder, seeing her unease, "It'll be a couple of hours."

"Yes, I know," Jane nodded, "I'll stay in the neighbourhood just in case."

Tara offered something that wasn't quite a smile, but a look of understanding for the situation they were all presented with.

"It's all going to be okay, Abby," Jane said, and Abigail came around to embrace her too.

Tara appreciated how loving they seemed to be and even thought that they looked a bit alike. It wouldn't have been hard to mistake them for blood mother and daughter.

Jane kissed Abigail on the forehead, rubbed her cheeks gently and stepped back. Tara put her arm around Abigail's shoulders, gave Jane a reassuring nod and steered Abigail towards the woman's clinic.

Abigail had her eyes on the ground.

"The other social worker said you were sick."

"I'm feeling better," Tara replied easily.

Abigail stopped on the steps and turned to Tara, her young face full of undeserved vulnerability and sorrow.

"Thank you for coming."

Tara put her hands on Abigail's shoulders and brought her in closer.

"You can always trust me."

Tara had, of course, not been able to just leave Abigail's case alone after all of the emotional turmoil they'd gone through together. She'd snuck some emails off to Alice on her first full day home from the hospital while Willow was showering; asking for the appointment to be made in a specific clinic Tara had researched.

It didn't advertise its abortion services and so didn't attract the kind of objection such places sometimes did. Tara knew dealing with any aggressive protesters or hurtful words being thrown at her could derail the progress Abigail was starting to, and continuing to, make.

When Alice had slipped up and revealed Abigail had asked for Tara to be her chaperone, Tara slunk out onto the fire escape to call and beg to be allowed take her. It hadn't taken much; it was hard to argue against the wishes of a kid going through such an ordeal.

Abigail turned and put her hand on the door handle. Tara glanced over her shoulder and noticed the foster mother had only driven a few feet away. She smiled, despite the circumstances surrounding them. She knew she'd found the right family for Abigail to be in and hoped it would be something that would continue to be true.

The waiting room was a very normal waiting room with other women present, some clearly nervous, some casually flicking through magazines; some very pregnant, some not at all. Abigail looked so out of place from her age but Tara did her best to distract her from it.

Tara checked her in and handed in the various forms and court orders. The nurse behind the desk was extremely sensitive to the nature of the appointment and brought Abigail into a private treatment room right away to wait in instead of the waiting area.

She was given a gown to change into and had to have Tara help her, as she couldn't physically bear to have to look down at the small pouch of her stomach. Tara tied the gown at the back and rubbed Abigail's arms from behind.

"There you go, honey," she said, deciding this was not a situation where she had to be rigid in her professionalism.

Abigail laid down, a habit she'd gotten into as much as she could as it made her stomach feel smoother.

"I didn't think they were going to let me. I was ready to throw myself down the stairs."

Tara swallowed deeply and blinked away a tear.

"I'm so sorry you have to go through this."

A head popped through the door then, a nurse in scrubs.

"They're ready for you."

The look on Abigail's face betrayed her age as she turned to Tara, scared.

"You'll hold my hand? The whole way?"

Tara grasped Abigail's hand and held it tight.

"The whole way."

Tara sat on the T, staring blankly ahead.

To say her afternoon had been harrowing would be an understatement, but its end had brought such alleviation of anxiety for all involved.

Abigail had gone home with her foster mother with a heat pack and some painkillers, and Tara had noticed as she sat in the car, she was able to rest her hands on her stomach again with no agonising or avoidance.

Tara had found the most heart-breaking part to be in the recovery room when Abigail was eating her graham crackers and sipping her juice box, like a kid having an after-school snack.

It had also been somewhat affirming, that maybe Abigail could regain some normal sense of youth again in the future.

The procedure itself had been very clinical and the worst part for Abigail seemed to be the scan beforehand. When the doctor had announced she'd finished the procedure, Abigail's eyes had closed and Tara swore she saw the relief rise above and leave her body.

Tara knew she'd fight tooth and nail to make the trial of her parents as undisruptive for Abigail as possible, or as undisruptive as something so traumatic could possibly be. Counselling had already been arranged and could be amped up if the need arose.

Tara would work with Abigail's foster mother to start her at a new high school with the rest of the new freshman class and try to put the horrors she'd been subjected to in the past. It was as much as a fresh start as could happen.

She finally blinked when the fuzzy speaker pulled Tara from her thoughts and a stop was announced. She stood up automatically, ready to step out. She looked up as she walked out onto the street, held her face to the sun and sent a wish to the universe for bright days for Abigail from here on out.

The warmth filled her and she found herself able to smile, though her expression changed when she realised she wasn't outside her normal stop. A quick look around made her figure she'd gotten off a stop early.

She got her bearings and headed in the right direction, window shopping as she went by.

One particular department store window caught her gaze, though initially she walked past it. She retreated back when she recognised a name with a bunch of sale signs.

She decided to go inside and enquire and found a store clerk to talk her through the variants of the item, as it was totally outside of her knowledge base.

It would entirely be a gift for Willow, and an expensive one at that, but once the idea of the look on her girlfriend's face popped into her head, she found the credit card calling her name.

She reasoned that it was good timing, finding the item on sale and when she'd be getting a good income boost in a week or so to pay it all off. The overtime may have put her in hospital but the payoff could bring some happiness, especially for Willow who had borne the emotional brunt form said workload.

It may have been more responsible to put the money away to avoid overdue bills for a few months, but they'd always worked out their bills before and they would continue to do so. Willow needed a pick-me-up and Tara's pick-me-up was seeing Willow happy.

