"Tara, there has to be something wrong. He just doesn't show at the airport and now he's not answering his phone? That's not my dad. At least not the one who's been in my life for the past six months."

"Shush, honey," Tara replied comfortingly, shifting across the backseat of the cab they were sitting in as best as the seatbelt would allow and placing a hand on her wife's knee, "We'll go home and drop off the bags, and if he's still not answering his cell then we'll swing by his apartment and check in. Okay? He probably just lost track of time, or maybe he got the day wrong."

"You think?" Willow asked, a desperate need for reassurance in her voice, "He does mix up days sometimes. Like that day he came over on Saturday night when we'd invited him over for Sunday."

Tara squeezed her wife's knee tightly for a few seconds, hoping it would help calm the redhead who was just moments away from entering full-blown panic mode; the dread in her building from the moment Ira hadn't shown up at the airport like he had promised to collect them from their flight, and only getting stronger as phone calls to both his cell and home phone went unanswered.

Tara was a little concerned as well, but was sure it was most likely just a mix-up and Ira was perfectly safe, something she was trying to convey to her wife.

"Exactly. Don't worry, sweetie, I'm just it's just one big mix up. Don't let worrying ruin our amazing trip."

Willow nodded, exhaling slowly before turning to the blonde with a small smile.

"It was pretty amazing, wasn't it?"

Tara got a big smile on her face as she thought about their past seven days in Paris; the days leading up to their anniversary where they saw all the sights the city had to offer, their actual anniversary, the details of which neither girl would ever forget, and the quiet last day and a half they had spent just taking in the magnificent beauty of Paris before their uneventful – and much to Willow's pleasure, turbulence-free – plane journey home, the only hiccup being when Ira hadn't shown up to give them a ride home, as had previously been arranged.

"Willow, it was...indescribable," she replied before shooting a joking half-smile in the redhead's direction, "And hey, we survived our first vacation together."

"Now we're unstoppable," Willow giggled, before looking at her wife seriously, "Thank you."

Tara understood Willow was thanking her for her gentle reassurances and just squeezed her wife's knee again in response before leaning over to place a lingering kiss on her cheek as they rounded the corner onto their street and a familiar silver Audi A3 came into view alongside their own red car in their driveway.

"Now, see," Tara said, smiling at the redhead, "There's your dad's car. He's here, he must've thought it was earlier than it was or something or that our flight came in later. Nothing to be worrying about."

Willow nodded and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she'd have to tease her father about getting a new watch as the cab pulled up outside their house. Tara paid the driver as Willow got out and retrieved their bags from the trunk, before both girls dragged a case each towards the front door and the redhead fumbled for her keys, finally locating them and opening the door.

"Dad?" she called into the foyer as she walked in and dropped the case on the floor. When there was no answer, she turned to Tara, who shrugged, and walked further into the house. Willow called out again, "Dad, are you here? Your car's outside so I'm guessing you ar – whoa!"

Tara's head flew towards the sound of her wife's sudden exclamation and rushed over to where she was standing, at the doorway to the living room, her own eyes widening when she saw not only Ira there, but Michelle too, both of their clothes and hair ruffled with Ira half-lying over Michelle, though he quickly assembled himself into a respectable sitting position as he took in the site of the two girls standing there.

"You, you were..." Willow huffed, gaping, in complete and utter shock, "You were having sex on our couch! Our couch! And, and it's you two and on our couch!"

"Willow, I can assure-"

Ira tried to speak but was cut off as Willow started again, turning to Tara, disbelief and confusion evident in her tone and eyes.

"They were...on our couch! We have sex on that couch! And, and..."

Ira, Michelle and Tara all winced and blushed at the redhead's words and Tara tried to put a hand on her wife's shoulder, but Willow just shrugged it off and stormed out of the room, the sound of the kitchen door being slammed heard around the house a moment later.

"Um...should I?" Ira asked, standing up and gesturing towards the kitchen.

Tara nodded, avoiding the man's gaze, both still embarrassed and Ira walked passed her, out of the room. Tara fidgeted in the doorway for a moment before walking into the living room and sitting on the other sofa, opposite Michelle, who was the first to speak.

"We weren't-"

"I know," Tara said quickly, not wanting to hear the words, much less think about the accompanying imagery, "But things were, um...going in that direction? I didn't know you two were..."

"We aren't. We weren't..." Michelle trailed off, sitting gingerly on the edge of her seat and biting the side of one of her nails nervously, before sighing and deciding to start from the beginning, "Tara, I really never expected...We just...We started talking when you had everyone over for Christmas and then New Year's. Just chatting really, nothing else, but I knew he was certainly an interesting man. I didn't dream it would mean anything. Until this past week..."

"Willow?"

Willow turned at the sound of her father's voice, tapping her fingers against the island and closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before meeting his gaze.

"Sorry I stormed off," she managed after a minute, "I just...it was a shock."

"I'm very sorry," Ira replied, wringing his hands in front of him anxiously, "I never intended for you to see...or for it to even happen...not that what you think happened did happen, I assure you, things never got to that..."

"Right," Willow said, holding up her hands, trying not to show the shudder that was threatening to go up her spine, "I don't need the details."

They both lapsed into silence for a few long, painfully awkward minutes, neither looking at each other until Willow spoke up again, her words surprising Ira.

"Do you like her?"

Ira, though surprised, couldn't help the small smile that graced his features at that, accompanied by a blush.

"You have to understand, Willow, things have only progressed in...that sense in the week you've been gone."

