Willow started balling up the paper in her hands when there had been nothing but silence for what felt like hours but in reality had only been about thirty seconds and began biting her nails.

"It's cool, I mean if you're not ready or you don't want to, it's fine, I just thought it'd be-"

"Can you turn on the light please?" Tara asked in a completely calm voice.

"Uh, sure," Willow replied, switching the lamp on again, "Why?"

"'Cause I want to see your face when I say yes."

Tara watched as Willow's face lit up and the redhead started grabbing around her, eventually locating the box she was looking for and opening it, revealing a glinting ring. She removed it and took the blonde's hand, slipping it onto the finger.

"Willow, how did-"

"It's not a real diamond," Willow said, pre-empting the question, looking shamefaced, "I promise, I absolutely promise that you're gonna get a proper ring someday and a big house and any car you want and, and-"

Tara reached her hand out and cupped the redhead's cheek, making her stop her babble before leaning forwards for a firm, loving kiss.

"All I want is you. For the rest of my life."

"Really?" Willow asked, the reality of Tara saying yes fully hitting her.

"Absolutely," Tara grinned, "You've just made a crappy day the best day of my life."

Willow's smile beamed and she turned to rummage in her nightstand again, pulling out a small box that was identical to the one that had held Tara's ring.

"Um, they kinda came in a set," she said, opening the box to reveal another ring, "I wasn't really sure…um, I mean, they came together so I thought it was a good idea and-"

She was cut off as Tara took the box and held it in front of her.

"I don't think I can come up with a poem on the spot, but, Willow, you are…the most beautiful, kind, generous, loving, wonderful woman I've ever met. You make my world light up with your smile and I feel so blessed that I can make you as happy as you make me," Tara paused to smile and stroke Willow's cheek with her thumb, "Please marry me?"

"Of course I'll marry you," Willow whispered, kissing the blonde's palm and putting her hand out, "We're forever."

"And a day," Tara responded, sliding the ring onto Willow's finger, "Wow. We're engaged."

"We are."

They both grinned and met in a sweet, loving kiss for a few minutes until Tara pulled back, glancing upwards.

"Can I see the stars again?"

Willow turned off the lamp again and settled them both down into a lying position, Tara's head nestled in the crook of her neck.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Tara replied promptly, staring in awe at the words above her, squealing like a small child inside as she played with the ring on her finger, "I'm so happy. I feel like I should be jumping up and down but being in your arms...nothing beats that."

"Who woulda thought four years ago that the geek who spilled coffee on you and accidentally felt you up would end up being your fiancée…"

Tara giggled, the memory pushing itself to the forefront of her mind.

***

Tara walked across campus quickly, holding her books to her chest with one hand while the other grasped onto the large latte she was taking steady sips from, trying to wake herself up for her early-morning class she was on her way to. She'd been living in Boston for two years, having moved from New York State when she graduated high school and was half way through her degree but she still felt like an outsider. She knew it was her own fault, never making an effort to join any college groups or meet anyone, but she liked the isolation.

She wasn't overly shy and wasn't opposed to having friends, but growing up, she hadn't been allowed to have friends over and so people at school had generally avoided her, so she'd learnt to like her own company. Most of the human contact she received was from her family, which was fine up until she was ten and her mother died in a car accident. Then her father started drinking and started hitting her, so being alone, being away from him was always the preferred option. Anyway, she figured, if she focused on her studies, she could graduate to the full of her potential, make sure she got a job and never have to see her father again.

She glanced at her watch, internally groaning when she saw she'd practically have to run to get to her class on time and brought her coffee up to her mouth, intending to take a sip but instead found it poured down the t-shirt she was wearing, stumbling to keep herself upright.

Willow pushed her glasses up on her face to stop them from falling off as she scurried across the campus, intent on getting to the library as soon as it opened, wanting to have first access to whatever books and resources were available for her independent study in her Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience class.