After everything, imparting some joy was exactly what she needed to boost her morale.

The sales clerk telling her it was the last one in stock was enough to convince her and she handed over the card. She was even able to get it gift-wrapped in another part of the store, before hauling the large bag the, thankfully few, blocks home.

Finally she lugged it upstairs and left it at her feet to guide inside the door as she opened it.

Willow's head popped up from sticking something in the oven and smiled warmly.

"Hey you. Pasta bake in the oven but it will be an hour," she said with a smile, "Nice walk? You sure did take those few hours."

Tara considered it carefully. She wasn't trying to hide anything, but she had been on the job and wasn't comfortable revealing too much. It was possible the trial could make the news in the future.

It was also a very heavy topic and she was determined to focus on joy.

"Necessary," she said eventually.

Willow thought that was a bit of a funny word.

"You okay?"

Tara smiled softly. Real joy was coming home from any kind of tough day to Willow.

"Yeah, I am."

Willow walked around to peck Tara's cheek and noticed the large bag.

"What's that?"

Tara took the large, gift-wrapped box out and set it on the table.

"Are we going to a birthday party?" Willow asked, confused, "And who do we like enough to give them something this big?"

Tara pushed it towards Willow shyly.

"It's for you."

"For me?" Willow asked, brow creasing with a smile, "Why did you get me something?"

"You deserve something nice, just for you," Tara explained.

Willow was touched and tugged the box towards her to unwrap.

She didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't a new Xbox.

"Holy shit."

"I hope it's the right one," Tara said, biting the corner of her lip nervously, "The guy in the store said it had the hard drive and headset and an extra controller… and some other technical stuff I didn't understand, but I'm sure it's on the box."

Willow stared at her gift in shock, then shared the look with her girlfriend.

"Tara, it's amazing. I-I can't believe it, it's so generous. But it's so much money."

Tara shrugged one shoulder.

"There was a deal on and I have overtime pay coming in."

"We're overdue on bills," Willow said somewhat guiltily.

"Only by a couple of days. They'll get paid next week, just like they were always going to be," Tara replied, then took Willow's hand and held her fingers, "For once I had enough to get you something you would really use and love. If it makes me irresponsible…then screw it, I'm responsible for every other 364 days of the year. Something good might as well come out of all of this."

Willow could only keep her elation back for so long.

"I'm so excited to start playing! Thank you, thank you!"

Tara was more than pleased.

"I'm not big into some of those violent games, but I hear these things are actually really good for your memory and cognitive skills and all sorts of things. And fun, of course."

"I don't play violent ones, really," Willow replied with a shrug, "I play whatever Brian wants to play."

Tara picked up a bundle of cases from the end of the bag.

"I had no idea what you liked to play, but the guy at the store recommended some classic ones, he said. You can return them if you don't like them."

Willow took the games giddily.

"Sonic, Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot – hey, Harry Potter! These are great! Thank you so much."

She threw herself around Tara, who closed the hug happily.

"You're very welcome."

Willow squeezed Tara, practically lifting her, then tore into the box to get the machine out and set it up.

"Wireless controllers…so cool!"

She turned and offered one to Tara.

"Wanna play with me?"

Tara came and sat on the floor with Willow. She took the controller and had a good look at it.

"I've never even picked one of these up," she said, holding it the same way Willow was, "I saw people playing them in study group sometimes."

Willow shook her head.

"Your study groups sound like frat parties."

"That's why I left," Tara replied, stretching her legs out, "So what do I do?"

"I think we should play Sonic. It's the easiest and we can do two-player."

"Is that the hedgehog guy?" Tara asked, "I think I actually recognised him."

"Uh huh!" Willow replied and crawled over to put in the game before returning to sit with Tara, "You sure you're okay? You look a little worn out."

Tara leaned over and pressed a kiss to Willow's cheek.

"Fine now I'm home with you."

Willow nuzzled and returned the kiss, then lifted her controller challengingly.

"Ready to get your ass kicked?"

Tara grinned.

"Bring it."

Willow started the game and had a blast running the course, but Tara was pretty blindly trying to move about. It didn't take long for her to set her controller down.

"Willow, I suck at this."

Willow paused the game and smiled over.

"You're actually doing pretty well for a first timer."

Tara held her hands up.

"I don't think video games are my forte," she said, then dropped her hands into her lap, "Helping kids is. I'm ready to go back to work."

Willow put her controller down too and took Tara's hand instead.

"I've really enjoyed just spending time with you."

Tara brought Willow's hand up and kissed the back of it.

"And I've loved every moment with you. I won't ever bring work home again, and I'll have to learn to take a step back. It'll be hard, but I will. I owe it to you, and myself. And the kids. I do good work. I need to be able for it."

A real smile blossomed on Willow's face.

"I'm so happy to hear you say that. And acknowledge yourself. It's a big deal. I'm proud of you."

Tara nodded in appreciation.

"I'll definitely take my vacation days from now on. Maybe a long weekend here and there to make the most of it."

Willow seemed relieved to hear that.

"That'd be good. That'd be great."

They leaned in and met in the middle for a soft, tender kiss. Each lingered and stole a few more pecks before separating again, smiling.

Tara offered Willow her controller.

"I give up. Show me your cool moves."

Willow chuckled.

"You're the only person the world who thinks I'm cool."

She looked at Tara with utter adoration.

"But that's okay. Because you're the only person in the world that matters."