"I came by to water your flowers, like you asked," Michelle said as Tara diligently listened, "Like I said, we had spoken at Christmas and then again at New Years about books and things and knew little things about each other that we'd learnt from you and Willow, but last Monday, I came by and he was here at the same time, taking in the mail. He said Willow had asked him to keep an eye on the house and I said you'd asked me to do the same. We laughed about how you'd obviously forgotten to tell each other. Anyway..."

"I helped her water the garden and we were talking and well, Willow, there was a spark there. It's not like anything I've ever experienced before, where you're so captivated by someone. I knew she was interesting to talk to from our chats at the family get-togethers, but I'd never been with her in a one-on-one situation and when I was..."

He trailed off, unsure on how exactly to voice or explain the flurry of thoughts and emotions that had encapsulated him over the past few days and was once again surprised when his daughter spoke up again.

"You felt like you were under some kind of spell because all you could do was think how wonderfully amazing the woman in front of you was?" Willow asked in a quiet voice, playing with her fingers.

"How did you..." Ira trailed off again and gave a low laugh before nodding, "Of course you know. Of course. I felt exactly that. So I..."

"He asked if he could take me for dinner. I was enjoying our conversation and his company, so I agreed and we went to a small Italian place in the city. We had a wonderful evening, talked about everything; our jobs, our hobbies, how happy we were that we'd both been given second chances to be a part of yours and Willow's lives. And when he drove me home, he walked me to my door, like the perfect gentleman, and kissed me goodnight."

"I know you don't want the details, Willow, and I think there's some things that should be kept secret between a father and a daughter anyway," Ira said and once again a light flush rose on his cheeks, "But it was the most dizzying kiss of my life. It was only a quick peck really, but I felt like my heart lifted inside my chest."

"I know that feeling," Willow replied, smiling softly, her own senses tingling as she just thought about her own woman and the wonderful sensation of when their lips touched, "If you're as lucky as I am it never stops."

"We've been spending the evenings together since. He's such a wonderful man, so intelligent and full of insight. And funny, he's so funny."

Tara could only nod her head in agreement and smile fondly at this; an offbeat sense of humour was something Willow had definitely inherited from her father and she could see how her aunt found it endearing.

"So are you two..."

"...together? Like is she your girlfriend?"

Ira chuckled, blushing again and smiling.

"I don't know, Willow, I don't think at my age you define things so definitively and I certainly never thought I'd use the term 'girlfriend' again but I do know I would like to continue to enjoy Michelle's company for as long as she would allow me too."

Willow took a few moments to take in all she'd heard, quietly processing it. It was certainly...unexpected, that was for sure. But who was she to deny her father happiness, and...well, she just had to take one look at his magnetic smile and the way his whole face lit up when he talked about Michelle.

Again flashing briefly to Tara, knowing she acted the exact same way as her father was any time she was around or speaking of her wife, she smiled over at Ira before going over and wrapping him in a warm hug.

"I'm so happy for you."

"You are?" Ira asked, returning the hug firmly, stopping the tear that had formed in the corner of his eye in relief, deciding crying would make the still-awkward situation just that little bit too uncomfortable, "Oh that means the world to me, darling."

Willow pulled back, her smile faltering for just a moment.

"When you told me you were divorcing Mom...well, I dunno, I struggled with it, I'm still struggling with it, but even then, one of the first things I said to Tara was I hoped this meant you could find something as amazing as we have," she said, giving a definitive nod, more to herself than at her father, "And I dunno how things are gonna work out here and I know it's very, very early days but if she or anyone else is gonna be the person...if she's going to be your Tara, the one who completes you, especially if she keeps that smile on your face... Well then, they have my full blessing."

"You're a wonderful daughter," Ira replied, the lone tear threatening to escape once again but he managed to control it, before he suddenly realised something, "Your flight!"

Willow chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully, punching her Dad lightly on the arm with mirth.

"Yea, Dad, our flight. Came in a couple of hours ago. Seems you kinda got caught up in...other things and forgot, huh? Couldn't even answer your phone."

Ira blushed for the nth time in what had been a relatively short space of time and started shuffling his feet.

"I left it in the car. We were only supposed to be a couple of minutes, we just came over to make sure the house was in order before you arrived...there was time before we needed to leave though, so I made us some coffees and..."

"Yea, I remember," Willow said, shaking her head to get the image she had walked in on out of her head, "I'm not mad or anything. I've been late for a lot of things because of..."

Willow blushed and Ira cast his gaze downward, stretching each of his fingers individually, wondering how on earth the situation could become any more uncomfortable.

"I promise that will never happen again. And let me reimburse you for your cab fare. You did get a cab? I can't believe I lost track of time that badly, I never meant to let you down, Willow."

"Dad, it's...it's okay," Willow reassured, her tone genuine, "It's all definitely okay."

"Are you okay with this?"

"I can't say I expected it," Tara said with a smile, "But all I care about is that both of you are happy."

"Well I am," Michelle smiled back, "I haven't ever felt comfortable enough to be with someone since...since your mother. I battled so many of my own demons, I didn't have time to let anyone in on my life, but I think I'm finally in a place where I could welcome some love in my life. I'm not saying I'm there yet, it'll take some time to build that, but I'm open to...letting it develop."

"That's great, Michelle," Tara replied, happy at seeing her aunt happy too, "It really is."

Michelle nodded her head in agreement, her eyes glinting with delight until a nervous look cross her features, which Tara noticed.

"What is it?"

Michelle opened her mouth as if to say something, then looked like she wasn't quite sure how to phrase what she wanted before finally speaking.

"You know what next Saturday is, right?"