Much to the annoyance of her roommate, she was an early-riser, a quality she had kept on from high school when she'd get up early to hang out in the school library before school, preferring the surroundings to her own lonely bedroom. Her parents were never around, so she never had to explain her whereabouts to them and when she'd applied for colleges, they'd been delighted when she'd been accepted into Harvard, MIT and Princeton. Willow, however, had fallen in love with the Boston University campus when she had visited.

The fact that it was as far away from her parents as possible was a bonus in her eyes; they may rarely have been around, but the time they did spend together was full of ridicule and belittling on their part. She was also glad she'd been offered a full scholarship as her coming out hadn't gone down well and she'd been effectively cut-off until she 'renounced her ways'.

She pulled out her cell phone to check the time but before she could even glance at the screen she found herself colliding with something, or rather someone and fell on her butt, the notebooks and collection of pens in her possession flying everywhere. She shook her head to get her bearings and looked up, instantly going into panic mode when she saw she had walked straight into a girl – an absolutely gorgeous girl, she thought absently as she jumped up and pulled a pack of tissues from her pocket.

"Oh god, I am so sorry, I am so, so sorry, are you okay? Clearly you're not okay, some lunatic just spilled coffee all over your pretty shirt," Willow said, barely taking breaths between words as she dabbed at the blonde's t-shirt with her tissues, suddenly realizing what she was doing, "And I really shouldn't be touching you like this, I'm so sorry, I'll pay for dry-cleaning and get you a new coffee, as many coffees as you like and, and a muffin or whatever baked goodness you desire…"

Tara knew she should be concerned about the slowly-diminishing burning sensation of the coffee on her chest. She knew she should be concerned about her ruined t-shirt, or the fact that she would definitely be late for her class, or that a strange woman was touching very close to her breasts. But she couldn't bring herself to care because she was currently looking into the most beautiful face with the greenest eyes she had ever seen.

Those green eyes suddenly locked with hers and Willow inhaled softly, cutting off the babble. Both felt like something had just changed for them, that something special was happening.

"I'm, I'm Willow by the way. Willow Rosenberg," Willow squeaked out after a minute, "I'm so sorry about your shirt."

"It's okay," Tara replied, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, "It'll wash out. And I'm Tara Maclay. It's nice to meet you."

The blonde extended her free hand – the one that had been holding her coffee – and gulped when she felt a spark jolt through her as Willow took her hand and shook it firmly, a wave of confidence washing over her.

"So…that coffee?"

***

"I knew," Tara said as the memory ended, "I mean, obviously I didn't know but I knew you were gonna be really special in my life. I can't believe we're getting married! I'm gonna get to check the 'Mrs.' box when I fill out forms!"

"Is that all you're excited about? Getting to check a different box?"

"Well that and, you know, spending the rest of our lives together. And the wedding! I know this is completely girly and rainbows and flowers and stuff, but I've always wanted the big, white wedding."

"Well then a big, white wedding you shall have."

Tara turned herself on her side and bit her lip.

"As long as it's you and me saying the vows, I don't care about our surroundings."

Willow turned herself as well so they were facing each other and cupped the blonde's cheek.

"Our wedding is gonna be the one thing we where we don't worry about money. Please? I'll work at McDonalds if I have to."

"You got rejected from there," Tara reminded gently.

"Overqualified," Willow scoffed, "I never thought my degree would stop me from getting a job."

"I think maybe the manager didn't appreciate your surmise that he had no higher aspirations than working in a fast food place because he lived in loveless marriage and secretly hoped that if he became a hollow, shell of a man that his wife would leave him and he would finally have some peace. I'm almost 100% sure he definitively didn't appreciate you saying that in front of all the other employees. And his wife."

"Well you should have seen him with her!" Willow replied, remembering the interview from hell, "He wouldn't look at her, never mind touch her. Anyway. Baby, we just got engaged and we're talking about our lack of money and jobs and stupid trivial stuff! We should be celebrating!"

"What do you wanna do?"

Willow rolled herself on top of her fiancée, a devilish grin on her face.

"How about tomorrow we call our friends and go for a picnic in the park? We can tell them then. But for now…"

"Yes?" Tara asked with a grin, quirking her eyebrow.

"We have some private celebrations to attend to."